FORMER Echuca motorcycle rider Harley Side is improving every time he hits the track on his Yamaha R6.
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In 2019, he won the Hartwell Novice Club Championship and was named a rising star of the Victorian Road Race Championships.
But the coronavirus pandemic has halted Side’s rapid rise up the ranks.
“I’ve decided to step up to the intermediate class this season,” he said.
“It was tough not being able to race for a few weeks with all of the restrictions in place, especially when I’ve been riding every weekend since I was four.
“We’ve started to go back in the past couple of weeks which was been really exciting.
“We’ve been going out to Broadford, which has a new surface. It’s been a great opportunity to be able to test some different things with the bike.”
Despite a successful season in 2019, the 25-year-old said he was always looking to continue upon his skills.
“You always aim to be more consistent as a rider,” he said.
“I am always wanting to better my times around the track and I think moving up a class is only going to help with that goal.
“My main aim is to try and race in the national series.”
Side said he has been afforded many of his opportunities thanks to the team at Race Center, which is based in Brunswick.
“I’m very thankful for what they’ve done for me,” he explained.
“Darren (Sciberras) has taken me under his wing and helped me improve a lot. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.”
While Harley was quick to heap praise on his mentor, Sciberras said the young rider deserved a lot of the credit.
“He’s very easy to work with which makes my job a lot easier,” Sciberras said.
“One of the first things I noticed about Harley was just how much natural talent he has on the bike. He doesn’t have to overthink what he is doing on the bike.
“He’s been growing with every ride so it will be exciting to see where he ends up.
“I’m looking forward to watching and being a part of his journey.”
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