Critique my riding please...long post

Do everything the same just, like, way faster.

 

Didn't read the other replies, so not sure if similar advice was given.

My advice: seat time. Get used to going faster a little bit at a time. Pace is very slow, and you're gonna make it worse if you overthink it and try to work on a bunch of stuff all at once. Work on 1 thing at a time (might be lines, reference points, braking, etc), and just ride. Start getting really clinical about the nuances once you're getting to a point where you start reaching personal and/or mechanical limits.

 

Just bustin' your chops, Ken. Had to let you know you're welcome here.

I may, or may not, know what you speak of but I have heard you're heavy on vision.
There have been rare moments of tranquility where I don't think at all about what I'm doing...the operation of the bike is purely eyes-and-ass to hands-and-feet. And why shouldn't it be? I know how to operate the machine, I can feel what's happening beneath me, so why not let it happen and just guide it? Seconds come off of the lap times during those “Zen” experiences while I, mentally, feel zero pressure...I even think that I'm going slower because I feel such a calm state of mind.
In hindsight, I've searched for the cause of those laps' beauty and the best I can come up with is: no fucks are given. What I mean by that is, I had no extraneous thoughts given to operating the bike, concerning myself with finding/looking for reference points or otherwise cluttering up my neural pathways with redundant information. I see where I'm going, I see where I want to be, I know how to put the bike there, why can't I do that all the time?
It's my biggest issue, and it's vision related. I can't keep my eyes, consistently, ahead of my progress. More correctly, tho', it's mental...why do I spend valuable time looking at things I already recognize? Why can't I allow those things to fade into the peripheral view?

Dispelling misinformation while also trying to instill new/good habits? That is a struggle and has to kill more time in the curriculum/student's advancement than anything else.

 

The vision deal is easily fixed in 5 min......with me, at a track....

We have a good good handle on how to get a student to get over those things pretty quickly, but for sure is a big issue.

Ken

 

@ryoung57

Watch what you're asking for amongst this shark tank, I'm just saying

 

I have struggled with this too. But after YCRS, I'm more technical now. My race laps are usually the same pace as my practice laps, and I can get down to race times much more quickly now. Sometimes race times are slightly quicker, but it's usually just because it's the last laps of the weekend and I'm still working the track corner by corner to shave time.

I used to get very frustrated because you never knew what the exact formula was to get into your zen type state. With a more technical approach, I don't have to stress out wondering wether I will be able to repeat my last performance.

I made a big jump after attending YCRS, even though I had been racing for nearly 20 years. It wasn't instantaneous, but after a few weekends things started to click.

Problem is, I'm at the next barrier now. Similar eyes / confidence type problem, but at a faster pace. I'm not looking far enough ahead, still stuck on the reference points that are close to the bike, I don't "let go" and TRUST myself to put the bike where it needs to be while simultaneously looking further ahead at the next point. Thus I over-slow my entries, and my speed is limited by how fast I can move my eyes.

Trust in your abilities is a big deal when trying to go fast on a bike. It's different than any other sport, because we have consequences.

I think what you were experiencing in your "Zen type state" is simply looking further ahead, and trusting your body to put the bike where it needs to be. You're still using reference points, just in your peripheral vision.

Just my 2 cents of course. But I think about this topic ALOT. Not that that makes my thoughts any more accurate!

Time to go see @khill again, I guess!

 

What is your background, how old are you, what bike are you riding, how long have you been riding. I would suggest riding a dirt bike, or a small bike like a 300. And get some better gear, them are some cheap ass leathers.

 

My first race weekend ---- was humbling and set my ego's plans back by a couple years. But I also learned that if you have good lines and don't spook easily - there is no magic trackday bar you have to hit to go racing. Intermediate trackdays are a complete crap shoot. You may be passing everyone and everything one day and never make a single pass another and be the slowest out there.

Racing cert...I strongly advise signing up for learning curves your first race weekend (assuming you're a CCS/Blackhawk guy). I did not and started the day much faster than those guys...finished the day slower than 2 of 3 the in the program. They also had the benefit of not getting freight trained on their first weekend because of their jersey. I survived just fine, but I'd sign up for learning curves if I had to start over again.

 

Good stuff/story/advice....

 

Soooo, what's the going rate for five minutes of your time?

 

OP.....I being hard on you, sorry, I just an old dinosaur who is resisting the new technology/fast-info world. Maybe deep down i jealous of all the info that is now available, long after i am retired from life. I dunno.
I give you props for wanting/planning to race, for coming onto the Best forum for speed/info, for trying to use all available options/info at your disposal, for using your head.
#1 goal.....dont get hurt.
#2 goal....have fun.
#3 goal...just do your best.

