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I was wondering some advice on which class I should go into on track days.
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My Thoughts:
1. Trackday groups (or classes, if you prefer) are based COMPELTELY on skill level (which boils down pretty much to lap times), and have NOTHING do do with bike size. I've passed many a literbike (some on the straights even) on my 600, and I've watched the lines of many an EX in the fast group (while waiting for MY run group to come up).
2. As suggested, a school is a great idea for ALL skill levels, especially beginners.
3. If you don't do a school, go in the slowest ride group. Many trackday providers will use some derivative of an "A", "B", "C" system where A is the fastest.
4. If you don't go to a school, go to a three group day. You'll have more time to think about (and talk to other folks about) what you're doing right (and wrong), and you'll ease yourself into the physical and mental torture of riding at full tilt. 20 minutes is plenty, 30 minutes is borderline...and as a new trackday rider, you can get into trouble trying to "get your money's worth" towards the end of a stint, especially if its a two group event.
5. If you have *a* bike, use it. Don't worry about getting the "right bike" for a trackday, and especially a first trackday. Make sure your bike has good tires, is in good mechanical condition, and meets the basic safety criteria laid out by the trackday provider. Then go ride. Once you get into it, THEN worry about "prepping" a bike.
6. If you have many bikes (I get the impression that might be the case), use the smallest one that they will allow. No matter how nonchalant people get about hitting ludicrious speed on the street, hucking yourself down the front straight at 130-140 mph is NO joke.
7. 600's aren't "small".
