kawaholic
Member
THANK YOU SHANE!!!stow;178984 wrote: The one thing to note is everybody has been passed and passed badly at one time or another. You don't want to be the guy making bad passes, but you shouldn't think twice about making good clean passes. The "B" group only allows passing while the bikes are straight up, so if you can pass someone while their bike is straight up then you should do so. Just make sure your passes are clean.
So how do you make good clean passes in the "B" group? First make sure you are up to speed and comfortable with the pace you are carrying. If you are not in complete control and comfortable at your current pace, then you should not be passing anyone. Next give the rider you plan to pass a few turns or even a lap to get an idea of how they are riding. Are they holding their line, are they using all of the exit, do they run wide off the apex; are just a few things you should be looking at while forming you passing maneuver. Plan ahead for the pass, know when and where you are going to make the pass and leave room for the unexpected. Sometimes riders you think you have figured out will do odd things.
What type of passes should you be prepared to make in the "B" group? Using horsepower on the straight is the easiest and most common. The next is passing on the brakes approaching the turn. If you are setting someone up for a pass before turn in, you have to make sure you are going to complete the pass before they tip their bike in for the turn. The next thing is you have to know that you can complete the turn at the speed you are carrying into it. Nothing makes me feel dumber than trying to pass someone going into a turn and then blowing the turn while the rider goes right back by, but it happens. Now the best pass setup in the "B" group is basically setting up the pass on corner exit. This is where knowing what the typical "B" rider will do on corner exit plays to your advantage. Most "B" riders use the whole track on exit. So if the rider in front of you tends to do this then you need to plan to pass on the inside portion of the turn after the turn exit. Don't pass on the inside of the turn, but after the exit when the rider has already picked up their bike. You want to go into the turn so that you can tighten up the exit and pick your bike up quicker and get on the throttle earlier. This usually means you will go slow in and fast out. This pass is about timing and control, and is what most CRs are looking for when we are looking to bump a rider to the "I" group. Man I miss being the fast guy in the "B" group.
that's some excellent info and it reinforces what i've been doing/trying to do.
i have experienced the rider who you think you have figured out do odd things and it can be a little scary sometimes. i agree horsepower on the straights is the easiest but when you're faster than the rider on a 1k in the turns it can be a little difficult to get them on the straight when you're on a 600. it definitely takes some planning.
i was definitely getting more comfortable/better at passing on the brakes but i'm always worried about spooking or taking the rider's line i'm passing through the turn.
my favorite and the one i'm the best at is what you've described as the best way to pass. in slow, out fast. i had one close call last fall at r/a coming out of turn 7. i cut inside on the exit. the rider in front of me was all the way to the left and i was about middle of the track. just as i was coming by, he was quickly coming to the right. scared the crap out of me but i stayed in the throttle. i didn't feel like i did anything wrong but it did seem like i almost took his front end off as i came by. :wow:
i'll prolly regret sharing this bit of info but...at barber in november i found a nice place to pass. it was at the turn for pit in. i kept finding slow riders staying all the way to the right and hugging the inside of the turn. what i was doing was staying out where the preferred line is all the way to the left. i would get straightened out and zip by in the middle of the track and slowly drift to the right so i could make that left onto the front straight. i told the guys i was pitted with that i met there what i was doing but they didn't believe me until they saw me do it. after that they started calling it "the move" and told me i was sandbagging...lol
