Gr8Dane

Awesome video, thanx! Goes to prove that GP racers have better throttle control and braking capability than the rest of us. It's quite clear to me that SR #1 was slowing me down on that ride, combined with too much braking. Bill reeled me in every time. PS. Eirik, Check your PM

Awesome video, thanx! Goes to prove that GP racers have better throttle control and braking capability than the rest of us. It's quite clear to me that SR #1 was slowing me down on that ride, combined with too much braking. Bill reeled me in every time.

Agreed. The engine is not a brake. If you need to use the brakes, use the brakes. However, there's always exceptions. That's one of the reason 'slipper' clutches were invented. "Backing" the bike into a corner to line it up for a quicker turn is an example, right?

This particular quote specifically excludes braking corners.It only refers to good throttle control. In other words, if you can enter a corner without chopping the throttle or using the brakes, then that is an example of good throttle control. There's many corners that can be entered and taken flat out or with just a minor adjustment of the throttle. Past experience with that particular corner naturally helps

This particular quote specifically excludes braking corners.It only refers to good throttle control. In other words, if you can enter a corner without chopping the throttle or using the brakes, then that is an example of good throttle control. There's many corners that can be entered and taken flat out or with just a minor adjustment of the throttle. Past experience with that particular corner naturally helps

BINGO ! Where do send the cigar to???

BINGO ! Where do send the cigar to???

I wrote: So I suit up, get on the bike (which I have never ridden before) ride down the road. Get her warmed up, get the pads bedded in, brakes are fine, everything seems good to go. This is a rural area, with no cops or traffic, so I get on the gas and hit 120 or so. Suddenly there's this strange vibration from the front tire. I ease off the throttle and touch the front brake lightly at about 30 MPH. The first sensation I get is that the front tire really has great grip, because the bike slows down really quick. Then the front end goes all mushy! Flat tire! Brand new, and completely flat! The front valve stem is gone! Any guesses as to what just happened? Clarification: Brand new tires, brand new valve stems, correct pressure. I did not mount the tires or supply the tires or the valve stems. Cycle Gear did. After i got the bike back to the shop, I found the valve stem, intact. Core still in it. Groucho promises a big fat cuban cigar to the first guy who correctly identifies where I found the valve stem.

Close! But no cigar.....

New valve stems. Always. Try again?

One more thing: The only vehicle I can steer with my feet is the airplane LOL!

Cheers, and welcome aboard! Spend the money, buy the TOTW II book and the video. Why both ? Because there's visual demonstrations on the DVD that no book can hope to match. Also, once you have read the book and watched the DVD, do so again. Repeatedly. I've been riding for 40 years and still learn new stuff every day. In pilot speak it's called re-current training. It will make you quicker around the track and may save your life someday.

