racer
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Posts posted by racer
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I get what you are saying.
I think what you are describing could be a good technique for a rider with "weak" side issues to discover how much faster he might turn in on the "weak" side.
However, in my opinion, it would NOT be a good 'standard' riding technique to handle or overcome that barrier.
Do you understand why I say that?
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double post
i need to replace that flux capacitor again
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Wow. Cool stuff, eh? Allowing your full body weight to push the bar forces the bike over equally each way.
The thing is, the bike will go straight just fine with NO pressure on the bars.
And, any pressure being applied, balanced or no, will amplify a little head shake into a tank slapper if you hit a bump or a pothole ... or cause the front wheel to deflect and tank slap or crash when traversing a slick spot back to dry pavement.
Ideally, the goal is to not put any pressure on the bars until you want to change direction. This leaves you the rider with the most options and with the highest degree of control at any given point in time.
Check it out. It can be uncomfortable at first. But, I promise, you will adapt and the temporary discomfort will be worth what you gain in superior control and confidence.
I might suggest practicing pushing harder on your "weak" side while riding in a parking lot where you don't have the inherent radius restrictions imposed at intersections. However, Keith has posted several times about the "weak" side here and I think he might even have an article about it up top as well. You might try to the search function to see what he has said about it. In any case, I know he has some very clear information on it.
racer
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Hey slider,
It took me a while to sort out that you meant different things by "steer" and "lean".
The short answer to your question is that the flatter the tire profile becomes, the more like a car tire it becomes, the more it needs to turn to track at shallow lean angles.
Until it leans past the sharp transition to the more rounded and less worn portion of the tread. That transition can be a bit sudden and a surprise as the reason it exists is because the rider does not go beyond that point under normal circumstances.
My own perception is that the motorcycle becomes more difficult to steer or lean over with worn tires. It seems to require more force applied at the handlebar.
Consider that the reason a motorcycle is able to track a curve with two wheels is that the front and rear wheels are askew and slightly out of line with each other while occupying two discrete and different points along a curved line.
Imagine that the front tire has a completely square profile like a car tire. If forced to lean, it will deform and ride a narrower and narrower part of the tread until it reaches the critical point and centers on the corner or edge between the sidewall and tread. Something similar happens on a worn motorcycle tire between the more worn and less worn portions of tread. Effectively, there is a comparative ridge worn into the tire that resists leaning and then leans really fast if you cross it. Combine more steering input force with a sudden reduction in force required and less turn angle required and you are in for a whoa whoa as the bike leans in suddenly before you can reduce pressure on the bar.
Anyway, I'll try to edit this for clarity later; but, I have posted about this particular subject in depth and detail last year. You might try a search in the meantime.
Cheers
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Thanks for the very informative post, I can imagine the time you put into this.
I did want to switch over to motorcycle mechanics but I wasn't sure if there was a better option for me. Maybe I overlooked something? Guess that's not the case here
Reading your story really got me thinking, as I already have someone I sort of know in mind. But tell me, I'd like your thoughts on what the best way to gain sponsorship, I plan on trying for a factory ride (yes, I know that sounds farfetched) and I heard it's taken some riders up to 4 years to get one, and they're still at the club racing level(maybe they don't plan on going further? Who knows?). Would a business course, or marketing course help?
Some cliche yet still true nuggets (how do you think they got to be cliche's?):
1. The only things in life that are far fetched are the ones you believe are far fetched. One thing you can be certain of...if you believe in your limitations, they will be yours.
That said...
2. The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.
3. Aim low, shoot high. Er...or was it aim high, shoot low....nevemind. Forget that one. I'm not sure I ever figured out what it really meant anyway. Bloody musicians and poets.
4. It is right, good and necessary to have long range goals and a plan to achieve them. HOWEVER, as one moves forward and gains experience (and hopefully wisdom), the view and perspective and proper course may change. Hence, although the long term goal remains the same, the plan...or you...need to remain flexible about your plan or course to get there.
