ScrmnDuc

That is a good article into Edwards. Thanks. I really don't think it is Proprioception. If it were then the how would you apply the same statements about being able to go faster to people driving cars at night? I see it as more of a situation of freed up attention that is being applied elsewhere for the better. If you can not see it then can your attention be spent on it?

While Thinking this Through I will try to apply the Soft Science before Trial and Error occurs Question for you. Let's say you're working on a specific set of turns. You change your line slightly and attack the set. Now you're out of the turns you were interested in and on to the next set. How do you review your line change—in order to determine if it needs to be adjusted on the next lap—while simultaneously "pushing to the max" on the rest of the track? If you're dedicating any mental capacity to thinking about the turns you wanted to work on, can you really go 100% on the track ahead of you? Let's start with when did you decide to "work" on these turns? Was it before you entered the track or right before you got to the set of turns? If it were before you entered the track, how much time did you spend on your "plan of attack"? Did you spend 5 seconds, 30 minutes, or days +? Did you sketch it out on paper or just in your mind? OR, did you think: Hmm, I'll try this different this time and lets see what happens? Would you think that you can "push to the max" on the rest of the track while you are thinking about the section that you are working on? I think what is being said is their attention is on the corner at hand, not the next or last. Pending on you, you are the only person that can determine when and where you analysis your performance. What you are working on is what you think you need to work on. If you have a turn that you think you can enter faster what would you work on for "that" turn? Would you work on exit speed for that turn if you think the turn entry is slow? Do you see where this is going?

welcome aboard. Now don't get hyped up too soon before your class date

It's an irrelevant question mugget. 100% is an abstract number unless applied to a prerequisite set approval. Nothing more nothing less. My or your 100% today is 50% tomorrow.

Opp's, I meant check the owners manual about the suspension settings not the tires. I mentioned that because there could be changes in settings for different year model bikes, or different models within the same year. But that is a good point Cobie about the manuals sometimes giving max weight conditions vs normal conditions.

Here is Will's answer in another thread about the same question http://forums.superbikeschool.com/index.php?showtopic=3539 You will get a lot of opinion about set-up and tire pressure but the simple fact is I run the Fleet bikes with the stock settings ( fork R 5, C 5, shock R 5-7, CH 5, CL 5-7). The tire pressure we use is 33/33 cold in the morning, that would be higher in the day. If I were setting pressure on a bike I was riding on say an 80 degree day it would be 31F, 26 rear. That will only work on the current Q2's, I run 29 rear in every other street rear. The tire is a big component of the way our bikes work, there simply is no way to discount the effect the tires had on your perception of how well our bikes work. Add to that I have experience with the other brands on the S1000RR so the only help i might be is to work with you at a school. Thanks, Will It may be worth checking the owners manual to see if something changed with different year models.

YD good luck my Yellow quacking friend, EH! Some thoughts on the endurance racing. 1. Your main race is the track. 2. Your next race is the clock. 3. Then you deal with anybody that gets in the way . Set a realistic lap pace for each rider. Try to maintain that pace throughout the race. Use the pit boards for +/- the set pace vs. how far away the next rider is. I think that endurance racing is more about consistency than outright speed. May the chess game begin Get the pit stuff, rider swaps, adding fuel, wheel changes etc... down to a work of art instead of a happy go lucky cluster. Remember that the pit entrance and pit exit are legal racing up to and after the white lines but not between them. Know the pit lane speed and don't break it!!! It is easier to gain or lose a position in the pits vs on the track. Pit strategy. There may be times where time will be gained by pitting a lap early or late. Don't forget to reseat the brakes after a wheel change If not, that could be a might bit embarrassing Take care of your bike. Unlike you it does not get 40 minutes an hour to rest. Only ring her neck when needed and be nice and gentle whenever possible. I had never considered racing to be a game of chicken. It is something I will remember for those times when others aren't playing nice.

Welcome to the forum Kayce. I am very familiar with the Seattle weather, I prefer the weather at home more . If you have not picked up a copy of Twist of The Wrist 2, book and DVD too ( you may actually see some of the CSS staff working on a career for after the time they have been "put out to pasture" from CSS ) I would recommend doing that. It will give you good advise and help prepare you for school next year and very possible eliminate bad habits before they become bad habits.

Question #1 For a new rider just starting. I would use the physical size of the rider as a starting point. New bike, no way!!! Good mechinaclly reliable bike thats cheap to repair. If its not all beat up then thats a plus. Standard bike not larger than 500cc for most. Enduro or Dual Sport in the 175cc - 350cc range. Rider size dependant. Anything listed above the rider will have an upright riding position should give them good visibility, enough power to keep them out of trouble and hopefully not enough power to scare them too bad Question #2 When to come to school. The sooner the better. It's faster and easier to teach someone the proper way to do something rather than having to unlearn bad techniques/habits first. They need to be able to operate a motorcycle without thinking about going stoping shifting etc... They should not have fear of speed. I know, I know. Thats opening up a whole other can of worms. How many of you know people that can ride a bike "automatic" until they are asked to ride faster than 40 mph? The 2000 miles and 6 months sounds very reasonable.

