Race Tracks in Sydney

Being relatively new to bikes, my New Year's resolution is to get on a track
sometime this year. Being newish, these questions may appear silly, but how
do you find out unless you ask
What is required (other than the obvious - bike, helmet, gloves, boots,
leathers)
What would be considered good preperation before getting on the track for
the first time?
I assume they have dunce days for all us newbies, also what is an expected
cost, and where are they all?
And is there somewhere you can hire gear such as leathers etc or is this a
silly question? I'd hate to fork out big $$$ for something I'd only wear a
few times.

Any advice appreciated.

 

What would be considered good preperation before getting on the track for the first time?

Go out to a ride day, and see what others are doing...

 

http://www.motoconcepts.com.au/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=10&Itemid=31

http://www.circuitbreakers.com.au/faqridedays.php

http://www.filco.com.au/htdocs/ridedays.htm

http://www.championsridedays.com.au/safety.htm

http://superbikeschool.com.au/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=7&Itemid=28

Read them all

Daron

 

This group is full of track day junkies and most operators give members a discount.
http://groups.msn.com/TrakDaze

 

I highly recommend the filco ride days. Well run, safety conscious and 20
minute sessions.

 

Forgot to mention about the leathers..... might be hard to find a company
that will do that . I looked into it as a possible venture for Underdog
Leathers but it wouldnt be viable.

After about 3 seperate customers, the suits stink, they are stretched all
wrong and they leave a bad impression of the product. Youd have to dry clean
them every 3rd rider and at 120 a pop for dry cleaning..... not very
economical.

But if you do find someone who hires them let me know.. I will try and sell
them some leathers... lol

 

In aus.motorcycles on Sun, 18 Jan 2004 21:52:44 +1100

Is this racing or ride day?

I wouldn't go racing first off if I was you, do a couple of ride days
first.

I do ride days in cordura jacket and trousers, not leathers. I believe
you can do them in draggin' jeans.

Either are a good investment for day to day riding anyway, so
buy them and use them.

Zebee

 

If you had leathers you wouldn't wear them when you're riding? They're not
just track accessories. Most accidents don't occur on race tracks.

Nev..
'03 ZX12R
'02 CBR1100XX

 

Most of my ride time is around the city. While I can see the benefits of
wearing leathers, I've come off in shorts and a tshirt already I'm
prepared to accept the risks. I will get some eventually, just not a
priority right now.

 

Is this racing or ride day?
What does a ride day entail? I want to ride as fast as I can without fear of
trees, powerpoles, cops, or idiots in cars anywhere in the vicinity.

I'm saving up for a good jacket with armour, the draggin jeans look good,
but they don't stop broken bones do they?

 

huh ?

Nev..
'03 ZX12R
'02 CBR1100XX

 

Nope. I'm not sold on the idea myself. I can see how it might look
impressive when the wearer gets towed behind a bike down the main straight at
Phillip Island on his arse wearing them, but in real life how many accidents
involve a scenario in which this would be even close to the reality of falling
off a bike and sliding down the road. I personally don't see, apart from the
psychological, what value the Draggin Jeans with Kevlar lining will provide in
an accident which a sturdy pair of Levis will not.

Cue the "Both of my legs would have been amputated if I wasn't wearing Draggin
Jeans" posts here

Nev..
'03 ZX12R
'02 CBR1100XX

 

In aus.motorcycles on Mon, 19 Jan 2004 18:22:38 +1100

YOu are on a racetrack, circulating with people of vaguely similar
ability. Some will be more experienced, some won't have any. Some
organisers ban passing on the inside, but it's seldom the slow group
people will do anything like that.

Neither will an armoured jacket. It might help a bit, but broken arms
from falling with an outstretched arm, or a compression fracture of
collarbone or shoulderblade happena lot.

If you are in a crash with a car hitting you armoured leathers are
unlikely to save your shins or feet, and not that likely to help the
knee.

They may downgrade a knee injury at slowish speed from a badly cracked
kneecap to a minor one.

(all those claiming that their armour definitely saved them are hereby
invited to repeat the crash with and without the armour, to be sure.
You can't know what would have happened, or neccessarily what did.)

In other words, do not expect protective gear to mean you can crash with
impunity. That;'s a *bad* mindset. Wear it to maybe, with luck,
minimise the damage, but realise that not falling off is the best bet.
Closely followed by learning how to slow down as much as possible before
crashing.


Zebee

 

In aus.motorcycles on Mon, 19 Jan 2004 18:39:53 +1100

Downgrading from "4 weeks healing nasty gravel rash on the knee" to
"bruised and limping a bit".

Landing on the knee on asphalt will tear up the jeans and the knee, as
the scars on both mine will show you. The gravel rash isn't fatal, and
it is unlikely there will be the skingrafts so beloved of scaremongers,
but a 4 or 5 square inches of skin on your kneecap is painful and
extremely inconvenient when it is growing back.

Zebee

 

you might not want to wear leathers on the road when commuting

but there will prob be weekend rides that they would be worth having

look around and bargains can be had , either ebay , or stop by
you local pawn brokers eg Cash convertors etc and you will come up
with something cheap soon enough and the worse the style,colour the cheaper
it is ,

but hey when its cheap and does the job who cares about the fashion ???

 

So, who'll get here first, Hammo or Stu?

-----limping kevlar sharks

 

They are 25min sessions at Filco!!!!

Know your product before you recommend anything!!!

Daron

 

blow me

 

sorry?

 

*remembers the time the doctor put 15 stitches in his leg just above the knee*

....but besides that.. the Levis did an outstanding job.

Nev..
'03 ZX12R
'02 CBR1100XX