How to Be a "Track Buddy"
for Your Motorcycle-Riding Friend

1. Description of a Typical Day- What you can generally expect of a day at the track.
2. Preparation and Equipment - A list of pit and bike equipment, food/drink, clothing to pack, a note about renting trucks/vans.
3. At the Track - Setting up the pit, supporting your rider(s) before and after their riding sessions, tearing down the pit when your rider is done riding. What to do if your rider goes down.
4. After the Track Day Is Over - Suggestions for managing your tired and cranky rider. Unloading the bike.

The Details section includes more indepth information for each of the subsections, e.g., Setting Up the Pit, Helping Your Rider's Bike to be Ready, Supporting Your Rider During the Rides.

Try reading the essay from start to finish once, just for entertainment. If you decide to be a track buddy, then re-read the Details a few times. If your rider didn't give you this essay to try to recruit you, you might show it to your rider. Everyone has their own way of doing things.

Managing Your Tired and Cranky Rider

Your rider has just completed a very stimulating day. Most likely they have expended every ounce of energy they had. The day may have gone well, it may have gone badly, it may have been a roller coaster of accomplishments and disappointments. In any event, your rider is tired (and so are you) and there is still a lot of work to do. See:

• Pack Up the Pit
• Loading the Bike in the Truck/Van

And, you have to drive home.

If your rider is cranky, don't take it personally. Hopefully you know your rider well enough to know whether to work but stay out of their way or work and be nearby.

If your rider is an introvert, now is not the time to ask for a recap; your rider will talk when they're ready, and that may not be for a while. Your silent, efficient work will be greatly appreciated.

If your rider is an extrovert, they will likely process all that stimuli by talking constantly, and, they may not make much sense. Just listen and participate in the verbal deluge as best you can.

In about an hour when you are sitting in some nice air-conditioned restaurant and your rider is drinking something nice and cold out of a real glass, and dinner has been ordered, you should start to hear coherent words out of your rider. If you picked up a track map, bring it to the table; it will help you understand what your rider is talking about. At this point, a beer is undoubtedly what you are thinking about. Think again, you have a long drive home. If you must have a beer, maybe you could split one with your rider. By the way, in my riding group, the rider treats the track buddy to dinner.

Keep an eye on your rider on the drive home. Usually they will be pumped up with beta-endorphins for several hours, but when those endorphins start to ebb, have some snacks handy.

If your drive home is long, think about having dinner about halfway home. Why? Because when you get home, there's still work to do. You will help your rider unload the truck/van. If, heaven forbid, the bike is going to the repair shop, you will unload everything but the bike. Don't rush the unloading - you're tired, your rider is tired, and that bike still weighs a lot. Use gloves that have palm protection.

Once the bike and the gear are unloaded you can have a beer.

List of Pit and Bike Equipment

TrackJunkie.com has a great list of pit and bike equipment by Scott Storkel at http://www.trackjunkie.com/features/articles/2001/0801/0801_003.htm. This URL keeps changing. If the link is stale you can't find it on the site in the articles archive, send a request to the editor. His email is in the contacts. Scott's equipment list is probably more comprehensive than you need because he races. Review the list with your rider and make it work for you. [I will provide a pointer to my list.]

Food and Drink

I like to bring snacks that are simple, nutritious, and easily digested. While a bag of pre-washed baby carrots sounds silly, carrots sit better in your tummy than junk food snacks (choking back a tirade). Seriously, some fruit (bring a knife that has a sheath), some crackers, fruit leather, energy bars, trail mix, and decently flavored electrolyte replacement drinks (e.g., sports drinks) will keep your rider happy and healthy. I bring Gatorade powder to fortify the water. Don't forget paper towels. [I will provide a pointer to my list.]

How Much Water to Bring

Here's how I figure it:

• The track buddy and rider should be consuming about 15-20 ounces of water an hour (less in the morning, more in the afternoon).
• You're at the track from 7:30 a.m. to around 5 p.m.
• It is better to have more water than you need.

