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Track Days

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I went to support my friend Cory Osburn on his last day to receive his endorsement card for successfully completing and passing his 3 day course with WMST.  He had three great instructors, Chris, John and Ed, who welcomed me to stay and watch, cheer and proudly watch him pass this course.  Upon completion of the testing, Chris stated something to the graduated class that seems like common sense, but many people don’t do it.  Not only get seat time, but get coached properly, seek out more classes and instruction, build upon what you just learned.  I can’t stress enough the importance of doing that, you just learned something, now go out and practice, practice a lot, if you don’t it will be forgotten.  Practice with a plan and set a goal for yourself every time, it can be small like going up and down your street to get comfortable with your bike, then head out of your neighborhood, then tackle the freeway.  Some people read to gain knowledge others do better by doing and attending classes, it’s up to you, but make sure you check in time to time with someone who can actually help you assess if you are improving or creating bad habits.  Bad habits are hard to break and when they become second nature your tendency is to revert to them since the new concepts are harder to implement as they require more focus and concentration.

Riding is an amazing sport and for those of us who love it, we understand it is a never-ending process.   You will never be able to fully appreciate what your bike is actually capable of, it is an incredible piece of machinery that you will get to know and love like your best friend (only it won’t drive you nuts). Some days you’ll feel like one with it and other days it’ll seem like a complete stranger to you, that’s completely normal but remember that the bike is the constant, it’s you that is inconsistent so if you are having an off day just be aware and adjust your riding accordingly.   I still feel a great deal of anticipation and adrenaline every time I climb on to one of my bikes (each one rides so differently) yet somehow once I’m there, everything quiets down and fades away. Riding for me feeds my soul, quiets my mind, centers me and reminds me why I do what I do.  Find a group or a friend(s) and get out there. Skills are tools that need to remain sharp so the more you practice technique the more comfortable you’ll start to feel in no time.  Don’t let those tools and skills get dull and never be complacent about your riding.  Things happen and they happen quick.

Track days are great for practicing,  it is a controlled environment, controlled conditions and depending on which track organization you choose to signup with, can either be a great experience or one you may never attend again. For those new to track days look for providers who limit riders per session it will be a more relaxed environment for you to practice and learn instead of a stressful experience as you get buzzed or end up in a pile up in the corners. If you are more experienced you make those decisions of signing up knowing there is a chance of a lot of traffic. Make informed decisions based on your skill level. I’ve instructed at several organizations and I’ve seen tears, frustration and outright anger because of traffic on the track, just do your homework and make sure you get the most out of your day. With less riders there is more time to work on your technique and you spend less time figuring out how to negotiate your way out of traffic.  Makes sense right?  Nothing is worse than being super excited to ride and then encounter a misfortune in your first or even second session, it ruins your entire day.  It can be due to individuals who can’t hold a line, someone clearly in the wrong level, a mechanical issue, lack of focus, too many people on track, etc.  As an instructor through the years for track organizations, I’ve seen some pretty interesting things and knew that there had to be a better, safer way to put a track day on.  If you haven’t had a chance to attend, sign up, we provide the perfect environment to learn, have fun, not feel self conscious or intimidated and our biggest joy is seeing you happy at the end of the day and smiling ear to ear.  Our last day is on September 10 at The Ridge Motorsports Park and it is limited to 30 riders in each session. There are control riders and instructors there at your disposal and the classroom is free to everyone who wants to attend.  Don’t forget to bring anything you might want to sell, barter or trade with other riders…you never know what someone might have that you absolutely can’t do without!  (OK That’s the fashionista in me)  Signup at www.motovixens.com/ccevents

Looking forward to seeing you out there!

