The right track day can prove incredibly useful to riders of all levels. Experienced riders who have frequented the track know this well. Those who are new to the track begin to see the benefits almost instantly. If you have never been, I encourage you to do so at your earliest convenience. If you live in Southern California, Classic Track Day should be at the top of your list of track days to experience because the community of riders are cool and welcoming.  

Looking at me sitting atop my Street Triple might be one of the funnier things to witness on the internet. I look like a gorilla f***ing a football and at 6’5”, there are few motorcycles I look “normal” on.

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To be serious, all I can do is cringe when I look at these shots from my last track session with Classic Track Day at Streets of Willow out in Rosamond, CA. There is nothing wrong with the photos shot by Scott Murphy but rather, there is a lot wrong with my technique. 

There is a lot to unravel looking at the photos but let’s start with the positives and then dive into some deep self-flagellation. If you plan to become a better rider, then a self-critical eye is a must. 

The Good:

The hardware is tight. The Triple is unbelievably planted and dialled in from a performance perspective. I'm carrying a lot of speed and I’m feeling much faster overall. My skills are sharp, I’m smooth in all my inputs, and my confidence is high on the circuit. All good stuff, yay!  

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The Bad and Ugly: 

The list is long. Most obvious is my body position. Everything feels tight. My hips are super stiff, my right leg has not regained 100% range of motion, and my lower back pain has been....well, a pain in the ass. I’m suffering from a lack of physical mobility. I’m also not accustomed to being folded up like a pretzel.

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I need to actively stretch, so I can get my body off the bike and create that triangle of light. I also need to get my butt back and give my upper body more latitude to move. Some of this is also being hampered by my size and the Triple’s ergonomics. But I think beginning to limber up and focus on some small bodywork, I can carry less lean and just as much speed. 

One thing compounds another. My lack of body position has me riding to the point where I’m maxing out my clearances at lean. That’s a solid testament to how amazing the Dunlop Q3+ Sportmax are but I cannot get my toes and big ass feet any further back on the stock pegs. In numerous turns, I’ve begun to drag peg and even my toe sliders so aside from limbering up, the next big bike upgrade will be rearsets. Ugh...I can hear the maxim being shouted from the cheap seats, ”track days are expensive.”

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To be thorough, I sought some outside analysis from my bud and expert level rider, Rennie Scaysbrook who confirmed a lot of what I already thought. “Rear sets are always a good move, get your ass further back and give your arms and chest more room to move,” he went on to say, “mate, you need a bigger bike, you look cramped on that thing.”  

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Triumph Motorcycles America, if you happen to have a spare Speed Triple lying around, gimme a holler. 😂

I have no intention of racing or becoming a racer. I don't have the ambition or the finances to do so. But I completely love what the track offers me. A place to push me and grow as a rider. This triple will remain in my stable because it’s all I have and I’ll be honest, I love this f***ing bike. It’s a total weapon and a blast to ride fast.

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SAM'S BONAFIDE LIST OF AWESOME GEAR
I get zero out of this, it's not sponsored in any way, I receive no kickbacks. I want you to know about brands that make rad shit. It's that simple

Alpinestars Missle 2 Race Suit with Tech Air

Alpinestars SMX6 Boots

Racer Gloves USA

AGV Sportmodular Matte Carbon