Track Reveiew New Jersey Motorsports Pack

New Jersey Motorsports Park Isn’t just a race track, it’s a facility full of entertainment. Here you can find an event list that changes from professional motorcycle racing or NASCAR racing to 24-hours of LeMons or Mini-MotoGP. For those of you unaware of that 24-hours of leMons is. It is a 24-hour race of cars that have to be purchased for $500 or less. MiniGp is a racing series created to teach kids about motorcycle racing techniques. They race 50cc-125cc engine dirt bikes equipped with street tires.

NJMP hosts a large list of events that anyone is bound to enjoy themselves here at least for a few of their events. Some of these attractions include Monster truck rallies, paintball tournaments, clay shooting, go-carting, upscale-villas, WWII planes, exotic car garages and a restaurant and bar.  

These kids may be small and thier motorcycles smaller, but these kids can ride...

This is William Moore Jr. dragging his elbows during a demonstration 

Go-karting and Shifter karting

These are not your average Karts 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjhSbuzq18U

24-hours of LeMons race

(yes that car is not upside down) 

This race track is one that separates the boys from the men. That's why it is a host to professional racing events such as MotoAmerica, NASCAR, Twilight racing series, AHRMA and more. This track is technical but fast. There is little room for error in any of its 12 corners.

Turn one is a 90-degree right-hander. In this corner, you will use the brakes and your body to guide you to the point of  hanging right over the edge of the inside apex. The chevrons stand 6 inches above the pavement so as you fly over it; your head is about 10 inches from the pavement. While using the throttle and your body you'll stand the bike up and drive wide till your on top of the exit chevrons right about a few inches from the grass.

Eziah Davis, Turn one Apex

Turn two is tricky. As you approach the apex, you are climbing a hill and cannot see whats on the other side. As you approach it at around 120 MPH, you'll need to use markers to determine where you are going. Skid marks on the pavement, something off in the distance or anything stationary you can use as a marker. Personally, I like to use the trees on the horizon. As you go through the apex and crest the hill it is likely that the bike is going to wiggle around as it barrels towards turn 3.

Turn three is split into three different sections. It's a quick right left and then right again. It's very important to enter turn three on the right line. Being on the right line allows you to shorten the distance through these quick transitioning corners and allows you to keep up your momentum. As you exit turn three you start to climb up a steep grade also known as wheelie hill. Turn 4 is another 90-degree right-hander. Be careful in this corner because  if you clip the chevrons on the apex it will throw you into the ground. 

Two bikes coming over Wheelie Hill. It does not matter how you come over the hill, the front end is coming up off the ground. 

Turn 5 is a slow left-hander. This is the corner where most people crash due to the amount of braking you have to do on entrance and the amount of throttle you apply on exit. Turn five leads onto a short straight, so it is easy to get a little too eager and grab too much throttle. At the end of the straight is a fast right that is long and wide. There is plenty of space to carry a large amount of speed. This will lead you into turns 7,8 and 9. These are all right-hand turns that combine into a 200-degree increasing radius turn.  Through 7 and 8 you can accelerate all the way till turn 9, but be cautious because all of your braking for turn 9 has to be done while your bike is cranked over on its side.  Turn 10 is an 180-degree left-hander. When you come through this corner you need to hug the inside all the way around. On exit do not accelerate too hard because you'll blow wide and destroy your momentum. If you loose your speed you'll be slow all the way until turn one. The last corner is a slight right that leads onto the front straight. This is a corner that will put your courage to the test. You'll hit the apex around 120 MPH while your body is inches from the pavement. The bike  will bounce around as it struggles to find traction. 

Overall thoughts

At first, I hated this track, and I mean the first two or three times I went here. It was tough to conquer. This track is fast and flows smoothly from corner to corner but if you are off line or don't know where to brake and add throttle in the right spots, you are going dog slow. However, once I learned the lines and became confident with the tracks grip I fell in love with this course. The facilities are clean, power is available everywhere and there are some beautiful trackside villa's up for rent. There is a five-story tower that overlooks the entire track. the paddock is fully paved, garages are state of the art and the bar/restaurant is cheap and high quality. 

Track complexity -  9/10
Overall speed -  7/10
Small bike friendly – 6/10
Pavement quality – 7/10

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5 Reasons Why Riding A Dirt Bike Makes You A Better Street Rider

1)     Dirt bikes help you develop a better “feel” for a motorcycle.

Driven by feedback from the clutch, brakes, tires, RPMs, lean angle and gear shifting your senses become overwhelmed. With all of these inputs its much easier to feel where the braking limit is, how much the rear tire can slide out and where the friction zone of the clutch is. Once you master using your senses as a guide to riding a motorcycle you have become “one” with your motorcycle.

