View Single Post
Old October 30th, 2015, 06:58 AM   #25
sharky nrk
Fighting Texas Aggie '05
 
sharky nrk's Avatar
 
Name: Neil
Location: Hutto, TX
Join Date: Feb 2009

Motorcycle(s): '07 ZX6R, '08 Versys, '09 250R Track, '93 F2/F3 Track

Posts: A lot.
*disclaimer - I did not read everyone's posts just the OP, although the names of who replied lead me to believe you already have some really great answers - my $.02 now*

Honestly the only way to find the limit is to go faster or decrease available traction.

There are many ways to do the go faster thing, some of the safest bets are riding schools and personal instruction. Those are great ideas but can be costly and may not be in reach of everyone. Some organizations are better about coaching at regular track days than others. Ask around about the ones that have really good control riders with really good coaching opportunities and soak it up.

One of the biggest eye openers to me at decent novice race pace was to simply get an expert racer to tow me around. It will show you areas where you are leaving lots on the table. Some of it is simply a matter of sucking it up and gassing earlier and braking later, and building your comfort with the way the bike feels at the faster pace. Typically most people need to take little bits of that at a time, get comfortable, then take a little bit more. To me this approach is certainly about going faster (and necessary at points), but not necessarily the best option for learning what a tire and bike tells you at the limit because your stakes go up as you go faster.

The other option to your specific statement about learning what the edge of traction feels like, and a better one in my opinion; is to reduce available traction. This can be done in a couple of ways as well. A simple option is to run a tire that has less outright grip but is very predictable on the limit. A hypersport tire will tend to show you its limits at a slower pace than a race slick. You can feel the tire and bike communicating this to you at more sane pace. Above all its track time, track time, track time - and not just riding around on track, but actively working on your craft each lap you turn.

A lot of people recommend dirt riding as that takes the traction to a very low state. You will slide the front and you will side the rear on dirt. I have done a small amount of dirt riding for this purpose and find that there are things to be learned for sure from it. I think I would do more dirt riding if I had a place to do it more often but what I really preferred was kart tracking a mini sumo. An XR100 on BT45s on a kart track is a really decent analog to the big track. The little bike flexes and squirms, the front and rear tires slide, and you can feel all of it at 35-45 mpg instead of 90. Because the little suckers have NO power you have to work on really maintaining corner speed to go fast and the brakes are so HORRIBLE you have to manage your entry to get it right. And because they weigh nothing, each movement of your body, each input is magnified. I LOVE kart track work on a mini sumo for inexpensive craft training work.
__________________________________________________
Keep it rubber side down and enjoy the ride
Get healthy - Get Fit - Change Your Life
Click Here Or PM Me To Find More - Advocare
sharky nrk is offline   Reply With Quote


3 out of 3 members found this post helpful.