Aprilia makes a good showing at the Little "T" track day. Photo by Keith Norrod

Minds out of the gutter everyone. I am talking knee pucks on the tarmac and throttles to the stop here! Get you leathers on, your bike in gear and go do a Sportbiketracktime.com track day as soon as possible. If you ride a sport bike, or a standard of any description, and you have an overwhelming desire to ride as fast as you like for as long as you like, with out having to worry about taking free government accommodation, then a track weekend is just what you need. For immediate help with the problem log onto www.sportbiketracktime.com and check out when the next event is. I am bleary eyed, weak kneed and worn out from the most incredible weekend I have spent in a long time, or I would go look it up and tell you myself.

Author Neale Bayly scrubs in new tires. Photo by Keith Norrod

The first morning of the weekend found me uncharacteristically late for the early morning riders meeting. I got there in time to hear Monte tell everyone about the safety flag procedures and asked Nancy Johnson to clue me in on the rest. Then it was time to track down the Mille, throw on the leathers and go for a ride. Now, just when I am thinking things couldn't be looking better, the good people at Aprilia won't let me take the bike. They are insisting they put a new set of super sticky Pirellis on for me. Unaccustomed to such treatment, I went off to find my screaming kids so I could get back to reality. Minutes later, I found myself heading for the racetrack and my first of many sessions that I would have over the next two days.

Neale and son Patrick interview Reisha Mills

Wandering around the pit area, people had come from all over the country. Aprilia's Randy Miller was along with a small crew of Aprilia staff (responsible for providing my Mille and fitting the new tires) riding RS 250's at high speed. Another young lady who was attending her first track day was Pamela Kelmer from Madison, Alabama. Riding her immaculate 1993 Honda VFR 400 she was having the time of her life. Not willing to give her age, other than to say she was born in 1951, she was laughing and chuckling as she told me. Pamela was riding in the novice class, and was enjoying the personal attention of one of Sportbiketracktime.com's instructors. As part of a small group, she was being led around the racing line at a conservative pace all the while gaining confidence and picking up speed. Pamela was positively glowing about the experience, and I enjoyed her animated actions as she demonstrated how she had been hanging off her Honda and pinning the throttle down the straights. With pre-track instruction, and extra class sessions throughout the weekend, a novice rider is going to feel as relaxed as is possible in this environment. Monte and Bonnie are the perfect hosts and Monte's talks are short, concise and filled with humorous anecdotes. Don't think this relaxed attitude is in anyway going to compromise safety or promote reckless riding. Monte is very quick to point out this sort of behavior will find you removed from the track: Immediately! This is not a race weekend; this is a time for dedicated riders to go and have fun in a safe environment and explore the limits of their machinery and riding skills.

The school sessions are highly practical and a lot of focus is put on the riders "vision." As one of the ways a rider can immediately improve their skill level, I know we are all going to be better, safer riders next time we hit the street. Diving deep into one of the Talladega's tight left hand corners a little too fast, Monte's voice echoed in my head, "look ahead to slow things down." Doing just that, I carried on round, grinding a little knee puck and safely making the turn. With the instructors sitting in during the class sessions, riders were able to ask questions and get qualified answers: something you don't often get the opportunity to do. Monte has a great way of keeping things light, even when dealing with such important subjects, and one of my favorites was while he was talking about use of the throttle. For most people, the biggest cause of mishap is entering a corner and committing one of the three deadly sins: letting off the throttle, staring directly in front or getting on the brakes. With the end result usually being a ground-sky, ground-sky experience this was a good part of the class to pay attention to. Monte explained the need to use the throttle in these situations and in summation told us, "being on the throttle solves the problem 95% of the time, and the other 5% of the time it ends the suspense."

The Hwy 421 crew show up to test their skills on the track.

Track day instructor Mark Sheldon shows up the sportbike riders on his DRZ in the advance class. Photo by Keith Norrod

By Sunday afternoon, heavy rain stopped play, but not before we had enjoyed a great morning out on the track. Monte had reversed the direction for the day and this made it feel like we were on a new racetrack. As I mentioned earlier, I had one of the most fun weekends I have had in a very long time. Thanks in abundance to Monte and Bonnie Lutz for inviting me, Aprilia USA for providing a first class motorcycle for me to ride. The RSV Mille was just a sweetheart, with it's brilliant handling, super smooth, powerful V twin motor and the most incredible brakes. Laying rubber out of the fast turns and launching onto the back wheel during hard second gear acceleration, it was just an absolute blast to ride. (more later) Thanks also to all the corner workers, instructors, photographers and anyone else I have forgotten. Also, a huge thanks to Ron and Nancy for introducing me to Monte and Bonnie and for spending so much of their time riding camera bike. For feeding us, providing me with gas, tools and support. Personally, I have found a new drug, and can't wait till the next weekend: see you there!