It will be riding season pretty much all winter for me (even in the mid to lower 20's F), when I'm home. Then again I will spend a fair amount of time working outside in the lovely (North-East, Mid-West, North-West, anywhere in Canada or not anywhere that it is warm) winter weather, so.... Did I mention that I really don't like cold weather? Slowly breaking out the cold weather gear and getting reacquainted with it. Darn bulky stuff, especially the cold weather "boxing gloves!" Short days and long cold nights gives Bambi the excuse to terrorize anything on the road. This is a good enough reason for me to stay home find something good to read along with good music to enjoy. Winter is also Single Malt season but only after the day is done.

It's about time you got here Robert Welcome to the forum

Fatman, thanks for the honest reply. My Goal - I would love to be able to hold my own with anyone on a track. But to be realistic, I am 42 and 110kgs. So my real goal is to be the best track day rider I can be. The most fantastic part of riding bikes to me is that you are constantly testing your own limits. I think your goal is the same as most of us here. 42 your still young . When you attend a track day do you have a goal for the day or are you just out riding having fun. If your just out having fun, there is nothing wrong with that whatsoever. Fun is Fun!!! Or do you go to the track with a goal for the day. I don't mean a faster lap time. Would your goal be going faster through those pesky slow speed turns that you have talked about? If so, then what is your plan for them? Do I feel the front end lift? - No. This bike feels so planted. I have had some occasions on higher speed sweeps where I have felt the front under steer, but never to a point where I felt unsafe I was vague with my question. Let me rephrase it. When you release the front brakes before your turn in do you feel the front suspension unload prior to your turn in? Or, is the front suspension unloading and you haven't noticed. I'm guilty of that one Or you have it nailed!!! Do you know why the front end understeers on the high speed sweepers? Mostly 5th or 4th to 2nd gear corners. I don't think I have ever used 1st on the track. Have you tried 3rd gear? Engine braking or and excuse - Now that is the $64million question. I do have supreme confidence in the front end and always feel that I can go in a bit faster, but at the same time I am aware that we should open the throttle once we have turned the bike. I keep saying to myself "get on the gas! get on the gas!" and I am a whole lot better than before, but the truth is that there is a definite time between when I have got the bike turned where I keep waiting before I get on the gas. How do I determine corner entry speed? Its mostly based on my SRs, but I also look for someone who is just a little faster than I am and try and learn a bit from them there. I have been extremely weak at using RPs. For the last 3 track Days I have been documenting my brake point, turn in, apex and exit. I dropped my lap times by 3 sec just by focusing in this aspect. Which SR's? Track notes - These have been mostly focused on identifying and documenting the RPs for each corner. Should I be writing other items down? So you have been drawing these out on paper or just noting where what is? If you are drawing them what other information could be useful 6 months from now. Do you add in the off camber turns, the patch repair that is right where you think your turn point should be, the crest or dip, etc... Do you draw in your line for the turn, or draw in a line that you think will work for a turn? What cost more, pen and paper or tires and gasoline? Which one of Keith's books did I just roughly quote? When your lap times drop 2 seconds from what they are now, will your RP's be the same? Level 1 drill 1 ??? - don't have my notes at hand. Are you referring to the counter steering or throttle control or turn point drill? Throttle control. On track 4th gear no brakes. There is a lot here on the forum about no brakes. If you are messing up your entry speed what could be a drill to use to improve the entry speed? If you try this drill at a track day go out last on track and let as many people as you can know what you are doing. Be very careful of riders that may catch you!!!! Be prepared to ride using brakes at any moment. Use your brain!! If you haven't done this drill yet give it a go, it is really a cheap drill that can be done a lot. All you need is some type of stop watch. Run the track in your mind. Compare the mental lap vs the real lap. If the laps are very close then in your mind your RP's are good. If your mental lap is a lot faster than the real lap you are missing a lot of RP's. If your mental lap is slower than the real lap you have too many RP's etc....

Is that at 35 C or F?

1. Trust/Confidence. In ones self. Ones equipment. And those riding with and around you. Failure in one or combination thereof will start making withdrawals on your $10.00. How much can you spare? 2. Throttle Control. But when done wrong, how deep of a pickle barrel can it get you into? 3. Vision. If you don't know where your going, what else matters? Tyler that was a quick reply or I am just a slow typist . I almost gave Eirik a +1 on his excellent reply but started thinking. Vision can be a tricky monster. It will tell you stuff that is not needed is needed and/or even tell you untruths. This can mess with the whole thought process at the wrong time. But we need vision to know where we are and what is going on in our surroundings. Why is it that people can ride or drive faster and calmer at night vs day?

