Hotfoot

I can see your picture. Are you on a mobile device? The website shows your normal avatar photo if you are on a PC but a different one if you are on mobile - I you haven't set up that additional one maybe it appears blank.

I'm not sure if this is the right section for this, but here's a general dicussion question... what's your goal for your riding in the next 12 months or so? Is it to get to a school, get a new bike, or try out a trackday? Find a better place to ride, prep your bike for racing, get better safety gear, manage your cycle budget better? What about your skillset, do you want to corner faster, lean it over farther, improve your sense of speed, lean how to choose better lines? Do you want to steer more effectively, be more confident in traffic, get faster than your buddy? I'm curious to hear what you guys are thinking about, what sort of goals you are setting for yourself.

Different people define trail braking different ways, as you are discovering! So let's clear up some terminology first. Let's call the "turn point" the place where you actually make your steering input. Most people consider "trail braking" to involve continuing your braking action PAST the turn point and often up to the apex of the turn, so you are braking while leaned over and turning the bike, so let's go with that as our definition. (I would also assume this to be ALL front brake, and I agree with utahphunk that I'd call using the rear brake to slide the back around "backing it in".) There have been a lot of discussions about this so if you do a forum search you can find some great discussions about the trail braking and when it is useful. Trail braking can be a dicey proposition because you are putting a lot of load on your front tire while leaned over. To answer your question, I rarely trail brake because I very much prefer to have my entry speed set at my turn point. I like getting my hard braking done early with the bike as close to vertical as possible, tapering the brakes as I approach my turn point to accurately set my entry speed, and ideally releasing the brake at the exact moment I turn the bike, so that the front suspension stays compressed throughout. I do sometimes trail brake into decreasing radius turns that have a wide, high speed entrance, or if I am trying to make a very late pass on the brakes (but there is a risk of being passed on the exit, if the other rider is quicker to get back to the throttle). I never trail brake on the street becuase I'd be concerned about hitting something slick (or even a big bump!) on the road while leaned over and on the brakes. This year I gave trail braking a really good try, because I'm riding a bike that is lightweight and I can get amazing grip with the front tire. I made a concerted effort to brake later, deeper into the corners, and carry more entry speed. I was trying to lower my laptimes and also prevent anyone from passing me on corner entries. Here's what I found: I wore out my front tire prematurely, at one point I overheated my brakes by braking more gently and for longer (essentially dragging the brake), and I had more moments where I came close to falling than I've had in 5 years. I found myself bracing my arms and couldn't get low and relaxed entering corners so my steering was less effective and I was having to lean the bike more, and I was REALLY overloading the front (leaning plus brakes plus stiff arms, bad plan!). I had convinced myself that corner speed was so critical on this lightweight bike that I HAD to trail brake or I would be passed on turn entries in my races - because it seemed like everyone ELSE was trail braking. However, in the last practice day before my race (a couple of weeks ago), I came so close to crashing so many times that I decided to quit trying so hard to trail brake and just work on getting accurate entry speeds and good quick turns, so I wouldn't crash! Guess what happened? I stopped trying to trail brake, and my laptimes came down two seconds! I won both my races. I had one particularly fast rider that kept coming up on me at the entry of one of the turns where I had been trail braking (this is what I was afriad of!) and he managed to pass me on the entrance twice - but both times I got back on the throttle earlier and passed him right back on the exit. He could get INTO the corner faster, but he couldn't get OUT faster. So not only did I go faster overall, I was MUCH more in control, the bike handled better, my tires didn't wear as much, and I didn't have any "oh sh*t" moments even though I was racing and riding as fast as I could. It was way, way, better in every way.

I'm surprised not to see more feedback on this topic. No one has any special lotions, potions, or secrets to prevent sore muscles or refuel after hard exercise, or exertion on really hot days? No special supplements or vitamins, jacuzzi soaks, or Advil? I sometimes use a hot bath or Jacuzzi soak to prevent sore muscles. That seems to work well, when I have the time/opportunity to do it. However, my biggest challenge is getting properly rehydrated after really hot days at dry-climate tracks; it seems like I stay thirsty (and cotton-mouthed) for a couple of days, no matter how much I drink (water or Gatorade). I've started taking some potassium at the end of the day, to see if that helps - so far it seems like it does. For my horses I feed an electrolyte supplement that can be given before and after exercise, it's a powder. Anyone done anything similar for yourself, with good results? This doesn't just have to be about riding, whether you climb mountains or run marathons or work in construction, if you have ideas that work, I'd like to hear them!

I remember your bike. I think we set you at 31 front 30 rear, cold. As I recall recommended track pressures for those tires are something like 31-34 front and 28-32 rear. How did you like those pressures? I haven't ridden on those but I've heard they have a softish sidewall and some folks run them on the higher side of the recommended pressures to get more feedback.

