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Keith Code

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Posts posted by Keith Code

  1. Riders often look for a "technique", some trick, a panacea for their riding ailments that will pull it all together for them. At the same time they look at the bike and all of the technology in it as having vastly more potential than the skills they possess to use it. The evidence for this attitude is that other riders can go quicker, smoother or more precisely than them.

     

    What's going on here? The bike isn't engineered and constructed on tricks so it's highly unlikely that tricks will tame it. The robot which welded up your beautiful perimeter frame does not have its own technique, it does not possess skill: it is programmed with the technology of welding based on a blueprint.

     

    What is Skill?

     

    Skill is another of the great buzz words of riding. Let's define it so we have something to talk about. Riding Skill is: The harmonious interaction of riding technology with machine technology towards a known result.

     

    Our bikes are built on technology created by designers and engineers: frame design, radial brakes, responsive forks and shocks, ignition black boxes that meter the fuel more efficiently, etc. Doesn't it make sense that there would be correct "technology" for riding that allows us to access all that potential?

     

    How about techniques? Where do they fit into the picture. What is the difference between "technique", "technology" and "skill"? How can they work together? How do they often fight each other?

     

    Technology

     

    We all want the bike to cooperate with us and sometimes we hope the machine and the technology it is built on will correct our errors or bring confidence but that's not how it works.

     

    The word "technology" itself has gotten a little muddy over the past 50 years. We tend to think technology means all the newest gadgets and improvements that come with a computer or a motorcycle. That's a very new use of the word.

     

    Factually, it means something completely different. Technology is the practical application of the underlying order or theory of something. The result is a system which organizes, controls or provides access to it.

     

    There are technical points to riding; these would fall under the category of our own software. That, along with the different cool devices on your bike, like a Power Commander, both fall into the category of "technology".

     

    Cornering Technology

     

    Understanding something as simple as straightening out a corner is valuable riding technology. Having a "line" really means: How the rider is organizing and controlling space; the space is the corner in front of him.

     

    The straighten-out-the-corner technology organizes that space in its most efficient manner. For example, it allows for a better, more flowing control of the bike; more efficient use of its power delivery systems and gains access for the rider to the bike's best handling characteristics, which in turn improves traction.

     

    Using this technology to handle corners has proven itself reliable since the very first motorcycle. Regardless of machine upgrades, it works. Once any procedure is established which resolves problems and yields a consistent result, whether it is riding or machine bits, it can be correctly categorized as "technology".

     

    Both riding and machine technology should come together: the bike's technological advances, if they are truly advances, allow you to better control the machine and, in turn, make it easier to straighten out the corner. The bike's technology helps the rider achieve an improved result. If it is correct technology, one compliments the other.

     

    Technique

     

    "Technique" is different, it sits on top of the technology. It is more how it looks and feels than how it works. A 125cc GP rider straightens out the corners quite differently than the Moto GP rider. Different technique, same technology.

     

    The 125 GP bike rider has little acceleration and so must preserve all the momentum (corner speed) he can. The Moto Gp rider wants to get pointed quickly and get his 250 hp to the ground. The form (technique) is different but the function (the technology) is the same.

     

    As long as you realize that your technique or form must cooperate with and compliment the underlying technology or function (what result you want and how the bike works) you can make progress in any problem area of riding.

     

    Hanging Off. Form or Function? Technique or Technology?

     

    A good riding technique is harmonious with and compliments machine technology.

     

    We hang off the bike to lower the combined Center of Gravity of the bike and rider. A useful technique. When it is only done for the form or to look cool, the reason for doing it becomes lost and the form becomes counter-productive. Form and function are another way of saying technique and technology.

     

    Hanging off really is a perfect example. When we see a rider hanging their butt and leg off the inside of the bike we say they are hanging off; that is the form. But, when we see their head and torso crisscrossed back over the tank we have to take a look at the function, at the technology of it, to determine if it is good, bad or has no effect.

     

    In this case, the upper body mass across the tank counters the butt and leg so nothing is gained. Additionally, riders tend to be stiff on the bike in this position. Therefore it is not only counter-productive but actually has a negative effect. Aside from its one saving grace--it looks and feels good to the rider sometimes-it is creating additional problems.

     

    There is no machine technology that will maintain the lowered C of G if the rider's technique counters that basic purpose.

     

    Barriers Become Tools

     

    All of the classic rider barriers follow suit. Finding the limits of traction, lean angle, quick flicking, throttle control, line selection and so on all have very specific uses; very specific ways of executing them; very specific results that can be achieved.

