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 Post subject: Re: Track day. Question
PostPosted: 29 Jul 2014 21:49 
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Joined: 08 May 2009 19:54
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Current ride: 1999 X1
Location: Texas, Gerrards Cross
Maybe you can stuff a banana in the tailpipe to bring it down for the test.
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 Post subject: Re: Track day. Question
PostPosted: 05 Aug 2014 13:46 
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Joined: 30 Sep 2009 23:01
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Current ride: YZF750R
Location: Didcot
If you're worried about the noise limits, go to Anglesey as Adam said. It's a great track with loads of grip, just be careful you don't get distracted by the views if the sun is out.

You don't need special tyres, just check they're not completely squared off and you still have some tread left. Check you still have plenty of meat left on the brake pads too.

You can pick a set of pre-worn leathers up for sub £50 on ebay, and £100 will get you some branded ones.

You can ride there and back, I used to ride up the night before and camp at the circuit. The main reason people drive to trackdays is insurance incase either the bike breaks or you run out of talent.

Let some air out of your tyres when you get to the track, but remember to pump them back up before you rise home. I used to run 30psi front and rear on the 1125 on Michelins. My monster I run 28psi front 27 rear on Dunlop Qualifiers.

Remember, if you are feeling knackered, or the weather changes, it's not compulsary to do every session.


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 Post subject: Re: Track day. Question
PostPosted: 21 Oct 2016 01:02 
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Joined: 11 Mar 2016 18:28
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Current ride: 1125r XB12X
Location: South
This has been a good thread. Going on my first trackday next season at least a few times (always wanted to, never had time or location)...so good info.

The 1125 is too loud (had the test at Brands Hatch a few months ago, 109db) and I didn't want to risk my first trackdays on it either. So I'm thinking of just getting a little CBR600 for the first season or half season at least. Looked at buying a van but my NCB is shit so insurance is around £1000 so I'll be riding to track :roll:

Adam you sound well in the know....CBR600 good for starter? Also, the Anglesey tip sounds good if I pluck up enough courage to take the 1125 to track next year.

My helmet is not gold stickered, its French, so will either contact Shark for papers or have to buy a new one :headbang:
And yes, leathers from ebay...great deals


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 Post subject: Re: Track day. Question
PostPosted: 21 Oct 2016 09:02 
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Joined: 02 Jun 2016 14:57
Posts: 539
Current ride: XB12Scg well tweaked
Location: Edge of Romney Marsh
Hi all, just a couple of things to look at in the South East. A while ago I did a bit of track stuff. Small and often forgotten, http://www.lyddenhill.co.uk/ Its nice and easy to learn, down between Canterbury and Dover. Last time I was there it was cheap too. Its not flat, so makes you use the box even on an XB. Good kind of small scale fun.
Then there's this place, http://www.brandshatch.co.uk/trackdays/ ... endar.aspx
More expensive, and more competitive. Your XB will be out of gears on the longer bits, but through the curves they wonder if your'e running a magnetic levitation system.
Lastly if you need to scrounge a trailer to stick you bike on ( or take it home ), get in touch. If it's not being used, it could be useful. 750KG load, single axle, with ramp, and flat bed with sides.
Oh yeah, take loads of water, its surprising how much you leak everywhere when you're trying.
Watch out for some bloke with a big trophy on a Harley, he's quite good on his Panigale track bike !!! :rotfl:

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 Post subject: Re: Track day. Question
PostPosted: 21 Oct 2016 19:47 
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Joined: 11 Mar 2016 18:28
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Current ride: 1125r XB12X
Location: South
Tadpole wrote:
Hi all, just a couple of things to look at in the South East. A while ago I did a bit of track stuff. Small and often forgotten, http://www.lyddenhill.co.uk/ Its nice and easy to learn, down between Canterbury and Dover. Last time I was there it was cheap too. Its not flat, so makes you use the box even on an XB. Good kind of small scale fun.
Then there's this place, http://www.brandshatch.co.uk/trackdays/ ... endar.aspx
More expensive, and more competitive. Your XB will be out of gears on the longer bits, but through the curves they wonder if your'e running a magnetic levitation system.
Lastly if you need to scrounge a trailer to stick you bike on ( or take it home ), get in touch. If it's not being used, it could be useful. 750KG load, single axle, with ramp, and flat bed with sides.
Oh yeah, take loads of water, its surprising how much you leak everywhere when you're trying.
Watch out for some bloke with a big trophy on a Harley, he's quite good on his Panigale track bike !!! :rotfl:




A trailer is a good idea and half the price of annual van insurance for me, cheers. Lyddenhill looks good too, I have been eying up Kent fire services intro day at Brands Hatch, I think its only £50, 2017 dates and figures aren't up yet. Thanks for the tips Tadpole.