While it is good to think about all of this, taking action is the essential ingredient.
Being mindful of and focusing on the current step, being present in the here and now, accomplishing the mission you can accomplish today. And completing it.
Whatever you accomplish in the end, it will be different from what you thought it would be and the battle to overcome the challenges and gain confidence along the way will lead to the serenity to consider the next move wisely. And in the end, it will be the journey that holds the most value and meaning. Once you get to be a factory rider way in that far fetched future four years from now (you'll practically be an old man by then, eh?) you may find yourself thinking , "Um, wow. Here I am, what now?"
I'll restrain myself from quoting Yoda here.
I'll try to think of some specific tips in addition to the ones in the prior post later. For now, I'll leave with with this assignment:
Do something today, nay, do something RIGHT NOW to take the next step to becoming a factory rider. I mean the second you stop reading this post, immediately do something.
Hint: Ask yourself what a factory rider would be doing right now on a Tuesday afternoon, and go do that.
Don't "think" about being a factory rider ... BE a factory rider.
If a factory rider doesn't have a current contract, does that mean he is no longer a factory rider? Does he stop being who he is or change what he does? The contract is just another detail.
"Being a factory rider is way of traveling, not a destination!" (I said that. You can quote me.)
Ok, I have to go BE someone who pays my rent now. Later!
Cheers,
BH
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odd, seems to be working now... argh
That would be Finnegan's Law, corollary to Murphy's Law.
Whenever you take something not working to the shop, it will cease to not work when the repair person examines it.
If it's any consolation, my own toolbar and tags are still not working ... lol.
I'm a novice with computers, but, I know another forum that uses multiple servers that can be configured either as "clustered" or separated in such a way that different users are relegated to different servers that merely talk to each other rather than acting as one...or something like that. The point being that if y'all have a multi-server set up, that it could be some inter-server issue...if that makes any sense.
I'm totally guessing here. Feel free to ignore me.
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odd, seems to be working now... argh
That would be Finnegan's Law, corollary to Murphy's Law.
Whenever you take something not working to the shop, it will cease to not work when the repair person examines it.
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The BB code image tags have been disabled on this site as well. I tried to do that to get around the actual image attachment button but found that bb code tags were blocked as well.
Hi Mike,
All of my toolbar and BB Code tags have also been disabled. I cannot even create an active link anymore. Apparently this is NOT the case for everyone as I notice some folks posting smilies and active links in the past few days when I could not. Hmmm...
I assume if Cobie notifies the proper people this may be addressed. It seems to be another recent development.
r
Hi guys,
I've sent the webmaster a note, thanks for letting us knwo.
CF
Thanks Cobie!
You the man!
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For sure he added lean angle. He turned it in, then lifted it up, then turned it in again.
There is a a fair amount of techniqe to what he should have done, but to be brief the deadly combination is adding lean angle and adding throttle! Quite a bit on this in Twist 2 if one is looking for a reference.
Adding lean angle and adding throttle---slides that happen when ths is being done aren't that friendly, don't recover easily don't give you nice warning, etc. Watch the top guys, watch what they do when they bring the throttle on. Today's bikes, even the 600's are pretty potent, lean over a long ways. Stuff that one "could get away with" one can't now, technique has to be better.
Best,
Cobie
I was sitting on my front stoop one evening a couple weeks ago and a sport biker stopped at the stop sign at the side street of the main drag of my block. When he pulled away he leaned over and whacked the throttle and the rear came right around and the bike fell right on his leg and broke it going about 3 mph.
So there I was running out to help him off the street as I rang 911 on my cell phone and having a clear sense of deja vu as I picked up his bike and walked it over to the curb with nary a scratch....
Now why does this feel familiar....hmmm.....
