When I first began riding on the track (around five years ago) the thought of falling, or worse getting hurt rarely entered my mind. As a novice rider, I enjoyed the structure of a classroom, following coaches around the track, and operating within certain group rules while working on the fundamentals.
It felt safe, challenging, and exciting.
What changed for me?
As I began to slowly climb the track-day ranks from intermediate to advanced I began to notice a higher presence of self-preservation, a.k.a fear kick hanging around in my head. T1 at Autobahn North am I right? 😅
It feels uncomfortable admitting fear. Though I think everyone has it, just look at the restroom line before a track day. 💩
Having never crashed, and I mean NEVER crashed on a motorcycle after riding the street for 20+ years, I'm not sure what to expect, how it will feel, will my body break, what burden will I put on my wife and kids, it's only a matter of time, right?
After having an off-track excursion into the grass and getting bumped into while at full lean at 80mph tends to make the brain ask these questions.
Thankfully I was able to upgrade my gear this season to a Bison airbag suit to mitigate as much risk as possible. 🙏
Yet, I'm still drawn to it, the mental freedom to be out on the race track with the focus on brake marker, turn-in-point, apex, exit... repeat, repeat and repeat.
During the winter I re-watch Youtube videos, obsessing over the lines others are taking, and what I do wrong in my videos to build anticipation for the next season.
Stick to the you vs you ethos
The one thing you are absolutely in control of is how you think and how you react to things that happen to you. Do you blame the person that ran you off the track, or yourself for being in that position to enable that to happen?
Toward the end of the season, I began to rebuild my confidence. Getting rid of ABS, and a fresh set of brake pads can do wonders for the soul. 😎
There will always be riders faster than you on the track, this is the fun part of it. With no personal aspirations to race, I know my peers will womp me on the track.
Instead, as they seemingly effortlessly pass me on the brakes, I now get excited. They just provided me with a reference of what's possible, and I try to stick behind them as long as I can. In these times I've typically logged my fastest times and had the most fun.
If you begin to let your head take hold of you, fall back to your training, and your drills, and remember why you got into this sport, to begin with.
If you get spooked by somebody diving inside you on the brakes, embrace it. It's experience gained, look through them, and hold your line. (remember there are multiple lines), and try to follow them around for half a lap.
For me I love the learning aspect of it. I go out with a specific intention each session to work on something and for the most part pretend I'm out there alone. Surprise most of the sessions the drill is not to go faster....
Well unless a buddy buzzes me, and then well yah know... 😅
When to stop riding?
Candidly I'm not sure how to answer this.
This past season was the first time the thought crossed my mind, in my entire life. For me the answer is not yet, I'm still having too much fun, and my hands still get sweaty in excitement when I watch my youtube videos of buzzing.
Plus it gives me street credit with my kids, who else's dad is racing motorcycles dragging their knee around corners? ;)
I like the idea of keeping living life as fully as I can for as long as I can. I'm deeply afraid of having regrets on my death bed not doing things because I was scared, or because others said it was dangerous.
For the moment this is keeping me riding, improving, and doing better on the track and in life.
W
