MCE: Daytona 675, Rob. Why?
RE: More like "why not'! I absolutely love it; it's a great bike - a real all-rounder.

MCE: What do you mean by all-rounder?
RE: Well, I guess I mean great on the road and on the track. It's comfortable but still really quick and it handles superbly. To be honest I'd love a specialist track bike, but until that happens the Daytona is a good compromise. I'm doing Lydden in a couple of weeks, where it'll be perfect. In fact the only circuit where I could do with something a bit more powerful is Silverstone - on the straight there I can feel the bigger, 1-litre bikes pulling away.

MCE: I know what you mean. I took my "blade to Mallory last year and it definitely didn't give me much of an edge over the R6s and 600RRs (although I realise it could be partly down to the rider!), but I'm sure it would be an advantage on a long straight.
RE: Agreed, although I don't think it makes THAT much difference on amateur track days - it just means you've got to be quicker through the corners! I went on a road trip to the Ring a while back, where it was less about straight-line-speed and more about staying alive! Those mixed bike/car days are lethal.

MCE: I quite fancy that myself - any tips?
RE: Yep, only do it once! It's great fun, but I'm not sure I'll do it again. If you do go, stay at Sliders - it's owned by a biker, who'll give you a really great reception.

MCE: Were you quick?
RE: To be honest, having seen the MCE BSB riders in action at Brands Hatch, I'm not sure I know what quick is - those guys are incredible.

MCE: Were you at Brands in April?
RE: I wasn't just there - I was on the circuit! I have an MCE Insurance policy, which means I'm now also a member of Club MCE. Thanks to the club, I got right up close and personal.

MCE: Tell me more...
RE: I think I've been quite lucky, I got to do four amazing things all in one day. First of all I was given a priority pit pass, which was great - especially at Brands Hatch. You get access, more or less, to wherever you want to go, so you can wander through the paddock, look at all the bikes, see the riders' motorhomes, check out all the garages… you name it - and all for nothing!

MCE: Did you see any of the riders?
RE: I saw all of them... when I was on the grid!

MCE: You did the grid walk too, did you?
RE: I did - that was experience number two. I was allowed to walk right through all the bikes as they lined up on the grid. It's quite a strange feeling to be so close to the likes of Tommy Hill and Josh Brookes - people you normally only see on Eurosport and ITV! I loved it, but that wasn't even the best of it - I actually did a lap with John Laverty.

MCE: Did you really?!
RE: It was unbelievable. Thanks to MCE I went on a "walk the track' tutorial with John Laverty. It seems like a weird thing to say, but when you meet these racers you realise that they're just normal blokes. John was a really nice guy and he was so open about his racing. As we went round, he talked about positioning and how to make the most of the good overtaking points. He showed us the racing line - telling us which gear he would be in, where he would change and where his braking points were. It was amazing. I was surprised how much of the circuit he rides in third gear. I'm sure I change up and down a lot more than him - perhaps it's something I should work on!

MCE: Sounds brilliant. Do you think you learned anything?
RE: Absolutely. I'm not sure how much of it I'll be able to remember, but I'm sure spending that time with John will improve my riding no end - especially when I go back to ride Brands. I think the thing I'll remember the most is how he talked about different riding "feelings'. He said things like: "As you go through here, it'll feel like this or like that. If it feels like this, you need to back off a bit..." -- he gave me all sorts of useful tips and I could really relate to what he said. He also kept calling me Rob. Again it probably sounds weird, but it's a strange feeling to be on first name terms with someone you've watched so many times on the television. Later on I did the grid walk and, when I saw John lining up, I went over to wish him good luck. He gave me a little nod back. It was a really special experience.

MCE: What a day. You're a lucky man!
RE: I know. I'm almost embarrassed to admit that it didn't end there either. I also got to do a flying lap in the pace car. That was amazing too. These pace car drivers are proper racers, so when you're hammering round the track in front of 50,000 spectators, you really feel in the zone. That Nissan GTR is some car - the acceleration is just like an Alton Towers ride - but without the rails! My mates are really jealous.

MCE: I bet they are... So am I!!