A question

[winger]

Bareing in mind bikeing is made up of so many factions,what as a percentage would you say the number of bikers out there that have done a track day??

[bigblackfalco]

I'd say about 10%!
I'm one of the ones who always wanted to, but could never justify throwing a bike down the tarmac, or afford the luxury of few weeks off work due to injury.

How about this for a probability question......
Would I have a higher chance of being knocked off my bike whilst at work as a courier, or more chance of having a major mishap whilst attempting to be fast around a track?!
Bailey.

[Ade B]

of the people I met who were into bikes not on this forum, 100% - most of them now have no bikes (or I seldom see them)... telling?

I sort of miss the R6 and track fun but I don't miss the costs (both maintenance and crash repairs...)

In my experience most people fall off at track days due to simple brain off moments - target fixation, too much front brake on cold tyres etc..

It took me at least 9 or 10 before I fell off semi-properly

Got close to the idea of trying club racing before falling off, suddenly self employment, wife and lack of bottle stopped that idea.

Interesting statistic, UK trackdays (3x20min sessions per hour) would average one yellow flag per session and the odd red flag. Did one track day (2 days) in Mas Du Clos, must have been 50 - 60 bikes, open pits and all abilities. One off on the first morning due to rider/suspension error and no more mishaps all weekend.

Bailey, you should have a go - most fun I had on two wheels and my road riding improved no end.

Ade

[winger]

But what do you reckon as a %.

[snavetrauts]

I reckon about 5% who own ducati's and other such track only bikes.. and probably never ride during the week... perhaps up to the local meet on a sunday. May be another 5 % who like many on this forum do it to improve their riding skills and because they like everything bike. Perhap another 2% who get it as a pressy from doting sons and daughters etc etc.

Personaly I have never done one..... do not want to make twat of myself even though I have had a bike for 38 years..

I did do a CCM day on a 640 in the lakes... now that was fun... fell off at least 3 times... and I fell off the least of all my associates

Stuart

[bigblackfalco]

I reckon about 5% who own ducati's and other such track only bikes.. and probably never ride during the week... perhaps up to the local meet on a sunday. May be another 5 % who like many on this forum do it to improve their riding skills and because they like everything bike. Perhap another 2% who get it as a pressy from doting sons and daughters etc etc.

Personaly I have never done one..... do not want to make twat of myself even though I have had a bike for 38 years..

I did do a CCM day on a 640 in the lakes... now that was fun... fell off at least 3 times... and I fell off the least of all my associates

Stuart

Surely Ducati's are only to be looked at and posed on?! You've got to be extremely rich to do a trackday on one.
Bailey.

[Boxadog 2000]

Never done a track day as such but did ride the Nordschleife for a couple of laps.
Scared me shitless

I have no desire to do track events they just do not float my boat, but I guess that 20% of the bikeing fraternity do them.

Only a guess though based on folks I have talked to.

During my weekly 350 mile commute I see enough power rangers who seem to think that they are on a track.

Bob

[Boxered]

Well, judging by my little biking clan, I'd say about 10%. If you ignore the nordschleif, I've only done 1 trackday, which was fun (on a 660 single) but as I'm no racer/scratcher, I'm not really interested in doing another, in fact, I've recently turned down a free trackday at donnington again 'cos I think the space might be better given to someone who really wants to do it!

Steve

[sandbar]

what as a percentage would you say the number of bikers out there that have done a track day??

My guess is between 5 and 10%. There are a lot of bikers out there who do not even know what a track is!!

sandbar

[SteveH]

Winger wrote

what as a percentage would you say the number of bikers out there that have done a track day??

Amongst my buddies, one in eight, so 10% seems right.I have not on the grounds of age, expense, cowardice and an aversion to hospital food. However judging by a Duc forum which I have recently joined it seems as if a higher proportion of Duc owners do do track days. But if you only read the biking press you could easily get the impression that 50% have done one and that it is only a matter of time for the rest.

[Desmo904]

Bailey wrote;

Surely Ducati's are only to be looked at and posed on?! You've got to be extremely rich to do a trackday on one.
Bailey.

Waddyamean?
Being now the proud owner of the aforementioned Italian thoroughbred, I can tell you that Ducatis seem to mae the most sense when taken on a track. It feels like that's what they are made for.
Using the head rather than the heart, you would struggle to find good reasons to buy the SBK based models for the road, except for for the pose factor if that's what floats yer boat.
Things like all the well documented stuff like limited steering lock, extreme riding position, heavy clutch, blah blah.
Even the standard gearing on my 996 is ridiculous - not comfortable in top gear below 100 mph
So - why buy one?
As they say; if you have to ask, then you don't understand.

Phil

[bigblackfalco]

Bailey wrote;

Surely Ducati's are only to be looked at and posed on?! You've got to be extremely rich to do a trackday on one.
Bailey.

Waddyamean?
Being now the proud owner of the aforementioned Italian thoroughbred, I can tell you that Ducatis seem to mae the most sense when taken on a track. It feels like that's what they are made for.
Using the head rather than the heart, you would struggle to find good reasons to buy the SBK based models for the road, except for for the pose factor if that's what floats yer boat.
Things like all the well documented stuff like limited steering lock, extreme riding position, heavy clutch, blah blah.
Even the standard gearing on my 996 is ridiculous - not comfortable in top gear below 100 mph
So - why buy one?
As they say; if you have to ask, then you don't understand.

Phil

Phil, I know what you're saying. There are a fair amount of Duc owners that take their bikes on tracks, but a much larger percentage buy them for the wrong reason.
I've ridden a few, so know exactly how much of a pain in the ar*e they are at anything less than 50 mph on an open road. God only knows how anyone can ride one in busy traffic.!?

[Ade B]

I'm surprised how many people on this forum haven't taken a bike round the track in some form or other - Nurburgring would count as a track in my book..

10% seems a low figure but I guess people get into bikes for different reasons.

On the track days I did, (mainly 100% bikes and Focussed Trackdays) there was a massive mix of bikes, ages, abilities and backgrounds.

I've never been to a Ducati day - the two people I know who do don't fit typical biking stereotypes - if one exists (although they might fit typical Ducati stereotypes )

Personally I think everyone should have a go at least once - for me its a kind of biking milestone like crossing the alps, the ring etc.

Ade

[winger]

Thanks for the input gents,i won't bore you why need a percentage,from a personnel aspect,i wouldn't cross the road to do one,haveing raced a bike for 10 years with everything that comes with it,playing pretend just don't cut it!!!

As for teaching you anything!!! what diesel on the road,old dears pulling out,cars comeing the otherway!!!,but i'm glad others do like e'm keeps me in a job,there's a hardcore that do nothing else,i'm just trying to sort a figure out of how many.

[Ade B]

As I see it there is no playing pretend in doing a track day, there is no racing, no timing and no competition really. Its just the safest way to push your riding and the bike (no diesel, old dears pulling out or cars coming the other way).

I learned an enormous amount from riding on the track and it certainly helped my road riding (not that I'm fast or try to be). But that isn't the point either - track days are simply loads of fun - and nothing like racing.

Ade