On October 1st, I attended an event called Femmoto in Las Vegas, NV. Speed Vision TV was there filming - I made part of the cut!! (see it here - warning: 18.5MB file)
During the summer of 2004, while healing from a broken foot, I heard about a spectacular all-women’s even called Femmoto. It was a combination Demo-day and track day. There were several manufacturers present willing to allow a group of all female riders to test their bikes on the track. I was both excited and sad. The event sounded ideal: test new bikes, travel to a new track, and ride among women. That was exciting! The sadness came from not having spent more than 100 miles on a motorcycle at that point and no chance to log more miles before the event due to my foot. So I set my sights on 2005.
Fast forward – spring 2005 and Femmoto announces the date & location: October 1st, 2005 at Las Vegas Speedway. I’m beyond excited. I’m going to Vegas Baby! We scrimp and save and as a surprise to Louie, I save enough for both of us to ride the track day on October 2 (sponsored by Sportbike Tracktime). We’re all signed up and the planning begins – road trip with the truck and trailer, 2 bikes and all the gear. We’re both excited.
We plan on leaving September 28th. On September 26th, I get bad news. I’m laid off my job, they’ve run out of work. My industry is strong right now though so I make the choice to take the layoff as a vacation and our plans don’t change. I update my resume before we leave but otherwise put it out of my mind, I’m determined to enjoy my ‘freedom’ and have a great time in Vegas. September 28th rolls around, the trailer’s packed, the bikes are prepped, no gear forgotten, we’re ready to hit the road. Louie finishes up work around 6pm and we join rush hour traffic headed south. Most people are headed for home; we’re excited to be heading for so much more!
Let me sum up the drive for you: Long & boring & long. We passed time by talking, watching the portable DVD player, playing word games, listening to music, and the passenger sleeping. We stopped for about 3 hours around 4 in the morning – even with switching off driving, we were both exhausted. Prudent move. Woke up and got back on the road. We left a day early in anticipation of visiting a friend near Vegas (http://www.unklals.com/). He welcomed us with open arms and we had a lovely visit. We spent the night holed up in Needles in order to make the last hour of the drive refreshed.
Friday, September 30, 2005. I see Vegas on the horizon – so far, I’m not impressed. Its daylight, it’s hot and dusty, but I’m refreshed and excited to get a closer view. Our hotel reservation is at the Sahara – we’re roommates with a couple I met online (in a motorcycle forum – Hi Cycle Angels!). Siu Yan and her hubby were coming in by plane later that day so we got checked in, settled in and we wander a little bit while I soaked in the sights and sounds that are Vegas! Up close I was WAY more impressed, even in the daylight. I was looking forward to seeing it all lit up after dark. We blocked in the trailer in the hotel employee parking lot (we figured thieves were more likely to bother the guest parking than the employee parking) and Louie and I loaded into the truck with Heather and Brian and headed for the track. I was out of my skin excited.
As we approached the track, we couldn’t figure out which entrance was both open and would lead us to where our track day organizers were. And I was anxious to get there and get signed up for the bikes I wanted to ride. Without knowing which models the manufacturers were bringing, I had my heart set on riding a few 1000cc bikes as well as a couple of the new 600’s. The manufacturers represented there were:
As we stood in the registration line, I kept my eyes and ears open for the best way to maximize my ‘late’ arrival. Registration started at 6 and went until 9pm, by the time we arrived, it was 6:30. We figured we had plenty of time. Turns out we were very nearly “too late”. After I got registered and got my ‘Dance Card’, I made a beeline for the long line at Aprilla – my goal was to get signed up for the Mille I spied as we drove up. I was in love with the look of the bike and wanted to see how it ‘fit’ me. Heather was in line in front of me and we made new friends as we made our way torturously to the front of the line. I was getting nervous – a lot of women were asking for the beautiful Moto Guzzi Griso that was there but I overhead a lot of requests for MY mille. *grin*. Heather made her request “Mille please” and the sign up guy gave her one of two remaining choices – she conferred with me and took the later session, leaving me with the first session of the day. The Aprilla rep wrote my name next to the bike number, filled out my dance card, and I danced over to where Louie was waiting for me in the Kawasaki line. Next goal: the ZX10R.
The Kawasaki line was much longer but talking to all the women around us helped pass the time. The Kawi representative came around with a pictorial guide to the bikes they brought. I still had my eye on the ZX10 as there are a lot of friends who, with a little bribery, would allow me to test ride their 600 cc bikes but not one (in their right mind) would allow me to pilot their ZX10. My luck in this line was not as good. By the time we got to the front, all the 10’s were spoken for. 636 was my second choice and there were several sessions open for those. With only Buell and Kymco left as choices, I decided to sign up for 2 sessions with the 636. 2nd and 3rd session now filled and I headed off to Buell with nothing planned.
