Advice on twisty: position/lean/line Progress so far.

[NinjaDoc]

Prolly this would have been discussed here thousand times, and i could very well use the search function or even read from internet, but it always help a lot to get a sort of different perspective in forum when u open the discussion, sort of personal advice pep up

so here it goes, with a brief boring history,

Been riding for about 15 years i india, but entirely different bikes, different roads and conditions. There are all these small small shops in every corner which fix your bike for next to nothing and hence almost no one works on their bike themself, hence tech nooby as well. so i consider myself entirely new to riding here.

First day of group ride: riding like in india always in top gear to conserve fuel , try to be faster to catch up with group, ended up going into guard rail: lesson learned: ride your own ride.

Second day of group ride: riding slow but still braking a lot, got an earful from U Punk. Lesson learned: ride in lowest of gear with no use of brake and only engine brake, was scared stiff seeing a guy crash and decided needed full gear before anything.

Third day of group ride: Progressed from 2nd gear to 3rd gear cornering, much more comfortable as i have new boots. Lesson learned :always need adequate tire pressure, was wobbling till then i never realized it was the tire pressure until armith check it

Fourth group ride: trying body position to help tide over the fear for leaning, and it seemed to be working a lot. Significantly faster and comfortable around corners with new tires, new style and fulll gear confidence. Still having a bad line

I rode almost 3000 miles in the new bike, of that only may be 600 miles of less will be twisty, and i gain some confidence and knowledge only through group rides it seems.

After all the blah blah blah, u guys have an idea what i am doing, now the question,

• Am i doing the right thing, IS body position, line or lean that i should try to get right the first? I feel comfortable hanging of the bike a bit than try to force a major lean.
  
• The line that we see people advice in tracks is it the same way we follow in street as well?
  
• I still dont have the feel for "flicking: into the corner? is it some thing that can be practiced in anyway?
  
• What gear do u guys usually tackle the corner, for eg 20 mph, & 30 mph corners? is there a reference speed like 10mps above speed limit etc etc to judge urself?
  

Holy crap what huge wall of text ,, gonna stop the ramble now.

Edited September 4, 2011 by NinjaDoc

[Disclaimer]

Even poor people and tightwads like me can afford trackdays.

MidOhio

$195 - on your bike

$275 - on a KTM RC8R

Free professional coaching, at a place where you can immediately try out the advice they give.

Then, transfer to street for a safer/better rider.

[Mykill]

Even poor people and tightwads like me can afford trackdays.

MidOhio

$195 - on your bike

$275 - on a KTM RC8R

Free professional coaching, at a place where you can immediately try out the advice they give.

Then, transfer to street for a safer/better rider.

+15 million

Your in Youngstown so maybe go to Nelson with motoseries which is a good group too. I'm such a better rider after 3 trackdays it's stupid.

[NinjaDoc]

i really, really want to try the track days, been trying to read up on stuff, still kinda feel too nooby for that, and no idea where to start actually, looking through the threads now.

[NinjaDoc]

+15 million

Your in Youngstown so maybe go to Nelson with motoseries which is a good group too. I'm such a better rider after 3 trackdays it's stupid.

do they have the bike renting options as well?, if unfortunately we end up dropping such a bike what kinda consequences are there?

[Lost1888]

Or you could take the BRC and ERC riding coarse for about $25 per.

Riding with a good group that isn't focused on going as fast as possible. Ride with a couple riders who stay together and have the same ride in mind. Talk to each other and listen without egos.

*edit* Smooth is fast. If you feel the need to go really fast, you belong on the track.

Another thing is read some books like "Twist of the wrist" and "Proficient Motorcycling."

These things have help me out side of just putting on many miles and the repetitive riding roads until you are comfortable with them. Practice makes perfect. In most cases.

Edited September 4, 2011 by Lost1888

[ReconRat]

I second the smooth as vitally important.

And I would say the line comes first, it always should be correct.

It takes experience to change a line in the middle of a turn under stress.

Leaning isn't necessary at all. But it's good to know how to, if you need to change/recover in a turn.

The correct body position will mostly happen with practice and time.

My two cents...

[Mykill]

Track community is insanely friendly so any questions everyone will be more than happy to help. No bike rentals with motoseries and the way I understand it is you pay for any damage if you go down but it's at a "discounted" rate.

The novice track day is seriously for any type of rider. They will put in a group where you feel the pace is comfortable. You work on drills for throttle Control, braking, lines, body position and motoseries has a few OR guys who instruct ride so hooking up with them is easy. I'm sure you could ride share with someone if needed.

Also twist of the wrist 1 or 2 like lost said. if you can find it online or store is very helpful too. I think i have a copy on my computer Still.....

[ohdaho]

Even poor people and tightwads like me can afford trackdays.

MidOhio

$195 - on your bike

$275 - on a KTM RC8R

Free professional coaching, at a place where you can immediately try out the advice they give.

Then, transfer to street for a safer/better rider.

He's better off going to Nelson if he's strapped for cash. I dont have any experience at MidO, but I do know the Motoseries guys are awesome coaches for a first track day.

