The Inside Line: Laguna Seca Pirelli Track Day 2019

The Laguna Seca Pirelli track day runs the Monday after the US World Superbike weekend, and it is the part of the trip everyone actually looks forward to. The race weekend draws the crowds. Monday is when you get on a bike. This year I was working the weekend rather than spectating, which meant Monday was especially welcome. The Laguna Seca Pirelli track day arrived with uncharacteristic sunshine — no fog in the garages, no grey sky overhead. Just gasoline smell, familiar faces, and bikes waiting.

Laguna Seca Pirelli Track Day Setup: Alpinestars, Arai, and a Kawasaki ZX10R

First stop was Alpinestars. They had my gear waiting in the motorhome — helmet to boots — which matters when you are flying in from Florida and every extra bag is a negotiation. Alex from Alpinestars had everything sorted before I arrived. Arai had me covered on helmet. Kawasaki had a ZX10R staged for the day. That is a clean setup by any measure, and I was not taking it for granted.

The riders meeting ran efficiently, coffee and fruit on the table, and then we waited for sessions to open. One thing I noticed immediately at the Laguna Seca Pirelli track day this year: the number of women on the track. It has been growing steadily across every track day I’ve attended over the past few years. Watching women riding at pace in a field that has historically been overwhelmingly male is one of the better developments happening in motorcycle sport right now, and Laguna Seca reflects it clearly.

On Track at the Laguna Seca Pirelli Track Day: ZX10R vs ZX6R

First session nerves are normal. On someone else’s bike, at a track I’ve only done twice before, after a two-year gap in track days — the butterflies were present and accounted for. The first few laps were conservative: get a feel for the ZX10R, find the braking points, stop worrying about how tall the bike is. It settled in by the second session. By the fourth, I was starting to push properly.

For one session I switched to the ZX6R. I did not like it. The tank felt wider, the bike bulkier overall, and the power delivery less direct. Corner after corner, I was hunting for a gear that felt right and not finding it. The ZX10R went back on for the remaining sessions without hesitation. That comparison alone was worth the session — knowing what works for you on a track requires riding what doesn’t.

Track Tips and Why the Laguna Seca Pirelli Track Day Is Worth the Monday

Between sessions, a friend came by and offered to share tips — mainly about using more of the track width than I was. Last session, I followed his line. The difference was immediate. A few laps in he followed me and gave feedback when we came in. Speed came up. The willingness of experienced riders to take time on someone else’s session is one of the things that makes track days genuinely useful rather than just entertaining.

The day went fast. It always does at a Laguna Seca Pirelli track day. I packed up, said my goodbyes, and was already thinking about next year before I reached the parking lot. Pirelli built something worth showing up for on a Monday after a full race weekend — that is not a small thing. Thanks to Pirelli for the track day, Alpinestars for the gear, Arai for the helmet, Kawasaki for the bikes, and the friends who made every session between sessions worth staying for.

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Devonne Duerbaum

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