Quote:
Originally Posted by adouglas
Just got back from a TERRIFIC weekend at Palmer. Dodged the rain and got good weather both days.
I borrowed a page from @ csmith12's playbook and hosted a couple of new riders, including good eats.
One of those guys is destined for great things. Got his head screwed on right -- humble and an eager student -- but has really great technique. They bumped him to yellow on his second track day ever. He rides a bone-stock Ninja 300 and is already as fast or faster than me everywhere but the straights.
Also got an account of a dicey incident in blue group, involving our very own Greg (@backinthesaddleagain) and a pass in turn 5. But that's his story to tell.
Reason for this note, though, is an observation about learning and getting better. I successfully upped my game another notch and the whole weekend felt really good. What struck me about it was that I had more ability to observe, think and plan ahead during the lap, as opposed to managing each corner as it came. I did have a few moments, but by Sunday afternoon it was really clicking.
I think this has to do with that mental budget thing. Less of my brain is occupied with operating the bike and the details of technique, so more is available to think about other things like being smooth, bike placement, etc.
When you're still learning where the limits are, when you're tickling those SR triggers... that makes it harder to stay on line and hit your marks simply because of mental overload. But with experience and practice come comfort and confidence.
Note to self for next time... there are corners where you KNOW you can carry more speed. So do it. |
Quick synopsis of my incident. A guy who is from RI, like me, occasionally does track days. He has been known to stay out an extra lap after the checkered flag, weave way out to the left on pitting out to a right hand turn after they mention stay tight to the right all the way out, never goes to the classroom sessions, basically holds everyone up with his weaving riding style. Oh and I should mention he rides an S1000 and a ninja H2. Basically hammer down the straight and drop anchor in the corners.
Earlier in the day he says to me its his first track day of the year and he wants to follow me 3 laps of the first open session and me follow him the next 3 laps. I say no I don't want to do that as I am back after falling at my last track day in june. He also has KOMA on his leathers which stands for keep off my a**.
Oh well so where do I find myself a few sessions later, in a log jam, one by one the bikes go past the rider and I am behind him. Now I try to make a move for a lap + but can't get past him on the straights on a 636 vs 1000, but am right on top of him in every corner. Track day rules are no passing from tip in to apex and they should be outside passes. Finally he slows quite a bit in a tight uphill right that I make a run up the outside, right. Before I can tip in I feel a bump in my left arm, I see him and then a bigger bump into my left. We both run off the track into the gravel, luckily years of dirt bike riding and MX kept me on 2 wheels. I was ripped at him and talked to the instructor who was behind us. He said neither of us really did anything wrong but when he ran wide, I had myself in a bad situation being on the outside of him and he was wide to begin with.
I should have known to stay away from him as he is a menace, which I told him while he was sitting on the ground. I can appreciate that if you go around someone on the outside and they fall you should expect to be collateral damage, but when they can't make a turn and swoop into you is very aggravating. I went to classroom where we discussed it, he told tow truck driver I hit him and then he packed up and went home. I knew he wouldn't come to the classroom to discuss.