Dave Minden

Instructor

After spending many years reading about sportbikes in the mags, I started riding motocycles in Portland. Was fortunate enough to try many different models over the years as well as visiting the OMRRA races. Started helping corner working and endurance tracking. Heard about "Track Days" at Doc Brown's shop from a racer named Stormy. After being dusted by some slow guy on a 900RR Honda I decide to take my R1 to the track. Bought all the stuff and started in 2000. Over the past five years, I have attended almost every track day group offering instruction at PIR. Went to PSSR from their first day and I think I have attended every event they put on in Portland from that first day.

I watched the style of instruction evolve over the years to its current format which I admire quite a bit. The classroom for me was probably the best place to actually think about ideas and techniques of riding. Once on the track the action for me was pretty overwhelming and it was hard to think about anything other than trying to keep up. Over time, I decide that I am not going to become a racer but love the track experience non the less.

Several instructors came and went over the years. Having participated in the martial arts arena for 26 years including instructing for most of that time, I think to myself, "I have done one on ones and group instructing for over half my life, maybe I could do this as well....."

Thanks to the PSSR instructors as well as help from many other riders, racers, and instructors along with the years of practice, I felt I had the experience to help other track riders enter the track experience. Every track day I heard this is not about speed, it's about smoothness and riding at your pace safely and as fast as you are able to ride. I was fortunate enough to enjoy the first four years on my 2000 R1 and never got a scratch on it! 2004 allowed me to enjoy my new R1 and it is also scratch free. I grew to have the opinion that you do not have to crash to have a great time and also get faster and more consistant at track day events.

After riding with and helping new track friends learn the ropes and having numerous new attendees ask if I was an instructor, I offered for at least two years to help out PSSR if they ever needed any extra instruction which didn't seem likely looking at their pool of active instructors and hundreds of racers doing track days.

Anyway, I have been very fortunate to help out with the C group riders and occasionally the B group riders when needed with PSSR. As a non racer (one of only a couple, I believe, who still has the sights, sounds, smells, and fears, and joys of my first track day locked into my memory), I feel very qualified helping out and relating to the many new track riders coming to the PSSR classroom and track experience. There is a rewarding and unique feeling when a rider performs on the track or comes back in and says-wow, it really works........ I tell them- thanks and be sure to tell your friends.........

C, (see), you out there. Dave Minden