Alfred.Rodriguez

I just had another 1-day session at SOW yesterday - Level 3. And for this time, I requested for lap times. However, I would see that the Superbike School's track has a switch-back at the end, which is NOT in the "regular" configuration... So, bumping this thread up - how would one gauge the lap times between a regular track day and the CSS session for CW...? Same question as above, how much time does the switch-back would take, on average? Cheers!

Hi Dylan Nice video on the foot position when hanging off... And I thought I was strange when I did it that way... Here is a photo of me about 2-years back. https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/10697702/FootPosition-KneeDown.JPG Been doing it then, and still doing it now. I dont know - but personally, it feels more comfortable, and that I could open my leg wider/extend me knee further. Cheers!

Im trying out a new track this Friday - let me see if I could put any of these to practice.

Due to the climate here in Japan, I haven't had any spirited riding, etc. since Ive gotten back from the Las Vegas 2-Day Camp two-months back... Any "practice" are mostly mental (visualization) or those that can be done on the streets (Wide View)... Well, Im going to be getting my chance to practice what Ive learned this coming Friday - my second (my first track experience was 2-months back with CSS) track experience at the Tsukuba Circuit (Play Station Gran Turismo, X-Box Forza games, etc.). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsukuba_Circuit That brings me to my question -- What is the best/recommended way to learn a NEW track? Im thinking following the same format as the CSS - 1. Begin with minimal gears, and no brakes. 2. Bring enough as much understanding of the track (Turn Points, Reference Points) 3. Wide View (see the track from the entire width) 4. Slowly bring up speed with light braking 5. Progressing to full gears and brakes Albeit, Im unsure since: - I only have 3-heats of 20-mins each / avg record laps for the track is 1' 15" - I cant trace the course/record line with minimal gears and no brakes (Id be in the way - Im in the "First Timers" class) - Im not being spoon fed on the Turn Points (though I understand the criteria for good TPs) Though I could up YouTube videos or ask some friends - I would like to see it from a "rider technology"-perspective rather than from "friendly... destructive advice..." Much appreciated... Thanks!

Indeed an interesting read... Especially just before the start of the MotoGP session, oh... Losail has been concluded. I downloaded it to my Kindle several weeks back! *thumbs up*

Hhhhmm.... Assuming warmed up tires and a non-slippery pavement, like a track, as well - the answer should be most probably NOT. But still, it doesnt avoid thoe SRs... Essentially, would like to quantify the conditions for AQAP and/or as the situations would allow.

Well, Id say - particularly those that still have to build skill - _worry_ of the bike sliding, falling, etc. when steering the bike _too much_ How fast can we actually steer? I know from the TOTW2 DVD that there were several reasons when _NOT_ to quick flick; but still not having that confidencr definitely triggers SRs!

same here... same here... getting the confidence to get the quick turns/quick flicks is indeed a long road ahead...

Indeed, trail braking is much deeper than just braking in longer/later into the turn... Hotfoot: Now that you mention that this topic comes once every six moths, and that Cobie is mentioning that there are also some misconceptions - wouldnt it be good to have Keith's summary up above PINNED to the Cornering Forum?

Hhhmm.... Now that I jog my memory - I think Turn #10 CCW in LV could be taken trail braking, since it is coming from a fast back straight heading into a tight corner...

There is essentially, IMO, NO standard form technique... It is like askinh which is better for self-defense? Karate or Kun-Fu? Technique depends on several factors, ie., type of bike, rider skillset and experience, type of riding, rider personality and tendencies, time of the day/weather, riding environment, etc. Some schools teach it; while others do not... But it doesnt mean it is _absolutely_ wrong. Personally, when in the twisties/canyons in Japan, or once in Southern California - I tend to trail brake. But when I did the 2-Day Camp in Las Vegas last February - no trail braking... Just a quick turn in, straighten the corner, then roll on the throttle...

Hehehe... Allow me to act like an instructor for once... - What happens to the geometry of the bike when you brake? - What happens then when trail braking? - What aspects of the ride is affected by the change of geometry? - Are those aspects in line with bike technology?

Actually, trail braking is much more deeper than that...

