jasonbw

Great stuff BLDJDS, I'm still keen to hear from Jaybird, see if I've done enough to encourage a try on the next ride, even if it's a minuscule amount more pressure than you currently do, and from Crash106 to hear if this makes sense to you.

Looks like a few of us are wondering what the benefits are in applying the quick turn (QT) on the street or on motorcycles with limited lean angle clearance. Does QT mean you need to flick the bike, hard to maximum lean? Not at all guys, quick turning is simply increasing your current rate of steering by an amount that you are comfortable with! It might be 1% faster steering, or even 5% more than you're used to... or a gradual increase over many months of practise! The point is, you are consciously steering a tad stronger than before you thought of QT's. Why do we want to QT a bike? Considering that a quick turn will get you to your desired lean angle earlier then your motorcycle is pointing in the correct direction (turn's exit) sooner! For a good example to grasp this logic, let's go to an extreme: say you steered ultra slowly into one of your favourite, known turns... you'd run wide, immediately, right? Now let's picture the same turn, same speed and same entry point, but you steer at your normal steering rate... you make a nice line that you are used to, right! Now finally, let's say you increased the rate of your steering, just a tiny bit, maybe 5% faster to get to your desired lean, you're now running a tighter line than before! What does a tighter line on exit give you? Options! We could go back to our old line just by not using as much lean angle... or we could go through the turn a little bit faster now, using the new room on exit, or move our entry Turn point a little later for a later apex. Quick Turning gives us more options! Notice in that above example, a Quick Turn isn't necessarily a hard flick to maximum lean? QT is whenever you are steering at a rate that's more than you normally would have. For me, on a street, instead of going slowly to the (very little) lean required in my commute, I steer it a tiny bit faster... giving me a tiny bit less lean required to make it over the intersections etc. Now, on a cruiser or a motorcycle where lean angle is an issue... as quick turning allows you to use less lean in a given turn, would that be an advantage? Have a look at the Twist 2 DVD for the video of one of our coaches quick turning a cruiser, the sooner you get the steering done, the less lean is required. QT is best described as getting to your desired lean, as quickly as possible for the demands of the situation. E.g. On a wet road, we wouldn't flick the bike over as fast as we would in the dry, as Eirik pointed out, we need some front end traction. Let me ask you then, even in an extreme example on a wet road, would it be more beneficial to steer ultra slowly, gradually building lean angle as we go through the turn, or use this new information on steering to QT for the demands of a wet road, which may be just a tiny bit quicker than you would now, with the advantage of less lean which give you more traction and suspension more in line with the bumps and ruts. For more info see Twist 2, Chapter 16, Quick Turning.

Neow, have a read of the Twist 2 Chapter 11, weight transfer section. This describes the reason for getting both your feet on the pegs as EARLY as possible after the start.

Jaybird you're on the money. There most definitely are factors to consider, but with the right technique an amazing flick rate can be achieved. Let me ask you this, watching top level SBK or MotoGP racers flick their bike from maximum lean one direction to maximum lean the other in half a second, does their bike look unstable? Looks crisp and clean doesn't it! So we know you can get an amazing flick rate so long as the technique is correct. Does that make sense? All of the following factors should be considered in your quicksteer plan as any of of these could result in the rider riding the leather sled. Extremely poor front suspension that bottoms out on turn in Front brakes on when turning in Tires that aren't yet up to operating temperature Surface that is cold, or offering low traction (wet/bumpy/poor condition) Too much lean on turn in causing the bike to grind parts and lift the wheels off Considering dry, clean pavement, warm tyres, good suspension and good technique, do you think we can achieve the flick rate we desire that not only looks, but is, as stable as the racers mentioned above?

Nice find! What makes your find more incredible is if you watch the DVD doco that was produced on Josh called "Minor Details", he's got as much backbone as the toughest Isle of Man TT racer.

Hi Dan, Great question, steering is pretty important to a motorcycle rider So to answer what force best describes a quicksteer bar input, we have to think of a couple of examples. Let's go an extreme example, say you're heading down a straight road at reasonable speed, would a massive hammer hit on the bars make the bike cleanly flick over or just make the bike unstable? Yep, quite unstable till the bike sorts itself. So the bike doesn't want a quick HIT on the bars... how about a stronger push on the bars? Does that change the direction efficiently? Look at what has to be overcome - the front wheel is a gyroscope (look up the term if you're unsure), with a rim and tire rotating at speed that's a fair bit of force that you need to overcome in order to countersteer (again, look up this term if not understood). Stronger push describes what is required quite well. Here's the rub, for those who've done the steering drill at the school you'll recall the pressure sequence that best describes how to steer your motorcycle. Push, then release. The bike will track at that lean until you tell it to do otherwise. A rider who pushes, then grabs or holds the bars will get the feeling of a front end that digs in, feels and looks unstable at turn in, and is sacrificing some of the very valuable front end traction us riders love to have. Push and Release will resolve this. As usual, give this a try and let us know if it's improved the feel of your steering.

