Thinking About Running The FJR on Local Road Course

I have the opportunity to run my 2014 FJR ES on a local road course (amateur fun). My reservation comes from having to shell out $300 for racing leathers and boots to find out it is a bad idea. I am a competent 50 year old rider. I think it would be a blast but other than watch I have ZERO experience. BTW: After watching the R1 and Ninja laps, I am excited to see how the FJR compares. .

I would like to hear from forum members who have done this themselves. What was your experience like? Recommend or forewarn?

I've done "track days" twice, both times on rented bikes, R6s. First time: maybe the most fun I've ever had on a bike. Second time: damned glad I was on a rental, the damage to it was minimal (these are prepped for crashes), the damage to me more significant - sprained right-side ribs, front and back. Ouch! But I did see FJRs out there and they held their own.

If you run the FJR, I suggest removing all plastics and other items such as mirrors and windshield that could suffer in a get-off. Maybe even the headlight module, tail lights, etc. I would surely not run without frame sliders, and swing arm and fork sliders might be a good idea, too. If you have an older retired helmet, you might want to use that instead of risking your new $800 Shuberth or whatever. Make sure your gloves have full gauntlets that tighten very securely around your wrists. Take some food, snacks and plenty of hydrating fluids - water, gatorade...

Your 2014 is a pretty valuable device to risk this way. I know of no standard insurance that will cover damage on a race track. If only you had a 2003 with 238,000 miles... then, no biggy.

Some places allow good textile riding gear instead of full leathers, especially if the jacket will zip to the pants.

Others with more experience and better thinking will likely be along shortly.

Do it! Good luck! Have fun! Report back!

BigSky thanks. Good information. Looking back was your wreck caused because it was overly dangerous or you took it just a wee bit over the edge?

Is this a structured track event with instructors on the track and riders in ability groups? If so, go for it! Learn as much as you can, it may save your butt on the street someday.

I rode my 04 at Sears Point some years back, I had a blast.. They allowed my Motoport zip together jacket and pants plus good boots and quality gloves like I wear everyday. The FJR does ok for a big girl and it is a great place to explore the limits of the you and the bike in a safer environment than on the street. I rode my bike 125 miles to get there and needed it to get home, perhaps that keeps one from doing stupid stuff on the track.

However it didn't take long to realize how portly the FJR is and the track is much more fun on a lighter bike. Since the first one I have a track day on a FZ6, FZ1 and now my 990. Much more fun on a sub 500 lb bike.

$300 for racing leathers and boots?

My racing boots were over $250 and custom leathers were $1600.

ForJimsRedemption said:

BigSky thanks. Good information. Looking back was your wreck caused because it was overly dangerous or you took it just a wee bit over the edge?

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It wasn't dangerous, though I was hitting 106-108 on the 3/8ths-mile back stretch. There were a few significant crashes in the upper classes (liter bikes with card-holder riders); mostly messed up bikes. I wisely registered in the beginner class. I was perhaps overconfident, got caught behind a very slow rider coming through "the Keyhole," got impatient and as soon as a short straight opened up, I set up to overtake the slow rider on his right, the inside of the turn exit, second gear, WOT...and that's when I saw his arm go into the air, signalling he was leaving the track, meaning he would cut across to the right in front of me. There was a chance I could take both of us out. I grabbed all the brakes, locked the front wheel which, since I was leaned, immediately tucked and I low-sided. MY FAULT. The only good thing? I didn't knock down the rider in front of me...and no one ran over me. I had the wind knocked out of me, then ran three more 12-minute sessions before I knew I was done for the day...couldn't get the top of my leathers off anymore. Oxycodone only took the edge off.

I'm 51 and when I was 49 I took my 07 FJR out to my first track day at Barber in Birmingham. I found out the FJR was a beast. Most fun I've ever had on a bike. It was a Sportbike Track Time event and they let me wear a Cortech jacket and Firstgear standard pants. That's not enough protection if I wrecked but I was determined to not destroy my bike or my body. I didn't have to change out the antifreeze or take the mirrors off but I had to tape up all the lights and mirrors.

Here's the trip report if you are interested. I hope you go for it.

I raced for 8 yrs., done many track days for fun and have logged thousands of miles on the track. Did a track day on my FJR (A group) and had a blast! Only the fastest superbikes passed me (barely) on the straights (of course I could not corner as fast though).

A good track day host with good instructors will take care of 'newbies' just fine. By all means, ask them for tips and help, they are more than happy to help! Ride at YOUR pace, give yourself some space around other riders, pull in or even skip a session if you are tired, stay hydrated and snack on high energy food between sessions.

The main causes for crashes are tiredness/dehydration, riding over your head and attempting to race/beat/go faster than 'the other guy'. Again, ride at your pace. As the day goes on, you will pick up the pace as you get more familiar with the track and feel for the bike at speed.

Tex gear with armor is acceptable for track days, I've worn it when using my street bikes on the track. Full leathers when using my race bike at warp speed of course.

