First steps into track-dom

[alex.s]

So I've been wanting to take a bike to the track basically since i started riding 50cc minibikes as a kid... but i've never taken the initiative to actually start going due to fears that i didn't have adequate skills/gear/time/money/etc...

well i think it's time to start moving in that direction, so i've been reading as much as i can about how to get into it all. (i don't actually know anyone who goes to the track)

should i just go sign up for a class c track day and an intro track lesson? do i need the intro track lesson? do they offer the info i need without the personalized track lesson? (ie- flag signals, entrance/lineup/exit procedures, etc) what other topics do these style of intro track courses cover? i've seen more expensive ones where they follow you with a camera and show you exactly what you're doing wrong... is this really going to help me much on my first track day? i can understand a basic lesson would help greatly, but this super-detailed version? would i really be able to grasp it all so quickly in addition to all the new info on track procedures etc?

should i rent a bike and/or leathers for my first time, or use my own? how much do leather rentals usually cost? (i couldn't find info on this on the track websites i looked at) do the tracks themselves rent things like this out? or is it a separate/independent vendor like rentmyninja.com?
do most tracks have the same bike requirements? i'm planning to go to chuckwalla and/or willowsprings... (probably willowsprings first because it's $50 cheaper)
i know i need to change to water/waterwetter and have appropriate tires...
but do i need an underbelly i didn't see anything about underbellys on the chuckwalla site? do i need to drill/tie my bolts? should i spend time messing with fork oil and spring weight before i get to the track, or can i leave that until i'm actually getting up to decent speeds and have a need to modify it? I've seen motorcycle shops i go to offer "track prep" kits... should i just have them setup my bike for the track? granted i haven't actually asked them what's included in the "track prep" kit... obviously i wouldn't need to worry about this if i rented a bike/gear...

wow, sorry for so many questions... i get like a kid in a candy store with bikes.

[ztrack157]

Both rental companies in CA can hook you up with everything you need. New tires often times can cost as much as a rental bike for the day. You never know if this will be a one time deal or a repeated event. So rent first, then deck out the bike if you want to do more track days. Sears point is the best track on the 250 here in California. If you schedule permits come up and rent from Feel Like a Pro Brian will treat you right and you'll have an awesome time. But there is nothing wrong with willow springs either.

[RaceBikeRentals]

Alex,

I handle the rentals at Willow Springs: www.RaceBikeRentals.com

[alex.s]

Thanks for the info, guys. Matt I will definitely remember that for the next time I'm up north.

[HKr1]

Originally Posted by ztrack157

But there is nothing wrong with willow springs either.

Other than it being in the Mojave desert..... it's great

[ztrack157]

Ya I'll never race there personally. Too hot plus my bike is illegal with their rules setup.

[Dmitriy]

Originally Posted by ztrack157

Ya I'll never race there personally. Too hot plus my bike is illegal with their rules setup.

Any chance you are coming out to race thill this weekend?

[ztrack157]

I will be there friday, saturday, and sunday but no racing.