Pitt Race 10/10/21 crash video

rpm894

Member
Can anyone see what went wrong? I think too much throttle too early, which sent the rear out as I put in lean angle. Probably should have been in third gear too.

Bike does not look too bad. Subframe took most of the impact.

My right wrist broke and needs surgery to realign. If you watch in slow mo, you can see me tumbling in the background. Given the number of times I hit the ground, I'm surprised I was completely fine besides my wrist; not even sore.

Video:

Data logger picture. The pin location corresponds to the 1:26.201 time point.
 

bmart

Control Rider
Sure looks like gas early and too aggresively. Hope that you heal quickly. Crashing sucks. What bike is it?
 

D-Zum

My 13 year old is faster than your President
You have to watch that sequence of corners because it's way easy to get eager on the gas there. It's a fun section.

I had a really cool high side going up the hill there about 20 years ago. When you get up the hill, and you hit that first quick left I grabbed
a fist full of throttle on my GSXR750, because it was fun to squirt out of that little bend at the summit of the climb, and it rewarded me with a body slam that ruined both wheels and my Aaron Yates helmet I had at that time. Luckily no injuries.

Where you went down, you're leaned over pretty good, it's downhill, and just very subtly off camber because of the way the hill is shaped. So you're front and rear tire's contact patches get smaller there (grip is compromised). This corner also loads the front tire. You are carrying quite a bit of speed for that much lean angle through there. The front may have gave up grip first for a split second, and in that time the rear lost it's patch. From there, all hell broke loose....and your wrist (sorry about that happening).

Especially this time of year when track temperatures are cooler. It's worth it to wait a little bit until you're starting to stand the bike up out of that corner before feeding more throttle input into the motor to build your momentum into the quick left that leads to the "back straight" drag race to the high speed kink before you back-shift 3 times to second to head up the hill to the kink before the front straight. If you're too far to the left on that uphill before pit-in and hit that left/kink to the front straight with a healthy amount of speed, you'll get your front light as well. A similar affect to the corner where you crashed.

Good luck on the surgery. On the bright side, the season is pretty much over. So you're not missing the best part of the season while you're wrist heals. Fix yourself, fix your bike, and you have a six or seven month window for that recovery and preparation.
 

Lenny ZX9R

Control Rider
Too much throttle to early, while having alot of lean angle. I have gotten an R1 sideways coming down the hill but didn't loose it! But almost the same scenario a little too much throttle, leaned over.
Heal up quick brother!
 

Motofun352

Control Rider
12/13/14 is the key sequence at PIR (IMHO). It's OK to be on the throttle at 14. Start application at the top of the hill, middle of the track, and SLOWLY increase. Has to be smooth. Also, it appears that you were 3 or 4 feet off the curb at the apex. It gets bumpy out there from the cars. No bueno, knee over the curb and use the whole track upon exiting though it's best to do that on the tires and not on your back...:eek: Forgive me for a lousy attempt at humor, heal up quick.
 

Chubna

New Member
Glad to hear you are mostly ok, I stopped by your pit area after the crash but you weren't back from the ambulance yet.

I was a few bikes behind, and here's the link to my video.


It was a rough day for a lot of people including myself. I sent it into the tire wall at turn 7 in the last session of the day due to a front brake line failure. At least we have all winter to get healed up and the bikes ready to go again.
 

bmart

Control Rider
RPM894 (about the RPM I ride at :oops: ! )

Body position, body position, body position. You're pushing the bike down and your upper body goes to the outside of the bike before every turn in that whole video. An incident (sadly) was only a matter of time. When you get back to it, slow down, get some coaching on body position, and then pick up speed slowly. It also looked like you were turning into most corners too early, making multiple corrections, and from far off of race line (making the corners much tighter than designed). No tire was going to do what you were asking of it all day...unfortunately.

I hope that you heal quickly and that we get a chance to ride together in 2022 if you get south.
 

Lenny ZX9R

Control Rider
I have to agree with Brad. We have to work on your body position. You asked the tire for side grip and accelerate and at that lean angle it was just too much. Heal up and when your at Pitt Race look me up and well get you where you need to be on the bike!;)
 

HondaGalToo

Control Rider
Agree with Brad and Lenny. Look one of us up next year for a body position seminar, we can fix that! You want to drop your head to the inside of the turn, where your mirrors would be - for starters. We're all more than happy to help!
 

rschiela

New Member
Not sure how to slow-mo to be sure, but it looks to me like I hear your throttle increase just as the corner of the curb comes into view, and then a split second later, as you are coming to apex, you are increasing your lean angle. Looks to me like increased throttle + increased lean angle near the limit is the primary culprit. Maybe it is an optical illusion from the camber. But, the camber makes it an effective increased lean angle regardless. So, I guess too soon on the throttle, because if you held it steady a little longer, you probably would have been ok.
 

dhaines

Member
Sucks about your crash bro….my wrist snapped after a crash at NC bike a few years ago. All I can say is hit the physical therapy hard…it’ll take a while to get mobility and strength back in it
 

DZ_714

Control Rider
Can anyone see what went wrong? I think too much throttle too early, which sent the rear out as I put in lean angle. Probably should have been in third gear too.

Bike does not look too bad. Subframe took most of the impact.

My right wrist broke and needs surgery to realign. If you watch in slow mo, you can see me tumbling in the background. Given the number of times I hit the ground, I'm surprised I was completely fine besides my wrist; not even sore.

Video:

Data logger picture. The pin location corresponds to the 1:26.201 time point.

I'm one of the guys who helped you load up your bike. When you get back on track grab a coach and work with them for a while. Then grab another and another and another... They will all help in different ways and provide different sets of advice that will ultimately pay off.

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Gobbles.
 

mpusch

Micah
Thanks to everyone that helped me load up my truck.

Surgery went fine, and the wrist is healing surprisingly fast. Parts are on order, so both the bike and I will be ready for the track before next season starts.

Glad to hear! I would add my two cents now since I just saw it for the first time, but everyone covered it well.

I crashed doing something similar several years ago on the left hander going up the hill. Adding lean angle and throttle at the same time. No bueno. Actually lost a couple hours of memory, but fortunately had a gopro running to see what happened.

Point being, broke my radius and ulna, had surgery, and was back on track a few weeks later because they gave me a removable cast :D Sounds like you're healing just as quick!
 

Myers

Control Rider
The video that Chubna posted up is an excellent resource. Some really great throttle and brake imputes by you but your body is crossed up. Excellent advice from those above. Get with a CR first track day and explain to them your crash and what you have learned here. VERY easy fix and with your current pace you will develop very fast once you improve your body position.
 
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