Don't be that guy

[adouglas]

Just got back from two days up at Palmer Motorsports Park. In the middle of the night, a rig pulls up and I hear stuff being set up. Morning comes, and it turns out to be a young guy with a pregen and his girlfriend. I've reached the age where all young people look the same to me, so I really don't know how old. Early 20s, I'm guessing.

I give them coffee and we start chatting. Really sweet couple, very nice. It's his first time and he's really excited.

So I start talking about the day, what to expect, how to get the most out of it, encouraging him (and his girlfriend) to go to the classroom sessions, all that stuff. "Think of it like the best road ride you've ever had," etc.

Then I ask him an important question: "You're a young man, and young men are often impetuous. Tell me the truth: Do you like riding for the speed? For the rush? Do you see the red mist from time to time?"

He laughed a bit and said "yeah... I like wheelies...."

So I drop a few words about squids and why the track is not about that. Short anecdotes about people who get out there the first day and bin the bike right off the bat trying to be heroes.

"Don't be that guy," I said. "This is about learning to be a better rider, not going out there and riding as fast or hard as you can. Ride at 70%. That way you'll have a blast and learn a lot more."

So he goes out, does the first follow-the-leader session, comes back and his eyes are as wide as saucers. "That was BADASS!" he says to his girlfriend. Super-enthusiastic. Fun to watch.

Next session, ten minutes in the flatbed pulls up with his bike on it. Seems he rode off the edge of the track. He was okay, thankfully.

Clearly he listened but did not internalize. I hope to see him at the track again, but I have a feeling I won't.

Don't be that guy! Take it easy, and live to ride another day.

PS: Another guy did something I've never seen before... high sided his Ninja 300 AT TECH. Hard to do that.

[DannoXYZ]

Heh, heh... I've crashed on 1st lap of 1st session before! Mostly because I was still asleep, didn't even grab the brakes, just went straight off into the grass and tipped over (like a cow). If it wasn't for the corner-workers, I might have just laid there and caught a nap!

[adouglas]

[csmith12]

Andrew, your call and approach is spot on. First timers do not realize their perception of what fast really is will be completely, 100%, flat out obliterated and I explain to them they are about to be reeducated in ways they never thought possible. Street fast has absolutely nothing to do with track fast, night and day different skillsets and protocols. When you ride in a street style fast on the track... you are going to find yourself in the grass.

Thanks for giving it the good ole college try though.

Tech crashes and drops are the best... Embarrassing yes, but really nobody cares in the end. This I know, having been one myself.

[csmith12]

I recently was tasked with helping train another coach/cr.

His first day coaching... he had a rider go down and came in blaming himself for the entire day. To some coaches, it bothers them more than others, this is FACT. In the end, much like Mr. Fist's paddock mate, you can't save everyone from themselves no matter how hard you try. And yes, I have strongly considered ending someone's day early due to safety concerns (for them and others).

In the end, you have to let riders ride their own ride and not take it personally. Good coaches/mentors try to find the positive in everything. At least that rider in the coach's group choose to ride at the track to learn vs the street and crash with support 20-30 mins away. Despite his down, his choice was the right one, intent doesn't even need apply.

[DannoXYZ]

There's some saying about a horse...

[Triple Jim]

Originally Posted by JacRyann

There's some saying about a horse...

Riding: The art of keeping a horse between you and the ground.

That seems like it might apply to motorcycling pretty well too.

[Just Gibby]

I have helped quite a few folks at their first trackdays and I get as excited as they do. That "holy crap that was awesome" I hear is just priceless.

The single most important thing I have done with 2 wheels is basically offer an everything included trackday (except the bike) to someone who had never been, I took nominations with strict requirements:

1. Someone who has helped a fellow rider out
2. Someone who NEEDS a trackday (in the hopes they would chill-out on the street)

Couple people nominated this Marine that bought an R1 that rode like a total squid. Nice guy but S Q U I D....So I buy him his ticket, I find him leathers to borrow, I pick him and his bike up and we get to the track (Chuckwalla) the night before and have some adult beverages. I give him the low-down on a trackday and even bring my control rider buddies over to talk jedi to him and we decide to walk the ENTIRE track at 12:10am (this is now a tradition)

Long story short, although he was dragging random body parts BEFORE lunch, he finished the day without incident. After the first few sessions he just kept saying "this is awesome, THANK YOU!", smiling ear to ear.

