The BMW Motorrad Motorsport Race Academy... (English version)

All the good friends from Latin America at the  Racing Academy 2013

Do you know what does it mean to put all this man over a supersport bike from BMW?

The simple feat to accomplish a correct driving position without suffering much for all injuries to shoulders, knees, elbows, feet and wrists I've had the pleasure to treasure and bring some comfort to the belly, was enough training to understand the concept to correctly handle a SuperSport bike such as a BMW  S 1000 RR.

Knowing  how demanding a training session like these is in a matter of physical constitution, the fact that I have the perfect figure to present several examples of imminent health problems, I did what I could to not participate... use all logical excuses that I occurred and also some very illogical, but in the end there i was in Zandvoort, Holland ready and willing to get on one of those rockets on wheels.

A week earlier, at BMW Motorrad days 2013, I was introduced to Maudie Veenstra, head administrator to the Race Academy for BMW Motorrad Motorsport, who finished convincing me saying that she had gotten me Huge size gear so i  had no excuse for not participating. I had no more excuses, so I took the plunge and travel from Munich to Amsterdam on Monday. (Another good story i'll eventually write)

900 + kms of riding a BMW R1200RT makes you think and convince yourself of anything. There you had me the next day ready, set and willing to learn all you can and enjoy a few laps of the famous circuit next to the famous pilot in one of those bikes that cost me so much to understand.

BIG Man size gear: said of that leather racing pants, sliders, suspenders and all, which Maudie made a flagman friend of her, probably his sub-alternate, lend me for the two days of riding. With serious signs of wear, I discovered that night when i wash my compression tights, ample evidence that the pants had probably never been washed. After literally 20 minutes to get all me inside the pants, made my way to the opening speech ready to beat my fears.

The course, a course with very high level of content, with clear examples and useful tips. Thousands of hours of experience on the instructors, mostly hobby and professional racers, in the case of my personal trainer, Dutch policeman with hundreds of thousands of miles on a motorcycle. The manager, a beautiful and successful lady pilot in the Dutch Racing Championship with a sense of exceptional customer care. BMW Motorrad standards are very high and somehow  Maudie and her team managed, thanks to their impressive experience, exceeded all expectations.

The two day course was intense 20 minute track sessions and breaks where instructors showed us video clips explaining bad postures and curve lines to correct errors in the following training, all full of tips and anecdotes that made the racing course one of the most interesting events in which I have participated.


Of course fatigue will win. At the end of each day was very difficult to ride the bike to finish the last practice. They say that every effort has its reward; the second day I went out so late to the last track session  that there was no bike for me. A tiny person on top a HP4 realizes what was going on and he gets off the bike and offers it to me. I could not believe it. Troy Corser was one of those semi-gods I saw so many times race on TV, offered me the bike that was about to travel around the circuit. I forgot all the pain and fatigue, I got on the bike and made my way to the starting grid to go ride a HP4 as you should!

After finishing the course, the obligatory pictures, dead from exhaustion and a smile that an orbital sander could not delete, we prepared to continue the trip back to Munich.

After a year of having lived this fabulous experience, I can tell a thousand nonsense stories about that trip but more importantly, I can assure you this has been the motorcycle riding course that I consider most important to which i have attended. The most important because now I feel more comfortable on the bike, especially on curves, knowing what I'm doing after knowing my limits, which felt quite lower than what they achieved to prove me. As to correct two or three simple things make you a better rider, safer and more accurate in handling either within the circuit, roads or even in my passion, off-road. I can not imagine what such training would do for someone who is passionate about a SuperSport bike.

INFINITE THANKS to Maudie and her team for such a magnificent experience.

José del Busto R. Guatemala.