Advanced Rider Training at Miller Motorsports Park

[JeffM]

I'm pretty excited because I just signed up for Utah Sport bike Association's ART course. The class is held on Miller's Monster Mile karting track vs. the main race course.

Here is the layout of the kart track as set up for the class. It is run clockwise (sorry for the big picture). The main straight is 900' long:

ART Class Levels:

Performance Street rider, Track day Rider, and Racer

Street Rider level is for the street rider interested in learning safe street riding skills and improving your comfort level on their bike and on the street.

Trackday Rider level will help the street rider who is interested in doing Trackdays and improving their skills on the race track.

Racer Level is designed for the Track day rider that is interested in improving their track riding skills to the level of a novice racer, this course along with an NRC (New Racer Certification) will enable a person to get their race license and start their racing endeavors.

I am starting in the Advanced Street level course with the option to bump up.

Here is a video of a rider on the kart track during an ART:

Link to original page on YouTube.

[kkim]

hey... ain't you sick?? or was that just a ruse to get our sympathy?????

have fun, Jeff... I would sign up in a heartbeat if I were in the area. (you lucky SOB)

[JeffM]

Not that sick . Kind of my reward to myself for feeling better

Jeff

[CC Cowboy]

Have fun Jeff. If you haven't been on that track study that video so you will be ahead of the game when you get there. Please don't go as slow as the guy in the video.

[MikeCG23]

For real. That guy was CREEPING along lol

[Yasko]

I'm jealous of you...

[JeffM]

Originally Posted by MikeCG23

For real. That guy was CREEPING along lol

You guys are harsh .

[CC Cowboy]

Sorry Jeff, was that you on the track?

[RedCromwell]

Looks like fun. You're going to have a blast!

Watching the video I couldn't tell which "path" to follow. There were turns I thought the rider should make but ended up not being the route.

How do you know the route? It just didn't appear that clear to me.

Oh, and I too thought the rider was creeping along. Then I thought maybe this was a demo video the place uses to teach people.

[JeffM]

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

Sorry Jeff, was that you on the track?

Nope CC, just giving you guys some crap.

I didn't make it clear in my OP, but this will be my first time on a track with my bike. Looking forward to it.

Originally Posted by RedCromwell

Looks like fun. You're going to have a blast!

Watching the video I couldn't tell which "path" to follow. There were turns I thought the rider should make but ended up not being the route.

How do you know the route? It just didn't appear that clear to me.

Oh, and I too thought the rider was creeping along. Then I thought maybe this was a demo video the place uses to teach people.

Alan, no, video is not a demo. The gentlemen posted up his rides from the last class of last year (+40mph cross winds and a damp track) and did not state which group he was in.

LINK - He, and others, had a great time that day.

From what I have read about the class track layout, it is really challenging and is great for improving skills. I have driven the left half of the track in a kart and I am familiar with that part. I wonder if the layout on the photo might be different from the video?

I'll post up my experience with the class next week.

Jeff

[CC Cowboy]

Jeff, track days are not races. You go at your own speed. The idea is to learn in an environment that is safer than the street.

[JeffM]

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

Jeff, track days are not races. You go at your own speed. The idea is to learn in an environment that is safer than the street.

Absolutely.

[ally99]

Fun times ahead! Glad you're feeling better! Looks like a blast!

[RedCromwell]

Hey Jeff, do you have to do anything special to your bike to get it "track worthy" for the ART?

Like do you have to disable the brake light, remove the side signals, tape/cover the headlight, etc.? Or do they let you ride your bike as-is for this type of class?

[JeffM]

Originally Posted by RedCromwell

Hey Jeff, do you have to do anything special to your bike to get it "track worthy" for the ART?

Like do you have to disable the brake light, remove the side signals, tape/cover the headlight, etc.?

That is pretty much it. Here are the requirements from UtahSBA:

Equipment requirements to attend an ART class

• DOT and Snell approve full-face motorcycle helmet.
• Leather, gauntlet-style, motorcycle specific riding gloves.
• Solid leather boots that cover the ankle that have little or no heel. (motorcycle specific boots preferred for intermediate/advanced groups).
• Leather or Cordura riding suit for Track day and Racer level.
• Motorcycle specific leather or cordura jacket and two pair of denim jeans worn concurrently for performance street rider level.

