How do you deal with not being insured at the track?

[He Man]

that kind of sucks. if someone makes a dumb move to try and pass you, id expect something in compensation unless it was a race.

Sure, I guess.  But you ever seen any of that on that street and/or see it regularly?

Some guy oils down the track
Some guy crashes and oils down the track
Some guy oils down the track, grease sweep is put down, but they miss some parts
Some guy is running antifreeze (whether allowed or not) and coats the track
On a drying track, there is a hidden patch of water.  Hit it when leaned over and you're done.
You make a mechanical mistake -- tweak brake line and lose your brakes, have two gaskets on your oil filter and dump an entire engine's worth of oil, screw up your brakes and have them lock up against the rotors, or a million other things.

oil down the track... if the street was the track, theres oil everywhere (trucks and leaky cars leave anti freeze and oil EVERYWHERE they stand still. which in nyc is basically, everywhere, even the highway. the water thing is a daily occurance, i think if your on the track, you should be mindful enough to take a lap around to observe the track condition to judge your aggressiveness. and mechanical mistakes can happen to anyone...

[Popeye the Sailor]

that kind of sucks. if someone makes a dumb move to try and pass you, id expect something in compensation unless it was a race.


oil down the track... if the street was the track, theres oil everywhere (trucks and leaky cars leave anti freeze and oil EVERYWHERE they stand still. which in nyc is basically, everywhere, even the highway. the water thing is a daily occurance, i think if your on the track, you should be mindful enough to take a lap around to observe the track condition to judge your aggressiveness. and mechanical mistakes can happen to anyone...

It's absolutely not the same thing and you know it. Stop being petulant.

[Spidey]

that kind of sucks. if someone makes a dumb move to try and pass you, id expect something in compensation unless it was a race.

Out of goodwill, people will often try to do the right thing and offer to pay if they take you out.  But there's no obligation to do so.  It's one of the things you should accept before heading out to the track, i.e. that you could be doing everything right and still get pedrobrizio'ed.  In fact, I'll probably be the one responsible (ask DanTheMan).   

[He Man]

It's absolutely not the same thing and you know it. Stop being petulant.

So you're telling me oil on the track is not the same as oil on the street?
People dont leak antifreeze on the street?
People dont leak oil on the street?
its impossibel to make a mechanical mistake on a street bike?

I can get make the beast with two backsed over on the track by those specific things spidey mentioned on the street or track. and i only have liabilty on the street. so what difference does it matter to me if i crash on the street or track because 10,000 cars are dripping oil on the highway everyday, or a bike dumps its oil on the track. eitherway im still not covered.

Yea i may be comming off as a smart as I always do. but is there something wrong with the way im seeing things here?

Out of goodwill, people will often try to do the right thing and offer to pay if they take you out.  But there's no obligation to do so.  It's one of the things you should accept before heading out to the track, i.e. that you could be doing everything right and still get pedrobrizio'ed.  In fact, I'll probably be the one responsible (ask DanTheMan).  

Whats your nick name again?

Ill have to keep that in mind. i went down over an oil patch on the street nad ended up underneath some ladys car (my reason why its all the same to me), i told her i would pay for her damages so as long as she doenst report it to the cops, and gave her all my info. she never called.  maybe she was afraid id sue her cause i was limping pretty bad.

[RavnMonster]

Out of goodwill, people will often try to do the right thing and offer to pay if they take you out.  But there's no obligation to do so.  It's one of the things you should accept before heading out to the track, i.e. that you could be doing everything right and still get pedrobrizio'ed.  In fact, I'll probably be the one responsible (ask DanTheMan).   

Not to mention the "ride at your own risk" waiver you sign when you enter the track. No way you will ever get money out of anyone for a crash on the track.  Now if someone tips your bike over in the pits thats a different story.

[ArguZ]

We have a couple of different classes here where I do the track days.
The green and blue classes are fully covered because there is an instructor riding infront , setting the pace.
The red and black and ride-on-you-own-risk and those people have dedicated track bikes of sure.
I would only do it if I really could afford a totalled bike, and I can not
I started last year in the slowest group and my tarck time was 2.00
Last sunday I did 1.42 and was very proud.
Then we took the time of the black class and they are doing 1.05
Gawd, i'm sooo slooow....but my insurance like it that way

[ducleaner]

but if your riding at 60% what the hell is going to cause a crash? its not that big of a risk to me unless your passing people, or riding beyond your comfort zone...

