YellowDuck Posted June 13, 2012 Report Posted June 13, 2012 I am pretty sure that my biggest limitation with respect to lowering my lap times is my lack of trust in my tires. I have been getting my corner speeds up but very, very gradually, and I know there is a lot more lean left in the bike if I could just get comfortable using it. This is especially a problem in low speed corners (second gear, low rpm) - I just can't convince myself that the froNt won't wash out, but never, ever ever get any indication from my tires that a loss of grip is imminent - it is all in my head. Of course this creates a lot of tension, but I have been able to force myself to relax more at the bars and this has helped the way the bike steers and handles. What should I do next? BTW I just ordered a copy of TOTWII but it hasn't arrived yet... I don't have any photos of myself in a really slow corner, but attached are a few in a faster pair of corners - 11 at TMP, and 12, which exits onto the straight. I like my head position in 11 but hate it in 12 - I am staring right at the apex cone, and my eyes are not level. Working on that too. Anyway, 12 is a good example of a corner where I know I am not taking enough entrance speed - the fast guys all come around there with their knees on the deck. Quote
Bullet Posted June 13, 2012 Report Posted June 13, 2012 I am pretty sure that my biggest limitation with respect to lowering my lap times is my lack of trust in my tires. I have been getting my corner speeds up but very, very gradually, and I know there is a lot more lean left in the bike if I could just get comfortable using it. Can we ask what it is you think the tyres are going to do on you? Do you believe the bike will just spit you off mid turn with no sign or warning? do you think the bike will give you some feedback before you start a slide? How do you think that might be communicated to you? Are you aware of the consequence of the wheels spinning, and their effect on bike stability with speed? What does a bike wheel become with more speed? The lean angle of the bike is dictated by the speed, and it's combined mass of you and the bike. Would it be possible therefore, that your issue with lean is actually related to your sense of speed, your feeling of being comfortable with the speed you're going? i.e. if your brain was more comfortable with the speed, you'd feel capable and able to roll into the turns a little quicker, and thus you'd enter the turns a little quicker, and use more lean angle? I'd wager there's both factors at play here, you're understanding of what your bike will do, and removing your attention from the tyres into the turns might be a massive factor here? How can we help you? Well, certainly the TWII book is a good place to start, it will give you an understanding of the challenges and gives you some of these questions. Your next step up from this clearly is the school. Visiting the school would give you the opportunity to have the problems explained (certainly much of your issues are covered in Level 1), and some answers to fix/remedy them too. Working with an on track coach would enable your riding to be tweaked and be improved where neccesary to make sure you just nail those turns and give you a much greater confidence in your riding. I guess, which is exactly the answer you're really looking for? Bullet Quote
BLSJDS Posted June 13, 2012 Report Posted June 13, 2012 Bullet asks excellent questions (as always ). To put a finer point on your issue - is there a certain point in the corner where you have the LEAST trust in the tires? Or, at what point do you feel the least comfortable? - Initial turn in? - Once you're reached a certain lean angle? - Initial application of throttle? - Once you start rolling on the throttle more? Quote
YellowDuck Posted June 14, 2012 Author Report Posted June 14, 2012 Can we ask what it is you think the tyres are going to do on you? Do you believe the bike will just spit you off mid turn with no sign or warning? do you think the bike will give you some feedback before you start a slide? How do you think that might be communicated to you? Are you aware of the consequence of the wheels spinning, and their effect on bike stability with speed? What does a bike wheel become with more speed? The lean angle of the bike is dictated by the speed, and it's combined mass of you and the bike. Would it be possible therefore, that your issue with lean is actually related to your sense of speed, your feeling of being comfortable with the speed you're going? i.e. if your brain was more comfortable with the speed, you'd feel capable and able to roll into the turns a little quicker, and thus you'd enter the turns a little quicker, and use more lean angle? I'd wager there's both factors at play here, you're understanding of what your bike will do, and removing your attention from the tyres into the turns might be a massive factor here? How