By Michael GougisT here are a couple of useful
devices that you can add to your
track bike. They include:`Toe guard: Also known as a
“shark fi n,” these guards bolt to
the bottom of the swingarm and
help defl ect a crashed rider's feet,
hands and other body parts away
from the chain as it feeds onto the
rear sprocket. Shown: GBRacing.`Brake lever guard: Typically
attaches to the outside of the
right handlebar and minimizes
the chance of contact with anoth-
er motorcycle activating the front
brake lever. Shown: Vortex.`Case covers or case guards:
High-strength clutch and gen-
erator covers do a better job of
surviving a crash without oiling
down the track, which can cause
riders behind you to crash. In lieu
of complete replacement covers,
several companies make bolt-on
guards that perform the same
function. Shown: GBRacing.`Tank grips: Adhesive tank grips
stick to the fuel tank and help
a rider maintain body position
by locking their knees in place
against the tank. They’re available
in clear and black, in bike-specif-
ic or universal kits, with various
traction grip profi les to suit rider
preference. Shown: Stompgrip.`Folding levers: Aftermarket re-
placement levers designed to fold
up instead of break in a crash.
Available in standard OEM length
and in shorter versions. Shown:
ASV Inventions. RW RWRW(Top) A toe guard installed on a
swingarm. (Middle) A front brake
lever guard. (Above) A guard that
bolts over the stock engine cover.(Above) A black piece of tank grip
on a fuel tank. (Below) A clutch lever
made to fold, not break in a crash.
Flags At The Track
R
ace control (or track control) directs
corner workers to wave different fl ags
to signal riders during a race or on-
track session. A stationary yellow means
caution due to a problem, and a waving
yellow means extreme caution. A red fl ag
means riders should either proceed at great-
ly reduced speed back to the pit area, or pull
to the edge of the track surface and stop, de-
pending upon organization procedures.
A black fl ag means a rider has a prob-
lem or has broken a rule and should report to
pit lane; yellow and red stripes mean there’s
oil/rain/debris on the track surface; and
checkered means the session or race is over.
To be sure what each fl ag means at a
specifi c event, attend the riders’ meeting!S
everal track day and racing organizations have worked with the
Roadracing World Action Fund to raise money to buy and deploy
soft barriers at racetracks and events nationwide. Soft barriers
made by Airfence, Alpina and other brands are basically pre-infl ated,
energy-absorbing airbags deployed in front of hard things likely to be
hit by a rider in (or after) a crash, including steel barriers, concrete
walls, tire walls, bridge abutments, or embankments.
In an extreme case, racer Kyle Wyman went off track at 140 mph
in Turn One during the 2017 MotoAmerica Superbike fi nale at Barber
Motorsports Park, after a front brake pad fell out due to a mechanic
not replacing a pin correctly after installing new pads. After bailing
off the bike, Wyman was still traveling at 104 mph (according to GPS
data acquisition in his suit) when he hit a section of infl ated Airfence
in front of a tire wall backed by a steel barrier, and decelerated from
104 mpg to zero in the thickness of the Airfence, about four feet! He
then got up and walked away, albeit with a cracked vertebra.
When you go to a track, look for soft barriers. And support the
Roadracing World Action Fund,—a 501(3)(c) not-for-profi t organiza-
tion—by making a tax-deductible donation. For more information,
go to http://www.roadracingworld.com/actionfund/, e-mail RWAF@road
racingworld.com, or call (909) 654-4779 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00
p.m. (Pacifi c Time) Monday-Friday.aMotoAmerica racer Kyle Wyman
sits up and catches his breath after
hitting a soft barrier at 104 mph.(Above, Left) An oil/rain/debris fl ag being displayed to rid-
ers on the track. (Top, Right) A red fl ag means slow down
and pit, or pull to the edge of the track and stop. (Above,
Right) Yellow means caution. Photos by etechphoto.com.50—Roadracing World, Trackday Directory 2019Essential Equipment
Soft Barriers Make
Track Days Safer
MAKING YOUR BIKE BETTER: LOOK FOR THESE:
SIGNALING RIDERS: