New Experience...a Fast New Experience!

Many of us have beeen around dirt bikes for many years and have tried many different types of riding. MX, Enduro, Desert all bring a different experience. I've always thought it tough to beat the rush I get from trying to get through the first turn in the lead at a big MX. However, I've always been curious about what it is like to get around a real road course on a race bke. I recently got a note from my good friend Scott Link of Alpinestars. Scott had the pleasure of riding at the famed Barber Motosports Park. Here is what he had to say and yes this looks like lots of FUN!

Hello Art,

Recently, a friend of mine invited me to do a two day track-day at beautiful Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, AL. Brian Van provided me with a “full race” Yamaha R-6. All I needed to do was show up and ride. It was first class treatment!  My level of racing experience is fairly broad:  Flat track, TT, Speedway, MX, and various kinds of off-road racing. However, I had never been on a road race bike. Something wasn’t right with this. I needed to close the loop and experience road racing.

The track-day was operated by sportbiketracktime.com. The event was really well organized. The staff was extremely kind and helpful. Their style of communication is straight forward.  Each day starts with a relevant riders’ meeting.  After the riders’ meeting, the novice riders are called into the classroom and provided more instruction. This additional information later proved to be extremely valuable because the “safety riders” focus on protocol and touch on riding fundamentals. On the track the riders are separated into three skill levels. Each group of has around four “safety riders” mixed into the group. The “safety riders” control the action on the track. We rode a total of eight, twenty-minute sessions each day. The first session the novice riders follow each other. There is no passing unless instructed by the “safety rider”. During the second novice session the pace is stepped up. By the third novice session, riders were allowed go as fast as they wanted (or could). The rule is no passing other riders on the inside entering a turn. This is a good rule to avoid the obvious, and requires much more thought. Attached there is a photo of me riding. The photo looks like an instructional photo on the CHP training manual:  rider should be straight up and down to avoid the possible loss of traction. Trust me, I was trying to lean the bike over. They say that it takes time. My knee sliders were safe!

I felt safe and comfortable in my Alpinestars gear and I looked like I knew what I was doing (until I rode)! I plan on doing another track day ASAP. I want to continue to improve. Now, when I watch Moto GP I’ll have an even greater appreciation for the world’s best road racers.

Best, Scott