Tips To Survive Your First Motorcycle Trackday

Trackdays are one of the best ways to experience the true performance potential of your motorcycle in a safe environment. For that exact reason, new and experienced riders alike are coming to trackdays in record numbers, and that's the reason behind this is list. Here are a few things you can do in order to prepare your bike and gear for that first trackday.

Whether you have a brand-new bike or plan on dusting the cobwebs off that relic in the far corner of the garage, you will need to come to the track with a motorcycle that is track worthy. Every trackday starts off with a tech inspection to make sure your ride is in good running order, and this is the minimum you need to be prepared. You must have a properly adjusted chain, the controls must be routed so they do not interfere with the movement of the handlebars, there can be no leaking fluids at all, no loose bodywork, and all lights and mirrors must be covered in tape. Your riding gear must be in good condition as well. The suit, boots, and gloves cannot be in tatters, and your helmet must be a current design with a Snell rating and no visual impact damage from crashes or being dropped.

As we mentioned above, you will need to go through your motorcycle and make sure everything is in good working order from the controls to the tires. A good way to start is by spending time inspecting your machine closely while you wash it from tip to tail.

The throttle should operate freely with the bars in all directions. Make sure your levers and switches don’t hit the upper when the bars are moved into the forward position. This can sometimes occur after you replace OEM bodywork with race bodywork, rebuild a wrecked bike, or simply by adding aftermarket bars, levers, and other equipment to your machine.

An old cruddy chain will not be allowed on any track, so if you have an older bike, make sure the chain is in good shape, and if it is not, this is the time to replace both the chain and sprockets. There are a multitude of chain-care products available including the chain scrubber brush, chain lube, and other tools of the trade.

All of your lights and mirrors need to be covered. You can save a lot of headache by doing this at home before you get to the track.

If you can easily disconnect your rear brake light, do it now. Use gaffer's tape or painter's tape to cover the lenses of your headlights, taillights, and blinkers and the reflective surface of your mirrors if you cannot take them off all together.

You can make your tape job look nice and tidy by first laying large, full strips across as much of the surface as possible. Take care to follow the lines of the lenses so you don’t have to use extra layers of tape to cover everything up. Use an X-Acto knife to carefully trim the edges of the tape job so your bike looks good in photos too. We choose these types of tape because they do not leave sticky residue on your precious parts. Go ahead and use duct tape if you want to spend hours cleaning that stuff off your bike, or just trust us and get the good stuff.

If you have old rubber, get new tires before you go to the track. This is the single best performance improvement you can do to your motorcycle. Tires must be in good condition, not cracked, bald, or shagged take-offs, so plan accordingly and don’t skimp here.

Tire Selection: Not everyone needs a set of slicks to have a good day at the track. In fact, most modern sportbikes come equipped with pretty good rubber right off the showroom floor. But the problem is that after a couple of years the tires are not as effective as they were when they were new. So, rather than risk tossing your bike, we recommend you get some new sticky buns because it will make the experience that much better.

Most trackdays have an official tire supplier so you can always pick up a new set at the track. It will cost you some time, so if you are not proficient at making tire swaps, just pay them to do the whole job unless you get it done in advance.

Your riding gear needs attention too. If you have old gear, you might not pass tech inspection, so be sure it isn’t haggard and leave yourself a budget to replace your stuff if it is.

There are some exceptions so check your provider if you do not have a one-piece leather suit. You can wear a two-piece suit in most cases but again, double-check with your trackday provider and don't make any assumptions. Many of us have to get into this sport on a budget or we might even use borrowed gear to get to our first day. If the gear you have is used or has been through a crash, make sure to inspect the crash area closely. If the road rash has compromised the seams or the leather panels, you might not want to trust it to protect you in a crash.

Your helmet needs to be Snell, ANSI, or equivalent rating so check with your trackday provider if you have a weird brand. All helmets have a shelf life of roughly six or seven years, sometimes less according to certain manufacturers.

You will likely want to have a tinted or smoked visor for your helmet. Since trackdays occur when the sun is out, there is a real need to shade your eyes from the blazing sun. It's a good idea to bring both a clear and tinted visor with you though as some tracks have features, hills, and bridges that might cause you issues. It's always a good idea to have options, especially when it comes to visors.

You should always wear earplugs when you ride a motorcycle but we know many folks who simply refuse to do it. At the track, you are exposed to extended time with your engine howling over 10,000 rpm and the beautiful exhaust note can leave your ears ringing as a result. So too can wind blast when you're tucked in at 150 mph down a straightaway.

We recently provided a "Trackday Essentials" article that details some of the things we always bring to the track in order to make sure we have a great day that goes smoothly. Make sure to check that out as well.

We understand that it is impossible to cover all angles and every topic of trackday bike and gear preparation, but we hope this gives you a guide or checklist, especially for new trackday riders. As always, we encourage veteran riders to contribute your two cents’ worth in the comments below. Until next time, ride safe and have fun.