Bullet
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Posts posted by Bullet
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Gomer? Ok Lonnie, you got some 'splainin to do!
Lets hope he doesn't bring his gun with him Lonnie, or history may be repeated!
Bullet
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Well, I was lucky enough to be at home today, when the postman delivered my copy of TW II DVD. So, of course, it would have been rude not to have watched it there and then, so I did.
Well, how is it? Well, even coming from my background and knowledge, I think its excellent. Loads of great tech, made very easy to understand, loads of video/computer simulations to show the tech being applied, all with an excellent commentary from Julian Ryder.
Simply put, for anyone who's wanting "real examples" of some the tech we teach at the school, you'll not find anywhere else in as easy to understand and consume than the new DVD, its brilliant!
Hats off to Keith and the team, you've done a fantastic job!
Bullet
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You mean "compulsive", surely Cobie? Now that nicknames got some legs.
Bullet
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LOL, "compulsive wiper", you are ruthless Stuman!
Thats really funny!
Perhaps you should ammed his name from wipes to "compulsive", that would be so much more funny.
Bullet
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Classic thread!
I know you guys are aware of Mikey's fondness of a nanna nap. Having seen it for myself in Europe I suggest maybe there's a nickname in it. Dude falls asleep on trains, on buses, planes, cars........transport is his sedative.
Nanna? or maybe just Nan for short?
But what would work for you man? something to reflect your relaxed, calm persona man.
Any suggestions for OZ cousin?
Bullet
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You guys are funny! But isn't Flash already taken? I can't say I'd disagree with that one though, at the end of a hot day in leathers, I don't CARE who is watching. Kristi usually walks in about then...speaking of Kristi, Baywatch--dude, are you just trying to get us in trouble?
Just as an FYI I'm called Baywatch on my swim team... so you're not far off base, Derek. : )
you should come to the UK, we need a bit of glamour in our crew!
Bullet
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Yay that man, congratulations! Looking forward to hearing more about it!
Bullet
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I'm in total agreement, just like we have to work on our homework Pete, you've got to put the hours and effort in here to get your status up. You don't get owt for nowt mate, you know that!
Bullet
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Hey Bongo,
Welcome to our cool forum, hope you find some information that helps improve your riding and racing more and more. Am sure as a follower of Keiths awesome knowledge, you'll find some very interesting bits and pieces on here to further enhance your riding more.
Am sure you'll decide at some point in the near future to come and do some schools, I'd say normally when you hit your plateau and can't go any quicker, or perhaps you start to have some unexplained crashes. Is a fairly common approach and we get lots of club racers coming to see us when this happens, so you'll be in good company.
Like your photo, though do you lean off that far all of the time?
Bullet
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Great post. It brings a question to mind. Sorry if it's not on topic. Is there any chance that after the school, once I get back to my home track, that I fall back into my old habits? I can do lap after lap within a second of each other at times. I implement new things that I feel make me more comfortable and confident, but it never helps my times. For anyone who sees me ride in Oct/Nov class, they'll see that I have an abundance of bad habits.
Jason,
I'd very much expect the temptation to go back to your comfort zone will be great, however, if you work at those visual skills, I'd almost guarantee you'll find it easier to improve your laptimes.
Keep us posted.
Bullet
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Hi Guys ans Girls
I completed Lvl 2 & 3 in JEREZ last year (2008) and afterwards felt I had made poor progress compared with level 1.
When I picked my bike up from CSS HQ UK one of the css guys asked how it went and I mentioned my semi-dissapointment - well he said that often pupils make fast progress after level one but take time to benefit from 2 & 3. Was a bit sceptical I guess because my expectations were so high after Level 1 succes !
Anyway I have seen the light and on a recent 2500 mile trip thru' the Alps and Dolomites I made the breakthrough - as a less than natural rider it was a smile inducing great feeling to feel in partnership with the bike. By focusing on reference points and getting the habit of looking at the second and third RP just before reaching the closest RP the corners became wide, I relaxed, turned in later and faster and became so much smoother. Just great fun.
Just wanted you to know that 2 & 3 were the best biking investment I have made - I just needed to implement to get a return.
Regards
roundincircles
08 Blade, KTM 690 Duke, 1200GS, Bennelli Tre-K
Hi roundincircles,
Thats a really good post that mate, and one that you'll definitely find is the norm. The level 2 skills particularly are quite tricky to really get nailed, and often students really do take some considerable time to make them part of their riding.