     

    Once the rider understands and aligns his technique with the underlying technology these "barriers" become tools to handle exact situations. That rider has achieved a new and very solid level of control. Now we could say he had skill. He is able to align his technique with the technology involved.

     

    Riders who rely solely on what they feel from the bike are hard to train. Riders who can recognize, understand and shoot for specific results in each of these areas make rapid progress towards their riding goals. It isn't all technique, some understanding of the underlying technology is needed to bring Feeling, Technique and the Technology into harmony that result in Skillful application.

     

    Fashionable Riding

     

    Techniques can become "fashionable". Look at the drama and appeal of the "backing-it-in" technique.

     

    The underlying principal is sound: get the bike pointed more towards the exit, spend less time in the corner leaned over, put the power down earlier, beat the other guys. On the outside it appears to be a simple and effective idea because it is based on the solid technology of straightening out the turn.

     

    This technique feels great to do and looks awesome. Have you noticed it has mainly come and gone? Too much monkey business, too complicated, low results: the form overcame the function: the technique did not really compliment and fully align with the technology.

     

    Fashionable Slides

     

    Big time hanging the back end out, spinning the tire coming off the corners has gone the same way. The old adage, "You aren't going forward if you are going sideways" came back to haunt those riders once again.

     

    Yes, some tire spin is needed for a good drive off the turn and to keep the tire clean, exposing fresh, sticky rubber but too much just looks cool and brings in the spectators but it doesn't win races and could cost you your traction later in the race.

     

    Techniques, if they ignore the underlying technology, if they are not integrated and complimentary, are like painting over a dirty, unprepared surface. It looks great from a distance but loses its charm under close inspection.

     

    Technique vs Understanding

     

    Valentino and Matt Mladin use the same controls we do. When you see novice riding errors being made you see someone who appears to be struggling with the form, the techniques. There is lots of added stuff going on, mainly corrections, like extra steering inputs to adjust lean angle or a variety of braking and throttle inconsistencies.

     

    This rider isn't really struggling with the technique, it is the technology, the underlying function of the controls and what the bike needs, that they are at odds with. Making the rider's form better doesn't handle it. Saying you need to be smooth doesn't handle it. Another coat of paint doesn't handle it.

     

    The less we understand of the bike's needs and what function the controls actually serve (the underlying technology of it) the more we battle with the form. As stated earlier, most riders honestly believe that learning some cool technique will handle it. It won't.

     

    The worst part is that when "technique" without understanding fails to produce the desired effect riders go off on tangents and invent complicated little procedures trying to make things work out. Simple control inputs become involved, tooth and nail battles for this rider. This is true at all levels of riding.

     

    The Value of School

     

    This is the real reason why training works so effectively. Once you know what is needed and how to produce it your control over the machine is established and you'll move forward from there. When you add to that effective on-track observation and coaching, the corrections you are given make sense.

     

    Any technique that brings the rider more in control and more in alignment with how the bike and its technology actually work is a good technique. There is not now and never will be one single technique or one trick, that accomplishes that.

     

    We drill 15 different points in our first three school levels. The briefing before each on-track session reveals the key supporting evidence and facts to show how they work; why they work; what will go wrong if you misapply them and how they integrate with the bike's functions, its technology. You'll know what it is and how to gain access to it.

     

    Becoming enough of a technician to understand these points is not difficult. In the end the motorcycle has simple demands, simple functions. Even if we don't understand how a shock is designed and engineered we can easily understand what was intended by its creators and how to bring out the best possible results from it. You can understand this technology with little effort, no engineering background is needed.

     

    All that is needed is the desire to master the art of cornering a motorcycle.

     

    Learn the skills, discover the art.

     

    Keith Code

     

    ? Keith Code, 2005, all rights reserved.

  2. I wasn't logged in properly, here goes again.

     

     

     

    Speaking of thinking it through--did any of you read Rossi's autobiography?

     

    He goes over just how much he is thinking about his riding during a race

    weekend. Very interesting stuff.

     

    I haven't finished the book yet but that part is in the first or second chapter.

     

    Best,

    Keith

  3. Hey guys,

     

    Let me steer you just a bit on this if you don't mind.

     

    When you go out with a purpose in mind it is far better than just going out hoping that it will all come together for you. It is lovely to get into the zone on riding. Brilliant experience and makes it all worthwhile. But pulling yourself along with a purpose for the ride, the race, the parctice session, for those of us who don't have MotoGP quality of riding yet, is the way to go.

     

    Listen. I've been doing some research. I've come up with 40 different purposes a rider can have for how they set up and execut a line through a corner, they all have some sort of result that riders try for when they ride. Sometimes it is just an intention. Some of them are vague and some are specific.

