Track Day Report

Motopilot · 08-05-2003, 9:23 AM

Let me first say . . . I AM FRUSTRATED!! *I have reached the point where I cannot improve my riding on my own. *This is my second year of attending track days and I'm hooked. *My riding has improved ten fold since taking it to the track . . . even more since buying the 954 and putting it on the track. *However, I still find that I am afraid to get my butt off of the seat so that I can carry corner speed.

This weekend, I attended three track days in a row. *Each day, I had people follow me and give me pointers. *I'm told that I ride smooth predictable lines and make pretty decent speed. *However, (1) I get skiddish at the end of straight aways and slow down (instead of trusting the tires, picking a turning point, and really looking through the turn); and (2) I don't get off the seat so that the bike has more tire to work with. *I know what I need to do, but my mind won't let me do it. *Anyone else feel like this? * *

Anyway, I have decided to go to Jason Pridemore's School this weekend (actually, I decided a month ago). *I hope they can knock some sense into me. *There is nothing worse than time after time going into a corner and then realizing, 'I could have taken that faster.' *I'll let you know how it goes.

Mattress · 08-05-2003, 9:26 AM

Better too slow than too fast, I took two corners too fast at Buttonwillow on Sunday and the rear slid and about spit me off, you'd think I would've learned the first time

Trackho · 08-05-2003, 10:37 AM

Practice going around the track w/o brakes---forces you to carry more corner speed improve throttle management thru corners---just remember---the bike can always go alot further over--as you get faster
probably a good idea to work on body positioning as well

You generally find that you are waay overbraking/losing valuable entry speed---you scrub off alot of speed just by turning into *a corner.

NOTE: Not sure specifically where you at at now or suspension upgrades on your bike---as you get faster--decent suspension becomes dramatically more confidence inspiring

MOST IMPORTANT----have fun--

Jason's Star class would also be an EXCELLENT idea---NOT sure I would bother with Reg's Class school at this stage in the game--if you do, grab an instructor and MAKE them assist--or they wont

Zippy · 08-05-2003, 12:01 PM

Knowing what you are supposed to be doing and doing it are two different things. If it were easy, you could just read a book and be fast because you know what to do, but of course it doesn't come that easy.

The challenge is to relax and trust your front tire when you enter the turn. Try to go in a little faster than you want to be going at the apex. Turns scrub off speed. Just turning it in will slow you down. You just have to get it in your head that you don't have to do all your braking with the brakes.

The act of putting it into a turn will scrub off speed, so you need a little extra going in, or you will end up with too little in the middle. You can never really make that speed up with the throttle, it just doesn't work very well at all.

I just had an epiphany myself this last weekend. I just kept that two things in mind.

1) Trust the front tire
2) Go in a little faster than you want to be going at the apex.

I usually improve maybe .75 seconds per track day on average. Using this one main idea, I just dropped 4 seconds off my best ever lap times!! And it was easy and I stayed relaxed. Now, it did take me 17 track days to be comfortable enough to execute it!

Another comment that I have is that if I didn't have a lap timer, I am not sure I even would have been able to tell how much better I am getting. It takes me 1/3 the concentration and energy now that I am 20-25 seconds faster than when I started. I can even stay pretty relaxed when the rear is mildly sliding around. I am not even sore after two full days of riding that fast at the track. It took some time to get here though. But no crashes either.

WildBillF1 · 08-05-2003, 12:17 PM

Don't sweat it Moto. If you are having fun that's what it's all about. If you are not comfortable charging hard into a corner, don't do it. For the sake of you and your bike, don't toss it because you want to explore your limitations.

I know exactly how it feels to not be able to push yourself to go faster. A few months ago I had exactly the same issues that you described. I have done four trackdays and did Pridmore's CLASS, but everything still just didn't feel right. It all came together when I took a few days off work in June to just ride the canyons. When the weekends come, I ride. After work, if I have the opportunity, I ride. What I realized was that I was just not one with the bike, once a month or twice a month rides didn't cut it. The solo, mid-week rides really helped me because there were no distractions; it was just me, the bike and the road.

