I'm going to try to take a little more scientific approach to my track riding. Not that I have any aspirations of being a professional (or even club) racer but I'm a little tired of feeling like I'm going slower and slower all the time. So, in that vein, here's what I'm taking away from my trip to Miller last week:
Goals going in:
1. Increase lean angles, particularly to the right. I did well with this goal. On Tuesday I was comfortably dragging a knee in almost every corner of the track. (Turn8 was only possible with the Daytona and only because it's suspension is pretty poor.) In many cases I was more comfortable going right than left.
2. Relax and trust the bike. I need a little more work on this. I entered one corner too hot (the corner that ended my Monday) and I didn't have the confidence to lean the bike over, keep my eyes focused on my intended goal, and just ride it out. I stood the bike up a little and got on the brakes hard.
3. Don't sit down. (This might seem odd to a non-track rider but keeping your weight out of the seat can be a big benefit on the track. It makes your weight transfer more fluid and you can control the bike easier if your weight isn't all on the seat.) I was happy with how well I did towards this goal. I wasn't perfect and I need to get in better shape but I was pleased with my ability to support myself with my feet instead of my hands and butt. ... After trying to muscle the Daytona around the track all day Saturday, I was completely beat on Sunday. But, if I had been sitting in the seat I wouldn't have been able to finish Saturday.
Things to work on:
1. Lean angles. Getting a knee down is great. It's a lot of fun too. But it's possible to lean much further. I shouldn't consider touching a knee as the limit.
2. Look further ahead. Target fixation can ruin your day or save it. I need to look where I want to go. It will help me be more consistent with my lines, and help me get out of bad situations. I'd be happy to consistently look 2 seconds ahead of my bike.
As a side note (and please don't tell my wife or my mother about this): I considered crashing on purpose. ... Go ahead, read that again. ... In case you think there was a typo:
I (a seemingly rational person) considered crashing (a seemingly irrational act).
My thought process was "Wouldn't it be better to see what crashing is like when it's my choice? I'm already leaned way over. I'm in the slowest corner. No one is behind me. It's the last session of the last day. I'm on my cheap motorcycle. ... I could force a painless low-side crash just to see what it's like." ... Then I remembered the charcoal bike from Saturday and decided that as old as the Daytona is, I didn't want to light it on fire. ... Was I completely crazy to think about it?
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
As your loving Auntie and also as a person who has a crash (not intentional) but certainly in what one could call my slowest corner, I'd like to tell you that I now believe no crash is painless, either for you or the bike.
Even if you get up and walk away, it's gonna hurt. You, your gear, your bike. It will leave you with unpleasant bruises at the very least and broken parts if you aren't so lucky. I learned last year that missing a whole summer of riding while healing broken parts isn't any fun at all.
So, in answer to your ending question: DEFINITELY crazy.
And you better hope I don't tell either your wife or your mother! I ought to......
Hah, wife here. We've already had the conversation about why intentional crashing is a bad idea :)
Good! I hope he's listening!
First note: Go Auntie Susie! Ride, ride, ride!
Second note: I've been down 3 or 4 times, and only one of those times did I have no aches or pain and minimal damage to my gear (my helmet took a blow.) However, the bike was totaled by the insurance co. It was an interesting thing to do a forward flip over the back trunk of a Buick and land pretty much flat and even without any significant pressure points!
Dave: OW! One interesting experience I hope never to have.
Even the day I dropped the bike during parking lot practice it hurt. I must be unlucky.....but I'm riding anyway!
Post a Comment