I wouldnt recommend renting another bike for a track day. It sounds like youre not even comfortable with yours, hence renting another bike would only take away from the time learning BP, lines, etc.

Dont ever force anything on the bike esp a lean. Youre just going to dump the bike. Everything should be smooth and comfortable.

Take the bike out and focus on one thing each time your ride instead of focusing on everything at once. Dedicate each ride to developing one certain skill.

[MIKE53ALI]

i really, really want to try the track days, been trying to read up on stuff, still kinda feel too nooby for that, and no idea where to start actually, looking through the threads now.

let me know when u wanna go. I'll go with you. I think they require FULL gear which I don't have.... nor a track bike.....

[Mykill]

let me know when u wanna go. I'll go with you. I think they require FULL gear which I don't have.... nor a track bike.....

http://motoseries.com/trackday_info.htm

Your bike is fine just need to tape the lights and remove or tape the mirrors. Takes 10 minutes. You can usually find cheap gear on here, wera, nesba, or call up riders discount.

[NinjaDoc]

So if I go, I sign up for instruction group, go there early , remove my mirror and may be fender unit too, then use painter tape for the signal and head light and speedometer, then wait for the group meet and start, right,

How long will I get to be on track as an inst group? How do things proceed from there?

Thx for all the tips guys the carry home message u guys subtly gave me is " go the f to the track and learn to ride Newby" lol which I think is very true, it's just my social phobia plus tightwad preventing me from doing so, but am seriously thinking about it, and might venture too, if only there were other starters for company.

Mike look for stuff in craiglist, sia got almost complete one for good deal, buy one at a time so it doesn't overwhelm you.

Edited September 4, 2011 by NinjaDoc

[ohdaho]

Everything you need is in the trackk day forum.

normally 7 20 minutes sessions. In btwn sessions youll be in the classroom getting feedback/instruction.

Quit being a pansy and just sign up for a track day. Truthfully you dont have to say a word the entire day to anybody and youll still learn more than anything you can get from posting on the forums.

Just do it if you have the funds.

[rusty]

Mid-Ohio rent KTM for $ 275 a day,leather suit $75.

[undr_psi]

i really, really want to try the track days, been trying to read up on stuff, still kinda feel too nooby for that, and no idea where to start actually, looking through the threads now.

THIS is exactly how i feel..we need a noob get together trackday haha

[Josh1234]

THIS is exactly how i feel..we need a noob get together trackday haha

I'm in

I kinda regret trying to ride so fast last time we went out, NinjaDoc... I should've been concentrating on trying to ride SMOOTHER... I think speed comes naturally when the technique is proper, and if that is learned first, we'd be much better off.

Paul gave me some good advice, and if I make it out tomorrow for the group ride, I'm going to say "screw trying to keep up." I'll be concentrating on better form and smoother riding... being comfortable WITHIN my comfort range, this time, more so than pushing the edges of it.

(My advantage, I think, is that I already knew the bit about engine braking and what not from a bit of car racing / track day experience... I hinted about the gears & shifting in another thread... One of the videos made it sound like you were in the same gear for too long... then again, I'm probably more newb than you so take anything I say w/ a grain of salt... But it is a good way to manage lean angle & speed... And if you engine brake, then you save your hand brake for emergencies).

[Tpoppa]

I'll be the lone dissenter...

Track days are definitely an option. But there's no super secret riding techniques that can ONLY be unlocked by getting on a track.

Everything you need to know is right here:

http://www.sportrider.com/motorcycle_riding/techniques/index.html

When I started riding with the fast groups on the street, I was suprised at how smoothly and quickly some people could ride. So, I would pick the really 'fast guys' to ride with so I could bend there ear about technique at gas stops, and watch their lines (for as long as I could until they gapped me). I leanred a ton about riding and also where the really good roads are

Track days provide a environment to learn, free of cars, etc. But it not the only way to learn.

[NinjaDoc]

I been trying to better one thing at a time, that why I did not change the gears much, just kept it at low when the curve frequency increased and just focused on form, been doin that the last two rides and never tried to move fast intentionally but i only realized I was doing good pace when others who rode with me said so, so I guess that means much more comfortable cornering I guess, anyways miles to go before we become good,

And yea we need an or noob track day,

[MIKE53ALI]

.... I dunno..... between a lil low on funds... and a lil high on the scale..... I think I'll wait til next year to hit the track and shop for leathers.......

[undr_psi]

I'm 6foot 1 260lbs..I don't wanna hear it! Let's ride!

[speedytriple]

I have a set of leather pants I am getting rid of cheap size 38.

[speedytriple]

I will keep out of the track day talk as everyone here knows what I think about those already for teaching street skills.

[Josh1234]

I have a set of leather pants I am getting rid of cheap size 38.

How cheap and can ya pm a pic? I'm a 36 instead of a 38, but who knows, they might fit.

[Simplysix]

I have a set of leather pants I am getting rid of cheap size 38.

Pic and price please

[speedytriple]

Price is $75 they have never been down, non perf black first gear leather pants, have the patch for sliders but no sliders on them right now will work on pics.

Edit here are some pics of them.

Edited September 5, 2011 by speedytriple