SIX STEPS TO SIDEWAYS

Going sideways on a bike is über sexy. And, with the right tuition, it’s also easier than you might think.

WORDS: DANGEROUS BRUCE

IMAGES: GARY CHAPMAN

CHAMPIONS FLATTRACK SCHOOL

Anyone remember Melandri taking the chequered at Phillip Island in ’06? It was one of those iconic Grand Prix racing moments that made one contemplate trading one’s left testicle for an ounce of that man’s talent. To us mere mortals, the idea of a one-handed drift at 140mph is up there with walking on the moon or marrying a Playboy bunny.

But, as unlikely as any of the above is, that’s not to say it’s impossible. Well, the sideways bit, anyway. See, buried deep within the heart of Lincolnshire isavery special riding school that’s committed to making people two-wheeled drifting gods.

It’s called the Champions Flattrack School and its run by European and British flattrack champ Pete Boast. Yep, the same guy who’s also something ofaTT legend and a dab hand at short circuit racing, too. Knowing full well of my general riding inadequacies, the legend invited me along to his base for a few lessons in going sideways.

I wasn’t alone when I arrived at the school in Glentham. It might have been a nipple-stiffening –3ºC on arrival, but that did nothing to blunt the enthusiasm of the 12 students who’d rocked up from all over the country for the day’s level one course. With more free tea and cake than you can shake a stick at, the harshness of the wintery morning soon gave way to excitement as us riders scoffed grub, signed on and gathered round Pete for a welcoming briefing. “We want you to draw the best out of today, so we’re going to split you into small groups with your own instructors,” he announced. Earmarked for Pete’s group, I was paired up with newbie rider Hassan and MX pro Ross.

The day’s playground was an enormous farm shed with an oval course outlined by straw bales. We were told to get our kit on before regrouping ready for the day’s first exercise – the slalom.

Who put that bloody cone there?

STEP 1 START SMALL

Bloody cones get everywhere, but there was good reason for their presence at the school. Most of Pete’s students had varying levels of ability, so to get everyone familiarised with the Honda CRF125Fs we were riding, the first task of the day was to simply steer in and out of a linear line-up of cones.

“Keep your knees pinned to the tank and your body upright,” came Pete’s instructions. With that, I hopped on my scaled down crosser and fired its 12bhp motor into life. There was absolutely nothing intimidating about the bike, which was plonked in gear by my steel-shoe clad boot and rode repeatedly through the slalom course.

There was no real challenge to the exercise, but it was a good chance to familiarise with how the bike handled, and how its dual purpose rubber turned on the surprisingly grippy clay surface. At the point of getting dizzy, Ali, Ross and I got pulled over and briefed about the next stage.

STEP 2 STYLE WITH PURPOSE

“Okay, so now the cones are going to get moved wider, which means you’re going to have to work harder to steer you way through them. You’re going to have to start using more lean angle and I want you to start using your leg as a guide.”