can we help you? Well, certainly the TWII book is a good place to start, it will give you an understanding of the challenges and gives you some of these questions. Your next step up from this clearly is the school. Visiting the school would give you the opportunity to have the problems explained (certainly much of your issues are covered in Level 1), and some answers to fix/remedy them too. Working with an on track coach would enable your riding to be tweaked and be improved where neccesary to make sure you just nail those turns and give you a much greater confidence in your riding. I guess, which is exactly the answer you're really looking for? Bullet Thanks for the reply. To answer your questions: 1. My feeling is that the front might wash out, or that I might ground something hard and lever the tires off the ground. I don't have a very good idea of what it would feel like prior to losing traction. I have been on slippery new tires (mold release) before, so maybe it would be something like that? 2. I understand that the wheels produce a gyroscopic effect which increases with speed, so that should resist changes in lean angle. Beyond that I know nothing about how wheel rotational speed affects things here. I guess it could explain to some extent why slow corners feel spookier to me? There is less inherent stability in the bike at low speed? 3. I don't think it is speed per se that spooks me. In very fast corners I am nowhere near full lean either, but the speeds are much higher and I feel fine with it. I think it is a fear of lean angle that is limiting my speed, not my fear of speed limiting my lean angle. If I take a slow corner so fast that it requires more lean angle than I am comfortabe with, I sometimes end up end just staying off the throttle until wayyyy past the apex, until I am moving slow enough that I feel I can make the exit at my current (inadequate) lean angle, and only then will I add throttle. That is just awful - truly pathetic riding, since I *know* it is 100% in my head. I think what I need is an exercise to progressively introduce higher corner speeds (especially in slow corners) so I can get comfortable with the increased lean angle. I should be able to just screw up my courage and force myself to do it, but so far that has not worked. Conceivably, this could be a purely mental exercise that prepares me for the session - not necessarily an actual activity on the bike. I don't think CSS is in my near future - travelling to the US to attend a riding school would be pretty pricey, and not terribly convenient. Could happen someday, but not this season. Quote
YellowDuck Posted June 14, 2012 Author Report Posted June 14, 2012 Bullet asks excellent questions (as always ). To put a finer point on your issue - is there a certain point in the corner where you have the LEAST trust in the tires? Or, at what point do you feel the least comfortable? - Initial turn in? - Once you're reached a certain lean angle? - Initial application of throttle? - Once you start rolling on the throttle more? For sure, it is once I reach a certain lean angle. Quote
mugget Posted June 14, 2012 Report Posted June 14, 2012 Hey YellowDuck, I know exactly what you're talking about, I struggled with similar feelings for a long time. Good news is, I've learnt quite a few things which have helped alot. But first a question for you - when you're in a corner, are you concentrating on the lean angle, or the traction of the tyres? Quote
YellowDuck Posted June 14, 2012 Author Report Posted June 14, 2012 Hey YellowDuck, I know exactly what you're talking about, I struggled with similar feelings for a long time. Good news is, I've learnt quite a few things which have helped alot. But first a question for you - when you're in a corner, are you concentrating on the lean angle, or the traction of the tyres? I have tried putting my attention on different things, and find I do better if I sort of think about trying to "work the tires", i.e., consciously try to build up lateral g's, while also staying relaxed at the bars. However, even then, I eventually reach a lean angle that makes me think "eek, is my boot going to hit the ground?" You can see from the photo that that is not likely! So, in other words, I *try* not to think about lean angle, but it ends up popping into my head at a certain point when I am farther over than normal. Quote
Bullet Posted June 14, 2012 Report Posted June 14, 2012 Hey YellowDuck, I know exactly what you're talking about, I struggled with similar feelings for a long time. Good news is, I've learnt quite a few things which have helped alot. But first a question for you - when you're in a corner, are you concentrating on the lean angle, or the traction of the tyres? I have tried putting my attention on different things, and find I do better if I sort of think about trying to "work the tires", i.e., consciously try to build up lateral g's, while also staying relaxed at the bars. However, even then, I eventually reach a lean angle that makes me think "eek, is my boot going to hit the ground?" You can see from the photo that that is not likely! So, in other words, I *try* not to think about lean angle, but it ends up popping into my head at a certain point when I am farther over than normal. What tyres are you running, what level of prep do you goto with them to establish confidence in them? Bullet Quote
