No longer a track day virgin, thanks to the Bennetts Babes! |
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Earlier this year Bennetts (the UK’s number one for bike insurance*) ran a competition for 80 competition winners to attend a track day at the British Superbike circuit , Cadwell Park in the beautiful Lincolnshire Wolds as part of Bennetts 80th birthday celebrations. The added bonus being that you could ride the circuit with none other than World Superbike rider James Toseland and British Supersport Champion Steve Plater. To our extreme surprise and pleasure www.inter-bike.co.uk were invited to take part in the track day which took place on the 16th September 2010. Now I know this will be hard to believe but your writer was a track day virgin, even though I ride in excess of 18,000 road miles a year, the opportunity to do a track day has never come up. So whilst I was really excited to get the opportunity to ride with James and Steve , I was somewhat apprehensive and nervous having never ridden on a track before, particularly as other track day veterans had told me that Cadwell Park is perhaps the most technically challenging track in the UK and it’s also very narrow in parts! Further with no dedicated track bike at our disposal (yes disposal cus you can ‘bin it’ on a track day), I would be riding an immaculate black BMW K 1200 S with 167 bhp on tap, but luckily with the added benefit of traction control. As track day registration kicked off at 7.30 am, an overnight stay near to the track was required. I was lucky to find that in the village of Scamblesby which is just 5 minutes south on the same road as Cadwell Park, a biker friendly pub offering bed and breakfast. The Green Man pub is run by Tim and Anne, Tim being a Ducati enthusiast with the pub being somewhat of a shrine to this iconic marquee. A very enjoyable overnight stop was had at the Green Man talking bikes with Tim, many of the locals and a competition winner who had also booked to stay at the pub, after enjoying a hearty meal and ale (but not too much). It was on a bright morning I and the other 80 competition winners arrived at Cadwell Park, some like me were track day virgins, some had some track experience, others were track day fanatics; with fully prepared track bikes, trailers, tyre warmer and vans with portable workshops. So the track day encompassed the full range of riding abilities from track stars James Toseland and Steve Plater, right down to me, track day virgin. On arrival, I immediately put my bike through scrutineering and noise testing which it passed without issue, even with a Remus aftermarket end can fitted. The track day was being run on behalf of Bennetts by motorcycle track day operators Focused Events, who regularly run track days at various circuits in the UK and Europe.  Bennetts had laid on breakfast for us all and after completing the necessary track day paperwork with the very efficient Focused Events staff, we were all able to enjoy a great cooked breakfast and plenty of caffeine filled coffee. Twenty of the competition winners also had VIP privileges for the day which included breakfast with James Toseland and Steve Plater. Immediately after breakfast we had an official welcome from Bennetts and then a full and comprehensive safety briefing from Kevin Keeley of Focussed Events. I obliviously listened attentively not wishing to miss anything that might make me look stupid out on track or even worse get me black flagged and pulled off track for a safety infringement. The safety briefing was really good and the emphasis on safe fun for all impressive. No one want’s to drop their bike or even worse get injured and by following the rules and guidelines explained at the briefing the chances of this would be slim to none, I hoped. When we registered everyone had been allocated to one of three groups, novice, intermediate and advanced and we had all been wrist tags to identify which group we were entitled to ride in, though if you found during the day you had been placed in the wrong group; too slow or too fast you could ask to change groups. I was of course in the novice group. I must admit at this point the nerves were starting to kick in a bit, words like technically challenging and narrow were buzzing through my mind. The novice group was called first, it being explained that our first full session out on track would be sighting laps only, riding behind an instructor with no overtaking to give us all time to familiarise our selves with the track. Further all bikes would be checked over to make sure we had either removed our mirrors, taped them over or turned them to a position whereby you could not use them. In addition each novice riders bike had to attend the tyre clinic in the paddock, where tyres could be inspected and pressures reduced for track day riding. Kevin as previously explained the importance of riding with the correct tyre pressures for track use and Focussed Events had decided that by setting all novice group riders tyre pressures they would over come any issues in this area. I have to say I was really glad Focussed Events laid this on, because at least you felt confident that in the tyre department you should be OK, but of course I wasn’t running track day tyres, but ordinary sports touring road tyres. In fact an almost brand new pair of Avon Storm Ultra II’s with only 300 miles use on them and many competition winners had standard road tyres on their bikes also.  The K 1200 S I was riding is fitted with BMW’s electronic suspension adjustment system, so all I could do with regards to adjusting my suspension was set it to Sport and hope this BMW factory setting would prove to be sporty enough! Bennetts had also laid on a couple of the Bennetts babes squad to help in the paddock, I must admit they proved to be a great distraction from last minute nerves and anticipation as they walked up and down the line of anxiously waiting track day novices on their bikes in the paddock, holding up boards with last minutes instructions, like “Warm Tyres!”.  