comptonchinee Posted June 18, 2009 Report Share Posted June 18, 2009 Hi, I have just signed up for Level 1 which will be at Silverstone Stowe on September 12th. I will be riding up to Silverstone on Friday after work, from London. I will be hiring the school bike, and then riding back home at the end of the day. I am 34 years old and I have been riding for only a year and a half, CBR600F, my first bike. I ride to work every day, but it is only 7 miles, but heavy London traffic... 6 months after getting my license, a group rode to Germany and I rode on the Nurburgring, but riding was so new to me, I was proper rubbish, but it was fun and I was going for the goal of making it back alive as opposed to trying to do things I did not know how to do on that crazy arse track!!! I then went to a Rockingham track day and was definitely the slowest of the day... I think I passed a girl on a 400 late in the evening, just because I wanted to pass SOMEONE!!! hahaha... Oh I also did a Better Riding Day at Cadwell Park (I love that track!!!) I have read Twist books 1 and 2, as well as Soft Science... I always thought that Twist 2 was so much better because it is so much more detailed with specific techniques, etc... However, after lending a friend my "bible", I picked up Twist 1 for another re-read, in preparation for the school and furthering my knowledge and understanding, and I must say that I have found a further appreciation for Twist 1... Only on Chapter 3 right now, but something about the way that Chapter 2 (What You Do) was written really gave me insight into the message behind the book... It has made me aware that I need to be aware of what I am doing in order to experiment and make changes to what I do in order to improve... Unfortunately I am a chicken ###### (read - sensible) and am not willing to experiment on the public roads... Something about crashing a car at over a ton into a concrete lamppost and having an engine and dashboard on my lap for 2 hours while they cut me out has made me alot less reckless than I used to be... I want to ride faster, I want to ride more confidently while riding faster... I want riding to be almost effortless for me. I know my problems (besides thinking too much) but when I fix them they stay fixed for about ....... a minute?!?!? Problems such as an unnaturally stiff left arm, a wariness of leaning on the right (broke my right femur and knee ligaments in the car accident so that is probably a large part of it)... I know that I can improve and I know that I will love it!!!! I just need practice. And lots of it, as well as proper instruction (that's where you come in!!!) I have no idea what it feels like to be at maximum lean angle... I STILL have about a centimetre of chicken strips on my tyres, but I love riding anyhow, and I am not willing to bin it so early in my riding "career" as I plan to ride for many many years again, and I do not want my confidence broken so early. I can counter steer kind of quickly, but only "SO" much... I have no idea how to make myself push that damn bar for longer, to make it lean more... I know lean is a by-product of higher speed, but I just cannot do it on the roads... Too many variables and unknowns and blind corners with cagers doing their own thing... SO, that is why I have signed up for the school.... I want to break through some of my personal barriers, I want advice and tuition that I can count on... I believe everything in Keith's books... everything!!! When an instructor at Cadwell Park told me to get on the gas before turning into the corner, and I asked twice... Are you SURE?!?!?! and he said yes both times, I still did not listen to him because I knew that it was not quite right for some of those corners!!! Also when a friend told me to weight my inside peg to initiate a turn, I KNOW that I do not NEED to... Because of the Twist books and the information therein confirming the things I feel on my bike everyday... Because all my riding is on road, I do not hang off, but when I experiment with shifting my butt (lefts only, just cannot seem to do it naturally on rights) it just feels so much better and stable and in control... What I am trying to say is... I can't wait to go to the school. I am as excited as I have ever been in my life!!! Since this is in the school questions section... my question is... How can I be patient waiting for September's school?!?!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullet Posted June 18, 2009 Report Share Posted June 18, 2009 Hi, I have just signed up for Level 1 which will be at Silverstone Stowe on September 12th. I will be riding up to Silverstone on Friday after work, from London. I will be hiring the school bike, and then riding back home at the end of the day. I am 34 years old and I have been riding for only a year and a half, CBR600F, my first bike. I ride to work every day, but it is only 7 miles, but heavy London traffic... 