NinjaNick Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 In my opinion he isn't yet ready for a track day. He hasn't even mastered the basics of a bike yet. When your comfy on your bike and don't have to think about brakes, steering, etc...THEN do a track day. Everyone should do at least 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamez Posted April 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 WOWI'm positive I shouldn't even attempt that stuff quite yet but I gotta say that was the sickest video I've seen on youtube since 2girls1cupThanks for that link! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NinjaNick Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 WOWI'm positive I shouldn't even attempt that stuff quite yet but I gotta say that was the sickest video I've seen on youtube since 2girls1cupThanks for that link!You should see 4girlsfingerpaint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jporter12 Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 i'm still advocating track days as the best investment for learning good habits for riding. the only bad thing is if you get hooked, you can just say good bye to several grand a year. street riding with the right people is still really fun though.I really need to do this. I don't think I'm going to have the cash flow foir it this year though. The problem, I discovered, was that I was over-thinking everything instead of just looking at where I wanted to go and letting it all happen naturally. So now I maintain a high alert while riding while not really focusing on the inputs to the bike, if that makes any sense... It's all kind of a Zen thing to me I guess.Track day track day track day! Its mentioned but lead with your head and the rest will follow, head, hands, hips (open them up to the corner), bike! Those are a couple excellent points! Don't over think it, and point with your head and the rest will follow.Do I smell a ride in the making Always! I can't wait for this rain to go away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamez Posted April 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 You should see 4girlsfingerpaint. Wow...thanks...I guess...now I'm scarred for life...ill be drinking tonight to try and forget what I just saw... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jporter12 Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 (edited) In my opinion he isn't yet ready for a track day. He hasn't even mastered the basics of a bike yet. When your comfy on your bike and don't have to think about brakes, steering, etc...THEN do a track day. Everyone should do at least 1.Also, I'm signed up for the Motorcycle Ohio Advanced rider course- sportriding techniques class, I hope it's worth it! (It's only $25) Edited April 21, 2011 by jporter12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykill Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 Do I smell a ride in the making Haha of course! I was going to take him out to your neck of the woods. He is about 2 miles away from me and I think its about the best way to break him in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hutch Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 Let me know when you can lead and I will follow him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
216cityboy Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 For myself the "experience" with cornering came from mountain biking. Like they've said, seat time makes a difference. I would cruise around & the mountain bike instinct would come to mind so i slowly started leaning the bike a little more in turns. Once that felt ok, next turns i would lean with it. You learn at your own pace. Once you take the MSF course you'll learn to SLaP'R. Slow, Look, Press & Roll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bellboy1 Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 Let me know when you can lead and I will follow himUm, yeh, ....but not too close Looking forward to the ride! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 James - When we rode the other night, I thought you looked just fine. As you and others have said already, probably over thinking a little, but that is natural when you're learning. Remember, this is FUN! Just relax a little bit and you'll see why so many of us are totally hooked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natedogg624 Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 (edited) the more you focus on what you need to do as far as weighting pegs, BRAKING - not breaking people, body positioning, throttle input, downshifting, bar input, etc; the more you aren't focusing on the turn itself which is what's important. to me, the first post here, sounds like you are overanalyzing way too much.slow is smooth, smooth is fast. just ride man and don't focus on the guys riding around you in the turns. there will always be someone faster than you. if they are any kind of decent riding buddies, they will wait up for you at various stopping points along the way, no need to rush the straights and risk anything to catch up - and if they don't, id look into some new riding friends. Edited April 21, 2011 by natedogg624 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSVDon Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 I'm not going to argue this, but I disagree with anyone that says anything about leaning to initiate a turn. There have been studies done on this, and leaning alone will not make the bike turn. Whether you realize it or not, when you lean, you are giving input to the bars, and THAT is making the turh. At higher speeds, and on supersport bikes, that input is much less, therefore, one doesn't think they're actually doing it.Negative Ghostrider. Take your hands off the bars and use your hips. See what the bike does. Any transfer of weight left/right of center will initiate a soft lean to one side. It's just not nearly as precise or good to feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohdaho Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 Negative Ghostrider. Take your hands off the bars and use your hips. See what the bike does. Any transfer of weight left/right of center will initiate a soft lean to one side. It's just not nearly as precise or good to feel.Agreed. Freebody diagram of the forces should help also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 (edited) I can body steer or butt steer a bicycle... but a motorcycle doesn't respond so well. It weighs a lot more.I think some motorcycles butt steer pretty good. Others, not so much. My old CB550F would do it like a champ. But I could also hang off that one by a knee. I've not seen another bike that I would want to or need to do that. (Works best with old style banana seats.)edit: the ultimate body steer --> unicycle Edited April 21, 2011 by ReconRat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rctaylor Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 I'm down for this learning ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldschoolsdime92 Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 Forget about the faster guys you are riding with. They're faster for a reason. After some more seat time.. you'll be faster than some of the guys you ride with.Speed shouldn't be the goal. Speed is a byproduct of the goal. The goal is to be smooth and consistent.