Progression

7 mx races age 9 Passed road test July 07 5000 miles road riding commuting to work on cbr 600 July 08 did ½ trackday Cadwell park on cbr 600 (caught trackday bug) Road bike sold, track bike purchased November 08 1 wet trackday oulton park Dec 08 – first time on full wets 1 dry trackday oulton park feb 09 CSS level 1 July 09 Silverstone stowe 1 wet trackday Silverstone gp July 09 – Crashed 1 trackday Anglesey October 09 – working on 2 step and throttle control Would happily be on track every week if finances allowed!

Thanks for the positive words and advice Bullet

Thanks for the reply Bullet, I guess I will have to choose my words more carefully in future! The off’s were in July at Silverstone on the GP circuit, which was a unfamiliar circuit to me but doesn’t excuse what happened. The first was in the second turn in a set of chicanes, I ran wide into the second part of the turn and SR’s kicking in chose to stand the bike up and grab a handful of front brake rather than attempting another steering input or trying to tighten my line up through use of bodyweight. I scrubbed speed off and still being on track attempted to quick turn to make the second part of the turn, I may still have been dragging some front brake. I was out wide on a wet part of the track and it was all too much for the bike to handle, the front folded and I slid off the track at the very exit of the chicanes. I consider this all visual related, I was far too concerned with the first part of the turn and rushed myself in an effort to be quicker, my visuals suffered which led to my lowside. Rushing the first part of the turn goes completely against the principals I was taught and know to work. My visual skills on corner entry were appalling, I hit my breaking point but was carrying more speed on corner entry which made me miss my first apex, this pushed me wide and rather than keeping the bike stable throughout the second part of the turn I stood it up to brake when I could potentially have made the turn with another steering input and good throttle control. The second was later in the day, and was simply due to poor throttle control on exit. I had a couple of sessions in between and managed to start to get focused on the correct technique but then was approaching turn one faster than I had throughout the day, but not thinking in advance chose the same braking point, this meant I had to brake harder and I felt the rear of the bike go light. I got off the brakes, made my steering input and settling the bike on the throttle was amazed that I made it through the corner. The additional speed combined with the same lean angle I had been using all day pushed me slightly wide (again onto a wetter part of the track) and I rolled the throttle on in the same way I had been doing all day also. Carrying more speed and higher revs meant my throttle control needed to be more refined, it wasn’t. The rear stepped out and all I had time to think was don’t chop the throttle. I held the throttle and attempted to settle the bike but before I knew it the bike had highsided. The track ambulance attended, my wristband was removed along with my pride. Whilst this was a different kind of crash it still stems back to visuals. I did make it back out after having a bike and kit check and a word with the organisers, to settle myself and prove to myself this was purely rider error and to work on my drills. It is worth mentioning I had a good group of people with me on the day, which helped make the best of a bad situation (x2!), moral support, bike checking and crash discussions. It made getting back out on the bike a hell of a lot easier. I don’t want to go too much into bike or tyre specifics and invite discussions away from the issue, as I recognise that that my offs are purely rider error. I have had another trackday since and focused on my sense of speed on entry, two step and throttle control on exit and while I may not have been back upto the speed pre crash I am getting there and I feel I am progressing with much more consistency. Can’t thank the school coaches enough for their help on L1 this summer, I am a complete convert and won’t have a bad word said about the school. Depending on track time I get before next years school dates come round and how I feel I have built myself back up will probably dictate what level I do, I certainly am not against doing L1 over and over again.

Looks like its a good week to be posting on here from liverpool, I wont say anything of the football Hello to you all, I must admit to being a long time lurker on here but have bitten the bullet and decided to sign up I attended L1 this year and my next track day departed from my bike twice having got very sloppy with my L1 drills. Ive now been out out track again to get back into the saddle so to speak and slowed things down to enable me to do things properly. Even though I wasnt back up to speed I got a lot out of the day and will be out practicing some more when finances allow. I got a lot out of the school this year and will be back there for more coaching without doubt, even tempted to go through L1 again.