Please explain this to me.

[psych0hans]

I hope this isn't too stupid a question, but I need someone to explain this line to me, to make sure I didn't get it wrong.

"Riders can expect to reach a high level of technical skill, but only if they ride at 75% of their limit"

[csmith12]

I have my interpretation but want to hear others.

[alex.s]

just don't crash

[beazy411]

The way I understand it is if you are riding full out, there is no margin for error. 75% of max is still moving and working with a little room to go, hey I can go faster through that turn or brake a little later. If you're going 100%, you may not realize that you just missed the brake point and completely trashed your line and might end up in the dirt or something harder. Just my .02$

[Aurodox]

"75% of their limit"

I take that to mean 75% of what you can currently control. Your "limit" will always get higher and higher the more you ride. I wouldn't recommend going 100% of what you can do, because who really knows what they can and can't do. I'd leave testing your skills for the track, following the laws for the street. My 2 cents.

[alex.s]

here is the problem. people have egos. what they think is "100%" is usually actually "%120". pushing it to your limits and knowing where your limits truly are is a hard thing. after all, how exactly do you know when a tire will slide or when parts will drag until they actually start doing it? "75%" of your limit means, bring up the pace slowly. otherwise you'll make too large of a change to braking zone or gas zone or some other change and you'll step so far over the limit that instead of a nice controlled slide because you just barely stepped over the line, you took a big jump over the line so now your bike is sliding away from you and you look like an idiot standing in the dirt at turn 1 during qualifying

if you are not comfortable with the speed you are riding, you are riding over your head. lots of things make you uncomfortable when you are riding but the biggest thing is speed. i don't mean bike spead, i mean the time between actions that you need to make. cutting down your braking zone means you need to do everything quicker while still remaining smooth. its hard to settle into these 'quick but smooth' zones, a lot of the difficulty is getting your mind to react quickly enough. and most of the challenge in that is knowing exactly what you are going to do, and exactly where you are going to do them. it lets you get ready to do those actions sooner which means you can do them quicker. i would liken it to a game of DDR. the challenge is not in how quickly your fingers or legs can move, the challenge is in being able to process the information fast enough to coordinate your body to do things at the right time in a quick succession.

go slow at first and ease into the speed. jumping straight in expecting to back it in like rossi on your outlap of your first track day is a good way to crash.

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by psych0hans

"Riders can expect to reach a high level of technical skill, but only if they ride at 75% of their limit"

I feel a rider can only reach a high level of technical skill when they understand what they are doing and why (good or bad). Then they expand on that knowledge with experience by correcting bad technics and riding more consistently with proper technics.

I dont really see how you can tell 75, 80, and even 100 percent. On the other hand if you are riding at 120% you will know it by being over your head and either crashing or having no idea why you didn't.

[csmith12]

Nice alex

[TBC]

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

I dont really see how you can tell 75, 80, and even 100 percent.

You can't. But you usually can tell when you're riding well above your limit and well below it. You learn nothing by doing everything perfectly, and you learn nothing but doing everything wrong. You have to find that sweet spot where you're correctly practicing what you need to be practicing without needlessly putting yourself into harm's way.

[mfresh]

I think "75% of their limit" means riding at a point where you feel fairly comfortable but are still pushing yourself hard enough to experience progress.

Similar to working out at 75% of your VO2 max (heart rate). There are five "exercise zones" based on your heart rate (in BPM). ~75% is considered the "aerobic" zone -- the sweet spot for many people.

Aerobic exercise includes lower intensity activities performed for longer periods of time.

In this zone you are not pushing yourself so hard that you go into "survival mode" like you would with more intense exercise. You still retain a certain level of cognitive ability which allows you to analyze things like technique; for example like in boxing.

I believe this correlates in much the same with with riding. 75% is as far as you can push yourself and still retain the ability to be consciously aware of your technical ability and your surroundings.

Anything above that and you enter this "survival mode" where you are so involved in simply "being" that your brain doesn't have time to analyze anything, it simply does. I would imagine this is the frame of mind most high-level racers would need to be in.

They are pushing themselves so far to their limit that there is no room to really learn anything because you have no time to observe what you are doing, you are simply just doing it.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by mfresh

Anything above that and you enter this "survival mode" where you are so involved in simply "being" that your brain doesn't have time to analyze anything, it simply does. I would imagine this is the frame of mind most high-level racers would need to be in.

They are pushing themselves so far to their limit that there is no room to really learn anything because you have no time to observe what you are doing, you are simply just doing it.

Simple and nearly perfect.

[adouglas]

The first time I ever operated a vehicle near my personal limit was when I was time trialing a race-prepped Toyota MR2 at Bridgehampton.

To my surprise, I found that even just driving down the straight and getting ready for the first turn at high speed consumed so much of my attention that I didn't have any left over to even look down at the gauges. It was an eye-opening experience. The mental workload is very high when you're near your limit.

As I got better, that went away... as noted above, your limit increases with experience as you develop the skill.

At 75 percent of capacity you're focused but not so deeply targeted that you can't think about anything else. You are able to assess and think about what's happening rather than just react.

I think it is, in part, an adrenaline thing. When you're pushing your limit the adrenaline is flowing and your brain works differently. You're less able to absorb and process information (learn) because you're too busy surviving. As you acclimate there's less adrenaline and a greater ability to focus.

