| Author | Message | ||
     Coolice |
DARTS?!? tommorrow is TWO WHEELED TUESDAY!!! | ||
| Steve_mackay |
I'm with you guys. While I'm sure the $700 is well spent, I can't really afford that any time in the near future. I'd be more likely to do what Daves was thinking a coupla weeks ago, with the $225 instruction thing from Sean? I think a lot of us could learn something... | ||
| Coolice |
Steve I think everyone has the idea that you have to do both days at CLASS, If you do just one day its well worth it. Keep it for a possibility next year. And then you can go to the races on Sunday and on Monday the good "lines" are well worn in! | ||
| Steve_mackay |
You will learn more following me thru the Kettle then you would dealing with the Learning Curves folks. Then where the heck were ya on Sunday Dyna? We were lookin' for ya  You would have seriously enjoyed the ride we took. (Message edited by steve_mackay on October 19, 2004) | ||
| Outrider |
Hi Folks, Sorry for interrupting your topic, but it appears some of you want to become better riders and some feel that they are ready for the novice class at a track day. Please don't take this as a negative, but in as much as a track is a nice safe place to teach, I don't believe that an open track day, even at the novice level, is appropriate for folks whose skills are not yet developed for picking lines through turns, looking through a turn, are concerned about countersteering and lean angles in decreasing radius turns, etc. On a positive note, I have a suggestion for those who want to improve their riding skills but may not be ready for a track day experience. Why don't you divide yourselves into groups of comparable skill levels and contract a professional instructor. It may cost a little more, but you receive personalized attention. Plus, it is always easier to learn from a professional than folks that are close to you. There seems to be more effective communications and less resistance to learning at the novice and intermediate level. Not to mention, even the experts at high priced track schools receive training in this manner. One school you may want to check out is Lawrence Grodsky's Stayin' Safe. He ran two "Tour Schools" in Wisconsin this year. They started in Delafield and looped towards the Mississippi River with an overnight. This is just one of the teaching services he provides. You can check the entire program out at http://www.stayinsafe.com/index.html . Just remember that Grodsky teaches skills for the real world in the real world and not for or on the track. Even if you don't go with this program, it may give you some ideas for coming up with your own safe and sane learning experience. Honestly, if you have someone that will take the time to prepare a route as well as a before, during and after ride discussion, you can create your own school and enjoy the experience. I know I have offered this to a few in the past and even more recently, Bomber has offered to do it via the Uke's Club. However, both offers were met with a lack of interest for whatever reasons. Hopefully, now you have enough interest and can collectively put something together that will assist you in improving your riding skills. No magic to it. Just keep the groups small, of comparable skill levels, review the basics and then proceed with the crawl-walk-run concept. Enjoy! | ||
| Cj_xb |
is appropriate for folks whose skills are not yet developed for picking lines through turns, looking through a turn, are concerned about countersteering and lean angles in decreasing radius turns, etc. Wow, I do know about looking thru a turn, but the rest is way above my comprehension so guess my skills aren't developed yet !! Oh well, I like learning by necessity, just go for the gusto and when it gets to where you say "oh ••••", then I will learn either by succeeding or the hard way !! If I waited to do everything until I was skilled enough my life just wouldn't be near as fun !! CJ  | ||
| Doughnut |
If I waited to do everything until I was skilled enough my life just wouldn't be near as fun !! Like playing darts.  (the preceding was a joke.) | ||
| Steve_mackay |
Outrider, I think many of us could use some sort of instruction. Me included. So where were ya on Sunday Honestly, if you're still wiling to do what you've described you've offered in the past(forgive me, I'm still new to the sportbike, and Buell world), I for one would take you up on it. | ||
| Bomber |
most experienced riders are very happy to share what they know -- it's a bit more complicated than "do what I do," and a bit less complicated than brain surgery ;-} riding with better riders is one of the best, most pleasurable ways to learn -- the trick is finding the right person from whom to learn, I'm thinkin | ||
| Cj_xb |
Problem for me is the good one's I would be willing to learn from are in the front of the pack taking the curves at a good speed, and I'm in the back for obvious reasons !!  | ||
| Mikej |
