First off, a disclaimer: I've only done a couple of track days, so most of what is here I learned from folks on the list, or out on the net. The benefit though is that I take nothing for granted. I'm assuming you're reading this because you're considering doing your first track day. If you've done lots of track days you might want to check the links at the right for more detailed info.

Why Do a Track Day?

If you're still on the fence about whether to do one, by all means do it. If you're serious about riding better, there is no substitute. You just cannot (or should not) go as fast on a public road, and you can never be assured of the perfect learning conditions you get at a track. There are no kids running out from between parked cars, no dogs, no gravel in the apexes, nothing but perfectly clean road. Unlike bike upgrades, a skill upgrade is probably the most bang for the buck. Think about it - can you really say you ride to the limits of your bike? I know I never did, and don't now. My mind and my skills are the biggest barrier to riding better, not the bike. Also, unlike nice bits you hang on your bike, your skill upgrade is transferrable to whatever you ride.

Track Day vs. Riding Class

A track day and a riding class are different experiences. In a track day you pretty much learn on your own; in a class you get constant feedback from an instructor. Track days and riding classes may get you to the same level of skills eventually, it just may take you longer to unlearn bad habits on your own. From the standpoint of bike prep (assuming you're riding your Monster, right?), the preparation process is pretty much the same.

An Overview

The categories of things you'll need to work out are:

• Bike prep
• Gear
• Shopping
• Lodging
• Transportation
• Packing
• Loading

Bike Prep

Bike prep falls into two categories - maintenance and track prep. Maintenance items are things you will need to schedule a month to a few weeks ahead of your track day. Track prep activities are things you'll want to do a couple of days before your track day.

Maintenance

• Tires - you'll definitely want fresh tires. Some places will let you get by with as little as 50% tread, but most want pretty much new tires. If you've got less than 500 miles on yours you may be OK, but you should generally plan on a new set of rubber.
• Brakes - make sure they are good, with plenty of wear left
• Oil/Regular Maintenance - If you're near to a service interval go ahead and do it before the trackday. You peace of mind will definitely be beter for it.
• Chain Maintenance - Check tension and clean/lube. Be sure to avoid overspray onto the tire.
• Wash your bike - OK, I may be the only person on the list who lets his bike get dirty, but even I wanted to wash it before the tech inspection. They'll be looking for loose stuff, oil leaks and mechanical deficiences. So get any gunk off! Check for leaks.
• Make sure things are tight - double check bolts, nuts, screws and anything else that can rattle off the bike. Much easier to take care of it at home than the track.

Track Prep

These are the steps:

• Remove mirrors
• Replace stock exhast (optional-will depend on the class or track)
• Tape all lights - you can use painter's tape instead of duct tape - it'll leave less residue but you'll need to cover with duct to make opaque if you don't remove/disconnect your lights
• Disconnect lights and/or remove bulbs and/or remove lights entirely
• Tape wheel weights (if required by the track day provider)
• Slightly overinflate tires (so you can just let air out at the track)
• Remove license plate bracket (optional-may not be required)
• Remove sidestand (Optional - be sure to pack chock or rearstand!)
• Put your key in the ignition

Remove your mirrors:

Taking your mirrors off is something you'll want to do to transport the bike, and is required by most track day organizations and schools. It is a little weird riding without mirrors (you find yourself looking at nothing) but you get used to it eventually.

Put your stock exhaust back on

Some tracks and/or schools insist on stock pipes. Check with your track or school to see if they have noise restrictions.

Tape your lights

This is pretty much a universal requirement. Duct tape is nasty stuff, but is easy to find. Some folks prefer "gaffer tape" which is used by professional photographers, but I've never seen any locally. As you can see from the pictures, you don't have to be obsessive-compulsive about getting every millimeter covered.

Disconnect your lights

You can pull a couple of fuses to cut the lights. If you pull that 7.5 in the middle the brakelight will also go out, but then you'll have no tach, so instead you can unplug a connector that's under the right side-cover that connects the wiring harness to your rear lights.

Tape your wheel weights

This isn't a common requirement, but the place I went, Pacific Track Time did require that it be done.

Put your key in the ignition

How dumb would you feel if you got there without your key?

