2007 SV650: Project better late than never

[V1GiLaNtE]

Team Pro-Motion at Summit Main.

This was my very first track day with Team Pro-Motion. I opted in for their first time on track class called "ART" or Advance Rider Training. Basically half the day was classroom and riding sessions heavily supervised by coaches with the later part of the day ride at your own pace. I thought the event was very well organized and due to it being Easter weekend it was like having a private track. I think about 40 riders showed up for the entire day spread across Novice, Intermediate, and Advance. 

I made my way to Summit Point Bed and "Brefast" Friday night and was up early Saturday AM. Tech/registration started at 7am and I got there promptly to get my space setup, bike on stands, and prepped. Basically all lights need to be taped up. Inspection was smooth and all that needed to be addressed was tightening up a bolt for my frame sliders and giving my chain a little more slack. 



After that it was a riders meeting promplty at 8:30 followed by our first classroom session. Most of the classroom sessions felt like refreshers for me with emphasis on line, vision, body position, etc. Where it really pulled together was the track time. Motorcycle track days are interesting in that you're not blasting around the track with an instructor on your pilon seat whispering into your ear "Turn,  BRAKE BRAKE BRAKE, GAS GAS GAS".   So it's a unique position where you're completely in control for your lines and bad judgement. Riding coaches are staged throughout the group utilizing hand signals to help guide you throughout the track. Our first session was supposed to be "slow", but I found our pace more than what they were alluding too and I was excited, comfortable, and in control. Hoping off our lead coach admitted we had moved the pace up from what you would usually do. 

My coach in my 3rd session became non-existent after the first 2 turns at Summit. Due to traffic and the no passing rule for us new guys, I found myself alone and riding my own lines and pace.  I felt comfortable on track and picked up my pace to find myself in a group of Novice folks, but not brand new and in the ART school. Working through some other ART attendees I ended my session feel good and I'll admit competitive. I found the coach "Troy" and he apologized and assured me he would lead me out for the next session. 

Troy took me out for my session post lunch an we had picked up the pace even more. I followed his lines and hand signals working though the track and gained confidence as every so often he would look back and give me a big thumbs up. We worked our way through a few slower folks passing on straights and out of apexs. My buddy Evan was there and he happened to time my laps with Troy. I think my fastest lap was a 1:40. Not that at this stage time mattered but it was cool to see over the 9 laps I continued to shave off about a second. 

The rest of sessions were mostly ride on your own and I took the opportunity to work the track and enjoy myself. I never once found myself in an "oh shit moment" or out of my league. I think I was easily at or about 130mph on the back straight. One of the biggest joys and yet frustrations was the power difference in the SV compared to the 600s. I found my pace much quicker than others (both ART and regular Novice folks) and would work the turns to my advantage. Particularly making outside passes at Turn 3, 9, and 10 or attempts rather. Countless times I would take the outside after the APEX carrying more speed than the rider in front of me and find myself side by side WOT only to have them give it more and then drop me on the straights. I'm guessing this is the woes of the miata life. 

I received a lot of positive feedback from coaches on my pace and form and they acknowledged I was further along then a lot of people. With that being said, I received feedback about working on maintaining a consistent line and keep looking further ahead than you think. 

All in all it was a fantastic experience with the little SV that could. A commuter beater than was hanging with a Ducati 1199 Panigale in the turns and let me get a knee down on track for the first time all while ringing it to an inch of its life on the straights and twisties. Hard to believe I just started riding roughly 5 months ago.