     

    'To make it through the turn', that would be vague. 'To have higher mid corner speed' would lead a rider towards something they could actually accomplish. 'To go faster', pretty vague. 'To get into the zone', pretty vague. 'To get back on the gas earlier', you could work with that one. You see what I mean?

     

    Good advice is just that, good advice. Nothing wrong with it but all too often it just sounds good but doesn't give the rider a real plan to execute to improve.

     

    Best,

    Keith

  4. Like most things, the brake release and the throttle application take co-ordination and drilling to get them in perfect harmony.

     

    Just keep it simple, it isn't necessary to invent new procedures and add extra actions at a time when your attention is stretched out as thin as it is at the entry to turns. It will only create more busy work.

     

    Whether braking straight up or leaned over, the release of the lever will determine if the transition is clean and smooth or not.

     

    An abrupt release will get the suspension moving around more than it should be, that is distracting.

    If the brake is release clean there should not be any upsetting movement from the chassis--done poorly, there will be and that can be distracting.

     

    Getting your right wrist to co-operate and get the throttle on AFTER your lean angle is set is the only way to guarantee a stable motorcycle. That lag is what you need to handle. Half a second isn't long on a stop watch but it is 44 feet at 60 mph. That is 6 bike lengths!

     

    Getting the bike full on quick flicked, really snapped into the turn, can be done with no chassis upsets of any kind. You do not have to invent new stuff or be world champion to do this.

     

    You do have to pay attention to your brake release and throttle application and once they are in harmony it will work for you.

     

    There are some other factors to this but, on a bike that is basically set up OK, these are the two that make the big difference.

     

    Keith

  5. Hi Jen,

     

    We can't run it in the rain. The problem is that riders trust the outriggers too much and just lean it over too far. It is still a motorcycle and will lose backend traction just like a real one. THat is far less likely to happen in the dry.

     

    Riding it in the wet was one of the very first experiments we did with it on the skid pad at Willow Springs back in 1998. We had the water truck come out and put one of us on it. Probably not a fiar comparison to real conditions since it hadn't rained for a while and the asphalt was slimey but we found later that with cold tires and a wet surface it acts a lot like a normal bike.

     

    Keith

     

    PS: OVer the past few years the weather has been good for us at Sears, we only rained out part of one day and still got all the track time in.

  6. Here is my nickle's worth.

     

    Maximum lean is a tool that you only use when it is necessary. Granted, having it is good and feeling confident with it is good as well but it is not how you want to ride all the time in fact you want to avoid it as much as possible.

     

    One thing is for sure, you will never trust the bike until you totally trust yourself.

     

    90% of that trust has to do with how much control you have over your right wrist and maintaining good throttle control at the steep lean angles.

     

    Look at your own riding and tell me if you are absolutely postitive your throttle controls is perfect as you approach YOUR maximum comfort zone in lean angle.

     

    Here is a point to consider: At 45 degrees lean the load on the suspension is 41% greater than vertical. As you lean it further over the load becomes even higher. The suspension is still lower in its travel from the cornering forces that are created. Your throttle control has to bring the suspension back into its most compliant range.

     

    What is the problem? Your instinct is telling you more gas is bad and the bike is saying it needs more gas. Who wins?

     

    Keith

  7. Great questions,

     

    Riders get used to riding a certain way for lots of reasons, some of which have been sited here on this thread, vision is a good point and it is one of the major reasons riders try and stay high on the bike, it is easier to see.

     

    In the end you have to weigh one position against the other and put that up against what is trying to be accomplished with the hanging off riding position.

     

    If lowering the combined C of G is the purpose then the upper body across the top of the tank, twisted on the bike, is counter-productive and neutralizes the butt cheek out in the wind, the rider might as well just sit on the bike like a touring rider does.

     

    Another reasons riders adopt the twisted position is that they feel compeled to hang onto the bars as it gives them the impression they are in better control. Its just their feeling about it and that is hard to argue with.

     

    I worked hard with Roger Lee Hayden on this point. His mechanic was worried about him using too much lean. But to give you an idea of how hard it id to break the habit, it took Roger Lee at least 8 races to begin to get down into the bike and he is a talented rider for sure.

     

    What I'm saying is: It is not so easy to change it once it becomes a "habit". It is very easy to see that almost every rider on the planet starts out twisted on the bike (it is one of the easiest ways to spot the novices) so there is obviously some survival instinct that has to be overcome in order to get into the bike in what we see as "good" body position.

     

    Best,

    Keith

  8. When you get into the corner, immediately after you have initiated the turn, get ON the gas. If you're not on the gas, you will continue to transfer weight to the front and tighten up the turning of the bike.

