[IBA270]

Get to a class if you haven’t already! Spend a good amount of time practicing in a safe environment were you can travel slowly without a lot of traffic. This is important stuff…you’ll be pressured, if you haven’t been already, to let your friends teach you how to ride. Don’t be tempted…once you see the statistics on that, you won’t want any part of it!

Beyond the preparation part….have fun!!! It’s a blast and I hope you enjoy it!

[IBA270]

Both have their place…Textiles are superior for all around riding and protection in varying climates. Especially the better designed/built suits and jacket/pant combo’s that are designed to be layered as well as waterproof. Also, better constructed textile products are fine at freeway speeds. Actually, Aerostich Roadcrafter products are approved by a few road racing organizations, so those obviously crash pretty well.

With the exception of a few waterproof or resistant leather products out there, generally, leather is a PIA as an all around choice. If you’re out riding and get your leather soaked, it won’t necessarily ruin it, but you’re going to miserable riding in it until it dries!

I’ve got both (actually more than a few of both…) and they have their respective places. Occasionally I’ll wear my leather on the street, but always at the track. The textile never on the track but almost always on the street…where I don’t worry about the weather, I just ride.

[IBA270]

Probably because it’s about a COMMUNIST!!!!

[IBA270]

I don’t know about the technical stuff the bike does, but surely, ANY good trials rider worth his salt should easily be able to perform a 180 stoppie while firing a handgun, can’t they???

[IBA270]

The test standard debate has been raging for years…most of the “intellegent” arguments have merit with the pro’s and con’s of the Snell debate. At the end of day, it’s crucial to wear a helmet. Frankly, IMO only, the specifics of the crash (type, speed, object contact, area of head contacted, how many contacts, etc.) determine how effective each will be.

I agree with Eon…choose the most comfortable helmet you can find, and call it good. My personal favorites have included HJC, Arai and Shoei. My next lid will like be a Suomy (LOVE the light weight and phenominal graphics), but the new, lower priced Bell is really impressive for fit, finish and price. Don’t even know what ratings each of those have. I really don’t pay attention to it as long as it’s DOT or EU.

[IBA270]

Mods v Rockers Dallas date was Saturday…but I had to miss it. My class ran waaaay too long. Sucks. Seems like I miss it every stinkin’ year!

[IBA270]

Not taking a dig, but if I had a dime for every time somebody asked “I’m “x” foot, “xx” inches and “umpteen” thousand pounds…what kind of bike should I look for?” I could stop looking for a job tomorrow.

Again, not digging…but, let’s say you wanted to jump out of airplane tomorrow. Would your first question be “What kind of parachute should I buy?” Of course not…it would be “where can I learn to skydive?”

I assure one is much more dangerous and probably requires more skill and coordination. I’ll let you guess which one it is…but a hint…we discuss it here on this forum.

[IBA270]

+1…

[IBA270]

Good for you!! Basic maintenance is not that hard, and I think it’s very rewarding. I haven’t any of bikes to a shop in years. There’s no question that it’s taken me a long time to get to the point where I can competently do everything including valve adjusts, but if you’re able to change the oil/filters, chain/sprockets, you’re going to be in great shape. Depending on your bike, you can probably do fork oil as well, but USD forks are a bit more challenging.

At any rate, dive on in! The water is great! When you start riding more miles, maybe you’ll even start mounting/balancing your own tires. Nothing will be more frustrating until you figure that out!

[IBA270]

Maybe a 600/620/650 TWIN…but not a 600. My racebike is a 600…granted, it’s had some work done too it, but not much in the way of go fast performance. It’s scary fast…I’m not kidding you fast…plus, you just can’t enjoy what they have to offer in the way of performance.

If you feel like you’re an accomplished enough rider (I can’t make that determination for you) then consider a larger twin. They too are scary fast, but have power bands that are more manageable. The SV’s, my wife’s Ducati Monster and the Ninja 650R’s I’ve ridden are a kick in the pants and I doubt I’d grow tired of them…If I had to live with my race bike in street trim? I’d grow tired of that beast.

[IBA270]

Hey Gary!

Sorry you went down, but I’m glad the damage was minimal…and it sounds like you learned from the experience. I think your analysis is right on…let me share a quick example of what happened to me on the track on Friday… very much in line with what you experienced.