2)     Dirt Bikes are made to crash

I always tell people, it’s not” if you’re going to crash” or even “when you’re going to crash” it’s how many times are you going to hit the ground every time you get on the bike. For the most part you are falling into dirt or tumbling through bush at low speeds vs. falling on the pavement at high speeds and getting run over by a car. Want to explore new techniques or test your abilities to control a motorcycle? Do it on a dirt bike first, the consequences are much more forgiving.

Dirt bikes may crash easier, but you should still wear your gear

3)     You can explore the limits of the tire and brakes

When forcing a machine to go fast, it is unavoidable to break the limit at least at some point. When we break the limit, our initial instinct is to panic because we have just suddenly lost control of the rear tire while going 120mph through a turn. So what riding in the dirt will do is give you a plan of action when you get yourself into this situation. Instead of panicking, you can stay calm and make minor adjustments to help you avoid the crash. You can stay calm because your dirt bike has put you in this situation 100 times before.

4)     Dirt is a good place to start developing good visual habits

While riding through the woods, you regularly are traveling through different terrains. You will learn how to read the road naturally as you ride. In a matter of a short span, you could run into potholes, loose dirt, bumps, trees, rocks, animals and more out on the trails. Riding on the dirt will teach you how to scan the area ahead and create a course of action for each obstacle.

5)     Many famous racers including MotoGP, Moto America, and World Superbike started out as flat track racers

Just to throw some names out there, Valentino Rossi, Marc Marquez, Alex Marquez and Colin Edwards all started their racing careers on the flat track. Through flat tracking, they have been able to develop superior throttle control, braking and body position skills that quickly brought them to the top level of MotoGP. 

Marc Marquez Racing Flat Track

Throttle control at its finest

Track Review: Shenandoah

Shenandoah

Are you up for a challenge? This is a necessary question to ask yourself before coming to this racetrack. Arguably the most technical track in the country. Your physical and mental ability to ride a motorcycle will be put to the test. This is a 2.2-mile circuit with 22 corners. The corners contain both positive and negative camber as well as increasing and decreasing radius turns with vertical drops. If you are truly up for a challenge for your motorcycle handling abilities, this is the track for you.

Track complexity -  10/10
Overall speed -  2/10
Small bike friendly – 9/10
Pavement quality – 8/10

At this track having a bike that makes a ton of power won’t help you much. There is nowhere to use it! What’s going to make you go fast at this track is corner speed. A tight line is required for corner entry as well as corner exit. If you are finding yourself off the strict race line at this track, then you’ll be likely getting passed as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EtAB2geBSc

Video of an SV650 keeping up and passing advanced riders on 600cc/1000cc bikes.

Overall thoughts  

Some significant upsides to this track are that the facilities are up to date, the paddock is fully paved, and there are some great places for spectators to watch.  Over the bus stop, spectators can stand on a bridge that will allow them to see the whole back section of the track and be right over the bikes as they come down the back straight. Also, spectators can get very close to the inside of the turn 19 or the big bend and see the bikes cranked over as they blister towards the straight.

Nowhere on this track will your bike do the “work” for you. There’s no place on this track to cut time by grabbing a fist ton of throttle. Speed is going to come from corner speed, and corner speed only. If you are familiar with your bike can hold a decent line, this track is perfect for you. This is where your cornering and braking skill will be put to the test. At this track, it’s all about rider skill, so dont be afraid to bring your 250cc.

 Written by:  Robby Cichielo Jr – N2 TrackDay Control Rider

Track Talk: NCBIKE Track Review

Disclaimer -  this is my opinion on each of the following racetracks. In the following article, I will point out the positives of each track to help riders get an idea of what to expect when attending one of these faculties. 

NCBIKE
My favorite part about NCBIKE is it’s a very simple track to learn. The track is wide, smooth and slow to transition in-between corners. The race line is only crucial when exiting a corner. Coming out of turn one you are hard on the throttle with plenty of time to get set up for turn two. Entering turn two can be deemed correct in many different ways. However, there is a strict exit line that will straight-line you into the next corner. Turn three is almost an 180 degree left hander that will throw you into a quick right. Up until turn five, it’s not about how much speed you are carrying, but how well you can limit the distance you are traveling. Moving a little bit slower through these corners will allow you to take the right line, therefore covering a lot less distance and going faster. Turn 5 is long 180 degree, fast left-hander. This is my favorite turn because it’s so long and wide that there is plenty of time to experiment with your riding style. You can make small adjustments in the corner so see how they affect the way your motorcycle performs. The back section, turns 6 and 7 are both 90-degree right-handers that you’ll build up momentum to prepare yourself for the next set of corners. These next turns can be ridden through like a straightaway. Be prepared because turns 8-11 will put your courage to the test. These corners are treated as a slightly kinked drag race until turn 12. There you’ll slow down to approximately 20 mph.

