Yeeehaw! I finally get to see AND ride the Calabogie track

This weekend I took a trip up to Calabogie Motorsports Park.  I’ve heard so much about this track it was great to finally see it.  Not only did I get to ride the track, I got to ride it on a beautiful GSXR 600 rental bike from Turn2.  This was my first time riding a 600.  

Riding the pretty Turn2 GSXR-600 around the breath taking Calabogie Motorsports track

I pretty much spent most of the  morning feeling completely intimidated by the bike’s size.  I practiced getting on and off the bike, balancing it and making sure it stayed upright.  I eventually mustered enough courage to do a few laps around the pits.  I was used to stopping the way I was taught at RTI with my left foot on the ground so that I could use my right foot for the brake if I had to.  Unfortunately this totally did not work on the Gixer as I was then stuck, with my left leg barely tippy toeing and struggling to support the weight of the bike.  I was unable to shift over and put my right foot down on the ground so that I could then use my left leg to put the kick stand down.  A couple times I came in from my practice pit round and had to yell out for help for some one to come over and put my kickstand down and in some cases put the bike in neutral for me.  Thankfully it only took a couple times for me to break out of that habit.  

Coming through one of the blind corners

Towards the end of the morning sessions I finally managed to get out on the track and once I did I had a great time riding the 600. It was a complete pig in comparison to the slender 125 I was used to, but at the same time it felt more stable and confident in the corners.  It took a little bit more effort to get the bike to turn but when it did the feeling was linear and predictable unlike the very light and sudden tip over and dropping feeling of the 125.  And the straights… oh those were fun!  I was giggling silly in my helmet.

Staying at the back of the school pack, about to be passed by faster riders

I had an absolute blast on that bike on the track, however every time it was time to come back into the pits I was a nervous wreck just thinking about having to stop, maneuver, and dismount.  Getting used to the bike was only a part of the day’s challenge.  Learning the layout of an unfamiliar track was another.  Calabogie is a high speed 5.05 km long track consisting of multiple elevation changes and 20 challenging corners, most of them blind, of increasing and decreasing radiuses, on and off camber.  This is a relatively new track, it was open towards the end of 2006, and the track surface is still in pristine condition.  

George of Turn2 enjoying a munchie break

This was a great way to end my first season of riding with such a positive experience.  My 125 is definitely history, it’s so gone!  It’s just a question of what will I replace it with?