Why BATMAN???
I have been riding motorcycles, of one sort or another, since I was 14. I put riding aside in 1983, in part as a result of a notable crash and as the 'responsible' thing to do while raising a couple of kids.
The summer of 1999 a friend purchased a new motorcycle leaving his FJ1200 without a rider. Always willing to help out, I borrowed it for a couple of months to keep him company and eventually, after my wife got used to seeing it in the garage, I purchased the Yamaha and rode it for a while longer. Later that summer I replaced the FJ with a Honda Blackbird which I rode frequently, crashing occasionally, and getting more tickets then my insurance company approved of. I did my first track day at NHIS with MotoMarket on the Blackbird. I made a general bother of myself flying down the straights and parking in the corners.
Somewhere near the end of the summer of 2002 I traded the Blackbird for a Ducati ST2. In November, I traveled to Virginia International Raceway for a couple of track days with friends Jim W., Gil R., Mo I., and a bunch of folks affiliated with BCM.
The first day, second session after lunch, I was working to improve my drive out of the corners when, cresting the top of turn 7, I "lit up the rear tire" according to a control rider who was following me! I clearly recall the sensation, as I was leaned slightly right, of a short slide. My first reaction was "this will be OK". This was followed by the rear wheel 'catching' and my instantaneous thought was "oh, oh...".
The next thing I remember was stumbling around in a circle like I was stupid drunk. A corner worker quickly sat me down to wait for the ambulance.
The EMTs assessing my condition began asking a few questions.
"Do you know where you are?", they queried.
"Yep" I replied, "Virginia, at VIR for track days."
"Do you know how you got here?"
"Uh...umm...no. Not really sure. Did we fly down and rent a car? Or what?"
Finally, they asked if I knew my name.
To which I replied, "I'm BatMan!"
It was supposed to be a joke but it got me a ride to the hospital and a nickname that stuck!
Today, friends still call Turn 7 at VIR North 'Batman Corner'!
