Track Day Prep

[Hellgate]

Okay, so I'm STILL waiting of Houston MSR to call me back, but the nice ladies who answer email have been very helpful, no call from the instructor however. I'm going to begin prepping the bike for the track and here's my laundry list of items to prep.

What I am really looking for is when I remove the sidestand, can I pull the whole sidestand switch wire, or do I need to make some kind of a switch by pass?

Bike Prep:

1) Tape wheel weights
2) Tape Master Cylinders
3) Safety wire oil drain plug
4) Safety wire oil filter
5) Safety wire oil filler cap
6) Attach fluid catch bottle - baby bottle and a nipple works great!
7) Safety wire Front and rear axles
8) Remove mirrors
9) Remove turn signals
10) Remove passanger peg brackets
11) Tape guage faces
12) Remove Sidestand
13) Remove Center Stand
14) Drain anti-freeze and replace with H2O with Water Wetter
15) Change oil and filter
16) Bleed brakes - F and R
17) Air tires
18) Safety wire hand grips
19) Safety wire brake caliper mounting bolts
20) Safety wire banjo bolts
21) Remove license plate
22) Unplug lights
23) Remove inner fairing
24) Remove peg feelers
25) Safety wire dip stick

Safety Gear
1) Leathers, 1 piece or 2 piece (with full zipper and pants and jacket belts), with CE armor
2) Gaunlet gloves
3) Mid calf track specific boots
4) DOT or Snell approved helmet - Check with club or school for year requirement
5) Back and chest protectors
6) Ninja suit - under leather full length, lycra or cotton long johns, helps prevent road rash, reduces friction of leather on skin
7) Ear Plugs
8) Dark, and clear visors
9) Neck support - Optional, just coming onto the market

Pit Gear
1) Shade Tent/Awning
2) Indoor/Outdoor Carpet (astro turf) 10' X 10'
3) Tools - All of them
4) Bike Stand
5) Large Cooler with Ice, Water, Sports Drinks and Snacks
6) Air Tank
7) Generator (optional) to power fans, air compressor, radios, lights
8) Chairs - Always bring at least one extra so visitors can sit
9) Spares - Levers, pegs, cables, zip ties, 90mph tape (duct tape for you civilian types), safety wire, grips, misc nuts and bolts
10) Fluids - Oil, Brake Fluid, Water with Water Wetter, Chain Lube, Windex, Hand Cleaner, degreaser, Paper Towels and/or Rags

Bling
1) Cool Banners for sponsors - YAMAHA, of course!
2) Umbrella girls
3) Theme music - No Rocky please, Blur is fine.
4) Motor Home with hot tub

Did I miss anything?

Thanks!

[PlasticPig]

Leakproof underpants?

[nimzotech]

Originally Posted by PlasticPig

Leakproof underpants?

Full Gear is a good idea if not already a pre-requisite.

That is very detailed list. Thanks for sharing. With that much prep work and time spent on the bike, no wonder Wavex was contemplating getting a specially designated track bike...

Enjoy your time at the track and post some pics dude!

[DefyInertia]

LOL

Vid Camera & mount!!!!!

I've never done nearly all that but some things I have done that are not on that list are: license plate and bolts, remove peg feelers, unplug lights and remove inner fairings, and I have my dipstick wired. I use a large saftey-pin type clip on both my filler cap and my dipstick so that I never have to wire them again.

I use a little water wetter in my distilled water to keep temps down (~7 caps full)

What tires are you going to run and please post pics of all this safety wire. I should post pics of mine.

The fact that you're going above and beyond what is probably going to be required will be appreciated by those you share the track with. props!

[Hellgate]

Gear is good to go, gotta a Knox back protector on order.

The list I wrote was pretty much my every other week check list from the day. The only thing I didn't include was retorque everything.

Good call on the water wetter, I forgot that one. I meant to include the LP, spaced, a forgot about the dip stick.

For tires I just going to run the 020s. They are still good and my skill is no where near needing Pilots. I want to have a tire that will slip predictably. If I do this on a regular basis I'll get another set of wheels. Track tires get SO expansive.

I've got a HUGE re-learning curve in front of me but it will be fun.

Thanks!

[Hellgate]

Fuild containment is a big thing on the track. I've gotten caught in my own oil and in others oil a few times. Its not fun.

In my Carrera at Texas World Speedway I was going about 135 and a Carrea Turbo who blew past me blew an intercooler oil line. 12 quarts of oil pumped out on the the front straight. The good thing it was the last session of the day.

Another time I was on my RZ at Pueblo Speeway in Colo and my radiator thermostat stuck closed. My coolant pump into my case, out my puke bottle and oiled the whole back of the bike with white stuff (oil and water mixed at high speeds). I came into the pits complaining about the track being "greasy". My buddy said, "Dude, that was you MF! The front of my bike is covered and I damn near lost it! I think you were going so fast that you lost it and covered your bike!"

I just hate to be the one who caused another to crash.

[DefyInertia]

"you must spread some reputation around before giving it to Hellgate again"

ok ok, CHEST Protector! Yes, they have those now!

[Hellgate]

Originally Posted by DefyInertia

"you must spread some reputation around before giving it to Hellgate again"

ok ok, CHEST Protector! Yes, they have those now!

Yeah I have the same problem with Fred....

Well I think I'll need larger leather with the CP. I bought a 44 to fit snug but with the CP I'd need a 46. When I saw them at Sportbike Track Gear I though they were for MotoCross! Shows you what I know!!!

Think I bought my first BP in '85, one of the first on the track. Back then the only one available was a Dianse. When I wore it, I mentally felt safer and protected.

The trick glove then was the Fox. It had about 20 steel rivets on each palm for sliding protection. They didn't work. I crashed one day and the whole palm fell off! And before it fell off my palm was burned from the heat caused by the rivets sliding on the track. ouch...

I'll add gear to the list.

[rvbiker]

I have never been to the track and know nothing about it, but I often wonder about it and your post has me interested. In your bike prep list I noticed there are several items that require safety wire. Now I’m familiar with the safety wiring procedure but as I remember the bolt or whatever is being wired has a hole in it to pass the wire. Is there special hardware with these holes that are need to be purchased or do you just drill the holes yourself?

[OneTrack]

Originally Posted by rvbiker

I have never been to the track and know nothing about it, but I often wonder about it and your post has me interested. In your bike prep list I noticed there are several items that require safety wire. Now I’m familiar with the safety wiring procedure but as I remember the bolt or whatever is being wired has a hole in it to pass the wire. Is there special hardware with these holes that are need to be purchased or do you just drill the holes yourself?

K&N oil filters have a pre-drilled hole for racing requirements, which is nice.
I would guess that you'd have to drill your own locking wire hole in your drain plug, unless there is either a factory or aftermarket part available...?
Oh, one last thing...although Hellgate's list is terrific information, I'd be inclined to do the oil and filter change (step #15) first, before wiring them up (steps #3,4 & 5). (yeah...I'm feeling like quite the smart alec this evening as a result of researching my facts before posting to Hellgate's Beer Thread).