[mfresh]

Originally Posted by adouglas

I think it is, in part, an adrenaline thing. When you're pushing your limit the adrenaline is flowing and your brain works differently. You're less able to absorb and process information (learn) because you're too busy surviving. As you acclimate there's less adrenaline and a greater ability to focus.

That's a very interesting observation. Makes total sense too.

As soon as you feel that adrenaline flowing it's way too hard to focus on what you're doing; at least that's the case with me.

So it could be said that from a physiological standpoint, anything past 75% and you run the risk of eliciting an adrenal response which could then impair your cognitive abilities (in terms of learning anyways).

[Joshorilla]

Well, 75% is an arbitrary number chosen to illustrate a lot but not your whole, you give it your whole you're going to crash, you give it too little you'll never learn anything and infact may pick up bad habits, you give it your half you'll never get any better.

It's like the workplace analogy for learning, they put you into three zones, comfort zone, outside your comfort zone & panic zone "think of it like a circle in a circle in a circle".

Your inner most circle is inside your comfort zone, you do everything you know how to do, you never try anything new, you coast along, it's comfortable but not engaging.

Outside your comfort zone, you're given new things you don't know but can build on, so you engage yourself, you learn you grow.

Panic zone you have no clue, your deadline is looming, you havn't been able to do anything, you're pushing yourself so hard you burn out, it's chaos, you don't achieve anything but stress.

[psych0hans]

Thanks for your reply guys, definitely makes it a whole lot clearer to me. My problem is whenever I feel I'm going "too fast" I panic, so is that my personal limit? When I start going into panic mode? Also, the only way to get over it is more seat time? Or are there other things I should constantly be doing to improve myself? I'm going to make a list of things I should improve upon and then tackle them one by one.

[Aurodox]

What you're feeling is you butting up against your comfort zone. It's important to stay inside your comfort zone so you can keep your mind clear to process your surroundings. The moment you leave your comfort zone your mind starts being filled with thoughts of "OH **** THIS IS CRAZY" instead of "I'm coming in too hot for this turn," or "there's a blind intersection up here." The main thing to do is just ride and continually get more and more comfortable with the roads and your bike.

Track guys might have some more input, I've been on bikes for 15 years but still fairly new to street riding, but I think that's some good input (if I can say so myself )

[adouglas]

You're getting to the heart of why I ride a motorcycle…

You can "phone it in" and zone out while you're riding. Be "the dude" and abide… and not learn squat. Or you can pay attention to what you're doing and practice the art of riding. Make every turn perfect. Pay attention to your body and head position. Make your transitions smooth and sharp… all that stuff. Make it a game… see how good a rider you can be.

You can have fun going the speed limit if you have the right attitude about it.

Example: In my parking lot at work I have to do a 180 when I leave to go home. So, every day, I practice the MSF low-speed turn thing. I try to hit a particular mark in the pavement and make the turn as tight and smooth as I can. It's just a little skill drill… but it's satisfying and is another opportunity to practice good bike control.

Example: On my commute I take an exit which is a perfect opportunity to blip downshift and smoothly roll on throttle as I power through a double-apex turn. When I get it right it feels great, so I shoot for perfection every time. I'm only going 35 mph but I don't care. It's not about speed. It's about precision.

[hirubhaiambani]

Originally Posted by adouglas

It's not about speed. It's about precision.

[csmith12]

Simply put: 75%..... The number used to represent a moment in time with a predicted and controlled outcome.

What is above that? Many things…. some are bloody obvious, while others are ninja subtle. Panic and other SR’s is a very good indicator of riding above that 75% measure. Other times it’s not the rider but the bike instead tells you it’s nearing its limit. The key is to recognize the signs, even if they are very subtle, before they are a problem.

As far as controlling panic and coming to terms with traction, it kinda goes like this.
A new riders perception of traction is sketchy and increased speed certainly doesn’t aid that perception. Time and experience will definitely improve that perception. If one wanted to break it down into individual skills to train to increase confidence and beat down SR’s then here are the big 7;

Visual skills
Steering
Turn points
Line selection
Rider inputs (throttle/brake/BP ect)
Lean angle (holding and altering line)
Picking up or Exiting the corner

Getting a grip on these base skills will give just about any rider the foundation to lay down an impressive pace with a high level confidence. My motto is and has always been, “seat time with goals”.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by psych0hans

Thanks for your reply guys, definitely makes it a whole lot clearer to me. My problem is whenever I feel I'm going "too fast" I panic, so is that my personal limit? When I start going into panic mode? Also, the only way to get over it is more seat time? Or are there other things I should constantly be doing to improve myself? I'm going to make a list of things I should improve upon and then tackle them one by one.

The quote in the OP belongs to Twist of the Wrist 2, and refers to the SR's:

"What happens after 75 percent? Everyone agrees, in some fashion, survival reactions (commonly known as fear) are the ever-present barrier to reaching their goals. Once the standard riding techniques are understood, this is the one button (also called panic) that nearly everyone pushes, at their own personal limit. This agreed-upon fact is what ruins riders' attempts to reach the goals they have envisioned for themselves. It ruins self-respect, confidence and trust in oneself in the process."

These articles from the same author may help you:

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/in...?showtopic=579

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/in...showtopic=3094

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/in...?showtopic=258

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/in...?showtopic=518

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/index.php?showtopic=9

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/in...?showtopic=406

[RedOctober]

Originally Posted by Aurodox

What you're feeling is you butting up against your comfort zone. It's important to stay inside your comfort zone so you can keep your mind clear to process your surroundings. The moment you leave your comfort zone your mind starts being filled with thoughts of "OH **** THIS IS CRAZY" instead of "I'm coming in too hot for this turn," or "there's a blind intersection up here." The main thing to do is just ride and continually get more and more comfortable with the roads and your bike.

