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trueblue550

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Everything posted by trueblue550

  1. "An accurate orientation in space begins with two external Reference Points. We find two points or objects or areas first and this then gives us a reckoning of our own location where we become the third point of orientation. Together, that creates an accurate tracking of the direction of our progress in relation to the other two. With those three, our eyes begin to create 3D space, which in turn improves our perception of relative speed and direction of travel. Also, and importantly, our sense of time and timing switches on quite automatically. In short, RPs help us create perspective." - Keith, in his article Time, Space and Speed "As I have seen with lots of top riders, their biggest ongoing breakthroughs come in their ability to use their visual abilities, their perception of location." - Keith, in You and Valentino Rossi The more I learn about riding and the more time I spend on track (not nearly enough), the more I realize how fundamentally important it is to have good visual skills and a good sense of speed. I like this video clip because it illustrates that where you look has a big effect on your sense of speed and space. I very much look forward to running some more visual drills with CSS in 2021.
  2. Man I wish there were go kart tracks that did mini moto near me. That sounds like an incredible amount of fun.
  3. That movie changed my life. I had been riding (commuting) about 5 or 6 months when I figured I was ready to ride some twisty roads. So I went out and scared myself pretty bad. The bike wouldn't turn, I was crossing the yellow repeatedly, my wrists hurt from my death grip on the bars, etc. Every corner was terrifying; a "mild panic" as they say in the movie. It was a bad day. Then I found TOTW2 and I felt like Keith had just watched me ride and was going over my mistakes, one by one. The entire movie was a series of "ah-ha!" moments. Everything was explained so well. Now I've done a bunch of schools and I mostly ride track days. It's a slippery slope. My favorite parts of the movie are the cheesiest parts. That's what makes it fun!
  4. Welcome, and may I say that is a good looking bike.
  5. This is truly my favorite time of year. I signed up for the first class, in February. I was a little hesitant at first because of the potential for uncomfortably cold conditions, but then I remembered that the BMWs have heated grips 😎. See you in Vegas!
  6. I disagree. Steering input changes lean angle, not throttle. I think that if a rider was turning in a circle of a constant radius providing no steering input, acceleration by rolling on the throttle would cause the circle to become larger, i.e., a wider line, but the motorcycle would maintain it's lean angle. Braking would have the opposite effect of tightening the turn radius except for the aforementioned front-tire friction increase that actually causes a steering action and initially stands the bike up.
  7. I am neither a forum moderator nor an accredited expert but here's my understanding: 1. "Standing-up" the bike, or reducing lean angle, is done by pushing on the outside handlebar -- countersteering in the opposite way the turn was initiated. Acceleration will cause the bike to straighten out its path of travel, but the throttle doesn't affect lean angle. 2. No. It's best to complete the steering action before adding throttle. Adding throttle and lean angle simultaneously is asking a lot of the rear tire and traction limits can be exceeded with little or no warning. 3. Yes because as the bike accelerates, the front suspension is unloaded. This changes rake/trail and makes the bike harder to steer. Also, the faster the engine is spinning, the more resistance to leaning because of its gyroscopic inertia. 4. Yes, for the same reasons as above. However, I remember being taught that if a rider were to chop the throttle mid-corner, the bike will stand up initially. A sudden increase in friction on the inside of the front tire from chopping the throttle has the effect as a turning force towards the inside, which tends to stand the bike up. I, too, look forward to the expert responses so I can know if I'm completely mistaken.
  8. Start rolling on the throttle as soon as the steering action is complete and you are on the correct line through the corner. If you charge the turn, or over-cook it, you will be struggling to get on the correct line, or maybe even to stay on the blacktop! If this happens, no doubt your roll-on will be delayed until you get pointed where you need to be. If the road is damp or grip is low, good throttle control is that much more important.
  9. The very first thing I learned from Keith was from that classroom scene in the TOTW II video: "Once the throttle is cracked open, it is rolled on evenly, smoothly and constantly throughout remainder of turn." In my opinion, when I feel I need maintenance throttle it is because my entry speed was too low. I can't imagine getting on the gas before turn in. In some sections like turns 4/5/6 at SOW, I may not ever close the throttle all the way but just stop rolling on while turning.
