2 Laps of the Island

Posted by BDMEC Admin on Apr 12, 2012 in Blog | 1 comment

Two Quick laps of the Island or

The Most Exciting Three and a Half Minutes of my Life

by Warren Walker.

As some of you may be aware I have been going to the Australian round of Moto GP every two years since 2005. This is done with a group of mates and work colleagues who have gone on each trip as well as some people who have come along for just a single trip. However because of work commitments several of the regulars were unable to make it last year. We therefore decided that for something different we would alter the plan and go the World Superbikes this year instead..

Because we consider our trips to Phillip Island to be a bit special we always stay in corporate facilities which provide hot meals, include premium drinks and offer spectacular views. At the Moto GP this has always been inside the track at marquees set up at turn four. We often thought about the pit roof facilities but had always considered it to be a bit too expensive. So this year with the costs for WSB being less we took the opportunity to book ourselves into the Pit Roof “Club Superbike” facility. This is an air conditioned glass fronted area directly above the pits on the main straight just back from the start / Finish line and with access to the roof above for views covering most of the track.

As per usual we divided up the various jobs involved in organizing the trip and I became responsible for obtaining the tickets to the event. While purchasing these I became aware of a prize involving a lap in the course car but didn’t really take much notice and quickly forgot about it. The Tuesday before the event I was surprised to receive a call from Phillip Island telling me that because I had purchased multiple tickets I had won a prize. When asked did I remember what the prize was I vaguely recalled this and thought this could be fun. Imagine my surprise then when I was told that I had actually won a couple of laps around the island on the back of an Australian Superbike. Apparently there was another competition I had been completely unaware of. After answering a few questions about height and weight and confirming that I would accept the prize I was told the organizers would be in touch. After hanging up the phone I started to think things like “Holy Crap, what have I agreed to” and “This is insane”. I was also a little concerned as I had only just started riding again after a six month lay off due to shoulder surgery. But rationalizing that this really was a once in a lifetime chance I decided that it would indeed be a good thing and excitement set in.

Arriving at the circuit on Friday we made our way to the pit roof but passing the media conference tent we saw a few of the World title riders giving interviews and autographs and decided to drop in.  At the front of the tent I noticed a couple of Superbikes from Team Honda and Suzuki set up with pillion seats and strange looking handlebars bolted across the filler on the fuel tank. Obviously these were the bikes that would be used for the pillion rides. While checking out the specs sheet I saw that although the Honda was still equipped with road going niceties such as mirrors, though they were folded back, it also had a full spec Australian Superbike spec engine developing 205 horsepower. I was suddenly very glad of those strange looking handlebars bolted across the tank.

Over the next few days I received a number of calls from the event organizers telling me that the ride would be conducted on the Sunday after the first race of the Australian Superbikes and immediately before the first race of the World Superbikes. Come Sunday myself and others who had won the prize gathered for a briefing and fitting of leathers, helmets, etc. After signing of indemnity forms and a quick medical check by a course doctor we were fitted up and told to hang around near race control while the next few races took place. This in itself was great as we were just parallel to the start/ finish line and a lot closer than spectators normally get.

There were four of us who had won rides as well as a few people who had scored a ride through dealings with the Suzuki and Honda teams. There were three bikes involved, Two Hondas and a Suzuki. They were to be ridden by Shawn Giles, Wayne Maxwell and Jamie Stauffer. Talking among ourselves one prize winner stated she had contacts within the teams and had been told that if she got a choice avoid riding with Wayne Maxwell as he was a maniac. As it turned out we didn’t get a choice and I was told that I would be riding on one of the Hondas.

After the Australian Superbike race finished, things happened very quickly. We were ushered onto the pit lane while the bikes were all taken for a quick lap by the riders to completely warm the tyres etc. As the bikes pulled up at the start line the first three pillions were let through the fence onto the track and quickly settled onto the bikes. A quick thumbs up from rider and pillion for the photographers and they were gone. Watching the bikes flash by at the end of the first lap doing somewhere in the vicinity of 260-270 Km/h certainly did nothing to calm the nerves which by now were making their presence felt.

As soon as the bikes pulled up the pillions were quickly escorted away and the next three led onto the track and assisted onto the bikes. As luck would have it, I ended up with Wayne Maxwell. Wayne had been dicing for the lead in the previous race when a holed radiator caused him to DNF. Thinking he was probable a bit annoyed with this and considering the comment made to me previously about him being a maniac I wasn’t at all sure that I was pleased that I was to be his pillion. Anyway we gave the thumbs up and we were off.