Track guys might have some more input, I've been on bikes for 15 years but still fairly new to street riding, but I think that's some good input (if I can say so myself )

At the same time, what you will experience then is plateau. You will not get any better, you will keep doing the same thing over and over again. Approaching a turn you will simply brake early because you're comfortable there. If you're OK with that, that's great.
That's why my instructor had me do 3rd gear brakeless drills. To get me out of the comfort zone, simply b/c there was so much more performance I wasn't tapping b/c I was comfy where I was and scared to go further. On the track, obviously.

[alex.s]

it's an intricate dance. can you perform ballet perfectly, quickly, the first time you try? no. you begin slowly. you fall on your ass a few times. you move through the motions slower and more controlled so you can clearly see the mistakes you make. as you practice, your mind grows habbit and what was once concious effort is now unconcious muscle memory. when your song says drop, do you think first that you need to bend your knees? or do you simply drop it like its hawt? being fast is not possible without being smooth. being smooth is not possible without being confident. being confident is not possible without knowing. and knowing is not possible without first trying. so go out and try.

[nickjpass]

@alex.s I literally almost sh*t my pants when I read "drop it like it's hawt" lmao... Too funny. Also, you sound like that guy from Karate Kid.

[psych0hans]

Originally Posted by RedOctober

At the same time, what you will experience then is plateau. You will not get any better, you will keep doing the same thing over and over again. Approaching a turn you will simply brake early because you're comfortable there. If you're OK with that, that's great.
That's why my instructor had me do 3rd gear brakeless drills. To get me out of the comfort zone, simply b/c there was so much more performance I wasn't tapping b/c I was comfy where I was and scared to go further. On the track, obviously.

My thoughts exactly... To improve yourself, at some level you will HAVE to leave your "comfort zone" behind and tread into unchartered waters... How else will you know how far you can stretch your limits, or even what your limits are? Also, like CC cowboy said, How do you know what 75% or 80% of your limit is, when you don't even know your limit. As I mentioned before, I undergo a mild case of panic every time I approach turns 3, 15 and to an extent 16. So is that my limit? How do I cross that limit? I know I can go faster, but only after I'm midway through the turn. Right up till the point till I actually initiate the turn, i can generally taste how salty my b*lls are... One major step to preventing this was taking my finger off the brake lever while riding, but what else? How do I not have a minor heart attack every time I am reaching these turns?

[Domagoj]

Originally Posted by psych0hans

My thoughts exactly... To improve yourself, at some level you will HAVE to leave your "comfort zone" behind and tread into unchartered waters... How else will you know how far you can stretch your limits, or even what your limits are? Also, like CC cowboy said, How do you know what 75% or 80% of your limit is, when you don't even know your limit. As I mentioned before, I undergo a mild case of panic every time I approach turns 3, 15 and to an extent 16. So is that my limit? How do I cross that limit? I know I can go faster, but only after I'm midway through the turn. Right up till the point till I actually initiate the turn, i can generally taste how salty my b*lls are... One major step to preventing this was taking my finger off the brake lever while riding, but what else? How do I not have a minor heart attack every time I am reaching these turns?

Well, like me you are a track noob. I'll tell you some of my mistakes. These are specific for my case, but maybe you can recognize some of them as yours. I managed to work on some, others still remain... Or partially remain. They are not in any particular order actually.

- Wrong lines. Make sure you're not turning in too soon. It's a very common mistake. Remember where the turning marker is, and practice at lower speeds first. Right line looks a bit "too late" for the first few times.

- Are you afraid of changing direction quickly? If you take a long time to turn the bike, you simply run out of track and find that you have to reduce speed to complete the turning before the track ends. This results in slow corner speeds, and exactly the feeling you describe "halfway thru the corner I realize I could be going a lot quicker..."

- Are you sitting correctly? And I'm not talking about sideways movements. @Csmith opened a whole world of possibilities for me last summer when he asked me about my forward-backward body position. I simply neglected that part, but after trying to move around realized that it makes a huge impact on the comfrot of turning.

- Are you in general very stiff and "rude" to the bike? Make a few relaxed laps, thinking only about where you tense up. Sections of the track which scare you usually scare you at least a bit even while going very slow. Ride through with conscious effort to be relaxed, take your time to notice the width of the track once again, to realize how much space you actually don't use, and how the bike moves beneath you without you clenching the handlebars.

- Know when to call it a day. Trying to improve while feeling tired and exhausted (be that physically or mentally) won't be pleasant or rewarding at all.

[psych0hans]

Originally Posted by Domagoj

Well, like me you are a track noob. I'll tell you some of my mistakes. These are specific for my case, but maybe you can recognize some of them as yours. I managed to work on some, others still remain... Or partially remain. They are not in any particular order actually.

I'm DEFINITELY a track noob, with only two days and about an equal number of hours of track riding under my belt. I'll try elaborating my own track experience in line with your narration.

Originally Posted by Domagoj

- Wrong lines. Make sure you're not turning in too soon. It's a very common mistake. Remember where the turning marker is, and practice at lower speeds first. Right line looks a bit "too late" for the first few times.

