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Ducati999 · November 4th, 2020, 09:43 AM

@DannoXYZ, thanks for the encouragement. My struggle to solve this issue took a long time due to my lack of track time, my crash and a few other events that kept me from finding the answer quickly.

I was running well before my crash, 2:16 a lap but my lines were not good and no consistencency lap to lap. I was able to drag my knee all the time but could not hit my marks lap after lap, then I crashed. After my crash, I had to replace foot pegs and clip ons. The ergonomics were slightly different and I did not realize that this was causing me to have to use my hands to support my body at high lean angles. I would practice being light on the bars in every turn but did not have the mental budget to see when I got past a certain lean angle, I had to grip the bars to support my body. 90% of turns thers was no issue but once I got over so far, weight had to be supported with my hands and the steering would lock up, making for some scary corner exits. Since it only happened in some turns and not others, this took a long time to figure out. I even bought a second Ducati so I could set both bikes up with same geometry, one for street and one for track. The street bike never showed the issue mid turn like I experienced on the track. After several times having the front slide/plow mid turn at speeds where I knew it should be gripping, I realized this is my problem and not the bike. I also found that my hips and knees were very sore after a day at the track vs hours of street riding. I began to look closely at my body position especially at full lean. Before my crash, I was able to get my knee down in most turns yet something had changed. I even hung the bike from my basement ceiling, at full lean to try to figure out what was different. I found that if I moved the rearsets back and down a little, I could lock my knee into the tank much better and keep the weight off my hands. Finding the answer was further delayed after I loaned my brake lever to a fellow Ducati rider after he crashed. He returned the lever but I did not realize he had adjusted the actuator pin on the lever. Once back on my bike the lever worked fine on the street but at trac pace, the brakes would slightly drag once hot and the bike refused to turn. I finally solved that issue and bought the offset tripple clamps and new steering bearings just to be sure there were no further undiagnosed turning issues. The rest was all due to Covid 19. My normal work day starts at 6am and does not end till 10:30pm when I get home from work. My commute is over 100 miles each way so the bike is not really an option and I only see my wife on the weekends so riding time on Weekends is limited. With Covids forced retirement, I had nothing but time to ride my street bike and with a track membership, I had several possible track days available. Once the ergonomics issue was resolved, I just used the free time to ride the wheels off both bikes. I went thru 3 sets of tires thus season. 2 on track hack and one on the street ride, usually even track tires last 2-3 seasons for me. Without the input, coaching and support from all you equally addicted forum members, this would have been my last track season as its no fun carrying speed into a turn just to lock up mid turn, panic and run wide worrying about staying on the track! How many trips would you pay for if you are not progressing? I was getting very discouraged and worried that eventually my front end push or running wide would end in a spectacular crash. The changes I made to the bike were not the solution, I had to change my body position so I could better support my torso with my legs and core. Once I addressed this, I was able to make the bike follow my inputs and times improved

November 4th, 2020, 09:43 AM	#231
Ducati999 ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Ant Location: Wooster Join Date: Dec 2013 Motorcycle(s): Ducati 999 2012 Ninja 250r Ducati748 Yellow finally running 2003 SV650 S (SOLD) Posts: A lot.	@DannoXYZ, thanks for the encouragement. My struggle to solve this issue took a long time due to my lack of track time, my crash and a few other events that kept me from finding the answer quickly. I was running well before my crash, 2:16 a lap but my lines were not good and no consistencency lap to lap. I was able to drag my knee all the time but could not hit my marks lap after lap, then I crashed. After my crash, I had to replace foot pegs and clip ons. The ergonomics were slightly different and I did not realize that this was causing me to have to use my hands to support my body at high lean angles. I would practice being light on the bars in every turn but did not have the mental budget to see when I got past a certain lean angle, I had to grip the bars to support my body. 90% of turns thers was no issue but once I got over so far, weight had to be supported with my hands and the steering would lock up, making for some scary corner exits. Since it only happened in some turns and not others, this took a long time to figure out. I even bought a second Ducati so I could set both bikes up with same geometry, one for street and one for track. The street bike never showed the issue mid turn like I experienced on the track. After several times having the front slide/plow mid turn at speeds where I knew it should be gripping, I realized this is my problem and not the bike. I also found that my hips and knees were very sore after a day at the track vs hours of street riding. I began to look closely at my body position especially at full lean. Before my crash, I was able to get my knee down in most turns yet something had changed. I even hung the bike from my basement ceiling, at full lean to try to figure out what was different. I found that if I moved the rearsets back and down a little, I could lock my knee into the tank much better and keep the weight off my hands. Finding the answer was further delayed after I loaned my brake lever to a fellow Ducati rider after he crashed. He returned the lever but I did not realize he had adjusted the actuator pin on the lever. Once back on my bike the lever worked fine on the street but at trac pace, the brakes would slightly drag once hot and the bike refused to turn. I finally solved that issue and bought the offset tripple clamps and new steering bearings just to be sure there were no further undiagnosed turning issues. The rest was all due to Covid 19. My normal work day starts at 6am and does not end till 10:30pm when I get home from work. My commute is over 100 miles each way so the bike is not really an option and I only see my wife on the weekends so riding time on Weekends is limited. With Covids forced retirement, I had nothing but time to ride my street bike and with a track membership, I had several possible track days available. Once the ergonomics issue was resolved, I just used the free time to ride the wheels off both bikes. I went thru 3 sets of tires thus season. 2 on track hack and one on the street ride, usually even track tires last 2-3 seasons for me. Without the input, coaching and support from all you equally addicted forum members, this would have been my last track season as its no fun carrying speed into a turn just to lock up mid turn, panic and run wide worrying about staying on the track! How many trips would you pay for if you are not progressing? I was getting very discouraged and worried that eventually my front end push or running wide would end in a spectacular crash. The changes I made to the bike were not the solution, I had to change my body position so I could better support my torso with my legs and core. Once I addressed this, I was able to make the bike follow my inputs and times improved