When would you move up?

[ohdaho]

Im hooked on track days. Thats a given.

Im in no shape or form to be moving up classes since I just completed my first track day. And Im definitely not jumping into race school.

But what would be a good gauge to move up from Novice to Intermediate or even Inter. to Adv.?

How does one know?

[MidgetTodd]

Never move up, those guys are scary fast. Stay in the kiddie pool where it's safe. I'm never gonna leave Novice.

[shadyone]

I think i did three beginner days before deciding i wanted to move up. the class just got redundant and i was in the fast group.. really intermediate isnt too much faster than the top few groups in beginner. its a lot more intimidating though. and you have to use a lot of self control not to push the limits of yourself to keep up with someone else.. defenetly have to go at your own pace.. in every class

[madcat6183]

Just myself, I've done 4 days now, 2 mid o's, 1 putnam which was cut short 3 sessions by me wrekcing, and 1 Nelson and I feel I am just not getting to a safe point to advance to Int. Granted I think I could hang speed wise, but I want to ensure that I am safe not just for myself, but for everyone else.

I plan to do 1 more Novice before moving up to Int. unless I get to Grattan and it's a low turnout for Int. then I will bump right away.

I will probably do race school after 3 Int days, 1 at grattan early june, 2 at Mid OH end of June. I will most likely look for race school in July, or August. I just looked and I might have 4 days at Mid Oh end of June and mid July, so maybe get more Int. time than I planned.

Either way, I personally feel it is something different for everyone, and that only you cna really decide if it is safe for yourself, AND even more importantly those around you.

Great topic to discuss, especially as more and more of us are getting more serious.

[Disclaimer]

Never move up, those guys are scary fast. Stay in the kiddie pool where it's safe. I'm never gonna leave Novice.

"Stay in Novice as long as you can!"

[MidgetTodd]

I was waiting to see if anyone would catch what I was doing Jrmiiiiiiii does not dissapoint

[Hutch]

My thinking is the speed is prolly there the thing that worries me is knowing the race line or at least hold my own line. So one might be ready at one track and not another.

[blue03636]

It never hurts to ask the coaches at the track. Ask them to give you an idea of when to move up. They can watch you to check lines and times (times are not all that important as long as you are predictable). You also have to be willing to be passed.

[madcat6183]

Blue, I wanted to ask you at the track actually about all that, or Nick, just forgot. What about the "mentoring" what was that? I feel I am definitely right there to go, I was moving up 2 seasons ago, but then lost it in the Esse's at Mid O in the second to last session, so obviouslly didnt.

I feel the speed is there, I usually need a few laps to get my sighting and turn in points, but I feel I definitely am able to get them down quick.

If I ran Nelson again I would move to Int. now, but a track I haven't ran, or at least not for a bit, I would start in Nov for atleast 1 more day.

Also Blue, no homo, can you PM me your # I had a few things I wanted to ask about your bike, setup, and trailer.

[blue03636]

Motoseries does mentoring which is a racer taking you around the first two-three sessions or just one if you want. Also with mido or Stt just grab a coach to take you around. I wouldn't trust anything Nick says. Jk

Pm sent

[rusty]

Ride with nesba they move you when you ready.

[madcat6183]

Thanks Blue, got it. Will be in touch.

[knedrgr]

Ride with nesba they move you when you ready.

Exactly. This way, you're not over your head in trying to be in a faster group. It's pretty fun being shadow and push by an instructor.

[jbot]

every track day org has different ways of going about it.

regardless of that, if you're feeling good at a particular track and feel ready to move up, talk to an instructor and they'll usually want to give you a tow and/or follow you for a few laps. this applies for NESBA, STT, Motoseries, midohio PTR, etc. If you're getting approached by control riders/coaches that you should move up, then that's a definite sign lol.

[TRMN8TR]

Just go out there in Intermediate as soon as possible and then do your best to try and keep up with the faster riders. Ask GrapeSmuggler, it worked great for him!

[MidgetTodd]

It not all about speed. I want someone to be able to hold thier line and be predictable consistantly before they bump up. A fast unpredictable rider is way more dangerous than a slow rider that you can count on to hold his line. Speed will come, make sure you hold your line everytime before you bump up.

[ohdaho]

Just go out there in Intermediate as soon as possible and then do your best to try and keep up with the faster riders. Ask GrapeSmuggler, it worked great for him!

Bwuahahahah. He seemed ok at Nelson afterwards.

[TRMN8TR]

Bwuahahahah. He seemed ok at Nelson afterwards.

Ya luckily he was.

[madcat6183]

TRM, nice meeting and chatting with you too bro, appreciated your help and info, and the title of that book you told me was a good read. Works slow right now, so might be ordering that off Amazon tonight and doing some reading this coming week at work.

[TRMN8TR]

Anytime, and look into that valve in the exhaust too before you blow that thing up!

[madcat6183]

Oh definitely pulling off the slip on. I read on the GSXR forums it is possible to remove the "valve" from the bolt and put the bolt back in, hoping that is what he did, but not sure.

Thinking I will tear into that this coming week though. Issue is not really sure what to do to get it out of there, other than ghetto remove it, and have the holes welded shut? Or spend the coin for a full exhaust LOL.

Edit: Just got this info too; "Next remove both actuating cables that go from the servo to the valve completely from the bike, but leave the actual SET valve alone. Once the cables have been removed, the SET valve itself is held open by spring pressure"

Edited May 19, 2011 by madcat6183
Added some info

[natedogg624]

i'd rather have a predictable rider that can hold their lines over someone who moved up just because the pace of novice was too slow.

talk to your coaches and instructors - they will best tell you if you are able to.

[redkow97]

Ride with nesba they move you when you ready.

couldn't agree more. Allowing people to choose their own group has a lot more down-sides than advantages.

- any idiot can and will register in "your" group whether they are qualified or not. (Translation - Intermediate riders WILL have novices in their group being unsafe and generally slowing the overall pace. Advanced riders WILL have Intermediate riders in their group doing the same.)

- as noted, you can register for the next fastest group and be way over your head. When you get moved up with NESBA, you are very well prepared for that group's pace.

- having someone else dictate when you move up forces you to learn rather than just make the easy passes. As it relates to NESBA, beginner passing rules force you to get really good at passing on the brake rather than just throwing a pass up the inside because the other Novice rider has a shitty line.

- when you can register in whatever group you want, sold-out groups actually encourage people to register in the wrong place; they just assume they'll be moved down. That's totally unfair to everyone who registered in the right group.

[rusty]

redcow97 is right on the money.whatever group you ride with nesba that group you can ride everywhere,even if is you first time at that track.i was at barber in april and in advance we got 15 guys from AMA,that shake my confidence little bid.dont matter how long you ride if you not ready they don't move you up.I was there also in march with stt and couple guys next to me was beginners but because novice was sold out they sign up for intermediate.

[MidgetTodd]

Also the different groups are not a dick measuring contest. So dont move to just be able to say you rode with the fast guy's. Move when you can hold your line everytime.