Supermoto track days at Grand Bend In 2018 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Supermoto track days at Grand Bend In 2018

scharf1

Member
Hi all.

Any supermoto folks out there might interested that this year there will be dedicated SM track time after the SOAR practice days finish.
(Practice days are the Fridays before SOAR rounds... http://www.soaracing.ca/2018-schedule/ )

Right now it looks like $60 for 2 hours of open practice that would start after 5pm, open to all riders. No race license required.

Track day prep is required of course. Water for coolant, lights taped or removed and kickstand ziptied up. Leathers are mandatory, MX pants/gloves/shirt won't cut it on the pavement.

Layout is about 80/20 pavement/dirt. Weather plays a factor, and not just on the day of practice if it's been a wet week. Unfortunately if the dirt section is too muddy it can't be run as it tracks too much mud onto the pavement. If that's the case we run the Alien configuration that gives us the short back straight.

Last years class winner is an instructor and suspension guru. He's willing to help with some setup and teach anyone who wants to learn!

Come out and give it a go.
You may want to stay and try your hand at racing on the weekend!
 
Dammit, I do not own full leathers.

Yeah. That's a bit of a conundrum for most dirt guys.

Ive got a couple old sets anyone could borrow.
Joe Rockets... one would fit around 5'10-6', other would be good to 6'-6'2"

Could likely round up more if required...��

Just PM.
 
I've been thinking about a sumo setup for my drz400e for this purpose. I'd rather track my drz than my street bike.
Maybe I'll just go Sportsman style and run 21 and 18 inch street tires instead of knobbies until I see how it goes.
Either way I'd definitely be interested.

Sent from my SM-A500W using Tapatalk
 
Yes - Thanks man! will definitely check it out


Sent from my iPhone using GTAMotorcycle.com
 
I've been thinking about a sumo setup for my drz400e for this purpose. I'd rather track my drz than my street bike.
Maybe I'll just go Sportsman style and run 21 and 18 inch street tires instead of knobbies until I see how it goes.
Either way I'd definitely be interested.
If you can find the OEM DR-Z400SM wheels they use the same hubs and bolt right up.
 
If you can find the OEM DR-Z400SM wheels they use the same hubs and bolt right up.
Yeah that was/is the plan, except that everytime I find a set the seller thinks they're worth $1500. Eventually.

Sent from my SM-A500W using Tapatalk
 
Sounds tempting. I've got a WR250X with both an SM & dirt set up. I'd love to learn proper SM technique too. Taking a Friday off will be more likely in late summer.

Can't commit to anything now, but will watch to see if you can make this happen. Any chance of making it a full day, and not associated with a SOAR practice day?
 
Sounds tempting. I've got a WR250X with both an SM & dirt set up. I'd love to learn proper SM technique too. Taking a Friday off will be more likely in late summer.

Can't commit to anything now, but will watch to see if you can make this happen. Any chance of making it a full day, and not associated with a SOAR practice day?


Everyone involved with setting this up races SM, and other classes with SOAR, so we're usually there Fridays anyway for the practice day.
This is so cheap because we're just extending the track day a few hours so we can have dedicated SM track time.

I'm sure there's weekends that the road course is free to rent, but that's beyond the scope of what we're looking to do.
There is quite a bit of cost to a dedicated track rental day that someone would have to set up, pay, then recoup it from participants.
 
Everyone involved with setting this up races SM, and other classes with SOAR, so we're usually there Fridays anyway for the practice day.
This is so cheap because we're just extending the track day a few hours so we can have dedicated SM track time.

I'm sure there's weekends that the road course is free to rent, but that's beyond the scope of what we're looking to do.
There is quite a bit of cost to a dedicated track rental day that someone would have to set up, pay, then recoup it from participants.

Thanks, I understand. I thought about combining it with a track day for the first part of the day, but I'm an upper green group rider and don't want to get caught up in the aggressive tactics of an open practice the day before a race. And it would be 3 1/2 hrs each way for 2 hrs of track time for me if I can't do a full day.
 
Thanks, I understand. I thought about combining it with a track day for the first part of the day, but I'm an upper green group rider and don't want to get caught up in the aggressive tactics of an open practice the day before a race. And it would be 3 1/2 hrs each way for 2 hrs of track time for me if I can't do a full day.

im pretty sure you can sign up for the day and ride with the slow group
 
You bringing it out to play this year?
Sold it years ago.

From what I understand, there are no groups on those days, only open practice.
There are groups any time I've done Friday practice. However, its not the traditional slow, medium, fast it's usually pro racers, amateur racers, trackday riders.
 
Last edited:

There are groups any time I've done Friday practice. However, its not the traditional slow, medium, fast it's usually pro racers, amateur racers, trackday riders.

Thanks, I'll keep an eye out to see if this happens or not, but don't count on me scharf1, if you're looking for a committed group as a base number. I'll be moving this summer, and until that's done, my time commitments are one day at a time.
 
That's cool. Not looking for commitments for this, it'll happen with the numbers we regularly have. Just offering it out there for folks who might be interested in coming out, it's way more fun with more people!

If you go to a regular practice day, they do run groups and pretty much anyone would be comfortable in a slow group. A fast guy wouldn't be off the overall pace in a medium group! But those days are pavement only and depending on configuration, possibly a really long back straight! Depending on gearing that's not cool for some bikes.

For the SM dedicated practice it will be only supermotos, so no huge speed disparities, with the layout going through the dirt infield section (conditions permitting) and the short straight if not.
I seriously haven't seen anything super aggressive out there on the SM. Maybe some d'oh-brain-fart moments, but most people realize that no one wins the track day!
 
We have the first dedicated supermoto track day at Grand Bend Motorplex this Friday June 1. We will be running from 5-7pm, after the SOAR day. Cost is $60.
It will be open track, no groups!


All you need is a bike you would be willing to ride over jumps through the dirt section, full leathers and a snell or ece rated helmet. MX style boots are best. But street/road race boots work just fine too. MX gloves will not pass tech as they will not handle a spill on the fast paved sections.
I discussed the bike prep required for tech on a previous post and can possibly help with lending leathers depending on size.

To register you have to call the track at 519-238-7223, or just show up and pay at the gate.

Any questions.... fire away!
 
The track day went, conditions were perfect!
The dirt section was dry and fast. Last years series winner has even somehow made two really slow singles into an a** clenching 40'+ double!

We only wound up with 5 riders; who all raced Sat & Sun...
That's not going to be sustainable as it's not enough $$ to keep the marshalls and ambulance there for the extra two hours.

It sounds like the track will give us one more shot to see if we can get the numbers up, and it will likely need to be a pre-register day so they can make the call early whether they have the numbers.

So.... if anyone is wanting to try a dedicated supermoto track day, June 22, 5-7pm is possibly your last chance.
If not- it may be gone forever.
 

Back
Top Bottom