 

<3

1985 we went to WERA local race as spectators.....1st time i ever seen roadrace. Cats were FLYING. I was broke HS kid. I said I must have racebike, and do this someday!!!!!
1986 Corner Marshall'd locally, to watch racers. We were kids riding non-sportbikes and reading the go-fast magazines, trying to go fast on the few local Slow curve roads, in town. I was dragging knee/exhaust (slow 2nd gear corners) in hand me down 1970's Moto-X pants w duct-tape on knees on old nighthawk 650.
1987 got 600 hurricane, and hit the backroads w bestie friend. WERA raceschool local....hurricane in shop w blown 2nd gear....I take school on 1981 cb750 ss oem streetbike. First time on Racetrack....I know this is Bliss, this is where it's at. Dragging engine cases all day. Best day of my life.
Feb 1988 drove across country all night on a whim, w/ buddy, in his dad's van.....WERA 2hr (shakeout) endurance race. Met Kurt Hall (Tech), befriended Kurt Hall <3 Got lapped by Kurt Hall twice, both times he waved at me w his foot while passing me (important visual memory 4 me). Got 2nd in Middleweight production, behind Hall. Best day of my life (again). Hall sent me beautiful Metz Comp-K takeoffs for the next 2 years, to try and help broke kid.
Rode my hurricane (didnt own car) to local Wera races 2x that year, invited to GNF (no $, didnt go), made WERA expert after 3 weekends. Thank you Keith Code TOTW-1.
I never really got any faster after that.....never understood/learned racecraft...seat of pants backroad rider (due to no $). But had so much fun when at track, so many good memories.
I was Never Fast, I was never nothing, but I was always a Roadracer in my heart/DNA.
<3

Meeting Kurt Hall <3
[IMG]https://imgur.com/xsVf1QS[/IMG]

 

Thanks for taking the time to put that together. I will heed this advice.

 

No worries, I can handle it. I just feel like I've gotten to a point where I need some guidance in order to get better. I've done a lot on my own to get started. Ive read books, watched videos, listened to podcasts, etc., and I've worked on developing my skills and getting comfortable. Like someone else mentioned, at this point "I dont know what I dont know". So I figure I need to reach out, find what the next steps or focus areas should be for me, and keep working to improve. I'm pretty stubborn about getting to where I want to be when I set my mind on a target/goal.

I think I've figured out what i can on my own, and sometimes you have to know when to ask for help. I can learn from others experience and knowledge and try to avoid learning the hard way (i.e. excessively binning it). A good example was this past trackday. If I had just went at it on my own and just tried to go faster, I'm pretty sure I would've thrown it down the road. I wasnt being smooth, I was upsetting the chassis while leaned over and getting on the gas. The instructor saw it, worked on it with me, and helped me build a foundation that will allow me to safely go faster next time.

 

You are doing everything Textbook correctly in your methodology. You are smart, well thought out guy.
I hope/know you will do well and achieve your goals, on the bike, and in your life.
My advice is always for sh*t, but I say this from the heart...this can be a dangerous game, #1: Be safe! <3

 

Thanks. I'll tie this in to the other advice about having a set plan to work on at the track.

 

Im 34, started riding 3 years ago. Did like 2-3 trackdays that year for fun. Second year did 4-5 days. This year really started taking it seriously and approaching it with an end goal, developing a plan and have done 12-15 trackdays.

I like competition. Years of competitive sports, football, basketball, tennis. I like the satisfaction of working at a particular craft and seeing progression. No stranger to repetitive training in order to improve a particular skillset. Active duty military though, so track time can be inconsistent. I just try to maximize what time I can get.

I hear ya on the leathers. I will say that this is their newest version and seems pretty well made and comparable to other budget minded leathers. I also have a set of AGV leathers and these seem every bit as quality as those, and I actually prefer to wear these and keep the AGV leathers as a spare.

 

The same as 8 hrs!

edit - Give me a call at some point and I'll explain......

 

Studying these materials is good- god knows I've read / watched / listened to everything out there (at least twice) some of which I was able to apply on my own, some I was not. A good coach's value is that they can explain things in a way that makes it easy to apply to your riding. Also, they can tell you what you need to focus on, and in what order, so you don't get bogged down.

You will be better off for your studies, because when you do get coaching, you will understand the vocabulary and the basis of the techniques they are showing you- that will save time. And time with a coach is expensive.

 

Seat time is the answer. The more laps you do, the more you naturally look farther and farther ahead. Entry speed, braking confidence, early throttle on exit, everything that contributes to you being faster comes with seat time.
My one word of advice, though: Put the best, stickiest tires you can afford under you. This whole sport comes down to tire confidence. If you believe in your tires, you will progress immediately.