khp Posted June 14, 2012 Report Posted June 14, 2012 I could be way off, but I'm thinking that maybe the tires aren't YellowDuck's problem. It could be that he's just met the "20-degree wall". YellowDuck, from the pictures, do not seem to keep your eyes level with the horizon, and this might trick your mind. Try turning your head so you keep your eyes horizontal - I have found that this can help many riders who struggle with getting past the 20-25 degree lean angle "wall". Note: this is primarily a mental trick, and needs to be discarded when you have progressed so far that your lean becomes limited by the "keep your eyes horizontal" trick. Good luck, Kai Quote
YellowDuck Posted June 14, 2012 Author Report Posted June 14, 2012 I could be way off, but I'm thinking that maybe the tires aren't YellowDuck's problem. It could be that he's just met the "20-degree wall". YellowDuck, from the pictures, do not seem to keep your eyes level with the horizon, and this might trick your mind. Try turning your head so you keep your eyes horizontal - I have found that this can help many riders who struggle with getting past the 20-25 degree lean angle "wall". Note: this is primarily a mental trick, and needs to be discarded when you have progressed so far that your lean becomes limited by the "keep your eyes horizontal" trick. Good luck, Kai Ha, some actual advice, instead of just more questions! I was beginning to think that CSS stode for "Code Socratic Society". Yes, I think the "lean wall" is a good way to describe what I am experiencing, although it is not happening at 20 or 25°. From the second photo you can measure about a 40° lean angle. That's probably about as far over as I ever get...but I think in slow corners it is less. I will definitely try keeping my eyes more level with the horizon. I was actually surprised when I first saw that photo to see how tilted my head angle is. Thanks for that suggestion! Hopefully more advice is forthcoming, because I feel like a few other respondents understand what I am talking about. Regarding the tires, they are Pirelli Superbike Pro trackday slicks ("redstripes"). I think they are essentially Diablo Corsas without sipes - so, not the kind of compound you would find in a true race slick. They are designed to be usable without warmers, and to withstand many heat cycles. I don't use warmers, but my first full lap is always at 60 to 75% or so to get heat in them. I have monitored tire pressures and temperatures carefully and am pretty sure I have that in the ballpark. Anyway, as I stated, the tires themselves never do anything but work perfectly. The problem is a mental one. Quote
YellowDuck Posted June 14, 2012 Author Report Posted June 14, 2012 BTW, reading back overthis, I think Bullet was right on with this comment: I'd wager there's both factors at play here, you're understanding of what your bike will do, and removing your attention from the tyres into the turns might be a massive factor here? I definitely do better when I think about the turn itself rather than about what the tires are doing. But, when that leads me to a lean angle that is more than what I am used to, I tend to freak out a bit. Also, the slower the corner, the more I am afraid of lean. Quote
Bullet Posted June 14, 2012 Report Posted June 14, 2012 BTW, reading back overthis, I think Bullet was right on with this comment: I'd wager there's both factors at play here, you're understanding of what your bike will do, and removing your attention from the tyres into the turns might be a massive factor here? I definitely do better when I think about the turn itself rather than about what the tires are doing. But, when that leads me to a lean angle that is more than what I am used to, I tend to freak out a bit. Also, the slower the corner, the more I am afraid of lean. I'm glad you agree. Over the years of coaching, I've met many, many students, looking for complexity and difficult answers to explain there problems/predicaments. In most cases the actual problem is often not the immediate one that the rider thinks it is. The reason we ask questions by the way, is to make you think about your problem and to make you part of the answer, rather than just giving you the answer on a plate. In the riding world, there are so many, many riders full of false advice, (advice like, oh, just go faster, you'll be ok mate), and misunderstandings of "the why", and we like to cement your learning by making you part of it. After all, aren't all the best things in life, hard earned and thus fufilling? Bullet Quote
YellowDuck Posted June 14, 2012 Author Report Posted June 14, 2012 BTW, reading back overthis, I think Bullet was right on with this comment: I'd wager there's both factors at play here, you're understanding of what your bike will do, and removing your attention from the tyres into the turns might be a massive factor here? I definitely do better when I think about the turn itself rather than about what the tires are doing. But, when that leads me to a lean angle that is more than what I am used to, I tend to freak out a bit. Also, the slower the corner, the more I am afraid of lean. I'm glad you agree. Over the years of coaching, I've met many, many students, looking for complexity and difficult answers to explain there problems/predicaments. In most cases the actual problem is often not the immediate one that the rider thinks it is. The reason we ask questions by the way, is to make you think about your problem and to make you part of the answer, rather than just giving you the answer on a plate. In the riding world, there are so many, many riders full of false advice, (advice like, oh, just go faster, you'll be ok mate), and misunderstandings of "the why", and we like to cement your learning by making you part of it. After all, aren't all the best things in life, hard earned and thus fufilling? Bullet Okay...but I'm still not getting much in the way of advice, except "think about the turn and not about your tires". How do I stop the alarm bells from going off when I reach that higher lean angle? How do I convince myself that I can carry 45 degrees of lean or more around a slow corner and not lowside? What is a good method to build up my confidence? Quote
anthem Posted June 14, 2012 Report Posted June 14, 2012 Okay...but I'm still not getting much in the way of advice, except "think about the turn and not about your tires". How do I stop the alarm bells from going off when I reach that higher lean angle? How do I convince myself that I can carry 45 degrees of lean or more around a slow corner and not lowside? What is a good method to build up my confidence? I was (and still am) in a similar boat as you. Went to take the 2 day class and it has helped tremendously. I think class notwithstanding - you certainly don't want to try this on most roads. I would say you need to go to a track to try this as most tracks, if you hit the "oh sh$t" pucker factor, you have enough room to straighten up and stop safely. Now, in terms of cornering - once they positioned my body a bit , I found that I felt better and better going around corners. That the bike felt planted when going around. Also, as you keep going around the track and develop the same repetitive skills of quick turning in and giving it throttle once you've leaned in (over and over and over again) - you gain confidence with each lap knowing you aren't near the traction limits. Half this battle is confidence, and while I have some, it is nowhere near where the traction limits are yet. I do find that more of the "oh ######" moments in a corner when it comes to lean angle arise from a lazy turn in (not quickly turning in and then moving to the apex and accelerating out). I think its because you turn in, and then you feel the need to turn in some more and then some more. So not only are you not at the proper lean angle, you're worried about too much lean angle, or traction, or a steering input during the turn, or not able to get on the gas to even the suspension of the bike early enough, etc. So if I get the right turn in the first time, I'm at the proper lean angle for the corner and turn and then I don't have that same panic in mid-turn. I also find that giving it throttle such that the bike is properly weighted during the turn makes the bike a /lot/ more stable during the turn and there is less pucker factor during the turn. If you aren't giving it gas, then your bike has more weight on the front tire (and probably front handlebars which aren't supposed to be carrying weight) and you're worried whether that front tire traction is going to hold. <end rambling thought> That being said - I don't get it right more than I get it wrong, so still a lot more things to work in. Quote
BLSJDS Posted June 14, 2012 Report Posted June 14, 2012 [quote name=Okay...but I'm still not getting much in the way of advice, except "think about the turn and not about your tires". How do I stop the alarm bells from going off when I reach that higher lean angle? How do I convince myself that I can carry 45 degrees of lean or more around a slow corner and not lowside? What is a good method to build up my confidence? In my case, the alarm bells stopped going off when I felt confident on the bike (confident that I was executing the techniques correctly, that my body position was correct, etc) so I would agree that building confidence is key. I was able to build my skills / confidence through CSS, and would not have made even 1/10th the improvements I've made over the last 3 years without them. Since that is not an option for you, is there any training / coaching available at the track days you attend? How have you been learning up to this point? If coaching is not available, then I would say grab a copy of ATOTW II and practice every single drill detailed (not at the same time, of course ). Quote
