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The Pace. Good info for everyone!


r6jess

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Nick is a great guy and as knowledged a rider as I have ever met. Really helped me when I started racing and I will always remember how good at talking to me he was. He never looks down on people and even though he has more experience than I think most riders and racers do, he always acts like he is just starting in terms of his excitement level. Great guy and great read.

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Good read

I have to say (and this isn't disagreeing, just introspection). I have always prefered to hang off the bike a bit when taking twisty roads. The stability and peace of mind from having all that rubber down was just natural. Keep in mind I am always short of knee-dragging pace.

Anyone have thoughts on that? Preferences?

Edited by V4junkie
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That's a good article. I like to ride that way. My biggest pet peeve and he nails it:

"Never cross the centerline except to pass Crossing the centerline in a corner is an instant ticket and an admittance that you can't really steer your bike. In racing terms, your lane is your course; staying right of the line adds a significant challenge to most roads and is mandatory for sport riding's future."

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Very very good read...should be mandatory reading at MSF or something.

I read Nick's "Sport Riding Techniques" book and he made many references to this article and it's concepts, and it's nice to read the piece in its entirety. Many of those lessons are things I try to incorporate into my daily riding...especially the centerline thing. I ran wide twice last time I hit the twisties and was furious with myself :(

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Depends on the corner. If it is a really tight corner with a bit of a camber then I'll shift my weight for stability's sake. For the most part I don't ever ride fast enough to need any kind of weight transfer. I don't think 'hanging off' is necessarily a bad thing to do. I just find it unnecessary in most street applications. Your street pace' date=' even if you are fucking flying, is prolly nowhere near the traction limits of your tires.[/quote']

Indeed, I just find that when I scoot over a little I loosen up my arms A LOT which was a bad habit from my n00bishness. Definitely not a necessity, just feels more comfortable for some reason.

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  • 1 month later...
that was an excellent article.now a stupid question, how do you completely eliminate any weight on the bars. mostly grabbing the tank with my legs or leaning on it with my stomach or both?

Sit up and don't lean forword so hard.

Sitting sedately on the bike looks safer and reduces unwanted attention. It also provides a built-in safety margin.

Good reading and a lot of these principals apply to all motorcycling. I see several of the items mentioned a lot. Especially crossing the centerline and not setting up for a corner properly. Although this is also why I believe it is more fun to go fast on a slow bike that slow on a fast one. :rolleyes:

The Pace Principles

  • Set cornering speed early. Blow the entrance and you'll never recover. Look down the road Maintaining a high visual horizon will reduce perceived speed and help you avoid panic situations.
  • Steer the bike quickly. There's a reason Wayne Rainey works out - turning a fast-moving motorcycle takes muscle.
  • Use your brakes smoothly but firmly Get on and then off the brakes; don't drag 'em.Get the throttle on early Starting the drive settles the chassis, especially through a bumpy corner.
  • Never cross the centerline except to pass Crossing the centerline in a corner is an instant ticket and an admittance that you can't really steer your bike. In racing terms, your lane is your course; staying right of the line adds a significant challenge to most roads and is mandatory for sport riding's future.
  • Don't crowd the centerline Always expect an oncoming car with two wheels in your lane.
  • Don't hang off in the corners or tuck in on the straights Sitting sedately on the bike looks safer and reduces unwanted attention. It also provides a built-in safety margin.
  • When leading, ride for the group. Good verbal communication is augmented with hand signals and turn signals; change direction and speed smoothly.
  • When following, ride with the group If you can't follow a leader, don't expect anyone to follow you when you're setting the pace.

-Nick Ienatsch Sport Rider Magazine June 1993-

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Great read. Now I don't feel so bad for going slow... I'm just doing "the pace"....

Not really....

I asked Nick to speak at our annual rally for the bike club I belong to - this was in 1995, right after he wrote the article and it appeared in Sport Rider Magazine for the first time. Nick flew to Indiana and spent 2 days riding southern Indiana with me and a buddy of mine. We hauled ass all over Indiana and northern KY. Wheelies, knees hit the pavement a couple of times, pretty good ride.

BUT - none of us were over our heads at the speeds we were doing. Might have been way over paced for less expereienced riders, but we were all comfortable with our pace and no one crossed lines or got into any sort of trouble at all. T you ride.he Pace doesn't have to be slow or boring - it can be fast and thrilling - but all riders have to be comfortable with whatever pace

That's what it was all about.

PS - Nick got third in AMA 250 GP class that year. Pretty decent results for a guy that travelled all over the place, held a full time job, etc.

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  • 1 month later...

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