Cobie Fair
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Posts posted by Cobie Fair
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Hi All,
We just finished 4 excellent days at the Streets of Willow (perfect weather) and are off to Laguna. Back for 2 days, then off to the east coast tour, about 5 weeks.
I won't be on the forum as much then
, so I'll trust some of the "regulars" will keep at it. I will have my blackberry, so e-mail me any time if you'd like (don't expect a long answer though 
). At this last school we had a pack of young 'uns. 3 riders 11 or less, riding 150's or 125's, and doing great. We should get them or their dad's up here...it was hysterical to hear about the trash talking they did.
best,
Cobie
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I know Keith has talked about turning up the throttle, but don't recall exactly where...anyone?
C
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Hey Billy,
let us know how your track days and racing goes!
C
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Hi bobby,
Streets of Willow is excellent, one of our favorites, it just has it all.
Vegas is a fun track, good one to start at too. And, Vegas is worth visiting, especially if you can get one of the shows in, wow.
Laguna--lots of hype, but not really that hard if you apply your basics.
let us know when you do come over!
Best,
Cobie
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Dropping in to say Hi. I am signed up for the Level I school on June 7th at Willow Springs and I am really looking forward to it. This will be my first experience on a track (with a street bike), and I am obviously a little nervous as to what to expect.
A little about me. Born and raised in San Diego, I have been riding for about 4-5 years total with about 30,000 miles on the street. I started on a 2002 Honda 600 F4i, and am now the owner of a 2008 CBR 1000RR. I was involved in an accident on the 600 back in Sept of '06, and am now just getting back on a bike, so about a year and a half layoff.
I had read Twist I and Twist II back in 2002, and I just finished re-reading them a couple of weeks ago. Great reading. I have told my friend that is afraid to ride a bike on the street (he is an awesome dirt rider/racer) that if he would just read those books, some of his fears would go away.
Anyways, can't wait for the school, really looking forward to leanring alot of new information.
Hi DMX and welcome!
Good idea to refresh on the books before you come, especially Twist 2. First time on a track, EVERYONE is nervous, pretty much whatever they say
We have anice gradient approach, and that is an excellent track to train on, possibly the best.Come and say hello that morning, i'll be there. Let me know if we can help with anything.
Best,
Cobie
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Hi all
I want to come over to the UK and take Level 1 and two on the 9th and 10th of june.
Coming over to the UK is not a simple task for me, as I live in Israel.
Is it possible to do level 1 and two in two days in a raw? I understand its not ideal,
but as i said, Its not simple to come over.
Where is the nearest hotel to Rockingham?
and how do I get to the track from the hotel?
Is there any chance of rain in june in the UK? hope not.
Anything else i need to know about the Rockingham experience? How is the track?
Any info would be great.
thanks
You were correctly referred to the UK school, but one point I'd like to make: each level takes a full day, and we think it is best to do 2 in a row, especially for your first time. So, doing level 1 and then level 2 is an excellent idea.
Best,
Cobie
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Hi Sari, and welcome to the forum!
There are women that are racing, and have raced. Right now one of my coaches is a woman, Misti Hurst. Misti is racing in the US AMA 600 Supersport series, and has done very well. Pretty sure she is the first ever woman to race in a 600 Supersport race at Daytona.
I don't know that the size/height is all that people think it is. Leon is tall, though not quite 6'4". Misti is 5'3".
We are on the road and doing schools now (on our way to Laguna Seca), but I'll check back on the forum when I can.
best,
Cobie Fair
Chief Riding Coach
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Hi Mark, and welcome!
We are on the way to Laguna Seca after 4 days at Willow Springs, so just a short note to say hello.
You'll get only a biased opinion from me
, and that is do a school before a track day if possible. Also, good idea to do a little research on the track day provider, not all are equal.Keith's books are great references, whether coming to our school or another. The track and the bike are not the critical part of the training, so if you are going to come see us, come wherever/whenever you can.
Best,
Cobie Fair
Chief Riding Coach
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[quote
Things I can do: I've been making sure my throttle control is smooth; I've been trying to guess my speed and then check with the speedometer.
Is this silly? It seems saddle time in general should be good...
Not silly mate, but too bad not turns. My idea of hell is Florida (where I visited, it was flat and not turns). Consider one thing for a moment: racebikes don't (haven't for many years) had speedos. Best to work on your own sense of speed. It's a skill you have, and can work on. One thing to do might be to just try and get the same speed, then try a little slower, then maybe a hair up, and know that you are making those adjustments.
