warregl

Don't your leathers chaff something fierce when they get wet? Having no experience with lane splitting I cannot speak to the people who are either accepting of it or offended by it however it would make sense that in an area where congestion is bad, anything that helps move things along would be accepted by reasonable people. But just like anything else on two wheels, vigilance is key.

T - Is your question about fault in the legal sense? Or in a less formal sense? JK makes a good point about the lane splitting legality. However even in California isn't lane splitting resitricted to a very low speed? Like 20 or 25 MPH? I have to admit to a limited knowledge of the legalities of lane splitting but I would have to say even where legal, a rider is accepting an additional amount of risk. Legally I don't know who is more at fault however practically I have to agree with the concensus and say the rider should have been aware of the increased risk and ridden accordingly.

Great post Cobie. That's one of the thing I love about motorcycles as well. The attraction crosses all socioeconomic boundries. You can meet all types on a motorcycle (and on a mortorycle forum come to think of it ). One of my favorite parts of a CSS trip is the night before. I like to stay at the track when CSS is at VIR so it is fairly easy to meet people who are there for the next day of riding. Last May we ended up with six of us eating together and a more diverse group you could not imagine. We had such a great time I was worried they were going to ask us to leave. I haven't laughed that hard in years. I've made some good friends at the track, friends I would never have met otherwise. And that is priceless. A little something in common can bridge a chasm of differences. Charles de Gaulle once said "How do you govern a country with 246 varieties of cheese?" but I have to ask, who would want to live in a country with only one? Ride safe, Carey

Congrats Greg! And many thanks for sharing more of your story. There are many different reasons for riding and many different goals for riders but all of us can benefit from each other's experiences. Good luck and keep us posted on how it goes. Best, Carey

I saw the C3 on their website (stopped by after posting on this thread) and I was curious how it worked. I had the Snake Skins and at first they were useful but after a year or so they seemed to lose most of their grip. The softer material seems like a good idea for a street machine.

Welcome to the forum Hans! You will find a lot of very useful information on this board. Don't be afraid to jump right in, a new rider's perspective is always appreciated. And if you can make the school you wont regret it. It will open your eyes to things you wouldnt see otherwise. I have to admit I'm curious about this as well. I saw an episode of "Top Gear" shot in India and the traffic was insane to say the least! What's it like where you are Hans? Best, Carey

But you're like 7 feet tall...don't you drag you knee in the straights?

I have used Tech Spec and now use Stomp Grip (I had them on the K1200R and just put a set on the new S yesterday!). I originally thought the Stomp Grip would be too aggressive for the street so I went with the Tech Spec however I didn't feel they offered enough grip. The Stomp Grip is more agressive and I do not find it uncomfortable (at least in leathers or jeans but if you ride in shorts you may not like them). As for performance, I find I have a better lock on to the bike with less effort. I especially notice it under hard braking. At ~$50 they have to have the best ROI of any mod you can do to your bike. By the way, the Tech Spec's were a little easier to install for several reasons: you can take them off and re-install if you botch the first attempt, and they are thicker and more ridged than the Stomp Grips which makes them easy to align. Also the clear Stomp Grips can end up with bubbles however if you use a heat gun and warm them up until they are very pliant, then you can easily avoid the bubbles.

Coaching humor! I like that. I can guess how that debrief would go..."How did 'The quick brown fox' drill feel? What areas on keyboard do you feel went well?" Cobie - The fonts will only get smaller....

Many thanks Will! KTK_ace - I think that was a typo and he meant Galfer. Just ask Cobie how much he loves posting to the forum with his iPhone .

Hi Jean-Christophe, Welcome to the forum! You will find a great deal of useful information and a some really friendly people here. We are very fortunate to have CSS coaches who participate here and provide fantastic insight into improving your skills. So tell us what areas of your riding do you want to improve? And what kind of competitions are you doing? And don't worry about your English. I can promise you it is much better than my French! Best, Carey

Hi all, I would like to change out the brake pads on my S1000RR and I wanted to ask a couple of questions. Is there anything about the Bavarian Bullet (ABS, traction control, etc.) that makes it different when it comes to changing the brake pads and brake fluid? Are there any special concerns or possible issues for the DIY'er? Or is it basically the same as any other sportbike? (I have ordered a shop manual but it hasn't arrived yet.) I was also curious what brake pads the school uses. Do you use factory replacements or do you have an aftermarket part you recommend. I don't mind having this work done by a professional if necessary but one of my goals with this bike it to do more of this kind of work myself, primarily as an educational process. I want to understand my bike more. Any insight or suggestions would be appreciated! Best, Carey

Nice! If I dropped 17 seconds a lap I might qualify for the B group...

