Jump to content

You And Valentino Rossi


Keith Code

Recommended Posts

I read that book a couple of weeks back, cost $60 and I read it in 2 days. Lots of hardcore racer attitude in there

, a lot of funny stuff too. He certainly isn't shy about showing his confidence! Amazing way he grew up, I'm sure most of us would have enjoyed growing up in a village like that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My main question is this: How do I know if I'm too much of a new rider to attend a "racing" school? I really want to attend the school to learn the limits of my bike, get rid of bad habits, become more aware of my surroundings, etc.

 

 

You are asking the correct questions. I have heard so many say "I want to be faster, I want to race, etc, etc". You are aware of your limitations and bad habits, and are ready to do something about it.

Let these guys take care of you; sign up for a class. Be a safer rider.

 

 

Thank you Keith again for another inspiring article, chock full of insites (another excellent item to share with my students).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We get the question pretty regularly, which school to take.

 

The Superbike School is quite different than CODERACE. For sure recommend at least levels 1-2 (and really 3) if it can be done before CODERACE. Most of the guys that come to CODERACE without the other schools in place, really need to go and do those. But, sometimes it's not possible.

 

Any questions on this, give me a ring, I can give you an idea of what's in the different schools.

 

Best,

CF

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cobie writes:"The Superbike School is quite different than CODERACE".

 

Besides being the Head Instructor World Wide for the School, Cobie is also a master of understatement. As a multi-school student who has also attended CodeRACE, I can assure you that Cobie is being generous with that statement.

 

His advice on attending The Superbike School first is right on point. The School has a very well developed and systematic approach to cornering that teaches students how to corner through a progression of drills that build on each other through the three basic levels before you get to fine tune it all in Level IV. Many students also supplement the School training with the Twist of the Wrist books as well as the Soft Science of Road Racing both before and after attending. CodeRACE is a whole 'nuther matter.

 

The drills are more advanced and if you haven't integrated the basics, it is easy to become overwhelmed very quickly. When I attended in April of 2004, we were on the track with the School's top instructors, School Fleet Crew Chief Will Eikenberry (who holds the lap record at the Streets of Willow Springs), Keith Code himself and...Roger Lee Hayden. I had no clue what FAST looked like in person before then; upon my return, two metaphors I used to describe getting passed there were "lightning bolt" and "rifle shot".

I can't imagine what it would have been like if I hadn't attended the Superbike School's four levels beforehand...but that also just me. :blink:

Kevin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
Guest Guest_carlitos_*

Actually its true. You can't possibly think as fast as you ride, and thinking about your riding while your in a corner is not a great combo. I gaurentee Rossi has nothing on his mind when he is on the track.

 

You could not be more wrong!! In fact, i was startled that Rossi does exactly what i do (but apparently more often).. he talks to himself. Yes, he does.... like "give it more gas" "why i did i not give more gas here" etc etc. Think that racer does not have time to think? to observe? Strategize alone the way? Speak for yourself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Might be that more deifinition of "thinking" is needed here.

 

Take for example braking and downshifting.

 

If one had to say to himself, "I must roll off the throttle, put on the brake(s), pull in the clutch, blip the throttle, make the downshift, let out the clutch, while keeping the brake pressure steady, or even lessening it, (re-insert the whole process 2 or 3 more times if going down 2-3 gears), all while keeping my position on the track, or in Rossi's case he sometimes adjusts it under braking, dealing with other riders, noticing flag marshals if need be, etc., etc."

 

That would be way too slow, take way longer than the actions themselves.

 

If you guys haven't looked at Keith's book THE SOFT SCIENCE OF ROADRACING, it's pretty much dedicated to this aspect of riding.

 

I'll be interested to see what you think on this.

 

CF

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Talking to himself are comments, critisizims and adjustments, not primary instructions to get himself around the track. We all do that at some point (ever talk you yourself while driving to work?). <_<

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Might be that more deifinition of "thinking" is needed here.

CF

 

I work in the snowboarding instruction industry, conducting certification exams and training events for all levels of snowboard instructors and coaches. I see this same kind of tunnel vision about the topic of "thinking" while performing a physical skill in an environment where speed and precision is paramount. To me it seems utterly ludicrous that anyone would suggest that such kind of physical activity is possible without "thinking".