I think you should be extremely proud you've made good progress, as many really plateau, and never get that real benefit of the 2nd and 3rd Rps on turns.
Thanks for posting and sharing your experience. Keep them coming as you make other breakthroughs.
Bullet
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question:
It looks like many students have attended the school, then gone off to put some time in practicing the skills learnt, reflect and then go back to further sharpen their technique and understanding. I ask, is there anything wrong with doing back to back levels?
With the way I was riding at the track (2close calls and 1 crash), I was better off getting all that I could from the school before going track side again. But am I selling myself short by not letting the sequential levels mature into my riding before advancing?
Thankyou. I lookforward to attending the Australian CSS in December. Cheers
Hi again,
Is there anything wrong with doing the levels back to back...? well, When I was a student, I did 2 days back to back, and I can tell you from that knowledge and experience, you get to the end and it's a bit like, WOW, my brain can't take it all in. Your talking 5 drills on track per day, and some of them have actually got more, two off track drills as well. It's a lot to understand and apply.
When people ask me whats the best way to go, I'd say this, if you can do a 2 day camp where you get more time to do the drills, more time to practice, thats a really optimal way to do 2 days. If you try and do the normal school day after day, after day, I think you'll plataeu, and not maximise your investment in yourself and your tracktime.
It is of course, entirely personal, everyone learns and is able to learn at their own pace, but I think 2 days max, in one go. Others may have other experience where they've been able to do it, but most students are shot by lunchtime of day 2 on a normal school back to back.
Bullet
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I am about to begin my schooling (lvls1-4) in december and preparation of not just my bike, but my self mentally is my top priority at the moment. I think a questionaire similar to the one I read about would be ideal for getting into the right headspace.
Is it something that is able to be posted? Or should I just hang on untill natural progression has me filling out the questionaire on the morning of level 4?
thanx cornering crew
Morning BBlade
All thats required for level 1 - 3, is an open mind, and desire to want to apply the drills, and to learn and practice in the boundaries of how the school is run, i.e. its not a normal track day. The curriculm is set, so you run sequentially through it resolving your misunderstandings, or removing bad habits as you go along. You don't for example work on something until you've had the classroom session on why we do the drill, what benefits you get from it, etc, etc. Some areas you may well already be very good at, others no doubt will need much work, so all we need is for you need not come pre-loaded with ideas on, "well, I think I need this (usually body position)", as the program will resolve all of your riding issues in time, in way thats been proven to work exceptionally well.
When you get to doing level 4, it will be time to think about you, what's not worked too well, where are you still struggling to apply a drill, where is that technical knowledge a little sparse or their is a misunderstanding. That gets your day going then you work on a combination of that, and what your coach sees on track and identifies as the area where you need the most work, and will get the most improvement.
Hope that helps cover your question?
Bullet
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Your other option of course is to make sure the suspension sag is correct, as incorrect springs for your weight and the bike will make it sit lower. You've not talked about this as a consideration, but its impotrant for sure!
Bullet
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Bullet has given the reasons why the UK instructors have their particular nickname, I think we should do the same...Wipes? I must say...I am a little curious?
Thanks,
BCNU
In most cases, they're because of a physical thing about them, or something they've done, thats typically outstanding and memorable. They're all agreed by consensus, and once you get one, you're unlikely to ever get it changed..... whether its good, or bad. We've even got them on the back of our leathers now!
Bullet
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Would turning the bike quicker at your turn point not let you carry more speed with less lean angle?
I'd think carrying more speed through a corner would require more lean angle regardless of how you turn it in.
Not quite.
It is like changing the steering ratio on a car. If your car takes 2.5 turns to go from max left to max right and you put in a gear that only takes 1.5 turns what happens? You come up to the turn point at the same speed and turn in the wheel to the same angle but quicker (b/c of the faster steering ratio) you'll find yourself running off the inside of the track.
Back on the bike, if you keep everything constant - speed, turn point, apex point and the line between and only change the speed that you get to max lean angle you'll end up riding off the track to the inside.
So now change the max lean angle (the amount you turn in) and you go around the turn w/o dragging a knee
Or
move the TP up
Or
Go faster
Of course putting all of this in to consistent practice is an entirely different matter.
Tweak and Ace are right on that point....!
Bullet
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Wonder what riders will be saying about this in, say 5-10 years? Will it become normal, or go the way of the thumb rear brake, and backing it in?
