MY VIEWS BY PAUL FRYER
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The Ducati Experience @ Cadwell Park
The first tip for going on the Ducati experience
would be to turn up with plenty of time in hand for you to calm down, relax,
listen to the briefing in comfort and have a cup of tea. All things I missed
the first time I went, although I wasn't allowed out without a summery of the
briefing. One to one tuition from the start then!
Next tip would be to bring your own gear. They do provide
everything you need but it's not in the best of condition and the helmet gave
me a headache very quickly. I'm sure, if I had said something it would have
been changed, I just didn't want to miss track time.
It's not long before you're out on the track, but if you
only came to pull huge wheelies at the top of the mountain then disappointment
is waiting for you at the tight hairpin that lets you see the full course but
takes you back around the short circuit. Oh, and wheelies are rather frowned
upon by the instructors anyway (wheelies by you, that is; they, however, spend
most of the time saving front tyre wear).
So you go off and learn the track, following the yellow 916.
There were two pupils on red 748's to each one of them the first time I went,
but now it is one to one tuition. Cadwell is a tricky place and it is a good
few laps before you want to even think about actually winding on the power as
you descend into Mansfield. First time round it feels like a cliff face!
After 5 or 6 laps the cones kind of make sense and one of
you is given the lead. I was teamed up with someone quite a lot slower and so
this was the worse bit of the day. When it was then my go, he did manage to
keep up, so good on ya' mate!
So 3 or 4 laps later you pull over and swear blind you are
now ready to take Carl on, only for the instructor to tell you about missed
apexes, slow turn ins, and pathetic breaking points. Oh well, off for another
blast and your final chance for a knee down at Park corner. It would have been
so cool had I not run wide and onto the rumble strip!
A year later and I'm back for more. I've bought my sister
along to take photos and we arrive in good time to listen to the full briefing.
I'm up for the Super trial this time, which will give me 50 minutes or so on
track. With my own brand new Arai on my head there are to be no repeats of last
years pains, nothing to distract from a great day on track.
Before you know it we are out and within a couple of laps
the cones are really falling in place and my instructor leads the way past everyone
else. This year I really will be able to take Carl on! We've done about 10 laps
when we pull over for a rest and a chat. A really good chat at that, 'where
do you think you are slow or fast? Where you really are slow or fast? Where
are you worried? What would you like to work on?' The instructor this year appears
totally interested and only has one person to think about, you! A big grin is
smeared all over my face at all times, except when hooking up neutral into Mansfield
and going up the escape road! I even appear to be getting the right line through
the Gooseneck too!
At the break he asks the big question, 'Do you think you
can go a bit faster then?' 'Sure', I reply thinking about shorter breaking distances
and earlier throttle applications out of corners.
What I wasn't thinking about was front end wash outs at Charlies
and a 80+mph get off!
Thank God my Sister was there to drive me home, after 4 hours
at the A&E in Louth hospital and a knee bone poking out looking at me, not to
mention a fractured heel, I didn't fancy the long drive.
If I hadn't of fallen off there was still another 20 minutes
of blatting around, more than enough to totally exhaust you, murder most of
your arm muscles and contemplate wrist replacement surgery, but it was still
a magnificent day and if you fancy doing Cadwell without risking your own bike
then go for it. It's actually pretty good value for money.
However, if you want to take on the mountain, which has to
be the scariest proposition on two wheels, then you'll need you own bike and
a track day. Having learnt the short circuit with Ducati, my first long circuit
ride with 100% Bikes was oh so cool. Maybe I was a bit slower on my ZX7R but
then I didn't get anywhere close to crashing. I have 2 more track days coming
up in June, Mallory and Cadwell, with new D207RR tyres on the bike, these should
be the best days of this year. I'll keep you posted.
Paul
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