BH
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Hi, I was just wondering what type of job would benefit me going racing as a career. I originally planned on becoming an auto mechanic because I thought I could make some decent money to start racing but after a month or so of doing that, my back gave out due to the heavy lifting/stress. Now this has been something I've always wanted to do, and now it's been a while and I still don't know where to go from here.
I work the corners at my local race track and I know it requires alot of money to race so I'm thinking, now that I gotta start from scratch again, what job should I take up prior to getting on the track?
Well, I'm going to go way out on a limb here and suggest that, rather than "auto mechanic", a trade that might benefit you going motorcycle racing might be "motorcycle mechanic" instead?
Another job that came in handy for me was working as a parts man. Of course, that was after learning the technical skills of being a motorcycle mechanic.
And when looking to acquire sponsorship, there is nothing like good sales training to learn how to sell yourself and what you have to offer a potential sponsor.
The bottom line is that unless you plan to hire a mechanic, you will in fact have to BE a mechanic to keep your own bike going. In fact, as a race mechanic, you will acquire skills beyond what the average guy at the dealership might have ... or at least be a whole faster at doing it!
The good news is that proper sponsorship is not only for guys that are always on the podium if you can manage to make a name for yourself to any degree. And that does not necessarily mean winning a championship, but, simply being professional in your presentation of yourself and your program. Clean cut, clean machinery and pit, and a good people person. Honest, forthright and keeping it real with yourself and others.
My biggest mistake early on was assuming only winners had sponsors and not purposefully going about finding a good mentor. So, if, like most riders, you don't have someone reputable you can trust to represent you and are in need of a mentor, look around the pits to see who has a professional looking pit at the next race you attend and introduce yourself in a forthright fashion and clearly communicate your intentions and perhaps offer a to buy the rider, mechanic or somebody lunch for the opportunity to ask some advice. Chances are they won't accept your offer to buy; but, will be impressed by your willingness to do so such that they will open right up.
The key is to open yourself up and be real about it. Don't be shy and don't aim low. Don't be afraid to ask someone in a pro team, unless you wanna be like Joe Dirt. If you wanna be a winner, ask a winner.
I'll give you an example from my own "career" ....
I ran out of 2 stroke oil at a Formula USA national weekend about ten or so years ago and nobody was selling the brand I needed (Silkolene). As it turned out, Rich Oliver (reigning American 250 king forever and ever at that time) was there and had a big Silkolene banner over his pit (as he would being sponsored by Silkolene) and I sucked up my awe and overwhelm at His name and walked over to his pit to buy, borrow or beg a bottle from his mechanic ... except that the only person there was Rich who looked up and said a big, "Hey man, what's up?" before I could pretend I was just walking by.
I stammered through my situation and before I could even ask the question he reached in the trailer and tossed me a full case of oil ... for free. Refused to take any money and insisted I come back if I ever needed anything. (He on a Yamaha, me on a Honda....)
D-d-d-duuuh, ok...uh...thanks, um...Rich....c-can I call you Rich?
Now this isn't a perfect example, but, the point is that these guys (gals) are just like you. They just wanna ride. And they were once in your position and know exactly how it feels to be you where you are right now. They are looking through a time portal in a mirror at themselves then. And, generally speaking, they are happy to spread the wealth of their success for a lot of reasons.
Now Rich being a Silkolene rep obviously didn't hurt, but, I have no doubt he would have done it anyway even if I wasn't riding for Silkolene contingency bucks that day. Or would have given me a bottle of whatever he had even if he wasn't sponsored by anyone. He is one of the nicest guy I ever met (which has a lot to do with why he is a winner).
Approached at an appropriate moment, like not when they are pulling on their helmet to go race, most of the winners are. Now, this doesn't mean that they will always tell you what main jet to run if you are competing against them; but, for instance, Roger Lee Hayden was always happy to share (and not afraid to ask!) for that sort of information when we raced 125's against each other.
