| Author | Message | ||
     Wolfridgerider |
I just finished my first track school at Nelson Ledges in N.E. Ohio. I wish I would have found this type of riding long ago. I am sore as hell today but its all good. I drove up on Sunday to camp the night before thinking there would be some other riders there to BS with. NOT. I was the only one there. I set up my tent and got the bike off the trailer. I was riding it around the infield when one of the track workers asked if I wanted to go on the track. DUH!! I said hell yeah. I signed a waiver and I was on the track for a few get to know the track laps. It was getting dark so I parked it and watched the track workers get ready for the next day. Monday. I woke up at 3am, 4, then 5 finally I get out of the tent around 6. I just couldn't sleep. Between being stoked to ride and all the damn birds making noise, sleep wasn't coming easy. I wipe the dew from the bike and get some breakfast via the cooler and wait for other riders to start showing up......... Much to my surprise I was the only Buell getting on the Track. The big 4, BMW, Triumph, Ducati and even a Sportster came to play. We all take our bikes to tech. to be inspected and then have out first riders meeting. You slow, you fast. They split us up in 2 groups, "A" group is the fast, been on the track before guys and "B" group is full of the "I'm testing the water" riders. A lot of the "A" group are looking to get speed certified so they can start racing and get on the track with no instructors. The B group is FULL of people like me. "I want to ride better" The Classroom. We go over all the rules of the track, flags and get split into groups by riding style and bikes. They tried to put me with the Sportster rider but I cried and they put me with a SV650. We get geared up and head for the track. The Track. Nelson Ledges is about 2 miles + or - and smooth as silk in spots and rough a cob in others. It has 13 turns and two long straights. Turn 4 is a decreasing radius nasty bastard and turn 13 is tighter than anything on the Dragon. The ride. We start off slow following the instructor to learn the line. We do this for a 20 min. sessions, increasing speed with every lap followed by classroom instruction. We go over parts of the track and add things like getting off the seat and choosing target points on the track to keep the same line with every lap. FASTER and FASTER. The SV rider and I are pushing the instructor to go faster and we do. Now its our turn for the instructor to follow us to see how we are doing. We have been passing the other groups all morning and now its time to drop the hammer. The SV rider is first and I follow behind the instructor. We are hauling ASS!! After a few laps behind the SV we pull into pit row so the instructor can tell him what he needs to work on. Its my turn. We head out from pit row to turn one. I give it hell but try to work the turns the best I can. The Buell loves it but the SV isn't happy.... We go back to pit row and I get the thumbs up & "We may put you into the A group". I must be doing OK.... Its the SV riders turn again. We go out and pass a group on the back straight and I get left behind. Its against the rules to pass in the turns so I think I'm screwed. I drop the hammer every chance I get to get caught back up. I didn't see that my group went to pit row and my instructor pulled in behind me. I'm going as fast as I can to catch back up to the guy that is behind me the whole time. He passes me in turn 12 and motions for me to pull into pit row. I think I'm in trouble but he has a big smile on his face and says "You are going to the A group" YES!! The A group. I get a warm welcome from one of the instructors. "Watch out boys, Harley is here to show us how its done" It was a statement made in jest and I took it with a grain of salt. He was riding a custom Ducati that looked and sounded like nothing else on the track. We head out for our 20 min. run and it was GREAT. The "A" group was much smaller and a LOT faster. I didn't get passed by any students, only instructors got around me. The ban on passing in the turns was killing me!! I could roll up on a Speed Triple on ever turn and passing him there would have been easy for the Buell but that was a "NO NO". We head back to into pit row and the Ducati riding instructor comes up to me and can't believe how long the legs are one the Buell. "I thought you would hit the top end sooner, but you just kept going". That was followed by how impressed he was with the Buell and my riding. My head was starting to swell. He then asked how many track days I had done. When I told him it was my first he couldn't believe it. My head swelled more. I almost couldn't get my helmet back on for out last 20 min go around. After we finished and I was about to fall over from the ass kicking the track had given me, my "A" and "B" instructors had a talk and I got the big thumbs up to be "SPEED CERTIFIED". Now I can get on the track with no instructors and practice all I want. Here goes more money! I will post what pics I have later. Get on the track!! It beats the ass of any street riding you have ever done and makes the Dragon look like child's play. Plus its SAFE SAFE SAFE! NO rocks. NO cars. Nothing but a great time! | ||
| Hughlysses |
Man, that's an awesome write-up; you've got me grinning ear-to-ear just reading about it.  | ||
| Beastie |
Awesome write up and grats on getting "Speed Certified" | ||
| Firebolteric_ma |
That is one sweet day of ridding for sure! Good on you wolf! I need some track time now, If only my wallet would agree... | ||
| Etennuly |
I bet you had your tall windshield and three hard bags and your tent rolled up across the back seat too, didn't you? That is fricken awesome and well written also! Congrats. | ||
| Djkaplan |
Yeah... next time take the bags and luggage off. | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
I don't think I will put the Firebolt back on the road. The temptation to ride "insane" may be to hard to overcome. The Uly will never see the track for that very reason. | ||
| New12r |