Kevin Kane Posted June 14, 2012 Report Posted June 14, 2012 Okay...but I'm still not getting much in the way of advice. How do I stop the alarm bells from going off when I reach that higher lean angle? How do I convince myself that I can carry 45 degrees of lean or more around a slow corner and not lowside? What is a good method to build up my confidence? YellowDuck; The reason that other Forum Members believe they can corner without low siding is that many have been trained how to do it. It really is that simple IMHO. I have offered my opinion up here many times before that much of what it takes to corner a sports bike at any speed is counter intuitive; starting with the concept of counter steering. Consequently and I will only speak for myself here, I had to learn how to overcome my own survival reactions (SR's) to allow me to do this - and that's why I went to the Superbike School. There are many many components that the School teaches and they all build upon each other; it is the sum total of those pieces that taught me to "trust" not only my tires but my suspension (and how to settle my suspension with the throttle), my position on the bike, my position on the track and a myriad of other techniques I can use to keep the bike planted and my mind off of worrying "can I really do this?" Unfortunately, I have no shortcuts to offer you. If you can't get to a School you can read the Twist books and watch the Twist DVD and try to practice what you learn but it isn't the same as having someone coach you - on the track - on how you do these drills…but if that's all you can do then you now have one person's opinion on how to approach your fear. BTW, I don't know a single rider who hasn't been in your shoes when they were first learning how to corner, but that's just me. Good Luck with it. Rainman Quote
faffi Posted June 14, 2012 Report Posted June 14, 2012 I'm in the same place, YellowDuck, but for a different reason (I think). Or reasons. I do feel for you, though! There was a time when I would just throw a bike on its side and simply expect the tyres to stick even with stuff like the alternator cover, pegs, exhaust and stands scraping hard. Now, this was on old bikes with nowhere near the lean possible with today's machines, but then the tyres were worse as well 25-30 years ago. Even after tyres slipped, be that from lifting the wheels off the tarmac or using too much throttle too early, I just shrugged it off. Bad slides were saved by a dab of the foot to kick the bike back on its wheels. There were bikes that offered so little grip and feedback that I had to ride a bit more conservatively, but mostly things were good for years. Then at some point I started to lose confidence. Not just with one particular bike or a particular set of tyres like before, but generally. I think the XT600 I rode last year was the bike that dropped my confidence to its current level because it would grip fine - 99.9% of the time. Then, all of a sudden, a rear slide or a front slide or a two-wheel slide would appear from nowhere, often with very little lean involved. I also fell off without a hint of warning; one moment I were riding, the next I ate tarmac. Sure, it was at a decent amount of lean, but the suddenness combined with the lack of serious provocation wasn't fun. I then picked up a CB400SF running on worn (in the centre) BT090 tyres. The road was damp and cold, but these tyres would slip - gently - at very little lean. As the tyres heated up and the road dried they gripped fine, but I still felt uneasy. And after fitting brand new Dunlop D253s on it, I still had minor slides despite substantial chicken strips. Chances are I added throttle and lean at the same time, but I do not know for sure. Handling is weird and suspension ultra-soft, which doesn't help. Also, my Honda VT500 Ascot rides on 8 year old Metzlers and act like the XT600; grip is fine only to suddenly slip around a bend without any provocation. And in the wet they are plain horrible. Still, the lack of consistency (first experienced on a GSX600F on Dunlop 205s back in 2005 that simply wouldn't grip on worn tarmac, but gripped supremely on good asphalt) really do take its toll on my confidence. I know ride a KZ650 from 1977 that handles better - for me - than the XT, VT and CB, and so far the tyres have acted impeccably. But I still fear when I throw it quickly into a decent amount of lean. The episodes of unexpected slides haunt me. I have decided to just take my time and see where it goes from here, but staying comfy and on the right side of my SRs. Still, I'd like to get my unshakeable confidence back. However, the fear of crashing again seems to hold me back quite significantly. Quote
