Cougar Tracks: A Cougar Goes Racing

For the start of this story we are going to have to get into the way back machine and travel to the summer of 2011. There I am, an overweight, middle-aged woman with a 650 V-Strom, not a motorcycle known for speed. I've been riding motorcycles for many, many years and the thought of racing, while attractive, hasn't really played a part in my life. For the last couple of years one of my buddies has been encouraging me to buy a track bike and keeps sending me ads for likely prospects. I look at them, think "How fun would that be!" and forget about them. Now finally, in the summer of 2011, I'm ready to pull the trigger and give it a try. I tell another of my friends that I'm thinking of getting a track bike and he says "What you want to do is try supermoto! There's a club right here in town and they have a track night every Tuesday at Western Speedway. You should check it out." Yes, maybe I should.

OK,, I'm listening,, Go on.....

At this point I don't even know what supermoto is but Google is my friend A little research and I'm introduced to the world of dirt bikes on 17" slicks :eek1 Holy crap! This looks like a riot!

(Guess I should mention here that at this point I've ridden on dirt less than half a dozen times in my whole life (see my other threads) )

So on a warm summer evening I head to the track to see what this supermoto is all about. It takes all of 10 minutes for me to be totally hooked! How did I get to be 55 and not know about this?!?

You go girl. I am liking your style.

I too was an overweight middle aged (well the body of a middle aged woman) man when starting to race.... Love it, I'm in for the story!

So now I need a bike, but what bike? More research. I hang around the pits, ask questions and watch. There's lots of KTMs and quite a few DRZ400s. Being a total noob I know I need a bike that won't scare the pants off me (translation - kill me). As well, after a summer of trying to learn how to handle a V-Strom off-road, I would like a bike that I can put dirt tires on and use as a dual-sport. Everything about the Yamaha WR250X appeals to me. Fuel-injected, street legal, low maintenance but still has some get up and go. As a bonus I can touch the ground The perfect bike comes up on Craigslist - a 2008 WR250X with 4200 km
It isn't long before it's mine

Looking forward to the story Cindy...

Supermoto is where it's at alright. I was in my mid 30's when I just had to try it. Most fun I've ever had on a bike.

I too am a middle aged nOOb racer...Subscribed

You shoulda bought a KLR!!!!

Thanks for the encouragement everybody .........

and squonker

I spent the winter riding the WRX around the backroads of Vancouver Island getting to know it. It was love at first ride, what a fun little bike!
In the spring I put a set of Kenda K70s on it and took it to Death Valley. It spent a lot of time napping but that wasn't due to any short comings of the bike






Lost Rider photo

Looking Good Cowgirl! Learn from every "nap"

With your title alone your off to a much better start then my overweight middleaged guy goes racing thread

Nice

So this is for SM? or offroad? doesnt matter, I'll come along for the ride anyway

racings racing who cares what kinda tires it has

My plan for the 2012 supermoto season was to watch and learn. I wanted to get more proficient on dirt and get familiar with the new bike. The local motocross track offered classes complete with bikes and gear so I started there.



The season runs from the beginning of April to the end of September. I went to the Tuesday night supermoto practices and hung out asking questions, getting to know people and helping where I could. I got pretty good at track sweeping The local track is a car racing oval and the supermoto courses incorporate the track, the pit lanes and an access road. The club built a very small dirt section which is used occasionally and a couple of times a year they use part of the neighbouring motocross track. New courses are set every week. It's a great club and everybody is very friendly and helpful. There's generally 20 to 30 riders out every week and they ride in alternating "A" (advanced) and "B" (beginner) sessions.



Then this gets announced



Time to put the street tires back on the WRX!

Teaser video for the 2012 Victoria Supermoto season

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Man,,it looks like theres some great people organize'n supermoto at that track.
Wish there were motovated people like that at a track near me.
Your gona have a blast!

The big day arrives! It's just a track day but it's my first time and you know you always remember your first

There's a few other n00bs although I'm by far the oldest. I wonder what the other riders think about having this old, fat woman in their midst. One of the experienced riders is going to lead us around the track for a few laps so we can follow his lines. I'm nervous even though this is a no pressure situation, I don't really know why. I consider myself an intermediate rider and I can ride fast (I think). I scrape the pegs on the Wee from time to time and there's no chicken strips on it's tires. I've been riding the WRX quite a bit and I'm comfortable on it, why am I nervous? Maybe just because it's a new situation and people are watching

We set off on what's supposed to be a moderate pace and it isn't long before I realize I'm totally out of my depth. Soon I'm all alone. At least I'm mature enough to ride my own ride and not push myself to keep up. And I'm having a great time! I love this! I do start to speed up as I get used to the track but I still get lapped OK, let's go a little faster then. I come around a sweeping turn into a tighter turn into the pit lane, grab some brake and now I'm sideways! :eek1 That's not a good feeling. Somehow I avoid the high side, straighten out and keep on going. A few laps later we're called in - it's over way too soon! I'm so stoked I can't stop talking, it's a total high (not like I'd know )

Thinking it over afterwards there's a few things I realize. Unlike street riding I need to keep my revs much higher and not shift so much. I need to brake later and get on the gas faster in the corners. I also get a few pointers about handling the bike, not to try to muscle it around so much and to look through the corners more. Next time I'll do better, but when is that going to be?