We were running a track in the clockwise configuration, which is REALLY challenging as it adds two blind turns, but require braking AFTER the crest of the hill, which is very tough (for me anyway). At any rate, the harder of the two has the rider approaching the turn at around 100, still gently turning right, and requires braking BEFORE you’re fully upright. Then, the turn becomes visible. Everytime I failed to search for AND FIND the apex with my eyes, I applied even more brakes, standing the bike upright, and at the end of my last session, I simple drove off the end of the track.

Two things seem to occur when riders become target fixated; They stop turning (they have too…they are going where they are looking) and they apply brakes without much touch or modulation. Kinda of a shit hits the fan scenario with everything happening at once quickly…that’s what happened to me on Friday and sounds like what happened to you as well.

One suggestion, beyond your observation, that may help; Set up your turn outside, like what you’re doing, but still plan for an outside/inside/outside path of travel. This will do several things for you. First, you’ll get a better view of the turn and you can start looking for the apex and scanning for obstacles and debris. Secondly, you’ll spend LESS time healed over, and travel a shorter distance. Additionally, you’ll have more real estate to work with; you have more room to the outside, and can stand the bike up and brake if you need to. Lastly, if someone DOES run wide and begin to encroach on your lane, it’s easy to adjust your turn to go a little wider. If you’re on the outside part of the lane, the only course of action you have is to TIGHTEN your turn by pushing harder on the inside bar AND looking FARTHER through the turn. Although I have no scientific evidence, I have never seen a circumstance where someone target fixated on something INSIDE of a turn, and rode into it, or even that direction. This is because the bike wants to STAND UP and needs to be STEERED to turn.

Hope that helps…great job though it getting through it safely and learning. It’s unfortunate, but you’re a better rider for it.

[IBA270]

I read through this a couple of times…it seems like a mix of some basic riding technique sprinkled in with some advanced racing techniques that simply aren’t applicable to the street. Much of it is simply conjectured bullshit. Many of those techniques are really difficult and are executed at the limits of traction at the track. The vast majority of us aren’t able to get the track enough to learn some of this stuff in a lifetime…I’m not even sure why it’s worth discussing!

There are a few references to the MSF course (not sure which one) but regardless, the information given is inaccurate. We do not teach “grab ’em” or “lock ’em up”. There is an exercise in the ERC where students without abs are given the opporunity to experience a rear wheel lock up situation, at a low speed, to understand the dynamics and how to ride out the skid. Proper brake modulation is key, and that’s what I teach every weekend.

A thought on “reading” about technique; There is SOME value in reading about this stuff, but the reader certainly needs a healthy understanding of riding technique and experience to understand and apply much of what is being read. At the MSF as well as at the track, we instruct by DOING, not by READING or LECTURING. If we could learn to do everything by reading, we’d all golf like Tiger, treat patients like House, MD, and race like Freddie Spencer…just from reading a book. At the end of the day, it takes practice and an understanding of what you’re doing well and what techniques need help. That’s why Tiger has a swing coach, doctors have continuing education and training, and racers work with engineers and instructors to get faster.

And, FWIW…”C”.

[IBA270]

eternal05…that’s a pretty good assessment. I started riding my Ducatis, and decided that it just didn’t make sense to wad up a classic, and I was QUICKLY going faster than the chassis/tires would really allow. Besides, with a torque monster like the old 900SS, it’s like cheating because it accelerates so hard out of the turns.

But first….I bought a trailer. I haven’t worked since I was let go in November of ’08, so funds are VERY tight…so, I sold a rifle for the trailer (no worries…I’m still very well armed for the zombie invasion) Made getting to and from the many tracks in the area much easier.

But then…I needed a bike that wouldn’t break me if I dropped in. So, I sold my beloved SS (I literally cried when I sold it…) and bought a AMA supersport spec R6 with spares…

Now, if there’s any good news in all of this…I wrench all my own bikes, including changing my own tires. It helps keep costs down for sure…

And then….I started teaching for track time…

I then I sold my first child…(no, not really. I don’t even have kids. Fortunately)

[IBA270]

I think I’ve posted this before…at one of the places I coach, we have brand new CR230M’s Hondas…230cc motards!!! WoooofreakinHooooo!

[IBA270]

I only took to the track a couple of years ago, and really had only a passing interest at best. I was more curious in comparing and contrasting the skills in order to be a better street rider. I know now, without question, that track instruction really CAN help with the street.

At any rate, as we sat there in group one, the instructors handed out our course study guide. After everyone had one in hand, the lead instructor said “Welcome to your new addiction”. Two turns later, I was hooked…

Stay away from it unless you need another expensive hobby

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