How Not to Crash: Track Day Tips for the Novice Racer

Track days are epic and crashing sucks. Here's 18 ways to avoid crashing on your next track day.

1. Get your bike ready to ride.

So even before talking about on-track activities, let’s talk about preparation. Don’t go to a track day/race event unless your motorcycle is ready to ride. Some riders/racers show up with “just a few things” to do before they get to ride. Last minute mechanical stuff stops you from being mentally prepared to be on the track.

2. Be mentally and physically prepared.

Carefully plan what you'll need. Don’t show up without all your stuff. Trust me it is easy to forget something. Don’t rely on being able to borrow something either. Running around the pits in a panic trying to borrow something you have forgotten prevents you from being mentally prepared to be on the track. Check out my previous post about what to bring.

3. Eat and drink to battle fatigue.

The biggest problem for you on the track will be fatigue. Start off right by getting a decent breakfast and lots of fluids even before riding. An XL Timmies coffee for breakfast is not “lots of fluids”. Keep drinking and peeing all day.

4. Walk the track.

Even if you have ridden the track before, go out early and walk the track. Check where the Marshall stations are and which ones will be manned. This is part of your mental prep time. It also allows you to see any new bumps, oil spots, etc. from the last time the cars messed up the track.

5. Don't look back.

Every new rider I have talked to has asked me the same question. “How do I get out of the way of the fast guys who come up behind me?” The answer for track day guys and race guys is the same: You Don’t get out of the way. It is the responsibility of the guy passing to do it safely. Do not look behind you! Do Not Change your Line to allow someone to pass. Why? The person behind you has likely seen you on track and has an idea where you might go, if you suddenly change your line, it doesn’t give the passing rider time to figure out the safest way past you.

6. Don't slow down.

Some novice track riders also ask “Do I slow down to let the fast guys pass me?” The answer for track day riders and novice racers is the same: Don’t slow down. Same reason as above, its the responsibility of the guy passing to do it safely. Do not slow down to allow someone to pass. If you suddenly slow down, the rider attempting to pass you won’t have time to recalculate the safest way past you.

7. Take the corners outside/inside/outside.

Track riding and street riding are very different. On the track, you can use the whole width of the track and not just your ½ of the roadway. Remember that outside/inside/outside mantra that you were taught when you took the “learn to ride” course? Start the corner on the outside, move to the inside right at the apex of the corner and then use the whole outside when exiting the corner. That might put you momentarily in the way of the person waiting to pass you. However, they can wait till the next straight to blast past.

8. Don't brake in the corners.

Street riders often use their brakes into and even through a corner. Track riders do not. You should do all of your braking while in a straight line before you get to the turn in point of the corner. Braking is when you are straight up and not when you are leaned over. Why? Touching your brakes when leaned over in a corner compresses the front end (bad) and changes the trajectory coming out (worse). Do all of your braking before the corner. It is called ‘setting up for the corner’. Practise this and use it as a ‘mantra’ while setting up for every corner.

9. Do NOT use your rear brake. Ever.

Unless you are a very experienced rider, I would highly recommend you DO NOT use your rear brake while on the track. Yes, the experts do ‘trail braking’ with the rear brake. However, it is a technique that requires a fair bit of experience to master. Don’t do it… you aren’t an expert yet.

10. Stay on the balls of your feet.

Unlike street riding, you will be leaning your motorcycle over further than normal. You don’t want to drag your feet in corners. So try to practise keeping the ‘balls’ of your feet on the pegs instead of the arch of your foot. Practise keeping your feet parallel to the bike and not sticking out like a penguin. Do both and you likely won’t drag your expensive boot on the ground.

11. Don't try to drag your knee in the corner.

Novice riders often ask how do I drag my knee in corners? Novice track riders/racers should not focus on dragging their knees on the pavement in corners. It will come in time but your focus should be on clean and consistent riding. Besides the truth is lots of riders grind their knee sliders to look like they drag their knees anyway.

12. Find your cue points.

The best track day riders and racers shift in exactly the same spots on the track on every lap. Similarly, they apply the brake at the same place every time (not both brake and shift at the same spot of course). Most can even tell you where they shift or where they apply the brakes. They will tell you something like; ”I shift into 3rd at the second cone” or “I start to brake at the bit of darker pavement just before the turn”.

Ask the guys who look like they are doing a consistent lap time where their cue points are. Start off slow and hit each shifting point and each braking point at the same place every lap. This makes you consistent and smooth. Once you are consistently shifting and or braking on each lap, you will feel more confident and then the next step is to go a bit faster.

13. Keep the gadgets to a minimum.

My current race bike has a shift light. It's about the only useful gadget to use on the track. Forget the lap timer and GoPro camera. Those are distractions that a novice track day rider/racer just does not need. Some tracks are banning aftermarket gadgets because so many fall off on the track or distract the rider enough to cause a crash. Let your buddy film you instead. If you must have some tech, download the EatSleepRIDE app on your smartphone to track your speed and lean angle - that's all you need.

14. Don't take risks.

Crashing sucks. So don’t do it. That risky pass or impossible late braking manoeuver will not gain you a MotoGP contract or applause from the crowds watching from the corner grandstands. Sure you might be able to pull it off but taking risks often results in a crash.

15. Beware of the last lap.

Your ability to ride safely is significantly affected by your concentration level. By mid-afternoon you may be tired, mentally drained or dehydrated enough that you are impaired. So many times over the years I have heard the guys coming off the crash truck say “I don’t know why I crashed”. You told yourself “just one more session and I am packing up to go home”. Maybe you should just go home now!

16. Find a friend.

Have someone at the track with you or get friendly with someone you meet at the track. He/she can be sure you are drinking enough and that you have a way to get home if you crash. The other valuable thing is that the "someone" can help talk you through a problem corner you have on the track. Don’t expect your significant other to do this for you. She/he is there to support you - not look good in a tight T-shirt and shorts. You want someone who is also riding the track with you.

17. Leave the bravado at home.

Acting like an idiot makes you dangerous to yourself and others. The biggest reason I don’t do track days anymore is that some riders leave their brains at home and act like idiots when on the track. You are not a MotoGP star. Don’t stop on the track to talk to your friend, don’t do wheelies or brakies on the straightaway to impress strangers. Don’t encourage your track buddies to do stupid things either.

My last track day was on a 200lb GP bike with 4 piston Brembo brakes. A guy on a vintage 1100cc street bike weighing over 500lbs with an ancient 2 piston front brake caliper decided he could out brake me at the end of a long straight. Where was his brain?! He hit me when he couldn’t stop and had a big crash.

18. Don't give in to the OMG moment! Push into the corner!

Some crashes happen so fast you don't have time to react. Others follow an OMG or an ‘Oh My God’ moment. This is when you realize you did something really wrong and have a spill or crash coming. A racer I knew would tell himself “push and push some more!”. He was referring to pushing on the bar to make the bike do a hard counter steering motion instead of just riding off the track. You would be surprised how often someone goes off the track and crashes even though he or she might have made the corner if they pushed harder/longer on the handlebar. Push!

Photography by Maria Impreza on a track, somewhere in Moscow.