Specific Practice Days

[Shakespear]

For example, today was chicken strip day...focused on reducing them and getting bike leaned...made much progress and put one hundred seventy five miles on bike working on this often as possible. Other days I do Keith's exercise like no brake day. It helps a lot. Anyone else do these sort of things on a regular basis?

[bradvanhorn]

Anyone else do these sort of things on a regular basis?

Yes, absolutely. Since I ride almost exclusively at the track, this isn't something I think about with regard to street riding. Every time I leave the pits and head on track I have a specific drill to practice.

 

I'm curious, what is your drill for "getting the bike leaned"?

[Pepsi Drinker]

Anyone else do these sort of things on a regular basis?

 

No chicken strip days....lol But yes every spring a designate a few days to braking, evasive manuevering etc...usually in a parking lot that still has some snow and ice areas. But every time I go out on a ride I think about my riding techniques and often find myself concentrating on one or more of them for part or most of a ride.

[faffi]

I focus on proper throttle application every ride as well as being smooth and consistent with my inputs. And if I happen to end up on a wet road, I usually lock the front wheel a few times on purpose just to keep the reflexes alive and I frequently howl the front tyre on dry roads coming to a rest so that I do not forget when I need to stop hard. That's about it. I no longer care if I have a half inch of chicken strip on my tyres or if I just roll off the throttle instead of braking hard - I can keep nearly the same pace while remaining calm and relaxed by rapid turn-in, correct choice of line and getting early on the throttle. It's safer as well.

[warregl]

Since most of my riding is also geared to the track I like to work on my skills even on the street. But you have to be conscious of whats appropriate, trying to work on something like body position can attract unwanted legal complications (not to mention it can be difficult a street pace). I've found that I can work on throttle control (somewhat) and vision skills (esp. wide view) on the street. During track days I like to have a a focus on almost every session, usually based on the drills and feedback I've gotten from my coaches.

[Jasonzilla]

On trackdays, I've thought about the previous trackday and come up with at least 6 things I can work on. You'll always know my bike because I have them taped on the tank and written out so I remember them. When I was reviewing equipment for a now defunct website, I'd even write down things to remember to test.

 

If I can give you a friendly thought: don't focus on the chicken strips so much. If you work on the drills provided you'll get better and more comfortable. Just trying to push the bike down further isn't really going to equate to progression in skill. Learning things like two-step and quick turn will delete the need to even think about your chicken strips, because they'll be gone.

[Shakespear]

Wow, lots more responses than I expected. BVH...I have a route way back in the woods with almost no traffic and no side streets except those that I know like the back of my hand. Also a few little elevation changes to which makes it easier to get the bike leaned. I just lay the bike down as often and as much as I can. Pepsi Drinker...I'm a Pepsi and Coke drinker too Thanks for the comments. Snow and Ice..reminds me of getting caught in a summer snow storm between Aspen and Boulder Colorado after going to watch a race. I was so frozen and scared it wasn't funny but easier to laugh about now and makes a good story. Seems like a good practice technique although I dropped my 750 Ninja more than once on the ice (that's when I used to race bicycles in the winter called cyclocross) Flight Risk..I also practice my wide vision and try to avoid unwanted attention during my maneuvers; I certainly wish I had coaches to give me observed techniques to work on; poor me but maybe someday. Jasonzilla....I love the idea of taping something on my tank except that I try to keep it simple and work on one thing per day. I'm a little scared of the concept of dealing with chicken strips but it is definitely more of an ego thing; yes not admirable but that's the way it is.

Finally, i've been putting a great deal of mileage on my bike recently one fifty to well over two hundred a day. Another bragging kind of comment but still cool to be on the bike that much and leaning a lot when focused for that many miles on one thing.

Eirik..how could I forget you? Like the idea of working on throttle control. That's a favorite and I must admit I think I'm good at it but that's probably when I should work on it some more. Yes, staying calm at all times including the quick flick is a good one too.

Thanks again to everyone for all the comments and good food for thought.

Warregi...sorry I confused you with flight risk; that's what you are not who you are. Apologies.

[tmckeen]

My daily commute has me focusing mostly on "Wide View" to keep a watchful eye on all the LA traffic, with braking without weighting the bars a close second. Freeway traffic doesn't make for the best place to practice much besides that and lots of clutchless gear changing

 

For track days I tend to focus more on a particular section of track I'm struggling with, then work on what techniques allow me to improve that section.

[Lnewqban]

IMHO, there is no more important skill to practice than stopping a bike properly, especially for street riding and different conditions.

For track riding, a complete quick stop is rare, unless an accident happens; but still slowing down to a consistent entry speed is key.

 

I practice emergency stops as frequently as a couple of times per week, 15 minutes on an empty parking lot have been sufficient for me to improve.

I add sand and water to make it more challenging sometimes.

 

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/index.php?showtopic=1548

 

Keeping a log book of your progress in making the stopping distance smaller and smaller is very good.

 

Quick flicking and extreme swerving are some other of my avoidance practices.

