ozfireblade

Hey Guys Well what a crappy weekend. I had a good day riding on Friday 13 (I didnt know!!!), practicing quick turns, two step and throttle control. All to be undone when I was heading home (1KM to go) and some scrotum had left a load of gravel around a roundabout (big circle in the road to control traffic) and the front tire washed out. Id tried to be Colin Edwards and use my knee and elbow to push myself back up but the back had stepped out and caught the rest of the gravel, so down she went with me providing support underneath for the rest of the sliding. The car behind me provided motivation to get off my butt and pick the bike up. So after having a local bike mechanic come out and check it, all mechanically good i think. All I had was a bent right hand clip on, rearset and the whole right side fairing scratched and holed up. Luckily i stopped most of the cosmetic damage by being underneath. Full leathers people!!! I have tried all weekend to try to get my confidence back, especially around roundabouts, but its just not happening. Iim feeling like I have just started riding again. I feel like my decision making ability has receded and I now have SR's firing all the time. I know its only been a couple of days but with Level 2 in 4 weeks I dont want to waste it. I have had 2 big crashes before with some hospital time but I didnt feel like this afterwards. All in all Im lucky a car didnt roll over the top of me but my confidence is shot and I want it back......advice anyone on fixing my head or any other checks I need to do for my bike. Thanks for reading my whinge Dylan

Talkative chap arent you

Well we need a pic of Stumans lovely legs!!!

Hey Dylan, I hope you're well. From what I understand about setting the rider sag, 30mm is pretty much a standard number used for the spring to feel not too hard and not too soft, but it's all personal preference. It might be 25mm for a rider who likes it a bit harder for the track. The bike's preload settings to get the rider sag to 30mm will be different for each person because the weight of the rider+gear. If the rider sag is less than 30mm, then the spring will feel harder, and if more than 30mm, it will feel softer. So if your bike is set up for a 60kg racer and the rider sag is 30mm, when someone 100kg sits on it, I'd imagine the rider sag would increase quite a bit to say 45mm (just a guess) because of the extra weight. So the preload would have to be increased to get the rider sag back to 30mm for the 100kg rider. If the preload is at its maximum setting, but the suspension is still too soft, you would need a harder spring to get the desired 30mm. Did I get it right and does that make sense? Once the preload is adjusted properly for your weight to get the standard rider sag of 30mm or thereabouts, you can play with the other settings like rebound and compression. I hope you have fun with it Makes sense but how do I as a novice come to the conclusion of eg 30mm? You make perfect sense I just need that little question answered. Thanks mate

It was a bit cold in the morning but warmed up a bit just a little overcast

After completing level one I am now firmly hooked!! I also want to improve my technical knowledge starting with suspension. I suppose the first question I have is regarding the initial setting up of the bike; ie sag, front and rear settings. In TOTW2 dvd the bonus SAG feature cleared up how to make the adjustments; however, I dont understand how the rider came to his decision to adjust 30mm front and rear. Was this just a figure to show how to make the adjustment or is there some way I can work out my initial settings? My bike is adjusted to the basic factory settings with the odd tweak to make it a bit stiffer,CBR 1000 2005 Thanks Dylan

Hey Dark, I just did Level 1 @ phillip island ,last sunday, which day were you there? I know exactly what your on about everything makes sense and Im so much smoother. Reading about the two step I thought I had it nialed then I watched Lou and learned how to do it properly. Something so simple but so effective, it really helped me with the ground rush I was getting going into a slow turn from a fast one like turn 3 to 4. I went for a ride today and now realise that I am hooked on track days, the road is no longer as much fun as it was with the knowledge I have gained. Just wish the track wasnt 2 hours away. Might see you on level 2 im there on 15 Dec Dylan

Well done on a great product, I just completed level one on sunday and had to pester Steve Brouggy for his demo copy as they had already sold out. Watching the DVD the day after level one was excellent as it cemented the drills into my head. All round great product and level 2 booked in. Thanks Keith and the team!!!! Dylan

Gday Pete all in good fun!! you could try staying up for the day before then sleep on the plane, stay up in the new country until night time and you should be fine.... it worked for me from here to london and here to LA and Canada eh or just get a bit tipsy and have a nice alcohol induced sleep....for the stinky bits have a pommy shower, shower in a can, deoderant bath, whatever you want to call it and your trusty wipes!!! Dylan

same..im getting jealous

Hey DB, Good topic!! As a personal trainer I may finally have something to offer strength and endurance, lots of squats, lunges, step ups, abs and as adam said the spin classes or getting on the bike is a good, try and get one with adjustable seat and handlebars, and keep your rest periods down to 60 seconds or so. Thanks Cobie for explaining the same trouble im having with my leathers, Im constantly adjusting my legs.

