fossilfuel

I think it's great! Nice work...My grandfather had a saying and I think it applies here. The motorcycle in the back of that little van "Looks like a diamond in a goat's a.s!"

"For example, two bikers approach a corner. Biker A sets his speed early, he's going 60 mph 20 feet before the turn point and when he reaches his turn point, he maintains a steady throttle and tips it in. Biker B is going 65mph 20 feet before the turn point and is still on the brakes. He manages to reach the turn point at 60 mph and tips in off the throttle and off the brakes." While Biker "A" and "B" were preoccupied with getting in the corner at 60 and 65 mph, Biker "C" came hauling a.s down the inside at 90 initiating maximum braking until he started his tip in on the inside of biker "B".He used trail braking to the apex which shortened his turning radius for the exit. He was able to get on the gas sooner and launched out of the corner leaving biker "A" and "B" to wonder wtf?

The Pitbull restraint system is the best thing on the market! Period. We have a 7X12 trailer that is loaded for this weekend with 5 motorcycles and a 4 wheeler. You can use every inch of available space if you don't have to strap the bike down....

Yes my friend, you have reached a level of riding that few attain. Some people ride for years and not get to this level. You have earned the coveted "Hole In Boot" Badge

I'm not sure you got a full answer on this. When we are talking about hanging-off, there will be some weight on the inside peg; it's pretty much unavoidable. There is a difference between someone "weighting" the peg and having weight on the peg. Weighting the peg by putting forcing on it is unnecessary, and will not steer the bike effectively. Having a little bit of weight to help support some mass (like your leg) is okay. Most of the body weight should be held onto the bike via the lock-on (by pivoting off the outside peg and wedging the knee/thigh into the tank). Make sense? Thanks Pete. My question was rhetorical You are correct there is a difference in weighting the peg and putting weight on the peg. I have not found any benefit in "weighting pegs" unless it comes as a product of shifting position otherwise it is just a waste of energy. Most racers I know use their inside peg as a pivot for their foot pointing out towards the corner and also as an anchor to get off the bike and leaned in.

How can you lean to the inside of the bike and not have weight on the inside peg?

I see many types of gloves that you guys use but which glove gives the best protection? This is the first thing I look at when purchasing gloves. I currently use Alpine Stars racing gloves. They have good built in protection around the wrist to protect the Scaphoid, excellent padding on the outside of the palm and strategically put protection on the back side of the hand. These gloves are very well made.

Neil, I ask stupid questions all the time. The traction control only cuts power for milliseconds.

Dunlop catalog maybe this will help you.

Well stay on the f**ker then! Our bikes all wear crash protection as well, I don't remember a case ever going through..... We won't be going to Portimao with school this year, though I'm going in May if you'd like to pop over. It's an amazing track that when we did go, i couldn't ride as I'd had my accident the week before. Gutted! Bullet "Well stay on the f**ker then! " You must be psychic! LOL!

Hey Bullet, If I came to Europe for a class, which circuit would be the the most fun. You gys have classes at Portimao? What bikes do you use? Never mind...I found it. You use the R6. The motor cases are paper thin. LOL!

Good topic Cobie. I see one of your instructors in the UK is going to do an "Iron Man" this year. Is he sitting on his a$$ waiting for the day or is he tuning his body for this event? If he was going to do a 1k fast walk he probably would be drinking beer in a pub somewhere not worried about it. I think the same holds true for riding and your level of commitment to the sport. It is how you live your life in general and what you expect to get out of it that translates to your commitment to riding or hobbies in general. Everybody knows how old I am (Carbon Dating) and that I race, maybe not as fast as Ben Spies or Valentino but I try. My level of commitment is 365 days a year. My life is intertwined with racing. I can't get out there and compete with the other guys if I'm not in shape. I can't beat someone if I am not mentally committed. There is no better feeling in the world than to go out, race and beat someone half your age, to hear your name called to get your trophy, a contingency check in the mail. This doesn't happen sitting on the couch people! Getting your moneys worth on the track whether racing or track day fun takes preparation, mental, physical and mechanical. The level of riding you reach depends on your commitment to that preparation.

