Carol Carpenter

Sena Prism review at the track

August 21, 2015 By Carol Carpenter

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wetiXfijJSU[/youtube]Optimum Performance Rider Training had it’s last track day of the year on August 16, 2015 at The Ridge Motorsports Park, it was expected to be full and it did not disappoint. The pits were full of eager individuals to get their last taste of riding before the season was officially over for OPRT. Unfortunately that also meant a lot of people hoping to run their fastest lap times of the year and it led to many get offs on the track. Sunday was not unlike any other day at the track, but the feeling was thick with a level of anxious tension and we all know what to expect when that happens so we try to keep our students safe and everyone having fun as the day progresses. The classes were full in both the beginner and intermediate classes and we had every instructor out to help make the day run smoothly. One of our riders crashed out in the first session and he was absolutely adamant on getting his bike from home to finish off his day. After asking him did he know why he crashed he said he tucked the front through the turn and completely totaled his bike. When asked the question about his tire pressures…he said he was running Pirellis and they should stick. HUH! Well when asked what kind of tires and pressures we concluded that 32 lbs. of pressure in the front and rear of Pirelli track tires was ridiculously high and they are supposed to be 29 cold in the front and 20 cold in the rear. There could’ve been a completely different outcome but not making a simple inquiry about his tire pressures and having a pressure gauge caused him to total his bike. Quite literally a question and a $20 gauge would’ve completely changed his day. While this is only one example of things we see during the day we can’t help but shake our heads at individuals who get passed, get that red mist and next thing you know we see them off the edge of the track hopefully upright, but majority of the time, not. This set the tone for the day and it got worse as the day went on with the bike toll.

I was asked to ride with Jonathan the next session, when I met him he seemed nice, but he is asian and not to be stereotypical (I’m asian too) I didn’t want to ride with him if he was going to be some arrogant rich asian kid who was willing to take unnecessary chances and not listen. It turns out I was wrong and was so happy about it, it turns out this kid can ride, but he has a few things that need to be worked out, so I asked if he minded if we did some film? I used the Sena Prism anchored to the rear cowling of my GSXR and asked Troy to take him around since we were going to be going out again in the next session with another student to record his riding. Jonathan is great getting on the gas, however he man handles his bike with his upper body and his body positioning changes drastically after a few laps letting me know he doesn’t use his lower body properly and engage his core. Anyone that says this sport isn’t physical is wrong, I haven’t met a single rider who doesn’t take their helmet off who isn’t sweating like crazy. He gets so tired he starts yanking his bike instead of allowing his lower body to stay anchored and control the bike with the change in which peg he weights. He’s great going left, more tentative going right. His lines are ok, but they can be better, he needs to use the track more and not be following the turn so long at a lean to get a quicker and better drive. He needs to look further. I know you have all heard this and what this means is seeing as far down the track as possible, but still seeing and using rapid eye movements to focus in and out to the reference points. For example, when entering the turn you should see the apex, but be looking for that exit and all the while focusing in and out from apex (without concentrating on it) to the exit ready to get on the gas. It takes practice and sometimes when you are tired your eyes just get lazy and you find yourself looking only to the next reference point. Jonathan was a great student, he listened, he asked questions, he understood and when he got on the track he went to work. It is students like this that make being an instructor fun, being able to touch people and change their lives in some small way and to give them direction to work on things that may be holding them back. Unlocking their potential and giving them the confidence to get out there and do it better each time. Thank you Jonathan for letting me use your video and just talk briefly about the footage as a learning tool and letting me discuss your riding. My Sena Prism has been an invaluable tool in my teaching at the track and I look forward to recording, posting and critiquing many more students in the upcoming year. I want to thank Robert Knoll for sponsoring me, my company and what we are doing for women riders, it is individuals like this who believe in our causes that help us to succeed.

Vixens Ride!

August 13, 2015 Event Report

August 19, 2015 By Carol Carpenter

"2-Fast Track Day on August 13, 2015 at The Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton WA. Photo taken by Ian Tanaka"

MotoVixens track day at The Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton WA. Photo taken by Ian Tanaka”

What an amazing turnout of ladies and men for the Women’s Event and Track Day! Ladies your enthusiasm and determination on this day was inspirational and men, I loved the ones that showed up in their tutus to support their gals, be their pit bitches and brali boys, very cute! I can’t say how excited I was, except that the lack of sleep for many days prior probably didn’t reflect how overly surprised I was at the turnout of riders both male and female. This women’s event was designed around having a perfect learning environment, low numbers, vip treatment, catering and Ken Hill, the best riding coach out there, as well as the added bonus of the best woman rider currently out there, Elena Myers. We wanted those who signed up to know they were being attended to by the best instructors in the track community with the most knowledge and that their questions would be accurately answered by either Ken, Elena or one of our staff. It was important that our ladies understood we were there to help them with whatever they needed and it showed when we had one of our ladies go down in the first session. She was fine, a little shaken, but she was more concerned about her bike and that she rode in. She rented a Ninja 250 for the next session and when lunch came we got her bike and everyone in the pits banded together to get her the parts necessary to get her bike back together so she could finish off her day. This is the motorcycle family, we take care of each other, we don’t ever leave anyone behind, it makes me terribly proud of everyone that was on my staff and vendors for making her day.

