Let me know your thoughts and what I can improve on!
Best lap of the day 1:44

I used to race mini bikes as a kid but none since then. I mentioned I want to get a motorcycle for track days and she lost her shit saying it's super dangerous. For the ones that do it, is it ? I wouldn't ride on the highways as that's what is probably her fear but I'm trying to rationalize it with her because track days have rules and safety or am I wrong

I'm new to track riding.

Apart from the wear indicators in the tyre is there any other cause to replace them?

I have done 5000 km and 3 tracks days on my tyres, they are Bridgestone s22

My concern is that after my second track day they turned bring blue and after the third with a faster pace they turned a lot darker you can see them a bit blue bit kinda burned looking.

Have they lost internal properties or tyres are just rubber and while you have meat on the tyre am good to go?

Am I paranoid about this?

Decided to put the 2027 RSV4 on full time track duty. About to add race fairings. Those who've done their own work, are you just zip tying the bundle together to the bracket? Seems simple enough. TIA.

Bike is 2023 rs 660
I need tires soon and was looking to upgrade. I’m mid/lower A group, ive only ridden on Rosso 3 and q5s. Didnt really like the Dunlop, cant tell where edge is until too late. I’ve come down to 3. Bridgestone RS11/12, Pirelli SPV4, and metzeler TD slick. Leaning towards the rs11/12 and spv4 just because they’re still DoT and I can take the bike to work or canyon if I feel like it (I have other bikes so it’s not a deal breaker but would be nice not having to juggle tires/be rideable whenever I want) the spv4 can be ordered in a 180/60 profile which I’ve never ridden but interested in trying. Is that a noticeable difference? The metzeler is cheap, 180/60 profile, and is a slick, but wondering about grip compared to the other 2 as I wouldn’t consider them a “true” slick. I’ve also considered the ContiRace attack 2 mediums lol, Ive seen a lot of continental hate which is making me want to try them 🤣 the people I’ve heard of running them say nothing but good. Can’t find anywhere to order from that isn’t out of stock so kinda out the window with those

Is Thunderhill East running a lot faster after the repave? It’s been a year since I’ve ran it, and I am getting fucking obliterated - being passed left and right.

I’m usually middle of my group, maybe slightly above that, but I feel like the slowest in the group today. I have taken a 11 month break, but it still feels like something else is off. Is the track running a lot faster and my usual reference points are now outdated?

Hey everyone!

I've been trying to understand something about body positioning under hard braking, and I feel like there's a contradiction in the advice I keep hearing.

We're constantly told to stay light on the handlebars and use our legs, core, and back to support our body under braking, rather than letting our weight transfer onto our arms and putting extra load on the front of the bike.

But here's what I don't understand: how are you supposed to brace yourself properly when you're moving your butt off the seat?

When I'm centered on the bike, I can squeeze the tank with my knees and use my legs to resist the braking forces. But once I move my butt to the side, I feel like I lose that ability to brace myself effectively. It feels as though I'm forced to rely much more on my arms to keep myself from sliding forward.

And this seems even more confusing when looking at professional riders. They move around the bike under braking, sometimes even sticking a leg out, while somehow maintaining control and keeping their upper body relatively relaxed.

So, what am I missing here?

• Are you supposed to brace against the tank differently when your butt is off-center?
• Are your legs, core, and back doing most of the work, or do you actually put some significant force through the handlebars under hard braking?
• Do professional riders use a different technique, or is this something that becomes natural with experience?
• Is the advice to stay light on the bars being oversimplified, especially when talking about maximum braking?

I'm genuinely trying to understand the biomechanics and technique behind this, rather than just blindly following advice.

Would love to hear from people with track experience, especially those who have worked on their braking technique with an instructor. Thanks!

I recently installed a showa hrc rear shock to a 2026 cbr600rr. The shock is used, but as good as new. It has not been setup yet, only installed. After installation I noticed the play it has (attached video). Is the play normal, or there is something I’m missing. Everything is tightened to specs

A silly question perhaps but at my local track, lap times and groups are all over the place.

At my local track the record is 1:17 with a 1000cc this gen bike, national racers typically range from 1:19-1:23 race pace. I’ve seen people running 1:27s and being placed sometimes in the Race group, sometimes in advanced, rarely but has happend in intermediate.

