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Everyone Wants to Find the ‘Right’ Position!

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After the much awaited debut of Marc Marquez to the MotoGP circuit, one can’t browse the social media networks or open any respectable magazine without hearing or seeing all the commotion over his infamous form and extreme lean angles.  Regardless of which school of thought you subscribe to on such drastic lean angles, one absolutely cannot dispute; …the kid has got talent!   While the rest of us mere mortals will never ride like Marquez outside of our dreams, (despite one or two chaps strutting around the club paddocks claiming this of course), we can learn much from his example.

Body position is typically the first area of focus instructors and riding coaches work to improve on with students, and often for most, one of the most challenging skills to develop.   New riders are notorious for a gamut of poor techniques that can potentially cause very big problems as their pace improves.

Some of the most common hot ticket items are:

*Sitting too upright (Think Driving Miss Daisy vs. Crouching Tiger)

*Shoving the bike underneath you (‘Motocross style,’ baby! Potentially the most dangerous)

*Not getting that booty off the seat (A hot button for coaches)

*And my favorite, the “crossed up style.”  (Everyone has seen this guy; he looks like he is falling off the bike and trying to climb back on with his shoulders at the same time.)

 

I will be the first to admit, my track photos from my NRS are the perfect example of what not to do and I’m surprised I didn’t tuck the front every lap through T9 with how I was shoving the bike down.  My riding coach used to scold me for this regularly.  There is much literature available on this topic broken down step by step scientifically, but the simple idea behind this being that when you drop your head and shoulders and get off the bike, you’re able to push the bike back up and away from you onto the “meat of the tire,” enabling you to get on the gas sooner and minimizing the chance of high sides.

Keith Code breaks it down for us, “Conceptually, hanging off couldn’t be simpler. Lower the combined center of gravity of the bike/rider and you go through the same corner at the same speed, on the same line with less lean angle. It’s a brilliantly utilitarian racer’s tool with huge residual benefits, chief among them an accurate, on-board gauge for lean angle.”  He also describes the tendency and detriment of riding crossed up.  Code says, “True to most evolutionary progressions, function now rules the look of roadracers. Riders are low and inside of their bikes. More and more we see them perfectly in line with their machines, not twisted or rotated in the saddle. The bum off/body twisted back across the top of the bike, which many Phase 4 riders had used, remains an interesting piece of self-deception. Having their torso on the high side of the bike not only neutralized the mass of their hips being off the bike, but actually raised the combined bike/rider center of gravity; thus defeating the technique’s main purpose.”

Mark DeGross, of 2Fast Trackdays & Instruction has developed the “Lean Machine” tool to help teach students proper form in the classroom sessions of his Performance School. DeGross explains, “We feel body position is foundational to riding, so we built the Lean Machine to work with riders.  By replicating the motion of a bike going from straight up and down to leaning over in a corner, we can work with students in our schools helping them to achieve an optimum smooth transition and body position.”

Professional racers at higher levels practice some downright astonishing techniques manipulating the center of gravity on their machines, but on a less complicated level, one school of thought suggests riders should utilize this concept by dropping their shoulders with their booty half off the saddle.  (We all have a handy little halfway gauge just for this.)  Riders lower their head below where a mirror would be with their outside arm stretched out over the tank and essentially “taking a bite out of their inside forearm” thus forming a more stable “triangle base” in which to maximize the contact patch of the tire.  Ladies, you will always feel much lower than what photographs will illustrate, so rock some Lil Jon in your helmets and “Get Low!”  …whatever it takes!

I have found that when you consciously make the effort to drop your shoulders, you’re better able to read the feedback of your tires and chassis at any point in the corner.  It also seems to slow things down a bit in order to better process your surroundings, which will be reflected in your lap times.  With a little practice and some seat time with your riding coach, you’ll see this too.  So get those shoulders down and ‘drop it like it’s hot,’ Vixens.

