What’s that hump on your back?
I was over at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum offices last week to pick up some forms for the new Indiana special-recognition Hall of Fame Museum motorcycle license plates. I figured if I was going to get special plates for the bikes, I might as well support the folks out on West 16th Street with the group fees.
After Greta took care of all the paperwork, her curiosity got the best of her and she had to ask what the hump was on the back of my leathers. Oh, yes, I do suit up with all the protective gear whenever I’m on two wheels as I was this day. After she had broken the ice, several other gals in the office also added their inquiry about “the hump,” to Greta’s curiosity.
In past editions of “The Experience,” I’ve shared with you my position on always wearing the right riding gear whenever I swing a leg over a motorcycle seat. Yes, I do get a lot of curious looks, but it’s also amazing how many people appreciate the purpose of the right gear. Remember my soap box?
Well, Greta’s inquiry about “the hump” on the back of my leathers is probably the most asked question I get from people.
In just over two weeks, the Red Bull Indianapolis GP will be making its debut at the Brickyard. For only the second time in 100 years, motorcycles will be laying down rubber across that Yard of Bricks on the new GP course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Rider equipment has changed significantly over the past 100 years. Back in 1909, rider safety gear consisted of a leather jacket, leather pants, gloves, lace-up boots and a leather “helmet” with goggles. At 80 mph, even the thought of bailing off must have been pretty painful.
The advancements in motorcycle technology have been equally matched in rider safety equipment. A bail-off at 150 mph speeds or more with today’s protective gear usually results in not much more than a few bumps and bruises. Today’s leather road race suits are chock full of protective padding, armor, ventilation, hydration and aerodynamics. Several manufacturers are even working to integrate airbag technology into the suits to protect today’s racers.
So then, what is that “hump” on the back of my riding suit that so many people ask about?
The “hump” actually serves several purposes. First and foremost, it provides a lot of upper spine protection to the rider in the event of a fall. It also limits how far the rider’s helmeted head can snap back in a tumble. From a performance standpoint, the “hump” acts as an extension of the rider’s helmet to smooth out the airflow over his back, reducing air drag and helmet buffeting. A more recent innovation has added a water bladder inside the hump with a sipper tube for rider hydration during endurance events. 1993 500cc World Champion Kevin Schwantz talks about rider gear in his “MotoGP 101” video from the MotoGP test this July at the Brickyard. Kevin also addresses a question from the press group about the “hump.”
Greta, I hope this answers your question about the “hump,” and I look forward to seeing you all next week at redbullindianapolisgp.com.
Greg
Getting ready for the big show!
Yup, I too missed my blog last week, also a victim of nothing good to talk about! Sorry.
Things are starting to look pretty good over on West 16th Street. The Allstate 400 at the Brickyard is behind us, and the new GP road course has been set up. Over the next several weeks, there will be a lot of fine-tuning of the facilities and lots of training going on as all the support folks get ready as the first motorcycle event in 99 years at IMS hits the Brickyard.
Last Saturday morning, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway corner marshal team conducted their orientation and training day. This team has supported many four-wheel events over the past years. The Red Bull Indianapolis GP represents the corner marshal’s team’s first experience with motorcycle race machines and rider equipment.
To help this crew with their first MotoGP experience, members from ABATE Indiana and the Nashville Superspeedway will be working side-by-side with the IMS corner marshal teams throughout the event.
The Experience, that’s me, enlisted the help of a local motorcycle racing enthusiast and fervent track day participant, Jeff Henderson, to help with the IMS corner marshal training. Oh, and by the way, Jeff is one of my more persuasive friends, nudging me back into the track day scene! When he’s not suited up in his racing gear, Jeff is principal of Bloomington High School North. Wow, when I was in high school many moons ago, our principal was pretty boring by comparison!
The machines and participants of the Red Bull Indianapolis GP introduce a lot of new procedures and equipment for the support teams at the Brickyard. The fleet of IMS tow trucks will be sitting idle and replaced with a fleet of pickup trucks with motorcycle ramps.
Moving fallen motorcycles off the course involves a lot more “muscle power” than moving race cars. The corner marshal teams experienced getting a disabled machine out of a gravel trap. Many times the bike and rider are uninjured and need a push to get back on course during a practice or qualifying session. The teams practiced push-starting a couple of my race replica street bikes with Jeff and I aboard.
If the participant is done with the session after a fall, the motorcycle gets transported back to the garages in the back of a pickup truck while the rider catches a “Moto Taxi” back to the pits. The training Saturday morning included an opportunity for the corner marshal teams to load and unload a race bike into a pickup truck.
IMS executive Mel Harder lent his track bike to the crew, and it was the lucky recipient of a lot of “man handling” throughout the morning. Although he had a big smile on his face, Mel must have been gritting his teeth underneath that big grin!
All-in-all, the training Saturday was a great experience. The IMS corner marshal teams had an opportunity to learn a lot about the MotoGP race machines. Jeff and I also demonstrated some of the protective gear the participants will be wearing, which is very different than what the race car drivers wear.
Tickets are in the mail, and it’s now only weeks away from the inaugural running of the Red Bull Indianapolis GP, so I’ll see you all next week at redbullindianapolisgp.com.
Greg
When good friends can be a bad influence!
Well, it finally happened.
For the past couple years, I’ve been easing myself back into the sport motorcycle scene after about an 18-year hiatus. My road-racing experiences as part of a privateer team in the AMA Pro Superbike Series and WERA Grand National Series came to an end in the late 1980s. My “need for speed” has lain dormant now for almost two decades.
Over the past months of “The Experience,” I’ve shared with you my journey back into the world of motorcycles and many of my experiences of this yet-another midlife crisis.
An experience I’ve definitely enjoyed has been venturing out to Putnam Park Road Course in Mount Meridian, Ind., to hang out and watch friends participate in motorcycle track days. I’ve also offered some guidance about how to participate in a track day experience but never with the intention of participating myself. Recently I even stood on my soap box and expounded on the importance of appropriate riding and safety gear.
Through all this time, I’ve steadfastly held my ground and resisted the frequent temptations to get back on the track. I thought my long dormant “need for speed” would stay sufficiently suppressed by vicarious enjoyment of watching my buddies on the track.
Well, you all know that last Monday was my first day back to the grind after a month of vacation. What I didn’t share with you in last week’s “The Experience” was that Monday was a pretty short day in the office. A particularly tempting call from a good friend resulted in a quick bailout from the office followed by a ride out to Putnam Park to hang out with the guys from Ducati Indianapolis at their track day co hosted with Commonwealth Motorcycles from Louisville, Ky.
As with past visits to Putnam Park, I was totally content to watch the day’s activities from the sidelines but was immediately bombarded with peer pressure to join the fun out on the track.
I did put up a gallant effort but eventually succumbed to the extreme peer pressure. Some day, I need to learn to JUST SAY NO!
Also, watching from the sidelines has never suited me too well!
After a quick prep job to the bike, I proceeded to join the boys on the track and clicked off over 35 laps on my Ducati 1098 S Tricolore. I wish you could have seen my ear-to-ear grin inside my helmet!
Has this long-dormant “need for speed” bug bitten me again? Has this most recent midlife crisis taken an abrupt turn of course? Time will tell.
I’m not sure who to blame; my boss for letting me bail out early on my first day back to the office or my good friends over at Ducati Indianapolis for forcing me out on the track.
Good friends can definitely be a bad influence!
See you all next week at redbullindianapolisgp.com.
Greg