How To Ride A Motorcycle At Laguna Seca Raceway

Numbers-wise, there are more ways to make mistakes at Laguna than to succeed. It’s a tough track, in places. But the mystique is undeniable. Designed when danger was considered necessary for racing, Laguna is from a different era. Even with lengthening and updates, it’s a track designed to lull you into a false sense of accomplishment.

The chance to race at Laguna is a no-brainer. The gray skies and dead stares of Midwest winters require escape. We grew up watching the three-story drop of Laguna’s famous Corkscrew on ESPN. Time to meet the legend.

About 25 East Coast and Midwestern nobodies have shipped their bikes and dreams to this hallowed asphalt for a weekend of amateur racing. This is thanks to AHRMA, the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association. It’s technically a trackday weekend. But we know better. It’s real racing, with skid marks, fights, trophies, and everything.

So what’s it like racing at Laguna for the first time? What wisdom do Laguna veterans have to impart? What’s the secret to hitting apexes every time? Or not signing the infield dirt with your ass? What’s the best way to cheat death at Laguna?

I put these and other questions to a wide cross section of leather-clad Laguna newcomers and veterans.

Dave Roper

Motorcycle legend and Laguna Seca veteran

What are you racing today?

1970 Harley-Davidson Sprint single. Various components from slightly different eras. The front brake is from a 1967 A1 Kawasaki. The engine cases are ’73, but the head’s from an earlier one.

You’ve raced here before, obviously.

Many times. I don’t know exactly how many, I’d have to check the records. I raced here before they added the infield for the Grand Prix. I raced on a Matchless G50, but I also raced Battle of the Twins. Both with an XR 909cc Harley and a TT1 Ducati.

What makes Laguna special?

The Corkscrew makes it special. It’s a beautiful location and it’s got a lot of history. Other than the Corkscrew, it’s straightforward. It’s a nice mix of fast and slow. Over the top to turn 1 is pretty thrilling.

Besides the Corkscrew, what turn is problematic?

After the Corkscrew, there’s that left-hander, Rainey Curve. I find it challenging because you’re not on the gas, and you’re not on the brakes either. You’re sort of just, “Uhh, how fast can I take this?” You can make real time there if you get it right.

What would you tell a first-timer?

No special advice here. You sneak up on it, do some laps so you know where you’re going. Having raced here, I figured I know where I’m going. But the first lap I went through the Corkscrew under a red flag and blew it because I forgot how tight it was. In retrospect, it was good I did the first lap under red. Kept me from doing something stupid.

What’s your advice for cheating death at Laguna Seca?

Ha. Do lots of laps. Have your s—t together. Practice early. Have a reliable bike so you can think about lines and so forth. People think they need trick stuff. It’s way more important to have a reliable bike. Later, you’ll figure out what to mod. Hey, that reminds me of a story.

I will listen to any story you’re willing to tell me.

In 1984, I ran Battle of the Twins, and at that time they had four classes. Stock production, modified production, and some others, but I was running Grand Prix. I was one of the quick guys, and in the race I lapped some of the bikes twice. But I also entered the same bike in the Formula 1 race, and Kenny Roberts lapped me twice. I thought that was neat, being at both ends of the spectrum. Same bike, same track. There’s always someone faster.

Dan May

Software entrepreneur and Laguna Seca newcomer

What are you riding?

My BMW sidecar and a 1972 BMW 750 B.E.A.R.S. (British, European & American Race Series). Unfortunately, my sidecar had mechanical issues.

What makes Laguna special?

It’s forbidden fruit. All my heroes raced here in the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s in MotoGP. I remember the famous Stoner-Rossi battle in ’08. I remember the battles between Nicky Hayden and Colin Edwards. The Americans had an advantage over the Europeans. Rossi couldn’t hang because those guys knew the track.

What’s the most memorable thing that’s happened so far?

Getting a semi-truck together for 25 East Coast and Midwest riders was memorable. We’re 10 percent of all entries this weekend. You’re welcome, California.

What’s your advice for cheating death at Laguna Seca?

Ride the track, enjoy the track. Don’t defeat the track. Try to beat it and the track will beat you. The worst way to end this weekend would be in an ambulance ride back to Chicago. I feel like I’ve cheated death at other tracks, but not here.

Michael Sierra & Mark Muraoka

Zero Motorcycles engineers and Laguna Seca veterans

What are you racing today?

Michael: I’m racing a 2020 Zero SR/F. An electric bike.

Mark: I’m on an SR/F as well.

You both work for Zero?

Michael: Yeah, Mark and I are engineers at Zero.

Do you guys, um, engine-brake?

Mark: We use regenerative braking which can be adjusted in rider modes or custom levels in the phone app. I’ve never raced gas bikes. I use no regen because I like controlling my stopping with the brakes. It can be dialed up, probably to V-twin levels.

Michael: I turn the regen braking all the way down too. It heats up the motor and we really worry about thermal management when racing these things.

What’s your advice for cheating death at Laguna Seca?

Michael: The braking zones and apexes are all well-marked. So keep track of those; go slow your first time and figure out how to hit those and you’re golden.

Mark: Turn 3 is tricky. It seems pretty easy, but we have the most incidents there. People feel like it’s the first “normal” turn, so they come in too hot. I think it’s also slightly off-camber. But like Michael said, it’s a track that’s pretty approachable if you take it easy. There’re a lotta little nuances to getting that last little bit out of it. Don’t underestimate turn 3, and, yeah, brake early and work up to it.

Any tips for placing or scoring wood?

Mark: Ha, no. Michael was much faster.

Michael: I don’t have any tips for placing. Just have a good time and try to go faster than everyone else!

Mark: I got a better start today and trusted myself to get through more of the field before turn 2. Michael beat me there yesterday because I wasn’t aggressive enough. Funny, they place us at the back of the class because we used to be slow. But now electrics compete with the fastest bikes in AHRMA!

Mark Morrow

Journeyman bike guy and Laguna Seca newcomer

What are you racing today?

1976 Yamaha RD400.

So why’d you come here?

As a kid, the only time you’d see MotoGP on TV was at Laguna. This was the track. With the recent noise problems, I thought, “They’re never gonna have races for club guys.” But when it came up on my Facebook feed, I was on the phone within 30 seconds.

What’s the most memorable thing so far about this weekend?

That’s hard, it’s been an epic weekend. Had success on the track yesterday (Saturday). The most memorable thing was Jan Ringnalda letting me take out his Honda CBX1100. I did four laps on the beast.

How beastly was it?

It’s the opposite of an RD400. Take everything you learned about small-bore two-strokes and throw it out the window. You can park the CBX in corners, trail-brake into the apex, pick the bike up, get on the gas, and get out. The RD uses every inch of the pavement. With the CBX, I used a third of the track.

Besides the Corkscrew, is there a turn that’s problematic?

Turn 2 is scarier than the Corkscrew. But it’s my third day here, and I’m still occasionally missing the Corkscrew and hitting rumbles on the inside. Braking into turn 2 is far more challenging.

Yeah, turns 2 and 3 are hard. I don’t think anyone went down in the Corkscrew.

Turn 3 is the first right-hander. It gets everybody because tires are cold.

What’s your advice for cheating death at Laguna Seca?

Ha! Ignore the videos. They don’t show elevation changes. This track winds around a small mountain. Anything with a blind corner, go slow first. You gotta crawl, then walk, then run.

Brian (B.J.)

Etech track photographer and Laguna Seca veteran

You photograph motorcycles for a living?

Yes, I photograph motorcycles for a living. It’s great.

Awesome. You’ve raced or ridden here?

Mostly trackdays, a few races. It’s a beautiful place. It’s iconic and a bucket-list track.

Are you always positioned at the Corkscrew?

I try and move around, to get variety. But on Sundays, I make sure I get everybody a couple times in a race. So I stay here all day.

Have there been any issues at the Corkscrew?

People blow it, but it’s well paved. The worst that can happen is they cross over the track. But most people have their heads on right, and can dodge if they have to. No incidents so far.

What’s your advice for cheating death at Laguna Seca?

Hilarious, that should be the title of your article. Stay in your own head. We’re not winning money, just a plaque. Everybody’s friends here. AHRMA is great, everyone contributes in some way. There’s every kind of machine you can think of. Favorite race organization, hands down. Better than all the club racing back East, it’s a family.

Bonus Laguna Track Notes

Be careful entering the track. Really. The hot pit entrance is a 6-foot wide hairpin turn. Don’t be that guy who crashes here. Like the one guy this weekend.

Turn 1 happens later than you think. Whenever you think, “slow down,” don’t.

Turn 3 isn’t hard. But 25 percent of all track incidents happen here. Cold tires, nerves, and “racing-itis” are usually to blame.

Turn 6 needs little braking. It dips, cambers, then heads uphill. Just carry your momentum. Unless you’re going 110 mph or something.

You can’t pull off Rossi’s “pass in the grass” anymore. First off, it was never grass, just dirt. Second, now it’s paved. So whatever. Go head and try it.

Nobody crashes at the Corkscrew all weekend. Let gravity work it’s magic. It’s Rainey Curve that induces “pucker moments.”

Speaking of which, visit the bathrooms before racing. It adds about 0.4 horsepower. You’ll notice a difference on the front straight.

The safest strategy is to simply not race. When broken down, air-cooled two-strokes are extremely safe.

Did your bike grenade? Steal a pitbike and head to the Corkscrew and take some pictures. No one seems to care if your bike’s street-legal, but wear a helmet.