As we left the line I thought something like “Yea, it’s got some go” Then Wayne hit second gear and I felt the front end coming up. As he continued to change up the front wheel continued to stay off the ground and we appeared to be heading into turn one at some ridiculous speed with no chance of actually steering the bike. At what seemed to be stupidly late Wayne braked and we slowed to what appeared to be only a slightly less ridiculous speed before banking into turn one. About this time two thoughts rushed through my mind. One concerned the seemingly impossible grip slick tyres generated and the other was about the forces imposed on your body when cornering at these speeds. I was convinced that if I had let go of the handlebars I would have been torn from the bike and landed about fifty meters away.

But no time for that as we accelerated towards turns two. Basically a big hairpin we rushed through this and onto turn three. At this stage I had no real idea how fast we were going but it was incredibly quick. Braking into turn four, the slowest part of the track, was awesome. The forces generated felt like they were going to throw me over the rider and I could not believe the tyres could hang on and not lock up. As we exited turn four Wayne just poured on the power rapidly changing up as we tore through turn 5. As we did so I distinctly felt movement from the back of the bike, the tyre squirming as we hit another gear. By now I don’t believe it would be humanely possible for anyone to hang onto those hand grips any tighter than I was. Turns Six and Seven were dispatched smoothly and again the bike rushed forward as Wayne nailed it. Remembering the circuit maps I thought turn eight to be just a kink in the road but as we raced through it I was surprised by the huge amount of sideways force generated. It was like a violent push as we quickly changed direction at over 180Km/H. Rapidly approaching turn nine, Lukey Heights, I again started to doubt the ability of the tyres and brakes to slow us down and get us around the corner. As Wayne went from flat out to crazy insane late braking and then smoothly threw the bike into the turn I could only marvel at the skills he was exhibiting and talent all the riders must have. Heading down the steep hill into turn 10, the second slowest corner, I was amazed as instead of braking Wayne gave the throttle a twist and we accelerated down the hill before I was again subject to that feeling that I was going to somehow sail over the top of the bike as the brakes bit in and we quickly decelerated.  Turns ten and eleven were rounded up with no drama and then again we accelerated towards turn twelve.

Watching the speedo over Wayne shoulder as he leaned us into the corner I was amazed to see 184 km/H before he backed off. I could only see the speedo as we were cornering and I could peek over his shoulder but that quick look was enough. Exiting turn twelve and onto the main straight there was no hanging about as we tucked in and Wayne gave it everything. We flashed past the start line and headed off for the second lap. Later in the day Wayne told me we hit aout 290km/hr by the speedo although it reads fast and 270 was probably closer to the truth. All I know was that by the end of the straight the helmet visor was pushing against by nose and glasses and I was again totally blown away by how late we braked and the level of grip as we raced through turn one for the second time. The second lap was pretty much a repeat of the first only this time I actually came out of the seat as we approached turn four under braking. Again the back of the bike squirmed as we rushed turn five but this time I was prepared for the kink at turn eight. We were following Shaun Giles and his pillion as we did the laps but I noticed that towards the end of the ride we seemed to be gaining and I think Wayne may have actually backed off a little during the last part of the ride. Of course even if he had backed off it was still incredibly fast and more exciting than anything I had ever done before. Unfortunately just a I started to relax a little it was all over way too soon and we were pulling up at the finish line to let some one else have  a go.

After the ride was over the adrenaline slowed down and I was able to think back on the three and half minutes or so the ride took. Terrifying at times but more exciting and thrilling than anything I could have imagined. I don’t believe anything like bungee jumping or parachuting could even come close to the pure exhilaration of this ride. It took about four stubbies of Boags before I really settled back into the groove and relaxed to enjoy the rest of the day’s events.

Wayne went on to win the second race in the Australian Superbikes Round that afternoon. Apparently he also holds the lap record for that class of bike around Phillip Island so I was definitely in the hands of an extremely competent rider. Of course I now follow the Australian Superbikes more closely and barrack for Team Honda.

As I mentioned earlier I had a chance to speak with Wayne later that afternoon. He told me that the bike was a little down on power as the rebuilt motor had only done about ten kilometers. Seriously I hadn’t noticed.

Many people have called me many different things after telling them of this event. Some doubting my sanity and many expressed with the aid of certain expletives. I can assure you however that if any one ever gets the chance at something like this to grab it. You won’t regret it and it is probably the fastest you will ever go around a race circuit. These riders are really in a league of their own and most of us could only dream of going as fast as them, even if they are carrying a pillion.

How did my shoulder fare? During the ride I never noticed a thing but it hurt getting out of the leathers and later that evening it ached quite a bit. Was I frightened? Yes, there were a few times when I seriously doubted the ability of the bike to corner at the speed we were going. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat.