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Track Days


Oh yeah, baby! This is what it's all about! Track Days!

Zina and I really enjoy getting onto race courses to hone our skills and work our Ducatis.

There is absolutely no way to describe riding on a race track to those that haven't. You can try to say that it's like riding your favorite street, but there's no cars, no cops, no trees, no dirt, and you don't have to turn around to ride it again.

While those statements are true, nothing can can begin to explain the rush of absolutely blasting into a turn on a track. You get to go so fast that comparasions to the street just don't hold. You can go so fast, and test your limits so well, that you really cannot do it equally on the street.

If you're intimidated about going to a track (and everyone is!), Reg Pridmore's CLASS is an outstanding introduction to a race course. We had zero crashes on our CLASS day. That's something that cannot be said for any other track day that I have attended! While I've been going to Willow Springs for years, I only just recently became totally comfortable with the track. After like 15 track days, this past one was the first one where I welcomed riding the course without any nervousness in the morning. I was very happy and also ran my best times yet... a slew of 1:35s. I'm still slow in the big picture, but that's not slouching for a street guy without a race license.

We picked up our tempo of track days when we started attending with the members of the Ducati Riders Club. It makes track days much more fun to go with a group of folks with common interests. Plus, you can draw upon each others' experiences or resources. Many DRC members help others get their bikes to the track. They also help each other out with track prep, what to bring and even riding tips.

Combining in an organized group often gets you special perks on track days. We often run with Tom Sera's FastTrack Riders and because we pay in advance and have our own group, we get our own time slot in the normal rotation. That means we ride only with each other and set our own session rules. Club Desmo is another west coast organizer of track days. While they're Ducati oriented, all brands of motorcycles are welcome.

Logistics:

I see some mail from folks about what to do with their bikes and what to take with them to the track.

A vanload of junk... Sounds easy, doesn't it? You'll need to wear full or two piece leathers (sometimes Cordura is OK), helmet, gloves, and boots.

Ducati specific bike prep:

Old style SS:

Superbikes:

Monsters: