Race my TZ for the first time

[Luckystrike]

I really suck bad.

[cedestech]

Race it more. You'll suck less.

Emmett.

[Bill Cole]

THink about how good you will feel when you are doing well.... I was really good first time out... Now I am just frustrated! LOL

Practice and it will come..

Bill Cole
#72

[TZ925]

What happened that makes you think you suck?
The opening statement without follow up has me curious... Don't tell me an SV beat you! Just kidding, why do you feel you suck?

[cincykid]

My ex-girlfriend said sucking was still fun, in fact the more she sucked the better she got! Just make sure you dont suck so bad you blow it! :-)
Just kidding, race for fun. Youll always find someone the same speed as you to have your own little race during the race.
Good luck, keep at it!!!!!!

[Luckystrike]

I say I suck because I felt completely and utterly inadequate on the TZ. It's been about 8 years since I last raced or rode a motorcycle and I figured I could atleast ride around the track at a reasonable pace but that didn't happen. What did happen was that I got smoked by Buells, FZR400's, SV650's, GS500s, and a teenage girl on a TZ125. Friends asked me why I sucked so bad and my only excuse was "hey.. I'm just having fun out there man.. speed will come later". But for some reason, I think I might have been a bit too conservative out there or I just plain suck. I do realize that this is my first race in 8 years and I consider myself a beginner but getting smoked by all the bikes listed above on a TZ250 seems to me like that I really suck bad. Hope I made sense.

[Jack]

Originally posted by Luckystrike:
I say I suck because I felt completely and utterly inadequate on the TZ. It's been about 8 years since I last raced or rode a motorcycle and I figured I could atleast ride around the track at a reasonable pace but that didn't happen. What did happen was that I got smoked by Buells, FZR400's, SV650's, GS500s, and a teenage girl on a TZ125. Friends asked me why I sucked so bad and my only excuse was "hey.. I'm just having fun out there man.. speed will come later". But for some reason, I think I might have been a bit too conservative out there or I just plain suck. I do realize that this is my first race in 8 years and I consider myself a beginner but getting smoked by all the bikes listed above on a TZ250 seems to me like that I really suck bad. Hope I made sense.


DUDE, EIGHT YEARS? That might as well be a mellinium! I will chime in here because I've gone through this SAME progression in the last three years. I got back into it after 13 years off in '99. Man, did I suck or what?!?!?! I couldn't do a damned thing I knew I should be doing. I'd go into a heavy braking turn, the kind I used to trail into with the rear tire off the ground, and I'd just freeze and hit the brakes WAY too soon every time. Seemed my mind knew what to do, but my body just refused to listen! Don't think that you're going to climb on a GP after eight years off and go fast, it just AIN'T gonna happen! It took the better part of two seasons for me to work up ANYTHING that felt familiar, like speed. I've been running the 125 this year, my third after coming back, and I'm getting faster every race on it and still don't feel I'm limited out in my abilities yet, as fast as I was when I quit. I've been dropping lap times nearly every outting.

About the second race, in '99, an old friend came up to the races to visit. I was sitting in a chair by myself feeling sorry for myself. I truly SUCKED. I felt so slow, it's hard to describe the feeling, but it must be what you're going through now. I stuck with it, the challenge if nothing else. I rode and I rode and then one day I got a second in class and I had actually felt sort of fast. I was still a novice at that point. Then I started routinely beating up on the novices, riding at a higher level. Then I actually started beating up on some of the experts. I'm still a mid packer in the 125s, but I feel pretty good riding it now, like maybe I'm starting to be a little limited by the bike instead of the other way around. To this point has taken three years! Hang in there, guy, and keep chugging. It will come back to you, how ever slowly. Don't give up, it's too darned fun to just give it up again! You ain't gonna be no Nicky Hayden, those days are gone, you gotta realize fun is as important a goal now as winning, though the two kinda go together, eh? A 250, though, is a hell of a motorcycle to just step onto after eight years off and expect to make go fast.

Realize too, that even when you get back in the swing of it, you have to race every month to really keep the edge. It's a skill that demands sharpening by riding, a lot. I came back and raced an RZ350 in '88 after two years off. Ran TWO races with it. Finished at the back of the experts, even though beating the novices. Now, in '86, I could probably have podiumed that bike in that class at that track. The skill leaves you rather rapidly if you don't hone it constantly.

Jack


[This message has been edited by Jack (edited 08-31-2001).]

[Luckystrike]

You guys are right. I think my expectations were way beyond my current ability and the feelings of dejection came when I couldn't perform the way I expected to perform. Many a night I laid there thinking about ripping through the corners and outbraking everyone before the actual race weekend but when it came down to the race, my body just as Jack stated didn't want to work in conjunction with what was in my head. My mind wanted to go alot faster but my body just wouldn't comply. I guess even with the lame performance, I can say that it was the best time I had in a long long while. I guess it's better to race and go slow than to not race at all and just fantasize about racing.

[Jack]

Yeah, just set some lower goals. Start working on improving your riding every race. You should KNOW what you need to do and where, the knowledge of how to ride doesn't disappear, just the motor skills. Start working on braking points in practice and ride some track days, ride a lot. I think the braking is the hardest thing to get back. You know the lines, you can still feel the tires and the inputs from the bike. Once you start to get that braking back, then your aggression starts coming back. It will all come in due time, but not overnight, just work on it and consider the smaller goals until you start getting enough speed to worry about beating the fast guys. Everyone dreams of winning Daytona, but somewhere you get slapped in the face by reality and you've just got to deal with it, LOL. Main thing is having fun. You can always win a bench race or two now and then.

Jack

[Bill Cole]

Well said Jack. Also maybe the actual race enviroment isnt the best place for you right now. Maybe just doing a few track days with a local sport bike club is the way to go. I do them all the time and find that I can really relax and work on my riding or tuning the bike without all the other pressures of a race weekend. I just sold my TZ and I have a new Honda and I can garentee that I will get in at least 2 track days before racing it.. It is a good way to get into the groove.

Don't worry about what others think. Anyone that puts on helmet and rides on the track should pat themselves on the back. Ride for fun and ride safe for yourself and others. Hold your line and be predictable and everything else is gravy...

Stay with it!!

Bill Cole
#72