Why I dont race, but ride on tracks
I just finished watching a You Tube video of Casey Stoner racing.
Man, the guy is amazing beyond belief. At almost any point in a tight turn, he can easily touch the ground with his hand, and he could use knee pucks on his elbows.
Non-motorcycle riders can’t really appreciate the amount of grip force on the tires to get over this far. Just thinking about it is enough to get your heart pumping a little more.
Of course, this arises because I am getting ready for the annual trek to Laguna Seca for the Red Bull Grand Prix. Honestly, a lot is missed watching the races simply because of the speed. Looking at it in slo-mo provides a lot more information.
A track day is always a good way to push your riding skills a little harder. I really believe that this translates into safety on the street. Not only do you improve your riding skills, but the experience makes you a calmer rider if an emergency does crop up.
As regular readers know, one of the big causes of injury to riders in an accident is that the emergency situation interferes with the ability to operate the motorcycle with the same level of skill that riders exercise in planned emergency practice maneuvers. Track time is a possible way of improving the ability to function under pressure.