Definately going to have another look at the vid, I was in the bass straight stand at the race (looking back up the straight and turn 1), I only really saw what looked to be a lowside after the back kicked out, plus the big screen to see it on, nicky did well to stay on the bike!!

Can you please stop pissing on our walls....by the way we all pee higher than you did!!

I have no idea and before I go out and buy a tonne of stuff I may not need can recommend someone in melb to give me heads up on bike set up please let me know Cheers Oz

I thought after he bumped nicky that he had a bit of a moment slid the rear end it gripped then lowsided the front into the grasss then kitty litter.

Hey Guys, I first got on a bike around 1999 (CBR 250 then 2000 ERION racing Fireblade)and rode track days and that sort of thing Crashed the 250 @ eastern creek and bouught the fireblade, then I went overseas for work in 02 and sold the bike, The riding bug hit again so got a dirt bike in 03 and after getting a little bit cocky doing jumps and stuff I had a massive off in 04 and busted my knee arm ribs and lungsix months rehab...so I sold that bike for wrecking parts. I didnt buy another road bike until 2006 a GSXR 600 and just recently upgraded to my blade (march 09). Little less cocky now!! So not a hell of a lot of experience (except crashing) but thanks to the TOTW books Im getting my understanding of how things work and why in my head all nice and clear. Dylan

Hey Dark, I did my first Phillip island track day a few weeks ago and it is really quick compared to eastern creek, I did find this clip to be useful just to teach me the track, markers and stuff may have changed since but its still pretty much the same. I also just got back from 3 days @ the PI GP and if you can get some footage of Casey sliding the cR$$p out of the rear @ turn 3 you'll freak. Take it easy into turn 4 (right hander) the lefthand side of the tire gets heaps of work around the track not too much on the right. Anyway hope this footage helps Im on the waiting list for the 31 oct or 1 nov so if Im lucky might see you there! Dylan

Thanks for the help guys I really appreciate the comments all goes to making me a better rider. Jasonzilla: Thanks for the detail mate, I have found that as i go into a right hander that my foot comes off the peg completly so im gripping the tank only...then i sorta slide of the bike a bit. I've been sitting on the bke on stands today trying to sort it out and have found that the further back I sit back the more my knees sit into the lip of the tank but Im right onto my tiptoes on the pegs so i was thinking about aftermarket rearsets? Im also thinking of putting some foam on the tank about a fist in size to out make me sit back a bit more off and further from the tank hopefully that fixes the prob!! cheers

The newer Shoei does like the XR 1100, the XR 1000 only has replaceable cheek pads

I have a SHOEI XR 1000, and started to find that my helmet would move when looking through corners, making me move more upright to be able to see. I found that older the helmet insert the more it compacts, especially the cheek insert, so I repalced them and the movement has ceased.

Hey Cobie, the dvd looks awesome and i want it now!!! I tried to preorder using the australia link on the dvd site but it sends me to the entry page or brings up the same page again. Is there any other way for us australians to order? Dylan

I generally do the same take it easy on the turns for 1 or 2 laps whilst gradually increasing my lean angle and speed and if it a gutfull and dont prang the bike then they're warm!! It would be good if we had a table with different temps, tyre brands, wets-road or slicks and recommended times for warm up. Something like that. I'll try not to lurk too much

Hey Cobie, Is there a release date for Australia and will that be available from the Australian school? Or from all good book shops everywhere . Dylan

Hey Sof, yeh Siberia, and yep Steve again. Just a ride day on the waiting list for oct jusst missed out on booking too late!!damn it. My knee i reckon may be the problem thats why I was asking about rearsets.. next pics will be better. Cheers again Dylan

Can anyone see the pictures?