My general rule is 8-10 bottles per person. In early spring and late autumn, 8 bottles. In July and August, 10 for sure. Your and your rider's needs may vary!

If you know you are going to be in hot weather, start hydrating a few days early, take potassium daily unless there is a reason why you shouldn't (e.g., kidney disease).

What's with the potassium? Potassium is a major mineral that the body uses in these ways:

• Works with sodium to regulate fluid and electrolyte balance in body cells
• Maintains normal blood pressure
• Enables muscle contraction
• Enables transmission of nerve impulses

Potassium is good stuff. There is no recommended dietary allowance for potassium, but the minimum amount suggested for adults is 2,000 mg a day. One medium-sized banana provides 450 mg, one medium-sized orange provides 250 mg.

Other Good Stuff

When you stick your fingers in the bike's innards, you'll find that although bikes may be sleek, fast, and sassy on the outside, they have sharp, jagged edges on the inside. When you set up the pit and help with the bike, especially the first time, you might cut yourself. Good enough first aid stuff to bring:

• Antibacterial ointment, e.g., Neosporin
• Clean cloths to clean your hands, preferably pre-moistened
• Bandaids
• Aspirin/Tylenol/your rider's preferred pain medication

What to Wear

• Pants: Wear pants with pockets, and the pants need to be something that you can get grease, gas, oil, and dirt on. You will also find yourself sitting and kneeling on the tarmac in these pants. I also bring shorts with pockets for when it really heats up.
• Shoes: Wear comfortable shoes that will protect your feet from the hot tarmac. Closed-toe shoes protect your toes during loading/unloading of pit gear.
• If you are planning on riding 2-up, bring shoes that protect your ankles.
• Head covering: Bring one.
• Cool weather clothing: Even in the summer, the track environs can be cool in the mornings. Bring a long sleeved shirt and a sweatshirt. You may strip down to your T-shirt by 11am, but you could be quite cold before then in just a T-shirt.
• Useful items: Sun glasses, work gloves, ear plugs
• Rain gear: In early spring and late autumn bring warm clothes and bring rain gear.

Loading the Bike in the Truck/Van

The steps below describe how my riding group loads a bike. Your rider may have their own way. There is no one right way. The objective is a securely stabilized bike that is safe from gear that is also loaded in the truck/van. If you are using an open truck or trailer, you also want to be sure that nothing can fall out. If you see something that doesn't look right, speak up.

Let your rider take the lead here; they are responsible for their bike.

1. Pushing a bike up a ramp is a pain. Pushing a bike across a level ramp is much easier. Position the vehicle so that the ramp is as level as possible. The path of the bike should be as straight as your driveway will allow.
2. If you have gloves that protect your palms, such as gardening gloves, wear them. You can thank me for this tip later.
3. It may be possible to load the bike with one ramp, but if you have two it will be much easier. In either case be sure you have two people. Having some extra muscle will help. Set up the first ramp along the line that the bike will travel, typically that line is right down the center of the truck/van. Set up the second ramp slightly to the left or right of the first ramp. You will walk up the ramp on the side while guiding the bike up the center ramp.
4. Secure the ramps with the tie downs (webbed straps with "S" hooks at either end) to the vehicle's bumper. You may think this is overkill, but all it takes is one time for the ramp to slip.
5. If you have a stationary stand (not one with wheels), place it in the center of the truck bed/van.
6. If there is a wheel lock on the stand verify that it is in the unlocked position.
7. If you are using a sport chock, verify the wheel guide is "down" and unlocked.
8. Typically one person guides the bike up the ramp, another person "spots" the bike. You are likely to be the spotter. Your job is watch the bike go up the ramp and tell the person guiding the bike that the bike is "doing fine," or needs to "move to the right (or left)."
9. The person guiding the bike runs the bike up the ramp straight into the chock/stand.
10. Lock the chock's wheel guide.
11. If you aren't using a chock/stand, put the kickstand down.
12. Retrieve the tie-downs from the ramps.
13. Place the handle bar harness on the handle bars. You can use a rope instead of a harness.
14. Verify the harness or rope isn't interfering with wiring or cables. If you are using a rope, verify that the rope isn't rubbing against painted body work.
15. Hook a tie-down on each end of the harness/rope, hook the other end of the tie down into the truck/van's stationary loops.
16. Compress the front suspension of the bike. Here is one way to do this:
       * Sit on the bike.
       * Hold the adjustable end of each of the tie downs that are attached to the
          harness.
       * Lay your chest on the tank and pull the tie-downs until you feel the front       suspension compress a bit, but do not try to lock it down tight.
    [There is some controversy as to whether compressing the front end is good or not.]
17. Secure two more tie-downs to some part of the frame on the left and right rear of the bike, secure the other ends of these tie-downs to opposite walls of the truck/van.
18. Test the bike to verify that it is secure. Will the bike stay upright and in place on a bumpy section of highway? If you have to swerve, will the bike be okay?
19. Put all the rest of the stuff in the vehicle. I like to put soft stuff next to the bike, like my duffel bag, and the hard stuff, like the tool box, between the van wall and the duffel.
20. Tie down anything that might shift around.
21. Put those gloves in the vehicle where you can find them easily when you unload.
22. Drive about a mile (not more than 20 miles) then stop to re-check the security of the tie-downs and the equipment. [Me? A safety freak? What makes you say that?]