WMRRA Round 1 at The Ridge

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When I first decided to start racing it was based on a discussion I had with Mary McGee. She has been racing for quite a while and had these amazing stories of meeting people, situations she found herself in that were unreal and just fond memories she had of not just of races, but the people involved in her “extended family.” I listened to her tell a story about Steve McQueen and how she started racing with him, it seemed so fantastic and in watching her tell this story I wanted to join in on the fun. I stated I had this desire, however, I felt as if it was beyond my abilities. Her reply was and continues to be, “Race your race.” So I joined WMRRA earlier this year, not to race and win, but to race and prove to myself that anything is possible.

WMRRA-Round-1Round 1 at The Ridge started on Saturday, April 27th and due to circumstances I was unable to attend that day, but entered as a late entry on Sunday. I had never raced and that day was a flurry of issues that included a dance with mother nature, she was playing, “Am I gonna stay wet or should I mess with every racer out there?” I had just taken my rains off from PIR and put on my DOT’s after watching the weather report say mostly dry and had it safety wired to save time. By the time I got there on Sunday, I realized it was the wrong call and in a moment of sheer panic had to get the wheels changed, safety wired and clear tech before our morning practice. Short tools, there was a mad rush to borrow from everyone available and luckily everyone was incredibly helpful in loaning out there tools. My boyfriend, Beau, was my pit crew and was phenomenal in getting everything swapped out for me and my bike ready, on the stands with tire warmers. When practice rounds came, it was wet and everyone was taking it easy so as not to crash and being out there 2 days later (most had attended a Friday track day and raced on Saturday) I was at a disadvantage I didn’t like.

The Novice Race was not scheduled until 4:10pm and there was a lot of time to question my decision of racing. It is a mental game that sometimes can get the better of us and waiting 6 hours to race didn’t make that doubt go away. By the time 2pm rolled around, it was clear that keeping the rains on would tear them up so we had to switch them back to the DOT’s, re-safety wire. Then the waiting game started again as we watched the clouds and checked the weather reports which were forecasting rain coming in by 7pm, however the clouds were looking like they may push in before then. By 3:40pm I was in sheer panic mode and Nels Byersdorf of 2 Wheel Dyno Works and his guys, Tyler, Andrew and Jarod had surrounded my bike and were getting the tires pressures set, checking the safety wiring and covering my wheels (with tire warmers on high) with anything to shield it from the blistering cold wind. Heather, Nels’ wife and I were talking and the welcomed distraction kept me from going into full on freak mode. Between Beau, Nels and his guys I knew that I would be OK on the track. Then the 5 minute warning came and we waited, knowing that my tires would get cold almost immediately, by 2 minutes before the practice lap I got on the bike and they dropped me to go, heart racing and mind trying to focus. Checking my grid position, I headed out for the lap and gridded for the race. Then the moment came, everyone diving into turn 1 and I saw that my decision not to attend on Friday and Saturday left me at a disadvantage. Then it was all over, almost as quickly as it started. There I was, mentally exhausted, but relieved and able to say that I raced my first race. When I pulled in, everyone was congratulating me on finishing my first race and Nels stated that I had one up on him and the guys. I didn’t understand what he meant, then he said, “None of us have ever raced.” I was in disbelief, but had this wonderful sense of accomplishment, this coming from a guy who has been around bikes his entire life. It was exactly what I needed to hear at that moment to understand that what I just accomplished was larger than just finishing.

If you have a desire or a dream of doing something, don’t let fear of failure keep you from doing it, just do it. Fear is our biggest enemy. I know I won’t be the fastest one out there, for now, but I will get faster through practice and determination. So if you have a dream, follow it, because not doing so will leave regret. I never in a million years would have thought I would be entering the world of racing motorcycles, but here I am. It is natural to have fear, fear is good in some situations, but fear can also keep us from accomplishing our goals. Not everyone will want to tackle road racing, but it applies to any goal you may have. Conquer those fears and understand that you can accomplish anything you put your mind and energy into. Ride on Vixens!