CF
I'd like to try a thumb brake, no idea if it would help, but I'd like to try one just to tick it off my list. Can't see it adding much in the hard braking zone when I'm fully on it, as the rear bobs just on the surface anyway, and would doubtful give much retardation. Might help on hard acceleration over some of the numpy tracks in the UK? Anyone used one..?
Bullet
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Spencer, if you'd been well stabilised and locked on that bike, you'd would have also discovered another really big feedback mechanism of the bike sliding. We'll teach you this on level 3......
Bullet
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True, the numbers are very small but I still believe that it's for added feel under extreme braking. If you had a see-saw that had 1000kg on one side and 998kg on the other side regardless of how much the total weight was that 2kg WILL make a difference. When stuck out to the side the leg has quite a bit of leverage on the bike. Give it a shot on a mountain bike, if it's noticeable on that (which it certainly is) then wouldn't the best of the best be able to use it as an aid, as tiny as it may be?
I actually thought more about this is the PM, and I reckon the numbers are even smaller than I first put up... Coz if you really, really think about it, most riders put their legs out to the inside of the bike already, so we're in affect talking about knee down here, from the knee to the end of your foot, move out on forward. So lets say, maybe 5Kgs maximum.... I just think it's all in the mind.....
I think my personal problem with trying in the first instance is that I use my legs to brace myself and the body weight transfer forwards in the braking zone to keep my weight back on the bike. I only let my leg out right at the end of the braking transition. To change, I'd just slide foward, which cause me all sorts of other problems I'm afraid.
I do believe if people think it's making a difference, they should do it, and continue with it, but I need the facts and figures, and it would need to fit in with my riding style, (just as rear braking doesn't feature in my riding either on track), and it doesn't.
Bullet
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Not to sound conceited at all but I do this all the time! I haven't done it much on a motorcycle because I've rarely braked that over-the-top hard but it does help. I do it all the time in my gravel driveway on my mountain bike. I've found that it does help with balance under hard braking. If you are braking hard and setting up for a left-hander you don't want the bike to veer at all to the right so you throw your leg out to act as a ballast. If the rear starts to move right you can hang your foot off further, if your foot is close to the bike you can brake harder and throw your leg out to counter-act it. It helps for right handers too but usually on a motorcycle you are using the rear brake with your right foot to do a few extra percent of braking.
I have a feeling that Rossi doesn't have too many SRs and the fact that he selectively does it and brakes measurably harder in my mind means that the hard braking is a result of the leg out rather than the other way around. Anyway, that's my two cents.
How much does a leg weigh I sit here wondering....? 12-15Kgs.....(pure guess by the way)... So we're debating whether a flaping, unstable 12-15kg weight moved forward offsets the 145kg motorbike(for a motogp bike, plus the 65Kg rider (total 210kg)...? So thats what, 5% of the weight of the bike moved inwardd a little bit, I'm finding the physics super hard to compute as to the benefit, honestly (A fully fuelled bike like an 09 R1 is 210kgs, so must have even less benefit as the percentage is even smaller). Maybe on MTB, where the mass is much reduced, but on Motorbike, I reckon you'd struggle to feel it doing anything apart from keep yer wedding tackle a little cooler in the wind.
I still believe this started out of a bad habit, and its just become the norm, but when you see someone like Lorenzo who doesn't do it, pretty much the same speed as Rossi,
Bullet
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Just in case you thought we ONLY talked aobut serious riding issues, I'm introducing the nickname thread. Hey Bullet, want to move your post over here?
We are looking for nicknames for the statt/coaches. Chime in, if you are brave
. CF
Here are the current UK coaches names, and as you'll notice they're way funnier than the US ones, and cooler too..... !
PLease feel free to offer additional ideas if you know a coach who doesn't have one, and please use these as inspiration for US cousins!Hollywood - coz he's always the one on the telly!
JET - coz it's actually just his initals, (cool bastard)
The Magnet, aka Westlife - Animal magnetism with the ladies...well, he says
Nemo - coz he's a naive as a the aforementioned little fish
Squirrel - he has red bushy hair like a squirrel
Badger - he's got a white eyebrow
Walrus - Snores like one
Flash - like the cartoon character
Spidey - He's actually a cool bodywork painter, and painted a Melandri rep on his RSV
Bullet - Actually because I shave my head and I've got a pointy head (and you all thought it was coz I was quick)..
Lord R - Coz he never gets his hands dirty, aka he's always Lording it up
Gloom - He's our mechanic, and if you met him, you'd see why, (miserable bastard)..
