The trouble with track days in the UK is, quite simply, that they are in the UK! The tracks themselves are fantastic in the main. No, the problem is the good old British weather. Generally speaking, you just can’t rely on it to play ball. Having gone to all the trouble of booking up your track-day, getting all prepared and excited only to turn up on the day and find that the British weather ‘is doing its thing’ and the rain is pouring down. Add in at least four months of miserable weather over winter and the course of action becomes clear: Head for the sunshine!
Head for the Sunshine
In this case I plumbed for the fabulous Almeria Circuit in Spain. The track is part of a complex of two circuits, the other is called Andalusia. I have ridden that too. It’s good but Almeria is better. It’s website proudly boasts of 365 days of sunshine a year. That will do!
All Arranged!
Three of us got together and arranged the whole thing via Focused Events. They Loaded our three Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat bikes into a truck and took them and gear etc over there and we then just had to organise flights from our base in Scotland.
The Thundercat pairing. All ready for track action in sunny Spain
Down to the Action!
What a fantastic four days we had on track! The Thundercat certainly held its own! We were getting noticed. With the YZF’s being the oldest and smallest bikes there that isn’t surprising. Whether it was people coming around asking what size engine they had fitted or if they had been tweaked or tuned. None of them could believe we had been on track and overtaking multiple Kawasaki ZX10R’s, Yamaha R6’s and so on riding twenty year old bikes. We were just having great fun. These bikes are amazing: There is no better feeling than going around the outside of an expensive, powerful bike on an old Thundercat!
Almeria Circuit. Check out that sunshine!
Prepping up the bikes in pits
Yep it is a twenty year old 600
Yes that is a 27 year-old Thundercat going around the outside of an expensive superbike
In the words of the song. Yes sir I can boogie!
All three of us, John, Brian and I came out here and had great fun. Not only that, but we also learned a lot and improved our riding. Danny Webb, ex World and British Superbike racer was impressed with us! He said that we exceeded his expectations: I think he thought we would be a bit well, sh!t!
Cheap can be Quick!
I got my best track time over the four days on the black Thundercat I brought to test, for which I only paid £350 to bring over as back up. I used my usual mount which is the white one in the pictures for three days. But the lads were moaning I was beating them because I had work done to it. So I took out the cheap black bike. I was two seconds quicker on it! The white one was still set up for Knockhill circuit and the black one had gearing better suited to Almeria. This just goes to show you don’t need to spend a fortune to have great fun on a track bike.
Team Thundercat on Tour
Danny Webb was impressed with me!
Collateral Damage
I am going home with a pair of boots trashed, Knee sliders trashed, and a clutch needing a little TLC.
New sliders might be needed
and boots…
But the most important thing is all three of us are going home, fit and healthy with great memories.
We will be doing this trip again and I think we did the Yamaha Thundercat community proud. If any of you fancy doing a track day just do it and if I go again, you are welcome to join me!
Great fun, great experience, great pals.
Story & Pictures:
Stuart Moss – February 2024
Editor:Tony Donnelly
Boring Bits:
Costs:
£480 – Focused Events for the first bike. £250 for an additional bike.
(This is a good price, four days at Knockhill is £600)
This included:
Bike transfer/delivery to and from the Almeria circuit from their base in Stoke.
Hotel accommodation (B&B) for four nights in decent 3 star hotel. Nothing flash, but comfortable and clean
Flights:
£60 per person
Obviously the above will vary dependant until time of year etc, but a useful guide.
Insurance:
£90
Oh and allow for new sliders, boots and clutch!
We went in late February 2024
Blog is based on a Facebook Post from the UK Yamaha Thundercat owners group and used with permission