Wet Track Day at PIR

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Get the kids off to school, load the bike, pack the car (hopefully with everything you need) and getting on the road…a practice run of many days to come in the upcoming months. Checking the weather to determine if the takeoffs I just bought would be necessary for the day on the track, making the decision not to take the rain tires because it looks good, lesson learned. My new motto is take absolutely everything you think you need. Went to bed and woke up at the crack of dawn hoping that the sun would peek out only to have your heart drop when you open the curtains to see rain and only dark clouds looming. Plan on things not going smoothly and if they do then just smile, you are doing something right or you are lucky (as was in my case) of having a mentor that took you under his wing.

Upon driving up to the track, that moment of panic occurred, I don’t have an ez-up to pit under. I was fortunate to have Mark allow me to pit with him and Darryl, got there early enough to talk to the Dunlop guys, hearing you are about to drop $550 on rain tires because you made the mistake of not bringing the ones you had, but knowing that not doing it would kill the investment you just made on your bike. There really is so much to be done the minute you get on the track, then you wait and relax for the rider’s meeting and the ride around in the truck to get a first hand view of the track you are about to ride. There is excitement and fear that consumes you as you are listening intently to the driver and the lines he is suggesting you take as you learn the track. A moment of terror seizes you as you think, “OMG, what am I doing?” Then comes that moment when you hear the horn and it is your turn on the track, pulling the warmers off, heading to start/finish and your heart starts racing, remembering your “sissy laps” as your tires warm up and learning the lines of the track. After the first two laps, you speed up and then you realize why you are there, that peace that encompasses you as you ride, hearing the engine humming underneath you, the accomplishment you feel when your session is over and the encouragement of those around you.

It is a dangerous sport, there were many red flags and bikes picked up off the tracks that day, but it is only as dangerous as you make it. Ride within your limits, I rode with the knowledge that I did not know the track well, it was raining and it was the first time out on the tires I purchased, I just wanted to be smooth, I was only riding for myself and I had nothing to prove, but to ride. There were a lot of bad decisions made, some as simple as people riding on street tires, others were going way too fast, reading the lines incorrectly, oh s*#t moments, etc. What is your goal? Stick to it and don’t be influenced by the mentality of others out there with you, there will always be someone faster than you and unless you are in the top 10 and chasing them, ride your own ride. The sense of accomplishment you feel will be enough to bring you back. Ride on Vixens!

Basic Motorcycle Maintenance

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Hey Gals! Always on the lookout for classes to get you motorcycle literate. Lake Washington Institute of Technology is offering a 6 week class every Wednesday night on motorcycle maintenance, so if you are interested, contact Susie Jacobsen and sign up:

Motorcycle Maintenance
Item: B234-9035
Don Dale
5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Room: East Building E158
Sessions: 7 W
Location: 11605 132nd Ave NE Kirkland, WA 98034
4/24/2013 – 6/5/2013
Fee: $219.00

Contact:
Susie Jacobsen
Admin Asst IV; Extended Learning
Phone 425.739.8112

Vixens Ride!

Rockstar Confidence and Target Fixation

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No matter how long you have been riding, whether it has been in the dirt, on the street or at the track, and at absolutely any level… confidence is paramount.  Confidence is what can often pull us through challenging situations in every circumstance elsewhere in our lives, why wouldn’t it be true for riding?  The person that exudes confidence on a catwalk, giving that toast at a wedding or asking their supervisor for a raise is usually the one that takes home the trophy at the end of the day; or, at the very least, makes an impression not easily forgotten.  We, as outsiders, are not privy to the fear or negativity that might be inside their heads, all we see is poise and self-assurance.

I cannot tell you how many times I have seen riders come barreling into a corner a bit faster than they are comfortable, and without even making an effort, admit defeat and run off the track.  Or worse, watched one rider follow another right off track in the same exact place.  …And target fixation scores two!

Rider safety courses and performance schools alike all teach the same basic principals in this area, “Look where you want to go and commit.”  (If it’s about ‘commitment’, it’s no wonder why some riders are faster than others!)  Most all accomplished or professional racers will agree that the machines we ride are far more capable than what we give them credit, and more often than not in the early stages of riding, the reason for the crash or excursion into the dirt boils down to a simple decision in the heat of the moment.  The rider makes the decision in his/her head that he can’t enter the corner at that speed, changes his focal point from the apex of the corner to one off track, and in a split second, he’s grazing through the green grass in his pretty new leathers.   Racers at higher levels of competition have learned this.  How often do you see Marc Marquez or Ben Spies simply outbreak themselves into a corner and run off track?

