Stroker

Indeed i would like to know some things such as - 1. Quality vs more established brands like A*. 2. Fit and finish vs other brands. 3. Value for money ( both custom suit and off the rack ) 4. How they performed in a fall. 5. The quality of the armor. 6. Customer service. Thanks.Feel free to contact me via PM if you wish.

The new Kawasaki ZX10, Bmw S1000RR and Aprilia RSV4 Packages may come close to being noob proof.They do their work without the rider noticing their work. However, these are designed to measure and respond to changes every millisecond or so, which is way faster than the progress of a slide to a highside IMO.

All said and done, i am quite curious how Italy and Spain train their kids.

Basically, if I am riding at the absolute max and want to get everything I can out of the bike I'd rather be in control completely (no electronics) or at least have them at minimum settings, but for everyday riding, especially if I am on an unfamiliar road or track and/or don't have 100% of my attention focused on my own riding (i.e. watching traffic, or another rider, or admiring the scenery), I like having the electronics there as a safety net. This is what just about every pro says.Well said HF!!

Hmmm....i have noticed headshake on scooters also while counter steering with the gas on - lane changes or fast bends.There is a resistance to counter steering with the gas on.

I think riders have to be at that stage where they have the basic functions down pat ( right or wrong is ok ) and they are starting to explore...you know, going faster, braking harder etc and feeling the thrill.It is during this exploration phase that crashes occur....when they get too brave and the bike surprises them. Then it is time to go to school.

Is the the poor suspension on Indian bikes i wonder..?

If you have the gas on and countersteer it causes head shake no?

I was under the impression there was some tarmac stuff as well...i think i saw the Boot camp having R6's...?

Masking my mistake with electronics does not help me learn. Exactly.

Correct, flame usually occurs after roll off and the unburnt fuel is dumped into the exhaust.

I see.This is interesting information.

For some reason, suit makers favor Pakistan.The turn around time for Spartan leathers is about 4-6 weeks for custom suits.A* has some stuff made in Pak as does Dainese. Spartan offer Kangaroo/Stingray hide gloves. I wonder if they can ship directly from Pak? I live in India.

Alright so i was watching the Aragon Moto Gp and there was an incident early in the race - Marquez made contact with Pedrosa, snapping his traction control cable in the middle of a left turn.As Dani got on the gas ( in what looked like a very easy corner ), he highsided. Now - Are they so used to getting on the throttle hard and knowing the TC will take care of it, that they have gone backwards as far as throttle control goes? That was not the case in say Kenny Roberts' time....where they did about the same things with proper control. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhsNJg1NLFg

Umm....i suppose HF sums it up.You learn most at the CSS. Does anyone have any insight as to how the top level riders really train? Everything seems so foggy.

I was under the impression you had a set of Vanson's leathers.Oh well. CSmith, did you say your buddies used Spartan leathers? A set of Spartan custom with armor and everything is 1500$ or so i guess.A* custom is i think 2 grand, Dainese some more, and RS Taichi way more than that. Difficult to choose....not to mention there are other makers as well.Sigh.

Imo doing 2000 miles of the same mistakes or 6 months of the same mistakes is no better.Stuff is just ingrained even worse.If you want to shoot and don't get the grip right the first time onward, you will have fliers even 10,000 rounds later. Some sort of test - A basic course that should be done without stalling the bike or putting your foot down is a good start.I stand by the fact that slow speed handling often indicates true riding prowess as far as beginners are concerned.

Thanks for the vid and pic.I wonder if a higher capacity engine spits more flame? Rally cars do it a lot...

I guess it is best to have a custom suit made once and for all? HF had one made if i recall.

So CSS is about the best there is?

I know there are lot of schools like the CSS who coach racers.Has anyone been to any of the other schools and how do they compare to the CSS? ( Sorry if it is in the wrong section ) Also, why do Spain and Italy produce so many GP racers? Do they have the best schools?

Has anyone had any experience with Spartan leathers? They seem to offer good quality for decent prices.

IMO slow speed drills are the key.Some one who can do a U turns etc without losing balance.They should be able to control the bike when it is moving slowly and unstable.Learning to quick flick at slow speeds is another asset. You observe this - People do fine at 60.As they come to a halt, they get all jiggly on the bike.Why? Bike is becoming more unstable.... Of course, nothing quite beat's Eirik's system.I suppose you could teach your friends and then get em to school.

IMO, a 10 hp two stroke to learn throttle and clutch management.Turn down the idle a bit and watch them learn!! A light bike is best to learn on and easier to handle if it is going down. 20-25 HP is the upper limit of safe for a beginner in my country at least, where they drive like maniacs.

Quite adventurous you people are....with those snow mobiles and races.