SAMnet Racing's -
Tony Iannarelli
==>The Track
Contents
| Why go to a racetrack? | What Happens at the School? |
| What equipment do I need? | Can I race that weekend? |
| Preparing your Bike | New Racer Tips |
Whether you ride a sportbike or a touring bike, the capabilities of the modern motorcycle usually exceed those of the rider. This is especially true of the beginner rider on a new sportbike. Not surprisingly, it is this group that is most likely to be involved in an accident.
SAMnet Racing's -
Tony Iannarelli
==>
If you often feel hampered by the speed limits on your favorite road, or if you’ve ever had a close call that left you shaking, I highly recommend signing up for a riding class that takes place at a RACETRACK. Even if you’ve never had the desire to race, the racetrack is the only place to safely learn the limits of your motorcycle and yourself. Riding a motorcycle is easy - riding a motorcycle correctly is much harder, and requires practice.
If you’ve taken the classes offered by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, you know that they are limited in what they can teach you. While I highly recommend both the beginner and advanced MSF classes, I think everyone should follow them up with some track time. This will allow you to implement the riding tips they provide.
Maybe the most important thing you will learn at the track is how to properly use your brakes. I rode street bikes for 12 years before I went on the track, and I was amazed to learn how much more braking power was available to me. Other important things you will learn are to look far ahead, how to countersteer, how to control your bike, and how not to panic.
NO. While some of the schools focus on race preparation, most simply concentrate on teaching riders how to be better riders. The school I attended is the Penguin Roadracing School, which operates in 3 different states (New Hampshire, New York, and Florida). If you live in the Northeast or Florida, I highly recommend this school. Even though it is a roadracing school, you do not have to race. At the end of the school, you will get a certificate of completion that will allow you to attend open practice sessions. At the New Hampshire International Speedway, there are open practice sessions on most Thursdays. This gives you 4 hours of track time to work on your riding skills.
WHAT EQUIPMENT WILL I NEED FOR THE SCHOOL?
For the Penguin School, you will need a full coverage SNELL 90 helmet, a Leather Suit (preferably one-piece), over-the-ankle Leather boots, over-the-wrist Leather Gloves, and a bike in good mechanical condition. All of these items are available for rent at the Penguin School. For other schools, I recommend calling them directly to find out what their requirements are, and whether or not you can rent the items.
FOR THE SCHOOL: Drain and flush the antifreeze and put in pure water, remove mirrors, racks, center and side stands, tape over or remove head and tail lights, you must have good tires and the bike must be fluid tight and in good condition.
FOR RACING THAT WEEKEND: Drain and flush the antifreeze and put in pure water. Remove mirrors, racks, center and side-stands. Remove or tape over all lights (headlights, taillight, turn-signals) - I highly recommend removal. Safety-wire all fluid drains, filters, and galley plugs, wire or cotter pin axles, brake stays, caliper mounting bolts, and the bike should be clean, tight, and in very good condition.
FULL RACE PREPARATION INCLUDES SEVERAL OTHER ITEMS, DEPENDING ON WHICH ORGANIZATION YOU WILL BE INVOLVED WITH.
Racebike Under Construction (TZ 250) (click photo for bigger view)
At the Penguin School, you will first attend about 3 hours of classroom training. During this time you will receive instruction on body and bike preparation, flags, rules, track survival, making a racing plan, and general riding tips. The classroom session is followed by tech inspection of your motorcycle and helmet.
After tech, you will be introduced to the track in small, controlled groups that are led by an instructor (maybe even me :-) . After numerous laps of follow the leader, you will then have an opportunity to practice at your own pace. During your practice session, the only riders on the track are other beginners and instructors. It is during this time that you will practice your braking techniques, your cornering and handling skills, and general high speed riding.
Do not feel intimidated. At no time do you have to go fast. You simply go at a pace that you feel comfortable with, and if someone wants to pass, it is their responsibility to go around you. The track is very wide, and there is no reason why beginner riders should be getting too close to one another. It’s very rare that any of the beginners take a spill.
When the day is over, you will have a de-briefing, where you will be able to ask additional questions and receive some more instruction. After this, you will be issued a Certificate of Completion. This certificate allows you to go to open practice days, which at the New Hampshire International Speedway are on most Thursdays.
For other schools and areas, please inquire at the appropriate school or track.
The Penguin School holds classes on the Friday before a race weekend. If you want to race, you must purchase a license after you complete the school, and you can then enter an AMATEUR race. Once you enter a real race, you are automatically entered into a ROOKIE RACE. This is a 3-lap “practice” race, and teaches you how to go to pre-grid, take a warm-up lap, and starting procedures. After this race, you will be allowed to race in any AMATEUR race that meets your machine’s specifications. Please note that at CCS events, Amateur racers are restricted to a maximum of 750cc.
If you don’t want to race that
weekend, you can still go to practices on Thursday until you feel
comfortable. 
If you think that you want to start
racing, I recommend you go to one of the races as a spectator,
first. And don’t just sit in the stands - get a Pit Pass.
Use this time to talk to the racers, and to get a feel for what
racing is all about. You can also purchase much of the equipment
you will need at the track, often at discounted prices.
Don’t overlook buying used. Roadracing is fairly expensive, especially at the beginning. If you can get a good race-prepped bike, some used leathers, and maybe some used tires, your first year won’t be so expensive. If you plan on using your streetbike, I highly recommend buying aftermarket bodywork and a used tank. Whether you buy new or used, it will be much cheaper than crashing your factory plastic or nice new tank. Expect to spend around $100 for a tank (slightly dented, of course), and around $200 for used plastic (new plastic is between $500 and $750).
If you do use your street-bike, you can basically forget about switching back and forth between a street bike and a race bike. For racing, you should take everything off your bike that is not essential. This includes all those extra brackets and doo-dads that come on most street bikes. It is a major hassle to put all that stuff back on after each race weekend. Besides, if you do take a spill, race only bikes usually fare pretty well.
I started racing with my 750cc streetbike, but I recommend that beginner riders start on smaller machines (EX500's are very popular). This will allow you to concentrate on braking and carrying cornering speed, without relying on horsepower. Either way, go to as many practice sessions and track days that your wallet will allow. While there, pick a particular riding skill or part of the track to work on. Take notes. You should be able to draw the track on paper, and include all of your reference points. These are points on the track that mean something to YOU.
EXAMPLES OF REFERENCE POINTS : Where you begin braking - Where you let go of the brakes - Where you turn in, etc. By working on a particular skill, you master the pieces first, then put them together to make a WHOLE rider. Good Luck
(I will try to add more information as time goes on. If you have a particular question, please e-mail me.)
 WARNING....
GOOD LUCK. E-Mail me if you have specific questions on getting started in racing. |
