So I’ve learned speed, but now I have to unlearn the technique. Thankfully, body positioning was the focus of the day
BHPian CrAzY dRiVeR recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
The California Superbike School Experience:
Part -2: Finding my speed, ft. New friends!
~80 kmph right-hander into C8
Accelerate out in 4th gear
Sharp left at C9 onto the back straight
Redline in 4th, hitting about 115kmph
Shift to 5th
And then… a sudden silence…
The Motor had died on me at ~115 kmph!
Reflex had already helped pull the clutch in and attempted to hit the starter, but I could only hear the one-press starter cranking away to glory without an ignition. With the very sharp C10 approaching, I slowed down to about 60 kmph and took the corner without power, slowly coming to a stop on the left side of the right-hander – C11.
Within a second, a coach pulled up from behind and showed action to move the bike into the grass. And within a few more seconds, a marshal had helped push the bike all the way over the grass and close to the tyres. We tried hitting the starter a few times, but finally gave up and waited out the session. As soon as the session is over, a track marshal arrives on a backup scooter and helps push the bike to the pits.
By then, I’m thinking my CSS is over!
But help arrived quickly! Even though I hadn’t enrolled for the track maintenance package with Joe’s Garage (they have a partnership with CSS and run a shop there), They took the bike in for diagnosis and immediately narrowed it down to the fuel pump due to lack of priming.
CSS track marshals encouraged me to attend the classroom session while Joe investigates further. And soon as the classroom was over, CSS coordinators helped arrange one of the TVS Apache RTR 200s that I could ride, shared with a student from another batch.
So then the learning was back on! However, I was now on a new motorcycle that I had no previous experience with! The remaining two sessions for Day 2 went into getting used to the motorcycle alone – I don’t remember much of those sessions!
What I do remember is that in between the two sessions, I went to check with Joe regarding the KTM and he said the KTM showroom representative who was present at the track would be arranging some child parts and is getting it via porter from the city.
To my big surprise, the part arrived and got replaced by the time the two sessions were done. The motorcycle was put back together with lightning speed and was all ready for the ride back to the hotel.
All excited to get the bike back, I start back to the hotel, now faster because of the wallet getting lighter by 4500 INR (3000/- for track maintenance package + 1500/- for the repair).
Riding out of the Madras International Circuit,
Crossing one of the messiest highway junctions in front of the Hyundai factory,
On to the center of the road and then…
Silence yet again!
The bike had died yet again! Looking all pretty, but dead:
Managed to use the momentum to pull over to the left. Contemplated our course of action – Called Joe, no response. Started pushing the bike back to the track, but soon realized that pushing a bike, in Chennai heat, wearing full leather was not only impossible, but also comical. People were starting to have a curious laugh seeing “our” situation!
That plural brings me to the second topic… You meet some of the nicest people during such events.
New Friends: You meet the nicest people at such events!
Featured here in this comical situation, along with me, is Nishanth, whom I met the previous day at the hotel. He rides a race-spec RC390 (no silencer pipe, no center stand, even no plates!). We had met the previous day through his friend Vipin, who was attending with a ZX-6R, and was instrumental in asking the hotel folks to connect all the CSS folks who were staying at the hotel. And hence I also got introduced to Archan – yet another RC390 rider who shipped his bike to the track and drove down for the event in his Jeep Compass. Nishant couldn’t ride his bike on the road, and hence he was riding pillion with me.
Nishant, Vipin and Archan! And now the two of us (Nishant and I) were stuck on the road. Nishant had a funny story to recite the previous day about him having to take a local bus once wearing track leathers, but from now on, he has an even better story. Lol!
While I was trying to call Joe, Nishant called Vipin. Vipin calls Archan (who had already reached the hotel by then), and he turns back and arrives on the spot within 15 minutes with the Jeep.
Vipin also called up Joe on his private number and arranged for two of his mechanics to come to us. They reached in about 25 minutes and took the bike back to the track. Since we were getting boiled alive in those leather suits, Archan kept the a/c running for the whole duration, and took us back to the hotel for the evening.
CSS Day 2/3: Body Positioning. Also, finding my speed:
Back at the track for Day 3, we see that the bike is just disassembled and waiting for parts. I’m told that the replacement part had failed (I won’t be taking sides on the quality of the work since it happened while i was attending the sessions), but the part has now been re-ordered from a city dealer. This could come by noon.
I had to start the day with the RTR only. Today was going to be all about body positioning, my weakest link:
Good part, though – the Apache didn’t feel like a stranger anymore. After Session 1, my pace started picking up on the Apache, and by noon, I was keeping pace with some of the big machines. Straight line acceleration was not there, but then these circuits are never won with just straight line bursts. It handled well, had decent suspension, and sounded like an angry mosquito! Game on! Lol
I’m reminded of what Karthikeye Singhee says in a MotorInc podcast on Speed – “Find your speed. Speed isn’t bought, it is learned”. And I was sure that I was now riding faster on the RTR than I had on the Duke.
Speaking of the Duke, it seemed pretty much left alone by noon, still waiting for the part:
I’m told by my Coach that I’m fast, but extremely dangerously so! (And I don’t say speed in a boasting manner, for my definition of speed would be absolutely nothing in terms of actual regulars at the track! And more risk than needed isn’t something to boast about either! I was still sitting bolt upright, taking the bike to extreme lean angles and surviving on the edge traction, occasionally scaring myself when scraping toe sliders and footpegs. As my coach said, correct your body position fast, or you are one mistake away from a low side.
So I’ve learned speed, but now I have to unlearn the technique. Thankfully, body positioning was the focus of the day:
With the coach following me around during the next session, I slowly started trying body lean till he finally gave a thumbs up before riding away. Never scraped the pegs post that for the day, but still nowhere close to leaning the body properly:
And that confidence further improved the speed. We were now in the second-to-last session for the event, one that I would remember for a long time to come. A friend (who did CSS 2024 with us) was attending L4 on his Triumph Speed Triple 1200RS and my mosquito RTR managed to keep pace with that glorious large triple for almost four laps, overtaking and getting overtaken – despite the 1000cc capacity difference, the Triple eager to lift the front wheel and escape during the straights and the mosquito making me feel carefree and stupid in the technical sections to catch up. Overall, this session was the one core memory I would take away from this event.
Good news followed soon after, the Duke was finally ready and I could take it on the track for the final session – but I decided not to! I was on a high and just wanted a few relaxed laps to refresh everything one last time. Wallet got lighter by another 1500/- INR..
With Archan’s help, I reached out to the boys who had coordinated with the truck in which Archan had also shipped his bike. Good news – One bike could theoretically fit in, based on the slots. Bad news – Due to more superbikes inside, the space was tight for that last bike to squeeze in!
But then, you meet the nicest people during such events. This time, it was a popular name in biking circles – Ducaman (Joe). He re-arranged the bikes to help me out, taking out his ZX-10RR to be loaded on a Hilux, and putting in another small bike instead, so that mine was loaded too!
CSS was thereby concluded!
The final group shot:
All the coaches that make CSS worth every single rupee invested!
Finally back to Bangalore in the Jeep Compass, thanks to Archan, reaching home by around 2 AM:
Epilogue:
(To be continued after a break…)
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