Non-Sportbike Track day 8/22/2016
Palmer, MA

Having experienced the thrill and skills increase from a previous track day in Loudon, NH this spring, I could not resist signing up for this one, after seeing the beautiful aerial photos of the track and hearing so much about the perfect pavement, etc etc.  I really wanted to get more time to work on the knowledge/skills I’d picked up the first time around that made the Adirondacks trip twisties so enjoyable. There’s always more to learn, plus I now have ridden a good 9K miles on the ST and more comfort with it than at my first track day.

Tony’s Track Days puts on many regular track days each year at the various racetracks around the northeast region, mostly attracting the dedicated track crowd, but has been adding a couple non-sportbike days each year, to allow the regular joes without sport bikes a chance to test/improve their skills and learn their limits in a controlled and safe environment. Safety is a priority, but aside from some basic courtesy rules, you are welcome to get yourself around the track as fast as you feel comfortable, so you can work on proper technique at full riding speed, with all the forces of physics at play. Riders are divided into three groups (slow, med, fast) based largely on bike type, but also rider ability. Each group gets 20 minutes of track time each hour from 9-5, then a classroom session to learn skills theory and ask questions. Then time to suit back up and get ready for the next session. The day goes by (too) quickly!

All week, the forecast had looming thunderstorms threatening for the morning, but gradually condensed into some overnight downpours, just clearing up by the time I left home at 5am, with my buddy Silas in tow. I-495 to the Mass Pike to Rte 20, still before the rush hour lock-up, and out to rural Palmer, MA via a nice five mile stretch up Rte 19 from Brimfield. Gassed up at a local station and then stopped at a Dunkin for a quick bite, where we ran into some friends also en route to the track. After some tire-kicking and chit-chat, we headed the last few miles to the track as a group, signed our waivers at the gate, and got in line for the tech inspection.

The non-sportbike track day tech requirements are pretty light compared to the regular track day guidelines. Basically have a bike in sound mechanical condition with safe tires, suspension and a well-fitting helmet. Tape up your mirrors (because the track is in front of you so focus on that!) and any glass headlights and you are good to go. I was assigned by request to the Yellow (medium pace) group, moving up a color from the Red group at my previous Track Day. Rider’s meeting was at 0815 and we had plenty of time, so we grabbed our garage space alongside our friends. More tire-kicking ensued, to the nth degree now with a few dozen riders milling about.

Several of us were eyeballing this Burgman 650 scooter that somone was taking out on the track! Seems to be a scooter in general shape only, however, with a respectable power plant, motorcycle frame (apparently) and sporty tires. Pretty neat machine. Later on, the rider seemed very pleased with its performance on the track.

It was turning into a beautiful crisp morning in the low seventies or so with none of the recent overbearing humidity.

 

The rider meeting was under the big top and it became apparent that Tony had managed to sell out all 90 or so spots for the day…we made quite a crowd!

We were briefed on basic track safety and courtesy rules to follow for the day, to ensure everyone would be able to enjoy the day without incident. Much attention was paid to proper pitting in/out procedures and passing rules.

After the meeting ended, it was time for the Blue (fast) group to get geared up for the first riding session of the day. I took some time to stroll about and take in the track a bit. It’s a private course, so there are no grandstands or large buildings in the way anywhere…just the woods and the track, with a few one-story structures scattered about. Very functional and uncluttered. I’m told it functions somewhat like a country club where members pay dues to collectively keep the place in operation for their own enjoyment.

Here is the blue group in the hot pit, awaiting their signal that the pool is open. The section of track just to the left of them in the picture is actually the “straightaway” on this track, which you can see is a very long curve.

The first group got underway and it was fun to watch them at the nearby corners for a few laps, snapping photos, until it was time to start gearing up myself. My group (yellow), was up next. My friends were as psyched as I felt about getting out on this bad boy of a track.

The first session of the day is a “follow-the-leader” session with one of the staff taking small groups around the track to show them the proper line to take to hit the corners properly. Riders rotate into position behind the leader to get a good view of the line. This is me lined up in the pit, ready to get moving!

Let’s go, I’m tucked in!

