BSB Testing - Cartagena March 2016
Here are seven things you can do now that will help make that first ride of the year not only happen but also go smoothly!
1) Check it’s a runner! – Yeah, we know, very obvious but you’d be surprised by the number of people who come to start their beloved, either just before the first ride or morning of the first track day, only to spend the rest of the morning pushing it around the paddock, trying to resuscitate it after a winter resting up in the garage.
Making sure the battery is charged and in good condition is the first port of call – modern bikes especially will cause many headaches if the voltage is just a little lower than normal. Take the bike up to temperature at least once, nice and steady, allowing the oil to warm up too. If you do this well in advance, if there are any problems, you’ve got plenty of time to remedy them before missing out on any fun!
2) Keep cool, but not freezing! – The rules of racing don’t allow the use of engine coolant and if there is any in the cooling system when you turn up to race one you won’t pass scrutineering.
At the same time you don’t want to have plain water sitting in your bike over winter. Not only could it freeze in the garage, van, or on the truck to Spain [even in March or April – there are many racers and teams who’ve lost engines in this way], but also plain water will cause corrosion in your engine and radiator cooling system.
EITHER:
Drain the water before storage or transport and REMEMBER to refill before starting the bike – a piece of tape with WATER?! Written on it stuck to the top yoke or fuel tank can help here.
OR:
Fill the cooling system with a decent coolant mix at the start of winter then drain and refill with water before Race One. Remember that if it drops below freezing and your bike is in the van, garage or awning, there is a chance of damage!
3) Keep it clean – Even if your bike isn’t really dirty, giving it a clean/polish is a great way to check it over. Most missing nuts/bolts, broken parts, loose fittings are found when you clean and far better to find out before they break or fall off!.. It also makes your bike look good! 🙂
4) It’s not all about the Bike – Is your riding and pit kit good to go?..
Chances are it just got thrown into a box or bag at the end of a long season last year but do your tyre warmers and electrical leads still work?..Were you planning to get a new visor or gloves this season? Did that guy bring the tools back they borrowed? Take time to look through your kit to find out, maybe write a checklist for what to take and another of the parts/kit you need to order.
5) What’s the plan? – Thinking of doing that track day but waiting to see if the weather will be ok? Or there’s still space on that Euro track day when you last checked? Get it booked now – you can’t predict the weather and if something comes up most [decent] track day companies will give you a credit or refund if you have a genuine issue…
Book it before it sells out! It's far better than sitting at home while everyone else has fun and blows off the winter cobwebs!
6) You’ll need a licence for that – Assuming it's not your first year racing, renewing your ACU licence is relatively straight forward and can be done online these days….BUT, do you need an up to date eyesight test? Have you got your club's membership code? Don’t leave it the week before race one to sort it – I can guarantee at every championship from Club level to BSB people will be flapping around with licences at round one – don’t let it be you!
7) If in doubt ask! – If you’re new to track riding or a seasoned professional one thing remains - you’ll never stop learning! Whether track craft, racing, riding technique or bike prep and to be honest that’s half the fun. But don’t be afraid to tap into someone with quality experience. Be it track tuition from a riding coach [now available at MotorcycleRaceParts] to get more from yourself on the bike, or bike set up or equipment to use, there’s no harm in asking and there is never a daft question. We have over forty years of experience at MotorcycleRaceParts and enjoy passing that on to our customers and helping anyone who also enjoys riding bikes with an open mindset… 🙂
Just be careful of the arm chair experts you WILL encounter in the pub, paddock, or forum, who are desperate to pass on their “Wisdom”. Good advice usually involves questions and listening BOTH ways!
7.1) Enjoy it! - Remember to enjoy it - its why you started doing it right!?!... 😉 - MotorcycleRaceParts
