Bullet

Hi mate, When you doing your school with us? You'll get to learn a great deal about this when you come, we have an off track drill so you can completely understand it, feel it for yourself under expert guidance. You don't need to push/pull too far, the bars only need to move about 20mm say, if you push the bike to the lock stops for example, it'll fall over. Bullet

Again, i can onlt talk for the UK, so we'll need to confirm for US, but we have our own photographer where you can purcahse pictures of your day, and you can also do onboard video this year. Yes, you can also bring your own equipment, though as Cobie covered in another thread, you need to be sure it's not going to impact on your day with undertaking the drills and doing your de-brief's with coaches, as opposed to messing about with your kit. Bullet

Andrew, Just so I'm clear, what is your exact question here: that you can/can't use more throttle at steeper lean angles, or is it holding the line? CF Let me try to paint a clearer picture. Both riders enter a long sweeping corner using the same racing line. Rider A enters with moderate lean angle and holds the throttle at a steady 20%. Rider B enters with severe lean angle and holds the throttle steady at 20%. Given that Rider B is using the same throttle position (20%) as Rider A, I would imagine that Rider B's line would tighten up as Rider B is at a steeper lean angle. Therefore Rider B needs to use more throttle to hold his line, say 30% throttle. So that leads to the conclusion that you need to use more throttle at a steeper lean angle to hold the same line. Or am I missing something here? Hi mate, You have some confusion here for sure. Consider if you will for a second your scenarios, why would rider A and Rider B's lean angle by different? There are few factors that can affect this, but the largest is entry speed into the turn. So in your scenario, what you're effectively saying is that you want to apply more throttle with the rider that's going considerably faster? Clearly the phsyics in this scenario are completely the wrong way around? Surely the slower rider can apply more throttle earlier, because their entry speed is slower, than the faster rider? If you have TW2, I'd definitely reccomend re-reading the section on throttle control (pages 6 through 9) and lines (pages 18 - 23.). Bullet

Hi mate, I'm sorry to hear this, we've also had challenges with a school that was meant to be run in turkey this last weekend, which due to the same problem had to be postponed as the guys couldn't get to Turkey. Have a good read through the books, and I'll see you in June. Bullet

Hi mate, The only difference I notice is that twins rev a little slower, so usually when I move from say a school bike or my 600 racer to my RSV racer, is that it takes a bigger (longer) handful to get it to blip, is only a little different, but there is a slight difference. You need to be more mindful that it's much easier to lock up a twin than a four, certainly big twins, so blipping or having a slipper clutch is ever more crucial. You won't have that issue I doubt on your wifes bike, but you get the concept. Bullet

Mate, You live in the UK, course there is a good chance it'll rain. Seriously though, we usually get no crashes on a day when it's wet allday, (changeable conditions are where we have issues normally) and as Cobie and Rainman put across, we get just as good results in the rain as we do in the dry. Think of it this way, you might be out oneday when it rain,s doing a school will give you the confidence that you can ride around without a problem and get home safely. Am sure you'll get some students chiming in at some point. Bullet

No, you don't need to do that, only for race bikes (well in the UK anyway). Bullet

excellent thoughts and viewpoint harnois! Bullet

I did think about tyre pressures, but thought it would be too cold... Stock mine are 36/42 - what would you drop them to as a rule of thumb? Thinking through your points, I may have gone in a little hot, leaned further than I was comfortable with and then rolled off the gas - SR1, this put too much weight on the front and so when I added throttle the back was unweighted therefore spun out. OR I turned in, rolled on the gas, was uncomfortable with the lean angle and rolled off the gas (SR1), only to reapply it a little further on. So, very unsmooth and really unsettling the bike. Either way, totally at odds to rolling the throttle on evenly, smoothly and constantly... I should have approached turn in point at a reasonable speed, put the bike smoothly but quickly over and then used a maintaining throttle through the turn. I think I'm starting to understand my problem... Ok, normal track pressures we'd reccomend would be around 31F, 30R, which are a good rule of thumb. If you'd done a good few laps, they would have come up very high at 41rear, (think a bit like a balloon), and your contact patch is greatly reduced for sure. I'd say scenario one would be an excellent candidate, you have most of the weight on the front when you're off the gas, and if you have big lean angle, (possibly diminished tyre contact patch with pressures), and you go back to the throttle poorly and snatch at it a little, (i.e. a poor rollon), then you'd definitely be an excellent candidate for a lowside I'm afraid. so just for clarity, try and stabilise the bike when you're bike is on it's line, by applying throttle rule No.1. Anything less than, i.e. too hot in, too hard an application is less than optimum, and relies pretty much solely on tyre grip and suspension at one end more than another. Hope this makes it clear for you now. Understand it, modify your riding behaviour and get back on it (your bike), practising correct application. Oh, and dont' worry, we've all done this, I did it last year on my race bike on slicks. too much lean angle in to hot, to hard an initial throttle on an off camber turn, result, me on my arse. Bullet

