Yakaru rambles about Track 2017

[Yakaru]

I've had a bunch of different things bouncing through my head on the topic of doing my second year of track days and none of them quite felt post worthy, but they're all things I wanted to talk about -- so why not a giant ramble!

Here's some things I've been spending brain cells on!

1. Track Day vs School
So I've attended California Superbike for a number of years now, I really enjoy the program and always feel like I get a lot out of it. Last year I started going to my first track days and I think that did me a lot of good too -- with about a year going by between schools there wasn't much "muscle memory" built up. I definitely think some regular track time is indispensable. I'm signed up, currently, for 2 different CSS school sessions: The Ridge, my "home" track, which I'll be going to for 4 days and Circuit of the Americas where I'll be for 3. There's no question I'll be picking up at least a few track org tickets as well, though I'm still waiting on schedules. The question is balance. I could fit in lots and lots of track days or I could do less and maybe fit in another school or two.

• Track Day Pros
  • Far Cheaper (school gets expensive quick as you add up sessions)
  • More sessions available generally
  • No major travel issues. No car rentals or hotel rooms. Plus air travel with bike gear is annoying if you don't want to check luggage.
  • Consistent practice on a track I know
• School Pros
  • A bike and most supplies are provided. no loading up and playing tetris with the canopy, food, tables, tools, fuel, etc. in my tiny Honda.
  • Last year I started skipping days. The biggest reason being that it was getting lonely. I'm introverted and don't mingle to make friends easily. At school I know the staff, and have a good automatic association with my coach and their other students which keeps me engaged.
  • Constant feedback helps me learn new areas that I need to focus on as my old problems get improved.
  • See new tracks, learn new things from their unique challenges (speaking of which: any recommendations? I've done The Ridge and Streets at Willow Springs w/CSS and Pacific Raceways on a track day)

2. My goal path
These are just things I want to work on, in a rough order of the approach that feels right. Obviously you never stop working on the fundamentals, but it's always worth putting at the top and having the other goals help guide and not override.

• Work on my fundamental skills. A few specific areas, in no particular order, are:
  • Vision Skills: I need to get better at a smooth shift in attention. I'm way too snappy from one reference point to the next (and usually focusing on them later than I should).
  • Get more comfortable with speed where it's "free". There are quite a few places I know I can pick up the pace way more than I do; but my old street driving/riding kicks in and scares me off a bit ("What's the big hurry"). Getting over this hang up is going to take some time. When I get over it I also will probably need to re-evaluate my reference points and I'll also have to start getting much more comfortable using the brakes more aggressively (I brake very softly and very early, I've already made posts about that and the issues it's caused me).
  • Body Positioning is less important than many track riders make it, but I'm working on my core muscles and my flexibility so I can get a better, more comfortable hang off. I even hired a personal trainer and explained this was my primary goal.
• See if I can hit "Middle" group this year with a track org. I'd love to get bumped up, though I hear that the middle group can be a bit crazy. I don't want to move up until a control rider tells me I'm ready.
• Work towards Code R.A.C.E., CSS's race school. I don't know if I want to actually start racing but I'd love to at least try it out some. Going now seems like a waste, given my above habits.
• End goal: "Coach Ready" -- I don't expect to hit it this year but as my aspirational goal I'd like to reach a point where applying as a coach myself would be possible. I love teaching and I love riding -- just need to learn the skills and get the body and mind tuned. I may never get there, but it's my north star.

3. Big Tracks -- How to dial in reference points/turn points/lines
So this is something I've struggled with a few times now. I've got some problem corner. I'm looking for reference points, turn points, a good plan of attack on my line so I can have good throttle control. So I pick something and try it out. Then... I have a whole lap. When I'm coming back up on the turn I need to re-construct the last turn and figure out what I want to change and then implement it. The rest of the track becomes almost a distraction; especially if I focus on other skills or if I try and play with other corners' line then I just muddy up my mind.
The longer the track, the more problematic this gets. It's more time between attempts to fudge your memory and you'll get less shots at it per session. I sometimes wish I had the track to myself and that they had good 'loop backs' so I could get back to the same part and keep dialing it in.
I think in part this comes from the fact I work best with immediate feedback. My first CSS had my coach asking "what were you thinking here" for various parts of the track and I usually had only vague recollections - my thoughts were focused on the exercise and everything else was just being filtered out. Towards the end of the day the coach was pulling me off the track here and there and the immediacy of his feedback gave me much more grounded lessons that I implemented better and faster. Sadly The Ridge doesn't have convenient pulls offs in nearly as many places.

