Motorcycle Forum / Country Specific / UK Group / February 2008

Sounds like fun!

frankly, I am totally amazed I didn't fall off, and yes, I'm well
aware it was because I wasn't trying hard enough.

I had a jolly good go at coming last, due to stalling the thing on the
starting line, but fortunately someone else fell off.

if he'd done what everyone else in his group had done (gone before the
flag had been properly waved) he'd have one.

As it is, he lost "by a nose" ;-)

--
d.

Christ yes - I'm moving aroung like a cripple today, and that's
without crashing!  My left ankle is proper f.cked.

It was amazing - by the end my left leg was so knackered I put it on
the peg as soon as I started to exit the corner and rode the thing,
sliding and bucking.  Makes you feel like a god.

For me, riding in the race was 100 times better than all the practice
sessions - having other riders to deal with, to make me try as hard as
I dared put it all into focus. I f.cking loved it!

Just as another follow up - I'd really, really recommend this to
anyone remotely interested.  The URL is
http://www.dynomaxuk.com/flat_track.html

UK Flat Track Championship for those interested:
www.shorttrackuk.com

I did a write up on the day for Another Place, so thought I'd post it
here too

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Some of you may have seen that PB magazine has been promoting
short-track racing in the UK for a while.  CCM are quite into this,
and have started running some days called "The Short-track
Experience".  A mate was interested, so he got a group together and I
signed up.

So, at 9am on Sunday morning, I found myself at Scunthorpe Speedway.
This is a lot earlier, and a lot further north, than I like to start
my Sundays. The place was fairly cold and windswept, but the people
were friendly, and coffee and biccies were provided while we signed
on.  Pete Boast is one of the movers behind short-track in this
country, and he gave the briefing, which was thankfully short of H&S
nonsense.  We were split into four groups of six, each with an
instructor, and, after getting changed, went out onto the track.

For the first exercise each group had a bit of the track to
themselves, and you had to ride the bike around two cones about 20
yrds apart.  The idea was to break the back away with the rear brake
on the way in, turn, and then spin the rear up on the way out.  The
bikes were CCMs, built for the job, and, of course, had no front
brakes.  This exercise I found relatively straightforward, and could
break traction on the loose surface under power and ride it out with a
reasonable amount of confidence.  The other immediately obvious thing
was how much it made your left leg hurt, holding it out to catch too
big a slide through each turn.

For the second exercise, the cones were moved much further apart, and
we used 2nd gear instead of 1st.  This made the power much more
controllable, and was generally more fun.  It felt amazing to be
spinning the rear up on purpose, initially with left foot on the
ground, but confidently placing it on the peg as I rode the slide out.

Then we moved to everyone using the whole circuit.  In some ways this
was a bit of a backward step, as the proper 'line' round the circuit
was pretty hard-packed, and therefore provided too much grip.  While
the bike was moving around a bit on the gas out of each curve, I can't
claim I was really sideways.  (The instructors showed how it should be
done by whacking the throttle open at max lean and riding it out with
the rear wheel 30+ degrees out of line).  Doing half a dozen laps left
most people's left legs complaining severely.

Then we had a break for lunch.  Provided.  Very civilised.

The next session involved riding with the instructor, initially
following him, then him following you.  Again, my whole body ached
after just a few laps - it's incredibly physical.  But the feeling of
leaning over what felt like A LOT on dirt, and cracking the throttle
open, was great fun.  My instructor said I had great throttle control,
but I bet he says that to all the boys.

Then it rained a bit, just enough to make the track properly wet and
muddy, and it got very interesting indeed...  The basic technique
didn't change, but the bikes really would slide at the slightest
provocation now, and it was very obvious how easy it would be to fall
off.  

The arrival of the rain was well timed, as we were split into groups A
to D based on our instructors assessments, and we got to RACE!!! (Tho
it's not allowed to be called a race, for insurance reasons).  I was
seeded in group B - slightly disapppointed, but perhaps with a better
chance of a result. Each group got a couple of practice starts, and
then the flag dropped on a six-lapper.  Group D started, and was a
fairly spread out affair.  Someone still fell off, tho.  Group C was a
bit more committed.  Then it was my turn.  For both practice starts
everyone (except me) left as the flag was raised, instead of dropped.
We all got told to wait for the *drop* for the proper start, but again
most cheated. I was still 4th into the first corner, and then quickly
up into third.  I settled a little, and then the guy in first place
fell off, elevating me to 2nd and allowing me to catch the new front
runner.  I was faster, and was also pushed on by what felt like
someone right on my shoulder (but which was probably just the edge of
my goggles catching my eye).  I was trying hard, nearly crashing on
every corner (OK, there's only two, but the bike was moving around all
the time), but I was catching the front runner.  With one lap to go I
was on him, but passing is another matter.  I was alongside on the
back straight, but he was braver diving into the last corner.  I had
better speed and traction on the way out and gave it everything, but
it was not enough, losing by half a wheel over the line.

I was so fired up!  Racing had transformed a difficult and slightly
scary discipline into a wheel to wheel adrenaline rush!  I'd been
following the front runner so closely for the last 2 laps that I was
utterly plastered with mud.  

Some young British GP125 won the A race.  He's doing the British
championships, some spanish races and a couple of MotoGP wildcards
this year, so quite handy, I suppose :-)

Anyway, there it is.  As someone who has almost zero dirt bike
experience, I really enjoyed myself and was very pleased with how well
I went.  For anyone remotely interested in a great day out where you
really do improve your machine control, I can't recommend it enough.