So a few quick observations. - Firstly, we'd not normally reccomend road tyre pressures for the track, despite it being cold, we'd still run lower pressures for the track by several PSI. Having higher pressures and several (even moderate laps), can bring the pressures up to high, and that greatly reduce the contact patch. In your description of the charlies, left chicane, you seem to infer that you Apex'd and that is when you came back to gas (middle of the turn)? When the youd in this situation, where is the weight when off the gas, and where does it transfer to when you come back to gas? When you did Level 1, when should we ideally get back to gas? What's the application feel like? It does sound from your description into the turn a little hot, lots of lean angle, no gas then back to too much gas with large lean angle to me. See if you can think through the questions, but we're getting to an answer. Bullet

So, basically once you crack/open the throttle an start your corner, you dont want to add any more Gas/throttle to go faster, Right? That's not the throttle rule, no. Read the section in TW2 on throttle control, and find throttle rule No.1. Bullet

It's a litle hard to tell, but bearing in mind you'll be using the edges more than the middle , it looks ok to me from the pic. You can't really tell if it's squared off or not, which can make the handling horrid, but if it's round, and has depth to the tread, we'd allow you to run in in the UK. Bullet

It's very true, I've just come back after having a very big off last year when I shattered my shoulder which required surgery and pins, and 14 weeks of any training. I'm back coaching and racing again now, and for all intent purposes you wouldn't know I'd ever been away really. The reason I'm able to do this, (as is anyone who's had a crash), is I understand why it happened, and what I'd do differently. This allows me to not even think about it, and didn't even bother me the very first time i rode again, which was the first race meeting of the year. We'll be able to help you my friend, for sure, we just need more detail on the specifics. Bullet

Hi Paul, Sorry you've had an off mate, never the greatest thing to happen for sure, but inevitably, we all make mistakes and sometimes they just cost you more than another time. I'd like for you to explain the details of your crash in a little more detail if you could please. Did the front go, or the back? How far into the turn where you? When you say you came back to throttle, could you explain it in more detail please? We'll see if we can't get to a little clearer explanation of what happened and why for you, so you can understand it, and move on. Let me know. Bullet

You can see why he's the boss worldwide can't ya.. Valid points, some of which I didn't consider. Bullet

Hi guys, 2 levels in two days is possible, and we have many students who do exactly this. Is it reccomended? Well, it depends on how well you're able to deal with the physical exertion, and how good you are at picking up new skills. When I did the school as a student in 2001, I did levels 1 and 2 together, and I'll be honest, by the end of day 2, my head was fried, and nothing more would go in. That said, that's me, and what I was able to take in. There are students that lap it up and want more, each to their own I guess. Personally, and it' just my opinion, I think most students, (unless they goto the 2 day camps which are absolutley awesome, as you get more time on track with which to practice), are probably better served to split their days from each other, do a level, go away practice, then come back and do some more and build on what they've learned. I appreciate that in the US, with distances to tracks being so large, this may not be really practical, but in the UK, I think it works well to split the days. Like I say, and opinion, not a rule. Bullet

No problem my friend. I'd also suggest you consider whether the release of the brakes is as important as the application of them, to highlight LWarner's point. What difference do you think heavy brakes to no brakes my have on the bike and the suspension? Bullet

