Update - looked through other videos for a glimpse of bike number; I think it is bike #8. Anybody know who that is?
@Otto Man -- good advice. I don't think I'm anywhere near pushing the limits though, so I'm not too worried about pushing a little, will just add speed incrementally. It's like @Sick said, it's turns where I slow up to where it feels safe, then once I get in the turn I realize I'm way slower than I need to be, and even WOT on exit, I'm not using up a lot of racetrack; I have to intentionally steer out to keep the race line. I think I have a particularly slow entry to turn 6 in that way; I slow down as much as I slow down for the turn 5 left-hander, even though it should be a much faster corner. I think I'm also slowing too much for turn 1. Stuff to work on! I will also work on not coasting as much...I do make a habit of coasting for a ways, just barely touching the brakes before hard braking, while I'm trying to judge my entry speed.
@mdhokie Yea, I was able to keep the bike up. I just slowed down until I got to the grass, then got off the brakes and coasted. Kept nice and light on the bars. The corner worker at T1 directed me right back on track.
@Otto Man Definitely well said. I know I've saved tons of time by doing just that, trying to stop coasting so much. Either being on the throttle, or the brakes, but not coasting. I think that's one of the toughest things to learn and get better at on track. Certainly something that takes practice.
That being said, one of the most rewarding track days for me was the last season I was on track, about 3 seasons ago. Was up at NYST on my 02 gixxer. Was have fuel delivery problems where anything above half throttle, the bike would start to break up. That forced me to carry much more corner entry speed. I learned so much that weekend. Learned how to carry more corner speed and maintain that throughout the track. Guys would blow by me on the straight, then I'd end up passing them a couple turns later. They'd pass me again on the straight, and again I'd pass them in the turns. Tons of fun.
Also, one way I personally gauge if I can go faster in a corner, is if I'm using the whole track on exit. If I'm not very close to the outside of the track on exit, then I know I can go faster through the turn. At TBolt, T4 is a good example. Seems no matter how fast I go through that turn, I could still be going faster, as I'm usually only about half track or so on exit.
Anyway, I'm certainly no coach, and still a pretty slow rider, imo. Just get out there, have fun, and enjoy the ride!
I'll look through the vids I have today, then probably load up the ones with you in them on youtube. I'll PM you the link once they're up.
I was laser focused on hitting my apexes, driving hard out of the corners (using all track upon corner exit like you said) and stuff like that. Not once did I even look at my lap timer. That's saying a lot, because my lap timer doubles as my dash and it's the first thing I see when I look down. The only thing I pay remote attention to is the shift lights with my peripheral vision.
Very well said guys, very well said. And Otto Man, excellent points for sure.
It is funny how often times, I'll 'feel' like I was going fast and did well, yet when I check my times in the paddock, I actually went slower. Then other times when I felt good on the track but not particularly quick, I ended up having faster times. Funny how that works.
And as you guys said, vision vision vision! Almost any time I have a rough day at the track, I realize I'm not looking far enough ahead. Once I correct that, the day becomes SO much easier. Good call fellas.
Great! Appreciate it. I work on things at a comfortable pace in the early sessions and then try to add a little pace or work on something else as the day goes on. And I don't always know if things stuck or I reverted back to bad habits. I'm working on getting a rear mounted(facing forward) camera, just hasn't happened yet.@mdhokie and @jimmyz63
I'll post what I've looked through so far, up on YouTube later today, and I'll tell you the times you're in the vids. I'm not too savvy with all the video editing stuff. Lol
Oh and MDHokie, totally thought you were someone else, until I started watching the vids. Still decent body position. As you're watching the vids, pay attention to your foot placement (you'll want your toes up on the pegs), and to your line. As stated above, nice and smooth is key, as is outside/inside/outside to a turn. Good stuff man.
I like to mow like if riding a bike. That's a joke but not a joke. I mow grass for a living. To make the straightest lines on when you mow with a zero turn mower you MUST look all the way to the end of your line. This is especially true when mowing across a step hill, if you are concerned with where you are and not where you're going you end up sliding down the hill. The point I'm trying to make is that your eyes are more important than speed. Power is nothing without control.You can practice every day on your drive to work. Envision your apex. Your turn in point. Force yourself to scan ahead and look back. Where do you want to put that car tire? There's the white line at the edge of the road and that one specific edge piece of pavement that's missing. Like a pot hole, just at the very edge of the pavement. How close can you get to it without driving off the road? I aim to put the center of the tread right at the edge of that pot hole - enough to know I hit the apex, but not too far that I put the tire off the road. Driving out of the curvy road, I imagine the steering wheel is my lean angle. Driving hard out of the apex, trading my lean angle (steering wheel) points for acceleration points. Feeling the car drift wide, as any car/bike will do when getting hard on the gas.
Or am I the only one that drives like I'm riding a bike? LOL
You will be amazed at how quickly it becomes habit. Instead of just going brain dead for as you make the same boring drive to work every day, work on things that will transition to the track. You'll be that much more refined and can then work on other things. Do you stab the brakes in your car? If you do, I would bet you do the same on your bike. Those are subconscious muscle habits. Train them to be better. Working on them while not at the track means there's that much more you can focus on once you're back at the track. Ride bicycles? Same deal. Smooth application of the brakes. Note I said smooth - not slow. Most definitely a difference. But taking things at half speed allows you to really hone those skills in, and you'll find the speed will come naturally without trying. And you'll crash a hell of a lot less in the process...
I need to show my wife some of these posts...practice while driving, mowing, etc. She thinks I'm a little nuts, but she'll see I'm pretty normal in this group.I like to mow like if riding a bike. That's a joke but not a joke. I mow grass for a living. To make the straightest lines on when you mow with a zero turn mower you MUST look all the way to the end of your line. This is especially true when mowing across a step hill, if you are concerned with where you are and not where you're going you end up sliding down the hill. The point I'm trying to make is that your eyes are more important than speed. Power is nothing without control.