03-03-2018, 10:46 PM
Was lucky enough to get in on a private track day at Buttonwillow last Sunday. It was organized by the friends I often ride through the Santa Cruz mountains with on weekends.
I think private track days, as long as properly organized by an experience track rider, are the best. And if you know the riders,and they know you, it’s also perhaps the safest and most comfortable way for a street rider to get on a high quality track. You can also ride as mich or as little as you like, in contrast to more rigidly structured track days put on by providers, though they’re good, too.
I’ve never been to Buttonwillow before at all. It’s about a 240-280 mile trip from my home in Belmont. While I had a few friends with space for a sport bike in their rigs, or on trailers, my relatively heavy CB11 either put them above their load limits (not advisable when you have to pull/tow across some mountains) or it wouldn’t fit with its relatively long wheelbase and 18 inch wheels.
I’m confident if I put a little more planning and effort into it, I could’ve arranged a sweet ride down with my bike trailered. Truth be told, I didn’t want to miss my cars and coffee early on Saturday morning near Capitola. It’s a delightful ride to the coast wher I get to spend an hour or two with great folks, and amazing cars and bikes. It also puts me 55 mile down the road, mostly south, which is where I need to go, but also a bit west, when I need to be a bit east. No biggie, though. Mostly the right direction, and interesting roads, not the boring interstate. Several of the old car aficionados are avid bike fans, too. Some have impressive riding histories or collections of bikes. Some are active riders, too.
It was late Friday evening when I finished the oil and filter change, thorough chain cleaning, and wash of the bike. I would wipe her dry tonight and warm up the bike and chain in the morning and lube it then.
It was unseasonably cold when I started out. With my minimal luggage capacity, I throw only the basic clothes and a few tools in my bag. My track boots and leathers won’t fit, so I wear them for the ride, with a windbreaker and firstgear textile pants with the knee protectors removed so they don’t conflict with those already in the leathers. Tending to the chain lubing and checking all the track day packing items, plus dressing in layers for warmth, and donning the bulky leathers and fussy track boots conspired to get me headed out a few minutes later than usual, so my departure was at sun up rather than pre-dawn.
Yes, that’s frost. I don’t expect any sympathy from most in this hemisphere who are experiencing “real” Februaries, but it’s cold by our standards at 37F.
I’ve yet to complete the transformation of my bike to the touring model, by bungeeing on my little, but oh so handy, Samsonite bag. You can see it on the ground in these pre-takeoff pics. Once that’s affixed, you may refer to my bike as a CB1100 Interstate model.
Swinging my leg over the bag, with leathers and textile pants is a feat best taken seriously. I’d say a degree of difficulty of 9.5 using standard gymnastics ratings, perhaps higher, corrected for my age.
Now, off to the gas station and over the hill to cars and coffee in Soquel. Crosssing the summit I’ll watch carefully for any signs of water or ice, but there will be neither.
I think private track days, as long as properly organized by an experience track rider, are the best. And if you know the riders,and they know you, it’s also perhaps the safest and most comfortable way for a street rider to get on a high quality track. You can also ride as mich or as little as you like, in contrast to more rigidly structured track days put on by providers, though they’re good, too.
I’ve never been to Buttonwillow before at all. It’s about a 240-280 mile trip from my home in Belmont. While I had a few friends with space for a sport bike in their rigs, or on trailers, my relatively heavy CB11 either put them above their load limits (not advisable when you have to pull/tow across some mountains) or it wouldn’t fit with its relatively long wheelbase and 18 inch wheels.
I’m confident if I put a little more planning and effort into it, I could’ve arranged a sweet ride down with my bike trailered. Truth be told, I didn’t want to miss my cars and coffee early on Saturday morning near Capitola. It’s a delightful ride to the coast wher I get to spend an hour or two with great folks, and amazing cars and bikes. It also puts me 55 mile down the road, mostly south, which is where I need to go, but also a bit west, when I need to be a bit east. No biggie, though. Mostly the right direction, and interesting roads, not the boring interstate. Several of the old car aficionados are avid bike fans, too. Some have impressive riding histories or collections of bikes. Some are active riders, too.
It was late Friday evening when I finished the oil and filter change, thorough chain cleaning, and wash of the bike. I would wipe her dry tonight and warm up the bike and chain in the morning and lube it then.
It was unseasonably cold when I started out. With my minimal luggage capacity, I throw only the basic clothes and a few tools in my bag. My track boots and leathers won’t fit, so I wear them for the ride, with a windbreaker and firstgear textile pants with the knee protectors removed so they don’t conflict with those already in the leathers. Tending to the chain lubing and checking all the track day packing items, plus dressing in layers for warmth, and donning the bulky leathers and fussy track boots conspired to get me headed out a few minutes later than usual, so my departure was at sun up rather than pre-dawn.
Yes, that’s frost. I don’t expect any sympathy from most in this hemisphere who are experiencing “real” Februaries, but it’s cold by our standards at 37F.
I’ve yet to complete the transformation of my bike to the touring model, by bungeeing on my little, but oh so handy, Samsonite bag. You can see it on the ground in these pre-takeoff pics. Once that’s affixed, you may refer to my bike as a CB1100 Interstate model.
Swinging my leg over the bag, with leathers and textile pants is a feat best taken seriously. I’d say a degree of difficulty of 9.5 using standard gymnastics ratings, perhaps higher, corrected for my age.
Now, off to the gas station and over the hill to cars and coffee in Soquel. Crosssing the summit I’ll watch carefully for any signs of water or ice, but there will be neither.