Noyes Camp UK

On Sunday I was down at Rye House with 19 other riders for the inaugural Noyes Camp UK. Kenny Noyes was out in sunny UK to give us a bit of training on going sideways. An ex AMA dirttrack Pro, Moto2  rider and second place finisher to Brad Baker at the Superpresigio in January - Kenny knows a thing or two about twisting the throttle. And is a heck of a good guy.

We started off with some theory - analyzing super some slo-mo videos of AMA #1 Brad Baker showing how it's done at the Superprestigio. Really insightful... and hard to get one's head around the balance of lean angle, brake and throttle. There are so many different ways of doing it... but the Baker way is the model.

We then headed out onto the dirt for some free practice and to try some different things. The track was over-watered (normal for Rye House) and slippery as hell for the first half hour. I went down once. No damage to bike or body... just a whack on my right elbow.

We then did a training exercise focused around going into turn 1 harder and deeper, turning the bike on the power, squaring off the turn and firing it out turn 2 in a straight line. This is something I learned to do at last year's pre-season training session... but tended to only use it when I went in too hot and landed up going deep. It's hard for a road-racer to the head around going into a turn hard and hot, completely missing the apex. Neeeeeed to practice that.

We did some technique filming (thanks Olly Bindle and Alan Birtwhistle), a few race drills (the art of the start) and finished with an hour of free practice. Besides the early slippyness, the track was great and hardened up nicely. Olly and Alan were also testing their new bikes in the new and totally pro-looking Kawasaki Dirttrack Team. They're gonna be at the front this year!

For the first time, I also got to ride a dirttrack bike that wasn't mine. Been wanting to do that for a few seasons now, to feel the difference. I have no idea what one should feel like. I just built mine and learned how to ride it. Vince Hurst and I swapped bikes for a session.

Wow. Wow. Wow. His DTX dirttracker felt so light, nimble and easy to ride. After a few laps of finding where everything is I started pushing on. Man!  Just so much easier and more forgiving to ride. Uncrashable! My big old KTM feels like it's on the edge of crashing most of the time and I'm working it hard to not crash. I thoroughly enjoyed it riding his rapier. A real weapon. Vince didn't enjoy my bike at all. He said after 4 or 5 laps he was exhausted and that it was just about to chuck him off the whole time.

The experience was enlightening, but disappointing too. Disappointed at how crap my bike is as a dirttracker. Kenny Noyes spent some time looking at it after riding had finished for the day and gave me some ideas on how to improve it. We'll try a few things. Would love a DTX bike to try be competitive on.

Overall, what an awesome day in the sunshine, going round in circles on motosickles with mates and learning something. Thanks Anthony Brown and all at DTRA for getting Kenny out to the UK and putting the event on.