Do it, you'll have a blast!

I would strongly encourage you to go for it. You'll learn more about the bike's limits and yours in one track day than you will in thousands of miles on the road. And those limits are a lot higher than you currently think they are. It's a very pure learning environment; just you, the bike, and the asphalt. No gravel in the turns, no cars or dogs darting into the roadway, no cops with radar. You get the idea.

I used to be a devout track junkie. Used exclusively a dedicated track bike. Picked up skills that have saved my bacon on the road in at least three occasions I can think of right off the bat. I did ride the Feejer once at Miller as I happened to be riding through Salt Lake at the time. Great fun.

I certainly haven't ridden with every track day sponsor in the country but, I've ridden with more than a few. At 100% of those events I've found both the promoters and the participants to be an altogether friendly and helpful lot. It seems that everybody is having so much fun they can't help but spread the goodwill around.

As the others have stated, do NOT try to race anybody. You're not there to win MotoGP. You're there to see to it that you leave a better rider than when you showed up.

Oh, and don't try to use the same braking points as the lads on the sport bikes. You're having to decelerate and turn about two hundred more pounds than they are. Ride YOUR ride.

Enjoy and, once the giggling has subsided, report back.

When I saw there were used leathers for sale at a local used-gear shop, I thought about doing a track day on a rented bike, but the leathers they had were all for guys the size of Rossi or Marquez. None of them would fit my 5'10" 200lb self, and the shop owner said there never would be a suit that would fit, I'd have to go with a new custom suit and new helmet and track-worthy boots and gloves. Was riding a cruiser at the time, and my half-helmet, perforated gloves, Schott jacket and harness boots weren't going to get it. So much for that idea, but if I could rent everything, I'd do a track day at say, Willow Springs. Ride the FJR there, suit up in rented gear, ride rented bike around track, ride FJR home. It would be a great day. I've been riding for 46 years, off and on, and am considering an Advanced Rider Training Course.

Big Sky - I appreciate your humble and honest account of your experience. I feel more comfortable with risk when I have "some" control of the dangers. I really don't want to wreck my FJR with No insurance coverage. Hearing your account helps so thank you. BTW: I am glad you were "ok".

Thank you everyone else for sharing your experiences. I am 95% there and will post my experience if/when I do it. Couple of weeks.

Safe Riding. Cheers!

Refer back to my original post: "Maybe the most fun I've ever had on a bike..." There, is that the additional 5 percent you need?

Do it, be careful, be smart, have fun. Oh, and forget you have a rear brake...

Many of the comments above are very astute, with AKjitsu nailing the nail.

I've done 4 track days (none on the FJR, but I want to BADLY), and three of them were at RoadAmerica, at Reg Pridmore's CLASS track school. Fabulous instructors, and it was fun following Reg around for about three laps. He eased the pace up so gradually that I didn't notice, but three laps later, I was already going around the corners faster than I had all day. One rule that Reg has that really worked well was.....NO passing on the inside of a corner. If you want to pass somebody, you MUST do it on the straight or on the outside of a rider being passed in a corner. Great rule for an amateur track day. That way, if you mess up passing a guy on the outside, you will probably only take yourself out, not anyone else.

What everyone else said is true. You will NOT ever have more fun on your bike than at a track day. The corner speed will slowly increase all day. Look at it this way....you have (insert number here....50, 75, 100?) laps going around the same track. You get to repeat those corners all day, and you will become faster and safer at a pace that you won't realize until the day is over.

Do it. And smile to yourself when the day is over and you look at your tires. (and pegs, etc)

Big Sky said:

Refer back to my original post: "Maybe the most fun I've ever had on a bike..."

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Ok... Well that did it. Just ordered my Racing leathers and some New Boots! I will post some GoPro video post event.

Can't wait for the video and Yes, your going to love it

AKjitsu said:

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As the others have stated, do NOT try to race anybody. You're not there to win MotoGP. You're there to see to it that you leave a better rider than when you showed up.

...

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I thought that but after many many rider meetings the mob has convinced me the number one reason to be there is to get a knee down

...and of course the mob is usually wrong...

SwollenRacoon is right: the rule for the novice class is never pass on the inside; I violated the rule, I paid the price and am damned glad I didn't make someone else pay for my poor decision. I have no plans at present to do a track day again, but if I did, I would never contemplate an inside pass.

I predict you will find some other, younger, riders will tend to disregard you, but will have new respect for "old-timers" when the event is over.

Living within a few miles of you, out in the Spokane Valley, my inquisitive mind is wondering which track you will be on? Spokane Raceway Park??

Or... ?

Have a ball!

Don

I would strongly discourage you from doing it. If you are balking over $300 for some gear...just wait till you are addicted and the costs really start adding up.

Seriously, you'll wonder why you waited so long to try it out. Safer than the street because you just did that corner two minutes ago. Keep your head like on the street and you'll do fine.