YellowDuck Posted June 15, 2012 Author Report Posted June 15, 2012 I do find that more of the "oh ######" moments in a corner when it comes to lean angle arise from a lazy turn in (not quickly turning in and then moving to the apex and accelerating out). I think its because you turn in, and then you feel the need to turn in some more and then some more. So not only are you not at the proper lean angle, you're worried about too much lean angle, or traction, or a steering input during the turn, or not able to get on the gas to even the suspension of the bike early enough, etc. So if I get the right turn in the first time, I'm at the proper lean angle for the corner and turn and then I don't have that same panic in mid-turn. I also find that giving it throttle such that the bike is properly weighted during the turn makes the bike a /lot/ more stable during the turn and there is less pucker factor during the turn. If you aren't giving it gas, then your bike has more weight on the front tire (and probably front handlebars which aren't supposed to be carrying weight) and you're worried whether that front tire traction is going to hold. <end rambling thought> That being said - I don't get it right more than I get it wrong, so still a lot more things to work in. Thanks anthem - I found the above very useful. Trying to turn in quickly and set my lean angle in more or less one decisive step is not something I have consciously worked on before. I will definitely try to improve that! Regarding throttle, my normal habit is to trail brake just a little during turn in (gradually releasing the brake while I add lean), but to get on at least neutral throttle quite early - certainly before the apex in all cases. However, as mentioned, sometimes if I end up with more lean than I am comfortable with this will all go to pot and I may even roll off just a tiny bit while cornering so as not to run out of room on the exit. Those are the "pucker moments" I am trying to eliminate and so far they pretty much always happen in long, slow corners. And yes, for clarity, we are just talking about track riding here - I don't even ride on the street anymore. Quote
YellowDuck Posted June 15, 2012 Author Report Posted June 15, 2012 Michel Mercier runs the FAST school here in Ontario - I will likely take that later this season or early next year. I am also trying to find a private coach but that turns out not to be so easy. Quote
Lnewqban Posted June 15, 2012 Report Posted June 15, 2012 ...... How do I stop the alarm bells from going off when I reach that higher lean angle? How do I convince myself that I can carry 45 degrees of lean or more around a slow corner and not lowside? What is a good method to build up my confidence? Just find the lean angle at which the bike will low-side. If you use the 40/60 rule for weight distribution and leave the steering bar alone, you may not be able to induce a low-side before the metal parts start scrapping the pavement. Have you fallen on a track before? Is really that terrible? This is like dancing, you have to flow, feel and enjoy. I can't see any joy in the face expression of those pictures. Quote
YellowDuck Posted June 15, 2012 Author Report Posted June 15, 2012 ...... How do I stop the alarm bells from going off when I reach that higher lean angle? How do I convince myself that I can carry 45 degrees of lean or more around a slow corner and not lowside? What is a good method to build up my confidence? Just find the lean angle at which the bike will low-side. If you use the 40/60 rule for weight distribution and leave the steering bar alone, you may not be able to induce a low-side before the metal parts start scrapping the pavement. Have you fallen on a track before? Is really that terrible? Are you serious? What ###### advice! Yes I have fallen on the track before and, although it could have been much worse, it is not an experience I am looking to repeat. The fact that lots of folks circulate with a lot more speed / lean than me, sometimes on less capable equipment, indicates that my bike is capable of much more than I am currently getting out of it. But I'll approach those limits intelligently as my skills build, thanks, rather than chucking the bike down the track and calling it a "learning experience"! Quote
faffi Posted June 15, 2012 Report Posted June 15, 2012 Talked to a motorcycle cop yesterday, or a former such. He said that when he was active in the '80s they used a go-kart track to practice on and rode until they literally fell off. Speeds were low, but I'm still not sure I fancy the idea. A girl broke her neck at the track and is now paralyzed from shoulders down, so speeds doesn't have to be huge to cause major injury. I fell off at a low speed last year and for whatever reason managed to dislocate my thumb near the wrist and it's deformed and always painful and will never heal properly. I'm with YellowDuck on this one; falling off is best avoided. Quote