Yes, it gets changed often because I am racing it, it was changed right before my race. It was done by a motorcycle mechanic, hopefully using the right oil, but I can check. What should I look for as a bad oil or additive for a race bike? This bike has a CR250X dirt bike engine. Thanks for the tip about the oil as something to watch for. I'll be changing the clutch anyway due to a high number of hard hours I've put on it, it's almost certainly due for it.

Yeah, I was thinking about that - I do have quite a few hours (and a number of race starts) on that clutch now, and don't know how many it had on it before I got it. Ok, thanks for the advice, I'll get it done before the next races.

I should clarify that it is a 5 speed bike, and 5th gear is a weak gear that doesn't pull as strongly as 4th - I don't use 5th much and don't shift into it until over 12K. So your answer makes a lot of sense, it is certainly possible that around 11K is the peak torque and the hardest work the clutch ever has to do is in 4th gear at that RPM. So... currently the bike pulls strongly and my starts are good, so the problem may not be immediately obvious to a mechanic - is there a way to check the clutch to see if it is getting worn or weak, to try to confirm it as the source of the problem?

Hi there, I've got a question about my Moriwaki, which has a stock Honda CR250X motor in it. Recently I've noticed that just under 11,000 RPM, when I am accelerating, the engine sounds like it revs up suddenly and I see the tach jump up a few hunderd rpms, then continue its normal smooth increase. It ONLY does it right below 11,000 rpm. (Redline is around 14,000.) At first I though maybe I was spinning up the rear wheel but it happens even with the bike straight up and always at the same rpm so I don't think that's the problem. I've only noticed it (so far) in 4th gear, not sure if it does it in other gears. What could be causing this? Could the clutch be slipping, or some other transmission issue? The power feels consistent through the sudden rev - there might be a very slight hesitation but definitely not a surge in power - it is just the sound and the tach movement that is catching my attention and making me wonder if there is a problem brewing.

Yeah, they should at least call the track version of it the Power Purer or something to make things less confusing. Amen, or how about Mo' Power. Or RACE Power. Or Pure Race. Or Pure Race Power. Or... Jeez, this is easy, I can't believe they couldn't come up with other ideas!

I was chatting with Will recently and he mentioned something that you might want to check on - he said that sometimes a rider's glove can be a bit too loose in the palm, making it hard to fully release the throttle while braking. Apparently it can feel to the rider as though he has released the throttle but the material in the palm of the glove (which is usually a high-grip material) keeps the throttle from going closed. I'm not sure if the happens because it creates a fold in the leather or just because it is loose, but when I read your post I thought it might be worth mentioning, something to watch for. I have had it happen to me and I didn't know why; after talking to Will I think a too-big glove was the actual cause.

California Highway Patrol says: "Lane splitting is permissible but must be done in a safe and prudent manner." That means that it is the officer's discretion - if he/she thinks you are going too fast for conditions or riding unsafely, you can get a ticket, but being in between lanes is not, in itself, disallowed. Lane splitting here in LA is very, very common - on a typical rush hour commute, if traffic slows or stops, lots of motorcycles will come by in between lanes, and of course the CHPs do it all the time, too.

As I recall there is a VERY BIG difference between the "street" Power Pure and the track version sold by track vendors. The round profile is a more street oriented tire that is a lot less sticky on track. It's weird that they call both versions the PowerPure, quite confusing.

Well, let's see... I wanted to get good at riding a motorcycle. Natural talent? No. Started at a young age? Nope. Big cojones? Definitely not! So I guess in my case the answer would have to be good training!! Thank you CSS, who ever imagined I'd end up racing motorcycles?!?

Agreed on this, that is the same thing Will told me. There are different ways to connect the ends, and only certain methods are compatible with being able to flip the tire; for instance if the overlap at the end was cut to a 45 degree angle, you wouldn't want to run it in the direction that could peel back the end of the junction.

Photo 4 in the slideshow on the superbikeschool home page looks like a hook turn in action.

We've had a few discussions here on the forum about what you do to physically prepare for a trackday or racing - what sort of exercises and fitness routine, and even what to eat that day - but what do you do AFTER a day of riding or racing? Do you have a routine for the evening after a hard day of riding, or the next day? Do you eat or drink anything in particular (I suspect a cold beer might be a popular choice! ), or take any sort of recovery vitamins or electrolytes? Is there anything you do to prevent sore muscles?

Mine has a plastic outer shell but the impact absorbing material is a honeycomb metal of some sort. I don't think it would break down like foam, and the proctector itself looks perfect (straps, etc.). My leathers are fitted based on the shape of it, so I think I'll keep it for now - until I learn of a reason to change it!