Now I’m not suggesting students ride beyond their abilities and when they get into a situation outside of their skill level, to simply revert back to confidence and commitment, because “Hey, if Rossi can do it, I can do it!”  Keith Code states it best, “Making leaps into the unknown by hoping the bike will do your biding will often find riders biting off more than they can chew.”  However, he has much to say in the way of target fixation being our worst enemy, and not looking far enough down the track coming in at a very close second.  Code writes, “Our survival instincts aren’t concerned with what might happen 3 seconds ahead; they’re interested in the dangers they can perceive right now. Without proper training, survival instincts will default to just that.  Simply put, left untended, our visual system is designed to spot danger just far enough ahead that we’ve got time to either misjudge our situation or panic. I’ve long held that our instinctual survival reactions are what spoil any ride.”

The principal that I’m proposing here is simple.  Next time you find yourself diving into that corner feeling like your hair is on fire and you’re about to suck the buttons off your seat, make the mental decision in your mind that you are going to stay on track. Look three seconds ahead, find the apex, drop your inside elbow and commit like Britney Spears in a Vegas wedding.  Running a little wide and being off line is far better than yard-selling your bike.  (The marshals will thank you for this later.)  There is a world of information readily available that has already been specifically broken down bit by bit on visual points and target fixation.  I want to inspire students to believe in themselves in that panic moment and give themselves one more chance before they concede defeat.  On the street, this could mean the difference between running wide and eating a Prius bumper for breakfast.

Now whether you’re Steve Rapp or more like Steve Buscemi on a bike… Work it like Paris Hilton interviewing for a new movie role and ride confident, Vixens!

2 Fast Performance School for June 10, 2013

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Vixens, for those of you signed up for the track day on June 10th at The Ridge (Women’s Track Event in our Event section), you are in for a jam packed day of information, sweat and adrenaline! Mark DeGross, owner of 2 Fast Motorcycle Track Days and Instruction, fills the day with an immense amount of learning combined with track time and has a staff that are at the top of their game. You will be learning from the best so make sure you are well rested and most importantly hydrated (I typically have a rule of hydrating a few days before a track day and avoid alcohol if you can the day before, it does make a difference). To keep your sanity, make a check list of things you need to bring such as your gear (riding suit of two piece zip togethers), boots (socks too), gloves, helmet and some type of back protector and get it in the car the night before. Also, don’t forget to bring water (they have it, but it’s always good to bring some of your own) and snacks in case you are not able to eat what is being served. I am a vegetarian so most of the time I just bring my own food since they typically serve hot dogs and hamburgers at the track. Note: It is really cold in the morning, wear layers so you can stay comfortable and if you are new to riding suits, wear some type of compression gear underneath or it will be impossible to get your leathers off after you start sweating, getting that suit off to pee will be a challenge.

As some of you may know, I have been writing about my crazy introduction into motorcycle racing. It has been an enlightening experience, scary as crap and also where I’ve felt most accepted into a community than I have ever felt possible. Every individual I’ve come into contact with has been nothing but genuine and open to sharing their knowledge and if asked, provide advice. Mark DeGross, my mentor (in this nutty adventure), has been a wealth of information which is why I chose him to be my guide through this overwhelming process in order to get ready. I am told that eventually this will all be second nature, but for now, I do feel like a minnow in an ocean of sharks. 2 Fast is an amazing performance school which I had the opportunity to attend as part of my Novice Racer curriculum. Everything I learned, you will learn, our class was just more entailed and had simulations of what we would encounter on race days. Before you come, make sure your bike is in good working order, have decent tread on your tires and nothing is leaking or it will be a lousy day sitting in the pits (unless you can bribe one of the Ducati guys to ride one of the demo bikes, then it will be awesome).

