Cobie Fair

Good list!

Nice, I was at that one, pretty sure. I don't think this is the same race, pretty sure it was a few years later (but still the same track/race put on my the Yamaha dealers I think). Good job on finding this! CF

One can also just lower the upper body, leave the lower in place...covered in detail in Level 3.

I'll be very interested to see these! Bamboo...amazing.

It does pose an interesting question about electronics, doesn't it? And modern electronics can be very, very good. One plus is is can give the rider an idea of what the bike wants. And it can always be turned off. I've had a number of coaches do just that. In fact, we have some good racers coming to our race school this next week, I'm going to see where he puts the settings.

Yes, amazingly impressive.

Not exactly, it was out of what is now turn 10, before turn 11. Back then, it was turns 8 and 9. The track didn't have the current turn 2-4, it was a pretty fast turn 2 and rejoined at what is now turn 5. Not sure the exact year the track was changed, we could find out though...

I didn't see any of either Hailwoood, or Ago...but wish I had. I did see Kenny (Sr.). He set the bar in many ways, but here is one (I maybe mentioned this before...it's a favorite): At the races at Laguna Seca, back when the GP guys would come to a non-GP race in US, Kenny and the boys would put on a show, and keep the pace so the local guys could hang with them for a while. At the time "local" was guys like Mike Baldwin (4 time US champion in the GP equivalent class), Rainey, etc. I was watching in what would have been T-10 (but this was before the infield, so it was T-8). Kenny wheelied past Mike Baldwin, as Mike was on brakes for T-9! WTF! Awesome to see that command of the machine, a whole level above one of the top guys in the US at the time. Kenny even hired Mike to ride for him later on his team in Europe.

But traction control, that's a big deal...

Or stick it up for all to see!

JB, thanks for posting that up. Sending one of my coaches, Brian (very solid guy, and computer guy for his day job...a well-rounded fellow).

It's true, the modern evolution of racing pretty much demands the benefits from getting the body lowered. Real world street riding, is it even needed? Would it even come close to outweighing the minus of less ability to see? Who thinks what on this? I know I don't get that low when I street ride...

Wow! Hadn't heard of either. OK, how do we get some to try???? CF

This had been touched on a while back, but I'm interested in an updated version. Rossi is the obvious. But if you are going to pick a guy, then state why, and get a specific or 2 in there. For example, while I don't agree with some of the stuff Lorenzo has done, I sure do like watching the guy ride, and I think he turns the bike amazingly so. So many turns that go all the way to his knee, full lean, in one action--impressive. Another thing, when he broke his collarbone flew home and had surgery, and came back a day or 2 later and raced...and finished 4th? Very impressive. So maybe we can expand this to not just favorite, but one you admire (and why). No limit on this as to when, what era of rider that is, can be from any time.

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

Hey JB, Wonder if you are thinking about the subject of "RP's", and that being well covered in T1...? CF

If we get you out, you can certainly try ours. They for sure did take some break in period. The rep had to talk me into a lid I thought was too tight, but he was right in the end, took me a day or so to get used to it. CF

Good question. A bit like entry speed, and one's sense of that: is the rider going the same, faster, slower? Its a skill that can be tuned, and for sure the top guys tune it very closely. But take one skill, you pick, and see how you might be able to notice a difference in how it's done. Now, if it's cold and you can't ride, that's just a mental exercise. So take any skill, and lets see what could be noticed with it (you pick the skill). CF

Nope. T2 is where that is covered. T1 has some amazing info, T2 a totally different animal. I'm also waiting on T3. I think we have the lamest emocons...who do I talk to about that?

Hadn't run in to this yet...I for sure do run my cable play at virtually zero.

Looking at how the brakes are applied and released, as well the throttle, that can be illustrative.

Thanks JB. DL: I don't normally think it's a big issue to add a new track, a solid rider should be able to do that...but to be 100% honest, some find it a little distracting. If you think you might, then do VIR. If you might be able to do the 2 days together, then I'd say do them at the new track, that should be a non-issue. Make sense? CF

Certainly nothing wrong with nice suspension, but we often make sure we have the rider delivering what the bike needs, all the time. If not, one can chase one's tail a lot. Does the bike react the same way, every time, or is this a "once in a while?"

There isn't usually time, but if so, can do. Walking can give a different view than even riding/driving slowly in a car. Not saying it's always a minus, but sometimes it can get one's attention fixed on stuff that is just not an issue. "Man, look at that seam!" Where at 80 mph you don't see it, and don't care. CF

Previewing video a solid idea. Next one could make your own drawings/maps of the references you might have/use. Twist 1 has great info on reference points and how to choose them and use them. Best, Cobie