“MotoVixens Track Day on August 13, 2015 at The Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton WA. Photo taken by Ian Tanaka”

The classroom sessions started with the ladies getting booklets to record their progress, write down key points, morsels of information that they felt would be important to their development. As the day progressed the room became more and more crowded, instructors sat in on the classroom session as well as marshals who wanted to hear what valuable knowledge Ken would impart on the class. It was impressive to see the classroom so full each and every hour then watch the sea of women depart the class to get on their bikes to ride on track with their instructors. What an amazing sight to see 25 women on track with their instructors, learning, improving and excited to take the lesson in the class and execute it on track. No one knew how 30 minutes was going to start affecting people, but around the 4th or 5th session ladies were getting beat and their focus was starting to wane. So next year we will do the 20 minute format with 3 sessions still limiting the maximum riders per session. The overall consensus is that Ken had an amazing way of simplifying things, methods, techniques and concepts so that it was easily digestible for the ladies. He has an aura and confidence from his years of experience that helps even the most nervous to feel more at ease and his willingness to be part coach and part psychologist to help you get over what is holding you back is what makes him the best at his job. Then Elena riding on track with the ladies, speaking to them in the classroom, open to photos throughout the day and just the fact that she carries herself so well at 21 years of age makes you believe that the right type of parenting makes all the difference. She is a credit to our sport, her parents and herself. I had the pleasure of spending time with this young lady and not only does she have a wicked sense of humor, she’s a very well spoken intelligent young woman. I look forward to following her career for many years to come.

“MotoVixens Track Day on August 13, 2015 at The Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton WA. Photo taken by Ian Tanaka”

The Track only session was a group of men who really enjoyed the open track for 30 minutes each hour and when I got the opportunity to speak to some of those guys, they looked at me tired, sweaty and happy at having spent the day playing on a track with minimal traffic. I was told over and over, put another one of these on and I will sign up in a heartbeat! While most of the love went to the ladies session the men didn’t get neglected, they got to have marshals and instructors who are fantastic riders, help them in their session. However, many did find me to ask if I would bring Ken up to do a men’s day and the answer is YES, we are working out details so stay tuned. I do believe this school will be a sell out in days so if you want to be in the know, make sure you tell your peeps to signup on the website as they will be the first to know as soon as we have dates confirmed. While I won’t open up registration till the beginning of the year, it will allow you to save the date and start thinking about the wealth of knowledge Ken will impart on you to help you get one step closer to the rider you want to become.

“MotoVixens Track Day on August 13, 2015 at The Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton WA. Photo taken by Ian Tanaka”

Thank you again to all my sponsors: Ducati Richmond, Pacific Powersports, I-90 Motorsports, Triumph of Seattle, South Sound Honda, South Bound Honda, Paulson’s, South Sound Motorcycles, WMST and Family First Allstate. Special thanks to Alan and OPRT for their help in staffing the event. Thank you to my supporters: Sena #RideConnected, Forma Performance Boots, The Beauty Lab, Cycle Gear, Raci Babi, Massage Envy, Ambrosia Medspa and Cycle Wipes. To the vendors who came out and provided services, thank you Premium Rush Rentals and Tires, Jason Tanaka and KFG Racing for helping our day run smoothly. I can’t thank all of you enough for making this event the success it was!

“MotoVixens Track Day on August 13, 2015 at The Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton WA. Photo taken by Ian Tanaka”

Adam will be bringing Rickdiculous and Ken up the the Ridge next year and I will be working with them in booking dates before or after their days for my events. Whether you are new to riding or been riding for years, continue learning, exploring, pushing your limits, that’s what makes you a better rider. I have an enormous respect and passion for this sport and want to share it with others, I hope you will be a part of one or many of my events in the years to come as well as visit me at OPRT where I instruct. For those who want private instruction, please contact me directly, throughout the year. I look forward to seeing you all out there again next year and stay tuned for updates about the events for next year. It is about imparting knowledge to make lifelong riders of all of us.

Vixens Ride!

Motorcycle Racing

July 21, 2015 By Carol Carpenter

Racing isn’t for everyone, it requires a certain level of skill, tenacity and hard work to achieve a level that most people will not have the time and funds to accomplish. I’ve heard people be blunt in saying that racing isn’t for the faint of heart, if you are willing to stack $100 bills and light them on fire then you may be crazy enough to race. I chuckled at this comment, but had I been smarter, I may have actually turned and ran. However, I am who I am, I love a challenge and instead of heeding that comment and taking it to heart, I decided that it was something I wanted…needed to do to prove to myself I could accomplish that unlikely goal. If you are interested our local club racing chapter is WMRRA.