Your Schedule will be:

7:00am Registration and Tech Inspection, have bike taped (mirrors, if not removing and lights)
7:40am Complimentary track ride around in trucks (highly recommended)
8:15am Mandatory Rider Meeting (Rules, Flags and Passing)
8:45am Performance School Orientation for students
9:00am Session 1: Body Positioning
10:00am Session 2: Turn 9 Experience
11:00am Session 3: Relaxation & Fear Management (This one is big!)
12:00pm Session 4: Lunch Break
1:00pm Session 5: Scrubbing Speed – The Art of Slowing It All Down
2:00pm Session 6: Powerband Management
3:00pm Session 7: Vision – What You See & Where You Are Looking
4:00pm END OF DAY

Please understand that this day is not about speed, this day is about learning. Sure you can push yourself, it is natural and encouraged, but don’t be a hazard to others because you want to prove something. We all play a part in being responsible and respectful of the other riders on the track. Ask loads of questions, the staff is an invaluable source of information and they are generous with their expertise and advice, listen and learn. Don’t let this be your only track day, sign up for as many as you can and just keep improving. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so why try? Also, visit 2-fast.org or ducatibellvue.com for full listings of their track days, prices and videos. If you are still on the fence because you think your cornering isn’t what it should be and want to get some extra instruction before, we have a class that is being offered by WMST on Sunday, May 19 from 9am – 5pm (check the events section for more details). If you can’t make the class, don’t worry, we will all be there to help you at the track. This is about empowering you so take full advantage of it, they want to see more women on the track and no one is going to judge you. Truth is they have respect for any woman that has the balls to come to a track day, so let those bad boys swing Vixens ;)!!!!

Steering Out of Trouble

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As your skills progress, it is only natural to test your limits and start to add some more speed to the equation (I personally think we all get a little cocky the more confident we become). But with this added speed we have to be more alert and not think, “Hey I had this at the lower speed, I got this,” because what you will have is more than your share of, “Oh *&#@ moments.” At higher speeds it requires more focus and attention and you really need to be thinking well ahead of the turn, if you are focusing only on the turn in front of you, you will run out of road really quick (and I mean literally), in the CA Superbike School this was referred to as “wide view”. It seems simple enough, but at high speeds your wide view requires a great deal of concentration and interpretation on what is important and what you must disregard. If you don’t, you can start to feel uncomfortable and this can cause you to target fixate, for example you see a pothole and instead of missing it you end up riding right into it. Your mind has a moment of panic and before you know it what you were trying to avoid becomes the object you end up becoming very intimate with (in a bad way). On a road you have your lane, the outside edge and the inner edge, because of the size of your machine, you have plenty of room to play with. Now add a twisty road with a lot of blind corners, cars coming at you from the opposite side who sometimes are not so great at staying in their lane, this can really scare the crud out of you.

Learning how to read reference points (entry point, apex, exit points) in a turn will help keep those moments of panic at bay and hopefully with enough practice will give you the confidence to ride those twisties at speeds that make others nod in respect. It is not only women that have trouble with corners though, I know quite a few men who have misjudged a turn or two and ended up on the side of the road, heart in their throat. It is important to look well ahead of the turn and not only be aware of where the road is leading, but have enough attention scanning for any issues that may arise on the road like potholes, loose gravel, bumps, etc. This is even more of an issue when riding in a group setting where you are responsible for not taking out the person in front of you because you were in lala land, if you don’t feel completely confident in your riding ability, wait a bit before joining a group or join one specifically for novice riders. Riding in a group however has it’s advantages, which include safety in numbers, camaraderie, support, learning from better riders and the list goes on. However, there are disadvantages as well, such as varied levels of experience which can lead to accidents and people riding above their abilities to “fit” in. Never ride someone else’s ride, ride to your comfort level, if it causes your heart to palpitate too much take it back a notch.

