Avid Motorcyclist

I am a Pirelli guy and Pirellis are quite hard when cold. Also when cold, I get warning chatter going into NJMP Thunderbolt T3A - the left chicane and first left on the track. I usually do 2 warmups laps and then the tires are ready. You do have to be mindful of the left side of the tire in colder temps.

Kevin, I'll be at NJMP on Monday and Friday on a white RC%! #451. Please come by and say hello! J; I am only working the two-day camp on Wednesday and Thursday but if you get there before the end of the day on Thursday I will look for you in the paddock. Good luck there next week and I am anxious to read about your experience especially with your "bookend" approach to the School week. BTW, I have always believed that the sound of an RC51 is the best of any bike I have ever heard. Rain Yeah, I meant RC51! The RC's sound is quite exotic. I am biased, of course! I probably won't get in until 8:30 PM on Thursday evening. Maybe we see each other at a track day at NJMP.

Kevin, I'll be at NJMP on Monday and Friday on a white RC%! #451. Please come by and say hello!

Kevin, great post!!! I couldn't wait to get to the office this morning and comment! I too am a member of the above mentioned track day organizations and it can be a fun day with relatively little drama or a cluster %^#&. CSS and Tony's Track Days were the only days where I didn't feel the stressors of, "is someone going to crash into me late braking with their left leg off the peg like Casey Stoner." I don't want to take an elitist approach as a certain organization does but in my opinion, the rate of low incidents at CSS, at least in my four days with them at NJMP last year, seem to be because riders are learning and are constantly learning and/or working on a skill set vs. just riding for a lower lap time, on cold tires trying to catch a friend that has been bragging about how fast he is during the long winter or videotaping friends and trying to make a highlight reel for youtube (seriously???)! I have what Dillon Code said to the class seared into my brain- at a track day, always be working on some skill. It's when you aren't working on a skill that you get yourself into trouble! <jr>

I ride with Team Promotion, NESBA, Sportbiketracktime and Tony's Trackdays. Save Tony's Track Days, some of the other events that I have been to have been wreckfests. I am finally an intermediate level rider and have noticed that while the intermediate level guys and gals are quicker than the beginners, they are often more unpredictable. The bad: intermediate level riders brake way too late and kill their drive to the apex (forget about the exit) hence sloppy apexes, poor throttle control, hence sloppy apexes and overall impatience. Some intermediate riders don't know not to jam on the brakes when they see the checkered flag!!! The good: by the end of the year strict enforcement was in effect. If a rider goes off track but remains upright s/he must come into hot pit and explain his/her actions. Off track but upright again and you sit out a session. Off track but upright a third time and you go home. Or, effectively a three strikes policy. By October, it got so bad that they announced a two strike policy! If you crash one time and you're okay, you must explain why you crashed and sit out a session. Crash again and you go home! For 2010, there will be 4 groups on the weekends to help curb some of the impatient riders and help police the larger group. The track day providers are getting better dealing with the unskilled, aggressive rider but nothing beats riding with someone who has been schooled in the Art of Cornering!

+1000!!!

Thanks guys. I am going to take you up on your advice. Stu, what's wrong with NJMP in August? If the heat and humidity don't get ya' those damn flies will!

I know that I could be getting on the gas sooner and throttling out harder. I guess that's where RPs, visual skills and BP come in to assist. There is always room for improvement but I am eager to learn, analyze, apply and analyze some more. I am not looking to become the local track day legend but I would like to take my skills as far as I can!

Like the title says, I already took levels 1-4 in 2009 at NJMP. But I want more!!! I made it to the intermediate group early last season- thanks to Keith, Dillon, Lonnie, Jon, Pete and other CSS staff whose names escape me at the moment. I'd like to make run at the advanced group before the 2010 season is over but I want to be toally prepared before I ask to be evaluated. I think my weaknesses are throttle control related. So my question to you coaches, enthusiasts, newbies and lurkers are: should I register for two back to back days in May 2010 or should I take level 4 in May and level 4 again in August when CSS returns? I hate to register for one day and want to do another and be locked out!

Blast! I forgot about the two step, three step and wide view. Now I'm torn. Not Rip Torn 'cause he tried to rob a bank. But torn just the same. I used the wide view at NJMP Lightning to find a killer RP that aids me in T5- right hand/rising blind apex/drop away corner. NICE!!!

I never noticed anything wrong with my Shoei X-11 until I applied the hook turn in the bowl at NJMP's Lightning course. I must have been employing the technique correctly because as I neared the exit/second apex I had a serious hard time seeing anything but asphalt! I am going to try something that allows me better vision at my next event.

For me, it's a toss up between the quick turn and the hook turn. If I have to choose just one then it's definitely the hook turn!

Congratulations!

Yeah, won't be long now! My goal for this year is to break into the 1:30ties, so I can keep up with you! Except in turn 6. If you don't mind, I'm sticking with my line through turn 6 rather than adopting your rim-bending, low-siding line! That was quite a crash, dad! Jody, I remember you from CSS in August. Jody = fast!

Mostly weekends but some Mondays and Tuesdays thrown in for good measure. And, I work hard for the State of NJ!