Gear

Your track day provider will probably have some guidelines, but don't skimp here. Crashes happen, so be prepared. Some items to consider are:

• Armored jacket & pants or suit; leather's best but a good quality textile suit is sometimes accepted. If two piece the jacket and pants should zip together
• Relatively new helmet, undamaged - no prior crashes
• Good quality gloves
• Riding boots
• See the Track Day Checklist for other items

Shopping

You are probably going to need to buy some stuff you may not have already. Here's the list of stuff I had to buy:

• Loading ramp (I got the folding aluminum type)
• Gas can - 5 gallons
• Tie-downs, 3 sets
• Canyon Dancer bar harness
• Assorted bungees, duct tape, and zip ties

Lodging

You'll need to organize a hotel room if the track isn't pretty near your home. You do want to be rested when you arrive at the track, so don't plan on driving for 4 hours and being at the gate at 7am. Where you stay is up to you, but remember your most beloved posession will be sitting around while you sleep, so don't stay at some fleabag hotel! (Or stay at a dump that won't mind if you roll the bike into the room! <grin>)

Transportation

In my case I needed to rent something to haul my bike and stuff. I have a little Integra that isn't exactly 'towing friendly', so a trailer would be marginal at best. If you drive something with a little more displacement you can rent a trailer from U-Haul, or you can buy a trailer anywhere from $500 to $2000. See the list of resources at the end for more info.

For me, the choice came down to either a van or a truck. U-Haul rents trucks, but they are set up for short-distance, one day types of rentals, so a long drive or keeping it overnight becomes expensive. I ended up with Enterprise, and rented a cargo van from them. A pickup would have been good too, but the van is convenient for keeping all your stuff locked up when you're in bed or riding. The only real downsides of the van are that there isn't a solid surface to park your front tire against and the tie-down attachment points aren't as beefy as you might like. I ended up using the ramp braced against the front seats, and used three sets of tie-downs to distribute the load.

Packing

There are some really comprehensive lists out on the web, so I won't try to duplicate them, but you'll basically need to pack all your riding gear, tools and other stuff you need for the trackday. You probably don't want to leave this to the last minute, because you'll inevitably forget something. (OK, I would forget something.)

Loading

Loading the bike is a two person job. Maybe some of you out there can do it alone, but I'm not strong enough or agile enough to do it without help. Plus the chances you'll drop the bike go down with another set of hands.

Assuming you're using a truck or van, you'll want to find an incline (if possible) that you can park at the bottom of, and have your bike ramp going uphill. If you're on the flat it just means you have to push harder to get that bike in the truck/van.

I start by using a set of tie-downs to attach the ramp to the van (OK, I'm paranoid!)

Line the bike up with the ramp, and get about 30 feet back, so you can get a good running start. Raise the kickstand! Position your assistant at the side of the ramp. Say a silent prayer to the moto-gods and get a good running start at the ramp. Run it up so the front wheel is just inside the van or truck bed (or as far as you're able). If you haven't made it so the front wheel is in, you and your helper push it up from there. Have your assistant steady the bike and grab the front brake, while you climb up into the bed or cargo area. (You can see where a really high 4x4 would be a liability here!) Roll the bike forward until it touches something solid, and tie down the front bars. If you're using the Canyon Dancer harness you slip this on first then use the tiedowns on the harness:

Compress the forks and cinch down the straps. The bike should be quite firm at this point. Then attach the rest of the tiedowns - these really serve to steady the bike and prevent any side-to-side or forward motion

Now load the rest of your stuff and you're ready to go!

While at the Track

It's important to remember to stay hydrated, even if the day's not particularly hot. Drink lots of water, you'll be surprised at how much you lose. Remember to stay focused on your riding, and if you feel like you're starting to get tired, take a break or pack it in for the day; stop before you lose your edge and make any costly mistakes.

After the Track

To put your bike back in shape for the street:

• Replace your mirrors
• Replace aftermarket exhast, license plate and sidestand if removed
• Remove all tape on lights, wheels and clean off any residue
• Reconnect lights / replace bulbs / replace lights if removed
• Inflate tires back to street pressures
• Check brakes
• Oil check/change (optional)
• Chain check/clean/lube
• Wash your bike and check for leaks.
• Check bolts, nuts, screws for anything that got loose at the track

Resources

Other Track Day pages

• Chris Kelley's Track Days page (monster specific prep info)
• Web Bike World's Track Days page (annotated list of schools and track day organizers)
• Scott's Famous Track Day Checklist (great list of stuff to pack for your trackday)
• TrackJunkie.com (Lots of articles and more in-depth info)

Schools

• DML School Survey
• California Superbike School
• DP Safety School
• Pridmore CLASS

Track Day Organizers

• Club Desmo
• Fast Track Riders
• Pacific Track Time
• Team Pro Motion

Trailers

• U-Haul
• Sport Utility Trailers
• Generic utility trailers: Harbor Freight, Home Depot, etc.
• Kendon

Vans/Trucks

• U-Haul
• Enterprise
• Budget

Bike Fastening

• Tie-downs
• Canyon Dancer Harness