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I’m going to break this semi-long story into a couple of articles for two reasons - I suck at typing and I can stretch out the number of posts.

I bought my first ’sport’ bike back in 1989 - a 1985 Suzuki GS550ES.  It was a cool bike, but I did not have a cool head and needless to say, I got in a lot of trouble riding it.  During the end of my undergrad college tears at Michigan State University, I bought my second sport bike - a 1987-90 Honda 600 Hurricane.  It was a track bike that had some of the street parts left, but enough to be legal.  I got in less trouble with her (oops…in mean ‘it’), but more importantly got my first track experience.

As every college student does, I decided to load up my credit card as a graduation gift to myself.  My debt accumulation came via AMA/CCS & WERA amateur racing during my senior year of college.  Funny thing was that they gridded the races by those who took it serious first, then the rest based on first come, first serve.  As a college kid commuting to the track on the morning of the races, I was always late (~1.5 hours away).

Anyway, I did alright that year with my best finish coming in at eleventh place being gridded number fifty-two.  What was more important was that I learned that I sport bike - any bike for that matter - can do much more than just straight line throttle whacking.  I also picked up some valuable skills for street riding such as braking capability.

Over the next several years, I went through the popular process of turning several sport bikes.  One can never be satisfied with one bike forever in that variety is the spice of life.  I also was introduced to Deal’s Gap and the greater Smoky MT area.  Each bike I had went to a couple of track days and a few Deal’s Gap trips.  It is the combination of the two that honed my riding skills - good, bad, or indifferent.

Luck was on my side when I took my R1 to the track.  I loved the bike, but we just didn’t click.  I had it to the track in Grattan, MI twice and managed to crash twice.  The first crash was a low speed high side in the ‘bowl’ and I sustained a broken collar bone and a nasty concussion.

My wife, who is very cool with my motorcycle habit, took it in stride and helped me during the healing process.  We were newly married with no kids and it was just ‘part of it’.  It was my first crash on any sort of pavement and I assured her it was a fluke.

The next time I went to the track was for a weekend event.  This occurred exactly one week before we were moving from the Detroilet area to Arizona.  I put the first day in the books and life was good.  After luch on the second day, I had a high-speed low side in which the results were opposite of my first crash - I was alright and the bike was destroyed.

One week later we left for that 30+ hour drive to Arizona.  That’s a lot of conversation and yes, the track day thing came up.  I was pretty bummed still because my R1 was also my cherished street bike an now it was gone.  I had done many things to it to make the bike unique and ‘mine’.

To make a long story only a little longer, I sold my soul to the devil for the easy way out.  I could have (probably should have) dug in and argued that track days were still going to be a part of my future…after of course I got a new bike, built it that way I wanted it (time & $$$), and found a place to ride.  I thought I was right at the time.  Nope.

Over the course of the next four years, riding in the AZ mountains and the various road trips sufficed.  But in our current house, garage space is at a premium and I have two kids now.  This also includes a broken ankle from the dirt bike that required a plate and screws when my first daughter was only ten days old.  I also recently sold the sport bike for a sport-tourer to expand my options to ride, especially commuting.

In summary:

• My last two track day outings (albeit in 2001) resulted in crashes + injuries.
• I committed to be done with riding track days.
• I broke my foot and was down for a little while when my first daughter was ten days old.

It was looking to be an uphill battle to get back to the track given the above, and true history.

Stay tuned…