6 months after getting my license, a group rode to Germany and I rode on the Nurburgring, but riding was so new to me, I was proper rubbish, but it was fun and I was going for the goal of making it back alive as opposed to trying to do things I did not know how to do on that crazy arse track!!! I then went to a Rockingham track day and was definitely the slowest of the day... I think I passed a girl on a 400 late in the evening, just because I wanted to pass SOMEONE!!! hahaha... Oh I also did a Better Riding Day at Cadwell Park (I love that track!!!) I have read Twist books 1 and 2, as well as Soft Science... I always thought that Twist 2 was so much better because it is so much more detailed with specific techniques, etc... However, after lending a friend my "bible", I picked up Twist 1 for another re-read, in preparation for the school and furthering my knowledge and understanding, and I must say that I have found a further appreciation for Twist 1... Only on Chapter 3 right now, but something about the way that Chapter 2 (What You Do) was written really gave me insight into the message behind the book... It has made me aware that I need to be aware of what I am doing in order to experiment and make changes to what I do in order to improve... Unfortunately I am a chicken ###### (read - sensible) and am not willing to experiment on the public roads... Something about crashing a car at over a ton into a concrete lamppost and having an engine and dashboard on my lap for 2 hours while they cut me out has made me alot less reckless than I used to be... I want to ride faster, I want to ride more confidently while riding faster... I want riding to be almost effortless for me. I know my problems (besides thinking too much) but when I fix them they stay fixed for about ....... a minute?!?!? Problems such as an unnaturally stiff left arm, a wariness of leaning on the right (broke my right femur and knee ligaments in the car accident so that is probably a large part of it)... I know that I can improve and I know that I will love it!!!! I just need practice. And lots of it, as well as proper instruction (that's where you come in!!!) I have no idea what it feels like to be at maximum lean angle... I STILL have about a centimetre of chicken strips on my tyres, but I love riding anyhow, and I am not willing to bin it so early in my riding "career" as I plan to ride for many many years again, and I do not want my confidence broken so early. I can counter steer kind of quickly, but only "SO" much... I have no idea how to make myself push that damn bar for longer, to make it lean more... I know lean is a by-product of higher speed, but I just cannot do it on the roads... Too many variables and unknowns and blind corners with cagers doing their own thing... SO, that is why I have signed up for the school.... I want to break through some of my personal barriers, I want advice and tuition that I can count on... I believe everything in Keith's books... everything!!! When an instructor at Cadwell Park told me to get on the gas before turning into the corner, and I asked twice... Are you SURE?!?!?! and he said yes both times, I still did not listen to him because I knew that it was not quite right for some of those corners!!! Also when a friend told me to weight my inside peg to initiate a turn, I KNOW that I do not NEED to... Because of the Twist books and the information therein confirming the things I feel on my bike everyday... Because all my riding is on road, I do not hang off, but when I experiment with shifting my butt (lefts only, just cannot seem to do it naturally on rights) it just feels so much better and stable and in control... What I am trying to say is... I can't wait to go to the school. I am as excited as I have ever been in my life!!! Since this is in the school questions section... my question is... How can I be patient waiting for September's school?!?!?! Thanks for your great note. I'm sure it strikes a chord with many people in a similiar situation to yourself. Your intentions and desires are very common at the school and I've no doubt we'll be able to help you make some progress on your day. We look forward to seeing you on the day, and don't worry, it'll be here before you know it! :-) Bullet (UK Riding Coach) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobie Fair Posted June 18, 2009 Report Share Posted June 18, 2009 With that kind of note, we'll want to hear how it goes! CF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comptonchinee Posted June 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 With that kind of note, we'll want to hear how it goes! CF Oh I am sure you will!!!! hahahaha JasonK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acebobby Posted June 19, 2009 Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 With that kind of note, we'll want to hear how it goes! CF Oh I am sure you will!!!! hahahaha JasonK. You will enjoy mate, I was hooked on the twist books before my level 1, pretty much using twist 2 as a drill manual (still do) but nothing could have prepared me for the lessons learned at the school, just dont go wishing our summer away till september! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comptonchinee Posted June 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 You will enjoy mate, I was hooked on the twist books before my level 1, pretty much using twist 2 as a drill manual (still do) but nothing could have prepared me for the lessons learned at the school, just dont go wishing our summer away till september! Summer??? In UK??? Isn't that over already???? hahahaha I wish I could do Level 1 and THEN have my summer!