Well here goes, I was about to lose my track day virginity thanks to the Bennetts Babes ( and of course everyone else from Bennetts, Frank PR, Focussed Events and Cadwell Park staff who made the day such a great success)! I was waved out on track as part of the long procession behind the instructor for our opening session of sighting laps. Immediately we were into the very narrow Woodland circuit with Hall Bends, the very tight Hair Pin, the Barn before out on to the full circuit straight. Next came the steeply banking left hander of Coppice, before the blind cresting Charlies corner, then the easier Park Straight before its in to the more challenging Park corner and Chris Curve. Next it’s a quick flick through the aptly named Gooseneck before you tackle the almost 90? left hander of Mansfield, which is preceded by a really steep descent that picture or film really don’t do justice to until you’ve ridden it. Next for added fun there is the chicane, then its through the tricky entry corners to the Mountain, taking care not to pull a deliberate wheelie over the mountain and get black flagged, before its past the club house and back into the woodland circuit again. “Well that was easy then” I said to myself jokingly as I continued to ride around on several more sighting laps. Well no not all in fact, the only easy part as this stage was the pace, which the instructor had kept to moderate to ensure no one was overstretched on these initial laps. The first thing I found really hard after years and years of road riding was no rear view mirrors. On the road I always know what’s behind me, but not so, on the track. Apparently you mustn’t be distracted by what may be going on just behind you, but you have to rely on the fact that every one rides safely and within the rules and passes you with sufficient clearance not to give you a problem. Very novel of course, is no oncoming traffic, the freedom to use the full width of the track to try and take the best lines through the corners; this part really was a joy, and braking point and apex cones had been laid out on every corner to help you get your entry and turning points correct. All too quickly our sighting laps were over and we were flagged by the track marshals to return to the pit car park whilst the more experienced intermediate and advanced groups had their time out on track. Immediately upon our return, the pit area was a buss with conversation about the track, the corners and the whole experience and what it would be like next session when we would be let lose to ride at our own pace. I with many others went to the club house viewing area adjacent to the paddock to watch the other groups tackle the track, quickly realising just how slow we had been riding on our sighting laps as more experienced riders powered up over the mountain and screamed past the club house before entering the Woodlands circuit. What I had not mentioned to now was the weather, whilst it wasn’t pouring with rain, we kept having occasional showers, it was cool with a moderate wind. This meant out on track particularly through the woodland section it was damp under the trees and there were damp areas out on the main circuit, just to add a little extra spice to the riding experience. The damp areas kept being topped up through out the day as the odd shower descended on Cadwell Park.  Soon it was our turn to go out on track again, this time riding with James Toseland well at least out on the track with him as there was no way I was going to stay with James even if he was riding slowly!  As we assembled in the paddock the Bennetts babes reminded us to warm our tyres again before giving it some. I was toward the back of the two assembled lines of riders but all too quickly I was waived out on track before I had time to get nervous. Now this time it was all very different, no instructor showing you the best lines and a moderate pace, although we were all novices some were less novice than others and the pace really was very much quicker as the bike ahead of me quickly disappearing out of my view in to the woodlands section showed me. Now the K 1200 S is a seriously quick piece of kit, but with a dry weight of 227kg and shaft drive it is no lithe lightweight sports bike, rather an “uber” fast sports tourer. So muscling this bike round the track with its not so slick gear change was going to more of a challenge than those riding fully focussed chain driven sports bikes. However the K 1200 S, does have the S in its title for Sports and in the right hands this piece of German engineering can be seriously quick round a track, the trouble was I wasn’t necessarily the right pair of hands and I really didn’t know the track even after my all to brief sighting laps. Perhaps I should have asked James Toseland to show me what my bike really could do round Cadwell Park with one of the top riders in the world on board. Immediately on leaving the paddock exit you are into the very quick flick through Hall bends where you need to use the full width of the track to get through smoothly, when next its into the very tight right hander hair pin, hard on the brakes and down into second gear, seconds later its into Barn corner with its banking left hand descent, here the track was very damp and caution was required not to slide the back out or force my traction control to cut in; but next comes the adrenaline rush of the Full Circuit straight. Along here you can a really start to explore the performance of your machine and I was immediately bouncing the K 1200 S of it’s rev limiter in fourth gear before changing up into fifth, but even then I was being passed by quicker more experienced riders on sports bikes. The track isn’t long enough to get any where near the redline in fifth and with in a second you are powering off and changing down into third for the banking left hander that is Coppice. Word’s cannot describe the adrenaline rush and excitement that comes from riding your bike on the track, free from the risk of other traffic, other than the riders on track with you, no speed cameras, or speed vans, no side turnings, just you and your bike and open tarmac, its real buzz! However lets not get too carried way dropping an expensive BMW bike or worse injuring