Pilots and racers have a lot in common. But there are 'Good' pilots and there are 'Idiot' pilots out there. Some of the latter have even managed to beat the odds and are still alive. Pre-flight : Never allow anyone to interrupt your pre-flight/pre-race procedures. Doesn't matter if it's a race-bike, race-car or airplane. Get-there-itis: Don't rush the job. Better late than dead. If something feels, smells or sounds wrong, it is. Don't allow disbelief to over-ride common sense. I think I am a 'Good' pilot. Yet I have found myself in violation of Rule 1. I also violated Rule 2.Then I violated rule 3. Twice. All in a matter of 20 minutes. Right then and there, I became an 'Idiot pilot'. Read on: Refueling the Kitfox aircraft (tail dragger, high-wing/in-wing fuel tanks)requires either a step ladder or balancing your tippy toes on one of the main tires. I don't carry a stepladder. While I was balancing on the left tire, some guy came over and started chatting. I am a polite person, so I did engage in a short talk about the airplane. I had just violated rule 1. I was in a hurry, because of my destination airport did not allow night ops. I knew I could just make it. I finished refueling, bid farewell and strapped in. Got airborne. I had just violated rule 2. Noticed the aircraft was flying left wing low, (which it had never done before), so I corrected with a bit of right stick and did not give it another thought. I had just violated rule 3. The airplane was trying to tell me something. I ignored it. The Kitfox is a very simple aircraft. Each of the 2 tanks has a mechanical fuel gauge. A float linked to an arm rotates a pointer on the gauge. Pretty much fail safe. Monitoring the fuel gauges on a regular basis is standard procedure. You expect fuel to be consumed at a certain rate. This thing burns 7 gallons per hour. 30 minutes after getting airborne, I checked my fuel gauges. Right wing tank read 3/4 full. Left wing tank read EMPTY I concluded the left tank gauge must somehow be defective, and ignored it. I had just violated rule 3 again. The airplane was still trying to tell me something. I ignored it again. At my peril. Eventually I reached my destination, right at dusk. Now the right hand fuel gauge was also reading EMPTY. Funny how both gauges would malfunction almost at the same time! There were a couple of aircraft in the pattern ahead of me, so I orbited while awaiting clearance to land. I requested a 'short' pattern approach, which the tower approved. Cranked the plane over into a steep left-hand, side-slip, got the plane slowed down and executed a perfect touch-down right on the numbers. D***, I AM A GOOD PILOT ! At that exact point the engine quit! Any guesses ? Yup, I had run the plane out of fuel and didn't even know it! Here's what happened: Kitfox gas caps are attached with a lanyard so you don't lose them. If you forget to put the cap back on, it rides on top of the wing, creating extra drag. I forgot to put the cap on. That's why the left wing was flying low. When you go fly without the cap on, the fuel will get siphoned out. That's why the fuel gauge was reading empty. I had made it to the airport solely on the remaining fuel in the right tank, which was, of-course, being depleted at twice the normal rate, emptying that tank in the process. Not just dumb luck, this was idiotic luck. If something feels wrong, it IS! FAST FORWARD: Track Day at Laguna. I'm helping a buddy prep his GSXR 1000. He's an older guy, has never been to the track before. We tape up the glass, remove the turn-signals, service the engine with fresh oil and filter, bleed the brakes, put new pads in and have new tires put on. 'Ok', says my buddy, 'lets load the bike on the trailer.' 'Nope, suit up, gotta test drive it first, make sure everything is OK.' Buddy says 'I'm tired, don't want to do that, it will be fine' 'I disagree, so if you don't want to do it, I will. Lemme borrow your leathers?' So I suit up, get on the bike (which I have never ridden before) ride down the road. Get her warmed up, get the pads bedded in, brakes are fine, everything seems good to go. This is a rural area, with no cops or traffic, so I get on the gas and hit 120 or so. Suddenly there's this strange vibration from the front tire. I ease off the throttle and touch the front brake lightly at about 30 MPH. The first sensation I get is that the front tire really has great grip, because the bike slows down really quick. Then the front end goes all mushy! Flat tire! Brand new, and completely flat! The front valve stem is gone! Any guesses as to what just happened? To be continued....

TOTW II page 30, paragraph 2: BE SUSPICIOUS Quote " In any turn (real braking turns excepted) where you are tempted to chop the throttle and/or use the brakes lightly, look at it with a suspicious eye and see if good throttle control won't gain an even better result" Case in point: Many years ago, Bill Stermer invited me to go for a ride on Highway 33 out of Ojai, California. This is an awesome winding mountain road, well maintained and with very little traffic on week days, however, on weekends, there are too many weekend warriors. Bill is a well - known motorcycle journalist who has probably been riding for 50 years or more. I remember reading his articles in Cycle Magazine when I was a just kid dreaming of one day riding motorcycles in California. He now writes for Rider Magazine. On that particular day, he was riding his old BMW R100 RS and I was riding a BMW R1100 RS (a veritable crotch-rocket compared to Bill's bike). Of course, I was gonna show the 'old' guy on his ancient bike who was king of the hill, right? So I'd go charging into the corners, chop the throttle and slam on the brakes. As a result of massively superior horsepower, I would get to every corner first, but no matter what I did, Bill would be on my rear wheel before the turn was done. I figured Bill must know the road better than me, so I slowed down and let him get in front. Here's what I observed: His brake light never came on. (Note to self, tell Bill his brake light is out) He would roll-on the throttle much sooner than me. He'd pull a couple of bike lengths on me in every corner. It looked completely smooth and effort-less. Eventually we stopped for a break. This time the brake light worked just fine. Here's what I learned: The harder you charge, the harder your SR's make you brake. The harder you brake, the slower you go. The better the throttle control, the less you have to brake. Just like it says on page 30, paragraph 2. Going fast thru the corner is much more fun than going fast before the corner, right?

