~ Auto Buzz ~: Leod Moto Tours Announces Italian Alps, Sachsenring Trackday Tour 2015 + Video

From a Leod Motorcycle Escapes press release:

Leod Escapes’ most intense Track & Tour motorcycle adventure is on again. This summer, it’s two track days at Sachsenring, home of the German Grand Prix, and four days in Europe’s sportbiking playground–the Italian Alps.

What is this tour like?

Ride Europe like a European sport rider. Fly into the Bavarian party town of Munich. Head south into the Italian Alps on German naked and adventure-touring bikes to handle the tight turns in all-day comfort. In the Italian Alps you’ll explore pass after pass during the day and party eurostyle at night. Then, head north for two days riding at the Sachsenring on a proper BMW S1000RR.

Get On Track

Pause the race playback, put down the video game controller and experience a foreign MotoGP track for real. There’s nothing more authentic than a motorcycle track day.

Take the inside line

The sport-touring routes are more focused on twisty roads and authentic experiences than standard tourist attractions. With Leod Escapes, you ride where the local riders go, you eat where local riders would take their visiting friends. This creates an experience of discovery rather than a safe and steady stream of bland pleasantness. It also means you return home with an accurate understanding of the place you’ve visited.

From Leod Escapes:

“This is the tour that started it all. It was our first ‘Track & Tour Escape’ and it is still our most intense. The most exciting curvy roads and the most challenging MotoGP track we ride. This year we’ve moved to more comfortable BMW naked and adventure touring bikes in the Alps but retain the S1000RR for the track. The great food and beer are always a plus.

“The Italian Alps are Europe’s number one motorcycle playground. Of all the destinations we go to, this is still our favorite for roads and stunning views that no camera can capture,” says Cat MacLeod, the tour organizer.

How are the track days structured?

You will be riding on Sachsenring during a typical motorcycle track day with local Germans. Okay, so their English sounds a little funny, but they are riders just like you. German track days typically run four groups of 20-minute sessions with a break for lunch. Simple fare is available for lunch. Leod Escapes recommends the potato and sausage soup on cooler days.

Germany’s Sachsenring

Races have been happening near the small village of Hohenstein-Ernsttahl since 1927. Grand Prix legend Giacomo Agostini holds the lap record on the old road course. In the 1990s, a new Sachsering circuit was built to be much safer than original road course. This 2.9-kilometer track has been the official home of the German MotoGP since 1998.

Built on a hilltop, the track has considerable elevation changes. Sachsenring is a beautiful, world-class facility. Downhill twists and sweepers, then a long uphill straight make this track a challenge, but, with absurdly big gravel traps, a safe one. Sachsenring is a very technical course. Instructors will show you the lines and work with you during your track days to improve your skills. Focused instruction and track-based practice will make you a better street rider back in the Alps.

Leod Escapes Italian Alps and Sachsenring Track Day Tour

2015 Dates: August 26 to September 4
Starts and ends in Munich, Germany
Nearest international airport: Munich (MUC)
Tour Fleet: A wide range of BMWs, including the F800R, F800GT, R1200R, R1200RS, R1200GS, R1200RT and new S1000XR
Track Fleet: BMW S1000RR
Total tour mileage: About 1100 miles, averaging less than 250 very curvy miles per day
Pavement conditions: Good to excellent paved roads in the Italian Alps
Four days riding the Alps
Two track days at the Sachsenring, Germany’s current MotoGP course
Street-riding skills required: Intermediate to advanced
Prior track experience required
Further details: www.leodescapes.com/toursDetail.php?tid=T019