Lines? what are they? I honestly have very little idea about what lines I should be taking. I'm definitely turning in TOO early in most of the turns, but on some I'm alright. For me the "S" bends seem to be relatively ok, because, at BIC, I'm already at a relatively lower speed while I'm at them, but I really mess up my lines on some of the faster turns where my SRs kick in full time. I'm also very sketchy on turns 10-11 because it's a double apex/decreasing radius turn and I have to roll off midway and then roll on again to maintain my line. I'm thinking maybe if I start the turn as late as possible, I might not have to make as many corrections?

Originally Posted by Domagoj

- Are you afraid of changing direction quickly? If you take a long time to turn the bike, you simply run out of track and find that you have to reduce speed to complete the turning before the track ends. This results in slow corner speeds, and exactly the feeling you describe "halfway thru the corner I realize I could be going a lot quicker..."

Honestly, I'm not afraid of "quick flicking" my bike, its only the speed that scares the piss out of me on some turns, namely 3 and 15. I'm not sure if it's the speed itself or rather the perception of speed... Either way, it sends me into panic mode and leads to excessive braking.

Originally Posted by Domagoj

- Are you sitting correctly? And I'm not talking about sideways movements. @Csmith opened a whole world of possibilities for me last summer when he asked me about my forward-backward body position. I simply neglected that part, but after trying to move around realized that it makes a huge impact on the comfrot of turning.

I've actually uploaded a video in the videos section with a butt cam view to get a better idea of my body positioning, but I don't think it came out right. Body positioning is definitely a weak point for me. The whole concept of "hanging off" is quiet alien to me and really takes up a lot of my attention if I try. I just try leaning down and inside of the bike while turning just to keep my CoG as low as possible. I'll really have to give a shot to proper hanging off with my weight on the pegs, etc... I'm not even thinking about dragging knee right now, and at BIC, being such a fast track, I'm not sure I need to?

Originally Posted by Domagoj

- Are you in general very stiff and "rude" to the bike? Make a few relaxed laps, thinking only about where you tense up. Sections of the track which scare you usually scare you at least a bit even while going very slow. Ride through with conscious effort to be relaxed, take your time to notice the width of the track once again, to realize how much space you actually don't use, and how the bike moves beneath you without you clenching the handlebars.

I actually do try and be as relaxed as possible on the bike, but you are right, some turns do scare the piss out of me, causing me to be rather stiff while braking. I am working on being as loose as possible, so hopefully I can iron out that SR soon. Again, it's the "perception of speed" that I need to get over first, then everything else can start coming into place.

Originally Posted by Domagoj

- Know when to call it a day. Trying to improve while feeling tired and exhausted (be that physically or mentally) won't be pleasant or rewarding at all.

This is definitely not a problem for me, I know when my body can't take no more and when i find myself reluctant to get back on the saddle, I quit. No point forcing myself to ride, only to lose focus and have a mishap...

Track map for your reference.

[n_aditya]

Originally Posted by psych0hans

I hope this isn't too stupid a question, but I need someone to explain this line to me, to make sure I didn't get it wrong.

"Riders can expect to reach a high level of technical skill, but only if they ride at 75% of their limit"

It's like the 80/20 rule.

Ride at 75% of your limits/skill and reserve the balance 25% for those panic moments. This will help you save your skin and your bike from a slippery/sticky/dangerous situation.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by psych0hans

Lines? what are they? I honestly have very little idea about what lines I should be taking. I'm definitely turning in TOO early in most of the turns, but on some I'm alright. For me the "S" bends seem to be relatively ok, because, at BIC, I'm already at a relatively lower speed while I'm at them, but I really mess up my lines on some of the faster turns where my SRs kick in full time.

Get a tow from a rider that will not totally leave you behind.

Originally Posted by psych0hans

I'm also very sketchy on turns 10-11 because it's a double apex/decreasing radius turn and I have to roll off midway and then roll on again to maintain my line. I'm thinking maybe if I start the turn as late as possible, I might not have to make as many corrections?

No one is an expert their first time around. While not a huge problem on the 250, get in the habit now of not adding lean angle and acceleration at the same time. The hook turn skill should be the secret to holding your line with good throttle control through T11. Build up to it, it takes time.

Originally Posted by psych0hans

I've actually uploaded a video in the videos section with a butt cam view to get a better idea of my body positioning, but I don't think it came out right. Body positioning is definitely a weak point for me. The whole concept of "hanging off" is quiet alien to me and really takes up a lot of my attention if I try. I just try leaning down and inside of the bike while turning just to keep my CoG as low as possible. I'll really have to give a shot to proper hanging off with my weight on the pegs, etc... I'm not even thinking about dragging knee right now, and at BIC, being such a fast track, I'm not sure I need to?

To start, lead with your chin and try to get your head lower where the mirrors would be. Move you head.... the rest will follow soon enough. Moving your butt back farther in the saddle should help with this as well as leverage to steer the bike.

[RedOctober]

I still want to be clear...comfort zone is something you get into where you can ride on autopilot (well, almost autopilot). I can do that on my tracks here...I don't even need to look around, I can put up decent intermed group times by barely looking at reference points, still hit all my lines b/c I know them. That's comfort. I can concentrate on working on other things then.
What comfort zone is NOT is "OMG I dont know what lines I need to take, I dont know whether I'm hanging off right" and all the other OMG moments.
If you're in that state, you're not in your comfort zone and you are probably riding well above your 75%. Remember, 75% is relative.