 

But I believe the real problem here is that many often incorrectly assume that thinking is a process limited to a process where the brain is running "word script". Thinking goes far beyond that.

 

Howard Gardner, an education psychology theorist suggests that we have multiple intelligences. Linguistic intelligence (processing language code) is only one of a growing list of Gardner's Multiple Intelligences> Some of the others are: visual-spatial (visual processing), mathmatical logical (analytical processing), musical (sound processing), kinesthetic (processing physical sensations), environmental (processing one's relationships to things in ones environment), intrapersonal intelligence (dealing with one's own motivations, fears, etc. ) and interpersonal intelligence (understanding the behaviors of others). It doesn't take long to realize that anyone out on the race track or up on the slopes is simultaneously processing all of these elements. To reduce it all to a word script...utterly ridiculous. Thinking is much more than words.

 

Seeing a line is nothing more than seeing a shape, anticipating what it will feel like, anticipating what sounds you will hear from the wind, engine, transmission, tires, etc. Add human elements to the mix and you've got your hands full. The trick in performing any physical skill is to inegrate this information appropriately without allowing one to overwhelm the others. You can't let the words get in the way of seeing. You can't let your visual fixations lock up the processing of physical sensations. You can't let the physical sensations paralyze your logic. From what I have read...this is exactly at the center of what Keith Code's methodology is all about.

 

Now...about those words.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
Guest VALENTINO DEGENSTEIN

:) : ALRIGHT CHECJ THIS OUT. THEY JUST BLEW A NUCLEAR PLANT TO THE GROUND,THE COPS HAVE MY 2004 R6. THEY WANT TO TALK TO A CERTAIN SOMEBODY WHO TOOK OFF FROM THEM AND LED THEM ON A HIGH SPEEED CHASE,BLASTING GRAVEL IN THE CAB OF THE COPS CAR WHEN HE TOLD(THE RIDER)TO SIT RIGHT THERE AND THAT HE AWASNT BEING PULLED OVER. I REPEAT THE OFFICER WAS ASKED TWICE IF THE RIDER WAS BEIND PULLED OVER. HE REPLIED NO. WELL HE GOT BURNT,I MESSED WITH THE LAW AND THEY GOT MY R6. SO HERE I AM TODAY. I'M FREE AND THE R6 IS NOT. I RULE SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON. I DO NOT RACE. I RIDE HARD.PROBABLY HARDER THAN YOU ,BUT SEE THAT'S NOT HOW ROSSI DOES IT. HE MAINTAIN'S ENERGY BREATHING,SCANNING REFOCUSING,TROUBLESHOOTING.THE BIKE HAS A NATURAL LINE THAT IT WANT'S TO GO.THE RIDER JUST HAVE TO REALIZE THE BALANCE BETWEEN LETTING IT GO AND THAN CATCHING IT TOO LATE AND CRASHING.IT'S MORE OF A LET THE BIKE DRIFT OUT AND THEN LEAN OVER TECHNIQUE.JUST RIDING BUT CARRYING A LOT OF CORNER SPEED AND WEIGHTLESNESS(WHERE YOU NEED TO BE LIGHTER) THERE'S SPOT'S ON THE TRACK WHERE YOU NEED TO COMPRESS YOUR WEIGHT AND MAY NEED TO BECOME LIGHTER,FROM THE OXYGEN IN YOUR MUSCLES TO THE BLOOD PRESSURE THRU YOUR ENTIRE BODY.ALSO USING THE AIR STREAM TO SLOW AND CONTORT YOUR BODY WITH THE AIR . MAYBE I'LL WRITE BACK AND SEE WHAT'S UP?

 

KEITH CODE. I WILL BE COMING TO MEET YOU ONE DAY. I'M 28. FAST AS ALL ###### AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE LOVE OF RIDING. BE SAFE YA'LL... VALENTINO "R6 LESS IN WASH" DEGENSTEIN.

TUNE IN NEXT WEEK....... :lol::lol::lol::lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest EODDOC

Might be that more deifinition of "thinking" is needed here.

 

Take for example braking and downshifting.

