More track days

 

Seat time, work on that BP & grab a coach!

Just think how much more comfortable you will be once you have done 10 days then 20 days.

See how you look in pics. You may think you are getting off the seat but the camera don't lie.

Get a coach to ride behind you to see what you need to work on. They are there to help. You may think you are doing it right, see what the coach says.
Even the pros take schools to work on certain things.

 

That's a question that takes a whole book and then some to answer, so I'll just make one quick point. You're definitely on to something about taking it a little slower. If you come in to a corner at your maximum braking ability, you're going to need to get everything right to get the corner right, and it sounds like you don't even know what getting everything right is like. So get your braking done extra early so you can work on one thing at a time. Lines, body position, throttle control, etc.

For example, brake so early that you're starting to open the throttle before you even turn in. This keeps the bike more stable and you can get your line and body position worked out. Then only use engine braking after turn in and work on throttle control. A smooth transition back to an open throttle is critical. Once you're happy with what you're doing mid corner and exit, then work on braking later and trail braking.

I always work on hard braking last because not only do you need to have a plan already worked out before you know where you can push your braking, but if you blow the entrance, then you blow the whole corner and you're just trying to recover from your mistake instead of getting a chance to work on the rest of the turn.

 

Twist of the Wrist II

 

I second the motion....do we have a third?unk

 

First, don't compare yourself to WSBK or MotoGP lap times, it will just discourage you.

Second, the reason the kid on the 125 is faster is because he is a better rider, and probably has a ton more experience than you.

Third, to get faster, you need to go slower. You learn best riding at around 80% of your limit. Anything more than that is just survival mode. First, get your body position and movements down so that they are second nature, and you don't have to think about them. Then, work on your lines and where you need to be on the track. Then, work on braking points, and your corner speed. Finally, work on your corner exits and getting on the gas harder and earlier each time.

You need to get back out on the track with a proper instructor, and have them actually show you what you are doing wrong.

It is gonna take a lot of time, effort, desire, and money to go fast, so prepare yourself and your credit cards.

 

Re: Re: a 'guide' to getting quicker and smoother?



This... except, I teach learn a corner backwards. Exits first. Braking and entry last. Why? Two reasons
1: braking is the most hectic time on track and hardest to learn smoothly.
2: exit speeds dictate mid corner speeds which dictate entry speed which dictates breaking technique. One begets the other. Learning the backwards a lot of the work is dictated for you.

And in addition to all that, I'd say FOCUS. Don't go out with a mindset "I need to be faster everywhere." All you will succeed in doing is fucking up everywhere. Instead focus on very specific skill sets or sections of track. Take.notes. write down a goal prior to a session and work on that goal and debrief yourself after each session.

If you are methodical and focus you will progress much faster and more precise.

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I prefer to teach braking first because it is the hardest, and will take more time and practice to do correctly. Also, working on braking first will be progressive in the fact that since your exits will be slow at first, your speeds won't be as high, and you will be able to keep calm when braking. If you have great exits, and are unsure of your braking and brake markers, you will more than likely overshoot and either runoff, or crash.

Always work on braking first imo... Learn that well, and everything else will fall into place.

 

There are many ways to skin the cat :cheers

But I and every school I have participated in, worked with, or read disagree. Most of them actually promote no brake, and one gear drills in the curriculum. They do so to limit the amount of things going on while learning. Trying to set BP, brake, shift, blip, and nail a turn in point and apex all at the same time is quite daunting, and more often than not a new person trying to push their limits braking ends up fucking up all of the above to some degree because of it. Not only for the reasons I listed in teh last post (which are techniques I still use to this day to rapidly learn a new track in a very short amount of time) keeping the number of actions going on down is considered by many to be paramount to learning to be smooth on the track when new. Trying to learn entry speeds first without decent exits seems counter intuitive when your approach speed is going to be constantly varying if your previous exit is varying... so your braking point and braking amount will vary. Seems a good way to chase yourself in circles. Learn a new brake point... then your exit changes... then you need a new brake point... then exit changes... then need a new brake poing again....

I disagree on it causing running off too, as I recommend setting entry speed EARLY when learning, and not trying to push too deep.

 

wow thanks for the advice. it seems as if my big problem is trying to go too quick and gunning it on the straights and then brake and not have the right speed setup for corners.

But yeah, i def need to slow it all down and go from there. My first track day i was all over the place, i think it was my 2nd when i learned to "hold a line" and slowly increase throttle. Twist of the wrist dvd helped a lot for this in just understanding, i also did the first session of the superbike school which i consider my "first" trackday.

But yeah, just need to get more track time, so expensive...

We pay around 270 for phillip island (it is a motogp track after all) and for other tracks its around 170.

 

Just wait, it gets more expensive the faster you get!

 

Re: Re: a 'guide' to getting quicker and smoother?



No doubt. Lol.

I sometimes wish I were slow again lol.

Oh the days I did t go.through two rears in one day lol

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True story...

 

I suggest disconnecting your speedometer or taping it up so you can't look at it. It is a distraction and is wasting some of your concentration. I recommend working on trying to be smooth, not how fast you are going down a straight. Use reference points so you can judge how you feel at different speeds and you can start to change things in measurable small amounts. Such as brake start, brake stop, turn in point, apex, where you start to roll on the throttle, exit point, where you are on the track when the throttle is fully open.

Winging it or going by feel in my experience as a rider and coach is the slow way to learn. Creating reference points and constantly working to move them more aggressively is the best way to pick up speed and be smooth doing it.

 

I put electrical tape over my speedo...

 

3
fo sho

 

I've watched twist of the wrist and also Motovudu. Both are great, but doing something you gain 20x the experience.

Zman - as far as creating reference points, the prob i have is not consistency...so sometimes i might come down the straight maybe 20-30kph quicker which will obviously change my break points etc...i think thats why i check my speedo at the moment..

 

Dont.

And as I said, get the exits consistent, then your entry speeds wont vary as much. Stop relying on your brakes so much.

Brakes are the number one thing that makes people slow. Most people use the brakes to control their fear rather than control their speed. When you start braking from a point, to a point, from a speed, to a speed... rather than just braking until you are not afraid to turn, anymore, you will actually start to get faster, and more consistent.