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Spatten1
| | Posted on Friday, April 04, 2008 - 01:48 pm: | 
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Seth: Spot on 100% with you post.
Good to hear they finally got Summit Sheandoah safe enough for bikes. I had to run Jefferson all the time when I was out there. Here is a Buell pic at Jefferson dragging knee in grass:
Here is late on the brakes to get around faster bikes at turn 1 Summit Jefferson, with the 1980's hang off style, now considered very poor form. I seldom do the butt puckering braking then get set up perfectly for the next turn too. Note that in the I class the other guys do have dedicated track bikes, which is optimal if you can afford it:
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Rotchcrocket51
| | Posted on Friday, April 04, 2008 - 02:27 pm: |
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Here's one of me at a Ducati Club event at VIR.
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Sethbuchbinder
| | Posted on Friday, April 04, 2008 - 04:17 pm: |
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Now that’s much better!
Pete, its time for you to park the black hat for a race weekend and don your leathers. Your ready to race. Your looking great in the photos.
Besides, the RNR cycles XB9R is race prepped and ready to go!
Nice JUGGGS there Rubberdown. I definitely agree, stay on the balls of your feet, it allows your hips to rotate outward.
Actually, The Shenandoah course at Summit has not been improved for safety to my knowledge. As a matter of fact, CCS/ASRA has not scheduled any race events there this year. Last year attendance at the events held there was very poor. Many people said they wont race there} due to the unsafe lay out of the track.
Personally, I wont race there again, last year, a friend who I was pitting with was badly hurt when he low sided and flew directly in to the inadequately padded concrete wall next to the track. He was knocked out and in a coma for a few weeks. Took a helicopter flight out and the whole bit. Low sides can definitely hurt ya, but hitting a wall at 90+ can kill.
Please be extra careful when riding on that track.
The Summit main course is much better and has ample run off in most turns.
Seth
And yes, I did learn everything from Master Mutation.
(Message edited by sethbuchbinder on April 04, 2008) |
Sethbuchbinder
| | Posted on Friday, April 04, 2008 - 04:27 pm: |
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Heres the proof
Throttle on, throttle off grasshoppa. |
Spatten1
| | Posted on Friday, April 04, 2008 - 04:36 pm: |
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Alright, I gotta post a better picture:
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Gearheaderiko
| | Posted on Sunday, April 06, 2008 - 12:33 am: |
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BaggerMike: Most of the racers know when and where the track days are. Willow Springs racetrack has an online calendar where they list all the different organizations running schools and track days. All are a little different. Some will 'lend' leathers if you do not have your own. Some have different bike/rider gear requirements. Some are safer than others (safe=fun for me. I dont much appreciate having the door slammed on me because somebody 'thinks' he's a racer...in the novice class).Some track days have great instruction.
I rode Buell Inside Pass last year. You couldnt find a better deal anywhere for $100. Food, instruction, bike set up, pictures, demo bikes and free stuff! Its $150 this year and I've already signed up. |
Dalton_gang
| | Posted on Monday, April 07, 2008 - 07:53 pm: |
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Can any of you knee draggers tell me if you are using the whole tire or is there a small margin of "virgin" rubber on the sides?
I`m too chicken to try it yet but I do think that I`m leaning the bike enough. The left side of my rear still has the nipples(barely). The right side they are pretty much gone.
How much does it really help by getting your ass off the side and your leg down on the ground when doing a fast tight turn? I shift my weight a little but nothing like what I see in your pictures. |
Slaughter
| | Posted on Monday, April 07, 2008 - 08:04 pm: |
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It's the center of your body's mass - not where the butt is hanging (or knee).
You need to have your butt AND upper body off of the bike in order to really keep the bike more upright.
The problem with a one or two-cheek hang-off if the rider isn't "looking at the mirror" (even if no mirror) - is that he hasn't shifted much weight. Just sliding the butt off the seat but keeping the weight of the upper body over the bike doesn't help very much.
Getting the knee down does NOTHING for you except give you a feel for how far over you are. (Think curb feeler). HOWEVER... If you are pushing the front and lose it, you CAN re-establish traction by BURYING your knee down HARD on the ground and LIFTING the front - but you've got barely a half second befor it tucks and throws you off.
(writing FAST - it's 5 at work and carpool is leaving NOW!) |
Cutty72
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 08, 2008 - 03:48 pm: |
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The more you hang off the bike, the more vertical the bike can stay, thus keeping more of the "meat" of the tire in contact with the asphalt.
Dalton. I'm no kneedragger, but I know a few, and some racers. You can use every last millimeter of the tread surface of the tire. Check some race take-offs if you ever get a chance, they are almost wearing on the sidewall for some racers. |
Blublak
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 08, 2008 - 09:54 pm: |
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 Seth, thanks for the kind words.. I'm still a little bit too old and fat to start racing. But it's nice to know you think I could start. As for hanging up the hat one weekend? Well, maybe I'll take a 'license school' one weekend and then shoot the races. I'm sure you'd let me hang out with you while it's going on so I'm not doing my usual 'sit in the back of the explorer' between sessions.. and I'm sure I've still got a lot to learn.
Oh and as far as having the hat on.. I look forward to seeing you sweep past my lens again .. soon!
Mike, when it comes to knee draggin' I think it's kind of odd sometimes. There are some people that try so hard to do it, because they want to look cool. But, according to really fast folks, if you're just trying to grind down the pucks then all you're rally doing is adding drag and slowing yourself down. Like others have said, it's a tool and not a 'goal'. The goal is to be smooth and consistent, one of the tools is to use your knee as a gauge and see how far you're over while keeping the bike as upright through the turn as you can at speed. More tire equals more grip and more grip can give you more speed.
Yes, there are full on race tires that give incredible stiction, however most of us don't put that kind of heat down to keep such a tire at operating temps. Heck, a lot of the am-racers don't use them for the same reason (that and they cost an arm and a leg).
So practice smooth and controlled turning and make sure you're using good body position. Sooner or later you'll touch down and then .. well.. you'll decide if you just want to grind 'em down or if you want to run smoother and faster. Either way, have fun and ignore what the 'rest' of the riders are doing or saying about it. Just be as safe as you can and have as much fun as you can. |
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