Your best friend is knowledge and seat time (sorry no short cuts here ladies), invest and learn as much as you can. Take classes to better your riding, if there is something in particular that you want to improve on or seems to stump you, find a class that addresses that skill or ask a friend who is a rider for their input (however, ask a reliable source). We want women to learn from reputable companies we’ve established relations with and know that they are the leading authorities in their industry. I hope you will take the opportunity to sign up for workshops, courses or track days we put on to get more women out there feeling really good about their rides and loving it. Check out our events section for upcoming dates and be sure to sign up. I hope to see you all out there at the upcoming track day in June, I know you guys are in for a treat. Mark DeGross with 2 Fast puts on a great performance school and you will leave feeling exhausted and excited with your newfound abilities which you will be able to apply immediately on the streets. Ride on Vixens, the weather is looking up if this last weekend was any indicator!

Valves and suspension

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Stock Valves

Stock Valves

There has been a lot of activity getting the bike race lately please accept my apologies for not getting a blog out last week. After speaking to Brian at length about how to get the bike dialed in to fit me and to give me the confidence I needed to fully trust my bike, he encouraged me to change the stock valves in my forks to ensure optimum performance of my bike on the track. The following is an explanation from Brian (FS2) of why we revalved the R6, I hope you find it interesting and informative:

Race Tech Valves

Race Tech Valves

“Stock valving has a lot of limitations, especially when the bike is used for racing or race track applications. For everyday riding stock valving may be fine as you won’t be pushing the limits of your bike, but for racing and track you put much more stress on your suspension and revalving ensures your bike will give you the desired effect needed on the track. First, let’s discuss what a valve is in terms of suspension. A valve is a piece of metal that has been machined to precision (usually on a c&c machine) that will direct oil through orifices drilled into the valve. On each side of the valve are very thin round pieces of spring steel called shims and as the valve moves through the oil the orifices in the valve direct the oil to the shims clamped onto the valve and these shims bend out of the way to allow the oil to pass through. This is what gives the “damping” effect. The stiffer the shims or the more shims that are in place the more force is required to move the valve through the oil.

So here is the problem with stock valves, they have very small orifices. This is fine for slow speed applications (sorta) but as the valve has to move faster through the oil (such as a race track) those small holes simply cannot allow enough oil to pass through with the velocity needed to allow the suspension to compress fast enough to let the wheel absorb road imperfections. This can get dangerous on a racetrack where the speeds require very fast wheel movement through the stroke of the forks or shock. If the wheel can’t get out of the way of the road imperfection fast enough because of the poor valve engineering, traction is the first thing to suffer.

The aftermarket valves we installed into Carol’s bike have MUCH larger orifices in the valves allowing the valve to move very quickly through the same oil. So to control how fast or slow the valve moves through the oil we use the shims. We can make an infinite number of combinations of “shim stacks” to accommodate changes in riding speed, race track conditions, etc. Aftermarket valves are much more responsive and supple, gives us the ability to customize the flow and perfect what we are trying to accomplish for the rider or even as specific as the track (road conditions).

With stock valves there is really only so much you can do, those small holes limit so much. For example, imagine you are trying to squeeze toothpaste from a toothpaste tube, at some point no matter how hard you squeeze the toothpaste will only come out of the hole so fast. It will not come out any faster even if you dropped a Mack truck on it!! That’s stock valving and that Mack truck is like the force you put in your bike in the track. Now take that same tube and make a giant hole three times the size of the original hole and drop the same truck on it. The toothpaste comes out WAY faster. This is like the aftermarket valves. Now all we do to control the flow of toothpaste is we use a set of shims, just like in the valves. But we want the flow to be high through the valve itself, not restricted through small holes. That’s what aftermarket valves do.”

Steering

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Is the front wheel or back wheel is responsible for steering your motorcycle? Well, they actually both play a role, the front end turns the bike or changes the lean angle, but once the motorcycle is leaned over and stable it is the rear that takes over to maintain that lean angle. Once you are leaned over in a turn, the front end stabilizes the bike, but does not steer it. It still has importance in that it is still carrying 30-40% of the cornering load which accounts for that same percentage of cornering speed. Let’s say you took that 30-40% and added it to the rear, that would account in a full on slide. When you hear guys talk about getting their bike to “bite” they want to get that weight on the front end to load it for the turn. Understanding that the rear of the bike is mainly responsible for stability when the bike is leaned over helps us to make decisions based on that fact. The front end needs enough weight to stabilize itself and allow the rear of the bike to steer it in the direction you have placed it in, assuming you have constant throttle throughout, you will hold that line.

