Jump to content

I Thought I Understood That, Until....


Recommended Posts

Per Cobie's request for most interesting topic (and Hotfoot to judge) I submit this:

cd01df2109b1f2920f3a41212f60ad3e.jpg

 

Ha, ha, ha, ha!

Actually, to get back on topic, I thought about a thread of things that you thought you understood until you found out that you didn't. And perhaps you can include how you arrived at your newfound understanding.

 

I'll start first:

I thought I understood what it means by early/late apex. It pricked my consciousness when I was having a conversation with my wife and we were talking about the definition of "apex" and when I couldn't adequately define it to my own satisfaction, I realized that I had some missing information on it. It had been playing in my subconscious for a couple days afterwards, but I hadn't yet taken action. Previously, I had been reading a motorcycling book and the author was talking about motorcycle vs car lines. The conversation made me to realize that I had always thought they were the same. He also talked about late apexes. It began to dawn on me a bit after this conversation.

 

I tried working it out and so used a mental picture of an overhead shot of both vehicles and that's when I realized what an early apex looks like and WHY it causes the corner exit to run wide on a motorcycle and that it was essentially what I had always done without realizing or understanding it.

 

Since it was cold out, there was no way for me to practice my newfound understanding to test the truth of it, so I did so in my car. I found that it was easy to see. I decided that I was going to work on this my next motorcycle ride out.

 

I went out yesterday. Not many turns, but I found it easy to forget that I was supposed to practice my new understanding. Another good thing is that I have found something new to work on....until my school, that is....WOOHOOO!

 

Someone else's turn to share a new understanding.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That term can get misunderstood, as it has different definitions. One is simply the high point of an arc. As used in riding...the closest point. One could also call it "his" or "her" apex.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

OK, Hotfootie...fire away...what was the thing you noticed with AO that was new? You might have to explain AO if it's not clear to all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was waiting for the sight picture to come into view - the 'waiting' part was the problem, instead of actively observing the changing perspective coming into the corner, I was a bit stuck visually on the apex as I waited to see the right moment to turn. It only happened when I was consciously "trying" to use apex orientation versus doing it automatically or using a chosen turn point reference point. I was trying too hard, too much effort, on a certain corner and couldn't seem to make the technique work there. But with some good coaching - Connor on track and Keith as my L4 consultant -  it got sorted out. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry I was trying to be funny on the internet, and I basically just put the thread on life support :(

 

Um  for starters I thought I understood motorcycling in general until I took Level 1 and found out I basically didn't know squat 

I also thought I knew how expensive Club Racing was going to be,  but I was pretty far off on that one as well, :blink::blink:

Unfortunately I don't have any nice specific examples like Hotfoot's that come to mind specifically related to Motorcycling  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, tmckeen said:

I also thought I knew how expensive Club Racing was going to be,  but I was pretty far off on that one as well, :blink::blink: 

HA HA HA, OMG  me too. Entry fees are practically nothing compared to the massive "everything else" costs. :/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Years ago RW mag did a whole series on racing and the costs.  Wonder what the cheapest series/bike would be to race...tires are still the biggie I think.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd been pretty sure that was the case, just wondered if there were any offsetting factors I wasn't considering.  

Talking with guys recently about what it takes to even have a halfway decent national level bike (superstock even), and it was...wow, more than I thought.  

Years ago, the guys were racing the 250 GP 2-stroke bikes, and the costs seemed they were quite a bit less.  But...those bikes really did require someone that knew how to tune them, in particular get the carburetion right.  The price for getting it way wrong was high...but I think the bikes were cheaper to maintain overall, thus cheaper to race.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Used to be so years ago, but wasn't sure if that still held true.  Some of the old-timers also talked about racing the 2-strokes, and how cheap those were...but that's in another thread too.

CF

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
On 3/28/2017 at 2:47 PM, BikeSpeedman said:

 Any of you guys or gals know of a way to get a kid started in mini moto around here?

My advice would be to just take your son and head out to a mini moto event.  Club racers will normally bend over backwards to help each other out, so I'm pretty sure you'll find a wealth of knowledge by just walking around the pits and talking with people. 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On ‎3‎/‎28‎/‎2017 at 2:47 PM, BikeSpeedman said:

Mini Moto has to be pretty cheap. :) BTW a while back I found a mini moto coach and kept his info with the plans of taking my boy. After I tried to reconnect, it appears he's gone. Any of you guys or gals know of a way to get a kid started in mini moto around here?

Where is "around here?"

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, tmckeen said:

My advice would be to just take your son and head out to a mini moto event.  Club racers will normally bend over backwards to help each other out, so I'm pretty sure you'll find a wealth of knowledge by just walking around the pits and talking with people. 

 

 

That's a good idea. Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 9 months later...

Learning to see point after point after point throughout a turn. Following the turn and reference points with my eyes instead of darting them back and forth, actually looking through the turn and connecting the imaginary dots I have laid out. 

I use this a lot for driving on highways, the white lines can assist with the imagery here. Before I used to begin to turn, and then have no idea where to go next. This would then allow for more steering inputs. As I have learned and repeated to myself several times: one steering input and ONLY one steering input! 

As soon as I began having reference points and connecting the dots with my drive through the turn, I stopped feeling lost. I started to see my trajectory. It was like THERES MY WAY OUT, GO GO GO! I love this feeling. Whenever I am riding on a new road, I keep following my trajectory and leave other distractions behind. It shows when I ride as well because people think I actually know where I am going! 

 

As of late, I have also been practicing standing on my toes more and keeping my butt off the seat. Not like jockey style, but just hovering above the seat. It sounds silly, but when I coached tennis for high school and privately for wealthier people, I encourage my students to stand on their toes. Stay alert. Hop around. While on the bike, a similar level of alertness and quick response is felt if I hover above the seat while standing more on my toes. I do NOT hop around on my foot pegs! I try to keep all that steady as necessary. 

Standing on the balls of my feet though has really allowed me to respond quicker, feel more alert, pivot steer, and be ready to fall into the turn WITH the machine rather than place it under me. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...