Hi Mate, Is there anything you can pratice, well, no not really, not unless you had Twist of the wrist 2 (the book or DVD), and understood some of the technology, why we apply it, what the benefits are etc. You'll clearly get this next week, so if I was you, I'd wait, make sure you and the bike are ready, and wait for next week. If you're someone who doesn't ride much, (well I imagine it's pretty hard on an oil rig) it might be an idea perhaps to get some miles in, get yourself familiar with your bike, but if you're a regular rider, I'd just come down next week, and enjoy! You need to understand the benefits and the reasons why we coach the things we do, rather than someone just telling you to do something, and you can only get this from the books and or from Andy Ibbott in the class seminars. That way, you're part of the program, you understand why you should do something, and the ontrack coaching team will help iron out areas where perhaps you've already got bad habits, and where the application of the drill can be improved. Hope ths cloud clears, (which it's supposed to by tomorrow I understand). Bullet

And for years the rumour was that you Yanks didn't get sarcasm.. Seems it was myth afterall. B

Honestly, it's not me. The R1 clutch is horrible. Nothing, nothing, nothing, grab... It even groans as you let the thing out as well. OK, I may have possibly exagerated 4 times a day, but I reckon I do it once a day, and I'm not on my own either! Bullet

Well, Whatever floats your boat I guess mate. I doubt it would do much for his breakfast, though it would undoubtedly stop him worrying about his nerves. Bullet

Hi Luiz, welcome to the forum. nice picture there, is it an ZX6R? Bullet

Hi there, thanks for your question. If you braked hard straight away, is it possible you might overwhelm the grip of the tyre immediately? If you then brake light initially, is it possible that you might load the tyre with some weight which might then allow you to load the tyre much harder? What difference do you think road conditions might make to either of the approaches you mentioned, say a wet road? Have a think, let me know what you think. Bullet

Hi, Is it normal to be nervous..? Of course, why not? It's the unknown right, all the things that we worry about as you listed out. If it's any consolation, i've been coaching for 4 years now, and I sometimes get nervous before a school, esepcially if it's a new country or you know you've got local racers to chase. Again, it's the unknown. :-) To answer your questions then: - You'll go at a pace that your comfortable with. We don't set speed limits, but we do ask that students ride at a pace they're comfortable with. Your pace will be different from the next persons, so you concentrate on you, practice the drills and you'll definitely improve and feel more comfortable. As that happens you'll increase your speed. As you're probably aware, we start our days with 4th gear and no brakes, clearly when you're doing this, you won't be attempting to emulate Valentino, and niether will anyone else. Will you pick it up? If you come with an attitude and a desire to learn, you apply the drills in the way that your encoruaged to, work with your coach on track, you will without a doubt improve. If you don't, the beers are on me later at the pub. If you do, I'm afraid they're on you. Bring some money with you, won't you.. Will you look silly? Nope, not unless you wear that clown costume you've been thinking of wearing and matches your complexion, though I'm afraid to inform you it's leathers only (1 or 2 piece). Consider also, you'll have your helment on, and no will be able to see you anyway, nor will have enough attention to even think what you're doing. If your thinking I'll look rubbish because i'm the slowest, well, I'd doubt it, honestly, and even if you are, who cares, it's about you, your day and improving. You'll improve more, and thefore get more value for money from your course than someone who is already fast. Will you stall, perhaps, but who doesn't. The new R1 is a cow to get away from standstill, as it's got the worlds worst clutch to my mind, and I stall the bloody thing at least 4 times a day pulling out of the pits. As you'll only be pulling away 5 times, you're unlikely to beat me on that front. Big advice for you to enjoy your day. Be early, give yourself time to get into the circuit, signed on, and have a coffee before the school starts. nothing worse than being in a rush for nerves. Besides that, you'll soon realise that many people will be exactly the same as you. Not everyone who comes to the school has a race bike or licence, or any desire to do so. People just want to come and improve, feel more in control and safer, and we do tick that box well as well. Anymore questions I can answer for you, calm your fears? Bullet

When watching the race, it did look like he'd crashed reasonably early in that turn, so you'd expect it was a very good candidate for trailbraking in that caused it, however, there wasn't good enough video replays to know one way or other other. Bullet