Recording track performance

ant... · 09-09-2009, 1:59 PM

Do you guys use lap timers to record your progress?

Next trackday and we are still racing with the novices, dont know why, but my mates said thats what were booking

Problem is theirs is no way of knowing how well your doing cos they are all over the place. I figue Intermediate riders would be a more consistant comparrison.

Id like to know how many seconds ive knocked off by the end of the day.

TheTrickster · 09-17-2009, 11:17 AM

Got an iphone? Have a look at the 'laptimer' software

denzee · 09-17-2009, 11:26 AM

I think when you're doing track days especially novice, they want you to focus just on working on your skills and not your speed. That will come automatically as a result of better skills. Otherwise you just focus on trying to get faster lap times and get sloppy.

Once you move up to advanced you can do more of that because you have the skills better down.

WyoJames · 09-17-2009, 1:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by denzee

I think when you're doing track days especially novice, they want you to focus just on working on your skills and not your speed. That will come automatically as a result of better skills. Otherwise you just focus on trying to get faster lap times and get sloppy.

Once you move up to advanced you can do more of that because you have the skills better down.

rider4life · 09-18-2009, 9:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ant...

Do you guys use lap timers to record your progress?

Next trackday and we are still racing with the novices, dont know why, but my mates said thats what were booking

Problem is theirs is no way of knowing how well your doing cos they are all over the place. I figue Intermediate riders would be a more consistant comparrison.

Id like to know how many seconds ive knocked off by the end of the day.

I say dont worry about lap times. In the beginning it will most likely hurt more than it benefit you. Hone your skills and let the control riders bump you up to intermediate. In my opinion the intermediate group is the most unbalanced group out there. You have too many riders that has an ego and get in there before they should be there and then you have all those riders that should be in race group but dont want to be there because they are intimidated by them. Therefore the spread of skills in intermediate is huge.

So if you ask me stay novice until they kick you out of there then you know you are ready for it.

spina220 · 09-19-2009, 12:59 AM

rider4life is right the more you think about your lap time the slower you will go, start by just trying to pass everyone you see ahead of you until you see the control rider, than pass his ass and you will be sure to move up real quick.

ant... · 09-19-2009, 4:20 PM

Hi Guys, thanks for all the advice and ive just got back from my second trackday at Anglesey, awesome perfect day. Anglesey is a new track to the UK and some say its the best, WSB will be running there next year.

No Limits trackdays have a rule saying you will be black flagged if caught with timers. Personally, I didnt think they would hurt aslong as they were automatic and didnt distract me.

As it happens I changed my technique again yesterday.
At the start an instructor said I was banking over too far and not leaning off the bike enough, "obviously I thought I was". When I went out again I got my knee down and balanced my turn with my knee, so it worked.
After lunch I got a warning for drifting wide on a couple of turns, I was still keeping my speed up but tiredness made me lazy and I went onto the rumble strip, so I called it a day and missed the last two goes.

This is a pic of my tyre at the end
http://i714.photobucket.com/albums/w...gleseyTyre.jpg

rider4life · 09-20-2009, 1:05 AM

sounds great. Man they warning you for drifting the bike? Thats part of the fun to push it to the limits. You got the whole track and should be able to use it if needed.

ant... · 09-20-2009, 4:56 PM

Not power drifting, hell im not nearly that good, i mean going wide.

but yeah its great fun.

cbr1kfireblade · 09-20-2009, 10:28 PM

great job on the tire ant... ...

ant... · 09-21-2009, 11:03 AM

Thanks fella

Im a novice but i try my best

ant... · 09-22-2009, 6:14 PM

This is a pic of me at the weekend, ive bought these but the originals arent here yet.

Seeing pics of my performance has shown me allot and if I rig a camera setup it will record times too, aslong as they dont see me using it, the pics will show where im getting lazy or where im not getting off enough.

sheepofblue · 09-22-2009, 6:33 PM

You are right on all over the place in times as a Novice. So to track progress consider low time but also average time. A session within 1 second of your best is much better than a new low time. I found that as I improved my variance dropped a ton. Of course the best feeling was when I went to Grattan and not only beat last years time but my AVERAGE lap was less

A cam can give you time but cutting it up to do so is a pain.

If they ban timers (I hate that) that means no beacon correct? What about a GPS based system? You might be able to run one under cover so they don't see it yet you can check times that evening. Personally if they are opposed to them because people are distracted they should make you tape the readout while on track

Seems irrational that they are trying to prevent people being competitive while at the race track

we have a couple over here that way too.

ant... · 09-22-2009, 6:41 PM

They suggested taping the speedo up

, but I can understand them not wanting us to be controlling a stopwatch at the same time as riding.

They do allow you to pay £20 for a guy to settup a camera on your bike, but im not sure how they would feel about a camera which could record my body possition.

Thanks for the suggestion about consistancy

rider4life · 09-22-2009, 10:10 PM

I think as you said they really dont want you to look down to see speed, times or anything else that will take the focus off the track. I so can understand that since you can get pretty messed up during the second you dont look at the track.

sheepofblue · 09-22-2009, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ant...

They suggested taping the speedo up

, but I can understand them not wanting us to be controlling a stopwatch at the same time as riding.

They do allow you to pay £20 for a guy to settup a camera on your bike, but im not sure how they would feel about a camera which could record my body possition.

Thanks for the suggestion about consistancy

You long legged evil people always look like you are way off.... but let me give you something I am evil on myself. You upper body weighs a lot more than your butt. Don't forget to get your shoulder over in many cases you would gain more by turning your torso in while leaving your butt on the seat. Of course position should always be limited by clearance and your ability to maintain control/balance. Coming from the dirt world I was used to pushing the bike under and even when I got better on that I still tend to want to center up over the windshield with my head giving away a bunch in my case