It has been a journey to get my expert license, to race those ten races and finish. Just because you sign up for ten races doesn’t mean you get credit for them, you must finish, which means you cannot crash and you must cross start/ finish. I’ve done more than ten races and crashed out on a few, it is heartbreaking, you question your abilities, the pain of the injuries makes you second guess your skills or your bike, you get the picture. As a racer, you are constantly trying to improve yourself or your bike to give yourself the upper hand. Let’s be clear, I don’t have the latest bike, I have a 2004 Yamaha R6, bone stock and with Ohlins cartridges and a GP suspension revalved and resprung rear shock (cuz I’m a girl), Vortex brake and clutch levers, rearsets, clip ons, case covers, sprockets, sliders and chain. There is no slipper clutch, no electronics or gp shift. It’s old school and it has made me a smoother rider not being able to rely on electronics to save my ass. What I have developed is skill and smoothness, no dumping clutches, trail clutching and trail braking, learning it takes patience to initiate a turn with precision at times and that multitasking all these things as you are entering a corner in triple digits is an accomplishment like nothing else. Not everything goes right all the time, timing can be off, your mind not clear, so many things can happen to mess up that could be perfect turn, but it is the trying over and over again to do it that says volumes. We are not anything if not tenacious and seeking that feeling of the perfect lap (i.e. the drive onto the straightaway, patience to your brake marker, braking, gear selection, trail clutching and trail braking to the apex, letting the bike finish the turn, rolling the bike up on the fat part of the tire to get the perfect drive out of the exit, repeating this process 16 times a lap at the Ridge Motorsports Park) is what brings us back over and over.

June 27, 2015 I finished my last novice race and when all was said and done I came in 7th. It was a personal goal that I achieved on that day, I had promised myself one day I would get my expert number and at least place in the top 10 and that day I did both. I went from #809 to my chosen number #72. My love of riding, whether it is on the track or on the street, is about passion for a sport unlike anything else. Anyone who rides understands, those who don’t, think we are bonkers risking our lives. It just appears that our sport raises more fear in people than many other sports, yet I find motorcyclists to be some of the most interesting intelligent individuals out there. Even if you never race, come to the track, take lessons from a trusted individual, read, absorb as much information on how to be a better rider. In doing so you will be a rider for life and reap the benefits of that information when a situation arises that requires you to use your skills appropriately. Ken Hill was the person that said to me, “Practice makes permanent” meaning practicing without a plan means the development of bad habits that will be hard to break, so go into every practice with a plan and make “Perfect practice permanent.”

Women’s Event and Track Day

July 4, 2015 By Carol Carpenter

For those who are savvy to track days, just skim to the section that applies to you, for those who are virgins to track days…let’s get you comfortable with the concept. Track days typically are structured with three 20 minute sessions per hour distinguished by groups, a level 1 (novice), level 2 (intermediate) and level 3 (expert) or something of that nature to clarify which group you will ride in. Most track days will limit their sessions to 40 people per session not including their marshals and instructors. Marshals are individuals who ride the track to police traffic and help those riders who require assistance or go to a corner to help deal with a crash. Instructors are assigned to students and are specifically there to help those individuals. Instructors and Marshals wear different color vests (depending on the track day company) and are there for the customer’s safety. If you see a person wearing an instructor vest, be aware that the student (who is also wearing a vest) will be either in front of or directly behind the instructor…do not try to pass in sketchy areas, try to complete a safe pass by both of them. For this Event, we are doing two half hour sessions…that’s a whole 30 minutes on the track to warmup, get your groove on and then push your limits a little to really test your skills. For those attending the track only session which is open to all riders, male or female on any bike, Mike Sullivan will be offering up private lessons so sign up at registration. For both sessions, there will also be signups for 2 up rides, if you’ve never gone 2-up on the track, I highly recommend it. It will open up your eyes to how late and hard you can brake and how quickly you can get on the gas. This is open for male and females so please sign up in the hospitality tent as soon as possible.