 

If one had to say to himself, "I must roll off the throttle, put on the brake(s), pull in the clutch, blip the throttle, make the downshift, let out the clutch, while keeping the brake pressure steady, or even lessening it, (re-insert the whole process 2 or 3 more times if going down 2-3 gears), all while keeping my position on the track, or in Rossi's case he sometimes adjusts it under braking, dealing with other riders, noticing flag marshals if need be, etc., etc."

 

That would be way too slow, take way longer than the actions themselves.

 

If you guys haven't looked at Keith's book THE SOFT SCIENCE OF ROADRACING, it's pretty much dedicated to this aspect of riding.

 

I'll be interested to see what you think on this.

 

CF

I was reading the "Soft Science" and I was reminded again of how alike many sports are, and how many racers actually golf. In golfing we always (or should always) have a "swing thought." As Mr. Code states, it should be helpful, specific, and to the point. "Head down" or "slow down on the backswing" are often used, and they are specific instructions to the golfer to attain a goal. We never use vague wishes like "don't slice." As that is neither prescriptive nor instructive. In cornering (something I know far less about then golf) I often think "roll the throttle one click at a time" to help prevent me frfom chopping the throttle, one of my biggest faults. While I know little about cornering ( and here again as Oscar Wilde stated "comparisons are odious"- I know that there is far more for me to learn- I do know a bit about medicine and golf- both of which require an uncluttered, focused mind to achievve successful outcomes. Look forward to going to the school at NHIS 8/2- see you there

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Crash

ASAP I say! I rode around doing it my way and failing for 10 years before attending a school. I learn't so much in the first few sessions I am down on myself for not learning this earlier. In fact it was just as well I picked something up this early beacause reverting to "my way" for just a split second landed me in hospital.

 

I believe your better off learning the right way straight up than forming bad habits thinking that you need to get yourself to some level before attending.

 

Seriously, if I had of known 10 years earlier what I learn't in the first two sessions of the first day, my riding experiences would have been very different and a whole lot less painful and expensive.

 

 

Regards

 

Crash

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Imagine if you were Rossi and came on here (and no doubt other forums) and found people discussing what you think and see. :blink::D I guess as a celebrity though one would get used to those sort of things.

 

I wonder how much of Rossi's ability is just raw talent? How much of it results from consciously analyzing riding technique or from good formal training? How much is from just having an enourmous amount of practice?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I described some of the things that I do on a motorcycle, or things that just happen during a ride, to non-riders or perhaps just a more easy going rider, they may say that I have some serious cajones. Hell many non-riders would say any of us have cajones just to go near a motorcycle. But to me I'm just doing my thing and not feeling like its brave or scary while I'm doing it. Then we watch racers on T.V. have their slides and twitches and other "moments" and think man that takes cajones. But I'd bet they are just doing their thing. Ever watch that DVD called "Faster?" It's 3 hours long and it's all about MotoGP. Narrated by OB1. Anyway there's a bit in there where they put heart monitors on Rossi and on Biaggi during a race. Rossi's max rate was 120, and that was only when something unexpected happened. Biaggi's max was like 180. That's a huge difference considering that resting heart rate for a young healthy adult is around 60, and the highest possible is around 200.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...
...

As I have seen with lots of top riders, their biggest ongoing breakthroughs come in their ability to use their visual abilities, their perception of location. Why can a rider go through a turn 300 times and all of a sudden have a massive breakthrough and finally "understand" the turn? It happens all the time. I hope it has happened to you. If it hasn't then I know why.

 

...

Keith Code

 

 

ⓒKeith Code, 2005, all rights reserved.

 

I found I tend to have these "AHA!" moments when I [used to] least expect them; end of a session on a cool down lap, or yellow flags during races.. Those moments when I ride (or drive) at a slower pace then normal, but still brisk. The slightly lower pace let me devote more attention to just the RPs I was already using, but to look around and possible visualize different lines, or think about where I could put a couple corners together differently than I do when I'm riding at race pace.

 

I think this also made me realize that if I ride at maybe 8 or 9 tenths instead of 100%, I ended up being smoother, faster, and more consistent (perhaps that's a little redundant). I think during those moments are also when you find out things like, perhaps putting too much emphasis on one corner, to the point where it is messing up your entry to the next corner (which might be a much more important corner before a long straightaway, for example)

 

I also just finished reading the Rossi book. Just thinking about it makes me want to go out and ride ;)

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...