blackzx10r Posted August 3, 2004 Report Share Posted August 3, 2004 How can I overcpme my fear of top speed? Whenever I get over 100 I always seem to want to back out of it......... I ride alot in the mountains of N.C. and love the twisties and want to really IMPROVE MY CORNERING SKILLS! But the top speed stuff seems to get me! Thanks for any ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeF4y Posted August 3, 2004 Report Share Posted August 3, 2004 Well, first off I'd say if you're fearing this speed on the street, you SHOULD be scared. Now, if you're taking it to the track, you should have your speedo taped over so that you have no concept of your speed. From there, it's just a matter of forgetting the speed and looking at what you are doing. You go through a corner. You have plenty of time to do everything and it goes effortlessly. Perhaps you could carry a bit more speed, so you do so next time. And so on and so on... Again, if you're balls out on the public roadways, you have much to fear. Fear police, fear sand, fear oil, fear little old ladies backing out of a driveway, fear the curbs, fear the telephone poles, fear the guardrails, fear the fact that you're doing something stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackzx10r Posted August 3, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2004 Havent been to the track or a school yet! But I would like to think I would gain ALOT from it! Thinking on taking Keith's school in september........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rifleman Posted August 3, 2004 Report Share Posted August 3, 2004 what is it about speed that makes you anxious? Not being able to get back down to your proper corner entry speed? Catastrophic mechanical failure of the bike due to everything spinning/firing/operating at the max?....... You need to know why the top end bothers you and then you can develope a plan to over come that servival reaction (SR's) If you're in a long straight and you have alot of spin up before you even need to think about a turn perhaps you need to push the picture out, bigger, longer. Look all the way down the straight as far as you can see. Let your periferal vision catch all the ques around you but keep the bulk of your field of vision looking long and big. See the big picture and it will help you not sweat the small stuff. Mr. Code says that this technique not only helps calm the perceived speed SR but also produces an overall better feeling, sort of a zen thing. Looking big helps reduce the gajillion little things that rob your attention budget. (you only have so much attention, spend it wisely). hope this helps. Rman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackzx10r Posted August 3, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2004 after reading your post I guess its the fear of failure or something happening......Does that make sense? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rifleman Posted August 3, 2004 Report Share Posted August 3, 2004 Sure it makes sense. I assume when you say "failure" you are speaking about a tie rod or an exhaust valve giving it up, comming through the valve cover, fuel cell, and winging off to parts unknown. That nice new Dunlop delaminating under a ton and a half of centrifugal force. Nothing quite gets your attention like a tach tickling the red. Ok, here is the deal. If it has worked properly in the past and you haven't had it apart, it most likely will work fine in the future. Wear takes a long time and gives you lots of warning before failure if you make a point to watch for it. A trans doesn't just up and out of the blue decide to eat itself. It will bark at you, it will get cobby, some guys will force it and it will bite them. The smart ones take it back to the padoc and find out what is wrong. If you have had something apart or worked on, then certainly shake it down before grabbing a fist full. Get your warm up laps in, look, listen, and feel for something different. Does it sound different then before? Should it? Does it move different then before? Should it? Bring it back to the padoc and look for loose bolts, oil or other engine fluids, things that don't make sense or look right. Hey, that chain was perfectly tentioned when I got on this thing, two laps later it's all streched out? No, the axle nut wasn't tightened to the torque spec. If something doesn't look right, sound right, feel right....find out why. Now if everything is as you expect it to be, good sound, good throttle feel, good crisp brake response and feel, shifts smooth, turns quickly and crisp....... ... then there is no reason the machine shouldn't run to it's limits and even just a tad beyond and be ready for more of the same. Do be careful if you are making high speed runs on the street. Conditions on a track are controled, people or wildlife can't just wander onto the track during hot laps, rain doesn't wash out part of the track without anyone knowing about it, a telephone pole or tree limb doesn't fall on the track and wait for you to come zipping along. You can make a slow speed pass to check for road conditions and debris but nothing ensures a 12 point buck hasn't wandered out of the corn field and into the middle of the road between your slow speed and fast speed runs. Keep it sane Rman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackzx10r Posted August 3, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2004 Rman, Thanks for the advice! With the exception of the recent recall on the zx-10r for the front wheel its a solid bike! I have even added a damper...... I guess I just need more confidence and the best way to get that I belive will be thru the class! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rifleman Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 yep, going to school would be best. There might also be things that you don't see in yourself that an instructor would see with their trained eyes and help you fix the entire enchilada. I'm saving my money, soon, very soon. I can hear Blackhawk farms calling. Rman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackzx10r Posted August 4, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 its gonna be V.I.R. for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EA6BMECH Posted August 8, 2004 Report Share Posted August 8, 2004 blackzx10r, just tell me you wear full gear..... Get in all the stick time you can on that bike. Just don't bring it over here to Deals to see how fast you can run the Gap. I've done it many times on the way home but I kinda steer clear of the high speed runs now cause I figure God has let me live this long. I go to the track a couple times a year now. Just did VIR North last Monday with Team Promotion. Getting out there with all your gear on and knowing the grass is about as far as your gonna go if you go off the track is a big confort.. Good set of tires and a good look over on the bike, take about 2 sessions to learn the track and cut loose, but be safe. Lotta fun!! Watch that ZX10, that's allot of bike you have there! I have a ZRX1200, lotta bike too but different. Just for asking, what bike did you own before the ZX10?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.