Nurburgring Nordschleife Circuit - Riding "The Green Hell"

BMW Motorrad Race Track Training
BMW AG in Germany has been hosting riding clinics to help customers (and potential customers) better enjoy its products for many years, but this was the first "race track training" course to be held at the Nordschleife. The company has been working very hard to overhaul its perceived brand reputation as of late; long thought of as a motorcycle for older, mellower riders, a slew of exciting new models with serious performance has been introduced during the past few years in an effort to attract a younger clientele. The plan has been successful to say the least, with BMW posting record sales across the globe and reestablishing its dominance as the number-one European motorcycle manufacturer.

The two-day course consisted of a short orientation class on the evening before the first day, where riding theory and bike control were discussed. But the two days themselves were filled with nothing but riding, which was fine with the assembled riders who were itching to ride the fabled circuit. Although there were about 50 or so riders total, each group was no more than eight, with two or more instructors to a group to ensure everyone got the proper attention. The first half of each day encompassed repeat riding drills through a few sections of the course, with the rest taken up by doing laps of the Nordschleife. Obviously, there was no way to do repeat drills of the entire circuit, so the instructors concentrated on important sections of the first half of the loop.

What's it like to ride the Nordschleife? Imagine taking your favorite canyon road, merging it with your favorite racetrack, and you'll have a fair idea of its magic. And it's not just the circuit's length; the sheer number of elevation, camber and radius changes that come at you in rapid-fire succession during a lap will test your riding skills to the fullest. Because we had exclusive use of the circuit, there was no pressure to get laps in, and we didn't have to deal with traffic woes and other possible hazards that normally accompany public lapping, so we were able to experience the Nurburgring's multifaceted challenges without any distractions.

I must admit that I was a bit worried when we were informed during the orientation that all riders were required to follow the instructor in single file at all times and that passing was not allowed. I had visions of boring laps, droning around at a snail's pace-but nothing could've been further from the truth. Our primary instructor, Peter Sperlich, was one seriously (and deceptively) fast rider, and he did a fantastic job of teaching us the intricacies of the Nurburgring while still keeping a very quick-and fun-pace. The instructors were also careful to keep people within a group speed they were comfortable with; some of our original party who found the pace a little too fast easily found another group whose speed was much more to their liking.

My experience racing the Isle of Man TT in '97 and '98 taught me that an ultralong course like the Nurburgring can't be learned corner by corner, especially in the span of a couple of days. Instead, it's far easier to break the circuit up into sections, which allows a much quicker familiarization process. By the end of the first day, I had a pretty good grasp of the course; by the end of the second day, I was pretty confident in where I could maintain momentum in the many blind corners, and could easily do a fairly quick lap without any surprises or mistakes.

In fact, our group's speed was high enough that toward the close of the first day, Sperlich had former 250 Grand Prix star Jurgen Fuchs lead us around for some laps. The pace livened up even more, and it was a treat watching how he attacked certain sections; interestingly, some of his cornering lines differed from the "correct" line that we were taught, showing that there's more than one way to get through a corner.

Easily Worth The Price Of Admission
Riding the Nurburgring was a fantastic experience that should be a "must do" on every sportbike rider's list. Although it is obviously a bit of a financial stretch for the average American rider, if you are ever in Germany with access to a motorcycle and riding gear, it is highly recommended. Besides the public open track times, there are also numerous motorcycle-specific track days held by various clubs/organizations; a quick search on the Internet will easily get you the necessary information.

The BMW Motorrad Race Track Training two-day course at the Nurburgring Nordschleife is held only once a year, due to the costs and busy schedule of the circuit. For its 995 (about $1400) fee, you must provide your own fully fit and ready four-stroke motorcycle and complete riding gear, but your two-night stay at the exclusive Dorint Nurburgring Hotel adjacent to the Grand Prix circuit's front straight plus all meals are included. A similar one-day Race Track Training course is held at the famous Salzburgring circuit in Austria, for a cost of 390 (about $550). These training courses (as well as many on- and off-road rider training courses and tours) are run by BMW AG in Germany, so your application must be sent to them directly; see your BMW dealer for details.

For American riders who can't foot the bill for a transatlantic flight, bike acquisition and course fee, BMW of North America will be offering motorcycle training courses at its $12 million BMW Performance Center near Greenville, South Carolina, by the time you read this. Again, see your BMW dealer for details.

Special thanks to Edelweiss Bike Travel tours for the loan of the BMW R1200S (which handled the Nordschleife superbly), and the four-day motorcycle tour through the German countryside prior to our Nurburgring experience.