THREE THINGS I LEARNED…
1 Circuits for safety
There are huge advantages to learning road craft in a sterile environment like a race track. It offers a chance to push harder than you would on a public road, learn your bike’s limits, and practice with repeatability so the lessons sink in. Riding the 130-ish miles home afterwards was a joy, as I found I wasn’t thinking about things like body positioning as much — it all felt more natural. I’m also more confident in my brakes, having given them a VERY good squeeze on track but also learning to apply them more smoothly while riding.
2 A diverse day out
I’d worried my sports bike might be somewhat unusual in this scenario but there were Fireblades, Panigales and more, parked alongside tourers like the ubiquitous BMW
R1250RT and adventure bikes like Triumph’s Tiger 900. There were bikes of nearly every type and the people were just as diverse, with a wide range of backgrounds, ages and abilities. The only things everybody I met had in common were a thirst to learn and a friendly, ego-free demeanour, and those two things really added to the day.
3 Thrilling Thruxton
I’m no stranger to a racing circuit but this one’s truly special; particularly on an R7 with only 72bhp and lithe handling. A few of the corners require no brakes at all once you’re up to speed and feeling confident — simply roll off and tip in. It’s also very well sighted with hardly any elevation change, so you can spot an apex and commit to it. I left feeling in absolute awe of the BSB riders racing there on really fast machinery. That must be a serious assault on the senses…