Dunajská Streda | Southwest Slovakia – My dream of driving a Ducati Panigale R on a racetrack hasn´t become a reality yet – the featured image that shows me posing with one, might have made you think it did. However, testing a Superbike for the first time was a great kind of experience nonetheless…
Usually I´m never lost for words but this really rendered me speechless. This is one of the reasons why I´m still near the Slovakia Ring in Dunajská Streda on this Sunday morning and why I didn´t depart yesterday as planned. I want to tell you in detail how my first encounter with a really fast motorcycle came about.
As reported, I arrived at the Slovakia Ring on Friday evening, checked in at the Ring Hotel and then drove to the registration for the race track event. I really liked the professionalism Roman showed with the registration paperwork. I especially liked the fact that I was assigned two turns with the superbike for the end of the day. That way I was able to get to know the course on my Monster by riding three turns. After that I could talk shop with Marco – grin.
After writing and publishing my blog for you in the evening after dinner, I fell into a short but all the more intense slumber. Awaking on Saturday at 7 am, it was somewhat different to other days. Today was the day I´d been waiting for so long. Me, the first time on a race circuit with such a great super athlete. The only routine that day were the procedures in the morning in order to quickly leave my room to get some breakfast and then get to the pit lane as quickly as possible. Everything else was pure adrenaline.
The evening before, I was lucky enough to meet some really likeable and fast lads from Upper Austria, who invited me to share their two pits (23 and 24) right away. Their support during the whole day gave me the security I needed. Late as always, I had to dash to the driver briefing. Being excited and all that, I almost forgot to take my iPhone with me. Again, a warm welcome from Philipp and our two instructors of the day. Philipp, together with Zwedi and Leo, told us very professionally and with routine the most important things in order to have a safe and joyful day on the course. The tire service of Michelin was also present.
Then everything went quickly. At 9 am, the track inspection took place with our two instructors, which is not commonplace in events like this, but helpful for people like me who are on this track for the first time. Two laps and then we stopped at a curve in order to discuss details on racing line and driving technique. The first three turns I drove on my beloved Monster. I was staggered by the totally different speed on a racetrack and despite great effort perpetually found myself exceeding the speed limit.
Since I learned from Stefan that this was not good for a two-cylinder engine in the long run and because my expensive set of tires suffered a lot from the faster laps, I decided to drive the second and third turn more carefully to spare the material, to learn the racing line and to focus on the two turns with the Superbikes. Besides, I realized that my little Monster with her 821 ccm and 107 HP was not well suited for the track and that I don´t want to do her wrong.
I was able to convince her and because she knows my love for speed, she permitted me the following fling- grin. My encounter with the new Fireblade was approaching. I was calm and focused but also very agitated inside. Zwedi´s firm promise to support me during my first turn on the wild beauty, namely to drive in front, behind and around me, calmed me down a bit. 3:40 pm, Slovakia Ring, my showdown: My first time being on a circuit and driving a bike of this category. Marco briefly explained the bike and then we finally got going.
I want to report on how it went in detail later in a post- coverage. I already watched some of my Go-Pro Videos and I promise you, they show quite impressively what´s possible for a newbie on this very down-to-earth-bike with the support provided particularly by my guys. However, I want to watch the video files more carefully at home, edit and then publish them for you. Well, now I have to get ready for the Slovakia Ring. I´m looking forward to further stunning impressions. I´m not intending to drive today, but who knows…
Text und Photos: Armin Hoyer – arminonbike.com, Fabian, Thomas und Honda Austria
