hubbard_28

Howdy. I grew up in San Antonio, and spent '00 to '06 in Dallas/Plano. I loved it.

Hey Hubbard, I was looking at your profile (on your posts) and says Chandler, AZ--is that where you are now? CF Yes. They had a riding school here, but I wasn't interested in taking it just by the small improvement I saw in the students. I haven't heard anything about it in over 6 months. I was hoping for the two day this spring, but am now shooting for fall.

I've just about got it. I have some wrist position issues, and by the picture turning right, I think, you can see that I have plenty of room left to lean, but I'm getting there. Any input, be as particular as you like, would be appreciated.

Your write up was awesome. Sounds like you had darn near the perfect CSS experience. Makes me want to go that much more.

I was working on it on the way back from the bike shop. I didn't remember to do it on the way there. It was pretty smooth. I worked up to 6th gear, started downshifting until I was in 3rd at about 80 mph's. It was alright, but I have a couple questions. 1. If I'm going down one gear, do I brake, blip, and then enter the corner? 2. Are you kidding me that I need to learn to do it in a double downshift entry?! I spoke with the mechanic while I was at the shop, and he said it messes up the transmission after a while. He said blip while downshifting. Sound about right? It's what I did on the way home, and seemed to be alright.

How long ago? My wife had it done in 2000, and learned recently that there is something with pupil size that causes those rings around lights, and decreased night vision. She just had to get glasses. It's all changed now. I had mine done in 2002, and haven't had any problems. Definitely worth looking into, especially with all the advances.

I had lasix, and think it was one of the smarter things I've done in my life. Completely worth what it costs. I can't say enough about it. BUT if your vision is 20/20, I don't know if any corrective surgery or devises would be necessary. Get your vision checked, and if you still have 20/20, you can't really get much better. Try to remember to ask for exercises you can do while at work, and take a couple minutes every hour or so to get your eyes away from the computer.

By "freewheeling" you mean holding the clutch in? CF Sounds like that to me. Hey Hubbard--are you just holding the clutch in while you downshift? CF I have plenty of room right by my house to work on this. I will let you guys know how it goes. I'll put in steps, if I can, how I get into a corner on East, which is 4th to 2nd gear. On the straight I pop into 4th for maybe couple seconds, get a good twist, and get ready to downshift. I clamp onto the tank, pull in the clutch and start on the brake at about the same time. I do this between the 3 and 4 cone. I downshift from 4th to 2nd while I'm squeezing the brakes. As I brake, I let the clutch out slowly using the engine to help me decelerate, having it completely out by the 2 cone. I'm back on the throttle before the clutch is all the way out to maintain speed and turn about 5 feet past the 1 cone.

Alright, I've read the sticky from Keith as well as the other posts, and guess I just don't get it. I'm trying to see how my method is incorrect, and I'm NOT trying to be argumentative, but in truth I accelerate in my car with my right foot, and brake with my left (in an automatic car) without any problems, when I have been told that I was going to end up having an accident. I've been dying to go to the superbike school, and know that this is one of the bigger reasons I need to attend. Lost Lost Lost. I'm not going to even try working on it this weekend during a trackday, but am not riding the track the week after that, and am heading toward the parking lot to work on blipping.

I agree about the complaining and excuses and attitude. Didn't he ride a season with World Superbikes or GP back near the beginning of his career? Anyway, I think he's probably satisfied with his comfy salary and isn't looking for a challenge. Can't say as I blame him for that. I mean, at his age: a bird in the hand... , eh? Why go get his a$$ kicked by a bunch of young bucks and maybe risk losing his salary or his big fish/small pond reputation? That said, he's not on my list of respected competitors. Now he's that old, but we're talking about 8-9 years ago. He's just happy being a winner, but doesn't actually want to compete, I guess.

OK, with engine braking, if you didn't get it, I don't know how else to explain it. It's something you'd have to do, but you did explain it properly. And with the blipping, what I do is backwards I think. What I'm taking is that I need to shift THEN blip and release the clutch lever. If that's what I'm supposed to be doing, it would explain my problem.

What you described in your last paragraph is what I do. When I get into my braking point, that's when I let the clutch in and start braking while I downshift then let the clutch out slowly. Trust me, it's braking the bike. If you get on the highway and get up to 115 mph in 4th, downshift to 2nd and let the clutch out while you're braking until you're doing 65 mph, which is about my entry speed into the corner, that's what I do. I work on blipping often on my way to work, and it's a booger. A friend of mine does it in a couple places on the East track, which would lower my laptimes if I could do it in those spots, but I'm just not getting it. What I'm doing is squeezing clutch lever, cranking the throttle real quick just about the time I'm downshifting with my foot, and let the clutch back out. It isn't working for me, and unless I'm doing something wrong I just need to keep working on it until I can do it without even thinking about it. I'm an engine braking fiend.

There are some corners that I just have to learn, and am trying, to blip the throttle. I can't afford that loss of speed. On a big straight with a slow corner at the end, I have points, just like cornering that I hold in the clutch, start braking, downshift (on the East straight from 4th to 2nd) and engine brake (doesn't matter if anyone likes the term or not, that's what I'm doing) while I'm using the front brakes for most of my stopping. I have a point just before the turn or a little into it that I have the clutch all the way released and am back on the gas.