    JeF4Y's quote.

     

    Not so Jeff, at least not unless you have some pressure on the bars and that is quite unconscious for most riders. When you are off the gas in a corner the contact patch is to the inside of the tire's center and is countersteering the bike upwards and wide in the turn. Going off the gas and transfering weight to the front end with the tiniest bar pressure has a pretty big effect and, again, is quite unconscious for most riders.

     

    The one thing that does modify this is the rider's body position. The forward and down position seems to bring in more pro-steer (the front end turning in towards the corner and tightening up the turn) in that position but we have yet to discover if there is bar pressure being applied at the same time. Experiments are on the way and in progress to determine this.

     

    I am working with Paul Thede at Race Tech and he is building a really great data acquisition system that includes bar pressure and steering head rotation sensors. We will use the data for the Twist II DVD which we are shooting in October.

     

    Keith

  9. Agocat,

     

    Your spring sag sounds way out of whack but before changing it you need to measure it correctly. You take the measurement with you on the bike in normal riding position. First you take the meausrement of the front and the rear at full extension, then sit on it and see how much sag its got. There are articles out there on setting spring sag.

     

    Here is the address from Race Tech with the directions on how to do it.

     

    http://www.triumphnet.com/st/acc/racetech/setup.htm

     

    Keith

  10. I have never ridden a bike that doesn't countersteer and definitely never ridden one that steers the way Supernought says-- turns in like a car. The idea that little corrections are made like car steering and larger ones are from countersteering is a new one on me. I have heard that over 225mph bikes do steer like cars and then return to countersteering past 275 (I think that was the number).

     

    I'd like to know where this data came from Supernought. Where?

     

    Keith

  11. You and Valentino Rossi

     

    It's not often we are treated to the kind of excitement that Moto GP racing is providing us with today and we see a huge difference in what he can do compared to the other riders out there on the circuit.

     

    With Val Rossi we know that the equipment makes little or no difference, he has won on slower and less developed bikes; he breaks lap records on the last lap when everyone else complains about their tires going off and he has the same rubber as them. He's not noted, like some top racers, to maintain any sort of rigorous physical training regimen. What's up with that?

     

    I suppose we'd all like to be able to ride like Valentino Rossi. We admire him and then we ride and can't figure out how a Human could be in such command of so many aspects of riding when we are essentially doing the same thing on the bike as he is. You work the same controls that change the speed and direction of your bike as he does.

     

    So if it isn't the bike then it must be the man. And if it is the man it is the mind that guides it. If it is the mind that guides it, then the fuel for the mind is the perceptions of the individual rider himself that rules.

     

    When we look over the number of perceptions that we can have it is actually pretty staggering. We perceive, line, lean angle, traction, speed and the timing and degree of control application to put them all in some kind of sensible order for ourselves.

     

    There is the difference?what is a sensible order? When you pull on the brakes in a set of esses and someone else is wide open and upshifting you start to get some inkling of the difference between your perceptions. Leading the way on perception is our ability to process visual data. Or, more accurately, our sense of location in space.

     

    It is easy to see that location rules when it comes to working the controls. What one rider sees is vastly different than another, even though the things that are available to use as reference points are exactly the same.

     

    One rider's line is different than another's. How much different? Well, you might have a track that is 4 DOT lanes wide but the actual usable space for speed and control narrows down quite a bit from there. The amount of that space that you can use is limited, maybe 10 feet of it would be the amount of variance from one rider to another, maybe. That would be a generous estimate, it is probably more like 5 feet. Unless you are Valentino who seems to be able to make any line work.

     

    What's all the fuss about lines? Big fuss. When you break it down the only logical explanation is that a rider can choose and run any line that he can see. The corollary (an easily drawn conclusion) to that is, if you can't see the line you can't choose it and you can't run it.

     

    I can't count the number of times we've shown a rider a line and then followed him to see how good his "monkey-see-monkey-do" skills were only to find his line varied only slightly from what he had been doing and markedly varied from what we demonstrated.

     

    What someone uses for Reference Points (RPs) and how they use them is the key. This was my first real discovery on riding back in 1976. It changed my riding and everyone that I worked with made huge leaps in their own skills by simply becoming aware of this simple fact.

     

    What I now know is: there ARE other points that must be cemented in for a rider to have a solid enough foundation to even get to the point they can find and use good RPs with certainty and with confidence. When we take up Reference Points, and the other visual skills, on Level 2 we get to the real core of riding and it isn't that easy to master it.

     

    So what about Valentino? Our Australian school director, Steve Brouggy, has a great way of putting it. "If you could record what you see and record what Valentino sees you would have two totally different movies." I agree.

