Etiquettes on The Track

Riding on the track can be as simple as just getting out there and doing it. That's what a lot of riders do, and something you'll have to watch out for, because it increases the danger. Once you get outside the TrackDoD, you'll find there's a bunch of riders who have no idea how to behave in a track session. Most of them have a vague idea what the flags mean, but as for the more general unwritten rules of being on the track, they are clueless.

You can increase your safety -- and look after your bike -- by following some simple procedures. Taken down to basics, it can be expressed as "be patient." Don't dash out and tear around like the world will end before the track session. Take time to plan what you do and be in control throughout.

Before You Start

Before you even line up to get on the track, make sure you and the bike are ready for the session. That means performing a simple check. Walk around your bike and look at it. Check your own personal gear, too. Make sure your boots are done up properly. Make sure your visor is clean. Make sure you have the right gloves. Drink some water. Use the bathroom.

The simple pre-flight checks help you get out of relaxed mode, and into taking things seriously. You're about to ride your bike hard, and that's a serious matter that requires concentration. By the time you open it up coming out of the last turn, you and the bike will have to be 100% ready, and that process starts right now before you even start the motor.

Put on all your gear. Once you get lined up on the grid, you can take some of it off again if you want, but dressing up now means you know you'll have everything you need -- no running back for a set of gloves, or to change to your tinted visor.

Start the bike. You want the motor to be warming up by the time you hit the track, so if this is the first session of the day give it a little while to get some heat into it. Get to the grid in plenty of time, switch off and relax.

Warm Up

We all know about the classic mistake of crashing on cold tires. Less talked about, perhaps because it's more embarrassing, is crashing with cold brakes, or with cold brain. Neither of these should ever happen.

The whole bike needs to warm up before you get up to speed. Tires stick better when they're warm, brakes stop more effectively and consistently, the chain needs to warm up for efficiency, wheel bearings need to come up to temperature, the gearbox as well as the engine should be warm before hard riding. Also you yourself need to warm up. You need to get back into the habit of looking for your line, looking far ahead, getting the feel of the bike, modulating the brakes, and so on.

Fortunately all this is very simply achieved. All you need to do is take the first lap easy and work your way up to speed. Accelerate away from the pit lane gently. Take the first turn slowly, using the brakes gently. Accelerate out of the first corner firmly but not rapidly. As you corner progressively harder, as you brake more forcefully, as you roll on the throttle increasingly rapidly, it will heat up all the bike components that need it. As you warm up the bike progressively through that lap, you're also giving yourself time to come up to speed yourself -- early on you have lots of time to pick your line, and as the lap goes on you get into the rhythm of riding the track.

That's how to take the first lap. Start slowly and work up to speed. Don't flick the bike from side to side on the straight -- that does nothing but present an opportunity to throw the bike away. Just warm the bike and yourself up naturally by riding progressively harder through that first lap.

Cool Down

Just like you come up to speed when you get on the track, you should also come down from speed before you come in. You want to let the brakes and engine cool down before stopping. You want to bring yourself down from the high state of riding fast to where you won't misjudge your speed in the paddock and crash there.

As soon as you pass the checker flag, slow things down. Raise your hand, pause, back off the throttle and change up to top gear. Sit up in a comfortable position. Start using a lower rpm range and less throttle. Brake earlier and less hard. Use less cornering forces and less lean angle. By the time you reach the last corner, you should be down to a slow street speed, hardly using the brakes at all, and rolling on gently using slow street rpms.

So when you come into the pits, you should feel like you're crawling along. Ride straight back to your paddock area, shut the bike down, park it and get your gear off. Drink more water before you feel thirsty.

Between Sessions

Your job isn't done when you've parked the bike and pulled off your gear. Before you go out again, make a visual inspection of the entire bike. Any sign of fluid leaks? Do you need to lube the chain? How's the oil level? How about the fuel? You'd be amazed how many experienced track riders run out of fuel in the afternoon.

