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PALMER, MA – Back in late May, and for the first time in my long riding career, I participated in a day-long, track-based motorcycle training course at Palmer Motorsports Park. As a 25-year Motorcycle Safety Foundation-certified rider coach, I’ve always fully supported continuous improvement through rider education and practice, but I’ve been hesitant to attend an open track day.
My primary concern was that I’d heard rumor that these sometimes become a bravado free-for-all. I’m sure the rumor didn’t to all participating riders, but the reality is that it only takes one rider’s poor choice or a lack of predictability to ruin the day for others on the track.
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Check out the video of Steve Smith on the track at Palmer Motorsports Park…
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Secondarily, most track schools didn’t seem to focus on developing street skills and, in most cases, the participants tended to be riding sport bikes.
Lastly, many of the well-known track-based training courses were held at tracks that are several hours or more away from home.
Over a year ago, though, I read about Ken Condon’s Riding in the Zone Non-Sportbike Training course. I was pleased that he focuses on improving street riding skills using the track as a controlled environment, mostly at street riding speeds.
Condon’s training is specifically called “non-sportbike” where participants can ride ANY street bike that can pass the tech inspection. Reviewing his online literature and videos, I knew that he emphasizes safe training sessions by educating participants on expected behavior on the track and by promoting predictable riding.
These training days are typically run twice per year, spring and summer, and Ken runs them at Palmer, which is less than two hours from my home. With access so easy, I signed up.
The training day I participated in at Palmer was – even for someone with my extensive riding background – a beneficial experience.
During the tech inspection lineup, I observed there were many different types of motorcycles, including full-dress cruisers, adventure tourers, sport-touring, standard, dual-sport, and a few sport bikes. I rode my Kawasaki Concours 14 sport-tourer with the panniers and top case removed.
It was a terrific experience for me as you’ll see in the accompanying video. I gained additional cornering expertise as well as being able to practice trail-braking each revolution around the 2.3-mile track on a downhill set of reverse corners. I do feel that this type of training is for experienced riders, and not for novices, but anyone who takes the course will certainly come away with improved skills.
Many thanks to Ken Condon and his terrific instructors, especially Aaron, who captured the on-track video so I can critique myself over and over again whenever I get the feeling that I know more than I actually do. Yes, no matter their years of riding or skills, all riders need to keeping practicing and upping their game to be safer and more prepared out on the road.
(Correction – 6/25: This column originally and incorrectly stated that Ken Condon’s Riding in the Zone training courses are run through “Cycle Smith Track Days at Palmer and Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park…” Cycle Smith is independent from Riding in the Zone, although the two share some staff. It is not involved with Ken Condon’s courses, which are only conducted at Palmer. The column has been updated to reflect those facts.)