CJ, Sometimes all it takes is a simple tap on a shoulder and a wink of an eye to get someone to take a position farther back in the pack and closer to your viewpoint. But be careful, ego's are fragile things and if someone thinks you are following to learn they may begin thinking of what they are trying to show you more than they are thinking of what they are doing. Just ask one of those folks to take a position in front of you and go a little slower so you can observe their lines and braking patterns. And the only "obvious" reason for being where you are in a group of riders is because that's where you choose to be. Ride your own ride, with time comes experience, you do just fine. | ||
| Outrider |
Steve...Thanks for your invitation, but I am no longer involved. Perhaps we will meet on the road someday. There are quite a few folks between Brew City and Uke's that should be more than qualified to handle the responsibility. CJ...I was not referring to any individual. I was addressing what appeared to be a group of interested and perhaps overly enthusiastic folks both in the Brew City and Uke's threads. The subject of getting folks involved in track days has been going on for months among both clubs. In the event you took my post as being intended for your benefit, you are sadly mistaken. For the benefit of all reading this, my comments that referenced accumulating riding skills prior to participating in a Track Day are based on experience. There is a lot going on all around you that can rattle you if you are not confident with your basic skills. If you feel you are ready to join in with the other novice wannabe racers in a track day, by all means do so. Just remember they are only novices on the track, not on motorcycles. | ||
| Bomber |
CJ -- I'll quote my Grandad (from southern Missourah) ya never get what you don't ask for | ||
| Outrider |
Problem for me is the good one's I would be willing to learn from are in the front of the pack taking the curves at a good speed, and I'm in the back for obvious reasons !! There is a difference in the pace between a fun ride and an educational ride. Perhaps they were not aware it was to be a riding lesson. | ||
| Outrider |
Food for Thought Just a thought that folks might consider when forming up for a group ride when the group consists of riders of multiple skill levels: After reading my last post, I started reflecting on when I was a Drill Sergeant (DI) in the Army and how we arranged the people in platoon formation. Follow along with this and you may realize some benefit in the concept. As a DI in a basic training company, we always arranged our platoons from shortest to tallest going from left to right or right to left depending on the direction we had to turn the troops to leave the company street. Quite simply when marching in formation, that put the shorter folks in the front and the longer legged ones in the rear. Helped pace the platoon and reduce the accordion effect as the long legged (read: faster) ones were in the rear. Translating that to a group ride, it would mean arranging the group from slowest to fastest rider with the slowest being directly behind the leader. In essence, a good leader will not run away from the group and effectively hold the speed down for the slowest. The upside is if the leader practices good lines and riding technique, it will be a learning experience for all (given single file in the twisties formation). The downside is the folks in the rear may tend to get bored. However, if they do, they don't belong in a group ride. Just like I didn't belong in the group ride from Pine Bluff to Leland during the recent Slimey Crud Run. Sure there are times when I can do the group ride thing, but I am better off either leading or trailing. Being in the middle is too claustrophobic. I don't mind bringing up the rear as long as I can drop back to a comfortable distance and enjoy the scenery. Not to mention that always provides me with an opportunity to drop back in the straights and catch up in the twisties. Sort of the best of both worlds if you get my drift. Just one of many group riding theories that may be worthy of consideration. I have another that is a favorite and I provided it to BadS1 earlier this year. Never read that it was implemented so perhaps it was not in the best interests of that particular riding club. Any comments? | ||
| Doughnut |
Anyone here looking for a small helmet (very small). Willing to let go cheap. Shoot me a e-mail if interested. Never used. | ||
| Buells Rule! |
In essence, a good leader will not run away from the group and effectively hold the speed down for the slowest. Already an established practice for every ride I have been involved with this year, from Starved Rock, to Lambeau Field & out to House on the Rock. We had folks of all riding abilities & styles & we stayed together as a group with no issues at all. CJ, as far as staying at the back of the pack..no you dont. On the Ottawa ride you were 3rd in line thru the twisties right behind myself & Coolice. And I told you then that you were handling the curves just fine. I mentioned it before & will say it again..I was impressed with how both you & Cindy handled your bikes. I think you would be more than capable of handling a track day, Cindy in my opinion still needs some more miles under here before she tackles a track day. Give her a couple more months of riding like she got this year & she will be ready also. | ||