I was having trouble with the old style front brake on my '94 RS one time and asked Izuka for some advice, and he came over to my pit and completely rebuilt my front brake for me, politely explaining everything he did along with tips for each step and making sure I understood it, and even showed me how to modify small screwdrivers to create special brake seal tools.
HELLO??? Probably before your time, but, Izuka came over from Japan with Mori to ride for Sam Yamashita around 1994-95. He and Mori were the current champions at that time ... and were, in fact, racing against me in the same class that day!
Hmmm ....another champion, another one of the nicest people I ever met. Anyone see a pattern forming here?
So, ask somebody else's sponsor what they want to hear from prospective riders. Ask them what made them decide for one rider over another. (Now don't look like you are trying to steal some guys sponsor at the track...duh.) But while you will find some commonalities, some parts of the answer will be different for all of them.
Ask a sponsored rider how they did it. Ask a mechanic where he started out ......
Put yourself out there. Show confidence. Smile. Be real. Be honest. And talk to everybody. And no matter what you know, always be receptive and respectful of what others have to offer. Think it through for how it fits for you later and keep your opinions to yourself unless someone asks for it.
(Good grief if only someone had said those words to me as young racer... )
So, what job do you need to go racing?
ALL OF THEM!
(The more money the better!)
But, the tool box is bottomless and you never stop adding to it. Any tool you don't have you need to get from somewhere or someone ....
Go git em dog!
BH
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The BB code image tags have been disabled on this site as well. I tried to do that to get around the actual image attachment button but found that bb code tags were blocked as well.
Hi Mike,
All of my toolbar and BB Code tags have also been disabled. I cannot even create an active link anymore. Apparently this is NOT the case for everyone as I notice some folks posting smilies and active links in the past few days when I could not. Hmmm...
I assume if Cobie notifies the proper people this may be addressed. It seems to be another recent development.
r
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I see what you mean, I'm going to ask the webmaster...
CF
If you upload the photo to an online host or if you can attach it or open a file folder here, then open the file or attachment, you can insert that url using BBcode like this
photo url [/img I didn't close the bracket or you wouldn't see it.... or < img src [url=http://www.address.com][/url again no bracket closed for viewing ease.
I'll have to double check that second one. it's been awhile.
There is a BBCODE help button lower right corner of text window.
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The more I read on this little forum, the more I realize the relationship between riding and martial arts is quite parallel. Target fixation will get you knocked out, or at the minimum, your reaction time to movement is substantially compromised.
In the thoughtful article from "The Guru", the discussion centers around basics...again a tremendous parallel to the arts. Constant practice of basics produces smooth, seemingly effortless, powerful movements.
The master swordsman of old would refer to "Mushin" or "no mind" the relaxed, yet totally focused mindset, only gained by years of dilligent practice, courage and discipline.
Regards,
Kev
Right? There are times I have difficulty differentiating between what I learned at CSS and what I learned in Kung Fu class.
Like, was that "focus on the middle distance" (not too near, not too far, relaxed eyes, wide view) something Keith said? Or was it something my Tai Chi teacher said?
r
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reminds me of the "blind spot" demonstrations we did in grade school science class...but it isn't the same thing.
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Thanks for that, Allen.
Great words for something I could never muster more for than, " Oh my Gawd ... this is SOOO COOL !!! "
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Anyway, I feel that trail braking can be useful in corners where your slowest speed is somewhere past the point where you turn in.
Precise, concise, hit the nail on the head ... in a word: utterly sublime.
Well ... that's two words, but ... I couldn't have said it better.
In fact, I had the chance to say it better and didn't. Actually, I'm kind of bummed I didn't say it ...
Seriously, it seems so obvious and straightforward, but, I don't think I ever put it together like that.
Thanks, Stu.
racer
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Racer...um...er...ah....thank you for the suggestions, but I've spent so damn much on my nail polish collection and riding sandals that chopping off my little piggies would be such a WASTE and all.
I understand.
Everyone has to choose their priorities.
I hope Cobie knows I was "so kidding" him, too.