Moderate speeds are enough (25 mph max), since the deceleration forces are the same regardless of speed.

[ktk_ace]

I dont have the luxury of specific or track days fyi; I try to practice everything .

[Shakespear]

Lnew,

Thanks for reminding me to use the empty parking lot. We have a great on at the University here and it is really huge. Panic stops and quick flicking would get easily gobbled up in this behemoth. It would easily solve my chicken strip issue as well except for the lighting poles which could be a problem were I to become complacent. Thanks again.

[Shakespear]

Enjoy Day

I decided today was enjoy day and I think all my Sundays are going to be enjoy days. It was going ok and I was having a good time riding without thinking of working on anything when I ran into a large group of sportbike riders, mostly liter bikes, at the gas station.

Then it really got enjoyable. We happened to be in a rather deserted part of our locale and were able, within reason, to pick up the pace a little. It was especially gratifying that I was able to ride with the leaders with my big ol Busa. Enjoyable with a capital E. Also I made new friends that I will be able to ride again with. Big E!

[BLSJDS]

Every time I go out on track, whether at CSS or with one of the local clubs, I have specific CSS drills that I practice. I don't ride on the street anymore, but when I did, most of the drills I focused on were visual.

 

Proper form & technique are critical, chicken strip reduction is not

[faffi]

I'm reading my way through all of Keith's articles and came upon one where he said the majority will emergency-steer by pushing the bike down while remaining upright with the torso. Guilty. Never even imagined it was wrong. So I practiced following the bike. Felt a little weird. It also felt like adding power steering. Will take some practice to unlearn a 33 year old habit and make the new style automatic, but that along with smooth and early throttle application will be my main priority for the coming rides.

[Shakespear]

BLSJDS

Too bad you don't ride on the street anymore I'd be grateful if you could show me some of the local roads.

 

Eirik

Wow, you must be fairly close to my age. 58. Today some young fellow pointed at as I went by so I stopped and let him sit on the bike and started it up for him. He was thrilled to the gills of course. As it turned out he is a dirt bike rider and ATV guy. We talked for a good few minutes and now I have a new friend.

Gee Eirik, I don't know how I got off topic like that except that I think you mentioned you have a son. One of the regrets in my lite is that I have no children nor will I as my wife and I got married late and it a little late for her.

Again...not about cornering or you Eirik. I read your comments and I havent come across that article yet so maybe I'll respond in a way that makes sense then. Good riding to you and all of course.

[faffi]

Code:

Third Reason

 

The third possible reason for being irrational about rights and lefts is the one that has solved it more often than not--practice. Applying the drill sergeant's viewpoint of repeatedly training the rider to practice and eventually master the maneuver is a very practical solution. I suppose this one falls under the heading of the discipline of rider dynamics. And a casual inspection of riders will show you the following: Ninety-five percent of all riders push the bike down and away from their body to initiate a turn or steering action, especially when attempting to do it rapidly. Rapidly meaning something on the order of how fast you would have to turn your bike if someone stopped quickly in front of you and you wanted to simply ride around them; or avoid a pothole or a rock or any obstacle.

 

For example, a muffler falls off the car in front on the freeway at 60 m.p.h., that's eighty-eight feet per second of headway you are making down the road. Despite the fact you've left a generous forty feet between you and the car, that translates into one half second to get the bike's direction diverted, including your reaction time to begin the steering process. We're talking about a couple of tenths of a second here--right now.

 

This procedure riders have of pushing the bike down and away from themselves to steer it seems like an automatic response and is most probably an attempt to keep oneself in the normally correct relationship to the planet and its gravity, namely, vertically oriented or perpendicular to the ground. This is a good idea for walking, sitting and standing--but not for riding. When you stay "on top" of the bike, pushing it under and away, you actually commit a number of riding dynamics sins. The first of which is the bad passenger syndrome."

 

Bad Passenger

 

Bad passengers lean the wrong way on the bike. They position themselves in perfect discord--counter to your intended lean, steering and cornering sensibilities. So do you when you push the bike away from yourself, or hold your body rigidly upright on the bike--very stately looking, very cool but ultimately it's an inefficient rider position. The most usual solution to a bad passenger's efforts to go against the bike's cornering lean angle is brow beating them and threaten "no more rides." But how do you fix this tendency in yourself?

 

 

A bad passenger makes you correct your steering and eventually become wary of their actions and the bike's response to them. This ultimately leads to becoming tense on the bike while in turns. pushing the bike away from yourself or sitting rigidly upright while riding solo has the same effect.

[YellowDuck]

IMHO, there is no more important skill to practice than stopping a bike properly, especially for street riding and different conditions.

For track riding, a complete quick stop is rare, unless an accident happens; but still slowing down to a consistent entry speed is key.

 

I practice emergency stops as frequently as a couple of times per week, 15 minutes on an empty parking lot have been sufficient for me to improve.

I add sand and water to make it more challenging sometimes.

 

http://forums.superb...?showtopic=1548

 

Keeping a log book of your progress in making the stopping distance smaller and smaller is very good.