| Mikej |
Man your screen name is changing so much I don't know who you are half the time. Gonna have to get one of those tagline emoticon pics of your bikes to tag onto your posts pretty soon.  | ||
| Steve_mackay |
Well, at least brewcitybrag.org resolves to my box at home now http://www.brewcitybrag.org | ||
| Kinger |
Nice start Steve. I am looking forward to what you guys come up with for the site. | ||
| Steve_mackay |
Well, it's not *MUCH* of a start on the surface. Having a 'lil trouble with the MySql database end of things. But I should get it licked today, and maybe have something real to show you guys this evening. Like the photo module, and maybe the calendar. At 1st, the site will be a tad pokey, since it's running on an Apple PowerMac G4 that's only 450 MHZ. But it's loaded with almost a gig of ram. Around Christmas time, I'll either be upgrading to a brand new box, or upgrading the processor to at least a 1GHZ chip. Matters how much my Christmas bonus is And if I can stop buying them darn Buells!  | ||
| Kinger |
I hope this was an upgrade that you were planning on making before you offered to host the site?? I think the calendar and photo modules will be nice. My opinion - We should provide a link to Halshd.com and Halspa.com, and possibly the BRAG site at buell.com . Just my thoughts......... | ||
| Steve_mackay |
I hope this was an upgrade that you were planning on making before you offered to host the site?? You betcha! I run a family web/mail/ftp server on the same box. So yes, I was planing on upgrading the thing in any case. I think the calendar and photo modules will be nice. Yup!! And the ability to not *HAVE* to resize your images(coppermine, and MyGallery both automagicaly do this for faster viewing, but you can still download full size image)when uploading them, like you have to here. I've got a TON of disk space(over 120 gig on the main drive, and 200 on the secondary drive). My opinion - We should provide a link to Halshd.com and Halspa.com, and possibly the BRAG site at buell.com Yup, we will do that for all 3. Thanks for reminding me. I've already got the HalsPA, Hals, and Buell images I need. I'll also be adding a few RSS feeds to related motorcycle news sites. | ||
| Tripper |
Cool, when you get that running could you create one for KC Central BRAG? We'll send beer for payment. Go Pack! | ||
| Steve_mackay |
Tipper, But what if I don't drink beer? Boy, my lowly 'lil Macintosh becoming Brag Central | ||
| Cj_xb |
Excellent job Mackay !!!  But hey it's UnAmerican to not drink beer, what else goes so good with pizza !??? CJ | ||
| Mikej |
RootBeer!  (Message edited by mikej on October 20, 2004) | ||
| Kinger |
Steve, I looked at the link again and personally I really like that as a start page. Maybe with an enter button to take you to the rest. Trippers offer is something to think about for possible side business for you. Just a thought. Hosting fee, set-up fee, maintenance fee....all at an agreeable amount for both you and the respective BRAG club......I should stop thinking sometimes! Outrider....thanks for your thoughts on track days and the like. As Dyna stated our group rides have gone well this year. The trip to Appleton had its moments with freeway traffic basically coming to a stop of short notice, but everyone handled there machines. A difference of opinion or recommendation is always good. I have read about riding courses similar to stayingsafe. If money were no object, I would be doing that course, CLASS, and any other I could attend until my wife started getting mad that I was never home. CJ...as Mikej and Dyna have said, you ride just fine. (Message edited by kinger on October 20, 2004) | ||
| Tripper |
live in Wisconsin, and don't drink beer. I ain't fallin for that one! | ||
| Cj_xb |
(from southern Missourah) OMG, too funny !! That is how we pronounce it down in Arkansas !! And the only "obvious" reason for being where you are in a group of riders is because that's where you choose to be. Ride your own ride, Oh, I know mikej I like to be towards the front and am when I’m comfortable, but sometimes of my own free will I do move to the back, was just a "little" humor about being in the back while the good ones were up front, apparently "very little" humor !!  At Starved Rock when it got tight and curvy, I moved to the back and then again when we got to a certain section of the road this past Sunday (remember that curve I never make Bomber?, that area), I again moved to the back. That’s because I’m not real comfortable in tight turns and for some reason it makes me nervous to have anyone in back of me, that's the only reason !! I’m not saying I suck, just not yet as comfortable on the tighter turns as I am on most roads !! And yeah Tripper, don't fall for that one you know Wisconsinites LOVE beer !! So, now how about them Packers !?? CJ |
