If hell freezes over and I ever get a driving licence, the plan is to get the KTM Duke 890 R. Sometimes, I contemplate taking it for a track day. My nearest circuit is Castle Combe, where it would be useless as CC is a very fast old airfield. I haven't bothered look up the lap recorded but it will be under a minute. Brands short circuit or Mallory (as Neeves, in MCN, thought) would be good and both I like. But I cannot risk a crash (not that I ever have on a track day) and so the question is: Should I? Probably not as it would just be tempting fate. See! I answered the question myself!
Doom is not as short as you think, longer than brands iirc and slower lap time. It’s safer generally than a ride on your favourite road. Doom have horrible noise regs. They also tend to have 10 min sessions and only 12 on circuit at any time. So -effect for someone just wanting an experience.
That is one good way of looking at it. Race tracks are very safe places to crash! I would assume that with a Euro5 bike then the noise regs at CC would not be any problem. It may be that when I start riding again and get the Duke, I may feel it is rude not to take it on a track. I won't rule it in or out and just wait to see what happens.
That’s not even remotely what I said. Simply a track won’t have traffic coming the other way, the same corner comes up time and time again every minute or two, the track is designed to be a bit gripper than your average gravel strewn road, no metal or man hole covers, rarely covered in oil and if it is you can see it’s dusted and never covered in diesel.
And yes noise still a problem. Doom want 3/4 revs which is way a live where euro 5 testing takes place You could have a ride down any Weds and get it tested
There is the fact that if you don't pass the CC noise test then you don't ride - even if you have EURO 5 bike, or EURO whatever. And the nearby Yatton Keynell does contain some professional moaners that are eternally shocked to discover that they bought a house right next door to a racing circuit. And then they are re-shocked every week.
I know that it is used by some Formula One teams and some bike teams just before the IoM TT. The switchboard must go crazy on those days! I wander if they even bother to answer the 'phone on the noisy days.
And I have cycled CC many times. I used to do Bath Amphibians duathlons there. You ran round the outside, in the spectator area, for five laps, I think that it was, and then switched to your bike and cycled the track for 10 laps (I think it was) and I was rubbish! I used to take the racing line out of habit (my first ever race was there on a 250 LC over forty years ago, plus countless track days) with quizzical looks from other cyclist as they overtook me. It took me a while to work out that the line on a motorbike at 70-odd mph, is a little different to a push bike at 20 mph!
There’s only one good thing about Combe and thats the cafe. Imagine a circuit run my a group of grandads but controlled by a group of grannies who live the other side of the fence and hate any noise above the level of a butterfly flapping its wings. As said 10 minute sessions (first lap under yellows) but only 12 bikes. Oh and if you do bin it at Combe its usually a big one.
The café is indeed the highlight! When I did biathlons there, the deal was that they stopped the thing when the sun set. So I would be pedalling like crazy watching the sun going down and trying to beat the sunset, I always did, fortunately, with the saving grace being that the café was open with hot food going, so that I could stuff my face afterwards. Good times, but I'll never do it again as I can't run and even if I could, then I wouldn't as I can't take the risk of wearing out a hip.
