I am not new to the track.. done several days on my old '97 YZF600R.. Rode mainly N/B group... with some I thrown in... All of my experience has been at Putnam.. w/ 1 amazing weekend at Barber.. where I rode N the 1st day & I the 2nd day... did end up going down late on Sunday That bike has long been sold... and 2 years ago was my last track day, which was on my '01 FZ1, that I had for a few years... Was pretty new to the 1000 game.. and I basically putted around the track... I have now learned that I have to be more conservative w/ the throttle on the 1000 vs. my old 600... Now I am on a '05 R1 that I've been riding 2 years now... The R1 has Ohlins Carts & shock.. and handles amazingly... just look through the corner & it just goes.. kinda intuitively... But I have been busy w/ family (Teenagers are expensive!!!).. and was pretty leery of getting over zealous on the track w/ the R1.. but I think I am finally ready??? I have made a couple of week long trips to Deals Gap on the R1 over the last couple of years.. and a little back road riding.. but with my new job.. I no longer ride my bike to work due to the amount of traffic & sheer amount of distracted driving I see on a daily basis. My old job I could ride to work.. & then take the twisty route home... Also after I get back from the Gap... the roads around here are so boring.. that I don't find much enjoyment riding the straight roads... So I don't have a whole lot of seat time the over the last year... Looking at riding Putnam again in July... Should I ride I & take it EZ... or start back off in N? is the classroom portion required for N??? (been a few years since I rode w/ STT)
If it's been a while I would say sign up for novice. get in one of the faster groups 1-3 at least for the first day they have repaved so corner speeds and entry points may have changed some.
if you've never ridden with STT I group before you're riding N either way (without 'credentials') once you settle in and you are feeling good ask a coach to take a look at you for a bump to I guys in orange shirts are helpful as hell Just sign up for N and get out there Stuart is the Novice lead up North and is one of the coolest humans walking fast old fucker too When I grow up I want to be Stuart
I have ridden w/ STT before @ Putnam.. and did a whole weekend w/ them at Barber.. but it's been a few years. I was very impressed w/ the org & highly recommend them to others.. esp if they are unsure about what to expect @ the track. I like the structured format they offer.. esp for the beginning riders... Then it's just as much fun for the experienced riders w/ a more traditional approach...
Registered for N on 7/16... can't wait!!! So you guys are saying to just let the instructor know that I have track experience???
Get your groove back in N. No need to rush anything. Thats a great time to sling the bike aroumd some corners and get a feel for the track again on the bike. Odds are, you'll do a couple of sessions and by lunch you'll have picked up some good pace. Make the decsion then to ask an instructor to follow you or...... enjoy the rest of the day having fun.