For my Women’s event on August 13 at the Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, WA, we wanted to make this extra special, do what no one has done here before and provide an incredible experience for everyone involved. We wanted to get the best riding coach out there to run the classroom and teach riders concepts and techniques the top riders use and apply that to their level of riding. Having that solid foundation to build from and reference, as your skills and confidence increase, is invaluable. We asked Ken Hill, currently coaching at Rickdiculous and Yamaha School of Champions, and he was thrilled to jump on board and bring his knowledge and teaching methods to us for this event. His willingness to better the sport through education speaks volumes, his enthusiasm, charisma, understanding and wit make learning fun and easy. The list of Ken’s clients include many top level riders today and I consider it an honor he would agree to come do a school for us gals up here, so you really need to jump on this unique opportunity. Now to add icing to this already amazing cake, we asked Elena Myers to join us. She is in her own right a very accomplished rider, but what people do not realize is how down to earth and sweet this gal is. Not only is she inspirational, she is kind, not what you’d expect from someone who has accomplished so much in her life and at such a young age. Ladies, you are in for a treat, she will be riding with you during your sessions on track while Ken will be at pit wall and signaling people in for drills to work on. Elena and Ken will be working hand in hand while you are on track to help you get the most out of your day. The classroom session will be 20-25 minutes and for those who would like to stay and ask questions, Ken will be available to do so while we are making the transition to the track at which time Ken will be in the hotpits eagle eyeing people to get them to work on a specific topic. The half hour after lunch we’ve discussed bussing people to corners to watch Ken, Elena and some other racers come through and discussing what it looks like when you come in too early, too late, with too much lean angle, etc. This allows a bird’s eye view of what you should be working on when entering and exiting those corners. To sum up we will have 20-25 minutes of classroom time followed by 30 minutes on the track throughout the day.

The cost of this event has been a topic of discussion, so let me clarify, renting a track and hiring coaching out is expensive which is why most track companies rent a track, provide their own teachers, instructors and marshals (at no cost) and then fill them (or overfill them) to make money. A normal track day consists of 120+ signed participants riding in one of the 3 sessions, we are offering 2 sessions with 60 people, a total of 30 per session. This event and track day was designed to make your experience at the track, whether it is your first time or you are a track junkie, memorable. Everything we can think of is being provided from top level coaches and riders to help with this day to catering, hospitality tent with snack and drinks, provided by WMST (Chris Johnson) and Allstate, dealerships and demos, prizes and giveaways. Some of those prizes have a retail value of $200 (i.e. 2wheeldynoworks dyno, OPRT track day, Forma Boots, Spa treatments, etc) and there are loads of little giveaways sure to make you smile, including Cycle Wipes and a signed poster from Elena Myers for all sign ups. Let’s talk about the 30 minute sessions vs. 20 minute sessions…you are getting just over two extra sessions this day than you would get in a normal 20 minute session track day (which BTW ranges from $190-$220 for just the track day to $255-$320 with instruction included). Our pricing is competitive and designed to help us break even. This allows us to hire those top level coaches which make this event completely one of a kind. To top it off, both of these sessions are limited to 30 people per session…Maximum track time with minimal traffic. Imagine how much you can learn with all that extra space and time to do it in? For an additional $100 you will get top level coaching in the Women’s Event (as well as the following) and for the track only session additional track time, limited signups for more actual available track, VIP treatment, catering and memories to last a lifetime. Jason Tanaka will be on hand to take pictures on and off the track which will be available after the event just visit his website at www.JasonTanaka.com. In addition, Phil Melnyk of Premium Rush Pirelli will be in the pits if you need tires and KFG Racing will be there to setup your bikes. You can not miss this event! Sign up at www.MotoVixens.com/events, spaces are limited!

Thank you to all our sponsors for making this event possible! Ducati Richmond/Pacific Powersports, I-90 Motorsports, Optimum Performance Rider Training, Triumph of Seattle, Paulson’s, South Sound Honda/South Bound Honda, South Sound Motorcycles, WMST, Kevin Gibboney – Allstate, 2 Wheel Dynoworks, Sena, Forma Boots, The Beauty Lab, KFG Racing, Jason Tanaka Photography, Cycle Gear, Premium Rush Pirelli, Cycle Wipes and Raci-Babi.

Track Days

July 4, 2015 By Carol Carpenter

oprt_logo_full_new I was recently at the track more days of the week than not, not complaining at all, most people would kill to be in my position that is for sure. I’m fortunate to be in a position that allows me a bit more freedom to schedule myself out and unless there is a project that I absolutely must do, I can make myself available to be at the track to fulfill my passion…helping others learn to ride. I was recently at the Father’s Day track day with OPRT on Sunday and we had a full house, as usual, level 200 was full and people signed up for levels that were either above of below their skill set. As the day progressed and people were shifted to their appropriate levels, things started to mellow out and everyone got in a groove. I was teaching a student in level 200 and due to some technical difficulties I had to pull off, check my bike, then I jumped back on to find my student. I came across a rider that looked a bit confused about the lines so I tried to block his inside so as not to have him spooked by passing riders, he tended to swoop a bit so I figured if someone tried to pass they would notice that, back off a bit and then choose a safer place to pass. I must remind riders all the time, it is the passing riders responsibility to execute a safe pass, if you can not, just don’t do it. It leads to bad consequences…as we saw on this day. [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3T7XbD8u-Y[/youtube] As we both entered turn 10 the rider behind us decided he wanted to pass so dropped back a bit and went to the right in hopes of getting a straight shot into 11, however as I previously mentioned the rider I was protecting would swoop, which is exactly what he did causing the rider who wanted to pass to panic and brake so hard he did an endo. This led to a scattering of bikes and one rider behind to hit the rider that went down, all this was caught on a video that was posted on youtube and I later shared that on my timeline. Never overtake someone until you watch them through a few turns, just understanding what they feel comfortable doing helps you make a judgement call as to when it is safe to pass. All in all, the rider looked ok and he rode off the track 2up with a Marshal.