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i doubt you are going at a clip that would require all the other things that the others said. ask your self what your goal is. if you have the money, go take some classes. it would only improve your skill 10x faster like what the others said. theres no better teacher than experience, so i can only tell you to ride more. i think you just need seat time; know your bike and slow down if you feel you are over your head. like what the others said, its a good idea to get a book about riding technique or just browse online. there is tons of information out there. concentrate with looking through turns, braking, throttle control, and body positionting instead of your bikes tires, suspension, and other things- assuming that there are nothing wrong with them.
i could ride a beat up bike with ###### pached up tires and not have any problems with it.
It never ceases to blow my mind what a major difference a fresh chain and sprockets make for my ability to control the throttle and the ability to apply power smoothly at all.
Compared to last year's fork oil, fresh fork oil always makes a drastic difference in keeping my front end planted.
I cannot conclude how fast cueball is riding, nor how much experience he has, nor how long he has been riding on his '05 model, nor how much he weighs ... I cannot make any assumptions about any of that ... but, improper pre-load (or spring rate) will give a clear feeling of an impending front end lowside crash ... mostly because when bending off into a corner at speed with a too soft fork spring, the bike runs wide and a front end lowside crash IS impending.
While it is true that a rider can cause a perfectly good machine to perform poorly, and that, for any given bike in any state of tune, in the final analysis, by definition, a rider's own inputs will always be the absolute cause of any riding problem ... (ie. if there was no rider, there would be no problem) ... the relationship between peak mechanical performance and peak riding performance is undeniable.
And, while it is certainly a credit to a rider's skill and experience to be able to "ride around" a poorly performing or badly maintained machine, STANDARD riding techniques are designed for, and assumed to be applied to, a properly functioning machine.
In fact, in my opinion, any number of bad habits may develop due to riding a poorly maintained or improperly set up machine.
That said, staying relaxed on the handlebars is always a good idea.
racer
PS Under normal circumstances, I would never choose to "ride a beat up bike with ###### pached up tires". I enjoy living with two arms and legs, ten fingers and toes, and my brainpan intact.
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Hey Everyone. I am new to the forum. You guys have a lot of great advice and tips concerning cornering.
I ride a 05 VFR and am having issues with lean angle. I get to an angle in which the bike feels light and like the tires are washing out or I'm moving towards the deck a little quickly. I'm positive that I am NO where near the max lean angle. Do any of you have any tips or experience with this issue? Thanks soo much.
Ryan
I'm not sure what you mean by "the bike feels light".
How worn are your tires?
Most street rider's tires tend to wear a bit "square" due to more straight line riding and not often being leaned over to the edge of the tire. Hence, the middle of the tire wears and the sides really don't. As such, the leaning process progresses from flat contact patch to a high angle with little transition.
As for the feeling that the front is washing...assuming good rubber, the first thing I would check is fork spring rate or pre-load. About 1" sag for the street.
Fresh fork oil and correct level. And then your damping adjustments. You can adjust the damping after the sag with whatever oil is in there now, but, if it is what was in there when you bought it....you need fresh. Fork oil should be changed at least once a year.
Keith and others have outlined proper procedure for setting up suspension sag, etc. The search function is an invaluable tool!
Cheers,
racer
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Hey guys,
If you check out "Twist of the Wrist" book one...there is a series of photos of Wayne Rainey (I think) as he modulates his braking during turn entry to maintain or control the fork compression so as not to experience up and down movement of the forks between off the brakes and on the gas. Perhaps it maintained a slightly steeper geometry, but, I think it was more about keeping the suspension settled.
This means trailbraking just enough to not have the front end pop up when letting off, and using just enough to accomplish that.
Thor's experience without rebound damping perfectly illustrates the point.
