deadsmiley

Michelin power race tyres is a brand, not specifically meaning they're racing tyres. They are a track/road tyre and they're very good for reference. 1) unlikley. 2) No, but he does increase his chances of a lowside by doing so. 3) No, there is race lap time performance to be had by doing this, braking later into the turn and carrying more into the turn, but also see point 2. He wouldn't (well shouldn't), be braking all the way through the turn, that's completely uneccesary, you either brake, or use the throttle, not both to my mind. 4)Yes, that's right, the application of throttle does transfer the weight, though you can (and I don't reccomend it any beginner/moderate level), to brake into the turns (see point 2). What in essence happens, is the rider leverages the exceptional grip levels of the modern tyres and gets away with it. and thus thinks its something you can/should do.# The reality if using the brakes with the bike leaned over is possible, though if you look at top level riders, as they increase lean angle, the brake lever pressure decreases. So lots of brake straight upright, and release pressure from turn point into the turn. How far you can go into the turn depends on the type of turn, how the bike is setup, the grip you have and so on. Reccomended. Not until it's really becoming your limiting factor to going really fast, No. Bullet Ok, I am with you on the tire question. It's a trade name, not a race tire. And now for some other clarifications. I can be anal at times, don't take it as me being cheeky. 1) Which is unlikely? Riding to the limits or mimicking the pros? 3) I understand braking later will help lap times. He is dong this throughout the turn.

A friend I ride with has an RC51. At a track day last year he was telling me he was riding the front brake through turns to help keep the front end planted. He uses Michelin Power Race tires and rides in the intermediate class. I highly question whether he actually needs to run race tires at a track day at his skill level. I personally think it's a waste of money, but that is a topic for another thread (probably already covered if I did a search). I now know where he got this idea of braking in the turn. I do however question some things. 1) Is he really riding to the limit and needs to do this or is he just mimicing the pros because this is what they do? 2) Doesn't this steal some traction from turning? (possibly the point of the the OP) 3) Wouldn't this actually slow you down? I know he is on the throttle while braking in the corner. 4) The point of being on the throttle in the turn is to transfer weight to the bigger rear tire and off the front tire to keep it from sliding out. How could this technique possibly help a non-pro rider? (assuming the pros aren't just blowing smoke)

Heh... you can't receive new messages according the PM system. I will send an e-mail request. Thanks! Kelly

You know, I got on the CBR last night and took it for a bit of a spin. 2nd gear is out (working on that and why I didn't take it to Talladega GP) but she runs strong and turns a lot better than the pig (VFR) ever could. I am starting to wonder if it isn't all the street riding with the pig that has dulled me??? I gotta drop the motor out of the CBR and repair 2nd gear because my next track day is very soon. I'm getting excited about the track all over again. 636Rider, I definitely plan on levels 3 and 4, just haven't scheduled it yet.

Ok, I am up late and browsing the forums. Something Cobie Fair wrote made a lot of sense to me. http://forums.superbikeschool.com/index.php?showtopic=1551&view=findpost&p=12731 "Elton, I know what you mean. I enjoy a street ride now and again, and there is no better way to beat traffic in SoCal (lane splitting is legal, and if done with some common sense no issue). But trying to go fast on the street....yikes. Also something else that happened to me was in the 80's there was a period that I didn't get on the track at all for a few years. One thing I noticed was that my skill gradually (but continually) decreseased. I had already been to CSS as a student, and done some racing, but found that just street riding--well, not a great place to practice one's skills without distractions, the same skills that gave me more of a margin on the street. My conclusion then (for srue still the same) was that track riding now and again, besides being just fun, is a wise proficiency idea. CF" When I went to Talladega GP I noticed that I had to really work on my vision skills. It was a struggle at first to find my Reference Points. I missed the first lap on the first day and it wasn't until the second day that I asked my riding coach to help me with a couple of the turns. It took him all of 2 seconds to straighten me out. <slaps forehead> Crash, I am glad you enjoyed the video. I plan to take more at Nashville Super Speedway the second weekend of August. I will be at the track for to days/nights. It's an interesting event. They start at about 4pm and run until midnight, so you are riding after sundown under the lights. Yes, it's cooler and it's kinda cool.

Jason, I think you are right. I need to remove the expectations. Honestly, I wish I had taken notes when I took the classes. They seem a little fuzzy too me now... Crash, I wasn't riding that hard, but that is about how I rode without her on the back. My top speed in the straights was probably 110-115. The fast guys were hitting 125, which is a pretty big difference for those relatively short straights.

For me it has more to do with which bike I ride. I have a '98 VFR and it is a bit notchy without the clutch, so I generally clutch it both up and down. It doesn't take much clutch to do this and the shifts are pretty quick. I also have an '02 CBR 954. The transmission on that bike seems to not mind clutchless shifting, so if I do lots of clutchless upshifts and some clutchless downshifts.

Attending this CSS at Willow Springs April 24-25, levels 1-2 (2 day camp was full, doh!) It was like a dream come true for me. The only problem is that I waited too long to get to a track day after I attended the school and now I am not nearly as confident as I was when I left the school after the second day. I went to Talladega GP two weekends ago and rode my 1998 VFR (not really a track bike, as it's all stock) and I feel I did fairly well, but not as I expected. I was not able to keep pace with the faster novice riders and I really thought I would be out in front. Then I saw photos of my riding and although my body position was good, I wasn't really aggressive with my lean angles. I think I have reached my own personal limit and that is very disappointing. I have been watching the Twist II DVD and reviewing the book, but I feel like I have lost it. "It" being the feeling that I know what I am doing with the bike at all times. I at the end of the school (I took lvl 1-2) I was able to hit all the turn point markers and it was an awesome feeling. Now I feel less precise. I have another track day at Nashville Super Speedway in a few weeks. How do I overcome this feeling that I have reached my personal limit? Here is a Youtube video of me and my girlfriend riding 2up at Talladega GP. I really didn't ride that much slower with her on the back. She loved it, by the way! =D Kelly (yeah, I'm a dude)

I live near Nashville and I am seriously concidering going to the 2-day class. I think it will help me immensely. I joined a Nashville sportbike meetup group but haven't attended any of their events yet. Late last summer I went to Deals Gap with some friends. That was quite fun. I think the coolest part was come down from the Deals Gap store at night. There were 4 other riders ahead of me and I could see them snaking through the mountain roads. My current ride is a 2002 CBR 954.