The next day was a track day for South Sound Honda and I rode around the first few sessions to get warmed up then noticed some gals that could use some help. I came across a gal named Julie and helped tow her around a bit to get her to follow my lines and she did awesome. Next session I found a young gal named Sienna, who was pitted with her father and boyfriend and asked if they wouldn’t mind if I took her around a bit? She was on a CBR250 and she was new to the race track, but had been on dirt tracks most of her life. We did a few sessions together getting her used to riding a race track and trying to teach her to the lines to help her acclimate getting her track legs. I then went back to Julie and we hopped on and we were planning on doing a few lead and follow laps, first I let her lead to see if she was paying attention, then I got in front and led. During this session I was hit as a rider tried to come on the inside of turn 12 and as I was leaning over felt my bike start to slide, then as I was accelerating out, I felt a big clunk. I was unaware I had been hit and the rider that hit me had high sided, until I heard the scraping of metal behind me, I shook my head and motioned back to Julie to follow me as we would go for another lap. When we came around we saw the rider was ok, but there was fluid on the track so they motioned us to one side and we got up a hand to exit the track. This was Julie’s first time on the track and she was stunned to have witnessed the crash, but saw that despite being hit you can still stay upright and continue on. A great lesson that could never have been described, but only witnessed. Upon entering my pit, I told my boyfriend, who is hard of hearing, I was hit. He said, “I know someone high sided and crashed.” At which time I repeated a little louder, “No, I was hit honey.” “Oh” was his reply as I got off the bike, “Are you OK?” Yup all good and then we looked at the bike where we saw that he had hit me, his bike flipped and his handlebar came down on my passenger cowl and took a chunk of paint and scraped the tail section as is came down. That explained that clunk I felt. The guy that crashed seemed fine and the only thing he was upset about was telling his wife.

Track days are fun, they are for learning and pushing your limits a bit to see what your bike can do. Bear in mind, you will never be able to outride your bike’s capabilities, so don’t try, everything in baby steps. The track is a safe controlled environment consisting of the same corners lap after lap for you to try to perfect your entry and exit speed, your lines, gear selection, braking, reference points, etc. If your goal is to drag a knee or get faster, you are that guy that will either end up crashing or causing a crash. Getting faster is about practice, not just practice, but repeated perfect practice. You are never going to be perfect, but you can get close once in a while and that is what will bring you back, that pursuit of perfection. Everything is a byproduct of the last, in getting more skilled, smoother, faster, you will naturally drag a knee or a knee and elbow, but that shouldn’t be your goal as it can lead to dire consequences. All the skills you acquire at the track directly translate to the street, but at a different speed and with far more obstacles to be worried about. Vision, which is learned at the track, helps a great deal with this as well as reference points, the speed you must acquire information is much faster at the track and once you’ve gotten acclimated it is amazing how slow things happen on the street. It gives you the ability to troubleshoot and create escape routes just in case. You will find that your mind works quicker and your ability to predict obstacles or accidents is heightened after you start making track days part of your life. Track days can be an incredible learning experience, a place to hone your skills, a place to release stress, ride at ridiculous speeds without getting a ticket, being part of a community and push your limits in a safe environment. While my last two track days saw some crazy things, the benefits far outweigh the risks. You will learn more that you’ve ever imagined and you’ll end the day hot, sweaty and feeling completely drained, but it will be with a gigantic smile on your face.

How much cardio do you need?

June 14, 2015 By Carol Carpenter

360_running_joints_1209 I once was asked how physically demanding is riding a motorcycle? Well, I guess that all depends on your skill and how you ride. The elite of the sport are in amazing physical condition because to perform at that level it gives them a significant edge. If you are just a leisurely rider, it doesn’t require much energy, however, if you are racing around a track at mind boggling speeds your body and mind need to be in tip top shape. This begs the question then: “How much cardio should I do?”

If you just want to be fit then 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise a week. That’s what is required to improve your cholesterol, blood sugar and resting heart rate to lower your risk of dying from heart disease by 60%. If you are looking to lose weight then it is all about the extra cardio. Sorry gals! If you want to lose more than 5 pounds that means doing at least 45 minutes of vigorous cardio five days a week and women who keep the weight off typically do a full 60 minutes of moderate intensity cardio a day. Can’t fit in a block of time? Interval training (alternating high-intensity with low-intensity) works at burning more fat than a longer workout at a steady pace. Try doing three 25 minute sessions of intervals a week: that way your workouts are long enough to give you those heart-health benefits.