Stoner at 1500 fps. Awesome! http://www.youtube.com/embed/Z4snkUUolJ0

Great photo's all, thank you! But we're going off topic here: The question was raised because I want to understand why the riding style has changed?

TOTW II, page 103, Efficient braking: "Trapping yourself into HEAVY (my emphasis added) braking at your turn-in point is working against your desired result." Let that sink in..... "The basic product (end result) of braking is to get the speed set accurately for the turn. It is difficult to overcome the SR's (#7) (for the record: SR means Survival Reaction) which compels most riders to gradually increase the braking force and end up with too much at the end. There are at least 5 potential bad results: Turning the bike with too much brake; one of the more common causes of crashes Turn entry speed is wrong, usually too slow Too much attention on the braking force; not enough on where you are going and what you are doing Missed turn-points; puts you off line going in. Too low a turn-entry; gradual instead of decisive turning to avoid SR #7 above." You said: "HOW could he do this, I know that he will be going round the bend faster than me, but it is a very tight 180 deg, so surely the difference in speed can not be so great. I have no idea how he could bring the speed down so quick." If I understood your post correctly, you are basically being out-braked, correct? Out-braking is basically the art of being able to brake less than than the other guy and carrying more speed into the corner. Ask yourself this: Is is possible that my perception of the issue is actually 180 degrees reversed? Is it possible that I am braking TOO HARD and the other guy is braking less? Is it possible that I am out-braking myself? The answers to all 3 questions could very likely be yes. That's how he cruises past you with what seems to be massive speed. You should not assume that he stands on the brake massively the moment he gets in front of you either. If he did, you would be reeling him back in, right? He simply brakes less and carries more cornering speed. He has a higher level of confidence. That's why he's the instructor. The best advice I can give you is to buy the books and the video's and study. Next time you do a track day, your level of riding will be improved vastly. Get back to me with your thoughts, please? For the record, I am not associated in any way, shape or form with CSS. I have been riding for about 40 years now, instructing on an amateur (love of the sport) level for about 10 years, (on both 2 and 4 wheels). I still find that there is stuff I need to learn. In fact, instructing is also learning. One of the things I learned is to never take a students amount of basic knowledge for granted. Another is to learn to listen well and read between the lines. Finally, apart from learning stuff I simply did not know, one of the benefits that I derive from the CSS books and video's is being able to better quantify, formulate and, yes, LOL, regurgitate the stuff I already know but may not have been able to explain as well in the past.

If you look at the pictures above, Elias' upper body seems to be draped back across the tank, and his entire butt is off the seat, whereas Stoners upper body is totally off the side of the bike, but his butt hasn't moved much more than half off the seat. Different styles. Stoners seems to produce better results?

Dunno. Maybe it's improved tire technology that allows lean angles un-heard of in the 500 cc era? I seem to recall seeing pictures of Schwantz with not much more than his calf and boot hooked over the seat. More body weight hanging off = less lean angle? I think we need professional help on this issue.....any one of the pro's care to chime in ? Aerodynamics : Lets for the sake of argument suggest that Ducati develops a fairing shape that actually produces more down-force when leaned over. This could be something as simple as body work that flexes when the air flow reaches a certain angle of attack. This could be done very discretely without anyone noticing, at least not at first. Maybe it's already being done! Not all that far fetched. Look at the ( in my opinion) really weird shape of the body work and various winglets and spoilers and Gurney flaps on F1 cars today. Some of these parts flex and bend as the wind hits them. Surely, some of this science can be applied to bikes? However, there is a trade-off : down-force equals drag. The next problem would be that increased downforce could cause a weigh transfer to the front wheel, which is exactly what you don't want. So, would the movable winglets have an electronic or mechanical linkage to the suspension to counter-act forward weigh transfer ??? Why is weight transfer to the rear desirable? Simple: as you add power, accelerating out of a corner, you need the most traction possible. Weight transfer enhances this. God forbid you roll off the throttle = Instant weigh transfer to the front and the rear (along with all hell) brakes loose. FYI, back in the late 60's and early 70's Porsche, Chapparal and quite a few others experimented with wings and spoilers acting directly on the suspension, rather than the body. This was rather promptly outlawed.