^ Paulys right. And welcome from another triumph rider! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helmutt Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 I learned to ride the old fashioned way in the dirt, motard style if you will......so my first sportbike was quite a sensation, as well as an adjustment.Just like these guys are sayin' James, take it easy until you understand the full physics of what you're trying to accomplish........the more you can learn off the bike, the smarter your riding will be the next time out.Books and vids are a good investment of your time to see and know how body position affects the bike in and out of the turns. I picked up a lot of what I know from simply watching races, talking with other riders/racers, and trying to apply what I've heard/seen in a slower paced environment -- once you're comfy with your own actions/reactions, then work your speed up.......you'll have a better grasp on the concept especially once you add more centrifugal turning force with the increased speed.For the record, I was street riding for years before attempting track riding for the first time - but after trying it, I feel it may have helped me understand what I can and can't do that much sooner -- personally, get through the safety course and put some more miles on that ride before suiting up to hit the track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NinjaN8 Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 It's kind of funny but, down here everyone encourages you to do track days as soon as you can. That way bad habits don't become ingrained in you. It seems to me it would be alot easier to learn the correct way of doing things right off the bat rather than unlearning what has become years of bad habits. Just my 2 cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadyone Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 few things ...first i think that as soon as you can dowshift smoothly and have good road awareness you're ready for a track day. you'll learn a lot and not have a lot of bad habits developed that will be hard to break. i had less than 800 miles before i did my first one. also touched knee down first day. on a 955 speed triple. not easy.second thing. i have also ridden down roads in tennessee and NC where i could put it in neutral and coast down the road using my rear brake to slow me down and not have my hands on the bars for five minutes at a time. weighing pegs and leaning will steer the bike, just like on a bicycle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFM Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 Go as fast down the straights as you can, then lock the brakes 1/3 into the turn. If you can, completely focus your eyes on an oncoming car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moto-Brian Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 Negative Ghostrider. Take your hands off the bars and use your hips. See what the bike does. Any transfer of weight left/right of center will initiate a soft lean to one side. It's just not nearly as precise or good to feel.You are both right to a degree. You cannot steer the bike alone with handlebars and you cannot steer alone with your lower body. It takes both.Sure, slow in a parking lot will allow you to steer with just both mentioned, but at speed, it is a combination of everything. Head, arms, legs, etc. It takes them all.Basically, when talking counter steering, it is something we all have done since we were kids when riding bicycles. You've done it forever and now, with a big and heavy machine, it takes more and makes you want to figure it out. Don't. Just ride it.I understand taking basic rider MSF courses and suggest that to absolutely new riders, but what they teach you is not going to give you enough to be able to use on the street in those situations you can easily find yourself in.I also do not agree that you need a bunch of miles before a track day. We have people that are brand new at riding motorcycles and a Novice program will be as helpful as anything and in my opinion, a great compliment to the MSF course and probably should be taken right after. You get the basics at the MSF and the track day allows you to learn the bike and what YOU do that effects what it does.You need to apply input to the bike. It is a gyroscope and wants to sit up all the time. It doesn't naturally want to lean through a turn. Watch a guy fall off - the bike sits up and ghost rides itself straight up and down. You need input to get it to sit on the side and lean through a turn. That takes counter steering and body position and application from the legs...The leaning is also needed. Watch guys that sit straight up and down through a turn. They can make it, but it takes a TON more input on the bars. Through doing that, they stand a GREAT chance of crashing due to the fact that they are not positioning their bodies to transfer and distribute weight to make the turn... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moto-Brian Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 It's kind of funny but, down here everyone encourages you to do track days as soon as you can. That way bad habits don't become ingrained in you. It seems to me it would be alot easier to learn the correct way of doing things right off the bat rather than unlearning what has become years of bad habits. Just my 2 cents.Absolutely. We have to teach street riders to be track day riders. You learn some seriously bad habits when street riding. A lot... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Punk Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 If you have any motorcycle experience at all avoid the MSF course. If you are brand new to the operation of a bike then it is a worth while endeavor. The more I hear about the MSF course the more I don't like it. I had done a lot of dirt bike riding before I got my first street bike and never took the course. I rode a lot of years with plenty of oh shit moments but still thinking I could ride. I didn't know anything about how to handle a bike until I did a few track days. I can't recommend them enough to new riders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wht_scorpion Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 I do it in flip flops and shorts nice pavement burn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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