| Riding in NY:
The highway department is still filling feet-deep
potholes left by the last winter, leaves already
start to turn red again, and you really, really
need to try out the additional 10 horses recently
set free by a pair of new high-compression
pistons. So, how about signing up for a track
day!?!? Its fun, way safer than pushing luck on
your favorite country road, and you get a nice
bike show right there in the pits. But prepare
yourself: It will likely reveal your ranking in
the world of speed. Prizes start at about USD140
for a day. Here are some nearby tracks and
organizers of track days. This list is not meant
to be comprehensive. |
Watkins Glen, NY
Famous (right?) road course, NASCAR runs here,
and Formula One did so many years ago.
Unfortunately, there is at least one reason why
the latter is a thing of the past: Safety.
Guardrails often are installed very close to the
track and there is little to none run-off space
in the turns. Also, surface material is changing
back and forth between asphalt and concrete.
Keith Code’s California Superbike School (www.superbikeschool.com) ran here track days 2002/03 and
04, but not in 2005. This is the only organizer
we know of which recently ran motorcycle events
in Watkins Glen. Watch out for their 2006
schedule. To keep it safe CSS did not use the
track extension and set a cone chicane in turn 2.
Pocono,
PA
Different parts of the tri-oval are combined with
infield sections to generate what is called
Pocono East and the FUSA course. The first is
relatively narrow and bumpy, just the right thing
to show that 70HP can move almost as fast as 140.
Quite on the contrary, the FUSA course is
wickedly fast…..!!!!!
Several organizers run here: California Superbike
School, REDUC (www.reduc.com)
Beaverun,
PA
Newer track north of Pittsburgh. This is a very
nice place for motorcycles and you will certainly
improve your ability to go around RIGHT turns.
Finding a good line through the 180 degree right
hander at the end of the back straight would make
a good topic for a master thesis.
Organizers include North East Sportbike
Association (www.nesba.com), REDUC (www.reduc.com), Sportbike Track Time (www.sportbiketracktime.com).
|
 |