We’re finally, hopefully, past the worst of what winter will throw at us, so it’s high time to start thinking about what we might do with the warmer weather that’ll with us soon. With lockdowns and travel restrictions making holidays something of a nightmare to book it could be the ideal time to try out a motorcycle trackday to get you and your bike out doing something you wouldn’t normally do.
What is a trackday?
A motorbike trackday is a fairly self-explanatory – you spend a day at a racetrack with your bike. There’s no racing involved and you can bring basically any bike you’d like along, road-going or track-only, there are even some events that only allow road bikes. You get rotated through the track for a short period of time with a group of other riders after getting a safety briefing explaining the course and what to do if there are any issues – you’re then free to go as fast as you’d like without causing danger to others.
For gaining extra confidence in your riding abilities, in as safe an environment as possible, a trackday is very hard to beat. They’re generally quite cheap events, although be prepared to wear your tyres much more than you would on the road if you’ve got a turn of speed, and you’ll probably run through a tank of fuel at least, depending on your type of bike.
There are two major stipulations that can trip people up however – 1. your bike exhaust has to pass a noise test (most stock exhausts are fine, and most aftermarket ones with baffles in), and 2. you also need to be riding in a full leather suit, whether that be a two-piece or one-piece, alongside boots, gloves and a helmet.
Which race suit?
What’s the best set of leathers to go for though? You can spend an awful lot on them as this where a large amount of R&D goes into for many companies, with the best airbag tech, armour and abrasion protection going into these suits. Not all will require a new mortgage you’ll be glad to know though, so take a look below at what we at Bike Stop recommend.
For those dipping their toes into taking their bike on track you might want to keep costs as low as possible, while still having a good level of protection. Arguably RST is the perfect answer here, with excellent value for money on offer. The Tractech Evo R suit comes in at £449.99 currently and fits the bill for a suit that undercuts its rivals in cost but will look after you well in the event of a spill. For those looking for a little more practicality the Tractech Evo 4 jacket and trousers are a great option for a budget two-piece suit, coming in at a shade under £470. Both the one-piece and two-piece suits include CE rated armour throughout, and the Evo 4 jacket even includes a removable thermal gilet for those cooler days.
Sitting at the premium end of the one-piece suit market is the Alpinestars GP Force at £692.99 currently. You get the typically excellent build quality and feature set you can expect from a brand used in racing, 1.3mm leather throughout, armour in all the key places (except for back, like Dainese), alongside the distinctive Alpinestars style. If you want a premium Italian race suit backed up by racing pedigree, this is a great example if you don’t want to stretch as far as airbag tech.
Another Italian heavyweight, Spidi, makes a great case for itself, with real racing pedigree like Dainese and Alpinestars. The Sport Warrior Pro sits in the middle of their range at £710.99, comparing favourably to Alpinestars’ GP Force One. A similar feature set of 1.2/1.3mm cowhide throughout, armour everywhere except the back (with the option of back and chest armour) and neat speed hump are all present and correct. The option of their Hydroback (like a Camelbak) system is a godsend for those hot days where you don’t want to faff about getting a bottle under your helmet while on the bike.
Airbag Race Suits
If you're looking for some of the best bang for buck when it comes to airbag suits, RST is the brand to beat with the Pro Series Airbag CE suit. In&Motion provide the airbag equipped back protector for some of the best protection available, alongside a full suite of CE certified armour in all key areas. Racy colours will ensure you stand out from the crowd, while the price of £749.99 RRP sticks this well within the reasonable price range for a premium conventional suit, let alone one equipped with an integrated airbag. Well worth considering if you're getting into track days.
If you’re serious about safety then look no further than the latest and great D-air airbag tech from Dainese. The Misano 2 D-air one-piece suit is about one of the best solutions for track protection you can get. Integrating their latest D-air tech there’s no requirement for sensors on the bike and it deploys reliably when detecting you coming loose from the bike within a matter of milliseconds. Lithium batteries mean it’s easily rechargeable, and even without the airbags the jacket sits among the finest leather suits available. In Dainese tradition it doesn’t include a back protector however, as they believe a separate one hugging your back is far safer than a floating one in the back of a jacket. Going for a little under £1800 this is for those who take trackdays and their safety seriously, but you really are getting the very best. It’s even available in a women’s fit, a rarity for this level of kit and welcome addition to the Dainese range.
Looping back to RST again and it’d be remiss of us not to check out their latest bit of kit, the V4.1 Kangaroo airbag suit. Like the Dainese this suit doesn’t need bike sensors to deploy its airbag, but its headline feature is actually its price. Coming in at £899.99 this is about the best track protection available at this price point. 60% made of Kangaroo leather means this is a lightweight, supple and protective suit, while CE Level 2 armour throughout complements the ultimate protection provided by the airbag made by In&motion. It’s even got aramid fibre reinforcement in key areas for the best abrasion protection. 20 hours of riding is possible from the removable battery, and the gas canister is user-replaceable if you have an off that doesn’t damage anything – very handy indeed. RST are even introducing some lower-end suits that come in even cheaper than the V4.1 – seriously impressive stuff that the big established brands will be hard pushed to match.
If you need some expert advice, then you can have a chat online with us via web chat on our website. The Bike Stop shop in Stevenage is unfortunately closed once again in line with Government guidelines, however our online shop is alive and well, and taking orders for delivery. We will be of course reopening fully as soon as it is safe and permitted. You can also check out our full range on our website with free delivery for any order over £50 on the UK mainland, and delivery possible to almost anywhere else. Not only that but our ‘No Quibble’ returns policy allows for returns within a 365-day period – see our returns page for more details.