Wolf, you saw my bolt after its last ride on the street  . Now you really understand why I love the track! The Bolt Rocks on the track, and yes, passing in the turns is easy! You dont really have to follow the race line to go fast on the ol bolt for sure! Now lets get together on the track for some real fun....passing gixxer 1k's in the tight sections.  | ||
| Xbullet |
way to go wolf!!! now i'm itchin' like crazy. between video from little tally and this i'm savin' pennies. great write up. if i start a magazine i'll expect a monthly column.  | ||
| Betzy |
That brings back not so far off memories for me. Had my first track day this year also, I opted to ride their R6 just in Case?! The street is sooooo dangerous to me now that I've been on a track. That is a great article wolf, always is better to start humble and be bumped up! Can't wait to get the X1 to the track... Buell it!!!! | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
Camp Wolf Ridge  The tech shed  Second arrival gets ready  Track Dog  Bad Ass Duc  Bad Ass Duc2  XB12RS at the ready  Front tire Chicken stripless  One more track day on this tire and it will be toast  | ||
| Jumpinjewels |
I'll be on the track next Tuesday with several other ladies at Pueblo for a full day of track lessons. Was out at Miller Motorsports in May and had a blast. I informed by hubby that I may quit my job and play on the track. NOT!!  Well, if I had started at a younger age, I'D BE THERE!!!! | ||
| Lost_in_ohio |
Very cool great story Mark congratulations. Hopefully I will get to partake on some track days in the next couple of years. | ||
| Tdiddy |
I'm doing my first track day at Willow Springs on Monday. For the past 2 weeks, I haven't been able to sleep, just like a little kid the night before going to Disneyland for the first time. | ||
| Slaughter |
Great read for a first track day. You're sucked into the vortex now! Mark/Tdiddy, Wolfridgerider TRIED to warn you but failed... we'll see you Monday. Welcome to the addiction! | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
Now I need to start looking at safety wiring the bike and I need to pick up a spine protector to get on the track by myself. BOOTS!! I need to get a good pair of boots. I have the Buell Switch Back boots but I need something with a little more protection. 235 lbs. That poor Firebolt must cry every time I park my largeness on its back. Loosing some lard will be the hardest thing of all to get fixed.  | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
 ............................^... That is the evil turn... | ||
| Tdiddy |
I'm 6'3", 230-230lbs. A friend told me I was riding a clown bike. I'm always grinning after a ride. | ||
| New12r |
That turn is called a passing opportunity! I think I need to come burn up some rubber in the North! | ||
| Xb9 |
Ahh, the infamous NL Carousel - nice pic. The entry is so sweeping that you literally treat it as a straightaway, then it gradually tightens up and hooks at the apex. One of the most difficult turns to get right, and the key to fast lap times at Nelson's. It really burns up the right side of your tires..... it's about 90 MPH on the exit to give you an idea of the speed. Very fast track, my best was 1:11:94, that averages to a little over 100 MPH. | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
Hey Charlie, You got a place to stay. Just let me know when you are coming and I'll make some space in the garage for your bike and I have plenty of room for you to catch some zzzzz's It took about half a day of riding to get that turn down. I had a couple of OOOOO$HIT!!! moments and almost went off the track at the P in photo. By the end of the day I was stuck behind the Triumph rider every time coming into the curvy sections but wasn't aloud to pass. When we got to the straights it was like he got shot out of a cannon and all I could do was watch him leave me behind. But then he would hit the next set of turns and I would be all over his back tire. He finally let me by and I didn't see him again until we got back into the pits. | ||
| Teeps |
Congratulations, now you know why I have no desire to go "stupid fast" on the street. Ironically, the Ulysses is by far the best handling (and fastest) bike I've ever owned or ridden, that includes the MT125R I raced many years ago. | ||
| Blublak |
Hey Wolf.. Ya wanna do another track day.. this time with Buells? Sign up for the 'Inside Pass' at Virginia International Raceway. That is one great track and facilities are world class.. There's already several folks I know going (me included) and it's gonna be a gas.. Oh and I think the pic I'm using in my profile is from there as well.. I'll have to check and see which one I have there.. Last thing, I'm 6' 250lbs on an XB9R. Put an Elka '3 Way' shock(custom built at the factory for me weight/bike/type of rider)on this year and had the forks redone. It really does make a world of difference, the stock springs just aren't set up for us.. uh.. heavier types. (the Elka is cheaper then a Penske or Ohlins and seems to do the job really well.. Now I just need to clean up the mounting)... Check 'em out..they are trying to move into road racing and there are some pretty good deals to be had on their stuff. | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
I don't think I can make the VA track day. I'm doing Mid Ohio on Oct 4th but I hope I can get back to Nelson Ledges at least 1 more time before that. | ||
| Ceejay |
Wolf-Theres another one at Mid-Ohio at the end of July-if I can save up some coin I may sign up. Back protectors-I just picked up a nice one for 30 bucks thru new enough... | ||
| Ceejay |
cool write-up by the way! | ||
| New12r |
Wolfie, I need a bike first!  | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
Getting back on the track is all I can think about! I hope to be doing some safety wire work on the bike soon. AND THEN.... last night my wife asked about Homecoming. When I told her Buell was coming out with dirt bikes she told me not to spend my money because she would like to ride a dirt bike..... MO MONEY, MO MONEY, MO MONEY!!! | ||
| New12r |
Wolf, Yup, I gotta buy 3, One for me, one for the wife and one for the up and coming baby boy! Been lookin at 50's. I want to get a Honda NSR 50 for me and the boy, I know it is a couple years away but planning ahead is a good thing right?? |