Buell’s line was short so when I reached the front, I’d not had a chance to gander at the bikes and see what there was to offer. The woman at the table was helpful however and I was quickly signed up for both the Lightening and the Firebolt. One of the Buell reps brought on my first of very few frustrations of the event. When I was trying to decide between the 2 bikes, he butted in and suggested that one might be “too big” for me; not engine cc’s but height wise. I don’t have anything to prove to anyone but I don’t like my choices being limited by other people’s perceptions. I might not be tall but as long as I can reach the pegs, I can RIDE it! And I told him so. And he went back to polishing the Buell’s as I signed up for both bikes.
By this time, we’d been at the track for a couple hours, it was dark, we were hungry. A group of friends were meeting at one of the buffets in town and our roommate had made it in to town and we were anxious to meet her as well. So back into Las Vegas we headed. Dinner was quick and delicious and we all split up to our rooms for a decent night’s sleep before the big day tomorrow.
Next day dawns bright and early and we head back out to the track with a truck full of friends, all of us equally excited about the day ahead. We’d all compared dance cards and figured out who we could watch and who we would be on the track with. The noise level rose as the track came into sight….
They split the track into 2 parts – Track A was for the Buells, the Aprillas, and the Moto Guzzis. Track B was for the Kymco and Kawasaki’s. The track at Las Vegas is flatter than what I was used to – in Seattle we’ve got elevation changes and trees and only a few corners at a time are visible. At Vegas, you can see the WHOLE track from any vantage point. This was a confidence builder though as they didn’t do a ride-around with any riders who hadn’t been on the track before. The bikes were lined up in the hot pits, the reps were ready to help the riders if they asked for it, and the riders were ready to GO!
Bonnie called a rider’s meeting and we all gathered around to listen to the rules, meet the representatives, thank the sponsors of the event, and go over the procedures for the day. She spoke passionately about the importance of the women who support the day, the gratitude to the sponsors, and thanked us all for coming and making the event a success. The riders were broken up into their groups, the Track A & B explained, all as our excitement level grew to a frenzy. We were sent off with a “have fun – be safe!”
I found my way back to our pit where Louie was working on setting it up. I suited up, found my gloves and helmet, and tried to contain myself until it got a little closer to start time. I was nervous – this was someone else’s bike, a new track, friends I’d only just met watching. In my head, this spelled embarrassment, disaster, and worse. But I was excited too – I just had to remember that I had nothing to prove, I was here for fun, that although I was a new(ish) rider, I was a GOOD rider. And the first bike was the one that I most wanted to ride.
As I mentioned before, the bike I came to ride was the Aprilla. So I headed over to track A to find “my” bike. They were very well organized and it was only a short period of time later, I was standing next to the Mille. I could tiptoe one side so I waved away the offered help and climbed on. I loved the feel of this bike under me. I was one of the first out there. But the rest of the seats filled up quickly with other women riders. And soon it was time….
The reps helped a few of the women onto the bikes and we were given a brief overview of the track rules, the bike etiquette, and generally reminded that even as the intermediate (top) group, this wasn’t a track day, it was a demo day and please treat it as such. We started up the bikes (mine Purred – I swear!) and the first wave was off. A few waves later (and a few lurches of my stomach), I was off.
The hot pits was longer than I’m used to but I used that time to take a few deep breaths, remind myself that the goal was fun, and to do a few shifts and put my hands on the levers to make sure I knew where they were (yes, I big IRRATIONAL fear of mine that I won’t be able to find the brake lever when I need it most!). The hot pits ended in the first turn and we were on the track. I sang in my helmet – something I do to calm my nerves. Amazing Grace was my melodic choice that day. The first couple of laps were tentative and slow – no passing allowed, learning the corners, getting the feel of the bike. By the third lap, I was in a groove.
The Mille was an easy bike to ride – it fit my unusual ergonomics perfectly. It responded to my commands with a whisper instead of a shout. I could slide off the seat and get closer to the ground with each passing corner. We were able to start safe passing about midway through the session and I was able to get clear of the traffic and really start concentrating on the bike. Without thinking about it, I was able to take corners smoothly, it accelerated with little effort, and I felt so in tune with this bike that I’d only ridden for a total of 20 minutes. And those 20 minutes were over much quicker than I would have ever imagined. But the grin? That lasted all day and for several days after. It still comes back when I remember this session.
After a few pictures of me on the bike, next to the bike, caressing the bike, I handed it back to the rep and headed to my now fully set up pits and a curious Louie. I didn’t have the words to answer “How was it?” at that moment. I would be later that day that I would be able to compare and contrast the various bikes in an attempt to describe that first session. I was in love. But now it was time to go watch friends ride and to get ready for my remaining four sessions.