Fast forward a few years and that squid on his R1 is now a Total Control Advanced Riding Instructor, a licensed racer who podiumed in novice middleweight his first time out, a control rider for 2WTD, he started a business designed to help get new riders to the track (not for profit), and he is one of my best friends on this planet.

To this day he tells me that I might have just saved his life by introducing him to the track and lecturing him to chill the **** out on the street. I doubt that is true but man does it feel good either way.

Now I ask HIM for help, he calls me his track-dad, but regardless we still do our trackwalk all 2.7 something miles of it at Chuckwalla at 12:10am, every time. Biggest difference? HE buys the whiskey! LOL

Help somebody get to the track and you might get paid back ten-fold.

[psych0hans]

Originally Posted by Just Gibby

I have helped quite a few folks at their first trackdays and I get as excited as they do. That "holy crap that was awesome" I hear is just priceless.

The single most important thing I have done with 2 wheels is basically offer an everything included trackday (except the bike) to someone who had never been, I took nominations with strict requirements:

1. Someone who has helped a fellow rider out
2. Someone who NEEDS a trackday (in the hopes they would chill-out on the street)

Couple people nominated this Marine that bought an R1 that rode like a total squid. Nice guy but S Q U I D....So I buy him his ticket, I find him leathers to borrow, I pick him and his bike up and we get to the track (Chuckwalla) the night before and have some adult beverages. I give him the low-down on a trackday and even bring my control rider buddies over to talk jedi to him and we decide to walk the ENTIRE track at 12:10am (this is now a tradition)

Long story short, although he was dragging random body parts BEFORE lunch, he finished the day without incident. After the first few sessions he just kept saying "this is awesome, THANK YOU!", smiling ear to ear.

Fast forward a few years and that squid on his R1 is now a Total Control Advanced Riding Instructor, a licensed racer who podiumed in novice middleweight his first time out, a control rider for 2WTD, he started a business designed to help get new riders to the track (not for profit), and he is one of my best friends on this planet.

To this day he tells me that I might have just saved his life by introducing him to the track and lecturing him to chill the **** out on the street. I doubt that is true but man does it feel good either way.

Now I ask HIM for help, he calls me his track-dad, but regardless we still do our trackwalk all 2.7 something miles of it at Chuckwalla at 12:10am, every time. Biggest difference? HE buys the whiskey! LOL

Help somebody get to the track and you might get paid back ten-fold.

You Sir, deserve a cookie!

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by adouglas

"Don't be that guy," I said. "This is about learning to be a better rider, not going out there and riding as fast or hard as you can. Ride at 70%. That way you'll have a blast and learn a lot more."
...
Clearly he listened but did not internalize. I hope to see him at the track again, but I have a feeling I won't.

You're very much good hearted @adouglas, and I take out my hat to you. But you were asking youth not to be young, and that's very difficult to accomplish.

Sometimes I feel surprised how I survived my younger years.

[Zaph42]

I haven't really seen too many squidly new riders at the track.

The way I help newbies at the track is usually with tire pressures. They come back from a session and their tires are smooth and cool. (sound the alarms) Honestly, I think the number one cause of 1st day crashes in novice group is due to people coming in with street pressures, which, coming off the track ends up being 40 psi or so.

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by adouglas

Next session, ten minutes in the flatbed pulls up with his bike on it. Seems he rode off the edge of the track. He was okay, thankfully.

Hey it's 2014 me at my first ever track day hahaha, except mine ended up hurting a bit more long term

but yup, I always see these guys at their first track days. Part of the fun of coaching a first time track rider is to keep them calm and collected so they can maintain focus and keep the whole day as a high note