4. Learn how to "feel" the bike. I read a lot where people talk about their sense of traction, what the suspension is doing, that sort of thing. I'm pretty blind to those sensations. I mean, sure, going over gravel bumps me around, but not much past that. I want to figure this out but have no idea where to start.

[Ducati999]

@Yakaru,
I am in just about the same situation as you state above. I learned sooooo much at the riding school I attended and I try to use the "track time" to apply and build muscle memory from what I was taught. I think you can do a School then a few track days to apply what you learned then return to school to refine what you have learned. Physical fitness is super important once the pace picks up as you cant focus and continue to do things right if you are exhausted. Once you reach the point of fatigue you are no longer doing things as well or as fast as you should which leads to mistakes and you are not spending money to do things wrong!

I have similar problems with reference points and I tend to focus too much on the little "X's" they place on the track rather than find solid reference points around the track. I also tend to "Coast" and not carry enough speed long enough (lazy/light braking). When it come to the "feedback" from the bike/tires, I found that once I got the Ergonomics and suspension better sorted on my bike, I was felling much more of what the bike was telling me. I am still learning but the best way I can describe the feeling ----(anyone who knows better please correct me if I am wrong)---- You can feel the pressure or resistance of the tires increase as you turn, you feel a certain load in the suspension (hopefully smooth and not intermintent, skipping, pumping) as the G-force increases in the turn. You can feel the "tar snakes" and bumps as you go over them and you feel the "weight" of the steering thru the bars as you lean into the turn. You will become familiar with the "level" of this load as you begin to get faster and you will feel if something changes or feels unfamiliar. When I crashed this last season, I suddenly felt the rear get lose as the tire began to spin up and lose traction. I could feel the "weight" of the G-force on the bike and then I felt the rear begin to loosen at it started to slide, it felt like it got numb (less load being put to the ground and now sliding out). That is the best I can explain in this post.

I wish you best of luck with all your goals and riding this next season and I hope we both improve and meet our goals!

[jrshooter]

Originally Posted by Ducati999

@Yakaru,
I am in just about the same situation as you state above. I learned sooooo much at the riding school I attended and I try to use the "track time" to apply and build muscle memory from what I was taught. I think you can do a School then a few track days to apply what you learned then return to school to refine what you have learned. Physical fitness is super important once the pace picks up as you cant focus and continue to do things right if you are exhausted. Once you reach the point of fatigue you are no longer doing things as well or as fast as you should which leads to mistakes and you are not spending money to do things wrong!

I have similar problems with reference points and I tend to focus too much on the little "X's" they place on the track rather than find solid reference points around the track. I also tend to "Coast" and not carry enough speed long enough (lazy/light braking). When it come to the "feedback" from the bike/tires, I found that once I got the Ergonomics and suspension better sorted on my bike, I was felling much more of what the bike was telling me. I am still learning but the best way I can describe the feeling ----(anyone who knows better please correct me if I am wrong)---- You can feel the pressure or resistance of the tires increase as you turn, you feel a certain load in the suspension (hopefully smooth and not intermintent, skipping, pumping) as the G-force increases in the turn. You can feel the "tar snakes" and bumps as you go over them and you feel the "weight" of the steering thru the bars as you lean into the turn. You will become familiar with the "level" of this load as you begin to get faster and you will feel if something changes or feels unfamiliar. When I crashed this last season, I suddenly felt the rear get lose as the tire began to spin up and lose traction. I could feel the "weight" of the G-force on the bike and then I felt the rear begin to loosen at it started to slide, it felt like it got numb (less load being put to the ground and now sliding out). That is the best I can explain in this post.

I wish you best of luck with all your goals and riding this next season and I hope we both improve and meet our goals!

try this , absolutely get a track map and write notes,
pick maybe 3 corners , the one's leading onto a straight. some corners are more important than others. look at how your exit is. to adjust your entry markers. if your not using all the track, adust your turn in or speed to get the exit you want. ask other riders what there using for markers,
and write notes and over time you will gather more and more info.
oh yea write notes.

[Yakaru]

Originally Posted by jrshooter

try this , absolutely get a track map and write notes,
pick maybe 3 corners , the one's leading onto a straight. some corners are more important than others. look at how your exit is. to adjust your entry markers. if your not using all the track, adust your turn in or speed to get the exit you want. ask other riders what there using for markers,
and write notes and over time you will gather more and more info.
oh yea write notes.

Misti has an exercise where she makes you draw the track yourself on a blank sheet which combines well with this. Try to draw from your memory of the ride, not your memory of the printed maps. Can help point out trouble areas by seeing where you're fuzzy or inaccurate.

