I'm not naming the place or the dates but... If there happens to be inclement weather on the morning of a trackday and, as a novice class rider, I decide I'm not up to riding in the r**n. Then, the weather clears and the track dries to the point that I am comfortable riding. Can I participate in the afternoon sessions if I did not ride in the morning? My apologies, I tried searching for this information but could not locate any posts (too many with novice and r**n in them - plus many don't use the actual word I imagine) I've seen many of the arguments for riding in the wet. I understand and accept them but, my question surrounds what if I decided I did not wish to ride for the morning sessions. Thanks!
id let some one with more info add to this.. it is 100% YOUR CHOICE to ride in the wet or not... you paid for the day.. its your equipment and no one will ever force you to ride in it. I believe and another instructor feel free to correct me... but I believe you still HAVE to attend all of the novice classroom sessions EVEN if you do not ride. These classes are mandatory, and for your benefit... once the you get to the point you are comfortable.. just make sure to continue to talk to your coach about how to proceed
Thanks Jason. I have been to one trackday before but I have many more questions and would definitely see benefit in attending classroom sessions, beyond just qualifying to ride in the clearing afternoon, so that's a win-win
I would think all you needed to do is the class room. in the afternoon have the instructor show u lines, markers etc.. ride in the rain just go slow its novice after all. Tell the instructor your nervous and you wanna go slow.. just my suggestion of course
It is always your choice to ride or not ride any session, a lot of riders skip sessions. We have had novice group riders who did not arrive to the track till lunch (many reasons), so this case is not that much different. The issue is if you did not ride in any of the first 2-3 sessions is what novice sub-group to put you in. How I make that decision is based on the answers to questions like: your STT history at that track, any STT history, any trackday history, current group sizes,..., but you should be prepared to be placed in a slower group than you normally ride for starters. Sometimes we put you 1 on 1 with a spare coach get you up to speed and see your riding pace, but this is done only if there are spare coaches available. We always try to do what we can to make sure you have a good trackday experience , but remember we can only do so much.
Oh, and by the way, if you DO come to class, but DON'T Ride til later - when you DO come out, find a coach and TELL THEM you haven't been out yet. We will get you a coach to personally follow and get yourself up to speed. We do NOT want you going out alone until we've had a chance to show you the lines, lead you around a little and provide feedback. This prevents you from going out without any knowledge of the track, and us and the other riders assuming you have already been out. As the classes and sessions are progressive in nature, it prevents a false assumption... EDIT after reading Mikes post above: In the Southern Division, depending on when you do come out (i.e. 2nd session or 5th session after lunch, when we start turning people loose), we will do everything we can to make sure you are properly coached....
Thank you to everyone for your responses. I am hoping all of this is academic but, in case it ever is not, this is good to know. I am currently on Supercorsa SPs and I'm just not comfortable with them in the wet at any significant speed. I'm not afraid to ride in the wet but, I'd want proper tires mounted that provided a reasonable margin of safety for the conditions. Thanks again for the responses.
My first track day (a long time ago) it rained. My ride at that time was a FZ1 with decent street tires. My coach told me to trust the tires. I did as he said, was scared ****less, but had the time of my life. Don't let the rain intimidate you.
I would encourage you to ride in whatever weather you have for the day, especially rain. You will learn more in 5 rain laps, than several days in dry weather novice. Bike control is everything in the rain, and your ability to be smooth on the throttle, smooth on the brakes, and smooth in gear changes will not only help you to be successful in wet conditions, it will carry over to the dry days and make you an even better rider. You might also find, like I did, that you actually like wet conditions. Some people have a knack for the rain, so it would be worthwhile to find out if you happen to be one of them.
My problem is that I have ridden my Supercorsa SPs in the rain, on the street, and I do have cause for concern. Perhaps that's because they are more a slick than a street tire. Possibly a track surface would be different but, on the street I will no longer ride on them if it is wet due to past experiences. I actually *want* to ride in the rain - I just want to do it with tires that have more rain channels than what I have. If I could mount a set of rain or intermediate tires (even street tires designed for rain) I would ride in the rain. But with these Supercorsas, I just can't see it. So, if I can mount such a tires, I will do so and I will ride in the wet.
Good point on the tires -- full rains make all the difference in getting the most out of wet weather. STT is great for lots of reasons, and one of them is full tire service at most events. If the skies open up, then just visit the Michelin guys and they will sort you out for the day.
If you are in novice and decide on riding on a wet track, GOOD street tires are sufficient for 99% of the pace carried. R**n riding will force you to slow down, learn the line, be smooth with throttle and braking inputs and work on body position. Don't be afraid....it's only water.
I'm willing to bet that riders are less likely to take a spill riding in the r*** then when it's dry simply because of the pace and how careful they are. I tried it when I first started track riding and it was nerve racking at first but then it got easier after a few laps. And, I came away with more skills and more respect for those that thrive in it. I just noticed BrianC's avatar. How fitting.
I used Supercorsa SPs in light rain, but wet track at tally last month. My buddy was on michelin slicks. I just focused on being smooth and making sure i do all of my accelerating and braking when the bike is straight up. Also focused on having a good consistent maintenance throttle through the turn just to keep the bike balanced. We both had some wheel spin here and there but since we weren't really pushing hard, they were all manageable.