White “X’s” are placed on the track as breadcrumbs at key spots to roll your tires over and there are orange cones set up at the apex of each curve. Using these visual cues helps train your mind and muscle memory to recognize the proper approach to different types of corners as you work on your riding technique to allow you to get around them at comfortable, yet increasing speeds. This session is done fairly slowly, around 45 mph, and is a great way to build your confidence on the track in a controlled manner. It was great fun as I tried to absorb the X locations and start visualizing the line. Five or six laps at that speed and I think and we were done for the session.

Time for class, where local MC author/educator Ken Condon, his daughter Jeanine and the other staff provided advice for how to approach our first “open” track session. After class we had 8-10 minutes to gear up and get to the pits for the riding and this is pretty much the same cycle for the entire day – ride, learn, discuss, repeat.

It was a wonderful feeling to get out on that track at speed to start “collecting X’s”! The first couple sessions, I was mostly focused on getting the line ingrained, ensuring I was looking and leaning through the curves, and figuring out what gears to be in for the various parts of the track.

 

 

Things got a bit bunched up behind some of the folks riding at lower speeds. I wasn’t quite comfortable enough with the track to pass (especially multiple riders) much in the early sessions, so I got passed several times along with others, especially frustrating when I would finally be about to make a pass myself . The next classroom session included reminders from our coaches about proper passing, esp never passing someone inside on a curve once they have “turned in” to the curve.

The second session was a little better as folks started to understand the track a bit and get more comfortable with passing. Right at the end, after seeing the checkered flag come out, I was passed on the inside on turn 10 by a rider, after I’d already leaned in and committed to a line. Startled the beejeezus out of me as I yanked the bike back upright and slowed to get around the curve after him. An instructor then passed me too and followed the first guy in to the pits. As we pitted out, I took note of where he parked and proceeded to my garage. On the walk down to the classroom, I stopped to have a few polite but frank words with him, letting him know that I felt the pass hadn’t been safe since I had committed to the turn. He seemed to feel he’d passed me prior to the turn, but but we parted amicably, shaking hands. I noticed later that he’d been moved to a different group, so we didn’t ride at the same time for the remainder of the day.

Lunch was included in our track fee and consisted of hamburg/hot dog/sausage, plus beans, chips, etc. OK for sustenance, and I caught up with Silas and my other friends about the morning’s riding. Everyone was simply pumped about being there and enjoying the day.  I had the pleasure of meeting a fellow rider from Maine who has the exact same first middle and last name as me. Most likely we’re related in some way back up the ancestry tree. We’d exchanged email a couple times and it was nice if slightly odd to speak my own name aloud addressing someone else. Steve (the other one) rides a very nice Triumph cruiser that he picked up recently and was riding in the red group today.

Following lunch, Ken and Jeannine demonstrated body positioning on a bike under the big top tent.

Then it was back to the track to continue the cycle for the afternoon. Ride, learn, talk, repeat. The sessions seemed to smooth out quite a bit in the afternoon, as folks got familiar with the track and more comfortable passing in more areas.

The class sessions were great for calling attention to particular skills to work on each riding session. I had scraped my toes on turn 7 a couple times, freaking me out a bit as this had never happened before. The reminder we got to keep our toes on the pegs rather than our insteps was a very useful tip! Discussed and worked on countersteering, body position, control throttle and trail braking. There’s just so much to work on and it’s great when you force yourself to consciously try something they were describing and you could suddenly see how helpful it was at controlling the bike!

The day wrapped up with riders watching Go-Pro video footage of their group on the track, taken by the instructors. This was a nice was to see yourself from behind and judge more accurately your body position, etc. After re-packing the luggage back on the bike, Silas and I headed for home via some back roads across southern MA, going from my memory as I had not pre-programmed a GPS route. Only one misstep in Southbridge, when I chose not to believe a detour sign, skirted some “Road Closed” jersey barriers, only to find the road completely overtaken by the marsh on both sides. My companion made some crack about mis-judging the type of bikes we rode, but it’s all an adventure.

I was thinking that two track days would probably be enough for a while…enough to give me some insight into riding skills that I could continue to work on through regular riding. But I came away wanting to work on my technique more than ever, and I have a feeling that I’ll be jumping at the chance to do more of these events over the coming years. Tony’s Track Days provides a superb service to northeast motorcyclists and hopefully the word will continue to spread and these track days can continue to be offered.

Click here to see MORE PHOTOS of the day