Although relatively tight and with no real straightaway the diminutive circuit is an absolute gas to ride. The layout is such that you can get a good rhythm going and even though the top speed is going to be much slower than most tracks there's still the inherent rush of adrenaline that comes with pushing each section to your personal limit.

"The test bikes that would be leaving behind the rubber were an eclectic threesome of V-twins; the new Buell XB 12R, BMW R1100S Randy Mamola Replika and the new Ducati Multistrada."

As the day's sessions progressed and we began taking turns trading between the three bikes we quickly answered the first and perhaps most basic question, "Which bike was fastest and why?" We were in agreement across the board on this one.

The Buell XB-12R gets top honors. Its motor pulls like a freight train right off the bottom and keeps on punching all the way through the powerband. You could practically leave the bike in third gear and run Horse Thief all day. The Buell allows you to come into a corner a gear high and just torque your way through. That low-end grunt was a huge advantage when corners exited into an uphill. We each also felt the Buell was the most sporty of the three bikes, the ergonomics making it the easiest to move around on and the most comfortable to hang off of in corners.

We usually wear earplugs to muffle wind and exhaust noise, but with the Buell, we use them to squelch the odd sounds akin to churning broken glass and marbles coming from below. Seriously, the engine sounds like a Briggs and Stratton lawnmower with a dozen bolts loose. We also managed to find a few false-neutrals between gears during our time with the Buell. However, it certainly shifts better than what you'd expect from a Sportster based mill.

WILLOW SPRINGS RACEWAY
OPENS "HORSE THIEF MILE"

Designed with Help from Racing Veterans Keith Code, Rod Millen, & Eddie Lawson, One-mile Paved Course Emulates Challenge of Winding Mountain Highway

ROSAMOND, Calif. / August 15 / --

Featuring numerous elevation changes, tight turns, and scenic panoramic views, Willow Springs Raceway's new one-mile course, Horse Thief Mile, (AKA "The Mile"), was created to let drivers experience the physical and visual challenges of a winding mountain road.

"I noticed there was nowhere to learn how to negotiate the twists you might encounter riding up a mountain course, so I decided to create a track that emulated a mountain highway," said the track's chief designer, Willow Springs Raceway owner Bill Huth.

"With its demanding sharp corners, sweeping crests, and 11 degree rises, Huth designed "The Mile" in consultation with racing veterans Keith Code, Rod Millen, and Eddie Lawson."

"The Mile is unique," said motorcycle cornering instructor and California Superbike School founder, Code. "It's probably got more elevation changes in its one mile than any other circuit around - and it's got an aspect of canyon riding that other tracks don't have. Because you find yourself riding into crested corners where you really can't see the other side, the course also presents some very good visual challenges. The only level section of the course is a 500 foot stretch at the start/finish line."

To ensure the course had the necessary elements to accommodate drivers on four wheels, Huth called upon champion off-road racer Rod Millen. Huth said one of Millen's major contributions was ensuring the course had a straight segment long enough to give drivers a sufficient passing opportunity.

"The Mile adds variety to the whole Willow Springs complex," said Millen. "It's a different type of course, demanding different skills of the rider or driver. I like that, because from a testing standpoint, you always like something new and challenging and demanding because it helps you develop a better machine."

Huth also obtained advice on the course layout from multi-time motorcycle champion-turned Cart racer Eddie Lawson. "On this track you can overdo the speed pretty easily and riders will learn that," said Huth. "Just like on a paved mountain road, you have to use judgment on how fast you can go."

Huth said The Mile will be used for all types of vehicle racing, but predicts the course will become best known as a place to learn how to control a bike or car on tight corners.

Huth said, despite the winding layout, there are sections of the track where riders can jump on the gas - if they're smart. "The third turn of The Mile was built to duplicate a turn located up on Highway 101 running along Oregon's Gold Coast. You'll go down into a dip and then swing around, but you can get on the gas just as hard as you want when you get near the bottom because the down-force won't let you slide away. It's a great turn," said Huth.

"I think The Mile is similar to a road rally course in that it winds, going up and down hills -- kind of an all-terrain road course," said track manager Stephanie Huth, who predicts the track will become a favorite with riding schools.

"The track is very scenic and photogenic, and we're purposely not allowing any garish signage," said manager Huth. "We'd like to establish The Mile as a place where magazine and film crews can come to shoot beautiful footage of vehicles and their drivers in action."

Contacts:

Willow Springs International Raceway
3500 75th Street West
Rosamond, CA 93560
Stephanie Huth -- Track Manager -- 661-256-6666

We would rather have used the Ducati Supersport 1000DS for this shootout, but alas the Multistrada was the only 1000cc air-cooled Ducati available at the time. That having been said, the Multistrada had wonderfully usable power, with a silky-smooth delivery. In the V-twin world, it's hard not to love the classic Desmo motor. Overall, the bike is tight as a drum and everything works with precision. It also has easily the best transmission and clutch in this group. Despite being an upright against the sportbike ergos of the others, the Multistrada was surprisingly fun to ride on the track.

Ground clearance was non-existent in right-handers as we demonstrated by taking turns mutilating the rock guard on the low-slung exhaust, grinding an array of holes in it, so that it looked like a piece of aluminum Swiss cheese by the end of the third session.

This is somewhat surprising, because it looks to be the most serious racer of the three. However, in a time of punchy, high revving motors and awe-inspiring rear-wheel power, the Motorrad engine is disappointingly sluggish, especially for track situations.