Motorcycle requirements to attend an ART class

• Good tires with at least 3/32" tread depth Stick a penny in the tread upside down; tread must touch Abe's head.
• Tape mirrors, lenses and lights.
• Recommended to remove the mirrors and disconnect the headlight
• Motorcycle must be in good working condition. This means nothing hanging off, general cleanliness, thick brake linings, good chain and sprocket, good fork seals etc.

Jeff

[Domagoj]

Man! That's a LOT of corners! At first when looking at the picture only I was afraid that the track is really tight and small, but it seems to have plenty of width in the video. Track like that can make the ninjette shine. It can also make you very tired (physically), and can be very demanding to learn and remember the right lines.
Don't get lost. I know I would. I tend to do that.

Glad you are feeling better! Have fun there!

[JeffM]

Originally Posted by Domagoj

Man! That's a LOT of corners! At first when looking at the picture only I was afraid that the track is really tight and small, but it seems to have plenty of width in the video. Track like that can make the ninjette shine. It can also make you very tired (physically), and can be very demanding to learn and remember the right lines.
Don't get lost. I know I would. I tend to do that.

Glad you are feeling better! Have fun there!

Hvala lijepo Domagoj

Yes, 17 corners! I will be getting a workout.

Jeff

p.s. Vacationed in Croatia in 2008 and stayed just north of you in Opatija. Nice roads there. To bad I wasn't on a bike.

Loved the country and people. My Grandmother lived outside of Zagreb before moving to the U.S.A. in the early 1900's

[ztrack157]

Glad they are doing it on the karting track. The Big track is torture on a 250.

[JeffM]

East or West course straight would be long enough to bore someone. Just imagine the full course. It would take forever on a 250.

Matt, on the big track (any version) are you pinned WOT most of the time on a 250?

[ztrack157]

Most lol try all.

[JeffM]

Matt, would you recommend that I remove my center stand? This is just a class and I doubt I'll be leaning over far enough to hit it (unless my form is terrible )

[ztrack157]

I would leave it

[JeffM]

What a great day.

The photo of the track in my OP is the layout we used and I was very tired by the end of the day. I skipped the next to last session and only went out for three laps during the last one. Telling yourself, "One last session" is not a good idea for all day track class. I ended up really running wide in a turn on my "One last session" and decided to call it quits then and there.

Since this is the Riding Skills forum I will stick to things I learned. Of course, one of them I just stated, Know your limits and follow your instinct. The instructors told us that there was no shame in bringing it down pit lane early or skipping the last two sessions. Good advice.

Track schools are a great place to learn and undo some of your bad habits. Here were mine:

When hanging off I was lifting my butt off the seat and doing so was bouncing the suspension transitioning from corner to corner and unsettling the bike.

Our first exercise of the day was to corner just hanging off with our upper bodies - no hanging cheeks off the seat. This was the first step to unlearn any crossed-up body positions. We also learned to slide our torso across the tank when moving across the bike to hang off. Up and down body movement upsets the chassis. This was demonstrated on a bike placed in track stands and we could really see the suspension unload and load if done incorrectly.

First session waiting to be green lighted for track time:


All exercises were discussed prior to hitting the track. Then, once on the track, the instructor would lead for a lap and show us correct examples of what was being taught. Then, we would change places and then the instructor would follow each of us for a lap. A debrief would follow in the pit lane if a problem was found.

Lead follow (I'm #2 in line for our first session, a track re-con).


In the slower turns I had a tendency to look down and not out. I think this is a street habit that I never shook.

The instructors taught us that you should always look for your next circumstance: You find your entry point for the corner; once there, you find your apex; and then you find your exit. Notice I said "find" instead of "look at" In the last sentence. The only way to find these things is to keep the eyes up and scanning ahead. Looking down will let the bike will get ahead of you and make you late in your decisions, take away smoothness and scare you. Riding on the track is all about smoothness.

I also was told I stood the bike up between turns where I could have just left the bike leaned over.

Once I started looking up the whole lap and sliding my body across the bike I was able to connect two turns or double apexes smoothly.

More things I learned:

Braking is also all about smoothness. We drilled on squeezing the front brake all the way to a quick stop. Then we were asked to smoothly brake followed by smooth acceleration without upsetting the chassis. Prior to the drill an instructor demonstrated to us what the front suspension did when braking smoothly and then what it did when pulsing (grabbing and un-grabbing) the lever. I was able to stop consistently to the point where my front tire was talking to me at threshold. Kind of neat!