Bullet
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This is the first time I've seen this thread, very cool, as I often wonder where the school is at and what everybody's doing.
I actually really like the layout of the forum as it is, but I would definitely like to see a "tires" section (which you mentioned in another post), and I also had thought about starting a nickname thread but I wasn't sure if the coaches would appreciate it, hahaha!
Go for it on the nickname thread, that might actually get Pete up on the forum (I work him too hard to get up here
.Here are some of the names:
James Toohey: Hammer
Lonnie Etter: Dawg
Kristi M.: Hot Laps
Pete: Wipes
I don't know that all of these will stick, we are trying them on, but another thread, get your "suggestions" sound good to me!
CF
OK, where's the nickname thread? I'm suggesting "Shades" for Dylan, cuz he always seems to have to funky sunglasses.
The UK coaches names are way funnier than the US ones, and cooler too..... !
Hollywood - coz he's always the one on the telly!
JET - coz it's actually just his initals, (cool bastard)
The Magnet, aka Westlife - Animal magnetism with the ladies...well, he says
Nemo - coz he's a naive as a the aforementioned little fish
Squirrel - he has red bushy hair like a squirrel
Badger - he's got a white eyebrow
Walrus - Snores like one
Flash - like the cartoon character
Spidey - He's actually a cool bodywork painter, and painted a Melandri rep on his RSV
Bullet - Actually because I shave my head and I've got a pointy head (and you all thought it was coz I was quick)..
Lord R - Coz he never gets his hands dirty, aka he's always Lording it up
Gloom - He's our mechanic, and if you met him, you'd see why, (miserable bastard)..
Bullet
p.s for those of you that know the UK staff, you'll know that they all don't have a nickname, so perhaps we can start a thread for interesting ideas if any of you have them..
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If you are confident that you have eliminated technique deficiencies, what remains?
My head. In prevoius 6 years on race tracks I havent any crash. Now three crashes and I totaly lost my confidence.
I think it was because of wrong tire for me, but not 100% sure - thats the problem.
First and second crash didnt slowed me because I was told, that the crash reason was not enough gas. I 100%believed it, gas more and improved my best lap times. Third crash was 35% throtle open, it shouldnt be not enough gas. Therefore I think it was tire (know others who had same crashes with this tyre), but not 100% sure.
Hi Tono,
Sorry to hear of your off and your resulting lack of confidence in your riding, and I thought I'd offer some thoughts and advice if I could. In most cases, I'd suggest that the crash was rider issue, bad application, or poor application of technology not problems with the kit. Thats not a 100% coverall, as things can be wrong, bad tyre, or technical failures do happen, though they're lesser a contributor in most cases than rider issues.
It is important you understand properly the reason why you crash, what happened, what you did, etc, etc, so that you can change that and not do it again. Without doing so, and just carrying on regardless of this aspect, leaves you open to your exact situation, total lack of faith and understanding in why you're crashing. You've tried to move on, but you're not in posession of the understanding of the why, so you're brain won't let you move on.
In order to rebuild your confidence, may I suggest you getting your tyres onto something you do trust, (whatever that may be), change them, get brand new set, check your bike thoroughly, and then start of gently, say only 50% of your actual speed, and try and progressively add a little more to your riding each session. Good application of the level 1 drills for starters for 10 will definitely help you re-build this, but you need to start at an appropriate pace and gradually add to it.
Don't worry, we've all crashed at one time or other, some of us can just get over it very quickly, and some can't. Don't let this ruin in your love for biking, but ride to a plan, and not a chaotic, I just want to be as fast as I was view, as you'll just panic and crash once more. Riding a bike at high speed is so much about confidence, and knowing your bike is going to do what you want, that you can actually keep your attention on the where you're going, what you're looking at, etc, etc, you just don't have time for, are my tires going to work.....
I hope this helps, if you have any other questions, please ask mate.
Bullet
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Is a great video of the race their Greg, very good quality, and it looked exciting at the start. AFter that, you were chasing that guy, and ya almost got to him before the rear span up onto the back straight, (well controlled by the way), and then you ran wide on the next lap too and had to check that throttle. Just gave him that gap didn't it..... Must have been so tantalising...!
Cheers for that, really great start to the day!
Bullet
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Change My Status
in School Questions/General Discussion
Posted
Now would you want to do that...? Are we brits unclean or something....?
Explain yourself young man..!
Bullet