Is This Useful For Becoming A Better Track Rider?

[faffi]

No doubt does this demand a lot of balance control, but is this kind of low speed practice beneficial or detrimental if you want to become a fast track rider?

 

[acebobby]

Watch the dudes head moving about and you realise the importance of visuals, he's basically jjoining the dots (cones) with a 2-step motion!

[stuman]

I can't say, haven't done it.

 

I would assume that like other forms of two wheeled fun, some stuff translates, some doesn't.

[Jaybird180]

Impressive level of control. What kind of track was that? Really small...must be a special purpose, maybe R/C?

[faffi]

It is, if I have understood this correctly, from a Japanese training ground where students must display an incredibly degree of bike control before getting their license. They also have to do high speed track riding, off road, trial and show that they are capable of lifting a fallen bike up on its wheels again without assistance.

 

And there are probably good reasons for it, too, LOL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJowTNP_QVk

[acebobby]

show that they are capable of lifting a fallen bike up on its wheels again without assistance

 

Am in the middle of reading Lorenzo's autobiography and interestingly that is something his father trained him to do from a very young age, guess it could make all the difference, where points are concerned!

 

Bobby

[faffi]

It is amazing to see how most top level riders struggle to right their bikes after a fall. I mean, even getting a fallen KZ1300 is easy, and it's at least twice the weight of a MotoGP bike. You would think, with the amount of training these riders make, that they should be able to benchpress the weight of at least a 250GP machine and that getting it back on the wheels would be a one-handed operation.

[Jaybird180]

If you crash out of 1st place and now you're out of the points, many riders give up and don't try to salvage any.

[faffi]

That is true. But when I see riders - who wants to rejoin - almost trying to climb under their bikes and lifting with both arms under the tank and pushing madly with they legs and still sometimes fail to get the bike upright, I wonder what they are up to. It is as simple as grabbing a bar end and lift it up, maybe using the other hand near the seat if you need an extra hand.

[Fajita Dave]

I don't think it has anything to do with how fit they are before they start the race. As a casual track rider you might get to 10 laps or less if you're pushing to go as fast as you can before your arms are nothing short of finished for the day. There is noway you'd be able to pick the bike up yourself if you wrecked. Now take 30 seconds off your lap times and imagine how the pros feel after a few laps.

 

I think practicing that slow and tight riding could really help working on the visual aspects of track riding. You need to turn your head far to see where you're going on those tight turns so it should feel fairly natural when you get to the track. It could also help a lot with learning to stay loose on the handlebars. You wont be at high speeds to make you nervous and tense up. Once you get in the habbit of staying loose on the bars at low speed it should transfer over to higher speeds a little bit.

[harnois]

It is amazing to see how most top level riders struggle to right their bikes after a fall. I mean, even getting a fallen KZ1300 is easy, and it's at least twice the weight of a MotoGP bike. You would think, with the amount of training these riders make, that they should be able to benchpress the weight of at least a 250GP machine and that getting it back on the wheels would be a one-handed operation.

 

I've thought it odd to see some of the rider struggling to pick up their bikes after a fall too, but most of the top riders are pretty small dudes, on account of lighter being faster. Plus like Fajita said, they may be very tired from riding a 200 hp machine and hard braking and transitions. Casual riders just don't realize how tiring it is to ride fast on a track. Plus their bikes are not *that* light. Surely lighter than a KZ1300, but the required minimum weight for a 4cyl in 2007 for example was 148 kg (330 lb). Some 600cc sportbikes off the floor nowadays are in the 350's dry. Although with your KZ it may be "as simple as grabbing a bar end and lift it up" that is because the bars on that bike are fairly high, and its center of gravity is probably lower, providing a lot of leverage. The bars on a sportbike are around gas tank height so there is not necessarily any advantage there. I have had to pick up sportbikes a few times and it is not that easy and using the tank rather than the bars does seem to work better because it is in the middle.

[khp]

Although with your KZ it may be "as simple as grabbing a bar end and lift it up" that is because the bars on that bike are fairly high, and its center of gravity is probably lower, providing a lot of leverage. The bars on a sportbike are around gas tank height so there is not necessarily any advantage there. I have had to pick up sportbikes a few times and it is not that easy and using the tank rather than the bars does seem to work better because it is in the middle.