Make sense? Let us know what you get, and figure out how get some turns in your life
Cobie
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[quote
I would be interested in doing a 2 day camp in the usa next year with you guys and was wondering if that is possible since I am from scotland, also if i did level 1 in the uk is it ok to do levels 2 and 3 in the usa? what i mean is are the levels recognised on an international level?
hope that makes sense
Thanks Bobby
Makes total sense, and no problem at all. You can do any level at any of the schools, and proceed to the next level at any of the schools. By the time you make it to level 4, we will do an individual program (updated for each day), so no worries there. The boys in the UK will take good care of you, don't let them give you too much about being a Scot
(just kidding mate, they are good guys and really like what they do, and are very good at it).Hope you do make it over here, let us know if you have any questions on which track to come to.
Best,
Cobie
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Definately need more riding!!! I live in farmland Illinois and 90% of the roads are straight and flat. And after doing levels 1 & 2 straight and flat is getting kind of boring. But there is good news: I am in the process of buying an old F3 for track days and I do live only 20 miles from the Autobahn Country Club track. So there are curves ahead. Don't worry Cobie, I'll be a coach before you know it.
Now we are talking, getting a track bike! We've only been to Autobahn once, and it turned out to be like hottest day in history, we were roasted.
C
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What is the reason you're waiting to slide over after braking and down shifting?
"brake > downshift > slide > 1-cone > count to 1 > turn in"
Since this was a practice day, I didn't need to wait to slide over, but that's what I've done in the past because I'm usually braking pretty hard going into T1 and I was supporting my body with both hands. Should I slide over before braking?
Paul
If you slid over before, would that remove a major body motion from the entry to the turn? Also, is the bike more or less stable under braking? Would it be more stable to slide over under the throttle? Have a look at the top racers on this point, see what they do. Let us know what you see/think.
C
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One question for the coaches: I brake first then downshift while I'm braking. I've always done it this way. But in ToTW it says to downshift then brake. Seems to me that if you downshift first, you're rolling off the gas and slowing before you brake. Doesn't that take away a little speed you could otherwise maintain by staying on the gas a little longer and getting right onto the brakes? I feel I would be giving away a little speed by reversing the order.
Thanks guys,
Paul
Hi Paul,
You covered quite a bit there (thanks for the report). Let's first look at your question: where in the book did you see that on braking and downshifting? (Racer already asked that, but I have the same question). Let's have a look at that, then we can go from there. I looked at the chapter on Braking and didn't see that, I did find some material on pg. 68, see if that applise (Twist 1).
C
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quote]
I've always had a hard time with the last turn of the day; Whether into the pit lane or the driveway, my bike seems to want to keep going straight.......Can't seem to find the proper adjustment to correct that either......
Last turn of the day is tough eh? We need to get you riding some more:)
C
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I live in Bangkok. The springs in the bikes here are for Asian size guys not big guys from America. I weigh about 265. When in the States, I picked up some springs from Racetec. I didn't do the valves as I don't trust the mechanics here to do the job properly.
Having the right springs for my weight has made a big difference. The bike handles much better.
I found the support from Racetec was good too. If you live in the LA area you can bring your bike to them for installation. I think they sell a fork cartridge kit as well.
Take care,
JP
JP,
Thanks for the data, it's good to know.
I wonder if we ought to start a topic for mechanics and suppliers, see who has had good success with them? What do you guys think?
Cobie
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I'm not arguing with you, but it sure FELT like it was peg weighting.
I used to do that. Its more like using the inside peg to push the bike underneath you. Its described in one of my questions on here somewhere. I think I picked it up from dirt bikes.
P.s whats up with quotes? Doesnt seem to work
I think you have to take care to leave the quote and brackets in.
Regarding the peg weighting: do an experiment when you get a chance: pay very close attention to what is being done with the bars. Often when riders are in a good hang off position, they are in a much better position regarding the leverage they put on the bars. A little tiny effort (when down low and pushing forward) can make a HUGE difference in bar pressure, and the effect of it. A better thing will be to have you ride the NO B/S Bike. Everyone should ride that thing once, and really, really see what you get done with the bars, and what other things do: weighting the pegs, pushing on the tank, etc.
C
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Yea! I figured it out :-)
OK, can see them. The tanks on the Ducs are not quite the same as the modern Jap bikes, and not as easy to hold on and lock on with that outside leg (like you worked on in the Lean Bike. If you are racing that thing, you might consider some Stomp Grip, or Tech Spec.
C
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Martys,
Not quite sure how to get those images up...any knowledgeable geeks out there
C
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I remember for the most part. I remember enough, that looking back this weekend, I wasn't doing it!
Thanks for the help and guidance.