What is your regimen for getting hydrated the day (or days) before? I could use a better plan than the one I have now. I hadn't really thought about it too much. It's just something that's considered normal for the types of stuff I've done over the years, in my part of the world. Until this question, I had never thought about those unfortunate enough not have to work outdoors in the heat, rain, cold, snow, ice, sunshine, day or night. The world they miss Short answer. Drink more fluids and a change of diet. Thinking to yourself; I got a race, track day, school, nice 10 mile stroll in the desert (mid day in the middle of summer) tomorrow, etc... now I need to get hydrated so I will slam, chug, gulp etc.. water or whatever your favorite drink is today. Wrong!!! All you are going to do is spend a lot of time relieving yourself and probably get waterlogged in the process. Instead drink all day long. Never let your glass go empty. A sip or two every few minutes or so all day adds up. I already drink fluids all day (coffee, milk, water, tea) but I'll increase the amount. Plus your not overloading your system all at once. When you eat, drink an extra glass. This applies to road trips too, but you must plan ahead if you are traveling with more than one person. Tell everybody how often the stops will be and stick to it. Suffer as they may, they will learn. It makes an 8 hour trip an 8 hour trip not a 12 hour trip . No Alcohol!!! Diet: Disclaimer:I am not suggesting to anybody here on how or what to eat, when to eat, how much to eat, etc..... I am not a doctor, nutritionist, dietitian, or anything else dealing with human health issues. That's between you and whomever!!!! I think I had to say that, but that's the world we live in now . Think about food that has a lot of moisture in it. Like leafy greens, beans, real corn (not processed), oatmeal, etc... Soups and broth. Bread, crackers, etc makes you drink more. Rice, pasta. The type of stuff that takes a while to digest. This gives your system time to absorb the fluid and store it for later. If you are trying to loss weight this may not help but it may be just enough to get you through the upcoming event.

JK 13 Welcome aboard. You have probably already learned that the brake and turn points are different between 4 wheels vs 2 wheels. As for school next month go in with clean ears and an open mind. Be prepared to answer questions and do not be afraid to ask either. Jeff

Thanks ktk. Link sent.

One of my close friends is in the market for a new helmet. At present he uses a Shoei RF1000 and Aria XD3. Primary ride is a BMW R1200GS. Head shape is Long Oval. Suggestions?

Folks if you know you are going to the track, or are going to partake in other strenuous activities you need to start your hydration prep (Beer doesn't count, it hurts ) a day or days ahead of the actual start date. Be advised that there are also limits to the amount of fluid intake per day!!! A good rule of thumb is 1ltr/ 1qt per hour during times of strenuous activity.

Welcome to the forum Fatman. Eirik and Hotfoot have given some good ideas. Now I will break down your post as I see it. I ride a 2008 Cbr1000RR which I love. Nice bike. I have also been fortunate enough to attend CSS and have completed level 3. Excellent. I ride in the middle of the A group at about 10secs per lap off our national riders. So not brilliant, but not bad either. What is your goal? I have a question regarding corner entry. Back to that soon. I like to get all my down shifting and braking done before I turn the bike into the corner. Good idea, but it also depends on how you are doing it. Do you feel the front end lift up before you turn? I do this so that I minimise the SRs caused by charging into the corner. Good. Often when I approach a slow corner, I have to get into a low enough gear to allow me drive out on exit. Is this a 6th gear to 1st gear turn, or is it a 6th gear to 3rd gear turn? Do you know which it is? This causes a lot of engine braking and I regularly exit the corner frustrated because I could have gone through the corner faster. Is it engine braking, or is that your excuse? My options as I see them are: Are these really your options or is this what you are telling yourself the options are? Again, What is your goal? 1.) Find a way to adjust my slipper clutch to be more sensitive to reduce the engine braking. A slipper clutch is an insurance policy for a bad downshift or improper timed downshift, nothing more, nothing less. 2.) Use the hand clutch to allow less engine braking. How much of your $10.00 are you willing to spend on something that is not necessary? See Hotfoots question. 3.) Stop being a "chicken". Brake later. Learn to trail brake and just attack the corner. So, back to charging are we? And again, What Is Your Goal? Relax!!! I have a question regarding corner entry. Back to that soon. We're back How do you determine your entry speed? Is it by what everybody else is doing, is it your SR's, or you don't have any idea? Having gone through lvl's 1-3, what knowledge and skills do you possess to correct any of the directly above questions? When you have a track day, how many corrections do you make to your track notes during the day? What was the on track drill lvl 1 drill 1? Would this be helpful for your low speed entry turn problems?

Cobie, I guess that means your not planning on selling your "engraved in stone" copies anytime soon, right?

Hotfoot's excited!! double post

I pretty much do all of my own work. Exceptions being stuff that requires very expensive, or expensive specialized equipment. Engine machine work. (I don't have access to the equipment anymore) Proper fuel injection tuning. Having a dyno would be neat but it's a little expensive and there are more people with much more experience that can get everything set right. And for now I let others change the tires. I'm not blazing through tires at a rate that justifies buying the equipment and haven't been messed over by an installer, yet.

Now you know for the next time

To me, it seems like there have been more injuries or injuries that have required surgery this year in the upper levels of racing. Then again, I am paying more attention this year than years past, so maybe it's just me. If the injury rate is greater, what would you think is the cause, or causes ?