The difference between slow and intermediate groups

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

On Friday I did an MSV Classic Bike Trackday at Cadwell, I started off in the Intermediate Group but I wasn't happy as I felt I was being a bit of a mobile chicane so I dropped down to the "steady" group, the difference in the speed of the riders (apart from a couple of very slow people) was negligible but bizarrely I was much happier and felt less pressured to go fast, I know all of this is inside my head and I'm as fast as a lot of people in Inters (faster than some as I know I'm faster than a couple of people who usually go in Inters but went in slow when Inters was full).
So I'll be staying in slow because I'm happy there, despite being quick enough for Inters, and I'm never the fastest person in slow either so other people must feel the same.

Anyone else feel the same, or do you think if you're quick enough you should go in a faster group and leave the slow group for the really slow?

[Slenver]

I've not done a trackday for a few years but used to do quite a few at one point. Once I moved into Inters, I felt much safer, and nothing to do with speed really. Novice groups tended to be full of people with little/no track experience chucking their bikes into the gravel at every opportunity and taking 'interesting' lines through the corners.

In Inters, it was much more predicable and safe - people tended to know what they were doing. I'd say that if you're remotely quick enough to be amongst the inters then it's time to get out of novice!

Entirely subjective of course, and I'm sure people with massively more track experience than me will have their own views.

[Yorick]

Many days now do Chrono events where you are all timed and put into the right group. Then Novice becomes safe, with no tossers trying to show off.
Besides instructing, I was also a Marshall and looked out for folks in the wrong group.

Over the years I'd say that inters was most dangerous and most crashes.

We were allowed to go 'play' in inters and Fast groups. Inters was very unpredictable

[Tomcat]

Inters is a combination of fast riders on slow bikes and slow riders on fast bikes, which is inherently a risky mixture even if you time it, for reasons I shouldn't need to explain. The thing to remember whichever group you're in is that you're not going to impress anybody - it's a trackday not a race - and if you fuck up everybody will hate you. Ride at your own pace and enjoy the day, and if that means going in the slower group that's 100% fine.

[Dodgy69]

I reckon there's quick lads in all group's. If inters is full they'll book novice. But ye, more slow riders in novice. My mate doesn't like being in with the quicker lads, (don't give him enough room ) he says. I told him their safer and know what their doing, hopefully. My main fear in novice is someone out braking themselves and taking me out in a hairpin, sort of thing.

[scottyuk]

I don't think there's too many real novices out there at the moment. I'm sure there's always plenty of inters guys in the Novice group and of course people who perhaps should have moved up a group (perhaps it's good for the ego over taking rather than being passed).

Novice on Euro trips are rarely much difference to Inters apart from there always seems to be one person who's chosen a three day Euro trackday trip to learn how to ride a motorbike!

[weeksy]

Tough one as bikes nowdays can also make novices look fast, as i've found it can also make inters riders looks slow.

First thing they need to do is remove the stigma of the group names.

1, 2, 3..

Whatever, but not novice, as Scotty says, there's not that many novices i think. But there are plenty of people who are not 'fast' and don't need or want to be, for whatever reason. They're happy cruising (relatively) on slower or inappropriate machines and having a bit of fun. But they don't want to go in 'novice' ...

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

On MSV Classic days the groups are Steady, Intermediate and Fast, which is probably more accurate, there was one guy on a VFR who was very slow, had his name on his leathers so we all knew who he was, but he wasn't a hazard as he was predictable (though I was only behind him for the second part of Charlies and a little bit of the straight.

Another bloke on a 1978 Z1000 Mk2 was giving it everything but the bike was slow round corners (it wasn't slow in a straight line), worst was a twat on an XJR1300 who thought he was the dogs bollox, deliberately wheelieing over the Mountain but was really slow on the corners.