Grease,
Remember how the coach showed you to lock on, and the minus of being too close or hung off too far? When I reviewed your photos, didn't look like you had the best lock on. Make sense?
C
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I still have the hand-out from the level I school with the drills we did. My plan is to work through those and get them solid so I'm ready for level II.
This brings me to something I've wondered- how much track time is recommended between school sessions? On one hand I know you can do level I and II on consecutive days; on the other hand I want to practice the drills and get it down so I get the most value out of the next level class. But then I don't want to practice bad habits too long either...
Good idea reviewing that booklet (and the references). Here is the thing: for many, level 2 makes it so they can do the levle 1 skills. The visual skills taught there are so key, you can use them driving a car, or even doing other activities. I've got a few hobbies, found those skills vital to doing them well. It can open up the "toolbox" and add some things that are fundamental.
So, get to Level 2 as soon as you can would be my biased recommendation. If you can get a track day or 2 in before then, great!
best,
Cobie
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yup, this pretty much describes where I'm at right now - the entry precision part I mean. :-) I find myself practicing patience so as to not turn in too soon and working hard to hit the entry marks with each lap.
Got it martys, thanks.
Cobie
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I did. That is where I am least comfortable. Sometimes it feels like I am waaaay off of the bike...but the pictures tell the true story. I really need to work on the comfort factor. I realized that I wasn't getting off of the bike far enough toward the end of the day when I took a fairly fast lap and heard metal scraping in Turn 5, the sharp left hander. I had a feeling and confirmed it in the pits...it was my darned kickstand. That was pretty much the point where I said I need to get off of the bike.
But the other side of the story is...hey wow...man do the tires stick! My stand is not loose by any means...needless to say...I was dragging my knee when I heard that...very disconcerting. LOL
OK, do you remember what you coach went over when you rode the lean bike? What were the main points he went over on your body position, and getting solid on the bike?
If you recall that, and can put that to use, it's going to help for sure. If not, let me know, I'll remind you
C
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Hi Marcus,
You've covered a bit of ground, I'll start with a few questions and one point: what if any schools have you done---in Oz I assume?
You commented that you put pressure on the inside peg and it altered the line. Have you looked at Chapter 19 in Twist of the Wrist 2, on Pivot Steering?
best,
Cobie
I have done Lvl 1 at eastern creek.
I use my outside leg/arm/chest as an anchor point. I havent gotten up to that part of the 2nd book yet.
I weighted the inside peg to try and change/tighten my line- as I have found that trying to steer the bike with the bars hard out of corner exit doesnt do much except for inducing a head shake.
I have found with a bit more time I can better pick up what the rear end is doing.
I have also found out there is a slide bike (and no BS bike) but they are based in Phillip Isl and.
OK, so check out what is really bringing the bike up. To re-iterate what one of my coaches went over (2bigalow) if you had a rocking chair, and you're sitting in it and put your legs on the curved part and pushed, would it effect the chair? Nope. Same for steering. If you aren't using the bars, it's not effecting the line or steering of the bike by weighting inside or outside peg. As for the head shake, wonder if you are a little stiff on the bars, rather than a nice smooth easy input to bring the bike up. If the front is very light from hard acceleration, takes a light touch or it will shake as it's just skimming the surface. Don't take my word on this, do some experiments (less than max pace) and check if anything will bring the bike up, but using the bars (many think adding throttle will bring the bike up, but it doesn't).
Best,
C
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Cobie,
I do have GP shift and I do clutchless up shift. I have thought about the clutchless downshift since you mention it before in a thread. So you blip the throttle and between the higher rpm's of the blip and before the engine starts to act as a brake, you down shift? Does it make any difference whether you have a slipper clutch with clutchless upshift or downshift? Thanks.
No difference if you have a slipper clutch. I think one of the main reasons the slipper clutch was invented was riders couldn't do the brake and downshift together very well. I don't know that I've ever used the slipper clutch, I'm so used to doing the blip.
There is just a bit of timing on the downshifts. If it isn't timed right at the blip, the bike won't shift. If riding hard, brake first, scrub some speed off, then blip and backshift (racer-ese for downshift). It'll go right in, if timed well. If you have scrubbed some speed off, the blip won't have to be super high either. Some riders downshift too soon, and they have to blip the engine to the moon.
Give it a shot, let us know.
C
, so I'll trust some of the "regulars" will keep at it. I will have my blackberry, so e-mail me any time if you'd like (don't expect a long answer though 
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Question On Throttle Control
in Cornering and Techniques
Posted
Ah, thanks, I thought it was in one of the books.
C