On the other hand, if you know the lines, if you're smooth, if you are predictable, then thats your comfort zone. It's extra bad if you're also cautious (like me) b/c then you just want to sit in the zone. That's where you need to push yourself past the 75% in small increments so that when you ride at 80% and get comfortable, it becomes your 75% for next time.

[mfresh]

This turned out to be a thread full of great information and wisdom. I almost feel it should be stickied...

I hate to link to another thread, but I just posted this up in the videos section and I think it is a great visual demonstration of how to sit on your bike properly to maximize stability. It made a huge difference for me.

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?p=650458

[cbinker]

Research I have found that if you train at 80% of your ability you make the best progress.

[Misti]

Originally Posted by psych0hans

Thanks for your reply guys, definitely makes it a whole lot clearer to me. My problem is whenever I feel I'm going "too fast" I panic, so is that my personal limit? When I start going into panic mode? Also, the only way to get over it is more seat time? Or are there other things I should constantly be doing to improve myself? I'm going to make a list of things I should improve upon and then tackle them one by one.

Great thread, and perfect timing as I just wrote an article on this very topic. I titled it, Go Slow to Go Fast.

To answer your question, whenever you get into panic mode it should be a clear indication to you that YES you are riding above your personal comfort zone and have hit a barrier. You will no longer be able to effectively learn new skills that will help you push past this comfort zone if you continue to ride panicked.

Seat time in not just the answer, sure seat time and gaining experience helps but it needs to be what I call, ACTIVE seat time. Active seat time means more than just riding, but riding with a purpose and an intent to learn. You should have a list of specific things that you want to work on and keep plugging away at those things in order to continuously make improvements, one thing at a time.

So, when you find yourself going into panic mode, take a moment to look back at what happened in the corner. Did you enter in too fast and freak out mid corner? How can you then work on setting your entry speed correctly so this doesn't happen? Did you run wide in the corner and narrowly miss hitting an oncoming car? Take time to figure out what you did that caused you to run wide and work on making changes so it doesn't happen again.

Whenever you panic, bring down the pace a little bit until you can get through the corner mistake free and then work on bringing up the pace slow and steady so you are upping your personal limit but in a safe and consistent manner.

Originally Posted by Motofool

The quote in the OP belongs to Twist of the Wrist 2, and refers to the SR's:

"What happens after 75 percent? Everyone agrees, in some fashion, survival reactions (commonly known as fear) are the ever-present barrier to reaching their goals. Once the standard riding techniques are understood, this is the one button (also called panic) that nearly everyone pushes, at their own personal limit. This agreed-upon fact is what ruins riders' attempts to reach the goals they have envisioned for themselves. It ruins self-respect, confidence and trust in oneself in the process."

These articles from the same author may help you:

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/in...?showtopic=579

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/in...showtopic=3094

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/in...?showtopic=258

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/in...?showtopic=518

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/index.php?showtopic=9

http://forums.superbikeschool.com/in...?showtopic=406

Thanks for posting the entire quote as I think it gives a little bit more insight into what Keith is saying when he says that riders can improve but only when they ride at 75% of their limit. What he is essentially saying is that you cannot learn very effectively if you are hanging on for dear life. In this mode you aren’t able to stay relaxed and you may be struggling to even think. You simply go into survival mode.

Instead of focusing on trying to be fast, a safer and more effective method is to slow your pace to 70 or 80% and carefully work on mastering the basics. With the basics in order, speed will come effortlessly.

Now, this does not mean that riders shouldn't ever ride above 75% of their limit it just means that most of the learning is done around this pace and that many people get caught up trying to ride fast but don't realize that trying to ride fast rarely produces the results they are looking for. Mastering the basics at a slightly slower pace is what builds a solid foundation and ensures that when the time is right to up the pace, the skills will be there to handle it.

When I was racing I implemented this philosophy by practicing at approx 75% of my ability and then once I was confident with the skills began upping the pace so that when I got to the AMA practice/qualifying sessions I could push myself to 95-100% of my ability and was able to handle it. As racers know, when it comes to race time it is balls to the wall, give it all you've got, 100% time. But, the only way this works is if you have put the time in earlier to solidly grasp the skills so that when you chose to go fast, you can.

Going fast isn't about riding on the ragged edge and holding on for dear life. Going fast is about implementing the skills you learned while training and practicing at a lower pace.

As Keith Code says in Twist of the Wrist, “Most riders try to go faster each time on the track. That is a whole decision in itself that should be reserved for racing and for when you have done a good amount of thinking about the track. Once you’ve done the boring parts of looking and experimentation to see what works, you are armed with enough knowledge to make your decision to go faster really work. Without solving some of your barriers and rough spots on the track, you just make mistakes at a higher speed. It has been said many times by many good riders: First do it right, then add the speed.”

Misti

[Motofool]

As usual, your post is excellent, Misti.

In my experience, learning any non-natural mental skill, like riding a motorcycle, takes a lot of repetition.
It is not only speed and the sensation of reduced space what can spook a rider.

I do practice Moto Gymkhana, where the maneuvers are slow and extreme, but against the clock.
There is an exercise that I complete too slowly.
I study the drill and know what I need to do to perfect it.

I start slower than normal, applying the proper technique, and things start flowing as they should, it looks easy, it feels smooth !!!
Continue repeating the exercise and polishing details, being able to implement the new technique..........the implacable clock tells me that I am still slow, but the maneuver feels much better executed.

Once I start fighting the time, when I try pushing my limit consciously, there is an involuntary tendency to fall back into the wrong way of executing the exercise,.......that desirable smoothness disappears..........and the clock once again laughs at me.