[IOU0]

I usually ride inters.
I'm usually one of the quickest in inters.
However me and the bike can't go much quicker, so going into the fast group would probably make me a chicane, and i have no desire to have some hero stuff me on the brakes into the foggy S's or mansfield.
Made the mistake of doing novice at oulton once, my first time there on a new to me bike.
After the first session with a badly handling bike i was summoned to the race office and told i would be going out in inters next session.
I've seen too many egos in all the different groups, just enjoy the day and stay safe.

[Couchy]

On MSV Classic days the groups are Steady, Intermediate and Fast, which is probably more accurate, there was one guy on a VFR who was very slow, had his name on his leathers so we all knew who he was, but he wasn't a hazard as he was predictable (though I was only behind him for the second part of Charlies and a little bit of the straight.

Another bloke on a 1978 Z1000 Mk2 was giving it everything but the bike was slow round corners (it wasn't slow in a straight line), worst was a twat on an XJR1300 who thought he was the dogs bollox, deliberately wheelieing over the Mountain but was really slow on the corners.

Was it a yellow vfr race bike ?

[Nobby]

Not long to go now until I bring a whole new meaning to a slow bloke in the middle group.

[Tricky]

Not long to go now until I bring a whole new meaning to a slow bloke in the middle group.

Well , if you are, you must have really (really) slowed down a lot in the last few years- - we all (Yozza excepted of course ) get slow (er) as we get older, but there is steady and there is slow and I don't remember you being either

[Nobby]

Not long to go now until I bring a whole new meaning to a slow bloke in the middle group.

Well , if you are, you must have really (really) slowed down a lot in the last few years- - we all (Yozza excepted of course ) get slow (er) as we get older, but there is steady and there is slow and I don't remember you being either

Mathew 26:41

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Was it a yellow vfr race bike ?

No a black one, bloke had Boycie on his leathers

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Not long to go now until I bring a whole new meaning to a slow bloke in the middle group.

Well , if you are, you must have really (really) slowed down a lot in the last few years- - we all (Yozza excepted of course ) get slow (er) as we get older, but there is steady and there is slow and I don't remember you being either

Indeed, I'm either deluded about how quick I was 20 years ago or I've got quite a bit slower with age, I used to be mid inters, I'm now upper half of novice - though I wasn't riding 30 year old bikes 20 years ago.

[G.P]

I ride at the slower end of inters. I get to pass a few bikes most sessions but get passed by most of the group. I see it as a way of providing overtaking opportunities for inters riders that otherwise wouldn't be there
I didn't do my first trackday until I was nearly 50 yrs old so I've never had ambitions of being fast, but I really enjoy it.

[Yorick]

I ride at the slower end of inters. I get to pass a few bikes most sessions but get passed by most of the group. I see it as a way of providing overtaking opportunities for inters riders that otherwise wouldn't be there
I didn't do my first trackday until I was nearly 50 yrs old so I've never had ambitions of being fast, but I really enjoy it.

You were going well when I passed you at Pembrey

[G.P]

I ride at the slower end of inters. I get to pass a few bikes most sessions but get passed by most of the group. I see it as a way of providing overtaking opportunities for inters riders that otherwise wouldn't be there
I didn't do my first trackday until I was nearly 50 yrs old so I've never had ambitions of being fast, but I really enjoy it.

You were going well when I passed you at Pembrey

The Cheque's in the post x

[weeksy]

I ride at the slower end of inters. I get to pass a few bikes most sessions but get passed by most of the group. I see it as a way of providing overtaking opportunities for inters riders that otherwise wouldn't be there
I didn't do my first trackday until I was nearly 50 yrs old so I've never had ambitions of being fast, but I really enjoy it.

And somehow you're not at Brands or Oulton

[G.P]

I ride at the slower end of inters. I get to pass a few bikes most sessions but get passed by most of the group. I see it as a way of providing overtaking opportunities for inters riders that otherwise wouldn't be there
I didn't do my first trackday until I was nearly 50 yrs old so I've never had ambitions of being fast, but I really enjoy it.

And somehow you're not at Brands or Oulton

Somehow, life gets in the way sometimes.