CephasGT

He may not have noticed that both the AMA and MO have changed leadership since then... I've had my beefs with MO, but I really think the last couple years they've been trying to make things better.

Good point.

Either way, I'm sure there has to be a better solution than the one they're using. The dry traction isn't even all that great any more, especially in the sealer puddles in the Keyhole.

nascar on a road course = a crash every other corner.

ftfy.

Hasn't that been the whole middleweight class for years now, though? We haven't seen a truly new bike from any of the manufacturers for five years or so, now.

This could be good comedy, I'm in!

Also, maybe they'll jack the pavement up bad enough that we'll get a repave with asphalt that can handle moisture... :dreaming

Very cool vid! What are you using for editing software?

I don't know how I feel about the front. Kinda looks too much like a car.

Not a great idea while in a corner, that's for sure.

Just keep hoping it doesn't rain, because if it does, it'll be the last time the AMA goes there...

But you are not leaning as the rider.

Well why in the world would you do that?

And the bike is doing what in that scenario?

CephasGT on XBL.

Mostly play Forza 4. Sorta terrible at it, but whatever, it's fun.

Countersteering or no, you're still leaning over when you turn a bike. It's physics. To claim you don't lean when cornering is just dumb. You might countersteer to initiate the turn, but it's not as if you're straight up and down.

I dunno if you'd call it a drone at that point. Weird gray area, for sure.

Prove it.

Can't turn a bike by just leaning.

Nor can you turn without leaning.

Yin and Yang, and all that.

Sounds fishy.. how the hell could 2 SU-25s miss when firing at a Predator UAV..?

And if it were legit, why would you use guns and not a missile unless you were just trying to damage it enough to bring it down and recover it for inspection.

Very possible that they didn't have missiles available. For that matter, the IR signature and radar cross-section of a Pred probably isn't enough for a good lock with the old crap they're using.

Now don't feel bad. Pilots are sometimes put in unmanned drones in order to flight test them.

At which time it's a manned drone.

But not a manned unmanned drone undrone.

Uhhh what in the world are you talking about?

Drone = unmanned. There are some test platforms that are manned, but can fly semi-autonomously, but there's nobody shoving pilots inside Preds or Reapers.

I heard it takes at least three pilots to launch a predator at least for federal agencies. It takes the guy controlling it, a plane to take off with it and a third to observe it until it gets to a certain altitude.

Two pilots inside national airspace. One taking off, another to follow as a spotter until it reaches a MOA.

Unmanned drone is redundant.

Anyway, the closing speed between an MQ-1 and an SU-25 is probably somewhere around 350 knots. Harder than you might think to hit something what that speed differential.

Should've put the fiance on the seat instead of the stunt monkey.

That brings up another good point. Passing rules are created with a simple straight-corner-straight in mind, seems like. But there are places on most tracks where, depending on the disparity in the two riders' speed, you can make a quick and clean pass, even though things are a little more complex.

One I use quite a bit is the short chute between T8 and T9 at MO. A lot of people (even in A group) don't drive very hard out of 8 and swing way, way over to the left side of the track before 9, so I'll shoot as hard as I can out of 8 and come into 9 kinda narrow. Usually I'm well past them by the time we tip in, but I guess some might consider it a block pass. Nobody's ever said anything to me about it, though.

(And also do wheelies down the back straight in Novice group... But I digress.)

I'm of the opinion that if you're in A group and there's no contact during the pass, it's fine. And I'm not (yet) a racer, just mid-to-upper A group track day dude. The "wingspan" goal is absolutely good to aim for, but as has been noted, differences in lines and brake markers can sometimes make that unattainable. It's just my opinion, but I think once you're legitimately up in A group, you should know how to check up a little bit in a corner if somebody passes you a little close. You should also realize that if somebody is passing you so easily, you're probably doing something wrong, and could benefit from trying to follow the dude who just passed you.

At MO after the AMA round, I was on track when Ulrich was testing the EBR. He passed me a few times (of course), a couple of them fairly close. There was one in Thunder Alley right around the bridge that made me sit up a bit and think "HOLY WOW!" but it wasn't unsafe, just close and fast. You'll have that between an AMA Superbike and an 8 year old track day 600.

And probably wouldn't want to, either!

Why didn't I think of that!?!

If I was going to do it over again, I'd get different bodywork and a different windscreen, for sure. Wouldn't change much else, really. Maybe a different seat as well, but I'm working on that.