Photography by Bob Stokstad
“I still get shivers down my spine the first time I ride the Nürburgring each year,” says Nicki Weber. This is no neophyte speaking, but the instructor who will lead our small group around the longest and arguably most challenging track in the world. Not to worry, though, by following Weber we’ll take the right lines and keep the rubber side down.
The Nordschleife—the northern loop of the Nürburgring—is a 13-mile-long track that winds through the rolling countryside of midwestern Germany. Since its 1927 opening, it has earned the respect of those who’ve raced on it. Scottish racecar driver Jackie Stewart once called it the “Green Hell” and the name stuck. Then, the 73-turn course was lined with hedges and trees. Now much of the greenery has been replaced with steel—guardrails and reinforced chain-link fencing—designed to confine careening vehicles. The few run-off areas are small by modern standards. So it’s not surprising that motorcycle racing has been banned on the Nordschliefesince 1995; it’s just too dangerous. Endurance and vintage-car races are the few competitive events that still take place there.
For motorcycle rider training, however, the Nordschleife is a superb facility. Five laps for 99 euros (about $130)—that’s the Ring Spezial offered annually to the motorcycling public by German motorcycle magazine Motorrad through its subsidiary, the Motorrad Action Team. It gives riders a chance to get their feet wet on The Ring for very little out of pocket; nearly 300 took advantage of the deal this past September.
Among the 30 instructors on hand was 66-year-old German Helmut Daehne, who holds the fastest “officially timed” motorcycle lap record of 7:49.71 on his Honda RC30, recorded in 1993 during the Zuverlässigkeitsfahrt series. Although others have gone faster since, the legendary German rider’s time is considered the quickest officially certified time for the 20.832-kilometer course.
The Nürburgring is a motorcyclist’s Mecca.
The intermediate-level group sounded right for me and my BMW R1200GS. Not fifteen minutes after arriving at Nürburg, I was listening to Weber explain the rules of the road. “Follow my line, ride in line, don’t pass and if someone falls down the last rider should stand at the side of the track with helmet held high [to warn oncoming riders].” Like Daehne, Weber is a certified Ring nut, the side of her Yamaha YZF-R6 is decal with the phrase Lieber Nürburgring als Ehering, which translated means “Rather the Nürburgring than a wedding ring.” Now that’s dedication.
At first, the pace seemed moderate, even easy. Weber rode smoothly and effortlessly, but it was clear that she was riding in her mirrors as much as looking ahead. The pace soon picked up and I was riding at the edge of my comfort level. This is the point where the Nordschleife works its magic. With so many turns and their different characteristics, it forces both concentration and confidence—you have to trust that the instructor’s line and pace are ideal. For me, it was this total commitment in a corner, a surrender of self to the bike and trust in the traction that produced an emotional high after each apex.
After I’d rotated to the caboose position of our group, I experienced my most difficult lap. Behind five other riders, Weber’s perfect line became blurred. I had to think for myself and began to lag. But each time I came to the long straight at the 20th kilometer, I felt a sense of accomplishment—I’d made it another lap.
After five laps I felt great, relieved that I’d kept up and hadn’t made any serious mistakes, and felt just a little proud. Therefore, I easily understood why several in our group bought another ticket to ride 65 more miles in the afternoon. Even riders, who had plunked down 800 Euros for an intensive all-day training class the previous day, were opening their wallets for yet another go-round.
The Ring is remarkably accessible. The Nordschleife is open to the public year round and anyone with a scooter, motorcycle, car or bus can take a lap. With these other vehicles on the track, moving at very different speeds, it must make the public sessions way more hairy. That is why Motorrad’s Ring Spezial is unique, because the other traffic is absent and you have an experienced instructor to help you get around the course at the limits of your ability, safely.
If you’re planning a trip to Europe in the future, check the schedule at www.motorradonline.de/de/action-team/trainings/222144 and experience the Nordschleife for yourself. You won’t forget it.
