Anyone been to Cali track days?

[jolo9534]

hi guys, i was just wondering if anyone has had a chance to go with Cali track days. I would like to get into doing track days and it seems that they are my best bet. I primarly work weekends. So Monday is my best bet. Their prices are really cheap, which leaves me a bit nervous. any input would be great thanks

 

[Hooli]

Bring your boxing gloves. :toothlessopcorn:laughing

 

[Kalvin00]

Bring your boxing gloves. :toothlessopcorn:laughing

:laughing

I'm a believer of you get what you pay for... take that as you will.

 

[jmann]

They were fine for me. In the end it’s still you vs the track, riding your own ride. Another plus is there’s usually less people. $100 is hard to beat.

 

[frozenuts]

I know more people that will never ride with them again after the first time than I know repeat customers.

Save up a little more and ride with anyone else.

 

[Thantos]

I know more people that will never ride with them again after the first time than I know repeat customers.

Save up a little more and ride with anyone else.

I keep seeing things like this, but I’ve yet to hear an example of why.

 

[Crispietogu]

I keep seeing things like this, but I’ve yet to hear an example of why.

my personal experience was, they red flagged everything every session that i was in. There was one where they completely killed the session after 5 mins. I understand when a rider goes down and they want to be cautious but dang every low side where the rider got up resulted in a red flag. Thill east they wont allow passing from turns 10-13 i believe due to high speed deltas but thats understandable. I dont know, after the day i couldnt complain since it was 100 bucks but all other providers i had a more pleasant experience and the day was smooth. They are like a last resort if im craving a trackday that lands on a day i can go but other then that ill just stick with the main four since they all been awesomely managed.

 

[frozenuts]

I keep seeing things like this, but I’ve yet to hear an example of why.

A general bad attitude has been the consensus. I will never ride with them because of the way that the owners have handled multiple things that are NOT life and death situations - I don't need the extra stress when I am doing something dangerous.

If 20-50 bucks is a life changing amount of cash, track days are probably not your best choice of hobbies.

 

[MR662]

my personal experience was, they red flagged everything every session that i was in. There was one where they completely killed the session after 5 mins. I understand when a rider goes down and they want to be cautious but dang every low side where the rider got up resulted in a red flag. Thill east they wont allow passing from turns 10-13 i believe due to high speed deltas but thats understandable. I dont know, after the day i couldnt complain since it was 100 bucks but all other providers i had a more pleasant experience and the day was smooth. They are like a last resort if im craving a trackday that lands on a day i can go but other then that ill just stick with the main four since they all been awesomely managed.

They didn’t allow passing in turn 8 at Thill in respect for the AFM rider that was killed in that turn as well as another rider severely injured either weeks after or before. They focus more on street guys then racers so they do what they can to make it safe for all, especially first time track riders.

Generally it is the track Marshall that decides to red flag a session for safety concerns. Every event they have put on has sold out, so they must have a good following. There have been some hiccups like any Org. And a few groups of people who don’t like the owner that are looking for him to fail.

In the end I think any additional track day provider giving riders another date to ride is a good thing. Whether it’s Cali Track days which I’ve done 3 events with or any of the other 50-60 track days I’ve done with other providers, generally I can’t tell the difference from one provider to the next. They put their neck on the line by securing a date for us riders and we just pay a small fee, show up, and ride. :thumbup

 

[Crispietogu]

They didn’t allow passing in turn 8 at Thill in respect for the AFM rider that was killed in that turn as well as another rider severely injured either weeks after or before. They focus more on street guys then racers so they do what they can to make it safe for all, especially first time track riders.

Generally it is the track Marshall that decides to red flag a session for safety concerns. Every event they have put on has sold out, so they must have a good following. There have been some hiccups like any Org. And a few groups of people who don’t like the owner that are looking for him to fail.

In the end I think any additional track day provider giving riders another date to ride is a good thing. Whether it’s Cali Track days which I’ve done 3 events with or any of the other 50-60 track days I’ve done with other providers, generally I can’t tell the difference from one provider to the next. They put their neck on the line by securing a date for us riders and we just pay a small fee, show up, and ride. :thumbup

Ah turn 8, yea I heard the same thing regarding the afm rider

 

[Triple R]

Bring your boxing gloves. :toothlessopcorn:laughing

:rofl

He got into it with one of the former vendors as well.........:wtf

PTT, Z2, & Carters, they all run a good show.

 

[LongGoneJohn]

I've ridden with them.... and it's always the same thing. Won't waste my money again. It could be free and I'd stay home.

As others have mentioned, you get what you pay for. They red flagged every damn crash, and there were plenty. Obviously, if a crash needs a red flag it needs a red flag, but it just seemed like even the smallest get offs, oop, red flag.

On top of that, even in the fast group, talk about rules rules rules. Can't pass here, can't pass there, don't pass after "the exit of turn 6" because of some fear of Turn 8 (due to the AFM race, but this was well after that race). It was like I was at a damn MSF course, not a track day.

Come on, give me a break. How about, safe passing. If you dive-bomb someone into turn 8, you're a dick and should be kicked off the track. But disallow passing? Yeah, okay, so the back half of the track for us who ride low-HP bikes is basically a waste of time. No passing on 10-13 in some cases because of, I believe (as said before) speed delta. I felt like, being one who rides an RC390, that after I exited turn 6 I should just turn left, cut across the grass and get back on the front straight. It's silly, to say the least.