Doing it in the gravel trap doesn't help either. But grabbing the barend is the way to go, even on sportbikes. Make sure the steering is locked all the way to one side, and see that the front wheel digs into the ground (or gravel). Then lift with your legs and back.

 

 

Kai

[faffi]

Plus their bikes are not *that* light. Surely lighter than a KZ1300, but the required minimum weight for a 4cyl in 2007 for example was 148 kg (330 lb). Some 600cc sportbikes off the floor nowadays are in the 350's dry. Although with your KZ it may be "as simple as grabbing a bar end and lift it up" that is because the bars on that bike are fairly high, and its center of gravity is probably lower, providing a lot of leverage. The bars on a sportbike are around gas tank height so there is not necessarily any advantage there. I have had to pick up sportbikes a few times and it is not that easy and using the tank rather than the bars does seem to work better because it is in the middle.

 

The 1300 is 330 kg with fuel (nearly 730 lbs). I don't know where its CoG sits, but it's far from a Gold Wing - the wide engine dictates a high placement in order to retain a normal (for its day) amount of cornering clearance.

 

A neighbour lost her GSX600F katana 222 kg (490 lbs), a bike that is similar to modern sportsbikes only heavier. It was very easy to get back on its wheels by lifting it only at the handlebars. No need to squat deep to lift with the legs either, the back would easily do most of the work. Standing in sand, however, would no doubt make things harder. Still, you usually see the riders struggling even on firm ground.

 

Rossi, who isn't a muscular guy in any respect of the word, peaks with a heartrate of 125 bpm, usually sitting closer to 100 bpm. So he's working harder than me sitting here and typing, but it doesn't sound like he's exhausting himself in any manner.

 

I do, however, agree with the Japanese system of the rider having to prove able to right his or her own bike - one shouldn't be allowed to ride bikes that are too heavy for you to operate with ease.

 

But this had already moved quite away from the original topic, though

[harnois]

So the neighbor who dropped the Katana, did she pick it up herself? Or did you pick it up? You say it should be easy, but was it easy for her? You talk as if everyone including a 100-pound chick should be able to lift a 500-pound bike with her little pinky finger. Maybe you are just a strong dude? Construction worker perhaps? Yeah Rossi's heartrate 125, saw that DVD too, but he's a freak. Biaggi was in the 180's and I bet many of the other racers are too. Most of them have fitness regiments so it is obviously pretty hard work for them or they wouldn't be always worried about their fitness. Some of the AMA guys at least sure seem out-of-breath if interviewed immediately after a race.

 

Yeah off topic, but its all good! But on topic, I sure would love to learn how to do those tight courses like that. I think any time spent riding any kind of bike in any circumstance will add to the comfort on bikes in general. Aside from street riding and track riding, I also ride a KLR650, which weighs as much as a sportbike but has 9 inches of suspension travel and knobby tires. I do actually take it in the dirt, mud, sand, ruts, fall over, curse, pick it up, try again, etc - totally different riding, but I see a lot of overlap in the understanding of the bike behavior. I think it's fun that there's so many different ways to challenge yourself with a motorcycle, and the confidence built in one type of riding helps with the other.

[Jaybird180]

I'm a fair size guy and if I tried using my back to lift my 600 I'd have to tell the wife not to hope for a large family. NEVER lift with your back.

 

If you drop the bike it's very easy to grab the bar and back into the bike to stand it up. Works every time, regardless of the size of the machine.

[faffi]

So the neighbor who dropped the Katana, did she pick it up herself? Or did you pick it up?

 

No and yes. Hence she should not be allowed to operate it

 

Yeah off topic, but its all good! But on topic, I sure would love to learn how to do those tight courses like that. I think any time spent riding any kind of bike in any circumstance will add to the comfort on bikes in general. Aside from street riding and track riding, I also ride a KLR650, which weighs as much as a sportbike but has 9 inches of suspension travel and knobby tires. I do actually take it in the dirt, mud, sand, ruts, fall over, curse, pick it up, try again, etc - totally different riding, but I see a lot of overlap in the understanding of the bike behavior. I think it's fun that there's so many different ways to challenge yourself with a motorcycle, and the confidence built in one type of riding helps with the other.

 

Totally agree with you there!