Queuing up for braking drills:


Back on the track, I met one of my other goals for the day: Stopping the bike hard at freeway speeds.

I was WOT (11,000 - 12,000 rpm), in fourth, on the front straight just prior to slowing for turn one (I had taped off my speedo so I would not look at it). Using this speed calculator I figure I was hitting 70mph. Over the course of the day, I learned to consistently slow my bike quickly and smoothly from that speed. Now I am confident that my skill set matches my riding speeds. By the way, the guys and girls that were riding 600's and 1000,s were accelerating to 100mph on the front straight. It was fun to watch.

The emphasis on smoothness and not upsetting the bike really came into play when the skies opened up and one of our sessions started at the end of a downpour . The wet track was a great experience as I had become a little shy of wet roads after my crash last year. Your really learn to trust your tires and yourself.

There is way too much to share . Sorry for going on so long.

If you can swing it, attend a track school advanced riders course. You will learn in on day what years of riding on the street cannot.

Can you see my smile?


Ride safe.

Jeff

[Domagoj]

Originally Posted by JeffM

Hvala lijepo Domagoj

Yes, 17 corners! I will be getting a workout.

Jeff

p.s. Vacationed in Croatia in 2008 and stayed just north of you in Opatija. Nice roads there. To bad I wasn't on a bike.

Loved the country and people. My Grandmother lived outside of Zagreb before moving to the U.S.A. in the early 1900's

Hey! Now this is a surprise! Pleasant one.
I'm sorry it took me forever to see your post. Opatija is really close, and you are right, one of the best roads around here is leading out from it towards Pula along the coast. Next time you come, please be in touch. It is nice to talk to someone from far away. And, why not try those roads on a FI ninjette?

Thank you for a lengthy report of your track school. It was a good read! Braking smoothly is one of my problems. I never learned to do it properly, and I am somewhat afraid of it, especially on the track, when speeds are greater and space shorter. Could you give some more details on how to do it nicely?

[JeffM]

Originally Posted by Domagoj

Hey! Now this is a surprise! Pleasant one.
I'm sorry it took me forever to see your post. Opatija is really close, and you are right, one of the best roads around here is leading out from it towards Pula along the coast. Next time you come, please be in touch. It is nice to talk to someone from far away. And, why not try those roads on a FI ninjette?

Thank you for a lengthy report of your track school. It was a good read! Braking smoothly is one of my problems. I never learned to do it properly, and I am somewhat afraid of it, especially on the track, when speeds are greater and space shorter. Could you give some more details on how to do it nicely?

Hi Domagoj. I remember that road. Yes, very nice and folks were enjoying it on motorcycles. If we return to your beautiful country I will ring you up.

I think the key to smooth braking is having relaxed hands and remembering to squeeze the lever. No quick grabbing at all. The instructors reminded us to brake early for corners. Running the bike into the corner hard and braking late takes away your ability to adjust corner entry speed.

Another aspect of braking that I do not think is talked about enough is releasing the brakes softly. Just like squeezing the brakes when slowing, letting off the lever in a smooth controlled manner is important too. The goal is not to load and unload the forks with harsh actions and cause the front end to pogo up and down.

Hope this makes sense.

Jeff

[kkim]

Congrats, Jeff. Sounds like you learned a lot. I've got to get me to one of these schools someday.

[Domagoj]

Originally Posted by JeffM

Another aspect of braking that I do not think is talked about enough is releasing the brakes softly. Just like squeezing the brakes when slowing, letting off the lever in a smooth controlled manner is important too. The goal is not to load and unload the forks with harsh actions and cause the front end to pogo up and down.

Hope this makes sense.

Jeff

This is exactly what I do wrong. I can't believe I haven't realized it myself. Releasing the brake... Thanks, this was a great help. There is always talk about squeezing the brake gently, and I simply forgot about the release part. Now there is just practice!

[Alex]

Yup - general rule of thumb (I think it comes from Freddie's curriculum originally) is that however long you take to fully apply the brake in a particular instance, you should take at least twice as long to fully release the brake.

[CC Cowboy]

Smooth=fast.

[RedCromwell]

Great write up Jeff! Sounds like you had a great time.

One day I'll make it out to a local track.