Quote:
| Originally Posted by 749sKiwi Hi Guys
I hope i haven't come across smart ass, just one persons opinion/suggestions...
Regards
Mark |
No Mark, you haven't come across as a smart ass, that's a really useful first post, and backed up by competition experience.
I'm no expert, nor a racer. There are loads of riders who are far quicker than me and probably slightly more that are slower. I would put myself as ever so slightly faster than average, usually around mid-pack in the fast group, I know that because I usually pass 3-4 people more than I get passed by. I've also been told by racers and instructors who've followed me that I'm very smooth.
I've also done some kind of competitive motorsport all my life and it's not for nothing that the old adage "slow in - fast out" is the advice for people who want to get into a nice relaxed smooth and fast rythmn. By saying "Slow" it's a relative term, I don't mean hauling on the brakes and parking the bike, I mean arriving at the corner so that you've got your braking done, you're in the right gear, you're body is positioned right (something where I've still got a lot of work to do) and where you can look at the apex with confidence. Once you've spotted the apex, turn the bike quickly and roll the throttle on smoothly and progressively all the way through the corner. As you power all the way through the bend you can feel the bike settle, you can feel how much throttle to give it and how much grip you've got. Also, if you're able to hang off the bike properly, the combination of turning the bike quick and keeping the combined centre of gravity as low as possible will mean that you can use as little lean angle as possible to go round that bend at the given speed. You'll then get more grip out of the tyre giving you the option of staying safer or going faster round that bend the next time around.
The alternative is trying to go in fast (how do you know how fast is too fast), potentially you could outbrake yourself, get target fixated on the kerb or hedge on the outside of the bend that's now rushing towards you. OK, take a deep breath and hope you've got enough grip in your tyres to cope with full lean. Bang the bike right over on it's side and try and hit the apex accurately. Now you find the bend is tightening, you're aleady on the edge of the tyres so how do you adjust your line? The only answer is that you lean off the edge of the tyre and lowside or you have to pick the bike up and run wide - we've all done it. Annoying on the track, potentially lethal on the road - running wide on a left hander into oncoming traffic is one of the biggest killers for bikers.
My advice is to ride through the winter. It will make you smoother and you'll be able to put that tho good use when the grip comes back in summer. The other advice is to go to a good track day school. CSS is the one a few people have mentioned and their way is the way I try to ride. It works. By feeding the power in as soon as you turn (way before the apex) I guarantee that your mid corner speed and exit speed will be way above somebody of similar ability who barrelled in too hard and you will slingshot past them on the exit.
Another tip is don't be in too much of a rush to go too fast, too quickly. Get the technique right first then add the speed.
Jools
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