And just to speak to my experience: for The Ridge ( http://www.ridgemotorsportspark.com/road-course/ ) for some of my own comments (this is from memory):

• I actually think I have some good lines for 13/14/15 -- exiting this section is one of the few areas I tend to be able to do trivial passes on people. On entry I'm probably slower than I need to be, but I chalk that up to my being slow in general on turn entry more than anything specific (though it is a 'freaky' turn, you're blind to it until you're on top of it, it's sharp, it's downhill; but after a few years I'm pretty confident in it)
• my drive off 8 is pretty weak -- 9 and 10 are not hard turns and I could probably really open it up, but I tend to be fairly timid about it. Kind of sucks, since I
• turn 5 is in the middle. I can get it open pretty easily, but my roll on could be better and my vision here needs work.

I also have a notebook I take to me every track day -- I need to dig it out and start reviewing everything as we roll into the new year. It's got misc notes on general habits, specific turn diagrams, and full course maps.

[Yakaru]

Originally Posted by Ducati999

Physical fitness is super important once the pace picks up as you cant focus and continue to do things right if you are exhausted. Once you reach the point of fatigue you are no longer doing things as well or as fast as you should which leads to mistakes and you are not spending money to do things wrong!

Yep, part of why I hired the trainer. Thankfully my stamina is pretty solid; but can always make it better. Building muscle is my big issue (I'm what I think I've heard called 'skinny fat', thin as can be but my body fat % is high and I have a heck of a time trying to fix it)

Originally Posted by Ducati999

I have similar problems with reference points and I tend to focus too much on the little "X's" they place on the track rather than find solid reference points around the track.

I had this problem at the start of last year, but I think I've mostly nipped it. I actually found myself using my own turn points instead of theirs, though occasionally my CSS coach advised me to try their tp instead to compare. One thing that might help: try using their marker not as a turn point but simply as one RP, and try other turn points. Even if it results in a ****** line that might help you establish other RPs.

Originally Posted by Ducati999

When it come to the "feedback" from the bike/tires, I found that once I got the Ergonomics and suspension better sorted on my bike, I was felling much more of what the bike was telling me. I am still learning but the best way I can describe the feeling ----(anyone who knows better please correct me if I am wrong)---- You can feel the pressure or resistance of the tires increase as you turn, you feel a certain load in the suspension (hopefully smooth and not intermintent, skipping, pumping) as the G-force increases in the turn. You can feel the "tar snakes" and bumps as you go over them and you feel the "weight" of the steering thru the bars as you lean into the turn. You will become familiar with the "level" of this load as you begin to get faster and you will feel if something changes or feels unfamiliar. When I crashed this last season, I suddenly felt the rear get lose as the tire began to spin up and lose traction. I could feel the "weight" of the G-force on the bike and then I felt the rear begin to loosen at it started to slide, it felt like it got numb (less load being put to the ground and now sliding out). That is the best I can explain in this post.

Thanks, I'll see if I can't talk to the suspension guys who installed Saturn's setup at a track day this year and figure things out and maybe start feeling this. It may also be that I ride with such large safety margins I'm rarely pushing things hard enough to get this feedback in a strong way.

[SLOWn60]

@Yakaru; ask Misti as she knows where you are in your riding development but here's what jumped out at me in your post above: you'd like to try a Code R.A.C.E session but you don't know if you're good enough or going to race in the future.

Unless you are very early in your track development it is highly likely you are well capable and would experience a huge leap forward on the very concerns you have with your riding! I have attended 2 Code R.A.C.E, 2 day schools (both after the 2 day regular programs). They are not bar to bar racing for 2 days straight! On the contrary: skills are broken down to specific items that all the group work on together. For instance; there is a corner drill on turn #2 at Willow Springs where you wind up from the start line and enter turn 2 on 3 different lines and your exit speed is clocked. There are a variety of reasons for the exercise including learning the qualifying line vs a race line & braking etc. The whole class (which is much smaller than a regular school) discusses both before & after as well as your individual discussion of your riding technique. There are a dozen or so different exercises over the duration and at the end of the day is a small race that you can go as hard or easy as you like. I HIGHLY recommend you sign up for a 1 or 2 day before C.O.D.E. then do it! Check with Misti and I'm sure she will not mislead you but agree you are both capable and will learn in quantum leaps. It is by no means just a course for racing though it is about racing techniques and the how's & why's.

[Yakaru]

Originally Posted by SLOWn60

@Yakaru; ask Misti as she knows where you are in your riding development but here's what jumped out at me in your post above: you'd like to try a Code R.A.C.E session but you don't know if you're good enough or going to race in the future.

