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Darren sweetman

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Posts posted by Darren sweetman

  1. Thanks guys ! Looking forward to a great experience out here and hoping to learn quite a bit too.

     

     

    Hi Vaibhav

     

    It's great to see that you are on the forum and seeking to improve your riding. As Cobie mentioned earlier the school is coming to India, Chennai to be exact in the last week of January 2011. Keith himself along with the country heads from the UK, Australia and coaches from the USA, UK and New Zealand will be there.

     

    If you are interested in doing this you can get more info at www.preethi.in . Yes that is Preethi the appliance company.

     

    If you do make it to the schools please make sure that you introduce yourself to me as I will be there.

     

    Cheers

     

    Darren

  2. I didn't hear the after race comments but IMHO it was Jorge that was being overly aggressive with his moves. When he ran wide on exit he moved across into Vale and then when he tried to go around Vale on the outside, he simply turned straight on top of him.

     

    Valentino was clean but determined and Jorge was truly beaten. I am abig Vale fan so there is some bias but I am also a realist.

     

    Sounds like Jorge did a Stoner in the after race chat. I hope that is not a sign for the future, we don't need two moaners tongue.gif

  3. Hi Mike

     

    I like the tag of L&P. Totally meaningless in the rest of the world but it's world famous in NZ.

     

    See you in November.

     

    Cheers

     

    Darren

     

    OK, fill us Yanks in on L & P.

     

    CF

     

     

     

    It is quite simply a brand of soft drink or soda that is available here in NZ. It is called Lemon and Paeroa and is a Kiwi icon.

  4. Hey Aaron and Luke

     

    I'm glad that you enjoyed the experience that is the "California Superbike School". It was a pleasure to host you all. Down here in NZ we don't run as many schools as other countries but when we do they are as good as anywhere in the world.

     

    If you have any questions about your riding or anything that you have covered at the school, please ask them here or you can give me a call in the office as I am happy to chat any time.

     

    See you next time.

     

    Darren

  5. Hi Luke

     

    Darren Sweetman here, I run the school here in NZ. When you come up to Hampton Downs at the end of September I will make sure that I hook you up with one of our coaches that has race experience so that we can work on this problem for you. What will be great is that it is a new circuit and you will need a whole new set of RPs and this should help you focus on the problem at hand.

     

    If you have any questions etc please feel free to call me in the office or to keep up the posts here on the forum.

     

    Cheers

    Darren

  6. G'day,

    My advise to you is quite simple. Ride within your limits. You don't have to be the fastest guy out there and you will be at the track with people who have a lot more experience so don't get sucked in to riding their lap instead of yours. You are there to learn and you cannot learn if you are spending all your time riding at or above your ability.

     

    We all started where you are at right now so just build up steadily and you will be fine.

     

    Andy and the team will look after you on the day so head there with an open mind and a willingness to learn and you will have the best day of your life.

     

    Cheers

     

    Darren

  7. This is a very difficult question. I have a tendency to like elements of tracks rather that the whole thing. Some circuits have an expectation before you get there and riders feel obliged to like it, for example, Laguna Seca, Catalunya or Brands Hatch. Each of these have some great elements but they are not necessarily my favorite track. The Spaniards have some good ones and I really enjoyed Almeria for its elevation changes, blind corners and the combination of turns. There is no hiding from any of the drills at that track, you need them all. In Norway there is a small track called Rudskogen that was great fun. 1.1 miles with 11 turns, elevation changes and a huge amount of fun. Thunder Hill in California has a couple of great corners that keep on your toes every time you go through them as well.

     

    I do have a soft spot for my home track here in New Zealand. Hampton Downs is very special to me as I watched it being built and I was the very first person to do laps on a motorcycle. Having said that I agree with Brouggy about the elevation changes and the levels of grip being awesome as well. If I had to pick one track I think I would go with Catalunya. The facilities are really impressive from the minute you drive down the entry road all the way to the restaurant on top of the pit garages. The food is awesome and the track is just a pleasure to ride. It is an awesome environment to ride in and just riding there makes you feel like a top level racer due to the surroundings.

     

    Just give me a track, I don't care where, there is always something that is to like. Even if it is the road that leaves it.

  8. I don't think that crashing is an essential element to going faster, it sometimes happens but normally due to rider error than simply leaning it until it lets go.

    If you look at Valentino Rossi, I believe that he went for several seasons without crashing in practice or the races. I may be wrong on this and I haven't researched it but I remember this from somewhere. Therefore I think that answers your question. No you don't have to.

  9. Hi All,

     

    My name is Darren Sweetman and I am the guy who is lucky enough to be setting up the school in New Zealand (with a little help from those darn Aussies).

     

    I started coaching in the UK with Andy, Johnny and the lads back in 2000 and had 5 great years there but had the need to return home to New Zealand. I had been home for a few years when I phoned Steve Brouggy at the OZ school about bringing the operation to NZ and the rest as they say is history. I am now coaching in OZ with the team over there and loving it. They have a great crew.

     

    The first school here should be in September (if the new track is finished in time) and then again in November. I can't wait for it to be up and running. The power of the CSS brand has made this a fairly easy process with industry support being forth coming even in little old NZ.

     

    Hopefully we will see you all down here for a school followed by a short holiday in one of the most beautiful countries in the world (no bias).

     

    Cheers

    Darren

  10. You are obviously dreaming this.

    No...I agree and if you look at where Rossi low sided in the chicane at Donnington it was really early in the turn.

    My theory is this. It has nothing to do with 500's vs 4 strokes, it is about the leaps and bounds that tyre technology has taken in the last few years. Look at the lean angles that the super sport guys are using now vs 5 or 10 years ago let alone the MotoGP guys who seem to defy the laws of physics.

    As the levels of grip have gone up, the ability to get on the gas earlier has come forth and as that has progressed they are getting on the gas harder earlier as well. In the heat of racing where thousands of a second count the mistakes are happening and riders are going into orbit sooner.

    My theory but I am open to other options on this as I think that this is a great topic and one that I would love to hear more theories on.

  11. I found that the more you coach, the more competent you get with your own riding and the quicker you get. As Bullett said, in the UK the students are graded to the coach based on their experience and as a coach it is a very satisfying feeling to know that you are moving up the pecking order of coaches and getting faster student. (I coached in the UK for 5 Years).

    As for students that make you work hard, I have had plenty but to be honest I think that just makes you a better coach as you need to work harder to get a positive result from the student. The worst case is when a student is using full wet tyres and we are on road tyres. No show of keeping up, but we have techniques for that as well ;)

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