Track complexity -  2/10
Overall speed -  8/10
Small bike friendly – 4/10
Pavement quality – 9/10
 

Turn 5 at NCBIKE

Overall thoughts
This is one of my favorite tracks for working on my body position. The lines are easy to learn, so it allows the rider to focus on learning how to corner and getting used to being on a race track. There is plenty of space to pass on all parts of the track. Not to mention the facility is run well by staff that will go out of their way to make sure you're having fun. This track is perfect for your first time track day or continuing to improve your technique. 

Have a suggestion for a specific track review?

Want to learn more about NCBIKE?

Email Robby, track day veteran and N2 TrackDay Control Rider at robbycichielo@gmail.com

Track Talk: How to get ready for your first Track Day

Ten things that will prepare you for your first TrackDay

1) What kind of bike should you bring?

Bring whatever bike you feel comfortable riding. As long as the bike is set up to be slightly aggressive, you can put it on the track. Ideally, I recommend buying a smaller bike or something with not much power. Riding a smaller bike forces, you as a rider to use your skill to make it go fast. With a smaller bike, you have to brake harder, get on the gas earlier and maintain a high corner speed to roll with the big bikes. This is the fastest way to learn how to go fast. Plus, there no better feeling than being able to punk a liter bike coming off the straight on the brakes on a little Ninja 250. Personally even as a ten-year track Junkie and instructor. The SV650 is still my bike of choice. 

Can you guess who's faster? R3 vs Hayabusa

2) Prep your bike

Your bike is going to be abused like it never has before. You may think you ride hard on the street, but nothing can compare to a full 20min of redlining, hard stopping, and tire sliding. This is why it is important to make sure your bike is in top working order. Here are some things you can do to make sure your bike is ready for the track.

A)  Check your tires– Tires wear quickly on the track. So you'll need at least half of your tire tread left to pass tech inspection. Also, if the tire is worn unevenly (mostly worn on the top). Replace it. If you doubt your tire won't make it through inspection, then get a new one. Check around to find out what tire pressures you should be running. If you can't find an exact tire pressure, then put 30psi in the front and rear.

B) Check your brakes- This is the biggest reason why I seepeople get turned away from inspection.  Make sure your reservoirs are filled, the fluid is clean and is no older than a year old. Make sure your pads have at least 1/3 of their life left. You'll burn through them much quicker at the track than on the street.

C)  Bodywork- Make sure everything is secure and all of your bolts are in place. Front fairing and belly pans are not required.

D) Number plates- Buy numbers online, Home Depot or just make some crappy ones out of tape. Anything works as long as its legible. Numbers are required so that the corner workers can identify you easily. Tip: don't choose the numbers 69 or 420. At every track day, there are at least three of four of these guys. (Don’t be that guy, it’s not funny)

3) Bring the right stuff- Remember at the track you are going to be sitting on a hot slab of asphalt, seated on a hot motorcycle; the sun will be beating down on you, and you will be wearing a full leather suit. Bring at least a case of water and a canopy to shield you from the sun. Bring the necessary tools to work on your bike, food, and gas (5-10 extra gallons).  Oh, and come wit an open mind and willingness to learn.

4)  Go to the riders meeting

This is where you'll learn the rules of the track and your riding group. They explain passing rules, the flags, how to pit out and pit in, what the signals from the coaches mean and more. There is s reason why this is required. Not only is this a safety briefing but you'll get tips on how to ride your motorcycle.

5) Leave the inner squid at home

Please for the love of god NO WHEELIES, no unnecessary revving the snot out of your motor, burnouts, and any other squidly actions.  Doing this stuff creates a hazard for everyone at the track. Also…… nobody thinks you’re cool.

6) Don't try to be the fastest guy out there

Some people like to go out there and go as fast as they possibly can the second they get on the track. This is a great way to wad you and your bike up in one of the first three corners. (yes, this happens more often than you think). When you get out on the track, don't worry about speed. Focus on learning the lines, brake markers, where the apexes are and your riding technique. Now once you master these, it’s time to start rolling.

7) Remember that this is not a drag strip

Again, nobody cares how fast your flame toting and obnoxiously loud liter bike can blister down the straights.  There is most likely a pack of riders on little bikes trying to get around you and riding you tail right after turn one. Most novice groups do not allow passing in the corners, so this can be very frustrating for these guys on low powered machines.

8) Obey the Rules of the track

The enforcement of these rules helps everyone achieve their number one goal. That is they want to go home at the end of the day. Rules to pay attention to, are passing rules, how to correctly pas control riders, pitting in and pitting out. Every organization’s and track’s rule’s vary, so be sure to be sure you understand them properly. 