Notice how the racers today aren't hanging off nearly as much as Doohan and Schwantz used to? Wonder why? I'm thinking it may have something to do with the modern technology delivering a more controlled supply of power, as opposed to the vicious 500 cc 2 strokes. Or possibly even an aerodynamic issue? Will we see attempts at creating aerodynamic cornering down-force in the future? Right now aerodynamics seem to center on creating maximum speed. Porsche did the same thing back in 1969 with the long tail 917, that could reach 250 Mph or so. The cost of slipperiness was an unstable monster that few dared drive. At top speed there was so much lift that the front wheels barely steered. Introduced in 1970, the 917 short-tail had gobs of down-force, and won LeMans overall for the Porsche's first time ever. This was due to the greater down-force which not only stabilized the car but also allowed for higher cornering speeds at the cost of a slightly reduced top-speed.

EXCELLENT!

EXCELLENT !!!

As a pilot, rule number 1 is always: FLY THE PLANE. If the engine quits, no big, you just happen to be suddenly flying a glider. FLY THE PLANE. Captain Sullenberger demonstrated consummate pilot skills when he landed in the Hudson. He knew exactly what to do: FLY THE PLANE. Everything else is secondary. Sooner or later, we all experience an off-road excursion. Your track-bike has just become a dirt-bike. Now what? Don't panic. You will be just fine. RIDE THE BIKE. Roll off the throttle. Obviously. (Read comment below) Keep the bike in a straight line, as upright as possible. Try not to have a white knuckle death grip on the bars. The bike will be moving around quite a lot. Let it. Use the rear brake only. Locking up the rear works great in dirt. The rear end will step out a little. Let it. Be aware that a rider behind you may have target fixated and followed you off the track. The bike will eventually slow down to a speed where you can gently begin to turn back towards the track. Pay attention to the corner workers. Hopefully they are paying attention to you. They may wave a yellow flag. The corner workers may be trying to get your attention. Maybe you have parts falling off. Pay attention. When stopped, get off the bike and inspect it. Look for debris in brakes and drive-train and tires. Satisfy yourself that the bike is safe to ride. If unsure, park it. If good to go, re-enter the track carefully, preferably with assistance from a corner worker. Hopefully they are waving a yellow flag to warn other riders. Some track day organizations may have specific rules for dealing with off-road excursions. Ask about this during the riders meeting. Always remember: Don't panic. RIDE THE BIKE. If you have never ridden a dirt-bike, consider doing so. You will gain valuable skills that will make you a better overall rider. FYI : I've run out of track any number of times. These are the two most memorable: Once at Laguna Seca I was looking over at a buddy and ran right off into the gravel at Turn 11, LOL, another time I over-cooked it coming into turn 5 at Big Willow, and made the conscious decision to go straight off into the dirt. So far I have saved it every time by applying the above techniques. Roll off the throttle: I had a student who panicked and ran off Laguna Seca at Turn 11, locked up the front AND had the throttle pinned at the same time. Deep gravel stopped the bike without major damage. When we discussed the incident later, the student refused to believe that he had the throttle pinned. Panic makes people do weird things. Oiling down the track: Sometimes off-road excursions are caused by a mechanical issue, such as an oil-filter coming loose and lubricating the rear tire? If so, DO NOT re-enter the track, trying to limp back to the pits. Oiling down the track will make you very un-popular!