  10. I noticed recently that it is becoming popular for riders to post videos of their track-day riding on social media and then ask others to critique it. I thought it was a good idea for someone looking for feedback to improve their skills, but it can also lead to a lot of bad advice. This got me wondering if CSS had ever considered doing a Remote Coaching-type service where riders can pay for video review and feedback from a CSS coach. I would think that there would be a huge demand for that, but I also know that the coaches keep pretty busy already with the school calendar. Maybe it's just wishful thinking. In the meantime, I'll keep signing up for school dates! See you guys soon.
  11. That's a good question; I don't really know.. I don't shift based on the sound of the engine but I do like to have the sound as feedback, especially during downshifts. I probably don't need to hear the bike at all on track but it feels important for some reason.
  12. I am guilty of not wearing earplugs on track. I tried using earplugs while riding with CSS a couple of times and I couldn't do it; it was too hard to hear the bike. I tape over my speedometer to reduce distractions! I didn't realize how much I was looking at my instrument cluster until I started masking it.
  13. Welcome, Rick. Have you ever been to VIR? I never have myself, but it's one of my favorites on the MotoAmerica circuit and I'm hoping to do a 2-day camp there next year.
  14. Hey everyone, I was wondering if anyone rides at High Plains Raceway, Motorsports Park Hastings, Raceway Park of the Midlands (when it's not underwater), or any nearby tracks I might not know about. I don't know any riders in the area yet and it would be great to meet some who have some CSS background. See you at the track, Andrew
  15. This. You'll have so much fun no matter which track you choose. I did Laguna Seca for my level 1 and 2 training and It was fantastic, especially because it was right after the Motoamerica/WSBK weekend and I got to watch the races and then do the 2-day camp!
  16. I actually just registered with a couple organizations to race in a few hare scrambles this year. I've never done anything like that before, but it sounds like a lot of fun.
  17. I had no idea the 2019 schedule was out until you posted this. THANK YOU SO MUCH. Also, welcome! Laguna Seca is a great place for a 2-day camp. Have you driven at that track?
  18. I would strongly recommend against running the clip-ons with only the pinch bolts holding them in place. If you can't find a comfortable position with your current setup, I would look for aftermarket adjustable clip-ons as there are quite a few options. I use Helibars TracStar clip-ons on my Gsx-r. They aren't adjustable but are angled slightly forward and upward. They say for better ergonomics, but I wanted more clearance between my bars and gas tank at full lock. Not needed for the track maybe, but it helps in parking lots.
  19. A throttle body sync was done when the bike was new at 600 miles, and another one is due in about 1000 miles. I think I'll do it this weekend, thanks for the input.
  20. Thanks for the input. I'm hesitant to play with the clutch mid-corner because I could do a lot more harm than good if I mess it up. Cornering in a higher gear does help some and I'd take lugging the engine a bit over destabilizing the suspension. I think an ecu tune might be my next step. I've heard mixed reviews; some people say they gained 15hp and some say no change. If I can get smoother throttle response and a higher idle speed out of it, that'd be great. Any recommendations for where to go for a tune?
  21. I typically ride a bike with an inline four that I would descibe as buttery-smooth when rolling on the throttle mid-corner. However, recently I've been spending a lot of time on a V-twin with strong engine braking and a very lurchy throttle, especially in the lower gears. When cracking open the throttle in a turn, the transition from engine braking to acceleration is sudden and noticeably destabilizes the (relatively soft) suspension. I have been trying to be delicate with the initial opening but so far I haven't been able to eliminate the jerk completely. Often this causes me to hesitate opening the throttle until way to late in the turn. There is a lot of advice online and elsewhere on how others think one can remedy this, such as using an aftermarket tune or getting on the thottle at turn entry and using "maintenance throttle" until the normal roll on point. I don't buy that because it's contradictory to what I've learned so far. So my question is, is this just a characteristic of some bikes that I should live with, or should I be doing something differently to stabilize the bike during roll-on?
  22. My coach at Laguna Seca noticed I was getting on the throttle too early in the second part of turn 2. I told him the same thing, I begin a smooth, even, continuous roll on after steering is complete. He advised me that because a throttle roll-on tends to make a bike hold its line, I should begin roll-on when steering is complete and the bike is pointed where I want it to go. The little bit of extra time off the throttle did help me get a better line and drive out of the corner.
  23. I have this problem with some corners as well and I'm interested in hearing what the experts have to say. I would try transitioning visually from your turn in reference point to your apex reference point a bit earlier. Also try looking at the apex reference point a little longer until you're sure you are going to hit it, then transition to the exit reference point.
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