[Rincewind]

Interesting day coming up tomorrow, i'm going on the Mick Boddice training school up at Darley Moor near Ashbourne in Derbyshire and I haven't had to pay a penny for it :lol: :roll: :lol: !!!!

As part of the work I'm now doing at the VCA, I type approve motorbikes and what not and as part of the Health and Safety requirements the world seems to be going over board on big time, I have been invited to go on a training course with a few of my colleagues. I hope that it is a good day, but as far as I can work out, it's not like the usual track day thrash and instruction, instructon and assessments, it's more focussed on the type of work I shall be doing. Apparently I shall be looking at extreme hard braking (for the brakes testing part of the work), steering, positioning and emergency work so that in the event of something unpleasant happening whilst testing, we can react accordingly. Or putting it another way, how to fall off without causing too much damage to yourself!

I hope that it will be a nice dry day with some sun as sticky tyres on a nice dry track should make for a bit of knee down antics in the afternoon when we can "unwind" a bit and have some proper track riding. I'll take my camera and try and get a few shots of us all "working!"

If anyone has been on the course, any thoughts on what it was like. personally, I'd have liked to do the Ron Haslam course up at Donnington as this would have helped with the max speed testing we have to do i.e. setting up of the bike for high speed runs etc. However, beggers can't be choosers so I shall report back after I've been and if I would recommend it to anyone. The school comes with good reports so watch this space......

 

[pete247]

Sounds like a fun day out... tough at the top!

 

[Dogsquaw]

a bit different from the usual training courses we're used to at K gate

Have fun mate......

 

[Rincewind]

a bit different from the usual training courses we're used to at K gate

Have fun mate......

Yes, on this one I won't have the urge to slit my wrists or batter the annoying "I can't do it at all" whinger!

Pics to follow.

 

[Rincewind]

What a fantastic day .


I've never worked so hard on a bike, I've also never struggled so much on a bike. I was in a group that had 1 guy who was in his first season of racing and was gaining his license and another guy who had been riding for years and had done track days before, so this being my first ever instructed day on a track found it increadibly hard to do anything without thinking about it.

The exercises were good and help to teach about how to counter steer effectively and also hard braking. After lunch it was out for some hard laps and within the fist lap I was so far behind that I couldn't see the other guys :frust . I really started to beat myself up which is the first error. Anther instructor came out and helped me which was good.

I consider myself to be a good safe efficient road rider, but on the track I was a fish out of water and really struggled. I couldn't get on with the CBR 600 RR I didn't trust the tyres and as for cornering, well I felt as though I'd made every corner the shape of a 50p, plus I earned myself a new nick-name of "Grass Track" today when (for those of you who know the Darley Moor circuit) I decided that it was better to go in a straight line for the first chicane than bin the bike, which apparently was the best thing to doand I was congratulated for doing it and not sliding down the road on ones ar5e!

Second session wasn't much better and I was really starting to think that I should stay on the road and stop fighting with a bike I couldn't get on with. The thing just seemed to bog down unless you were up at 9,000 rpm +. I like my VFR that just pulls no matter what gear and keep going. My instructor was very helpful and we stood, chatted, I stood and listend and then visualised the circuit in my mind and tried to "feel" the bike (like a Jedi would if you will ).

For the third session I went up front letting the racer guy go off with another instructor leaving me with the other experienced guy. All of my "Jedi" motions must have done something because something very odd happened and it all clicked into place and I nail everything, even to the point where I was off the bike knee down and nailing every apex. when we got back my instructor came over with his mouth on the deck . He said that he had never seen anything like it before in his instructing carear, it was like someone had flicked a switch and he was following a mirror image (although a bit murky) of his lines and everything. I even nailed the hairpin which as Red Mick pointed out is very hairy. Everyone commented and wondered what the hell had happened. So as you can imagine I had a huge on my face and really started to concentrate for the final session.

The last session was a repeat of the third session, just a lot faster, smoother and lower than before and I actually got a lot of thumbs up and smiles from the other instructors.

What a day. I've learned sooo much and came away with the "most improved rider award of the day" which is awarded by the entire track staff as they all get together at the end and the comments were all the same. "What the hell happend to you" and "were you sand-bagging it to begin with?".

I can't recommend this course enough. I'm so pleased that I got rid of a few personal cornering demons, learned to trust my machine and tyres and believe that I can do it. I got back onto my VFR and found it more responsive, faster turn in and a darn dight more comfortable to ride. A nice sedate ride then took place and I've come home with new skills, sharper mind and confidence that I can apply to my road riding (not in a hooligan way, in a controlled manner).

It's also taken my respect for those guys that race for a living to a new level of admiration so I salute you all :clap: . I now know how physical it an be and also how much fun it can be.

I know I can do tracks in cars and get it right 99% of the time. A bike is a different kettle of fish and from now on, my track days will be on 2 wheels i think.

Here are a few piccies of my day.

 

[Dogsquaw]

Good stuff :beerchug

p.s. nag nag nag nag :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[pete247]

Good stuff :beerchug

p.s. nag nag nag nag :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

****** women, always naggin, makes you wonder why we spend so much time chasin them.... lol
xxx

 

[pete247]

What a fantastic day

Sounds great. think I should do somthing like this when I get back in the saddle, stop me dieing too fast! lol

 

[MGJohn]

Not totally unrelated but, I used to enjoy watching his Dad, Bill Boddice racing 'chairs' at Brands, Mallory and elsewhere mixing it with the likes of Chris Vincent et al.... great days gorn forever ....

I believe that a good powered two wheeler experience and background makes for better car drivers....