 

Quick flicking and extreme swerving are some other of my avoidance practices.

Moderate speeds are enough (25 mph max), since the deceleration forces are the same regardless of speed.

 

When I was street riding I used to practice at least one very hard stop from speed every time I went out (after checking behind myself for traffic!). When I see people zipping along at way over the speed limit, I often wonder if they have any experience emergency braking from those speeds. It actually takes a bit of courage to pull off a proper threshold braking kind of stop from 150 kph, with the bike diving and the tire squirming and howling. But if you choose to ride that fast, shouldn't you know how to stop too?

[BLSJDS]

BLSJDS

Too bad you don't ride on the street anymore I'd be grateful if you could show me some of the local roads.

 

 

Do you live in or near Orange County, NY? If so, where?

[Lnewqban]

...........When I see people zipping along at way over the speed limit, I often wonder if they have any experience emergency braking from those speeds. It actually takes a bit of courage to pull off a proper threshold braking kind of stop from 150 kph, with the bike diving and the tire squirming and howling. But if you choose to ride that fast, shouldn't you know how to stop too?

 

Very good point!

I frequently wonder the same myself, not only with riders but also with drivers.

Not everyone has a clear idea of how much energy a 2-ton truck rolling at 80 mph has.

 

For street riding, quick swerving is a better maneuver in many situations (which also requires practice).

However, if braking is the only option and you have not practiced it enough, you may not be able to do all you could to save the day.

[faffi]

I learned to brake to the limit back in 1980 when I first started riding by practicing in two distinctly different manner:

 

1) Admire beautiful girls I could never hope to attract instead of watching the road (and sometimes admiring my own reflection in shop mirrors, I'm ashamed to say), demanding lots of emergency braking as not to run into the back of stopped cars, and

2) by running at my bike's top speed (50 mph, restricted by law) until the very last minute before hitting the brakes when coming up to stopped cars or intersections. The goal was to have a margin of between one half and 3 feet only.

 

I still practice full stops every now and then to keep the skill alive, although I no longer use either of my previous tactics

[Shakespear]

BLS,

I live on LI but I thought I might make a trip up to OC to meet you and to ride with you in what must be very beautiful roads.

 

Eirik,

Strangely enough, I was out riding today and I did it and immediatley I knew what you were talking about. I pushed the bike down to turn and I said to myself "ah yes, that's what he meant". I immediately realized I had often done wrong which strikes me so odd because I have frequently practised turning correctly, ie, by pushing horizontally on the bars. I remembered very clearly the picture in the book which described how to do so. Oh well, all I can do I start doing it right as frequently as possible.

[BLSJDS]

BLS,

I live on LI but I thought I might make a trip up to OC to meet you and to ride with you in what must be very beautiful roads.

 

 

There are a few road trips up here that I think I really, really nice. Some good twisties on roads that are in great condition with very few cars. If you decide to take the trip up, let me know and I'll give you more details, but basically the back roads from Warwick, NY up to Port Jervis and then on to Rt. 97 along the Delaware River (and the famous Hawk's Nest) are excellent. Also 9W from Bear Moutain State Park on the west side of the Hudson River up through West Point on Rt. 218 is another good one, but sometimes they close Rt. 218 when it rains a lot due to possibility of landslides (the road is basically built into the side of a cliff ).

[faffi]

I'm reading my way through all of Keith's articles and came upon one where he said the majority will emergency-steer by pushing the bike down while remaining upright with the torso. Guilty. Never even imagined it was wrong. So I practiced following the bike. Felt a little weird. It also felt like adding power steering. Will take some practice to unlearn a 33 year old habit and make the new style automatic, but that along with smooth and early throttle application will be my main priority for the coming rides.

 

Today, while practicing this, I slalomed my way through some closely spaced manholes when the bike actually kicked me out of the seat! Only and inch or two, but it does show the amount of force one can achive very easily with bent arms and following - instead of fighting - the bike. Now, the bike's kick is likely more a result of wire wheels and old fashioned suspension bits loading up and snapping back than me steering with the rapidity of Pedrosa, but it was still a revelation. Also that the retro-style tyres had the grip required.

 

Doing what I did today at 30-35 mph is one thing, but doing it at 150mph and more like Lawson and Spencer etc. did back when - only more violently - is something else entirely. They were brave men!

[khp]

I learned to brake to the limit back in 1980 when I first started riding by practicing in two distinctly different manner:

 

1) Admire beautiful girls I could never hope to attract instead of watching the road (and sometimes admiring my own reflection in shop mirrors, I'm ashamed to say), demanding lots of emergency braking as not to run into the back of stopped cars, and

2) by running at my bike's top speed (50 mph, restricted by law) until the very last minute before hitting the brakes when coming up to stopped cars or intersections. The goal was to have a margin of between one half and 3 feet only.

I

I still practice full stops every now and then to keep the skill alive, although I no longer use either of my previous tactics

Eirik, If you've stopped looking after beautiful girls, I'm gonna be seriously concerned for you

</p>

Kai</p>

[faffi]

My wife won't let me...