johnnyrod Posted June 15, 2012 Report Posted June 15, 2012 I wouldn't try to fall off if I were you, it won't bolster your confidence. Trying to turn in quickly and set my lean angle in more or less one decisive step is not something I have consciously worked on before. I will definitely try to improve that! This is the basis of what Keith calls Quick Turns, which is actively countersteering and also trying as far as possible to make only one steering input into a bend. This is something that's covered at Level 1 and is a massive boon to many riders, a lot of whom deny countersteering even exists (I kid you not, half the class I was in put their hands up to that question). As part of teaching this, the instructors make sure your position is right, loose arms etc. and teach you how to do it properly. For me it made a big difference, I realised the bike will corner without me messing with it all the time, which by extension means you trust it more. More control = more confidence, in a nutshell. Quote
Lnewqban Posted June 15, 2012 Report Posted June 15, 2012 Are you serious? What ###### advice! I am serious, indeed! My point is that, if done by the book, you will not be able to fall even if you push it beyond your current mental limit. In order to lean more and stay rubber-down you need to understand and conquer your fear. Riding that turn free of that fear, you will lean more, down to the physical limit, without experiencing the outcome that you fear now. Easier said than done, I know. This is not about motorcycling, this is about an irrational fear that bothers you and limits the performance of your bike. It is irrational because others passing you show you that the bikes can physically do it. The difference is that those riders do not interfere with the physics behind the process of taking a curve. They don't interfere because they have learned, in a classroom or by falling, that any fear they feel will create problems for the bike. Chapter 7 of A Twist of the Wrist II explains the whole thing very well. I have fallen due to the front, the rear and both tires and is not as bad as your mind makes you believe it is. Your survival reaction is nothing more than an exaggerated fear to an event that is perfectly survivable. Relax, my fiend, and just enjoy riding..........and even falling eventually. Quote
YellowDuck Posted June 15, 2012 Author Report Posted June 15, 2012 Are you serious? What ###### advice! I am serious, indeed! My point is that, if done by the book, you will not be able to fall even if you push it beyond your current mental limit. In order to lean more and stay rubber-down you need to understand and conquer your fear. Riding that turn free of that fear, you will lean more, down to the physical limit, without experiencing the outcome that you fear now. Easier said than done, I know. This is not about motorcycling, this is about an irrational fear that bothers you and limits the performance of your bike. It is irrational because others passing you show you that the bikes can physically do it. The difference is that those riders do not interfere with the physics behind the process of taking a curve. They don't interfere because they have learned, in a classroom or by falling, that any fear they feel will create problems for the bike. Chapter 7 of A Twist of the Wrist II explains the whole thing very well. I have fallen due to the front, the rear and both tires and is not as bad as your mind makes you believe it is. Your survival reaction is nothing more than an exaggerated fear to an event that is perfectly survivable. Relax, my fiend, and just enjoy riding..........and even falling eventually. Ah, okay...I get your point now. I agree - it is an irrational fear...in fact I have said as much already in this thread. What I was hoping for (and am starting to get) was some advice on how to get past that fear. Since I know (intellectually) that the bike can safely lean more, and yet I am still a chicken, that tells me that merely knowing is not enough in my case! If only life were that simple - just act objectively on knowledge and understanding and block out everything else..... I know this is a personal thing, that not everyone experiences. I have seen fearless kids come to their first track day on truly ###### bikes and carry more corner speed than me by the afternoon session! Still I do get your point and I thank you for hammering it home. Must relax...must trust the tires...the bike can do it...I can do it...relax...trust...just ride....(slips into transendental state.......) Quote
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