The View From the Cheap Seat

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Anders T. Carlson at Wisconsin's Road America raceway.
Anders T. Carlson at Wisconsin's Road America raceway.
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Learning the art of push-starting in the pits at Grattan.
Learning the art of push-starting in the pits at Grattan.
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Learning the art of butt placement lap-by-lap at Michigan’s Grattan Raceway.
Learning the art of butt placement lap-by-lap at Michigan’s Grattan Raceway.
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Anders T. Carlson slightly nervous on the first day at Michigan’s Grattan Raceway.
Anders T. Carlson slightly nervous on the first day at Michigan’s Grattan Raceway.
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Competitive eating with Jason Koschnitzke, Jonas Lumayag and Kristen Baustert in the pits at Road America.
Competitive eating with Jason Koschnitzke, Jonas Lumayag and Kristen Baustert in the pits at Road America.
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Matt “Matte Black” Joy.
Matt “Matte Black” Joy.
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Jason and
Jason and "Goldie" at Road America
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The pits are full of Japanese road bikes turned racers, along with vintage Harley-Davidsons like this handshift beast.
The pits are full of Japanese road bikes turned racers, along with vintage Harley-Davidsons like this handshift beast.
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The pits are full of Japanese road bikes turned racers.
The pits are full of Japanese road bikes turned racers.
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Airhead get low. Johnny Scheff aboard his BMW R75/5.
Airhead get low. Johnny Scheff aboard his BMW R75/5.
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Joe Haupt in hot pursuit of Anders at Blackhawk.
Joe Haupt in hot pursuit of Anders at Blackhawk.
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The View from the Cheap Seat: Motorcycle racing for the masses, with AHRMA
The View from the Cheap Seat: Motorcycle racing for the masses, with AHRMA
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A different sort of trike makes a great pit bike.
A different sort of trike makes a great pit bike.
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Cheating death, drinking beer at Blackhawk.
Cheating death, drinking beer at Blackhawk.
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Instant toe-slider replacement; race-sponsored by duct tape.
Instant toe-slider replacement; race-sponsored by duct tape.

I always thought of racing as one of the most entertaining ways you could threaten your existence. Or so I imagined, never having set tread on a track as a competitor.

As amazing as it is absurd, the idea of throwing life and limb around a track in order to be “first” is probably something you either get or don’t. Childhood thoughts of racing Formula 1 and Group B rally cars are comfortably just that, childish thoughts. The cost and time commitment to even the most basic levels of professional racing make it an impossibility for all but the most dedicated and delusional. I’d never given much thought to any sort of racing, much less motorcycle racing.

But then the subject came up at a party over a few too many beers. I said “no” a lot at first, but every time I said it, I meant “yes.” And then I finally said what I meant. Yes, let’s do this. I’ll spend a few hundred dollars to sort of do what I’d dreamt about as a kid. How could I not? The person guiding me in this mission was Jason Koschnitzke, proprietor of Motto Motorcycles in Chicago. Having built quite a few race bikes and helped a number of novices onto the track, he‘s a good ambassador for the sport.

“You’ll have an amazing time. It’s easy, and you can use one of the old Hondas,” Jason says. “I don’t know, I wouldn’t want to mess up your bike,” I reply. “Nonsense,” he retorts, “the bike’s already been crashed many times.”

Pulling in favors from the greater Chicago Vintage Motorcycling community (known as ChiVinMoto), I buy race leathers that smell like the bunker they’ve been stored in for the last two years. I score cheap boots, use my old winter gloves and finally buy a new helmet. I register for track day at Michigan’s Grattan Raceway, and sign up for Team Chicago’s race school. Though moderately pricey, I soon find out why this track day is cheaper than most — Michigan is cold in April.

  • Published on Oct 15, 2013
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