Track day adventure

Last Saturday, I took part in the Utah Sport Bike Association’s Sport Touring Advanced Rider Training (ST-ART) at Miller Motorsports Park (West Course). It was a paradigm-changing experience. I have been a licensed motorcycle rider for around 15 years, and I thought I had learned a lot about riding. That turns out to only be partially true.

The class had only 5 students. It was probably due to the lingering cold, damp weather, but that meant that we would have a chance to get more individual coaching from the three instructors. They spent a little time becoming acquainted with us, our riding background, and goals. We learned the proper etiquette for entering and exiting the track and discussed the basic techniques for riding around corners. We were scheduled to ride for 20 minutes each hour, taking turns with 2 other groups who were associated with a different, more racing-oriented organization.

Our first time out on the track was a slow parade lap (speed limit: 45) to familiarize us with the layout. Then we followed the instructors at a gradually increasing pace, working on the techniques we had discussed. After our 20 minutes were up (in about 4 laps), we returned to the garage and discussed the session. This became the pattern as we continued to go out for 20 minutes at a time at 20 to the hour until lunch time.

It became apparent that I was a bit faster than some, so one of the instructors pulled me and another student aside, giving the rest of the group some space. He told me to “ride your own pace” and followed me onto the track. I felt like I was really moving and getting a flow going. Until turn 7. They call it “Demon”. The track goes just a little uphill and then down, just enough to slightly obscure the road surface from view. At the slightly higher pace, it was unexpected and a bit frightening to have the pavement disappear, even momentarily, while I was looking for my line. I stayed safe, but I admit that I panicked a little bit. On the next lap, the instructor took the lead. It helped me get back some confidence by following his lines around the track. Then, he had me lead again, and I was a bit more steady and comfortable. During the coaching session after that, the instructor told me that I was too stiff at the controls. This advice is not unfamiliar to me since I have similar tension problems in my martial art training as well.

After lunch, they told us that we would now be allowed to pass each other on the front straight. That would allow us to practice at a pace that we found to be personally comfortable. I received some very good feedback about my body positioning after the 5^th session of the day.

In the last two sessions, my confidence really came up. The body positioning really helped me with the tension problem. I relaxed. I was loose (comparatively, I’m still no pro). Without making speed my goal, without trying to go fast, I was lapping far more quickly than when I started. I was riding through the turns at speeds that would have frightened me on my first lap. I was leaning over farther than ever. I also conquered the Demon. I found a way to enter the corner with confidence and ride through steadily (at a noticeably higher speed than when I panicked earlier). I lost count, but I think I had 8 or 9 laps in the final 20-minute session. It felt fantastic to have such harmony with the motorcycle. I can hardly wait to go do it again.

And lest you think that I have become cocky and prideful… The riders in the other two groups, the racing-oriented riders; I’m still not ready to share the track with them. I’ll be humbly returning to the novice class to continue to hone my meager skills.