If you want to tone up and build shapely muscles then doing separate cardio and resistance-training sessions will help you achieve your goals. Yes, it’s time consuming and in the age of instant gratification, doesn’t sound so appealing. If you are diligent though you will get those toned, sexy muscles in no time. As with everything else, there is a catch… people who are most successful toning use weights, not just body weight exercises, and they push themselves to the max. If you want to be fit, lose weight and tone up then you need to change up your routine and keep your body guessing. This will yield you the best results in a minimum amount of time.

Jump start that sexy body ladies and shake it up. With all the different ways to exercise it can be fun, grab friends and do a class, put on the tunes and take your favorite four legged friend out for a brisk jog or run, etc. Get fit because it isn’t just good for your body, it’s great for your state of mind too.

Vixens Ride!

Endurance Racing

May 27, 2015 By Carol Carpenter

Team shot before the races

Memorial Day weekend was WMRRA’s Sprint and Endurance races, which has been consistently iffy where weather has been concerned and if it was anything, it was consistent. Greg Canright (number 888) has been asking me for years to join the endurance races telling me how fun they are, but in my mind just seemed like too much work so I never signed up. Well, I have to say after doing it I’m sorry I hadn’t done it before, the teamwork and camaraderie was amazing and throwing together a team with sheer ignorance was a blessing. Chris Johnson, owner of WMST, came to me saying he wanted to do an endurance team and got Phil Melnyk of Pirelli and Premium Rush to donate the tires, would Troy and I join the team? I offered up my bike for the race and we had originally signed Matt Staples (lovingly known as the Ginger Avenger), but he got injured Sunday during the race and had to pull out. So there was our team Chris, Phil, Troy and myself with Phil as the only person who had any experience or idea what this race would entail. We assigned roles and responsibilities, items that were necessary for that day and Troy got busy making the bike ready for the 6 hours of riding my R6 was going to endure.

Fast forward after the sprint races, most everyone had been there since Friday (track day) and feeling pretty beat, yet there was an incredible excitement and energy in the pits on Monday when the paddock started stirring with people. Everyone had staked out their claim for real estate along the wall the night before, literally sitting on the concrete barriers before trailers were even out to make sure they got a prime spot. The weather never did give, it was misty to misty and dry most of the day and cold, not optimal conditions for the race. The canopies went up and teams started their setups, bikes were fueled and prepped, riders were getting geared and discussing order and time of each rider, signals for emergencies or wanting to come in next lap. The rules of the race requires an expert to start and end the race for the first and last 30 minutes, then the order can be determined by the team and the length of time each rider wants to be on the bike.

Shot with my R6 after 6 hours of riding

Each tank can take about an hour of riding and holds close to 4.5 gallons so we could ride till the light came on or just come in when we got tired. Only one bike can be used, but a team can have multiple bikes with multiple riders in case one crashes out. Troy had a great start and I came on deck next, followed by Phil when we encountered our first little setback. He had only been out 2 laps and we heard over the radio he was pitting out, so we knew something was wrong…one of the rearsets was dangling, the bolt had backed out. No one had thought about that so we did a mad dash to the trailer for parts, which hurt us for time, but since we had agreed we were doing it only for fun we wouldn’t stress. After what seemed like forever we got a bolt (from another Vortex rearset), loctited everything and sent him on his way. Phil was followed next by Chris and I got hydrated and fueled up myself to be on deck for my turn. When Chris came in we checked out the tires and they still looked decent so I went out again, but at this point the tires were getting worn and the team knowing this they had prepped another rear for the remainder of the race. In I came after my turn and the bike was placed on its stand as the tire was changed as quickly as Troy could get it done, then with a tap of the back off Phil went. While picking up Troy realized he forgot the spacer in the wheel and we had to ask control to black flag our rider to pit in. Phil had only completed 2 laps and came in wondering what happened, but a quick redo of the tire swap and safety wire and off Phil went. Phil loves riding and he was so focused all of our attempts to get his attention down the front straight went unnoticed, the rule required an expert to complete the race so we had to get him back in, we finally asked control to black flag him. Troy finished the race for us, no one crashed, we had a few snafus and poor Phil got black flagged twice (although he wasn’t in trouble we just needed to get his attention), we didn’t have a program down for issues and we didn’t have a quick fuel can, but we ended up 7th out of 15. Not bad for a group of riders who threw together a team at the last minute completely unaware of what they were getting into.

If you’ve never done an endurance race, you should! Get a team together, 4-5 is perfect and no one gets too tired. Have spouses join in for moral support and help, it was more fun than I ever thought it would be. We had a team next to us that was just a blast and while everyone is competitive, it’s really just about the love of the sport and sharing that with others who have the same affinity. The season is upon us and track days are rampant, find one and signup to really understand why we love this sport so much. If it is your first time on track, sign up for a school, if it’s been a while get a refresher. Riding is a dangerous sport, but we can take the element of surprise out of it by arming ourselves with knowledge and skills. See you out there on track or on the street!