Rossi actually thinks the TT more insane than MotoGP... Well, history would vouch for that - it was actually taken out of the MotoGP calendar because it was much dangerous... To answer your question, if it were 1st April - Id say "YES." Cheers!

Excellent, well done! And if the turn is the first in a series you could also use the Level 3 understanding of attack angles to help adjust the following turns. Of course, staying relaxed on the bars throughout (not always easy when you've made an error or had an unexpected shifting problem!) will help enormously in keeping control of the bike and not compounding the problem. Tyler has beaten me to the answers... But indeed - except for the Hook Turn (Level 3?), these are what Ive learned in Level 1&2, and NEED TO PRACTICE going forward... One point, however, there would be a limit to the lean rate for the Quick Turn, right? Wouldnt it be risky that if a corner is indeed blown, to try increasing the Flick rate? Similarly for Lean Angles?

If that were the case, then the questions you should ask would be: - better throttle control - better brake control - better vision skills - line selection rather than brake-throttle blip-downshift and hangoff/knee downs... Even at the CSS - Body Position is taken up in Level 3... For starters, you should focus on keeping a RELAXED (most people, when brought to attention, have a DEATH grip on the bars) nuetral position, or at the most, about a 5-cm shift of your butt to the inside of the turn (quite advantageous for today's tires; depending on the type of bike, of course)...

Definitely PLUS ONE on that Hotfoot... Hence, I did recommend a smaller bike for Stroker to practice techniques (in another thread - a Honda Ape, for example). Personally, I learned proper hangoff/knee drag NOT with a big bike; but with a rented 100-cc bike in a parking lot... My motorcycle career (2-yrs now) started with a 400cc bike - a Suzuki Gladius... On the other hand - any other technique you could recommend for recovering from a missed shift while cornering? Yes - good throttle control should be one of them... Cheers!!

Can anyone chime on this? Personally, I dont feel much difference in difficulty with clutch modulation, ie. rev-matching, between small and big displacement bikes, in so far, any situation. Yes, you can highside on a big bike if done wrong; so, is for a small bike. I had a friend who highsided on a 100-cc while practicing high-speed cornering. He was out of commission for a few months.

Not necessarily - using the right upgrade parts, a clutch on a high powered bike can be made very easy/very light...

Knowledge and Practice... And yes - one of the most helpful lesson Ive learned -- Wide View... (which I got from the 2-Day Camp last February) I so, consciously do it every time I go ride, or even a commute by foot... It basically "widens" my view of the surrounding - improving my situational awareness.

I guess aslcbr600 best points out what I am trying to say - it shouldnt be the preferred way around the corner. But, it does, provide a tool to use, if needed...

In a separate thread http://forums.superbikeschool.com/index.php?showtopic=2522&st=60#entry31511 raised the point that being able to modulate the clutch would be an invaluable technique to have while cornering... The premise is that if you blew the corner, say, by having a missed shift, etc. doing a rev match with the clutch (not a throttle blip) or by modulating back/forth the "meet point" to limit the rear tire torque, is acceptable if to say avoid a crash, etc. This would also be a good technique to have in the street, as well. I had the experience that while cornering in the canyons that I over downshifted, and as luck would have it, on a sandy patch... Not knowing about TOTW throttle control then, I just used the clutch to limit the torque to avoid a crash (either lowslide/highside)... To that extent - I have also read articles about some pro riders using this technique in races. The anti-premise, however, is that if you blew the corner, instead of modulating the clutch (which may take a significant portion of the US$10 bill), it would be better to regroup and avoid the mistake the next lap... Created a new thread to hear other's thoughts! Cheers!

Yeah - let us setup one... Would be a informative discourse... Update: Created a new thread: http://forums.superbikeschool.com/index.php?showtopic=3759

You are definitely right on that... Here is a YouTube of me in my red sports tourer Ninja 1000 in a parking lot with some friends during a knee down practice session. This was last year in August.... As per @Stroker - if you see the other bikes on this video, they are nothing more than 100-cc. This goes back to my reply that you could achieve a lot, even with small bikes; and less the hurt and pain if you make a mistake.

Hhhhmmm... After reading through the thread - am thinking, maybe I should try changing mine to GP... Would love to try out some GP bikes before that, though - who knows, I may "get sold" as well...