Great Post Mark! The morning of my Level 1 was on a wet track and I'll admit I was down right scared (my first time on a race track and it's going to be wet?!?). The confidence that morning inspired was in itself worth the price of admission. This past May we had a full on rain day and (aside from the wet leathers) I was glad to have it. As Keith said to us back in that Level 1, "Take advantage of it because you can't order a rainy track day". And T-Mc is right, give the FZ a few days...when I would get back on my K1200R after a day or two on the S1000RR I would be beside myself , "WHERE IS MY FRONT TIRE!" (the doulever front felt a bit ...vague after the S ) After a few days it does get better (fair warning though - eventually the siren song got me and I bought one of those "fire breathing monsters"). Thanks for the great write up. It's fun hearing about other students' experiences and I know the folks who come here checking out the school appreciate the insight. Let us know where/when you are doing your Level 2! Best, Carey

I'm right there with you sir. It's like watching a magic show every Sunday. Good point Eirik. And another good reason to get some solid training on how to ride. I was in a meeting last week and a fellow came in carrying his helmet so I asked what he was riding. He told me it was a new R1. I cautiously asked if it was his first bike and he said no. So I went on to mention how many people go out and buy a literbike as their first bike and it gets them into trouble. After what can only be described as an awkward silence later he tells me his first bike was a CBR1000RR which he totaled and the R1 was replacing it. I was much chagrined. Education. Get it. Share it. Use it.

I saw that quote in Soup. Good article Jonny also said "Even though it's a motorbike with two wheels, it feels completely different to a Superbike." I wonder how true that will be in 5 years...

I saw that on another website and couldn't help feel like that move is a mistake... I hope Dovi has more success than his predecessors. I'm with you on this Brad. But then again maybe he can ride the Audi wave of change that is sure to sweep over Bologna (which one is the sarcasm smilie face?). Kidding aside, it does look like Ducati is working to change but it does seem slow to happen. I wish him well. That would be awesome. The satellite teams seem to be very close to the factory teams in terms of bike performance, so I think this would be good for Spies. I heard this yesterday during the race and thinking about it it could work. If they give him a factory bike (as they did with Marko) it could be a good move for him. And I'm sure Honda would love for him to be successful on their bike after the season he has had with Yamaha. Given the options of: Gesini on a factory bike, BMW in SBK, or working with Suzuki for 2014, what do you guys think is the right move for Ben? I have to say I'm leaning toward the Honda option as it gets him on the track and competative (hopefully) in MotoGP next year.

We shared the track with a fellow on this Harley last week at VIR. I have to give him gredit, he may have been dragging hard parts but he was getting on it as hard as he could!

I can't speak to riding with a wife but I agree with Hotfoot. I have ridden with friends and it is more fun and convenient to be in the same riding group. If anything makes CSS more fun it's being able to discuss it with someone you know. Having the same coach could be fun or distracting depending on your personalities and dynamic as a couple. Post up after you do the school and let us know how it goes!

Hi Jamie, The school requires your tires to have 90% of the tread and that includes the middles, even if there is tread left on the sides . The short answer is, when in doubt go with new rubber. Saving money using worn rubber can really cost you in the long run, especially on the track. I know the school also has really good prices on the Dunlops for students; that might be worth looking into. Best, Carey

It's a dogs life Charlie Brown!

If that grin was any indication then it sure looked like you were having fun Dave! And getting back to the humdrum of normal life is the down side of a day at the track. It's not hard to see how the siren song of the track can drive you to distraction. On the plus side you can start planning your next trip. Glad to hear you had a good time and learned a lot. Maybe I'll see you guys again next year. Level 2 gets into vision skills and that can really drive the pace up.... Best, Carey

I just bought an S1000RR myself. I was going to go with a older 600 for the track but like you I lucked up into a deal and after having ridden one multiple times with CSS I just couldn't pass it up. It's more than I need but then again a sportbike is excessive by it's very nature so "go big or go home" . And Captian Slow is the nick name of James May, one of the hosts of Top Gear (the original British version). When he said that he was speaking to the virtues of smaller cars with peppy engines and responsive handling but as someone who has been passed mid corner by a 150 it seemed incredibly apropos to motorcycle riding!

Hi Jeff, I was going to start a thread on VIR this morning as well but I'll jump on yours instead. It was great meeting you as well and based on the grins I saw by the end of the day I was pretty sure we had not led you astray with our advice here on the forum. You guys looked like you really had a fantastic time. And I have to second your appreciative shout outs. Keith, Cobie and the whole team really work hard for us. Over the two days I was there I worked with Cobie and Joe as a level 4 consultants and Joe and Johnny as on track coaches and I too had a great time. Joe and I worked on the passing drill on Monday (which was a blast - no 6 foot passing rule on your coach in that drill ) and when we finished Joe's enthusiasm for his students really showed. I think he was even more excited than I was (albeit for different reasons as I watched him almost drag an elbow as he moved on to his next student). Crystal really deserves a metal for her efforts. Two days of wrangling a bunch or rowdy motorcycle hooligans and she still has a smile or a wink for you at the end of the day. That girl is a saint. And I also want to take a moment to thank Trevor and his Course Control team. He has the unenviable responsibility for everyone's safety and with that comes the "Bad Cop" role at CSS. That cannot be easy as every time I have spoken with him after a school he is a genuinely nice guy. But without his team's efforts the schools safety record would not be what it is. I made it a point to tell him (and Keith) this in person as I'm sure he doesn't get nearly the warm response most of the coaches do. Again, thanks to the whole CSS team! Best, Carey BTW…I've attached a few pix of VIR incase anyone is curious what the track looks like.

Great post Eirik! There are a lot of really knowledgeable people on this forum and I have benefitted form their sharing as well. And thank you for your contributions as well. I have really enjoyed reading your posts. Best, Carey