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PART 5 - COMING CORRECT
- You've been to dirt track school [CHECK]
- bought the protective gear [CHECK]
- picked up a decent bike [CHECK]]
Now what?
You're going to need a tool kit and supplemental supplies. I know most people are going to read this and say "Dur, that goes without saying." Well, you'd be suprised at how ill prepared people can be. It looks incredibly unprofessional when you show up to the track without your own tools. Its also frustrating to spend the day running around and borrowing from those that have taken the time to come correct.
Here's a checklist of what you should have on hand:
- Basic toolkit with good set of wrenches, screwdrivers, sockets, vice grips etc..
- Tire gauge with a bleed button - tire pressure is a make it or brake it in any kind of racing. I check my tire pressure every time I come off the track and made adjustments as needed.
- Air bottle
- Safety wire and pliers.. A lifesaver!!!!
- Assorted bolts and screws
- Spare cables (clutch, throttle)
- Spare tube and tire irons
- Fuel and oil.
- Plenty of water / gatorade / etc... Like any sport you need to keep hydrated. Yes, they sell this at the tracks but they mark up the price.
- Food. I don't know about you, but I'd rather bring my own. A greasy sausage and pepper sandwich from the concession stand certainly won't make you any faster on the track.
I also bring an extra set of dirt track handlebars. A racer can be completely unhurt in a crash but their day is over because their bars are bent. A five minute swap of a set of bars and you're back in business.
More tips from captain obvious:
It's a really good idea to check your bike out before you load up and head for the track. I've seen people wait until they've driven over a hundred miles to find out their bike is a piece of crap in a need of a tune up. You should be able to register, unload the bike, suit up and get ready to make your first practice. When you spend the morning wrenching you won't really be able to concentrate on performing well. Sure, shit happens and you'll need to fix things as they happen, but that's far better than spending all that money getting to the track and not being able to race.
- You've been to dirt track school [CHECK]
- bought the protective gear [CHECK]
- picked up a decent bike [CHECK]]
Now what?
You're going to need a tool kit and supplemental supplies. I know most people are going to read this and say "Dur, that goes without saying." Well, you'd be suprised at how ill prepared people can be. It looks incredibly unprofessional when you show up to the track without your own tools. Its also frustrating to spend the day running around and borrowing from those that have taken the time to come correct.
Here's a checklist of what you should have on hand:
- Basic toolkit with good set of wrenches, screwdrivers, sockets, vice grips etc..
- Tire gauge with a bleed button - tire pressure is a make it or brake it in any kind of racing. I check my tire pressure every time I come off the track and made adjustments as needed.
- Air bottle
- Safety wire and pliers.. A lifesaver!!!!
- Assorted bolts and screws
- Spare cables (clutch, throttle)
- Spare tube and tire irons
- Fuel and oil.
- Plenty of water / gatorade / etc... Like any sport you need to keep hydrated. Yes, they sell this at the tracks but they mark up the price.
- Food. I don't know about you, but I'd rather bring my own. A greasy sausage and pepper sandwich from the concession stand certainly won't make you any faster on the track.
I also bring an extra set of dirt track handlebars. A racer can be completely unhurt in a crash but their day is over because their bars are bent. A five minute swap of a set of bars and you're back in business.
More tips from captain obvious:
It's a really good idea to check your bike out before you load up and head for the track. I've seen people wait until they've driven over a hundred miles to find out their bike is a piece of crap in a need of a tune up. You should be able to register, unload the bike, suit up and get ready to make your first practice. When you spend the morning wrenching you won't really be able to concentrate on performing well. Sure, shit happens and you'll need to fix things as they happen, but that's far better than spending all that money getting to the track and not being able to race.
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