No brakes - i.e. NO brakes, not even a touch. That get's you pretty well tuned to your corner entry speed. P.s. If you are going to try this make sure you leave the engine running.. keeps the oil warm so your gearbox doesnt suffer if it's too long of a coast.

Absolutely 'no brakes' can be not only really beneficial to developing your sense of speed, but also fun. Myself and a couple of mates used to roll down the local twisty mountain here with the idea that we'd eventually prove that the desire to "comfort brake" can be overcome. We got there, was a great exercise, but something best left for a safer place such as a track. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXsPVeF6-RA

Good question Andrew, this could be useful for other riders reading this, so let's also arm them with the valid reasons why a rider would want to churn the rear tire on corner exit, I'll list a few from the TOTW II book/bible: 1) Some rear wheel spin (from a smooth roll-on) will let the rear suspension become more compliant as the reduced traction relieves some of the load. 2) The motorcycle is pointed to turns exit sooner. (as the rear tire's reduced traction combined with the centrifugal forces allows the rear to move outward, pivoting the motorcycle around the front wheel) 3) Allows the motorcycle to be picked up earlier at exit (due to #2 above, more upright motorccyel gives more traction and suspension working better as it's more in line with the bumps) 4) Scrubs the tire exposing fresh rubber 5) Provides the rider an opportunity to better sense available traction There are benefits also to the skilled rider who can use excessive rear wheel spin, but that's another topic Any others to add? P.s. Make sure you're completely relaxed on the bars if attempting to get this level of acceleration. JasonBW

Your English is fantastic mate!!!

During flight training the hood has a side effect of emotional stress, our vision is limited to watching the instruments telling us (often) the opposite of what our body is telling us. This is a limitation to the parallel we could draw to what we do on the motorcyle, so thankfully there a way of answering your question without duct taping your visor (as interesting that'd be for spectators ). Jaybird180 said: "So how does one train himself to look at only what's important and pay less attention to distractions? Not really practical on the street, but can pay dividends on the track." If the rider were to do a ride (in a safe environment such as a trackday), where their riding plan was to focus on the "distractions", keeping their vision down, then the next session alter their riding plan to ignore the distractions (that we can't control), use reference points and three step (ask if you dont know what that is!) to get attention where it needs to be, then would this give them a very clear example of how their riding would be impacted? Would this assist them in making a concious decision in future to focus on what is important. In other words for riders reading this who would like an answer, the answer may be staring at you, but until you convince yourself by way of trying the method that doesn't work versus the method that works, then no amount of text on a forum, independant of the writer will override your SR's when you need it most - convince yourself and you have it on good authority to do what works when you really need it!

Great looking bike there George, top attitude too mate, no doubt you can gain a lot from this site.... be sure to ask questions to gain a good understanding! Why?? Let me ask you this: Which of these two choices would be a better option to help you in your riding goals? Having a great understanding of why something works so you can see where it applies to your riding? Using techniques on here without the understanding? Very obvious answer isn't it! However keep in mind a lot of the riders here have done one or more than one of the schools, so some techniques and terminology may be out of context for readers who haven't attended a school yet. So in other words, working together on this forum with others (such as the coaches and those who have experienced the school) is the way to gain a great understanding of Keiths technology to assist you in developing your own riding plans. or.... give the UK school a call or jump on their mailing list to find out when they next land in Serres (http://www.superbikeschool.co.uk/circuits.php). Top find, welcome to the site!

Great stuff Mark, welcome to the forum! Where are you from?

Hi Raakile, Great move to "get back on the horse"!!!! Some riders don't, good on you!!!! Since you've done L1 and L2, you may recall an underlying theme that might help in your ability to overcome these newfound fears post crash. Did you notice that the bike is quite a stable machine when left alone? Motorcycles (bar mechanical problems) can be counted on doing the EXACT same thing, over and over again - every lap, every corner. So if we crash would it pay to consider what we asked the motorcycle to do? Looking at the reason for the crash will help you understand what didn't work! That's only half the picture though... What about the fear in the back of your mind about that same thing happening again... think about this; if you are the one in control of the motorcycle, and are now armed with WHY the motorcycle crashed. Do you think you'll have a half decent chance of avoiding a crash come Friday.... do you think you'd have a high chance of actually enjoying the experience of riding on a track again So, back to the crash, have a think, see if you can work out what the actual cause was... feel free to post up your thoughts, some here are great at assisting people in finding answers to their own questions.