After watching a few friends ride – some for the first time on the track – I headed to the Kawasaki tent at Track B to find the 636 I was signed up for. I chose the silver one and started it up. I tried in vain not to compare this inline 4 to the twin of the Mille. The inline is quiet, at least in comparison, and I had a hard time adjusting. The reps led us to the hot pit lane and we started out for the track. I wondered a few times as we headed for the track if the bike was even running. For the first part of the session, I couldn’t hear the bike and the tachometer was in a visually difficult spot. So I fretted about shifting and wasn’t able to focus on the riding aspect as much as I would have liked. By the end of the session, I was getting smoother and shifting more instinctive I was looking forward to taking it out again: this bike was to be my session 3 bike as well.
I climbed off, headed for the pits and loads of cold water. It was hot out and I knew hydration was key. I watched a few more friends ride, relaxed in the pits, and met many new friends. As time came for my next session, I wetted my hair down, drank another bottle of water and headed for the Kawasaki tent for a second go around with the 636. As I got to the line up of bikes, I got a sinking feeling. It was like kindergarten all over again: the music stopped and there were no chairs left. All the bikes were occupied!! I learned from the rep that one of the 636 had been crashed (rider ok, bike done for the day) and she was very sorry, but there was no bike for me to ride. It took me only seconds to recover from the disappointment and remember why I was there: Fun. And next door to the Kawasaki tent? Kymco scooters and cruisers – I headed over.
The Kymco rep was ready and waiting – and so was the cruiser model they brought to the day. I inquired about taking it out, explaining briefly that Kawasaki was short a bike and I just wanted out on the track. The proffered up their cruiser, I swung my leg over (it cleared!), and started up the bike. The rep sent me on my way with a final word: “Have fun on our 250!!” My first thought: “I’m riding one QUARTER of a bike!?”
That thought quickly vanished as I neared the end of the hot pits and couldn’t find the pegs. I was ‘peddling’ with my feet in search of the pegs…and did I feel foolish when I realized that instead of being located in their usual sport bike spot, they were in fact quite a bit forward of where I was searching!! From there my concern went to merging onto the already running session and quickly finding out where the top end of this bike was. 250cc was far less than I was used to but I was determined to have fun. Two corners into my first lap, I was alarmed by a sound coming from under me – and that distinct feeling of the pegs scraping asphalt. Being hinged, the scraping didn’t affect the handling of the bike much so I didn’t alter my speed or style. A few corners later, I added a second scrape to the bike: the exhaust. I wasn’t the first however and I wouldn’t be the last. I conquered the shifting on the Kymco cruiser and was easily keeping up and passing most 600 riders. I paced a few of the 1000cc bikes for the rest of the session – grinning madly the entire time. That was a fun bike to ride and I was now able to legitimately claim that I had ridden a bike to its limits!
I sheepishly handed the scarred bike back to the rep and ran back to our pit to tell everyone about how much FUN that little bike was!! And I hoped there was photographic proof of me taking to the track on it. At the pits, the women were dropping like flies. Not enough water, not enough sleep, and migraines were to blame. Some went back to the hotel, some just sat in the shade suited down, and I went to the cab of the truck for a 20 minute power nap (with the AC on). I woke up refreshed and ready for my last 2 sessions. Fourth up: The Buell Lightening.
The Buells were back at Track A and were named for easy identification. I was signed up for “Lucy” and none-to-easily threw my leg over her. This Buell is a tall bike – but I was back to a powerful twin and excited to ride the much heralded Buell. The rep was there helping women onto the bike and out onto the track. They also told us to give a thumbs up or down at the conclusion of the session to indicate help needed or not needed when dismounting. As I headed around this now familiar track, I had my first fright of the day: The bike lost power!
I knew it was running, it’s a notoriously loud bike, but there was a distinct loss of power. I searched the gauge cluster for a clue and found it immediately: The tachometer redlined at 7,000rpm and I had reached that. The rev limiter was to blame and I quickly shifted into a higher gear. And then another and another. Certainly different than I was used to – my race bike doesn’t reach redline until nearly double that. I was distracted by the frequency of shifting and wasn’t enjoying myself. Add to that distraction the fact that the riding position was uncomfortable (I really felt on TOP of the bike – over the tank – off balance) and at around 5,000rpm there was an alarming “clanking” coming from a spot in the engine directly below my head. This was the first session that I was happy when the checkered flag led us off the track.
Back in the hot pit, I signaled thumbs up to the rep, indicating as instructed that I had the bike under control and would dismount without help. Apparently, he felt otherwise and I ended up with help I didn’t need in getting off the bike. I headed back to the pits to talk over with Louie how I could make my next Buell experience better. The conclusion: I couldn’t. They’re a different bike. And I wasn’t happy that my fifth and final session would be on another Buell. But it was about fun. I had to remind myself.
A few more friends had called it a day and the number of riders had diminished greatly. It was with this in mind that I headed to the Aprilla tent. I talked to one of the reps there to find out if anyone had cancelled their fifth session and if I could switch to an Aprilla for my final ride of the day. I hoped beyond hope that a Mille would come available but wasn’t disappointed with the availability of an Aprilla Tuono. The rep explained that it WAS a Mille with touring bars. And I was set to ride it for session five.