It is very hard for an old brain to create a new habit like that one, but not impossible.
Constant repetition focusing only on disciplining the mind to the proper technique is the way to improve.
Once you skill improves, your control, smoothness, flow and time improve..................it doesn't work the other way around.

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by Misti

Go Slow to Go Fast.


Misti

This quote reminded me of my mentor in RoadRacing, Dale Quarterley. Dale got me into racing and after busting my balls the first year of racing he became a mentor teaching me how to go fast and be comfortable doing it.

My first year I was a novice and Dale and I weren't on the track at the same time so his only advice was follow someone faster than you are. I won every race I was in that year so I was having problems following. My second year I did the Penguin school with Jerry Wood before the season started. I was a Junior that year and we practiced and raced with the experts so Dale and I practiced together. I won every race that year also. What Dale taught me most was to relax. I would be so pumped up and adrenalin fueled that I was stiff while racing. Dale would lead me around during practice and ride with one hand while dragging the other on the track showing me where the line was. He taught me to let the bike move around and stay fluid. Let the tires slide, spin, and drift. Dale and I rode endurance races together and you have to be relaxed to ride in a 6 hour race of you won't make it to the end.

This has been posted before (I think) but here it is again:

Lessons Learned: 20 Pro Motorcycle Roadracing Riding Tips
A few things to think about at your next track day
By Brian Catterson, Photography by Gold & Goose
Motorcyclist, October, 2006

What's the proper way to ride a motorcycle? Ask a dozen riders and you'll get a dozen answers. Not even the experts can agree. Take something as simple as steering: Forget that whole push-right-to-go-left deal. Keith Code gave us the Power Pivot, Reg Pridmore preaches body steering and Freddie Spencer stresses trail-braking to change direction. Totally contradictory techniques, yet they all work. Who are we to disagree?

The thing about riding a motorcycle is there is no one proper way--there are lots of ways. And you never stop learning. Take what you hear or read or see or are taught, think about it, give it a go, and if it works, make it your own. Then share it with your friends.

As a journalist, racer and track-day instructor, I've been doing just that for more than two decades now. Drawing from that experience, I've compiled 20 tips that, for one reason or another, have stuck in my craw for lo these many years. Most I got straight from the source, a few I read in books or magazines, but all are nuggets of information that have served me well. I hope they do the same for you.

1. Keith Code
LEARN TO THINK FOR YOURSELF

Say what you will about the guru, Keith Code wrote the book on high-performance motorcycle riding and it's called A Twist of the Wrist. Twenty-three years after it was first published, it's still tops on my list. I took Code's California Superbike School twice in 1984 and '85, and at first found his teaching style frustrating. Asked the best line through a corner, he turned the question back to me: "I don't know. There are lots of correct lines. They change depending on what bike you're riding, the condition of your tires, etc. What line do you think is correct?" What I thought was I'd better learn to think for myself.

2. Wes Cooley
KEEP YOUR CHEST ON THE TANK

The second time I took the California Superbike School, Wes Cooley was a guest instructor. I was impressed by how tidy he was on the bike--always tucked in behind the windscreen without any limbs sticking out in the breeze. Later, he told the class a funny story: "One day I came in from practice and my dad told me I needed to stay tucked in. I told him I had, so he tied a shoelace from my zipper to the ignition key. When I came back in after the next session, my leathers were unzipped to my waist." Keeping your chest on the tank not only improves your bike's aerodynamics, it lowers the center of gravity and gives the front tire a better bite.


John Kocinski
Spanish Gran Prix, 1990
3. John Kocinski
TRUST YOUR TIRES

Everyone frets about cold tires, especially when they're fresh from the molds. Not John Kocinski. In the years before John Boy won the 1990 250cc world championship, I covered the AMA 250cc Grand Prix series for Cycle News, and can recall him routinely going to the starting grid on unscrubbed slicks. "That's OK, I'll just push the front a couple of times on the warm-up lap and they'll be fine," I once heard him tell Dunlop's Jim Allen. This was years before tire-warmers were invented, incidentally. Kocinski's competitors were quick to point out he got the good Dunlops straight from the GPs, but it wasn't his tires that won him three consecutive titles, it was his confidence.

4. Danny Coe
ALWAYS UPSHIFT AFTER MISSING A GEAR

Back in the late '80s, Danny Coe of Cycle magazine was a top AMA 250cc GP competitor and unofficial champion of the Moto-Journalist GPs. When during a GSX-R launch at Laguna Seca I mentioned I'd botched a downshift, he asked me what I did next. "Um, I downshifted again." Wrong: Coe insisted you should always shift up after missing a shift, to ensure you're not a gear lower than you intended. Better to be out of the powerband than to have the rear tire hopping up and down, trying to pass the front.

5. Jason Pridmore
HUG THE CURVES

In '93 I rode for Kawasaki at the Willow Springs 24-Hour, and one of my teammates was Jason Pridmore. This was long before he established his STAR Motorcycle School, but he'd been instructing with his father's CLASS organization and had become adept at identifying riders' shortcomings. He followed me for a few laps during practice and afterward told me I needed to run tighter lines. Where I'd go through a corner with my knee on the white line, Jason would take it with his knee on or even over the curb. More often than not, the shortest path around a racetrack is the quickest.