Although you may see racers like Rossi and Spies trailbraking, by definition, they are not "hard" on the brakes while trailbraking. Maximum braking is defined by available traction vs braking force or stress applied to the contact patch when vertical. When leaned over, the cornering forces add more stress. More lean equals less brake. Period. By definition, if the rider is at max braking approaching a turn, they MUST let off the brake proportional to the amount of cornering force or stress that they add to the tire contact patch or they will fall down.
And, if you keep the forks at full compression, you will not be able to navigate any washboard bumps dug up by cars or other imperfections that are found on all racetracks. Some better tracks are smoother than others. Like many of the ones that Rossi rides...for instance.
Anyway, it isn't really a spooky grey area ... max traction is max traction. Exceed it and slide. Period.
Which brings up another point...race rubber has WAY more traction and is more forgiving than street rubber. And slicks have more traction than DOT race tires. So, it's all relative, but, you can get away with, how can I say...more "pushing it", so to speak. Riding the front hard, I am sliding the front tire to some degree going into every corner. I can "scrub" speed by letting the front wheel "drift" into a sweeper to some degree. IN fact, on a 125, one pretty much starts to drift both ends when really in the groove. Bottom of the corkscrew at Laguna is a good spot for that.
Keep in mind also that GP bikes require a different style of riding to start with. It is more carving and flowing....and, most of the GP tracks are flowing fast corners or "sweepers" as well. Not so much a point and shoot situation like Superbikes on many typical American tracks. Not so much about getting it stopped to turn and squirt.
So, lighter bikes are able to carry more corner speed outright, hence, don't require so much heavy braking to begin with. And the GP tracks tend not to be straight, slow corner, straight, slow corner. They are more sweeping fast and flowing.
In any case, in my opinion, you don't want to use trailbraking as a standard technique to scrub speed to the apex, or really at all, until you KNOW how much traction you have and how much speed you can carry through the corner outright.
That's my two cents on that.
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Speaking for myself...yes, I trailbrake into some turns, however, choosing to do so is not always merely an intellectual decision for a certain type of corner. And, sometimes, I am so late and hard on the brakes (braking battle) that I have to completely let off the brakes and drop the rear wheel back to the pavement ASAP to make the corner at all because I am so far inside or already well past my optimum turn point for a nice smooth entry. It ain't pretty, but, sometimes you do what you gotta do...lol.
Honestly, I don't really think about all this very much anymore. I just do it, so forgive me if I'm not so clear with verbalization and thinking it through.
One time, in one spirited GT at Road Atlanta, as I was approaching the slow 90 degree turn onto the backstraight, a 125 guy smaller than me came past on the outside (rare thing on the inside much less the outside) ... and he was up ON TOP of the curb with the rear wheel in the air. He dropped the rear wheel as he came down off the curb and "accidentally" T-Boned the parked vintage 250 ahead of us to bump him off because he was holding us up in the turns and motoring away on the back straight causing us to lose touch with our 125 pack. Rider shall remain nameless ... but it was pretty much the most amazing thing I have ever seen on the brakes to this day. It also happened about three inches off my front tire while my own back wheel was in the air causing me to have to seriously re-evaluate my plan for that corner in about twelve thousandths of a second...lol!
And I guarantee you the only thing HE was thinking about was getting that fecking 250 out of our way! Don't try this at home folks.
racer
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If you look at the apex of the turn the whole time as you approach the turn and as you enter the turn, then it should be a lot easier to judge when to turn in, how hard to turn in, how fast you can go at turn in, etc.
When I attended the school, Keith taught a technique called "the two-step method" whereby a rider finds their pre-planned turn point as they approach a turn, and then look to their pre-planned apex at turn-in.
Step one: find your turn point while approaching the turn.
Step two: find your apex or next sub-product after reaching your turn point.
When I attended the school, instructors watched for an obvious head movement betwen these two steps.
I generally walk the track to help me choose RP's, sub-products and turn points. Sometimes these points need to be adjusted, but, many things are apparent while walking that are not obvious at speed.