 

Body Positioning

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There is tooimages much emphasis on looking the part than the real reason we teach body positioning.  I have seen it all too often, the frequent track enthusiast who tries to nail this technique, but refuses to take a class where we can work one on one with you to help you feel what the proper technique should be.  The truth is what you think you are doing is no where close to what you are imagining in your mind, it requires having someone follow you, meet you in the pits and put you on one of our bikes (which are on stands) and physically adjust your feet, torso, arms and head to really understand.  If you can film yourself by placing a camera on the tail section of your bike this can help you visually understand what it is you need to do to get yourself in the position you’d actually like to be in.  What you feel and what you are actually doing are two very different things and this will help you work on it productively to improve.

Now for the reason we actually stress body positioning…Safety.  Less lean angle, quicker you can get the bike up, quicker you can add throttle safely.  I know it looks cool, but it has another purpose, less lean angle means less hard parts scraping (foot pegs that are stationary are not things you really want to scrape since they may catch and launch you).  The more you get off your bike, the more contact you have with the pavement, the more traction you have…you get the picture.  We want to get people off their bikes to allow more traction because more traction is safety.  Have you noticed people who get wicked lean angle?  How long are they in that position? Do you notice that people who have better lines and less lean time are actually quicker?  Hmmmm…starting to make sense?  Once you start that lean angle you can only maintain that speed with tiny and I mean tiny changes, it is only when you start to stand the bike up that you can actually start to add throttle safely.

Then there’s the knee dragger…don’t be in such a hurry.  Get the technique, lines and confidence up because then you can really add speed into the equation and guess what?  Dragging that knee will come naturally.  We are aiming for smooth here, since smooth is what your bike likes and if you aren’t smooth don’t even think about throwing that knee out there to try to get proof.  All you may end up with is the need for new leathers or repairing your bike all for the sake of getting some street cred.  I am not trying to discourage anyone, I just want to stress the importance of getting everything down before taking the next step.  It is a bit like learning to walk, we had to crawl first then walk, it was in steps…so it is with riding and in riding it is about smoothness, technique, body positioning and speed.  They all need to work in perfect harmony.  Riding is like a beautifully technical dance and there is no feeling in the world when everything is perfect, that is the feeling we try to achieve every lap we take.  It doesn’t happen all the time, but when it does there is no feeling like it.  The season is over, but we have a new year to set new goals for ourselves, let’s aim on being safer and faster.  Be safe and as always…Vixens Ride!

Rider Beware, Part II

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So let’s talk about being seen, lots of riders wear hi-viz gear, bright helmets or jackets, have modulating lights, turn brights on, etc.   I prefer to forgo most of those things and just be ultra aware.  Let me elaborate, I do run with my brights on as my headlights only turn one on in regular mode, but both when I have brights, whether this truly works or not is debatable, but I’m all about a little extra caution.  In terms of gear, it gets really hot in the summer and black is just like being in a sauna, so I opt for other colors if I can find them, my favorite being red or white which is a lot cooler as well.  Us gals do not have loads of options when it comes to street gear, most of the apparel made for us is usually black so it makes it hard to stay cool out on the hot pavement, bike and sunshine.

I’ve spoken about lane positioning before and that is crucial, lots of drivers complain that we sit in blind spots all too often, so make sure that if you are in one, you move and make yourself more visible.  Going down the street you have the full width of the lane to make yourself seen which allows you freedom to move from the left side to the middle to the right side of the lane.  Whether I am behind particularly big cars or not, I like to ride either side to allow myself greater visibility around the vehicle to anticipate what the driver will do.  If you are going down a road with a lot of driveways to the right, stay on the right to be seen by those pulling out of those driveways.   If you see someone in the turn lane ahead stay left so they can see you behind the vehicle.  If there are two lanes going the same direction, depending on traffic,  opt to the left lane since drivers coming out of intersections might have a hard time seeing you or predicting your speed as you enter into their path of travel.  I honestly rarely stay in the middle unless it is all clear and open, but that typically isn’t the case.  Always check your 6 (behind you in your mirrors, you need to be aware of vehicles behind you that might not be paying attention) when slowing down and stay to the right or left in case you need to move due to driver error behind you.  If you are smack in the middle, you have nowhere to go except into the car in front of you.  Try not to be behind large cars, you can’t see well around them and they hide you to all oncoming cars making turns, again drivers can’t see you.  Also, don’t forget to signal, no one has ESP!  Drivers can see you looking, but signal to give them a clear message of what you are doing and that can solve a lot of confusion.  In addition, check your blind spot, physically turn and look just like a driver would (quick glance), don’t assume you are clear or you might meet someone you didn’t want to that day.  This is an extra precaution, but is as important as all the safety measures you take to be seen.