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 Post subject: Re: Track day. Question
PostPosted: 22 Oct 2016 11:25 
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Joined: 15 Apr 2009 17:25
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Location: Oswestry
A CBR600 is an ideal track bike. You can buy a track sorted one for £6-800, and if you get a steel framed one, you can race in the pre injection 'Steelie' class. Leave the engine standard, speed comes from sorted suspension. There's loads of really cheap bits for this type of bike. I just bought my wife a GSXR600 for under £1k already sorted for the track (Ktech and Maxton suspension), although I've spent a lot of time adding lightness lOl , making a new switchless loom (a bit tricky since there's a hidden 100 Ohm resistor in the switch as an anti theft device - this made me swear a bit until I took the ignition switch apart lOl ) and I'm currently playing with different fork oils and air gaps. All good fun 8-)

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 Post subject: Re: Track day. Question
PostPosted: 22 Oct 2016 11:28 
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...and you can buy a Gold ACU helmet sticker off Ebay, but I really wouldn't ;)

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 Post subject: Re: Track day. Question
PostPosted: 24 Oct 2016 14:34 
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Current ride: 1125r XB12X
Location: South
Adam wrote:
A CBR600 is an ideal track bike. You can buy a track sorted one for £6-800, and if you get a steel framed one, you can race in the pre injection 'Steelie' class. Leave the engine standard, speed comes from sorted suspension. There's loads of really cheap bits for this type of bike. I just bought my wife a GSXR600 for under £1k already sorted for the track (Ktech and Maxton suspension), although I've spent a lot of time adding lightness lOl , making a new switchless loom (a bit tricky since there's a hidden 100 Ohm resistor in the switch as an anti theft device - this made me swear a bit until I took the ignition switch apart lOl ) and I'm currently playing with different fork oils and air gaps. All good fun 8-)



Wow thats much cheaper than I was thinking...However that extra work is way over my paygrade not to mention lack of workshop in current abode. I was planning on paying 1500-2000 for something ready to go. will start looking around feb. I will now put gsxr into the search many thanks Adam :yup: , I am really in the dark here, but not as much as I was last week :) . 2017 is the year, better late than never I say.


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 Post subject: Re: Track day. Question
PostPosted: 24 Oct 2016 20:58 
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Joined: 06 May 2009 18:54
Posts: 2129
Current ride: Ducati Monster 950+
Location: West Lothian, Bonnie Scotland
And be prepared to get hooked :yup:

I started last year on a nice little VTR prepped by Adam :D It's now on to its next owner ready to turn him into a Trackday junkie :rotfl:

Already booked for Almería in May and hopefully get some instruction too. I'm hoping to do Anglesea next year also - maybe see Paula, Adam, Gill and Richie there too. Brilliant.

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 Post subject: Re: Track day. Question
PostPosted: 25 Oct 2016 15:53 
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Kiwi wrote:
Adam wrote:
A CBR600 is an ideal track bike. You can buy a track sorted one for £6-800, and if you get a steel framed one, you can race in the pre injection 'Steelie' class. Leave the engine standard, speed comes from sorted suspension. There's loads of really cheap bits for this type of bike. I just bought my wife a GSXR600 for under £1k already sorted for the track (Ktech and Maxton suspension), although I've spent a lot of time adding lightness lOl , making a new switchless loom (a bit tricky since there's a hidden 100 Ohm resistor in the switch as an anti theft device - this made me swear a bit until I took the ignition switch apart lOl ) and I'm currently playing with different fork oils and air gaps. All good fun 8-)



Wow thats much cheaper than I was thinking...However that extra work is way over my paygrade not to mention lack of workshop in current abode. I was planning on paying 1500-2000 for something ready to go. will start looking around feb. I will now put gsxr into the search many thanks Adam :yup: , I am really in the dark here, but not as much as I was last week :) . 2017 is the year, better late than never I say.


For £1.5-2k you'll get a very nice trackbike, something like a Gixxer750 probably with loads of spares like wheels etc.

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 Post subject: Re: Track day. Question
PostPosted: 25 Oct 2016 15:55 
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Adam wrote:
Kiwi wrote:
Adam wrote:
A CBR600 is an ideal track bike. You can buy a track sorted one for £6-800, and if you get a steel framed one, you can race in the pre injection 'Steelie' class. Leave the engine standard, speed comes from sorted suspension. There's loads of really cheap bits for this type of bike. I just bought my wife a GSXR600 for under £1k already sorted for the track (Ktech and Maxton suspension), although I've spent a lot of time adding lightness lOl , making a new switchless loom (a bit tricky since there's a hidden 100 Ohm resistor in the switch as an anti theft device - this made me swear a bit until I took the ignition switch apart lOl ) and I'm currently playing with different fork oils and air gaps. All good fun 8-)



Wow thats much cheaper than I was thinking...However that extra work is way over my paygrade not to mention lack of workshop in current abode. I was planning on paying 1500-2000 for something ready to go. will start looking around feb. I will now put gsxr into the search many thanks Adam :yup: , I am really in the dark here, but not as much as I was last week :) . 2017 is the year, better late than never I say.