Someone at the track yesterday suggested it's just a new technique that a few riders have caught onto for balance. Sounds good to me, but the last time we discussed this noone had a good explanation.

I've never heard of Tech Spec Snake Skins, but will look them up. As far as Stomp Grip removal; it shouldn't be that hard. You might need some Goo Gone type adhesive remover, but the Stomp Grip itself peels off. There was a guy at the track on a 748 today, but I never remembered to ask him. He was a beginner, so I don't even know if he would know what I would have been asking. I did remember to look at the tank, and it was thin.

Since you're asking about the shortest STOPPING distance I would say you need a combo of both front and back brakes. Initial rear brake to lower the rear and bring down the CG then the rest of the braking will all be on the front. Sportbikes have 2 brake calipers on the front for good reason. On the track you only need the front to scrub off some speed. I never read TOTW1. Plan to though. Is the effect of engine braking from the rolloff enough to "settle the rear"? Good question. I'm BAD at blipping the throttle, and do use the engine to brake, especially at the end of the straight. In the last class I rode (I just moved up, and am middle of the pack in this again) I was easily one of the best at late braking and never use the rear brake, but I engine brake like a madman, and only have small problems with the rear coming up, but never a loss of stability.

On the street, I do mostly highway miles commuting to work, and get 120 miles per 3.5 gallons. On the track I get about 80-90 miles per tank. I was going to try -1 up front, but was told that it would change my MPG too much. I commute more than I track, so it wouldn't be worth it. At the track today I was told that it's about a 5 miles per tank difference.

I like too many riders for different reasons. The obvious is Rossi. He has a seemingly great personality, and I don't think anyone can change a line with the same results as Vale. Pedrosa is a little go-getter. I like his style, and think he makes any race more interesting and competitive. Just ask Hayden a few years ago. Fabian Foret is one of the smoother riders I think I've ever seen. I hated seeing him go down for most of the races this season. He's just awesome to watch. Riders like Toseland, Biaggi, and Simoncelli make passing them a challenge, especially Toseland in Australia last GP race because he placed well and gave people fits on the track. Haga. Nitro Nori is just wicked. Duhamel has been on my favorites list for such a long time. A competitor. The one rider I despise is Mladin. OK, we get it. You are on the fastest bike in AMA racing. Now go race the big boys and let's see what you can do. And he complains and has a poor excuse for his loses. Your bike failed inspection and your points are gone. Don't start complaining and inviting everyone to inspect the other two bikes.

As I understand it, lower the psi in cooler temps to allow the tire to flex more thus creating more heat in the tire. As Racer said ~170 is the sweet spot in tire temps. Makes sense.

I quickly found that Stomp Grip is the solution. If you try to learn on the bike without it, you are making this a lot harder on yourself. I'm guessing you fell in love with the track, and that you'll do it again. And again. And..... You might as well get the Stomp Grip. I tried changing body position in preparation for the corner in advance, and it makes braking that much harder. You shift the pressure back to the bars, and control gets harder and braking becomes more desperate. I'm comfortable enough with track riding to know that if something doesn't work, it makes riding harder in half a trackday worth of effort, and no one else does it, it's probably not a good idea. Even if you keep trying it without the grip, don't shift your position without being adequately decelerated. Also if you are going to keep trying to learn the bike without assistance, I don't know if it's going to help switching the pressure to the feet. I'd suggest keeping the pressure on the thighs and working on finding a position doing it that way. Someone else might have more experience with this, as I don't really know of anyone who uses that technique. I have a friend that actually uses grip tape from a skateboard. I can't wait to see what his leathers look like a couple trackdays from now.

OK, last fall/winter I was told about lower pressures in tires in the cold, but thought that person had it backwards. I would have guessed that one would want lower pressures in the heat because of the increased tire pressure with the heat. Why is it you want more pressure in the heat? It makes me think that in cooler weather you want more contact on the ground?

I have an '05 ZX6R, and run Pilot Powers. I've learned that there are tires that a majority of people prefer, but at my level I chose to go with the Pilot Powers again a couple months ago because of familiarity. I might check into the other one's when I become more experienced. With tire pressure I just run 28/28. Nice generic pressure.

Welcome. We do posts pics of us riding and evaluate each others styles, although we haven't in a while. Hopefully after tomorrow I'll have a couple to post. But to post a pic, I drop my photo in Photobucket, copy the IMG code, paste it in the topic box, and Bob's your uncle you've got a photo.

Since you're asking about the shortest STOPPING distance I would say you need a combo of both front and back brakes. Initial rear brake to lower the rear and bring down the CG then the rest of the braking will all be on the front. Sportbikes have 2 brake calipers on the front for good reason. On the track you only need the front to scrub off some speed. I never read TOTW1. Plan to though. And those front brake rotors are much larger for a reason. They'll provide the bulk of your stopping power, and the heat needs to be dissipated as to avoid overheating. My first trackday I was in the habit of using my rear brakes, and when I started overshooting on a straight, found myself pushing harder on the rear brake as a SR, possibly from my car. Instead of just overrunning the straight, I skid right off of it. They usually keep good communication on the track, and when I got off my beginner instructor came straight up to me and told me to stop using my rear brakes all together, and found that most riders out there don't use them. I haven't used them since and have had no negative outcomes as a result. I don't even use them on the street anymore unless I'm in gravel (which is rarely).

I apologize for the posts. I wasn't trying to come across as juvenile, but guess we did.