Unless you are very early in your track development it is highly likely you are well capable and would experience a huge leap forward on the very concerns you have with your riding! I have attended 2 Code R.A.C.E, 2 day schools (both after the 2 day regular programs). They are not bar to bar racing for 2 days straight! On the contrary: skills are broken down to specific items that all the group work on together. For instance; there is a corner drill on turn #2 at Willow Springs where you wind up from the start line and enter turn 2 on 3 different lines and your exit speed is clocked. There are a variety of reasons for the exercise including learning the qualifying line vs a race line & braking etc. The whole class (which is much smaller than a regular school) discusses both before & after as well as your individual discussion of your riding technique. There are a dozen or so different exercises over the duration and at the end of the day is a small race that you can go as hard or easy as you like. I HIGHLY recommend you sign up for a 1 or 2 day before C.O.D.E. then do it! Check with Misti and I'm sure she will not mislead you but agree you are both capable and will learn in quantum leaps. It is by no means just a course for racing though it is about racing techniques and the how's & why's.

Thanks, I'll certainly check with her at CSS (assuming she doesn't just chime in here). I feel like I have some fundamentals that need work first -- resolving some bad habits, the skills I listed above, and learning to be "willing to pin it"; I just haven't hit the point where that feels comfortable. I'm not saying any of these has to be perfect before I go, I'd just like it to be at the point where I feel like they wouldn't be holding me back.

[SLOWn60]

On suspension: get the "Suspension for Mortals" DVD from Traxxion Dynamics. (I believe you can even download it from YouTube, its about 2 hours long) Even if you have no interest in touching a knob or a tool it is still a subject to get to understand as it affects the ride and handling of your motorcycle almost more than anything! I was always scared to touch any setting in case I made things worse but since studying the DVD I've really enjoyed tweaking my bike and reading my tires and it's made my motorcycles very fast and stable despite my best efforts to screw up my lines!

[csmith12]

Rider: Am I ready to race?
Me: You will know when you're ready to race.
Rider: Yea, but how?
Me: You will be able to tap into your aggression and focus on demand and at the same time enough to put yourself on the wrong side of heaven but the righteous side of hell.

[SLOWn60]

Originally Posted by Yakaru

Thanks, I'll certainly check with her at CSS (assuming she doesn't just chime in here). I feel like I have some fundamentals that need work first -- resolving some bad habits, the skills I listed above, and learning to be "willing to pin it"; I just haven't hit the point where that feels comfortable. I'm not saying any of these has to be perfect before I go, I'd just like it to be at the point where I feel like they wouldn't be holding me back.

You may be selling yourself short. That's a good flaw! But; your teacher (and Misti is one of the best, she will not steer you wrong) is probably lay a better judge of if you would benefit from C R. Keep in mind: Code R.A.C.E. is not racing; it's racing techniques: the how & why. It's all part of motorcycle skills development.

My 2 cents! The best part is you're thinking about getting back to the track!

[Misti]

Originally Posted by Yakaru

Thanks, I'll certainly check with her at CSS (assuming she doesn't just chime in here). I feel like I have some fundamentals that need work first -- resolving some bad habits, the skills I listed above, and learning to be "willing to pin it"; I just haven't hit the point where that feels comfortable. I'm not saying any of these has to be perfect before I go, I'd just like it to be at the point where I feel like they wouldn't be holding me back.

Based on what you say above and on what I've seen in your riding and riding progression I would agree. Even though the race school isn't strict racing, there is an element of being willing to "pin it" as you say, and competitiveness against others and yourself. You mention that you sill have some bad habits that need solving and I think this is the most important thing that needs work before throwing new things at you, combined with extra speed and that aspect of the race school (close passing, mock races etc) that aren't present in the regular schools. Something to work towards absolutely!! I think it's great that the race school is on your radar but agree that a little more groundwork in fundaments would be handy before going

Originally Posted by SLOWn60

You may be selling yourself short. That's a good flaw! But; your teacher (and Misti is one of the best, she will not steer you wrong) is probably lay a better judge of if you would benefit from C R. Keep in mind: Code R.A.C.E. is not racing; it's racing techniques: the how & why. It's all part of motorcycle skills development.

My 2 cents! The best part is you're thinking about getting back to the track!

Agree that it is not strict racing, but racing techniques and skills that can be applied to everyone but I think it's great when students ask whether they think that Code RACE will be good for them. It really fits best on a case by case basis and in Yakaru's case, there are things that she and I agree need work on first. A great discussion here for sure.