Let's see, what else, oh yeah - constant, and I mean friggin constant announcements over the PA. As if the track isn't loud enough, I got someone yelling about everything all the time. No thanks.

Now onto the help. I'm sure there are plenty of good employees and instructors there, but the ones I saw were - compared to say ZoomZoom, Carters and PTT, pretty amateurish and just not very useful. I asked one to help me with something and I got handed off to another one because he didn't know, or didn't care, what I was asking, only to have him roll out and never be seen again. The feeling I got is they were just happy to be there riding for (presumably) free.

Then, next session when I snagged another one who told me he didn't know if he could "help me with that" -- what do you know, another red flag.

The bottom line is you get what you pay for, both in service and in the customers that show up.

You want to ride around with people who decided they only had $100 to spend at the track, and with a provider that decided they wanted $100 customers and have employees that are funded on $100 fees? Go for it.

Me personally? I'd stick with any of the other providers. I like the "big 3," Carters, Z2, and PTT - but FunTrackDayz and some other providers are good also. Carters customer service is out of control good, ZoomZoom's instructors and just overall welcoming feeling to newer riders (and experienced riders) is outstanding, and PTT has a shit-ton of super fast guys that you can learn a ton from. Of course, all three have a variety of all 3 of these traits as well... but that's my general consensus.

At Carters you may get to hear Ernie tell you, "Less of this (points to brake) and more of this (while he points to throttle)" when you ask him for advice on how to go faster. Hahaha. (I'll never forget that!)

 

[Thantos]

Thanks for providing first hand experiences. I’m too lazy to drive down south anyway. It’s hard enough getting myself to Thunderhill.

 

[Circacee]

I`ll be the one to say it, they`re awesome and I`ve had nothing but fun when attending their trackdays.

I`m not as well versed as some of you here, I started track riding March 11th (with Cali-Track Days). I`ve been a bit spoiled, making friends along the way that have access to a garage and all the fun stuff. Bill is animated but I`d rather have someone tell me "like it is" than someone be timid. Their instructors I cannot vouch for as I have no experience other than a few other track days under my belt. His GF is cool as hell too, she stops and talks to us, points us in the right direction and overall is a sweetheart.

I`ve attended 2Wheel Trackdays events at both Chuckwalla and LVMS(in collab with Apex Assassins). Their Chuckwalla event was fun as hell. LVMS was a fucking shit show. It took 30-45 minutes JUST to enter the damn speedway. Tech was opened, closed, then re-opened yet guys were flying down the track with no tech stickers, getting popped by control riders. The people were cool however the organization factor was out the window.

I recently attended Cali Track Days Buttonwillow even on April 29th and agree with the Red Flags however I believe that is the track staff, not Cali themselves. I was BLACK flagged twice. The first time they believed I passed during a yellow, turns out it wasn`t me. The track staff apologized and sent me on my way. The second time, I was black flagged mid session for popping a wheelie off the FUCKING wheelie bump. I`m sure Cali had NOTHING to do with that.

Overall, I`m not in it for the politics guys, I just want to ride. I`m doing well in life where I can afford a $100 track day and a $190 track day. I`ve met GREAT people in my short two months of track riding, traded my Gixxer for an R1(thanks Cali Track Days for that hook up) and overall I`ve become addicted. I tend to shy away from the drama and do my own thing, I suggest everyone does the same.

 

[mean dad]

No space after the apostrophe when you're using contractions. :thumbup

 

[Tumbleweed]

I know more people that will never ride with them again after the first time than I know repeat customers.

Save up a little more and ride with anyone else.

+1

and another +1 for my other half who won't speak up.

and another +2 for my besties that will also prolly remain silent.

IMO It isn't necessarily just about you and the track---the riders you are sharing the track with have the potential to rapidly remind you of that. I (and the 3 peeps I +1ed for above :teeth) will spend extra everytime/anytime, and even go without to avoid.

And yeah, boxing gloves are recommended....and put your kickstand back on your bike so you can dismount rapidly to don the aforementioned gloves.:rofl

 

[Johnle83]

:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown

You really get what you pay for.

I'm a big MMA guy and have trained for a few years, wonder if bill would jump in the ring/octagon with me? :rofl

 

[Hooli]

At Carters you may get to hear Ernie tell you, "Less of this (points to brake) and more of this (while he points to throttle)" when you ask him for advice on how to go faster. Hahaha. (I'll never forget that!)

Once, when Kiegwin’s was still around, Ernie gave me a tow for a few laps. Then he passed me and fucked off into the distance. Afterwards, I talked with him in the pits and he said that my lines and corner apexes where good, I just needed to open up that throttle. When I asked where his answer:

“Everywhere.”

laughing:rofl

I'm a big MMA guy and have trained for a few years, wonder if bill would jump in the ring/octagon with me? :rofl

Lmao. :rofl

 

[89fj]

one of these days I'd like to have Ernie for an instructor to show me how slow I am

 

[Enchanter]

:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown

You really get what you pay for.

I'm a big MMA guy and have trained for a few years, wonder if bill would jump in the ring/octagon with me? :rofl

Let’s not even hint at physical violence. I’m assuming this was made in jest, but it does get out attention anyway.

Thanks.