I am now keeping up with people that I could not keep up with before, and I am not riding beyond my means. I never had to push myself to go faster, it just happened as a result of becoming familiar with the bike and my favorite roads. I know that I still need to learn to hang off more though, as I sometimes drag footpegs, I guess half a cheek isn't enough. Hope this helps ya.

ER · 08-05-2003, 12:28 PM

It helps A LOT to have an experienced rider in front of you to draw out the lines and to show you what speeds are acceptable. You only need a lap or two behind one of the racers on the track to realize just how fast you can take the turns.

Baketech · 08-05-2003, 3:05 PM

Quote:

Trackho : Jason's Star class would also be an EXCELLENT idea---NOT sure I would bother with Reg's Class school at this stage in the game--if you do, grab an instructor and MAKE them assist--or they wont

This is great advice....not knocking on CLASS, but STAR will fit your current needs better.

Oody,
I had a similar plateau last year, and was able to break through it by getting some quality 1 on 1 with an instructor at STAR.

Sorry I missed the weekend...family commitments.
Are you signed up for the September date too?

WetShrub · 08-05-2003, 3:20 PM

Try practicing hanging off the bike when it's not costing you 200 dollars a day to do it. Like on the street in manageable corners with no stress about speed. It may not have the same benefit as it would on the track but at least you will get the muscle memory of leaning off the bike. It will also keep you from reverting back to your old style just so that you can go faster. Go slower, learn the technique and body position, then hit the track and go faster than before.

-Shrub

mmeacham · 08-05-2003, 3:21 PM

Moto,
This is almost exactly what I posted after my last day at Thunderhill.
I was slowing down too much before the turn, And not getting off the bike enough. My knees went bad before I got to try this.
Pick a corner entry speed you know you can make. Increase is a little each lap.
How to get off, I don't know. What I do is, my butt is off but my upper body is not.
Keith Code's school will have you do drills to work on these issues, but is expensive.

I went to Buttonwillow this last weekend, and found out what too hot into a corner is. Ended up in the dirt, riding it out. Ask Mattress he was right behind me. Lesson: Small speed Incresses SSI!

I knew about my upper body problem and after seeing pictures I have made no improvement. It can be frustrating.

Even with the frustration, I still have more fun doing this than anything else! It is both mentally and physically challenges me.
I can't get enough!

Motopilot · 08-05-2003, 3:34 PM

Quote:

Baketech : Quote (Trackho @ Aug. 05 2003, 9:37am)Jason's Star class would also be an EXCELLENT idea---NOT sure I would bother with Reg's Class school at this stage in the game--if you do, grab an instructor and MAKE them assist--or they wont

This is great advice....not knocking on CLASS, but STAR will fit your current needs better.

Oody,
I had a similar plateau last year, and was able to break through it by getting some quality 1 on 1 with an instructor at STAR.

Sorry I missed the weekend...family commitments.
Are you signed up for the September date too?
Don:

Although you cannot seem to spell my name correctly, I have decided to go to Putnam in September. *It will be my last chance to see if there was any improvement after Star at Barber (what a track). You missed a great weekend otherwise. See you in September, if not before.

Baketech · 08-05-2003, 3:35 PM

I like the sound of Oody better....

Wish I was going to Barber with you.....lucky devil....

G-Force Junkie · 08-05-2003, 9:32 PM

Get proper training from professionals. I have personaly seen this in other sports, people beating them selves up 'practicing' when they really are not doing it correctaly. And doing something wrong a thousand times just makes you really good at doing it wrong! And worse, it ingrains bad habits that later have to be broke later on. One you know your body positioning, choice of lines, lean angle, etc are proper, you will one get better by practicing those at track days. Luckaly your one step above most people, you recognise you need help and are willing to seek it. The hardest, most frustrating I have ever done as an instructor is trying to make people make changes, when they don't even know they are doing something wrong, and are unwilling to accept that they need improvement.

Mike