Thinking of getting back on the track

[Auron]

So after a big crash in turn 1 at Pueblo in 2008, I'm thinking of getting back into it. I have a few questions if you guys don't mind. How has the track scene changed in the past 5 years? Also, is there an ideal bike for the nearby tracks? My eyes have recently been opened to the insane amount of fun with motards and things other than sportbikes.

[tecknojoe]

Surface was smooth as butter last year and the tire wear was fantastic

entry to 10 is slightly safer

Throttling out onto the straight is still a little touchy

[One-ops]

have you been to HPR???!!!!
Not alot has changed in 5 years.
PMP was almost lost but was repaved which is nice!! Thank you Judy for saving it btw!!
To ride pmp you must do a track class before hand since you've been out for 5 yrs. $200
+1 one 10 being a bit sketchy just dont wack the throttle on if your on the prepped lanes. Rolling on smooth still spins up a bit though if its dirty or cold. I've just been rolling through the apex carry descent speed and driving to the outside of the left lane. Standing and watching Nik I thur 10 helped alot if you are freaked out about it check it out.

[mopoet178]

Well I got into it about when you left 5 years ago, started with an old FZR 600, but now on a Ninja 250 since last summer. HPR is fantastic, and PMP is greatly improved since the fresh asphault overlay. I still havn't ridden PPIR, but I look forward to it. With the 250, IMI is never out of the question and is the closest to home. IMI gets my business most frequency.

With where I am in my riding development and college frugality, the 250 is my ideal bike. I know I've gotten way faster in the corners since I sold the FZR. Cheap to own, simple, small enough to rail on small tracks. Can compete with MRA and minimoto. The motor is sedate enough not to have to worry about killing yourself whenever you make a mid corner throttle adjustment so you can concentrate on riding the chassis fast. You may want more guts, but I don't need it yet.

Been thinking about this a lot recently: I know motors, I've built and blueprinted a dozen of them. There's nothing mysteriously unknown about them anymore to me. Money and complexity makes a fast motor. On the flip side, I havn't built and hardly tuned any bike chassis. There's still a lot for me to learn about vehicle dynamics. This is why I choose slow motor/fast chassis for the time being; it aligns my riding with my intellectual interests.

-Marsh

[madvlad]

It's fun, do it /thread.

[One-ops]

PPIR is fun but small and bumpy. Banking if fun coming on out of 8 I think and coming off going into 1 . I love going into 3 banging downshifts and hard ass fuck on the brakes. Really good left hander practice. I need help for a setup through bumps there though.

[Bueller]

I would highly recommend buying a track prepped ninja 250 and riding it for a season. It can go to any of the big tracks and with an easy gear change will absolutely fly around IMI. It will resale well. You will learn more about riding a sportbike in one year on a 250 than several years on a 600. Race Supermotos (250-450) are great but they really need a big gearing change for PMP and HPR. At IMI they crush. Street Supermotos do ok and are fun but usually underpowered and/or heavy. A DRZ 400 supermoto is a good compromise but I don't see them at PMI/HPR.

[One-ops]

Been thinking about getting a 250 myself.

[Auron]

Wow, that's actually a REALLY good idea. I'll go looking but I'd imagine there is a lot of support for building them up? Thanks!

We can ride PPIR now???

[One-ops]

Well you could but I just checked and I only see bike days with mra dates with a test day fri before. Have to call and ask umm

[rybo]

HPR
PPIR
PMP and
IMI

are all offering open days at this point. Some are better at publishing schedules than others.

The scene has changed quite a bit. HPR has really stepped up the quality of the open lapping day. In the past (I'll cite to SCR and PMP here) there were times you could show up for the "open lapping" leave a signature on a waiver and a check under a rock in the raceway office and go ride. I've been at both of those tracks totally alone - no staff, no other riders, no ambulance in years past. These days HPR, while somewhat more expensive, offers corner crew around the track, a full ALS ambulance on site and a staff that monitors the track conditions and number of riders and even schedules 'sessions' based on speed if necessary. It's a far better arrangement than the past and I'm happy to see it in Colorado. PMP has just hired professional management for their facility, so I hope to see them follow suit in the near future. PPIR has full time management and the ability to monitor the whole track from a single position, but they still do not have an ambulance on-site during the open lapping days.

All in all I would say that the open day scene has greatly improved in the past 5 years with more professionally run tracks, lots of access and better available coaching in the region ( if that is something that you want ).

for bikes-

The 250 market has really blossomed in the last few years. Look for an 08 model or newer as they have the most available support and run 17" wheels, so there is a decent tire selection available. The best part about them is that there isn't much to do, really. If you're looking for a track day bike:

1) Good brake line for the front
2) Tires
3) at some point you're going to want clip-ons and rear sets
4) MAYBE and exhaust system and some dyno tuning

Other than that - there really isn't anything to do.

To go racing Add:

1) rear sets and clip on's for sure
2) Exhaust and tuning for sure
3) Bodywork
4) Gearing
5) PAIR elimination
6) Safety Wire

It's a great platform and, like Bueller said, will teach you a ton about riding a motorcycle at the racetrack.

Remember - it's always more fun to ride a slow bike fast than to ride a fast bike slow. :)