Look at your tires. Some tracks are very hard on tires, some tires wear rapidly. Even if you started with brand new tread, always check at the end of each session to see how they're doing. See how the surface of the rubber looks -- a tire that's working hard at optimum temperature looks rippled, and balls up the rubber at the edges. If it's coming off the edge of the tread blocks in chunks, or is looking shiny and blue at the edge of a smooth scuffed area, it could be getting too hot. If you can see signs of riding over the edge of the tire, you might be using too much lean angle -- compensate for it by using less lean of the bike, either by going slower or by leaning your body more. You can tell a lot about how you were riding the last session by examining your tires.

Signal when Slowing

Any time you reduce your speed, or roll off the throttle on a straight, you need to warn the riders behind you first. Remember, there might be someone drafting you down the straight, and backing off suddenly could cause a collision. Or perhaps someone is judging a pass on you and are relying on you to keep up to speed.

So before you slow, raise your left hand high up in the air. Raise your hand, count one-thousand-one, and only then begin to slow down.

Ride Your Own Ride

The biggest danger on the track is colliding with other riders. That not only means don't run into anyone, but also make sure that other riders have a chance to avoid you. The basis of this is usually expressed as "Hold your line," but it's really just an extension of the street principle of "Ride your own ride."

Most important is don't adjust your line just because you think someone faster is behind you. It's up to them to find a safe way around, but it's up to you to let them do that. That means don't change your line in the corner to let someone through, don't brake early to let someone by -- let them plan their pass around you. What if they are planning a drafting pass at the end of the straight, and are on your tail when you brake early? What if you cut your corner entry inside to give them room on the outside, and they're planning a late apex pass and are already there? The safest way to let someone by is to do nothing different -- ride how you would ride if you were the only bike on the track.

Leave Some Space

If you're riding close behind another bike, allow some space between you. They should be riding their own ride, but that doesn't mean they're going to ride exactly the same every lap. They may be experimenting with braking points, trying out new lines, or maybe they're just riding inconsistently.

Whatever the situation, it's your responsibility to keep clear. Three feet is usually enough to give a margin between experienced riders, and that should be considered the minimum. If the rider you're passing is an unknown quantity, or a bit erratic -- or you tend to be a bit erratic­­ -- allow more space. If in doubt, just stay clear. Remember, if you're getting caught up in traffic you can always pull into the pits and wait for clear track.

Plan Your Passes

Even racing is not about stuffing your bike into every little hole you can find just to get by -- and we're not racing. Passing is something to be planned, and something to do carefully and with forethought.

Even if you're much faster than another rider, you'll still have some time when you can see them up ahead of you. Over the course of the day -- and over the course of more track events -- you'll get to know how the other guys ride. Some corner slow and pass on the straights, some corner fast but go slowly on the straights, some are very similar to your own speed. Take into account the other rider's style. Plan whether you'll go around the outside in the corner, pass them on corner exit, or wait until you can blow by on the straight. By planning your pass you'll do it safely and cleanly, and be able to stay ahead of the bike you just passed.

Be Friendly, Be Polite

A TrackDoD event is not a race. It's a track riding event. You're sharing the track with other people who also hold safety in mind, and many of whom are probably personal friends. But no matter who is on the track with you, being polite and friendly is how to keep things safe.

Polite and friendly means leave space between you. If you're passing an inexperienced rider, wait until you can do it where and when it won't surprise them, and leave enough space not to scare them. Ride around other bikes how you'd like them to ride around you. Don't push in front of other bikes in the grid -- or, if you want to get on the track towards the end of the line, pull up well back and wave others by. If you go off the track and need to re-enter, make sure you have plenty of space. Don't get frustrated at other riders -- if someone frustrates you, make a pit stop, and re-enter the course when they're a long way away from you.

You all have a gut feeling for what friendly and polite means. All you have to do is ride like it.

From TrackDoD Novice Group Orientation