Vixens Ride!

Too much excitement!

Technology and Profiling

May 3, 2015 By Carol Carpenter

With new technology being introduced into automobiles, the increased use of smartphones and just the sheer inattentiveness of drivers or being distracted, it is more crucial than ever to be more aware when riding. The AAA conducted a study of motor-vehicle safety systems and found that motorcycles were detected 26% more slowly than a typical car. The fact that dealers use this as a positive selling point can lull drivers into a false sense of security that they will be able to detect any vehicle and choose not to take a quick glance to make sure. While technology is truly a wonderful thing and it continues to advance at lightning speed, for riders this can be more cause for concern than give us confidence that we will indeed be detected. Just because you see their caution light come on in their mirrors as you enter their blind spots doesn’t necessarily mean they see you, there may actually be a car they are picking up entering that spot behind you, so pass them with caution and always ride as if you are invisible. Remember there is the blind spot and then the death spot as I previously mentioned in the last blog, that would make you directly in that death spot.

I’ve adapted profiling cars as I ride, it is exactly what it sounds like…watching them ahead and behind me to see if their driving is erratic, distracted, have their heads down, are rocking out, having an argument, etc. Those are just a few things to look out for when you are riding to help you make the best decisions and basically steer clear of them. I’ve noticed the best drivers have stickers of manufacturers that are motorcycle driven, they often are very understanding and will move over to let you pass and at times move back to keep others from riding up your backside. In contrast, those driving high performance sport cars are very happy to try to engage you in a race, don’t bite! They are often going to draw undue attention of law enforcement and who needs to be caught up with that? In the Pacific Northwest, I also find pickup trucks to be awesome, they are usually sport enthusiasts of the two wheeled kind and are very conscious of motorcyclists. As you ride, start profiling a bit and soon you’ll see that there definitely people in certain cars that are more attentive drivers, others that are completely oblivious and some that will surprise you and I don’t know about you, but I hate surprises, especially when they come in the form of a 3-4 lane change last minute (oh shit) I need to make the exit kind of variety. Look into the cars ahead of you when you are behind them, have they looked up to see you there (could you see their eyes glance up in the rear view mirror)? Good, then they are acknowledging they see you, if not, get away from them as soon as possible. Also, if the people are looking to change lanes they typically will turn their heads to see if the lane is clear, give them a bit of space to do so and look at tires, they don’t lie, if they are pointed in your direction, slow it down a bit just to make sure they see you.

As motorcyclists, the burden of our safety is placed on ourselves so put yourself in the best position to be seen, ride with the flow of traffic (don’t be so far behind that cars speed up to get around you) and ride with complete awareness. Ride with a plan and then have a backup just in case, our machines are very quick to respond to our inputs so use that to your advantage when you are surrounded by automobiles…try to ride to those gaps in traffic where you can take a a breather until you hit the next cluster of cars. Riding is such an integral part of our lives and I know we would all like to continue to do it for a lifetime so let’s make it a priority to be better educated and get the skills necessary to make that happen. The riding season is upon us so let get out there and Vixens Ride!

Blind spots and Death spots

April 21, 2015 By Carol Carpenter

The previous blog was about how our brain tricks us into believing a false truth, filling in the blanks because the other option seems unlikely, that is how motorcyclists end up entangled with vehicles all too often. Knowing this helps us arm ourselves when we are riding and also to start trouble shooting ways to avoid these unnecessary accidents. A fight between a car and a motorcycle is an unfair fight and the fact that so many drivers are distracted make it even more dangerous for us when we ride on the street. I’ve heard many a motorcyclist say that they ride to just get away, just relax…while I ride to get away from people, stress, kids, whatever the day has managed to drag and and dump in my lap, I never ride to relax. That implies you are riding without thought which I interpret to not being aware of your surroundings, mindless. Riding that way will get your ticket punched pretty quickly.

As many of you know I advocate advanced training, whether it be on the track or on the street, the more you fill your toolbox with skills the more confident you can be to handle any situation as it arises. However, nothing beats predicting and preparing so you never have to react in a panic or high stress situation. I just finished reading Sport Riding Techniques by Nick Ienatsch, if you haven’t read it, do. Every book and author has morsels of information that you can connect with and at times change the way you look at things and your ride…reading one book or one author is like getting a whole box of chocolates with every one the same, it’s great until someone gives you an assorted box, then all of a sudden it changes everything! Nick discusses reading traffic patterns because if you commute enough you will see them and can use these patterns to your advantage. He also discusses “driver identification“, which I consider profiling. It merely means being aware of who is behind the wheel of a given car, what sort of car it is, how it’s being driven. Identifying the types that say bully you, ignore you, don’t see you, want to work with you, types that don’t give you space. Who can you trust, tailgate, intimidate or not, is clueless, etc.? Asking these questions can help you determine if you want to be around them or get as far away from them as you can. However, if it ever comes to a question of trust? Trust no one and ride like you are invisible.