yourself nags at the back of your mind and you must keep remembering to ride within your limits, plus a margin for error. No matter how enticing it is to wind the throttle on even more. Even though we were riding with James Toseland, it most definitely isn’t a race, more chance to get to know more about your bikes potential and your riding ability in an environment that is far safer than the road. Now I can’t really think of any where I would redline the K 1200 S in third and fourth gear legally on the road, but on a track day in the right conditions this is perfectly acceptable and what’s more it’s really great fun and that is what track days for many are really about, FUN. Coppice is technically challenging in so far in that as you exit it in to Charlie’s the entry into Charlie’s needs to be spot on to give you the best exit to power up the Park Straight where there is another opportunity to revel in your bikes performance. It is suggested you tape over your speedo so you are not tempted to look to see what speed you achieve and thereby take your eyes off the track. All I knew as it was fast as I kept hitting the rev limiter in fourth, I kept saying to myself I must change up earlier, but the K 1200 S accelerates really quickly in fact far quicker than I had ever experienced on it till now. The approach into Park corners comes up all too quickly and you have to really bleed some speed off, to avoid a trip into the kitty litter. Next it’s the long Chris curve, at this corner in this session of laps I remember getting lapped by James Toseland like I was standing still. Well he is a former World Superbike champion so he does have some experience you know and I kept telling myself I slowed down to let him pass, oh if only that were true. But one can dream, what if we had followed a different career paths, James might well have gone into a full time career in music and I could have challenged for the World Superbike Championship perhaps? The flick through the Gooseneck has to be done correctly, otherwise it can all go horribly wrong on this tight entry into the amazingly steep descent into Mansfield. This tight left hander immediately leads onto the chicane, real skill needed here to avoid going off track or screwing up the chicane. I quickly found the chicane needed just the right approach speed to get through it without drama. However the corner I found most tricky was the right hander just before the mountain, no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t seem to get my approach right, then comes the “heart in mouth” lift up over the mountain before you scream past the Club house and enter the woodland section ready to do it all over again; but hopefully better next lap. Again like the sighting lap your session on the track is over in what seems like a flash and you are flagged to return to the pit area car park. This time talk after the session is even more excited with competition winners in the novice group all relaying to each other the individual excitement of their laps, me included.  During the morning James Toseland and Steve Plater held a track side clinic in the paddock and everyone was invited to attend to pose questions to the two real experts about track day riding and rub shoulders with two top stars of motorcycle racing. Bennetts laid on a hearty lunch for all and James held a photo and autograph session. www.inter-bike.co.uk were lucky enough to get a one on one interview with James which you can read here.  After lunch before track sessions continued James and Steve did a few laps of the track to show us all from the Club House veranda how it should be done, with them regularly wheelie-ing over the Mountain to the delight of us onlookers.  Then followed a number of laps where competition winners if they wished could ride pillion with either James or Steve. Unfortunately I didn’t have a clean change of under-pants with me which I felt sure would be needed after such a session so I declined a ride, as I saw other’s scream round the track hanging on to either James or Steve. Anyway I needed my nerves intact for the afternoon track sessions. One can have too much excitement in one day you know! My two track sessions in the afternoon proved even more enjoyable and exciting than the mornings ride as I began to learn the track, being able to break later, turn on near the apex’s and generally get round the track a bit quicker. However on the first afternoon outing I proved a little to adventurous with the throttle and my new Avon Storm Ultra II’s started to over heat, with the rear tyre blistering along the outside edges and rubber starting to chunk off the centre. At one point exiting Coppice the rear momentarily let go and I nearly needed the change of underpants that I forwent earlier by declining a pillion ride with James. Now let’s not be harsh on my tyres these are standard sports touring rubber and up until that point they had behaved really well. Giving no cause for concern, but they are not super sticky track day rubber and I had really been ragging the K 1200 S hard. On return to the pits car park a more experienced rider told me I needed to smooth my riding out more and then I wouldn’t overheat my tyres. So on my final session of the afternoon I took on board his advice and he was right, I just let everything flow and surprisingly I was quicker without the drama of over heating my tyres or them letting go Before I knew it was 5.00pm and the track day came to a close but not before we had all been given a bag of Bennetts and James Toseland goodies to take away, but the best thing I will take away are the memories of a fantastic, exciting and adrenaline filled day. The organisation by all concerned meant the day ran like clockwork and everyone really seemed to have loads of fun and a great day thanks to Bennetts generosity. But best of all I’m no longer a track day virgin! *Based on brand tracking research June 2010 Articleby Jon Booth – www.inter-bike.co.uk Images by ©2010 Guy Cope – www.copeimages.com Bennetts Ultimate Track Day with James Toseland 2010 The Ultimate Ride with JT
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