For £1.5-2k you'll get a very nice trackbike, something like a Gixxer750 probably with loads of spares like wheels etc.


There's also a Trackday Rider forum, where bikes are often offered at non Ebay inflated prices, and you'll get advice from people far more experienced than me 8-)

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 Post subject: Re: Track day. Question
PostPosted: 25 Oct 2016 19:49 
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Joined: 11 Mar 2016 18:28
Posts: 998
Current ride: 1125r XB12X
Location: South
t965m wrote:
And be prepared to get hooked :yup:

I started last year on a nice little VTR prepped by Adam :D It's now on to its next owner ready to turn him into a Trackday junkie :rotfl:

Already booked for Almería in May and hopefully get some instruction too. I'm hoping to do Anglesea next year also - maybe see Paula, Adam, Gill and Richie there too. Brilliant.



Nice one t. Yep looking forward to it. I have a mate who is going to join me next year so at this stage we'll be looking for 2 bikes. Sounds like you've a big year coming up, I've heard instruction is brilliant...keep us all posted :D

What bike will you be going to Almeria with? Riding there or trailer?


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 Post subject: Re: Track day. Question
PostPosted: 25 Oct 2016 19:58 
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Joined: 11 Mar 2016 18:28
Posts: 998
Current ride: 1125r XB12X
Location: South
Adam wrote:
Adam wrote:
Kiwi wrote:
Adam wrote:

For £1.5-2k you'll get a very nice trackbike, something like a Gixxer750 probably with loads of spares like wheels etc.


There's also a Trackday Rider forum, where bikes are often offered at non Ebay inflated prices, and you'll get advice from people far more experienced than me 8-)



Thanks Adam I'm going to go there. Will let you know how it's all going next year and will keep an eye out for you. Would really like to see your 1125 on the track.


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 Post subject: Re: Track day. Question
PostPosted: 26 Oct 2016 09:51 
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Joined: 02 Jun 2016 14:57
Posts: 539
Current ride: XB12Scg well tweaked
Location: Edge of Romney Marsh
Hi Kiwi, I did a few track days at Brands with instruction and some mates, I had a Ducati at the time. So half a dozen of us rocked up full of the joys etc etc. Well we went out with the bloke who was giving us instruction, he was evaluating us! In our minds we were doing quite well. Yeah, right. :rotfl: We then went in and had a lecture. He was quite sarcastic as some of the blokes were full of it, but then we went out to follow him. He could ride circles round us lot. He came past me at Paddock Hill on the edge of the kerb looking back and pointing for me to follow him. Now he was well used to the track, but we weren't going slow. Following him was great as long as you had the balearics to ride with that much faith in what the tyres can handle. From the start to finish he took 16 secs of my lap times, I could ride with him but not get past him. He probably could have done that on a 125, and my tyres were sore by the end of the day. It is addictive, so is the tyre bill. At the end of three learning experiences I felt much more sensible believe it or not. It also makes you glad that no one is coming the other way unlike the road. The instructor didn't take the "P" as none of us were race material, but he did improve all of us no end. Well worth the instruction fee, and makes you realise what a well set up bike can do. Oh yeah chicken strips, what are they? Be prepared go to the cafe and everyone thinks you're a complete nutter as they will have melted. Great fun. :dance: :dance: :dance:

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 Post subject: Re: Track day. Question
PostPosted: 26 Oct 2016 18:31 
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Joined: 06 May 2009 18:54
Posts: 2129
Current ride: Ducati Monster 950+
Location: West Lothian, Bonnie Scotland
I'm going with Track Sense and they're transporting the bike there - local pickup in Falkirk. They crate it with all your riding kit. We're hoping to do a road trip making it a bit of a holiday :D

I'm lucky enough to have a Panigale 1199 with track plastics and all the road 'stuff' stripped off. I traded my touring bike in as I wasn't using it, so it didn't feel too expensive. I know, I'm a spoiled git. It makes me look much better than I really am :rotfl:

I'll let you know how it goes. Everyone I've spoken to rates Track Sense highly - anyone else heard anything different?

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In the garage -

2001 X1
KTM390 Duke
Ducati 950 Monster +
CCM Spitfire Scrambler


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