Unloading the Bike

Follow your your rider's lead here. These numbered steps show the order I have found most useful.

1. Unload the ramp(s).

2. Set up the ramp(s), one for the bike and one for your rider to walk down while guiding the bike (if you have the second ramp).

3. Secure the ramps with the tie downs to the vehicle's bumper. Think securing them is silly?

• If you are just starting the track day, why take the chance of ruining the track day before it even starts?
• If you are at the end of the track day, you're tired. Why take the chance of ruining an incident-free track day by dumping the bike when you get home because the ramp slipped?

4. Pay attention when you remove the tie-downs from the bike.
Hopefully the bike is secured in a sport chock or stand so that when you remove the tie-downs and the handle-bar harness (or whatever your rider used to secure the front end of the bike) the bike will not fall over. If the bike is not in a chock/stand, someone (likely you) should hold the bike steady while someone else (likely your rider) removes the tie-downs from the bike.

5. Spot the bike for the person guiding the bike down the ramp.

6. Once the bike is on the ground, if the bike doesn't have kickstand, get the chock or rear-stand and help your rider stabilize the bike.

7. Pull everything else out of the truck/van. If it is a rental, it needs to be cleaned (at least broom-swept) before you return it.

Setting Up the Pit

Some people can set up a canopy by themselves. If you are doing it for the first time, get someone to help you.

Many tracks are located in a place where the wind will kick up at some time during the day. Place a tie-down at each corner of the canopy. Some heavy things that you can secure the ends to are: the air compressor, the cooler, the tool chest, and the ramp(s). You may move these anchors around later, but at least if the wind kicks up unexpectedly the canopy won't go flying. While it is tempting to use the gas container, it will lose ballast as the day progresses. If the wind gets a hold of it and it doesn't have spill prevention cap, the gas could go flying into the pit next to you (and the rider's spouse could be a smoker).

If you came up in a truck, you can use the tailgate of the truck as table. I like to have the tool chest near the bike, preferably on the tailgate. Finally,

• Set up the chairs (and tables if you have them)
• Set out some bottles of water
• Know where the sunscreen, potassium capsules, aspirin/ibuprofen, and bananas are

