Seeing Results

[PoppaNoDoz]

There are some roads that I have ridden over the last ten years as a way of guaging various changes to suspension, tires, brakes. Big, sweeping turns and switchbacks that are very nice, very clean with no crossroads and no traffic. About the worst that can happen if you lose control is that you'll end up in a cow pasture or an orange grove.

 

These are roads where I know exactly what my "going in" speed has been and what my "going out" speed was and whether I felt comfortable, was fighting the bike nearly went wide, etc.

 

As I have mentioned before my cornering discipline prior to actually taking Level I and II was wrong. I would come in for a very late turn in point, flick in in hard and fast and roll on at the same time I put pressure on the bars. Yes, if you are reading this, I know that was wrong that is why I am writiing this - your help isn't needed there. Thanks, I got it.

 

Yesterday I went out on that road with an old riding buddy. Someone that 5+ years ago was another dumb guy determined to die on a motorcycle doing something stupid before he was 40. We've grown up a bit, or at least we like to think so. I have been applying what I learned in school and furthermore been going without brakes as a way of FORCING myself to set and know my corner entry speed and to use the throttle at the appropriate time.

 

Here's what I learned: without any REAL effort, I now go into the same turns 10mph faster and come out 10-12 (not quite 15mph) faster than I had been doing before on MY BEST DAYS. Yesterday (and then again today as I went out to see if it was an anomaly) I was able to come to the turns, taper off, quick steer, briefly coast and then roll on for exit and my going IN speed was faster than my best GOING OUT speed was.

 

Furthermore, it DID feel slower - pretty much straight by the book. It felt slow, it felt smooth, to be honest at first it felt boring. It wasn't nearly as scary as what I'd been used to and there wasn't any sliding at all. What I had taken as my "at the limit" pace has now been pretty much shattered.

 

Last but not least, my riding buddy was FLOORED. He briefly toyed with keeping up and then just let me go. At the gas station I RAVED about Superbike School and I would NOT be surprised if he was seeing you guys in 2012.

 

I can't WAIT to do this with a laptimer. I know my laptimes are going to be off from my all time best because I went from 4-6 track weekends a year to 1 for the last 2 or 3 years. Still, based on what I'm learing I am sure that my 2012 times will be much better than my best 2007 or 2008 laptimes.

 

Thank you Mr. Code - this has become fun again. I don't feel like I'm stuck in a rut any more.

[warregl]

Nothing motivates like success, right Poppa?

 

I had a similar experience after taking level 1 and signed up immediately for level 2 (and then 3 & 4 & 4 &....). I'm amazed at what I got away with all those years before CSS. My granddad used to tell me, "it's the Indian not the arrow" but in the case of modern motorcycles the "arrow" is almost always more capable than the "Indian". CSS has helped me close that gap a bit and I am most thankful for that!