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Rick448

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Posts posted by Rick448

  1. Honda SS50

    Yamaha FS1E

    Yamaha RD250LC

    Suzuki A100

    Honda CB750F2

    Suzuki Katana 1100 (wish i'd kept! Not for the bike but the value)

    Suzuki RGV250L

    Yamaha FZ750

    Suzuki GSXR750WN

    Honda CBR600 Track only bike

    Kawasaki ZX9R E1

    Honda CB500 (still own)

    Honda CBR1100XXV (still own)

     

    I think that is most of them, and mostly in the right order...

  2. I'd agree there Cobie.. it seems that it is hard to think you are pushing on unless you are actually braking at the last minute and then off hte brakes and on the gas, however when in company (on the road) i am much faster than my mates, but on the track i feel i need to brake to the apex... maybe this is due to the extra amounf of leeway in track riding.

  3. How deep do you brake into a turn?

     

    That was one of the things in my L1 i was a little confused about as braking wasn't covered much, is it covered in the later levels?

     

    I was going to put my normal procedure here but would like to hear from you guys and gals first if that's ok :)

  4. Andy mentioned this when i did my level 1 and said that the preferred line would equate to the fastest line or qualifying line as he put it, but he stated quite rightly that if you stuck to that in racing all the time someone would stick it inside and block you on the preferred line. So as racing shows there are many lines and another rider can easily stop you taking the fastest one if they are on the piece of track you want to use but are going slower.

     

    If any of that makes sense! ;)

  5. Well we watched it in our local pub (bar to you) and even people who have never seen Moto gp before were rivetted to it, shame Stoner dropped it before the end. Also Lorenzo was looking good in the short time he stayed upright.. maybe he could do with attending the school to hone his undoubted talent! I did however take exception to Stoners comments about Vale's riding, i didn't see anything dangerous or out of order, actually just proper racing as it used to be. :)

  6. Do you have any figures of how many people attend the various schools. ie. How many attend level 1 and then go on to do the others? Up to how many actually do all 4.

     

    When I was at my level 1 there was a guy who was redoing level 4 and he had done all 4 the year before, and also another redoing 3 and 4 as he had been off the road a while. I wonder what percentage only do level 1?

  7. Following my level 1 course I have now changed my riding position quite a lot, I was told that the ideal position is to sit far enough back in the seat to allow a fist between yourslelf and the rear of the tank, this was much easier to allow me to relax on the controls and drop my arms to parrallel for smoother inputs... however under braking and when locking onto the tank with my outside knee I felt a little "loose". My coach suggested I get some Stompgrips.. which I duly did. All I can say is that I dont know how I managed before, I think they are great, I now feel really secure on the bike and in much better control. If you get a chance to try these please do, if not just buy some anyway :)

  8. Hi Rich,

     

    Clutchless downshifts can be done, any sportbike that I have ridden, it's been no problem. I have done it on other bikes, cruisers and such, in some cases not as easy, larger flywheel?.

     

    I don't use the clutch at all, up or down, after letting it out in first. We can train riders on it, there are some do's and don't to it though. The timing on it is the hardest part for many to get, especially when learning how to do it with the clutch, and that's what we normally start with. Everyone shoud have that skill, though I wonder in a few years with slipper clutches and electronics that blip the throttle (GP bikes) if it'll be a skill people will need in 10 years?

     

    C

     

    C

     

     

    I'll try it this morning. As you rightly say in a few years time the bikes will probably have it programmed into the ecu.

  9. Braking and downshifting is the single most complicated action of motorcycle riding, and some just give up when they don't get it correct. But...it's a good skill to master, where for street or track riding. Let us know how you progress on this.

     

    It looks like the control trainer has had some progress, hopfully its going to be going up to Laguna for our booth there at the GP. If you didn't know, that is its purpose--to train the different shifting and braking skills: brakding and downshifting, clutchless upshifting, and clutchless downshifting.

     

    Cobie

     

     

    Cobie,

     

    I see you mention clutchless shifts. Now i normally do clutchless upshifts (after first to second as crossing neutral tends to be a bit of a jerky shift on both my bikes) however I have never tried or even contemplated clutchless downshifts. Is this something you are looking at teaching accross the board or just with slipper clutches and/or with quick shifters?

     

    Rich

  10. I've learnt a lot from other posters and always check in here when i go online. Some of the posts are a little technical for me, not that i cannot understand the theory but the fact they are discussed at the highest level and in all honesty do not apply to the average rider.. albeit it is worth thinking about.

     

    I think the most useful thing is hearing from the coaches (mostly Cobie but others also) and other students experiences. I cant understand why the forum isn't busier.. maybe it could be pushed a little more at the school? I think that it is a massive opportunity to share knowledge and experiences.

  11. I did my level 1 on the 8th and was a little luckier with the weather :) session 2 was very wet, but the other 4 were bone dry. I have to agree that the classroom sessions were very helpful and delivered in a very easy to understand format, and in a style which was both interesting and humorous. I enjoyed the drills and learnt a lot. I will be practising those each time i go out in future. If anyone is considering doing the school but isn't sure if it is worthwhile, all i can say is that it is! My only slight reservation is that in the first couple of drills without the use of brakes it was difficult to not use them when you caught up a much slower rider on corner entrance. I suppose this is bound to happen when everyone starts at level one and there is a vast difference in initial corner speed, and even differing bikes (eg big twins with much superior engine braking) I found this a little frustrating but in the later sessions it was not such a problem as the quicker riders were able to pass the slower ones much easier. At the end of the day the main thing is that it is run in a safe and friendly manner and i spoke to a few slower riders who had been scared to death on track days who felt much more comfortable with the schools' approach.

     

    In conclusion i would like to say, if you are thinking of doing it, DO IT!

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