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobie Fair Posted June 19, 2009 Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 You will enjoy mate, I was hooked on the twist books before my level 1, pretty much using twist 2 as a drill manual (still do) but nothing could have prepared me for the lessons learned at the school, just dont go wishing our summer away till september! Summer??? In UK??? Isn't that over already???? hahahaha I wish I could do Level 1 and THEN have my summer!!! Don't the really hard-core nutters in the UK ride year round? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comptonchinee Posted June 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 Don't the really hard-core nutters in the UK ride year round? Yeah, that would be me!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullet Posted June 21, 2009 Report Share Posted June 21, 2009 You will enjoy mate, I was hooked on the twist books before my level 1, pretty much using twist 2 as a drill manual (still do) but nothing could have prepared me for the lessons learned at the school, just dont go wishing our summer away till september! Summer??? In UK??? Isn't that over already???? hahahaha I wish I could do Level 1 and THEN have my summer!!! Don't the really hard-core nutters in the UK ride year round? Er no. I only ride in the summer, on track, and I avoid the rain if I could. If it wasn't for Johnny H forcing us out at schools, I'd quite happily keep snug in the warmth of thr truck. :-) Joking aside, riding in the rain definitely improves your feel for traction no end! Bullet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobie Fair Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 If you guys had to ride only in the dry, say last year, I heard you wouldn't have ridden much Spoiled we are. And happy about it too. CF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullet Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 If you guys had to ride only in the dry, say last year, I heard you wouldn't have ridden much Spoiled we are. And happy about it too. CF Yeah, you could say that, though so far this year has been a hell of a contrast. So unpredicatble the UK weather it seems. Yeah, gutted about your weather predicament, my heart bleeds for you. Must be a real ain having to clean all those flies of the front everyday, whereas at least ours are occasionally cleaned by mother nature! Bullet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acebobby Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 If you guys had to ride only in the dry, say last year, I heard you wouldn't have ridden much Spoiled we are. And happy about it too. CF Yeah, you could say that, though so far this year has been a hell of a contrast. So unpredicatble the UK weather it seems. Yeah, gutted about your weather predicament, my heart bleeds for you. Must be a real ain having to clean all those flies of the front everyday, whereas at least ours are occasionally cleaned by mother nature! Bullet this years weather certainly has been different than the past, yesterday I did a track day at knockhill and it was 23 degrees and sunshine, they joke that knockhill has a micro climate but usually that means a big black cloud right above the track hitting it with rain while its sunny everywhere else! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
appannag Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 Talking about weather and CSS schools, in South Africa we are blessed with great weather and great tracks during the CSS school days, even though it is only twice a year! Appanna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullet Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 Actually, now with you lot going on about how great the weather is in US, and now in SA, I'm going to change my mind and declare I love UK weather! It's the best! If for no other reason that with it being wet on occasion I get to experiment with my feel for traction, and spinning up the rear wheel coming of a corner on a standard 600 is pretty cool, and you can't do that in your tropical sunshine can ya? eh? No! thats right you can't. Not so smug now eh? Me, I'll stick with the highs and lows of british weather ta! Bullet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
appannag Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 Thanks Bullet, but would still love to have you down here in SA! Hope you can make it in October. Appanna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobie Fair Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 Actually, now with you lot going on about how great the weather is in US, and now in SA, I'm going to change my mind and declare I love UK weather! It's the best! If for no other reason that with it being wet on occasion I get to experiment with my feel for traction, and spinning up the rear wheel coming of a corner on a standard 600 is pretty cool, and you can't do that in your tropical sunshine can ya? eh? No! thats right you can't. Not so smug now eh? Me, I'll stick with the highs and lows of british weather ta! Bullet Dude, please. One week here, with all the stunning babes, you'd turn your passport in. Oh, wait this is a motorcycle forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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