Yeah, but you're old and slow foss! :-p Keep smiling my friend Bullet Bullet, There is some truth to your statement. I am old. Don't you have a royal wedding to got to? LOL!

Bobby, I use Dunlop N-Tec slicks and I flip them. I have had no issues doing this.

Well said Pete!

I have traction control for racing but traction control needs to be set up for the track you are riding to be effective. Each turn will be different on rpms and gearing at exit so the set up for the range needs to be configured. If this is done the traction control is worth a couple of seconds. I use it to help me get the most out of my throttle control. I think it is much better to have the insurance than not and trying to twist a little more horse power out of the corner can be risky. You can be flung off before you know what happens. There is a warning right on the box and in the service manuals that traction control does not gaurantee you won't high side. There are only so many mechanical and electrical means to make things safer. It ultimately comes down at the moment of truth to the decision making and skill of the rider. I am recovering from a pretty bad collarbone break and four broken ribs because of an error in judgment. Unfortuantely, I can't get that in a box marked traction control.

Nah, I was wearing my "The Name Of The Band Is Talking Heads" t-shirt =) Keith was at the BMW pavilion at the Long Beach Motorcycle show last night. I showed him a photo of the certificate and he remembered the bounced check! I'm saving up my pennies to attend a class next year...I'm guessing things have changed a bit since my last time... The equipment has changed but the game is still the same.

A couple of points to make here. If you are doing track days or racing, stick Steve's post in your notebook. This is great information to have. Dunlop tires are great. I took a a set of 6 year old Dunlop slicks that had two track days on them and ran a personal best lap time during a WERA race. I now use the N-Tec slicks for racing and have had no complaints. The thing I like about the slicks is that I am on a budget and although the tires seem to be more expensive than others, I get multiple uses because I can flip the tires and I get really good tire life out of them. You also want to feel comfortable and confident and these tires have plenty of grip. I have always been able to talk to Steve about tires. Anytime I have called he has been great at answering my questions and shipped my tires out on time. Once you have been riding for a while and get to know your tires, you can look at the wear on them and tell if you are in the ball park. There is a sweet spot that gives you good performance but doesn't sacrifice tire life.....unless you are riding a big 165 hp twin, then you are screwed.

Wow! You are almost as old as I am! DId you have a Greatful Dead t-shirt on under that jacket!

I have completed another goal I set for myself. I finished third this year in my division and received a letter notifying me that I would be getting my expert racing license. I competed in one race last year and did a full schedule this year. I want to thank the CSS coaches and staff for teaching me the skills I needed to make this happen.I have such fond memories of each school I have attended from Barber to VIR to Laguna Seca. What to do now? Maybe its time for a CodeRace class? I plan on joining a team of good friends and riders to compete in the WERA National Endurance Series in 2011.

Gentlemen, A very interesting topic. I have to agree with Eirik on this one. I don't want to get into an argument over waisted money but the argument over the competitiveness and participation of riders and teams. I think the MotoGP class is boring as hell while the Moto2 class is exciting and fun. Does throwing all that money at MotoGP make it fun to watch? No. Does it bring a large field? No. There is something to be said about the skill of the rider being more important than the technological advances of the motorcycle. If it keeps going like it is, we will be watching future riders controlling the motorcycles from a viewing podium with X-Box remotes in their hands! My personal opinion about competition and what it means to me is the human connection, the rider, the player, the team. I am following Valentino Rossi to Ducati. I followed Nicky Hayden to Ducati. I followed Ben Spies to Yamaha. Lets keep the technology but put racing back in the hands of the riders. Let us keep our loyalties to our particular machines but praise the men who make them great.

Seems like Eirik and I have something in common... I would like to push the corners harder and maximize grip. The drill is to go faster!

Thanks Hotfoot...I'm ok and just finished "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" from Audible.com. I haven't been home except on weekends. I went back to work on the Monday after it happened. Just goes to show I don't do much at the office! Let me know what you have been up to..