Preparing Your Rider's Bike

• Your rider should review the bike's fluids, tire pressure, and other vitals. Any assistance you can provide is helpful. If you are mechanically inclined, help your rider perform a mini technical inspection.
• If necessary, add gas. The last thing your rider wants is to have to walk the bike around the track because there wasn't enough gas in the tank. You may laugh, but it has happened. If you don't have a gas container, someone needs to ride the bike to the track's gas station. If you can ride, great, you can do it. Some track sponsors require you to wear a helmet when riding in the paddock area. Some don't. If you aren't sure, ask. If the bike doesn't have a kickstand, be prepared to lean the bike against the pump while you swipe the credit card.
• You or your rider should fire up the bike just to make sure it starts. If you don't know how to do this, ask. Usually it is pretty simple, but some bikes may be quirky.
• If the bike is configured for the track, the last thing to go on the bike is the body work. Of course, it may go on and have to come off a few times depending on what your rider thinks the bike needs.
• Ask your rider if they have had their potassium. Try to get either a banana or a potassium capsule into them. If your rider is over 30 years old, also try to get them to take some aspirin or ibuprofen. Until the bike is ready, your rider may ignore you. As soon as the bike is ready, offer again.

Getting Your Rider Ready to Ride

• If your rider hasn't already taken their potassium or eaten a banana, offer again.
• Offer sunscreen - your rider should put some on the back of their neck, even if it is cloudy.
• Clean the helmet visor. Most glass cleaners work great on Plexiglas visors. Use a soft cloth, not a paper towel that might scratch the visor.
• You can help by getting the bike started and warmed up.
• You can also help your rider put their gear on. Watching someone getting into riding gear is like watching someone put on a clown outfit. Don't be shocked if your rider's sole attempt at modesty is to face the truck before shucking their pants. You will see some of the most outrageous boxer shorts at the track. Enjoy the show.
• Your rider will most likely need help pulling the jacket portion of the suit up over their shoulders. If the suit is a two-piece, they may also appreciate help aligning the jacket's zipper with the pant's zipper.
• Get the truck keys from your rider. These keys are now your responsibility.
• If the bike is on a rear-stand, help launch your rider and the bike by removing the rear-stand - after they have mounted the bike! When they come in from the sighting laps, you need to be there to help put the bike back on the rear-stand.

Supporting Your Rider During the Rides

What to Do If Your Rider Goes Down

There are two types of riders: those who have crashed and those who are going to crash. The corner workers know how to calm and care for an injured rider until the ambulance arrives. The track day sponsor will send experienced riders to the scene; they will take care of your rider and the bike. The track is the safest place for your rider to crash.

In the worst case, your rider may be put on a helicopter and flown to a hospital. A less serious injury may be handled by an ambulance trip to the local hospital. Your job will be to pack up the pit and meet your rider at the hospital later.

Sometimes they are fine, just some cuts, scrapes, bruises, maybe a sprain. In this case they will be brought back to the pit, either on the crash truck or they may walk back. Offer your rider their preferred pain killer and water immediately, then offer a snack. Expect your rider to be annoyed with themself and more concerned about the bike than about their own injuries. If the bike is not going out on the track again, clean the helmet's visor and put it in its bag. If your rider hasn't started changing suggest that street clothes might be more comfortable.

If your first aid kit doesn't have something needed for your rider, there is a first aid station at the track. If it is a minor item, your rider will appreciate your going to get it. If you think your rider needs to be examined, encourage them to come with you.

Any bike that has crashed has to go through technical inspection again. Depending on what happened the bike may or may not be in condition to ride again. If the bike does not pass tech (e.g., the bike is mangled), load the bike back into your vehicle. If the bike is really messed up, the people who brought the bike to you will expect to help you get the bike onto your vehicle. Once loaded, check the bike for leaking fluids. If there are leaks, use plastic bags to contain the leak. Secure the bags well so that they don't blow off when you hit highway speeds.

Your rider may want to hang around or they may just want to pack up and leave.

If your rider is an introvert, now is not the time to ask what happened, your rider will talk when they're ready, and that may not be for a while. Your silent, efficient work will be greatly appreciated.

If your rider is an extrovert, most likely you won't be able to stop them from telling you all about what they think happened, over and over again. Listening is the best thing you can do.

Keep an eye on your rider; they have sustained a shock. They may experience fatigue. If your rider won't sit down and rest for a while, about all you can do is keep water and a snack handy.

If your rider decides that it is time to leave, then see After the Track Day Is Over.