9) stop when you get tired

When you get tired you start braking earlier, being lazy with body position, blowing apexes and you lose focus. Not only will you become a hazard but you aren't learning anything. There's no shame in pitting early to catch a breather.

10) Ask questions!

Approach a control rider and make conversation. These guys volunteer their time and money to help you guys have fun. They enjoy helping people and love answering questions. They’ve been in this game for many years. So they most likely they have a solution to your problems on the track. Ask for one on one attention. If they are not tied up, you'll have a personal coach for a session or two. If you get to do this, your riding skill level will increase faster than it ever has.

One of Senior Control riders Leading and following a rider

After each session a control rider will find you if they got to observe you riding

Have any Questions?

Contact: 

Robbycichielo@gmail.com

N2 trackDay control rider and Blog writer for Shore Cycles

Track Talk: Top 5 track habits that you should use on the street

Whether you're a seasoned long-distance touring rider or a city commuter, there are many habits that you can pull from a track day and apply to everyday street riding.

Track Talk is a new series presented by our latest contributor, Robby Cichielo, a track veteran who is currently a control rider and instructor for N2 Track Days. You can contact Robby at robbycichielo@gmail.com

Foot Position
Weight is transferred from your body and onto the bike through the rider’s feet. This weight is transferred and used as a steering input. Adding weight to the pegs pulls the bike into the angle used to get you through the corner.

What is proper foot placement?

Plant the balls of your feet on the outside edge of the pegs. This will allow you to move around the bike freely. This placement of your feet also allows more weight to shift to the pegs. Properly distributing your weight means you’ll be able to corner harder. Now add the proper body position, and you’ll be riding like a full-on GP racer.

Body Position
Having the proper body position reduces the amount of lean angle the bike needs to get through a corner. The less the bike is angled over, the more grip you have available. For example, you can take a turn at 45mph with a 45-degree bike angle with no body position. Add the correct body position, and you can now take that same corner with at the same speed but with only a 20-degree lean of the motorcycle. The more verticle your motorcycle is, the larger the contact patch is, thus more grip. 

BAS (Brake Assisted Steering) or Trail braking
The most common myth that I hear when speaking about riding techniques is that using the brakes while leaning a motorcycle will cause you to crash. Trail braking is a riding technique where the brakes are used beyond the entrance of the corner. As the bike starts to lean over, brake pressure is lowered gradually until the apex of the corner. At the apex of the corner, brake pressure will be zero and throttle will start to be applied in the same form. Gradually until the exit of the corner. Trail braking is the technique the fastest riders in the world use to control their bikes. Even at a street riding pace, this can be used to handle your motorcycle more efficiently. 

Controls

Ever hear the saying “fast riders have slow hands”?  This refers to the use of the controls. At a track, a key component to riding fast is being smooth and predictable. Riding smooth allows the tire to be “loaded.” If you look at a motorcycle tire, you’ll notice that the top of any aggressive tire is in the shape of an oval. Applying pressure slowly to the tire allows it to flatten out. This widens your contact patch, thus increasing grip. Any abrupt use of the controls (either throttle or brakes) will unload the tire or load the tire too quickly which, will cause you to crash.

Gear Up
At the track, you’ll learn that if you ride a motorcycle long enough you are going to crash. You’ll see some of the faster track guys out there completely wad up their bikes traveling at speeds of 150mph. Only to get up and jump on another bike in the same hour. I’m not saying you need to wear a full suit every time you go out and ride, but at least wear something. A Leather Jacket, Full face helmet and a thick pair of pants will go a long way when you do take that tumble.

 

Summer Gear Highlight

Just because it is summer time doesn't mean that your riding gear, apparel, and accessory options have to dwindle. That's why we recommend safety, style, and comfort with Speed and Strength Apparel.

You can still keep your cool with protective jackets such as Speed and Strength Power and the Glory mesh jacket. It comes equipped with not just spine, shoulder and elbow safety in mind, but also super stretch light weight material and mesh frame for an all around better fit and riding experience. The mesh frame allows air to flow in and out while circulating the body and results in an optimal cooling effect. Speed and Strength Hammer Down mesh gloves also allow air to circulate through and around your fingers and hands helping to fight clammy or sweaty palms while keeping your knuckles protected. S&S Power and the Glory jacket paired with S&S Hammer Down Gloves is a combination of undeniable comfort and safety. 

June Specials!!!

For the month of June we have a variety of promotions for just about everybody. Ranging from unit sales, service, and parts to apparel and accessories. We might have exactly what you're looking for to kick off this summer riding season.

Check out what deals we have for you exclusively on our Monthly Specials Page!