In Chapter 14 of Twist of the Wrist II, there is a question that is asked, “How many times do you steer your bike in any one turn?” *DRUM ROLL*…The answer is: One single steering action per turn. Mid-turn steering corrections occur when you try to correct your mistakes (going into a turn too hot, too wide, unsure where you are, etc.) and are purely a result of rider error. While one steering action is ideal, we tend to panic when we get ourselves into a situation that feels uncomfortable and we compound the problem by say rolling on or off the throttle and adding more lean angle. This causes problems with either loading one end or the other which then affects suspension and traction. This is where maintaining constant throttle is important, rolling on causes more weight to shift to the rear, rolling off causes it to shift to the front, keeping it constant keeps you from disturbing the bike in a turn and avoids that panic to lean more to correct that throttle inconsistency. Less is more in this instance.

There is a purpose and a goal to steering, I think Keith Code says it best, “The purpose of steering is to make direction changes. The goal of steering is to get through the turn accurately, with as little lean angle as possible (for the speed you are traveling).” It is true that there will be more lean the faster you go and this is due to centripetal force pushing you to the outside forcing you to steer at a steeper lean angle to hold that line. However, less lean angle means you have more of a safety margin, more traction and the ability to go faster with spare clearance (no pegs scraping) and it can all be obtained by just flicking the bike quicker into the turn. Learn more about “quick flicking” on Chapter 15 in Twist of the Wrist II.

There is more to cover on steering, but I hope that this intro into it sparks those brains cells into action and you apply some of the principles discussed (keeping it the speed limit of course, it must be said) out there on the road. Tackling some of those twisties with your newfound knowledge and giving you the confidence to overcome those once dreaded curves. Nothing feels better than that sense of accomplishment and the drive that follows to conquer even more. Ride on Vixens!

Countersteering II

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In my ongoing thirst for knowledge from different sources, I encountered a section in a book that discussed Lee Parks’ book Total Control and the concept he uses in the effort to help people understand counter steering. As I talked about countersteering in my last blog, it was guiding in an opposing manner or direction according to Keith Code’s explanation. However, Lee Parks uses the concept of instructing riders to use only one arm at a time for steering inputs, when turning right, only use the right arm to push the bar and when going left, use the left arm and focus on using nothing from the right arm except throttle control. To take this even further, I chose to do it by taking my other hand completely off when going right and just lightly having my right hand controlling the throttle when going left to challenge myself and the truth was it took very little input to get my bike to make those turns. What required more effort was reading entry speed at the turn and actually looking through the turn. If you are struggling with your bars or even man handling them at every turn, you are working way too hard, ease up on the bars and take it slowly, this is a strange concept for people when they are learning it. It is counterintuitive, it seems as if you want to go left you turn left, you want to go right you turn right, right??? Well, when on two wheels we are dealing with forces, remember the gyros? If you are holding the bars down in a corner you are working way to hard and we want to work smarter not harder right Vixens?

Being smooth is key overall though, being smooth in your acceleration, braking, cornering and transitions will make you a better, faster and confident rider, but most importantly you will enjoy your ride more. Relax (seriously), you have to be in control of your mind, emotions, body and machine, remember the saying of “when the helmet drops, the bullshit stops?” The moment the helmet is on you can’t have lingering thoughts or worries, you have to focus (don’t get on angry or distracted). Also, know your limits, don’t push yourself beyond your comfort zone and keep your fatigue and attention levels in check. Add more skills gradually and keep riding and experimenting with different techniques. If you really want to learn, test and push your limits in a controlled environment try out a track school in your area. For those of you in the Pacific Northwest, more specifically Washington, we have one scheduled on June 10th, check out our events schedule for details. Looking forward to seeing you Vixens out there and on the streets!