Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > General Motorcycles only > Help me improve please!

[loverobot]

Ok, some may remember my previous pics where i was on a trackday on my fizzer and i invited (constructive) criticism

I did 4 days at Cartegena on the fizzer (which just survived) and have some more pics

I am aiming to get smoother and feel more comfortable on the bike at lean

Please have a gander at the pics and tell me what i should / could change / try and how this would help

Dont worry I have a thick skin lol

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...0/FE1_8302.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...0/FE1_8260.jpg

thanks in advance

Nick

[TP]

Hi Nick,

Well its not quite as easy as just giving you a few tips. My first piece of advice is get yourself booked onto the two days at Cadwell and book yourself an instructor. There'll be a few of us there and some of the guys are CSS qualified.

My one tip for you looking at your photo is to move your upper body weight forward and your head lower. Try and think of it as you putting your chin on your inside hand.

[Harv748]

Looks pretty good to me Nick

Body position is one of the areas I really need to work on. I know its holding me back in terms of my abilities on track, but hopefully when I do CSS level 3 at some point soon it will help with that.

The only thing I can really say about you is that you could perhaps just drop the inside shoulder a little. This will lead to the rest of the upper body following, and allow you to just be a little lower on the bike with you upper body. Its one of theose things I have to really think about when I am riding on track, but if I do make that effort to do so, it really does help my body position on the bike.

But I really wouldn't sweat about it too much. Look at MotoGP/WSB/BSB etc...every rider has a different style...some would probably be slated by the likes of the CSS etc....but it works for them. Now if they would be faster or not if they did listen to A. Ibbot and his team...???

[Edited on 19-4-2006 by Harv748]

[weeksy2]

looks good mate... you could possibly argue about moving your bum back in the seat a touch which in theory will give a lot of benefits in lowering your posture which lowers your CoG and gives you better leverage on the bars for counter steering...

The only issue with that is it can be harder work to pick the bike up as you're further back and the leverage isn't quite as good.

[loverobot]

the shoulder thing is what i was told at cartegena but it is hard to put into practice - do you all have your outside arm along the length of the tank in effect then?

[Rattler]

Looks OK - I'd make use of trackday instructors when you're next on a trackday.

[Harv748]

Originally posted by loverobot
the shoulder thing is what i was told at cartegena but it is hard to put into practice - do you all have your outside arm along the length of the tank in effect then?

Pretty much...thats actually how I can tell if I am riding relaxed and therefore better, as I am aware that my outside arm is almost resting along the outside edge of the tank.

When I'm tense that doesn't happen.

[keefer]

not to bad at all.
if I had to be critical I would say get your body over more.
think of it as pushing your shoulder down in to the corner.
other than that.if your happy just keep doing more of it

[Iconic944ss]

Some good articles in Ride mag this month on 'active counter steering'....

Just wish I had a bike running to practise on!

[loverobot]

thanks v much!

am doing the oulton thing so more to learn...