Fantastic to hear you're applying the drills you've learnt! These skills don't come as a 'factory option' that you can just switch on; it's our own decision! so well done! Can you imagine how a great story like this feels to your coach? Post his name and I'll happily pass it on. Thanks for sharing! JasonBW

Hey Alex, how'd you go with Bullet's suggestion of dragging the rear brake for U turns? Notice how stable the bike instantly becomes? Did you then find it easier to just leave the rev's up high (esp on your 125) and control your speed in the U turn using foot pressure instead of balancing tiny throttle and clutch movements? Keen to hear how your practise went on this. Cheers Jason

Nice recovery!!!!!! Would have been great for the slide/catch/slide/catch to be on that video! Though having said that, just reading the event was enough to get the heart going! I'd suggest the tire isn't the only item that got soiled in those few seconds!

Fantastic working with you Adam, what a strong progression of your riding skills from start of day to end! Great stuff!! You soaked in a lot there, if you find any gaps please use this forum to get the most out of this life saving tech. Jason P.s. Dislikes? Not the gumdrop buttons!?

Top question Stuman! I liken the question to asking a surgeon what is more important: Brain, Heart, Blood, Oxygen.... After dissecting my riding I'm confident I've nailed THE drill that I'd class as the best for my riding. Reference Points. Not only literally would I be lost without them, but like most humans I need goals, RP's give me exact goals, one after the other after the other in a neverending series that join-the-dots for a flow like I've never had before.

Good stuff Scott, hope to see you at a CSS out here. If you're picking up information from the forum to try then you might find it useful to make a plan of the changes to make, and pick only one change to make per ride. Trying to put more than one change together at the same time can make it difficult to work out what worked well and why. P.s. If you keep the pace lower than normal while trying new things you have more attention free to focus on the change, feel free to use this forum to discuss. All the best, Jason

Thats a great photo Kai Yep, you've got my point in one Eirik, a bike that works well with you physically is not only an aid to better lock-in with ease and accuracy of control, but the rider wont have to remedy riding errors introduced when holding on too tight or muscling a bike that the rider feels isn't working for him or her. Now that could be any capacity size, just finding one that works means you have to ride all the options out there to make the right choice... life is hard hey

Lots of great info above Eirik, just adding a point. If the rider is comfortable (physically) on the motorcycle then a lot of the CSS tech will come easier. Sounds so obvious that the above is easy to dismiss. Comfort is often overlooked, how many riders spend countless thousands to buy a great bike and aftermarket bits, yet never spend the few minutes it takes to adjust the brake or clutch levers to be comfortably reached, footpegs at the right height and even gear/rear brake levers easier to access. Would they benefit from being more comfortable on the motorcycle? Would they benefit from having a suitably sized motorcycle that provides a correct fit for their body size? If you place a tall or overly large person onto a 250 or even some 600s and they may not feel as comfortable as they would on a different 600 or 750 or whatever works. Vice versa with a light/thin/short build person. See the point on the comfort?

Heya Russell, Over the pond at the Eastern Creek and Phillip Island trackdays, CSS offer a free steering drill with a CSS coach. There is the potential Darren *may* follow suit over there. This would be a great opportunity to get some great solid improvements we all need prior to CSS. This steering drill takes a few minutes yet may change your riding for the better forever. No dramatisation there! The issue of the blisters will be resolved by this drill. Best to call Darren again to see if he can work a steering drill with you on a trackday, if he can then the ball is in your court - I'd highly recommend moving heaven and earth to get there for it but it's entierly up to you. Jason

Fantastic Russell, glad you've taken that first step, trust me you wont regret the next! All the best.

If you're considering cost then would it help to better understand the total to repair and prep a crashed road bike versus a prepped race bike? If so then jot down a list of modifications you intent to make on the road bike post sale, then check what your total spend will be compared with buying a ready-to-race bike off the classifieds on a site such as www.formula-xtreme.com.au Often you'll find an already prepped race bike will have the bits you want and a price that's considerably less then a modded up auction/ex road bike. Good to do the homework on it anyway, you may well find a race bike is far better maintained then the average track bike or crashed road bike for the reason that it has a job to do and must be reliable to do that job. Be sure to understand the auctions $ costs too, if its manheim-fowles or pickles it's all disclosed on their site. Happy racebike hunting!