Have you ever seen any data on how long they last, if they ever need to be replaced? (Aside from if you fall down, I'm just talking about age or amount of use.) I have a Dianese, I've been using it long enough that I am starting to wonder if it's time for a new one.

Repeat after me: "One the quote box is turned on, its used evenly and smoothly throughout the remainder of the thread" Ha ha... How about this: Do you ever feel a bit rushed when you are trying to reply to a forum post? If you were to give yourself a bit more TIME to get it posted, so you weren't having to hurry through the control actions, would that make it easier for you to find the right buttons?

I agree with this 100%, I've never worn a front tire to the edge either (on a big bike like a 600 or 1000). On the small bikes (RS125 size) I've done it, but on those low hp bikes the rear tires are much narrower; I think the much wider rear tire of the bigger bikes is why the front don't wear to the edge. Yes you can "push" the tire even without having the bike leaned way over, and the most common reason (aside from braking too hard while leaned over) is being stiff on the bars, which overloads the front tire and does not allow the handlebars to move to compensate for irregularities in the road.

+1 on the above, and I will add that on the racetrack, I do not find the forward, aggressive position of the sportbikes particularly tiring, but on the STREET it totally wears me out, my back and arms get tired, I think it is the low speeds and all the starting and stopping, especially sitting still at lights which is quite uncomfortable unless you let go of the bars and sit up straight. I have also tried riding a more street-oriented, upright bike on the racetrack and found that at high speeds I was blasted by the wind (despite the windscreen), heavy acceleration tended to pull my shoulders backwards, and the rear end of the bike felt unstable at very high speeds, so I did notice a difference not having that low, crouched position that we have on the sportbikes. But that particular bike was my all-time favorite for street riding, it handled very well, had loads of power, had a nice comfortable riding position, a slightly lower seat height, etc. I never had any comfort or handling issues at street or highway speeds, and I thought it would do OK on the track... but it didn't! It's just a different type of riding, and it is probably extraordinarily difficult to buld a bike that would excel at both.

Going to quote directly from Twist II here: "If your throttle control is standard, the only things that will change the lean angle of the bike to any great degree are a slide/catch action or steering input." This is from Chapter 13 and it is well worth reading the entire section. Is there any chance that you pull on the bar slightly when you roll on the throttle? Are you hanging off a lot, and if so, when you hang off all the way AND try to roll on the throttle, does it create an akward angle that can cause an unintentional steering input? (If you can, try putting your bike on a stand, hang off, and simulate rolling the throttle all the way on, and see how comfortable it is for you, some riders's wrist get bound up in right hand turns, and some have trouble reaching the throttle when hanging off on left hand turns, either of which can create an accidental steering input.) Totally agree with you on "riding carefully". Have you abalyzed WHAT specifically changes in your riding when you "try to be careful", and what the effect are? And yes, looking in the mirrors while riding is difficult! We do that some, as coaches, and it can take a while to get used to it. It is very easy to make a steering error while doing it. For example, looking too long in the left-side mirror while in a right hand turn can make you run wide (and vice-versa), presumably some form of "we go where we look!".

I'm here. I am replying from my iPhone. Cobie... have you tried "readers"? Actually I think the iPhone access is pretty decent - if you have good eyes - but editing a long post is tough. The very best thing about the mobile app is that you can view new content - which shows only posts you haven't already read. Love that. I did find one thing, Cobie, that could have happened to your reply. When you are done typing, you hit "Done" on your keyboard to make it go away, then you ALSO have to hit the "Add reply" button below the edit box to actually get it to post up.

I tried watching the video but can't see anything well enough to have any thoughts about what is happening - I assume you are the rider in front, not the rider actually carrying the camera, and if so, on my screen the size/graininess of the image and the shadow make it really hard to see anything. My thought about the dual compound tires came from your comment that you could lean the bike over a lot and get good grip, but at shallower lean angles suddenly slide - since you would be riding on the harder compound at shallow angles you might really GET less grip and thus get surprised by a slide. But, there are a lot of other things it could be! First, some basic stuff - what tire pressures do you run? Have you set your suspension up? Are you tires and suspension in good condition? Did you notice anything about the surface of the road? Do you ever use your rear brake in turns? Take a specific (and typical) example of an unexpected slide - where in the turn did it occur, at the entry, the apex or the exit? What other details do you remember, were you entering faster or slower than normal, turning in a different place, driving harder or less, were you using the brakes, and any details of what you felt the bike DO, exactly, right before and during the fall. Maybe with the collective wisdom of the group we can help you diagnose the cause of these unpleasant slides! Of course the best solution of all would be to get thee to a school so you can have a coach watch you all day long, that would probably get it solved in no time flat.