revtothelimit - motorbike forum

I was able to do the Motorcycle Skills Day at Castle Combe hosted by Mercury Motorcycle Training on Monday

I have never done anything near a track before, and when I explained to my bike mechanic that I wanted to keep doing new things on a bike to improve, but wasn't tempted by a track day itself, he sold this to me. Probably helps that he's the chief instructor at the circuit

But it's somewhere between passing your test and doing a track day. If the thought of doing a full on track day doesn't appeal/is intimidating, this will ease you in. If you know you want to do a track day but don't want to make a complete tit of yourself - or even if you've done loads before (indeed loads of people there were seasoned track day riders) then you'll also get lots out of the day.

A theory session on a concept of riding, a 20 minute track session to put it into practice, a debrief and repeat. Nearly two hours of track time, hours of debriefing with really helpful instructors and a chunk of theory. The best thing about the theory was they did one thing at a time, so you could try to apply just one new thing each time you went out.

A group was 15 people put together due to riding experience, then within that further split down into groups of 5 with an instructor each. So you got a lot of time with your instructor and they saw your progression (and challenges) through the day.

I went from session one wondering what the bloody hell I'd let myself in for and wondering how I was going to complete the day to really enjoying myself in the final few sessions.

As there's only 15 people on the track at any one time there was loads of space to do the speed you wanted to do. Some were quick, some were slower, I myself didn't feel pressured to go faster than I felt comfortable with at any point.

Cost for the day was £175, which considering the track time and access to instructors I thought was exceptionally good value.

https://www.mercurymotorcycletraining.c ... lls-school

Happy to answer any questions on my experience if anyone was interested in the 2022 sessions when they're advertised!

That sounds very good value, obviously I don't need it having passed my bike test in 1985, ridden motorcross and enduros and a lot of trackdays

I dunno, I'd rather have one hour of track time going as fast as I can, than two hours following an instructor at 'training' pace.

KungFooBob wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:49 pm I dunno, I'd rather have one hour of track time going as fast as I can, than two hours following an instructor at 'training' pace.

Isn't that the same thing for you?

God, you are sooo mean!

You only followed an instructor for the first lap out onto the circuit. Then you were doing your own thing at your own pace for the remainder of the time. If an instructor wanted to show you something they'd come alongside, tap the side of their bike and demonstrate.

edited to add: one chap in our group was moved to a more experienced group after two sessions because they felt he was already good enough to be there, and there was a space in that group

KungFooBob wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:49 pm I dunno, I'd rather have one hour of track time going as fast as I can, than two hours following an instructor at 'training' pace.

Try to follow me baby

chutzpah wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:08 pm The best thing about the theory was they did one thing at a time

What sort of things?

Horse wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 5:24 pm

chutzpah wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 4:08 pm The best thing about the theory was they did one thing at a time

What sort of things?

Bear in mind as I introduce the theory we were talked through here, other groups may have got different talk since I was in the 'novice/new to track' group - eg we didn't really go through trail braking, whereas I know the other groups did

Session one was on vision, positioning for corners and line through the corners. How to use reference points and where you should be looking, especially at speed. Info on how much of your field of vision was actually 'focus' and what was 'peripheral'
Session two was improving your entry to the corner (braking, throttle etc) and counter steering
Session three was improving mid-corner and exit (throttle etc). A lot of talk on machine dynamics, centrifugal force and tyre grip trade off. Throttle control through the corner etc
Session four on body positioning and anchoring on the bike, including sitting on some bikes in the paddock to try it out. Here a fair bit of the talk was try as much or as little of the advice as possible, whatever felt comfortable for you on the day but highlighting the key things you'd probably want to focus on if nothing else
Session five was a recap on everything and trying to bring it all together but also how far all this applies to the road

We also had a session on track at the start covering braking. Basically making us all brake harder, and also reminding of the difference in stopping using rear only vs front.

When I first read this, it came across as a road safety class come trackday.

I thought of me and @The Spin Doctor both doing our stuff.

I'd be telling them to give it plenty and get it reet over.

And he'd be telling them to do life savers and MSM.

And then we'd end up scrapping in the car park

Sounds like a really good value for money day, I didn’t realise they ran anything like that at Castle Combe.
Will look out for any future dates as I know my Son would get a lot out of the day.
Were there any issues with noise as I know they’re really strict on noise limits there, seem to remember someone saying a few bikes with stock exhausts would fail the noise tests.

There used to be a list of bikes on the track website that would fail the noise test on standard pipes.

Yes Castle Combe publish a list of bikes that may have issues. I went up a few months ago as I'd just fitted a Delkevic exhaust and had no idea if it would be ok and didn't want to find that out on the day!

"Noise limit: STRICT 105 db(A), measured at ½ metre from the exhaust outlet at ¾ maximum revs with the meter held at a 45 degree angle"

I came in at 103.

https://castlecombecircuit.co.uk/motorcycle-track-days

Looks like a good day out and good value (apart from the added cost of a set of leathers ).

Yes I had to fork out!

chutzpah wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 8:41 pm Yes I had to fork out!

I had a 2-piece but it shrank.

What do you think is the biggest change the course will make to your riding? Would you go again?

Count Steer wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 8:53 pm

chutzpah wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 8:41 pm Yes I had to fork out!

I had a 2-piece but it shrank.

What do you think is the biggest change the course will make to your riding? Would you go again?

The first things I taught were always rear wheel steering and stoppies

Yorick wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 8:58 pm

Count Steer wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 8:53 pm

chutzpah wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 8:41 pm Yes I had to fork out!

I had a 2-piece but it shrank.

What do you think is the biggest change the course will make to your riding? Would you go again?

The first things I taught were always rear wheel steering and stoppies

Done that. I'm in the intermediates now.

Count Steer wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 9:01 pm

Yorick wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 8:58 pm

Count Steer wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 8:53 pm
I had a 2-piece but it shrank.

What do you think is the biggest change the course will make to your riding? Would you go again?

The first things I taught were always rear wheel steering and stoppies

Done that. I'm in the intermediates now.

Get some elbow sliders and I'll see ya tmrw

Yorick wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 9:06 pm

Count Steer wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 9:01 pm

Yorick wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 8:58 pm

The first things I taught were always rear wheel steering and stoppies

Done that. I'm in the intermediates now.

Get some elbow sliders and I'll see ya tmrw

I'll bring my ear sliders.