Track Virgin needs knight in shining leathers!!

[KrabbiePaddy]

Hey everyone, Pauly pointed me to the seedy underbelly of Ohio Riders..

I am a relatively new rider, and I want to get myself on a track this year. I get all the basic requirements, but i have some questions about some things and this seems like the place to ask!

What is a good set of leathers to start with? What is a reasonable amount to spend for decent protection?

I don't have a trailer or a truck, how can I get my bike to the track? Have someone follow me in a car, then tape up all my bits at the track?

What are the little things that you bring that really make your track days enjoyable, that most people wouldn't think about?

What crash protection on the bike is a bare minimum?

Thanks for taking a look, I'm really excited to learn some new skills, and push my self and my viffer a bit more than I do on the street.

[TMC Customs]

Any leathers with CE rated protection are good to start with but if you plan to do this a lot and you want really good stuff, the sky is the limit on what you spend. Mid-O rents leathers and renting a pair may help you get an idea of what size you need and what you like. When you go to your first track day you will see every brand of leather and some will be obvious that they are low cost. 
 

bare minimum crash protection....good tires. Frame slides are a topic of debate and some think they cause more damage or causes the bikes to flip. If it’s your first day, there isn’t much bike protection you need. Once you pick up pace, I would invest in track bodywork and something that protects your engine components. 
 

Some people ride to the track and ride back but I see a few bikes hit the dirt every track day so if it’s your only ride home, keep that in mind on the track. Also, you may be very tired after your track day. It’s a workout. 
 

Bring a chair to sit in, seems obvious but I have had a few days where I had to sit on my tailgate. Bring snack and plenty of water. If you have a shade tent, bring that. 

[RymerC]

3 hours ago, TMC Customs said:

Also, you may be very tired after your track day. It’s a workout. 

Bring a chair to sit in, seems obvious but I have had a few days where I had to sit on my tailgate. Bring snack and plenty of water. If you have a shade tent, bring that. 

Novice group takes it pretty easy at mid ohio anyways, but yeah- you're going to be TIRED especially if it was hot and/or raining. Don't have an oops on the way home!

 

I'd definitely try on some leathers before buying. Iron Pony had a few last I was there. An undersuit or compression shirt/pants makes it WAY easier to get in/out of. I paid like $600 for some joe rocket leathers that are still goin after a few crashes, and scored another suit for $300 barely used on craigslist. I think cyclegear lets you order to the store, and return if it doesn't fit, when I do that stuff I order like 3 or 4 sizes and walk out with one LOL.