Most bikes don't have ABS, so the majority of riders have not had the chance to experience how it works. I would like to share my personal experiences, and start a dialogue, in a Q&A format. Most of you already know the what it does and how it works, however, my intent is to clarify the practical applications and the limitations. Q: What does ABS do ? A: ABS is an electronic brake modulation system. It's purpose is to avoid locking up the wheels during a panic stop. It's an acronym for the German words "Anti Blockier System" Q: How does it work ? A: Electronic wheel speed sensors compare retardation rates (and in advanced traction control / stability management systems also compare acceleration rates) against pre-set parameters. When impending lock-up is determined, the ABS will momentarily release then re-apply brake pressure. In early generation ABS systems, this cycle is fairly slow (2-5 HZ) and can be rather abrupt. Early generation automotive-systems would also pulse the brake pedal, which caused many drivers to think they had a brake failure. Later generation systems are more transparent and less intrusive. Q: Will ABS improve my braking performance? A: Yes and no. If you have issues with grabbing huge amounts of front brake, ABS will boost your confidence level. However, ABS is not some sort of magic wand that will make the brakes work better or stop harder. Maximum braking is still determined by the configuration of your brakes and the available traction. Q: How do I know when the ABS is active? A: For the split second the ABS cycles, it will feel like your brakes just failed. It can be a quite scary feeling if you don't expect it. It feels like your bike is doing an 'unintended acceleration'. Of course, a split-second later the brakes come back on, and you're good to go. Q: Should I practice panic stops with the ABS on my new bike? A: Absolutely. You will be amazed at how hard you can stop, and you will learn how the system works. Just be sure there's no-one behind you! Q: Can I turn off the ABS? A: That depends on the bike. The BMW GS bikes have an ABS off-switch for off-road riding, where it is a benefit to be able to lock up the wheels, especially the rear. In addition, the GS models automatically turn off the ABS at speeds lower than (if memory serves me right) 3 MPH. This is of benefit in snow, sand, gravel and mud. You need to be able to lock your wheels in these adverse situations, or you may not ever come to a complete stop. The S 1000 RR adjusts the level of ABS intrusion depending on which mode the bike is in, and will actually allow you to back the rear tire into the corner under heavy braking. Q: I was riding down the road and was braking moderately, and suddenly the ABS cycled. Totally surprised me. What happened ? A: Chances are you hit sand, gravel or water which momentarily reduced the amount of available traction. The ABS intervened. Another scenario is a ripple in the asphalt, which compressed and then unloaded your front suspension. When it unloads, you have less traction. The ABS will react instantly. Q: How do I know the ABS is ready? A: ABS does a self-test when you turn the ignition on. You can self - test without resorting to panic stops by simply applying the rear brake enough to trigger the ABS. Q : My friends say they don't need ABS? A: I bet they have never ridden a bike with ABS. It's an amazing eye-opener and a true life-saver. Are these the same friends who won't wear a real helmet or full leathers? -----------------------------------------------

"That being said - the BMW S1000RR is a great bike. It has modern tech and is just an overall great bike. My issue with the BMW is that its just that - its a BMW. Its german and teutonic." All I can say is: go ride one. You would never know it's a BMW. Feels just like a japanese superbike. With an edge in both performance, safety and confidence building. "Some like it that way, but its just not me. It performs better than the majority of all bikes, but it just doesn't move the soul for me. And I prefer bikes (and cars) that move the soul and stir a reaction. . . I equate the BMW S1000RR to like a Mercedes AMG S55, BMW M5, Porsche 911" Nah, those are passenger cars. I would compare it to the 911 GT3 RS. A barely street legal race car. "But I'm going to buy a bike that will move my soul - so I would end up with a Ducati PanigaleS or MV Agusta F4R/RR or something along those lines. Yeah - the BMW s1000rr might out perform it (though they are all close), just like a 911 Turbo outperforms most other cars, but the feeling is just different. With cars, it would be like the Porsche 911 vs say a Ferrari, Lambo or Aston." OK, valid point: one of the most awesome cars I have driven is the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera. Stunning looks, fantastic handling and power.....delivered via ..........Audi engineering and drive-train "The good thing is that most of these manufacturers all have traction control and ABS on their bikes. Which means at least the bike will try and save your arse a little when you get into more trouble than you should be. . .." Agreed. Ultimately, our choices are emotional. As it should be.