Then after turn in keep looking up ahead around the turn as much as you can.Again, when I attended the school, Keith taught students to look through to the exit of the turn (next sub-product) once they reached their planned apex.
The critical tool for enabling "visual skills" is adequate reference points to always know exactly where you are in your PLAN of sub-products, AND to be aware of these reference points without fixating on them.
Just like a frisbee or a thrown ball...you will go where you look. If you are unclear about where to look (plan) you are unclear about where you will go.
Think BEFORE you ride. Make a plan. Accomplish the mission. Think AFTER you ride. Make new plans as needed. REPEAT.
racer
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Hey there Cobie...
If you can see in my avatar photo, my concern is the inside foot dragging. From my layman analysis I'd say my torso is too "on" the bike, leaving my leg in the wrong position (toe-down) leading to the dragging. Since my Level 2 class dodn't use the lean bike *cough*
my BP is likely not as it should be...albeit far improved from the L1 days.Can you provide any tips / feedback on BP as shown in the photo? Thanks!
First thing: if you can make it to any school, signed up or not, I'll get you on the lean bike.
Hmmm...can't see the foot that well in this photo. The leg doesn't look to be in a bad position. Sometimes the rider puts their inside foot too close to the edge of the peg, and simply moving it in-board can help. If your foot drags, I'd first check if it's back far enough, 2nd if it's near the edge of the peg. In short, try moving it in and back. Even if it rests on the bracket that guards the rear brake parts (like on our bikes), that's fine. I often put the back of my boot on top of that.
Let me know if this helps.
Best,
Cobie
ps---gone for a week on Monday, if I don't get back to you.
Oh, sure...plug the school and run.
See how he is? Mr Bigshot...off to another day of being chief instructor of the world, riding around some famous race course or another. Go on, don't worry about us little people stuck inside the this monitor screen while you traipse about the countryside "saving lives". No, go ahead, you go have fun, play with your friends. We'll still be here when you get back...like the reliable dependable, steadfast folks we are...always here for you....go on. Don't give it a another thot...
Porrada,
From what I can see from your photo, you have the same typical problem experienced by many novice racers ... BIG FEET.
If you are really serious about your riding, and it seems that you are, I'm afraid the only real solution is to simply have your toes amputated.
Sorry, man.
You can take heart that you won't be alone though. Many famous champions had to "make the cut" to achieve their dreams.
In fact, I'll let you in on a secret...back in the eighties when I first rode with Cobie, I was surprised when I saw him without his boots on one day...and...you guessed it. Sort of explains why his boots make that funny clopping sound when he walks. Notice that he will always sit on his bike or stand still when he talks to you trackside or even in front of the classroom. But, if you pay close attention, you can catch him walking on his way to lunch or the head...clop, clop, clop.
I am so kidding you, dude.
Seriously, someone mentioned aftermarket rearset kits....a stock street/sport bike that isn't a "repli-racer" may have more comfy located pegs that will require you to raise them up a bit to conduct any serious knee dragging.
I'm not familiar with your model's pegs but even if you can't find an appropriate kit, they aren't too, too difficult to fabricate. Check it out.
Otherwise...well...you know the score...
clop clop clop
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Recently did a track day on my 2004 VFR at Reno-Fernley and while I had a great time (and benefitted greatly from following an instructor around for a few laps) I found that my body positioning is still frustratingly not quite right.
Despite consciously working to get low & inside to lower the COG and keep the bike upright I kept dragging my toes. In photos, my knees were consistently about 5" higher than my toes even though I felt like I was in the right position.
I'd love to hear tips on practicing body position and the left / right transfer. I know that my mid-corner stability and lines were being negatively impacted by my trying to 'adjust' what never quite felt right. Thanks!
I ride with the balls of my feet on the pegs and tucked right in. I move my foot when I need to shift or use the rear brake. Then I move it back.