6. Dale Quarterley
GIVE TO GET

During my six-year tenure as a race reporter for American Roadracing and Cycle News, there were two riders I could count on to give me a straight answer. One of those was Dale Quarterley. At 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, the New Englander was too big to ever have been considered for a factory ride, but at Mid-Ohio in 1993 he won an AMA Superbike national--the last privateer to do so. He was a guest instructor when I took the Penguin School at Loudon that year, and his pet phrase was "give to get"--that is, you've got to give up speed at the corner entrance to get it back at the end of the following straight. Rushing a corner entrance only ruins your drive at the exit.

7. Randy Renfrow
NEVER GIVE UP

I miss this guy. Randy Renfrow was one of the nicest guys in motorcycle racing, but also one of the most determined. Not even having a toe grafted on to replace a lost thumb could extinguish his competitive spirit. Racing with Ducati-mounted Dale Quarterley for the lead of a Pro Twins race at Heartland Park Topeka circa 1989, Renfrow lost the front end of his Common-wealth Honda RS750 and fell to the ground, yet somehow managed to pull himself back on board and continue on to victory. "Bikes don't fall down, riders drag them down," he told me afterward. Ironically, it wasn't a crash that claimed Renfrow's life; it was a freak fall down a flight of stairs while recovering from one.


Kevin Schwantz
Dutch TT, 1992
8. Kevin Schwantz
LOOK WHERE YOU'RE GOING

Book of Duh, Chapter One, but Kevin Schwantz's take is refreshing, especially for those of us whose height (or girth, or both) makes crawling under the paint difficult. Sure, the 1993 500cc world champion tucked in on the straights, but not as much as his rivals; he'd raise his head just enough to look over--or around--the windscreen. Like they taught you in Driver's Ed, looking farther down the road gives you a big-picture view that effectively slows things down--an important consideration at triple-digit speeds.

9. Steve Crevier
RIDE PROUD

Jockey-sized multi-time Canadian Superbike Champion Steve Crevier started out racing lightweight 250s, and after moving up to heavier production bikes realized he needed to change his riding style. Sitting bolt upright in the saddle--or "riding proud," as he called it--helped him maximize his leverage on the handlebars. As a track-day instructor, I've quoted Crevier countless times while trying to get new riders to focus on riding the motorcycle first and assuming the position later. When you start dragging hard parts, it's time to hang off. Until then, ride proud.

10. Doug Polen
THE FAST LINE ISN'T ALWAYS OBVIOUS

For the past seven years I've instructed with The Track Club at Buttonwillow Raceway, thus I know the track like the back of my hand. But after taking part in one of Doug Polen's One-on-One training sessions with radio communication, my idea of the right line was dramatically altered. B-Willow has two sections with three corners in a row, and everyone swoops back and forth across the track to negotiate them. Everyone except Polen: The former AMA and World Superbike champion stays hard on the gas way past the customary braking point for the first corner, trail-brakes straight up the inside of the second, hugs the apex and then gets a killer drive out of the third. Freddie Spencer has a term for this; he calls it "throwing out a corner."


Eddie Lawson & Scott Russell
Daytona 200, 1993
11. Eddie Lawson
LEARN HOW YOUR SUSPENSION WORKS

When Eddie Lawson returned from the 500cc Grand Prix wars to ride a Vance & Hines Yamaha Superbike in the 1993 Daytona 200, he had to get a handle on an unfamiliar motorcycle without the benefit of prior testing. To do so, he spent his initial practice sessions exploring the full range of suspension and chassis adjustments before he even tried to go fast. The results were predictable: He won the race after an epic battle with Mr. Daytona, Scott Russell. And then went onto a modestly successful career in Indycar racing, where his methodical approach served him equally well.

12. Scott Russell
STEER WITH THE REAR

Once upon a time (1994), in a land far, far away (Malaysia), there was a press introduction for the then-new Kawasaki ZX-9R. It was hot--really hot--and the sketchy stock Bridge-stone tires gave me fits until I watched Scott Russell ride. Undaunted by the lack of traction (he'd experienced worse at the end of races), the reigning World Superbike champion set a blistering pace 4 seconds per lap quicker than the fastest journalist, and slewed sideways off the corners in complete control. How'd he do that? Simple: He weighted the inside footpeg to break the rear tire loose, then weighted the outside peg to get it to hook back up.

13. David Sadowski
BE YOUR OWN SLIPPER CLUTCH

Talk to anyone who raced with David Sadowski and they'll more likely tell you about his balls than his brains. But as the 1990 Daytona 200 winner's racing results and subsequent stint as a television commentator proved, Ski gave a lot of thought to his racing. One year at Daytona I was chatting with Doug Polen while waiting for the riders' meeting to start, when up walks Sadowski with a newspaper. On the cover was a photo of Polen entering Turn 1 with his hand still visibly squeezing his Ducati's clutch lever. The ensuing dialogue was enlightening as the two discussed the merits of trailing the clutch to the apex to modulate engine braking and thus prevent rear wheel hop. Nowadays we've got slipper clutches to do this for us, but it's still a useful technique.

14. Doug Chandler
SAVE A SLIDE

What do you do when the rear end starts coming around on the throttle? According to three-time AMA Superbike Champion Doug Chandler, the answer is: nothing. And he should know. With wins in all four disciplines of AMA Grand National dirt-track competition and Supermoto, he obviously knows how to slide a motor-cycle. According to him, when the rear tire starts sliding, the last thing you want to do is chop the throttle; instead, simply stop adding throttle until the tire hooks back up. A one-time Keith Code protg (he wrote the liner notes for A Twist of the Wrist 2), Chandler recently started a riding school (www.champ-racing.com) and one of his first graduates was his son, Jett.


