Racer vs Road Rider

Is a track rider/racer (who generally has more control) safer on the roads than a road rider? Or are track racers more reckless?

I think that being a racer (and I not ) would make you understand more what the bike is cabable of and it's limits. So maybe make a safer faster rider on the road. But then is going faster safer??? Plus I have heard that many racers don't actually ride bikes on the road because of the dangers of traffic, manholes, diesel etc etc

I know some people who are fast on the track and not on the road, and some who are fast on the road but mid pack on the track... it's very different riding and doesn't directly translate, but there is some overlap of use of skills.

One of the things people love about the track is that you can see around every corner, the surface is clear, clean and flat and all the traffic is going in the same direction with no cars. That's totally different from the road and therefore very different riding styles and awareness is required.

MissBackSeatRider link=topic=465.msg4085#msg4085 date=1328566456 said:

Is a track rider/racer (who generally has more control) safer on the roads than a road rider? Or are track racers more reckless?

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One rider might have generally more control of a bike than the next but they dont have control of the enviroment around them on the road. Riding on road is all about hazard management and having avoidance Skills ;D

I dont think Track rider/racer would be more reckless on the road..

there is a mahoosive difference between track day riders and racers.........
Can you improve your road skiils on trac days.....absolutely

fatbob link=topic=465.msg4113#msg4113 date=1328620886 said:

there is a mahoosive difference between track day riders and racers.........

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Spot on matey, I think Track day Riders should give Racing a go, then they will know just how hard it is to be Fast

rhanmore link=topic=465.msg4089#msg4089 date=1328572989 said:

I think that being a racer (and I not ) would make you understand more what the bike is cabable of and it's limits. So maybe make a safer faster rider on the road. But then is going faster safer??? Plus I have heard that many racers don't actually ride bikes on the road because of the dangers of traffic, manholes, diesel etc etc

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Apparently Ron Haslam used to ride a TZR125 on the road because thats the only way he would stay alive. I used to be an CBT instructor and one of the other guys at the centre was an ex racer. I can tell you he was the most reckless and dangerous bugger that I have ever seen (and he was a member of the IAM). He even managed to write off a company bike whilst teaching!

I stopped road riding a few years ago but then went back to it last year when I got the S1RR, but kept doing trackdays on a regular basis.
The biggest difference I found was getting used to traffic, trees, diesel patches, manholes etc on the road.
Personally I can say that riding on track has developed some of my skills and improved my road riding but I don't think it goes the other way, I do not think anything I have done on the road has helped me on track apart from bum on seat miles.

Hedge