Evaluating your riding

[Turbo329]

Fastguy;185681 wrote:
Turbo329,

What does it feel like when your tires are getting "greasy"?

I notice this feeling when I run street tires at the track on hot/humid days.

When my tires are greasy I feel the bike become slightly unsettled when I transition from side to side. (one time it was my rebound damping in the rear and not the tire). I usually notice small slides from the rear when I crack open the gas on corner exit but it's controllable (not to be confused with carcass flex from low tire pressure). So I just get the bike picked up a little more and apply more gas. That's pretty much it.

I've never pushed a front into a slide. (which is why I'm not one of the fast guys. hahahahaha)

 

[JRA]

Re: Using the rear brake

The reason we recommend that you don't use it is that it can do more harm than good. Fast guys using the rear brake aren't really using it to slow down anyway. They use it to help settle the chassis, keep the front down, steer, etc. It's more of a tool than a brake, and they don't use it in every situation. Using the rear comes under the heading of Advanced Techniques used for Going Fast and truthfully there aren't that many people who can use it effectively. You should know that there are lots of very well known, very fast racers who never touch it. The point though, is that we all have a lot to think about on the track. Trying to use the rear brake to help slow the motorcycle without locking up the rear wheel is difficult, and I personally see it as a hindrance to someone learning to REALLY use the front brake where 99% of your stopping ability is anyway. Learn to use the front to the point that you are picking the rear wheel up off the ground just slightly under heavy braking. Once you get there and have really good control over that then maybe think about trying to add rear brake into your riding. I personally never use it.

 

[FaceRace98]

j_fuggin_t;185115 wrote:
while i'm here i may as well show my faults as well... ENTRY speed and braking later HAVE to happen for me to get faster, my lines are good, not great but good & they won't be great until i get to that faster pace, because in order to have the great line you have to be able to carry the speed to use it. CR's will help you in A no doubt, just ask.

When I started out I would always try to brake as late as possible, and i would go decently quick (upper I group)... The problem is I was scaring myself enough thinking I was approaching the turn too quickly and slow down too much, killing my entry speed. I was stuck for a while thinking of ways to get over the hump. I started to brake early, way early at first and then modulate the brake lever through the braking zone allowing me to concentrate fully on setting my entry speed. each lap/session i would try to go a little faster and sure enough my lap times dropped.

Chasing faster guys also gave me confidence to continue to push my comfort zone as well. The only probem is braking too early has become a habit now. One of the things I want to work on this year is braking later, trailbraking more/harder while maintaing speed into the corner.

 

[trailmug]

For me so far the "aha's" have been:

1) The bike is supposed to move around under you. As long as it's going the direction you want, let it do its thing.
2) If a turn isn't going the way you want, don't panic and run off. Just keep scrubbing speed and wait, the track will open up.
3) Use the gas to widen a turn, or for short chutes between turns, instead of standing the bike up.
4) If everything's good and you're pointed the way you want, roll on more gas!

 

[slowpoke]

Fastguy;185675 wrote: I have had the the same Dunlop Q2 front tire for at least 3 rear Q2's. Does this mean that I'm not nearing the limits of the front tire and can become more aggressive?

Thoughts?

It means it's time to change your front tire before it bites you.

 

[Fastguy]

slowpoke;185921 wrote: It means it's time to change your front tire before it bites you.

Even though ist not close to appearing worn?

 

[slowpoke]

how many days are you getting on a rear tire?

 

[Fastguy]

about 4 to 5

 

[slowpoke]

Strictly speaking for myself, 15+ days on a tire is too many for me even while I was in 'B'.

I'll admit that I change fronts a little sooner than I need to; however I wouldn't do more than 2 rears to a front on a bike (other than a literbike). While street tires aren't as sensitive to heat cycles, they aren't immune to them.

For me, it comes down to economics after 2rears:1 front --- cost of new front tire vs cost of low side OR even cost of less confidence.

 

[Fastguy]

slowpoke;185936 wrote: Strictly speaking for myself, 15+ days on a tire is too many for me even while I was in 'B'.

I'll admit that I change fronts a little sooner than I need to; however I wouldn't do more than 2 rears to a front on a bike (other than a literbike). While street tires aren't as sensitive to heat cycles, they aren't immune to them.

For me, it comes down to economics after 2rears:1 front --- cost of new front tire vs cost of low side OR even cost of less confidence.

Well since no one is interested in the Q2 fronts in the classified section I might as well mount a new front before my next track day.

 

[j_fuggin_t]

slowpoke;185936 wrote: Strictly speaking for myself, 15+ days on a tire is too many for me even while I was in 'B'.

I'll admit that I change fronts a little sooner than I need to; however I wouldn't do more than 2 rears to a front on a bike (other than a literbike). While street tires aren't as sensitive to heat cycles, they aren't immune to them.

For me, it comes down to economics after 2rears:1 front --- cost of new front tire vs cost of low side OR even cost of less confidence.

:agree: AMEN!! most i let a front go was 11 days and that was my corsa 3's... i know tires are by far our biggest expense but our bodies & bikes cost more to repair..

 

[trailmug]

:agree: I couldn't get my DC3s to stick last year after I'd put something crazy like 13 days on them in mode. Still had loads of tread left, so I put them on my street bike. If heat cycling of street tires is a myth, then they "go off" for some other reason.

 

[j_fuggin_t]

trailmug;185956 wrote: :agree: I couldn't get my DC3s to stick last year after I'd put something crazy like 13 days on them in mode. Still had loads of tread left, so I put them on my street bike. If heat cycling of street tires is a myth, then they "go off" for some other reason.

i still have that tire actually and it looks awesome, the rear not so much LOL

 

[trailmug]

j_fuggin_t;185958 wrote: i still have that tire actually and it looks awesome, the rear not so much LOL

I was talking to David about getting some motion, and he asked how many days I had on the tires. I said "something like 13" and got a disbelieving look. I knew then that swapping my tires was the ticket, and what followed was probably my most confident weekend to date.