By Bill Kenney
Ok Folks, even though I’m no longer an executive in this organization, Mr. Carter is soliciting articles, so I am going to let you in on a few thoughts that have been tumbling around in the dark crevasses of my mind these past few months… be prepared!
As some of you know I am a big fan of track days. The two most important reasons for this are to get to see my track day friends and I learn to ride much better. Well, there are three major reasons; I have always liked to ride very fast at times and there is no better place for this than on an enclosed course. That would be a racetrack although you are not really racing. It is relatively safe because there are really no objects to hit if you do have an incident, there are no dogs, sand, trees, poles, intersections or cars pulling out in front of you and those are just to name a few of the reasons.
As a sacrifice to my fellow BMW riders, I went out of my way to prove this year just how safe this activity is. I had a get off in June with my S1000R at Thompson Speedway and after my ribs healed, another in Palmer the following month riding my new S1000XR. Both times I was dressed in full leathers with armor, gauntlet gloves and race boots.
The event in June happened when a fellow rider low sided his bike on cold tires and ended up under my front wheel while I was leaned at approximately 60 mph. The end result was me riding over him, his bike and me being airborne for about 50 feet, then sliding into the grass. The bike suffered about $2000 in damage and I ended up with a couple cracked ribs.
The event in August was on the new XR at Palmer when I low sided on turn five at approximately 50 mph, which is an uphill corkscrew type corner. To this day I don’t know why; although I have asked many people and posted a video. I think it is because I had just replaced the sport tires with new street tires which might not be able to handle the torque of that bike on a track situation or they might need more time to warm up than a track tire. Nevertheless it happened…big deal. This time except for some aches and pains there was no structural damage to me and about $100 damage to bike.
Getting back to the dark recesses of my mind… My wife and I have been married for 41 mostly happy years. She tolerates most of my behavior and wishes. Joanie is the type that really enjoys her serenity and the quiet of the woods, the dogs by her side with her knitting on the back deck. It is really nice but I don’t know how she ended up in my fast-paced world. Let me get back on track here (btw they call her Saint Joan). I have a SV650S as a dedicated track bike that only stands me a couple grand and is always ready in the garage. It is a blast to ride also! When I was loading up the trailer for Thompson in June, Joanie looked out the window and spotted the Red S1000R on the trailer instead of the track bike. When I told her I was going to ride it the next day she rolled her eyes as if to ask, “SERIOUSLY?” I responded with, “what, do you really think I am stupid?” like I am really going to crash one of my favorite bikes?
The next day it came home on the trailer pretty banged up and I didn’t get it in the garage before she could see it. I was also limping around and crying when I would have to take a deep breath, so the cat got out of the bag. I think I forgot to mention that I knew I was trading in that bike the following day on a brand new S1000XR and the track day was going to be a last hurrah for the R bike. I love her so much.
Fast forward a month and almost the same scenario the night before when I was loading up for a day at Palmer (Whiskey Hill Raceway). This time the brand new white XR was on the trailer and the SV was up in the back of the truck. My friend Greg Bishop was bringing his bike over to take up the other space on the trailer and riding with me in the morning. Joanie looked out and window and I knew I was in trouble even though it was dark out. Yup, Joanie asked me if that was the brand new white bike on the back of the trailer…this time I left out my “stupid” response and said I “might” try it on the track but I have the track bike with me also. Everybody knows it is easier to unload from the trailer than the back of the truck so that shows you what my intentions were. You already know the results of that track day.
Here is where the dark thoughts come in. While sitting in the rescue after the June tip-over, one of the EMT’s was getting my medical history and was found out about my recent hip replacement, my age and the fact that I spent three weeks in RI hospital for a heart attack a few years prior to this. When she asked me if I thought maybe, it was time I had enough fun and might be a good time to pick up fishing or model making I told her I couldn’t do that because my son Bryan might think I am getting old, why else do we do some of the things we do? After the August event I was thinking she might be right and I told my wife she could stop worrying and that I was thinking of giving up track days. Joanie was very relieved until a few hours after I told her maybe I would just cut back on the amount of days instead. There are no divorce papers yet proving again that she is a Saint!
Last month Bryan and I took a ride to Arkansas for the RA rally which turned out to be a great time and a chance to reestablish ties that have been loosened a bit due to work schedules, family duties and the fact that we had not been on a trip together for a couple years. It had rained for half the way down there so we slabbed through most of WV and KY to try and get ahead of the rain. On our third day we arrived in MO with sunshine and some damned fine roads to carve. I got out the GPS the night before and loaded in the best looking windy roads I could find. Sweet!
In the past I would ride these types of roads at about 85-90% of my capability with adrenalin rising and heart pumping… feeling alive! I love motorcycles and especially fast ones. I started that in MO on one
particular road and even told Bryan not to worry; I would wait for him afterwards. After a few miles of this I was thinking how quickly things happened this past year on the track. One minute the bike was upright and then BANG without warning I was sliding along the asphalt. Quickly is the key word here. I started taking a closer look at my surroundings. The two foot drop at the edge of the pavement, the trees lining the road, unpredictable road surface, driveways space half mile apart but still driveways and the fact that In my mind I started imagining a deer behind every tree waiting to jump out In front of me.
I finally realized that the track and my tip overs had done something that my wife has been asking for years. Just to try and grow up a little. I slowed down and rode most of the remaining part of the trip at 60-70% of my ability. Bryan had no trouble keeping up, the adrenaline level dropped to almost nothing and I still had a blast. When I came home, I talked to Joanie and told her how I feel as if the track events might actually save my life instead of killing me. I think she is seeing my point and I have all winter to get her on my side. Have I told you how much I love her?
This article appeared in a previous issue of the RUMBLE