Mechanical failures.

A lot of people say things like life is risky so deal with it. It sounds macho and we all envy their bravado.  But if those people are paying for full coverage and wearing leathers even for a short ride around town, it's a load of BS. We all know riding slowly is supposed to be safe. But if you found out your policy lapsed for a couple of days, would you still ride (or drive) down the street for an errand? If you would, then you pass the "I'd operate a vehicle without insurance" standard. You are perfect for a track day. If you wouldn't, then why operate one on the track without insurance?

IMO, insuring your vehicle proves that tracking isn't for you (on this vehicle)

[yotogi]

Mechanical failures.

A lot of people say things like life is risky so deal with it. It sounds macho and we all envy their bravado.  But if those people are paying for full coverage and wearing leathers even for a short ride around town, it's a load of BS. We all know riding slowly is supposed to be safe. But if you found out your policy lapsed for a couple of days, would you still ride (or drive) down the street for an errand? If you would, then you pass the "I'd operate a vehicle without insurance" standard. You are perfect for a track day. If you wouldn't, then why operate one on the track without insurance?

IMO, insuring your vehicle proves that tracking isn't for you (on this vehicle)

Pretty aggressive position ducleaner. I understand what you are saying, but not everything you describe above has the same risk for each person. In addition, riding to get a loaf of bread and working on improving your lap times have different rewards which are evaluated against the risk.

If you are a person who finances their bike, well, that is a different matter altogether as the bank sets your real risk tolerance. Just can't say that I agree with your position.

[Ivan]

 But if you found out your policy lapsed for a couple of days, would you still ride (or drive) down the street for an errand? If you would, then you pass the "I'd operate a vehicle without insurance" standard. You are perfect for a track day. If you wouldn't, then why operate one on the track without insurance?

If my policy lapsed, I would not ride on the street.  I would ride on the track without insurance.  These are two completely different situations, and I think your point is pointless.

[He Man]

I think your point is pointless.

What he said.

I operate my vehicle without insurance in Florida. In NYC, i wouldnt even think twice about doing it, let alone once.

how much is it to ensure a track bike anyway? I remember the progressive lady asking me if this is for on or off road use.

[Chchadder]

I have been contacting all of the companies that offer high performance driver education insurance for cagers on the track, and none of them provide coverage for motorcycles.  They insure the clubs that organize and the tracks that provide the asphalt, but they won't provide coverage for the individual motorcyclist.

[He Man]

is track duty considered off-road because progressive will cover an off road motorcycle.

[redxblack]

I can't afford to replace my monster, and if I could I'd be buying a GT-1000. Maybe next year I'll get a salvage title ninja and make a track bike out of it, but no monster on the track for me right now.

[DanTheMan]

  In fact, I'll probably be the one responsible (ask DanTheMan).   

Lesson here, if your going to hit someone at the track, make sure you know them, it will lessen your chances of being sued.

Not sure bout you guys, but my insurance will cover me at the track, as long as it is not a timed event. But i would still buy a track bike dedicated for the track, Better, faster, cheaper.

Off road coverage, i would tell them straight up what you intend to do instead of trying to argue the definition of "off-road" when there's thousands of dollars pending.

And the "unless your passing people" haha you think everyone else isn't going to pass you riding at 60%?

Shit happens, know the risk and consequences going into it, decide whats acceptable for you, and be prepared for the worst.

[bluemoco]

Shit happens, know the risk and consequences going into it, decide whats acceptable for you, and be prepared for the worst.

I agree 100%. 

I just took my car (actually, my wife's station wagon  ) to a car club track event at Road America in WI.  I assumed (without asking my agent  ) that any damage I incur on the track would not be covered by my insurance.  My experience at these events is that folks who drive their 'street' cars on track are not likely to wad them up on the walls.  Sure, it could happen to the best driver at some point, but it's very rare at the club events.  No sense fretting about it - if you're worried about insurance coverage, don't bring your car to a track event.

That said, I feel like bikes at track days are far more likely to incur damage.  You don't have to drill a bike into the wall to do catastrophic damage to it and total it for insurance purposes.  A simple low-side off a corner that flips the bike into the grass/pea gravel will do the job, not to mention any of the instances that Spidey described in his post.  Putting your street car into the pea gravel will likely just put a bunch of rocks and dirt up into your wheel wells.  You might have to pay a few $$ if you need a tow, but otherwise no harm, no foul.