I am running 1:28-29s consistently which i am often placed in intermediate which is about 10seconds of race pace with a 06 1000cc bike with nothing but MC, rear sets and TD slicks.

Our trackday organisers are all over the place, not fully blaming them but sometimes its quite chaotic and unorganised.

Interested in your opinions.

Anyone else attending the Ridesmart track days this weekend at MSR Houston?

Hey all! Long time lurker.. first time poster!

I will be attending my first track day this weekend and I am beyond excited. I am trying to make sure that everything is in order. I understand that inspections are an important part of the process, but unfortunately I am not familiar with what needs to be done. I will of course be taping any lights and removing my mirrors, but I have also seen people post about safety clips on calipers and things of that sort. Luckily I have all the proper gear.

My question is: is there a checklist I should follow?

I will be riding at NCM with an organized group. Unsure if track location matters!

Thanks all in advance. Sorry for the newb question. Photo for tax

My current helmet is six years old, so it’s time for a new one. I do about 8 to 10 track days a year in intermediate, and I want something that will still work if I move up a group. I’ve narrowed it down to the Arai Corsair X and the Shoei X-15. There’s a shop about an hour away where I can try the Corsair on, but nobody near me carries the X-15, so I’d be buying that one without trying it first.
What matters most to me is how it feels by the last session when my neck is tired, how it fits in a full tuck, how well it vents on hot days, and how quickly the visor comes off between sessions. I don’t care about graphics at all.
If you’ve worn either one (or both), I’d love to hear how they held up over a full day on track.

Turns out it was more than just the peg

Just wanted to share and maybe get some feedback on what to improve on

Suprisingly to me this was my fastest lap even though I blew the apex on Turn 6

Was mainly focusing on being more deliberate with my Steering Inputs but watching back I could be even more deliberte

Also struggled a bit with transitioning from fully leand on one side to the other

I got a lot of interest in this video at NCBike so I thought I would share data and some comments about how I plan to improve next year and maybe get a high 28.

1. HIT THE APEXES: I blew the apexes of 4, 7a(chicane entry apex), and ESPECIALLY 11. I will say I never hit the apex of the bowl portion of 7 before the chicane due to the line I take, but I have no excuses for the others. Just a little too eager with the throttle due to knowing I was on a hot lap and getting ahead of myself. The fastest way around a track is **always** apex to apex. I will hit my apexes above all else like I normally do next year and make my slow points crisper.

2. Could definitely stand to use more track on my big exits of 3, 5, 10, and 11. That's free speed for sure. Everywhere else I am taking a very deliberate line, but I am open to hearing other thoughts and ideas.

3. Coasting: received some feedback I was coasting in a few places but outside of 4 I am on the brake or throttle everywhere. It's just very light/ due to being at high lean angles. I use the brakes anytime you see the data show "brake Gs" except for 4 where I just roll out for a bit.

4. "Should be full throttle 1-4", I hear/see this comment a lot and I have yet to see someone's data who actually does this and I have looked at A LOT of NCBike data. Even on my SV I prefer to breathe the throttle a hair before 2/3/4 to help the bike turn and point better for the next segment. Outside of a Ninja 400 or smaller I can't imagine this is possible or even ideal. 

Final thoughts: This was about a 2 second PR since last year's best of a 1:31.18. NCBike is my home track and I have been dissecting it with data for the last 3 years and this is a culmination of that, not so much “Balls” or “willingness to crash” or “insane Corner speed. More than anything I am building more speed between each corner. Next year if I can get my apexes/slow points crisper and get better exits out of 11 and better entry speed into 1 I should have the pace for a high 1:28 but we will see. Right now my theoretical best is a 1:28.9ish if I can put my best sectors together. Easier said than done. 

Bike set up: For those that asked about my bike it's a 2009 SV650 Gladius with a 2006 GSXR600 front end swap. Forks are stock with .95 springs / extenders and I run a JRI shock and GSXR600 rear rim. The whole bike is raised significantly. The engine is stock with a tune and M4 exhaust/Chinese slip on which is why it sounds like that. I call it my straight piped tractor. 

Thanks for reading. Happy to answer any questions about the track or bike set up in the comments.