     

    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.

     

    Valentino does it on the fly and it seems that he has honed this ability to its finest possible point. You can see it if you look closely. Watch his lines and see not only that he can use any line in a pinch but that the differences in his and the others out there really is different.

     

    Have fun watching for this. Truly, if you have difficulty seeing this from the camera's perspective you would have a very difficult time doing it on your own. What I'm saying is this: it's good practice to notice lines, your own and someone else's, it may give you a new idea on how to use your own eyes. Once you become interested in your lines, I hope to see you for Level 2 and sort it out.

     

    Keith Code

     

     

    ⓒKeith Code, 2005, all rights reserved.

  12. Here is my take on this.

     

    Changing more than one gear at a time is fine on the street but not for track or other spirited riding. The thing about one dowhshift at a time is simple--you know what gear you are in. If you miss a shift while trying to go down more than one it completley blows the corner because you have to think it through on which way to go, up or down to get it back together. In a car you know where the stick is, that is quite different from a bike.

     

    Keith

  13. The single most important lesson I ever leanred to get perfect starts is to make sure the throttle is wide open the moment before you let out the clutch and leave it there, all adjusment are done with the clutch lever to keep the front end on the ground and get a great launch.

     

    Keith

     

    Will Eikenberry taught me that.

  14. superdave88,

     

    Bad advice--take a look at how much Val Rossi or Tommy Hayden rides and how fast they go and how little they crash as your roll model. Forget the "you don't know how fast you can go until you crash" advice, it leads you to the wrong conclusions and doesn't mean squat when it comes to learning how to do it right.

     

    Keith

  15. shoj,

     

    Physical fitness is relative to a lot of things, age, weight, endurance and strength.

     

    If you are fit enough to do an hour of aerobics and are reasonable strong for your weight and age you can race with no problems of any great concern.

     

    We know racers who are old and overwieght but strong and have endurance that do really quite well.

    I've known other racers who didn't look as though they could stay on the bike for 20 minutes who also did well. Once you go to school you'll have a better idea of what it takes.

     

    Keith

  16. The 600 Supersport in England is every bit as tough as our own series, lots of fast guys racing on really good bikes so here is one guy we helped a bunch and I made a statement to Road Racing World so I thought you all might be interested.

     

    California Superbike School student Leon Camier wins British Supersport round at Thruxton

     

    Keith Code--

     

    ?Leon is doing great. We had him as a student last year when I was in Spain at Almeria and after that his sponsors decided to send him over for one of our Code R.A.C.E. programs last Fall, that?s when I started working with him one-on-one. He was already pretty quick but like lots of talented riders he wasn?t consistent and that is what we worked on.

     

    Leon crashed in the first round two weeks ago at Brands Hatch and wound up fourth in that one but yesterday he won a convincing victory over the field. I?m starting to have some fun again training racers.

     

    Our school director in the UK, Andy Ibbott, has been working with a 125 GP rider named Thomas Luthi. He was leading the 125 GP in Jerez by 3 seconds last weekend and had a mechanical with 7 laps to go so we almost had an international podium the same weekend with another of our one-on-one students.

     

    To be honest, I think what we teach is effective up to around 175 hp bike and tire combinations. I can see what Rossi and the MotoGP guys are doing and I can appreciate it but I don?t fully understand it like I do 600s, 125s and Superbikes. Maybe I can get a GP ride and find out!?

  17. The funny thing about htis year is that more riders are choosing our new ZX 6Rs than in the years past so those are the spots that are filling up the quickest. I suppose with Tommy's amazing runaway win at Daytona that will only increase. So your chances of getting a spot on your own bike are better than they have been in the years past.

     

    I've ridden our new bikes and, just to put in a huge pump for our sponsor, they are really sweet. Last year's 636 was already the best bike I could think of for track training and riding and this year's bike is head and shoulders above even that---I really like them and the reason is that you just don't think about the bike after about two laps, it's always there for you doing what you want it to do.

     

    Keith

  18. Many many moosn ago Jack,

     

    Thanks and I think you'd be surprised at how much more we focus on what we call basics than we used to. That of course brings up the definition of what basics really are and that ranges from how to let the clutch out to being safe on the street if you ask most people but I don't think that is what they are. Getting the bike to cooperate with you is basics and requires a fairly in depth study and plenty of practice just to get that part of it out of the way.

     

    For track riding, learning how to back the bike in isn't going to be the thing that knocks off the next 2 seconds in lap times. Being able to set the bike on a line and learning yourself how to choose a line to me are basics because so many other things will go wrong if you can't do it. That is more of how I see the subject of basics.

     

    ciao for now,

    Keith

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