| Author | Message | ||
     Midnightrider |
Looking for a recommendation on a formal course to improve my riding skills. I've taken the MSF courses. I don't want to become a certified racer, just know I am not riding near the level of the bike's (Uly) potential. I've seen some track schools but I don't want to do all the stuff to make it "track ready" - removal of turn signals, taping lights, and so on. Any suggestions? I live near DC so MD, VA, PA probably my best bets. Thanks | ||
| Brineusaf |
Best way I think (besides courses) is to ride with someone you know is faster, so you can perfect your form ect. and you'll know when you improve. | ||
| Eboos |
With the limitations of not wanting to prep for the track, I would say that reading as much as you can, and practicing would be your best bet. Take it in small steps. Here is my recommended reading list: Twist of the Wrist Vol 2 by Keith Code (Vol 1 is more racing specific) Total Control by Lee Parks Proficient Motorcycling by David Hough | ||
| Cochise |
One small thing without a school is look THROUGH the corners, don't look ten feet in front of your wind screen, look. The farther in front of your bike you look, the better you will ride. | ||
| 99buellx1 |
Check with the track school orginizations in your area to see what the actual bike prep requirements are. Around here you do not need to remove anything if you dont want to, just put some painters tape over the lights and turns. Try to find a BattleTrax event, you will learn lots in a day out there. Pic on the left: Track day on X1, notice turn signals still on, just taped. The only items removed were the mirrors. Pic on the right: BattleTrax only mental prep work needed.  | ||
| Jackbequick |
What Cochise said! If you could narrow fast riding problems down to one single thing it would most likely be "turn fixation". It has been sort of a lifelong issue for me because I want to look for and avoid surface irregularities. I think that arises from having spent a lot of time on dirt bikes and on poorer roads with potholes, running cracks, etc. If you are doing that, you'll know it right away when you first start looking through the curves. You'll feel a paranoia of sorts and about wanting to look down. But if you don't, you'll quickly notice that you can get through the turns much more smoothly. Smooth roads with a series of left right sweepers are the best place to really experience the difference. Don't try for fast, not at first anyway, and you'll quickly notice the difference. Jack | ||
| Bomber |
track school -- prep is about 30 minutes, easy (just a very thourough pre-flight, really), controlled environment, and knowledgable folks -- many track day putter-oners offer specific sessions for folks that DON'T intend to get a race license, but want to learn and practice in a safe envrinoment also, check out StayinSafe.com, they offer a series of very well reviewed learning experiences also, check Lee Parks -- ditto, though no personal experience | ||
| Crashm1 |
The books Eboos recommended are a great start. Practice the techniques in them and increase your speed in baby steps, like 2 or 3 mph increases every time you take a run down your favorite road. Looking through the corner is the most important skill in going fast just like others have said. That one needs to be burned into your subconcious first. A close second is braking drills from the kind of speeds you ride at. Third for me is throttle control. What I do is decide what skills I'm going to focus on before the ride and then practicing that skill in every corner. Every ride I practice looking and applying the throttle smoothly and progressively. An example is a fast sweeper on a road to work. I have spent the summer trying to get to 100mph through the apex of that corner without crossing the yellow line. 85 is easy, 90 a little complicated in my head and any speed over that triggers my survival reactions and I end up rolling off the throttle. I finally can hit it constistantly but it took all summer taking little bites at the speed and adjusting my lines and reference points and sometimes forcing myself to keep the gas on 25 feet deeper into the corner. Go slow and THINK about proper technique every ride and you will get faster and probably not crash while you do it. Look, lean, believe. | ||
| Littlebuggles |
I know it's a long way from you but they are offering a sport touring class out on the race track the new Miller Motorsports Track here in Utah. It's offered through the Utah Sport Bike Association (UtahSBA dot com) site along with instructors from the Utah Motorcycle Association. They said the first class was great, no bike prep, just a clean, curve filled, closed course where you can practice holding a line and safe sport touring skills. |