As a street rider, I check my mirrors often and so should you. I’d say I check every 5 seconds or so, even down the freeway, I like to know who is coming up behind me (check for the occasional trooper) and who is around me since it is vital to my survival. I ride relaxed, but not to relax and be mindless, there are too many variables to think about, but these skills will become second nature and pretty soon you’ll see how much more enjoyable your rides can be. This rule is also a helpful reminder for you to glance to make sure your turn signals are canceled, they are responsible for more accidents than you can imagine. Always be clear with your intentions, confusion can lead to an unfavorable turnout. Not using them at all to solve the problem? Don’t! Signals help draw attention to your bike, which you want! For example, if you want to change lanes, but don’t want to use your signal, the car in front or the next lane over wants to do just the same, who wins? Signals help notify others of your intended actions. Just be more aware of canceling them after lane changes and turns, that is where checking your mirrors and a quick glance down to check your turn signals is perfect.

Within every blind spot is a “Death Spot”, a place where you are in harm’s way if that vehicle changes lanes or decides to share it with you. Try to avoid these spots no matter what. As soon as your front tire is parallel with a vehicle’s rear bumper you are entering the death spot and will remain in it until you are past that vehicle. A Porsche’s death spot will be far less than a Ford F150, but either one can take you out. As riders we are always forced into blind spots in heavy traffic, do whatever you can to get noticed, whether its slowing to fall into the car’s mirrors or accelerating to the vehicle in front of you to be visible to the car in the next lane, always trying to get clear of the death spot. Remember motorcycles have this incredible ability of speed to get us out of sketchy situations, use this when you need it, especially when your instincts are telling you to get the hell out of there. “Riding well in traffic is a constant adjustment of speed an lane position, requiring the same total concentration needed while lapping a racetrack.” There are so many lessons you can take from the racetrack to the street. Total focus and concentration, a well maintained machine, practice and get better, ride sober (no racer would ever ride impaired) and the principle of no brake lights (road racing bikes do not have lights, so do some cars, they learn to judge speed and deceleration without relying on lights as should you.

The season is quickly approaching and nicer weather will be more consistent, brush up on your skills and should you require some private lessons, I’m here to help. Fill out my questionnaire form and email it to me, we can setup a time to meet and figure out a plan to make you a confident and empowered rider in no time.

Vixens Ride!

Optical Invariant and Why Motorcyclists should be more aware

April 12, 2015 By Carol Carpenter

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As motorcyclists we ride with the thought process that we are invisible and that may not be far from the truth. There are a great deal of collisions due to a car suddenly turning left into the path of a motorcycle when the motorcyclist was clearly in the right to pass or a car turning left into the path of the motorcycle at an intersection in broad daylight when there are no obstructions. This begs the question why this happens and why is the percentage so high?

Research by a Texas Tech University psychologist brings to light that the large percentage of this problem isn’t due to poor driving or carelessness, but could be due to a basic human judgement error caused by the way the brain judges distance and time. Pat DeLucia, coordinator of the Human Facts Psychology Program at Texas Tech University says these types of brain miscalculations plays a crucial role in motorcycle accidents involving automobiles. DeLucia states that in her studies small, near objects can appear farther away than larger, farther objects. Her studies showed how the brain interprets objects, their size and motion and how it relates to an object’s time to impact. Her finding concluded that an objects size affects distance perception and may be the reason that car drivers miscalculate a motorcyclists distance and speed. The brain uses two visual cues to determine the time of impact. In the first, a moving object is reflected on the eye’s retina, it expands as it approaches the eye, providing the brain accurate information about when the object will hit this is called an optical invariant. However, the brain also uses “rules of thumb” such as various “artist” depth cues as a shortcut. According to DeLucia, the brain interprets objects with a larger retinal image as closer and since motorcycles are smaller than cars, the brain may use this shortcut to judge them as farther away than it actually is.

So let’s do some math here: it takes the average rider 1.2 – 1.5 seconds to react from seeing danger to realize it is a threat, make a decision what to do and react. Using 1.3 sec reaction time at 30mph that’s 56.94 feet to react, at 60 mph it requires 114.4 feet, and at 100mph 189.8 feet to react, pretty sobering isn’t it? Considering the odds are stacked against us already, it is our responsibility to arm ourselves with skills and knowledge to make us better, safer and more aware riders. Be proactive, knowledge and skills will help you take control of situations and allow you to anticipate where situations can arise. Riders need to focus and not be complacent our lives are literally in our own hands. Riding is as safe or as dangerous as you allow it to be.

Take care, ride safe and Vixens Ride!