Preparation for a track day
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These two articles will follow three N250RC club members through a day on the track at Hallet Motor Racing Circuit in Oklahoma. The cast of characters includes M, Blind Man, and Swoosie. Story told through the eyes of M. The first step to track day preparation is to find out what your particular track requires. Each track is slightly different. Read the specifications carefully, and you'll sail through the tech inspection. For my track day, I began with maintenance. I had changed the oil two weeks earlier, so that was unnecessary. My cycle is two years old, so I changed the radiator coolant, along with the front and rear brake fluid, as directed in the service schedule. With the routine maintenance out of the way, I went over the cycle closely, checking for any abnormalities. The first check was the front and rear tires. I checked the pressure and set it to 30psi cold front/back. I also checked both tires and rims for damage. I next checked the brakes. This involved inspecting the rotors, calipers, and cables. The front and rear brake levers were then checked. I then inspected the engine to verify that there were no leaks. I then went over the exposed bolts on the cycle, looking for any that were loose. It was now time to prep the EX250 to the specifications of Hallett. Hallett requires that all turn signals, markers, lights, etc. be removed or covered. I chose to remove most of them. In the interests of increased ground clearance, you may wish to remove your side and centerstands, too. Of course, you will then need a wheel chock, or a track/paddock/rear stand, if you have someone to help you steady the bike when you dismount. Front turn signals removed
Mirrors removed
The bar-end mirror has to go, too
Removing the rear turn signals, markers, and license plate
The passenger footpegs were also removed
I then removed the right side body panel to access the fuses
This picture shows the layout of the fuse box. I pulled all except for the ignition and fan
The fuse box with only the ignition, fan and the two spare fuses
I taped the wheel weights on both the front and back wheels
Rear brake lenses taped over with painter's tape (easy to remove)
Front headlight taped over
Swoosie arrived from Irving, TX about six-thirty or seven. We did the same check that I did on my EX250. Then, we loaded both EX250s into the trailer at 10:45 PM and made sure that the tie downs were secure.
It is generally recommended that you trailer your bike to the track. As you will see later, you may not always be able to ride your bike home, and even if you can, you could very well be too tired after a long day at the track to ride safely. |