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hi everyone. im mike, i attended the december classes at infineon (im the guy who dumped it before turn 3 and trashed the bike)
i love the '06 model 636/6rr. i was thinking about getting the zx10 but i think im a little too throttle happy for a liter bike still. just curious of your thoughts on how the new ninjas compare to the old ones. im looking to get another bike pretty soon.
I did I & II in Las Vegas two weeks ago. I could not believe how powerful those 600s were.
I took on Barber Motorsports Park June 2 & 3 this year on my own bike, a '07 ZX10R. I am not FAST, but the Day 1 coaches had no problems passing me like I wasn't there on their ZX6s.
My Day 2 coach, Paul, happened to be riding a ZX10 himself. Of course, I asked his opinion about concerns and technique differences between the 6 and the 10. The first thing he said was that the 10 was a beast (already knew that, lol). He said that the 6s can carry a higher entry and corner speed but the 10 can make up for it on the exit/straightaways. Of course he said that the key is throttle control. The bigger bike needed more finesse on the throttle. Keith and Dylan both told us that one of the top reasons for going down in a turn was greedy on the gas. The 10 has gobs of power and I was constantly thinking about losing the back tire. He ended our discussion with the basic idea that the 10 was less forgiving of bad technique and mistakes.
Food for thought: The current Gen 2 ZX10s in their stock form are very powerful. I only used 2nd and 3rd gear over 2 days. Most of the time I stayed in 3rd where I was pushing 135+ on the long straight but still had enough gear/power that I didn't have to downshift for the hairpin!
Michael, after reading your post, I would suggest you go with a 600. A way more manageable bike for the track. So much of the ZX10 is not usable unless you have a big track with long straights. Had I known the power of todays 6R, I, myself, would have probably opted for one of them instead of the 10.
My .02
Jeff
The new ZX6 636 makes more power in stock trim than my totally tricked 1985 GPz750 superbike with crank/pistons/cams/valves/porting and pipe with a weight advantage of approximately 60 lbs to boot.
If you really want something that you have to fight with to keep the front wheel on the ground, sure, get the ZX10. Otherwise, IMHO, you can rest assured that you will not outgrow a 636 anytime soon.
My .02 cents.
Throttle Blip
in Cornering and Techniques
Posted
Hey aj,
There is no specific or "average" RPM for any bike. Each transimission gear selection will have a different RPM for a given road speed. The RPM to blip toward is dictated by the ratio of the new gear to be selected and the current road speed.
That said, the higher up in the transmission pattern you are, the closer together the ratios will be and the less one will need to blip. A single shift between say 6th and 5th will require a bit less blip than between 3rd and 2nd. So, there really is no specific RPM to aim for, it is more a relative increase that will be generally consistent between the same two gears no matter the road speed.
When approaching a turn or reducing speed for any reason:
1. apply brake
2. when desired speed is achieved, execute blip/downshift(s) to appropriate gear for current speed. One blip per shift.
3. release brake (turn) and apply throttle to accelerate
It may help to start by practicing the blip/shift without the brake, but, to execute smooth riding technique you will need to blip the throttle while the front brake is still applied. Using two fingers on the brake lever, allow your fingers to slide back and forth without jerking the lever as you blip to match rev's for new gear. You can also practice the simultaneous brake/blip without the motor running until you start to get the hang of it.
Blip/downshift
1. Engage clutch
2. Blip throttle
3. Change gear as rev's match road speed for new gear
4. Release clutch
Clutch in/blip/shift/clutch out.
Although there are four distinct steps or actions, the entire process essentially happens in less than a half second as one fluid set of motions and no sound other than the motor revving up to the new rpm and a barely audible "snick" of the gearshift lever should be noticed when done properly.
I'm a little surprised this wasn't covered in your Level One class unless noone noticed you weren't doing it. It is considered a foundational skill in the CSS process and is a primary focus in Twist of the Wrist and evey CSS school seesion I have ever attended including practicing on Keith Code's special training bike that is set up just to learn this specific technique.
Cheers,
racer