Pete headed over to Red Star Raceway and joined Suzuki South Africa for their Rider Safety Training. His first time, he came away slightly cleverer than he used to be…
He Says:
What these guys have to teach could very well enhance your ability to ride your motorcycle more confidently and with more ease.
By PeterP
Early morning arrivals lead straight to the cafeteria where the staff of Red Star had already heated up the stoves and got the coffee ready.. After all zero caffeine and an empty stomach can lead to loss of speed on the track.
Anyway, after we all had a bite and juiced up we headed over to the pits to just marvel at some of the great machines some riders had been arriving on.
From 250cc adventure bikes, “Track Ready” racebikes and then some Harleys popping their heads out, it was fair to say that this training program was aimed at not just Suzuki owners but all motorcycle riders. The vibe was just awesome seeing riders complimenting each others rides to the Pro’s removing tyre warmers and checking rider setups.
By simply watching the goings on, one can definitely pick up a tip or two.
Once the morning chats were done the announcement came to head over to the registration office to get the track formalities done and then head over to the training centre, where Stuart Baker had prepared a very interesting and comprehensive teaching on “How not to be a tool on a bike” and of course to highlight the importance of riding your motorcycle safely and within the limits.
We learned about entry and exit points when approaching a turn or apex, identifying the vanishing points, identifying key aspects of hazards, how to possibly avoid an accident and then how to dress for the slide and not always the ride.
No matter how long you have been a motorcycle rider or how many miles you have done, let me tell you , I came out of that lecture feeling enlightened almost as if someone had just downloaded and extra 10 years of expert riding knowledge into my head. One thing I can tell you is “You are never to old to Learn something new”. Or as Stuart put it, “We are becoming more reliant on the riding safety features of our bikes and relying less on our own abilities to ride safely.”
Then came the much anticipated call to head to the track. Nervous and excited smiles were all around as riders kitted up and got ready to go out and apply the knowledge of what was learned during the lecture. They headed out in different groups from beginner riders all the way to expert level, accompanied by various road marshalls in their Suzuki reflective bibs.
The level of professionalism and expert rider knowledge on tap from their marshalls proved just how much one can learn from such an experience. And of course seeing the beginner riders having that much more confidence in riding is awesome.
A Big Shout Out to Team Cancervive who also attended the day. From us at Motomedia we really support what you guys and gals do. #cancervive
If you have not already done an event like this, it is absolutelly worth the price you pay.
Keep an eye on their website for info as well as on Red Star Raceway’s facebook page for the next event dates.
Suzuki – https://suzukimotorcycle.co.za/
Red Star Raceway – https://www.facebook.com/rsr.delmas