Kenny Roberts
Dutch TT, 1979
15. Kenny Roberts
GO FAST IN THE FAST PARTS

Three-time 500cc World Champion Kenny Roberts doesn't believe in coasting--you're either on the gas or on the brakes. The most important corner on any racetrack is the one that leads onto the longest (and thus fastest) straightaway, so Roberts would put a priority on getting that section right. Trying to go fast in slower corners is not only pointless, it's risky, because you don't have momentum on your side. If the front tire loses grip in a fast turn, you've got time to save it. If it lets go in a slow one, it's game over.

16. David Aldana
CONSIDER THE FRONT BRAKE LEVER AND THROTTLE CONTROL AS ONE CONTROL

I'm not old enough to have raced with David Aldana, but there was a period in the '90s when he did some testing for Roadracing World and I was fortunate to spend time with him. Bones (so nicknamed because of his infamous skeleton leathers) is nothing if not animated, and it was while he was regaling us with one of his zany racing tales that I detected a pattern in his hand-and-wrist motions. I mentioned this to him, and he replied that he considered the front brake lever and throttle as one control; you squeeze the lever as you close the throttle, and release it as you open it.


Freddie Spencer
British GP, 1987
17. Freddie Spencer
BRAKE WHERE YOU NEED TO, NOT WHERE YOU THINK YOU SHOULD

I've taken the Freddie Spencer High Performance Riding School twice, at nine-year intervals. And while the curriculum has changed, the message remains the same: Be smooth. "Fast riders have slow hands," Spencer says, and then puts you on the back of his Honda VFR to show you what he means. The three-time world champion doesn't snatch at the brake lever; he squeezes it like the trigger of a gun, and releases it just as gently. Moreover, he uses braking pressure to get the bike to change direction, tightening his line as speed decreases. Freddie doesn't rigidly adhere to brake markers, either; he's more flexible, braking earlier or later and making adjustments mid-corner as necessary.

18. Marco Lucchinelli
USE THE REAR BRAKE

I took the Ducati Riding Experience racing course at Misano, Italy, a few years ago, and my instructor was 1981 500cc World Champion Marco Lucchinelli. Belying his nickname, Lucky spent time in prison on drug charges and frankly wasn't riding like a man who had beaten racing greats with names such as Roberts and Rossi--or at least their dads. The only memorable advice he gave me was, "You should use the rear brake." When I asked him why, he said, "Because there are two," and then explained how using the rear brake to scrub off unwanted speed mid-corner is safer than adding more front brake pressure.

19. Barry Veneman
GIVE IT FULL STICK

How did a Dutch Supersport racer make this list? During the international Masterbike competition at Valencia, Spain, in 2005, I was talking to Barry Veneman and heard him condense the act of going fast into the simplest possible terms: "Choose lines that let you get to full throttle the soonest." Bazza explained that before he was exposed to data acquisition in the 500cc GPs, he had no idea how little time he spent at full stick--typically less than 10 percent of a lap. So he started picking lines that let him pin the throttle as early as possible, making sure he felt it click against the stop.

20. Rickey Gadson
DON'T LAUNCH AT REDLINE

And so it ends--at the beginning. Watch the start of any roadrace and you'll likely see 30 riders doing it wrong. I know--I was one of them. It wasn't until a couple of years ago that Pro dragracer Rickey Gadson set me straight. Most roadracers hold their engines at or near redline and then dump the clutch, resulting in a wild wheelie, a squawking clutch or both. Rickey does it differently: He holds engine revs at peak torque, not peak horsepower, lets out the clutch quickly and then pins the throttle. His launches are unspectacular affairs, the only excitement the howl of the rear tire--and the killer 60-foot time he just laid down. Believe me, you wouldn't want to race him for pinks! -MC



Read more: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/ho...#ixzz2NYEk2Xf1

There is a lot of understand and practice but it covers enough to get you going better.

[mfresh]

Fantastic addition to the thread! @CC Cowboy

So interesting to see the variety of riding philosophies.

[nickjpass]

Just book marked this thread because of that lol

[Miles_Prower]

@Misti, WOW i just realized that you are in twist of the wrist 2!!! I watched it again tonight and was like wait a minute...this lady looks familiar. Then I went onto your site and was like hmm..no wayy!! and then i doubled checked in the credits and sure enough, Misti Hurst! so cool, maybe I'm behind times but that is awesome!

[nickjpass]

I didn't know that either lol

[psych0hans]

@Misti

[Misti]

Originally Posted by Miles_Prower

@Misti, WOW i just realized that you are in twist of the wrist 2!!! I watched it again tonight and was like wait a minute...this lady looks familiar. Then I went onto your site and was like hmm..no wayy!! and then i doubled checked in the credits and sure enough, Misti Hurst! so cool, maybe I'm behind times but that is awesome!

Hahahaha, yep that is me It was pretty fun doing the filming and pretty cool to be in a movie. In case you are interested there is another film i'm in, it is actually a documentary on myself and my AMA teammate Josh Galster. It's a Slednecks film called Minor Details. I think you can get it off Slednecks.com

It basically showcases what it is like for privateer riders to try and compete against the factory guys. There is some great footage of us travelling across the USA, working on our own bikes, sleeping in the back of a mini van, paying for racing with multiple credit cards and having a wicked old time!!!

Originally Posted by psych0hans

@Misty

Hahaha, you guys are awesome