Above all, be aware and fully focused of your surroundings, this is why I constantly preach track riding, at high speeds you learn to process things a lot quicker and when you go to the street it all seems like slow motion.  You can really anticipate things quicker and process at a much higher level allowing you to relax more when trying to make your way around our crazy busy roadways.  You start to actually see things in much more detail, see more things you need to be cautious of and feel more at ease to just ride.  Not to mention the skills to be gained and translated to the street, the confidence you will gain and the knowledge that you will continue to build on to make you a better, safer rider.  Hope to see you gals out there having fun and enjoying the sun!  If you are interested in track days, look at the events page for upcoming track days and sign up!

Vixens Ride!

Rider beware, part 1

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It’s summertime and the weather is beautiful, the kids are out of school, people are vacationing and we are out riding whenever we can.  This sounds absolutely wonderful, but it is also a recipe for disaster.  Everyone that knows me, knows that I advocate confident riding and with that is rider training…seeing there are too few places to learn how to become better riders at speeds higher than a parking lot, I hope many of you are taking the opportunity to sign up for track days and track day schools.  While rider training is absolutely crucial no matter what speed, once you feel comfortable riding around at parking lot speeds and on the street a while, please go to the track to learn at higher speeds so that you are able to process information quicker allowing you more time to react.

You may ask why the track?  It isn’t about racing, it isn’t about getting your rocks off at high speeds, it is about knowing your bike and it’s capabilities, knowing your limits and seeing how little you were actually processing on the street.  On the track we teach seeing a wide view…not just what’s in front of you, but everything in front and around you.  What you should process as important and requires some of your attention and then to discard what is not.  Why is this important?  Let me give you an example, I was riding behind a car, who clearly did not know where he was going.  He signaled left and moved two lanes over to get in the left hand turn lane, I sped up to get on the freeway, he then decided he picked the wrong lane and swept across two lanes and cut me off…I had to break hard, but I saw him looking around so I had anticipated that he might try moving back.  He had no idea I was there, he didn’t even stop to look, even when I was behind him honking, he didn’t realize he could have caused a severe accident.  Truth is without the time on the track to learn and be confident in my skills, I could’ve ended up having a very bad day.

That is only one of several events that happened on that particular day, but it made me more aware that we need to not just make drivers more aware of us, but to also arm riders with enough knowledge (if not experienced) to make it through unscathed.  You have to anticipate people and their actions and even then it’s really a crap shoot.  Someday I hope we can add a chapter in driver training on motorcyclists and to be aware of them on the road, but until that day happens, it is up to us to be proactive.  Sure you can wear bright colored clothing and helmets, have modulating lights, but in the end that will not keep people from not seeing you.  With the smartphone, people in cars are clearly distracted and it is up to us to help ourselves.  Take your rider’s education in your own hands, I was always aware of motorcyclists because my brother and many of my friend were riders, I always gave them space because I had seen many of them get into an accident with drivers and it made me extremely angry that people didn’t realize that a poor decision they made in their car had serious repercussions for the rider.  We are exposed, quite literally with very little protection in comparison to their cages.

Remember, we have the benefit of speed on our side, use it when you need to to get out of clusters as I like to call them.  Go around them (safely, of course) and find yourself a nice open area to ride more comfortably without worrying about someone making a stupid move (not seeing you).  A cop who pulls you over will understand if you explain to them you just didn’t feel safe riding in the middle of a cluster and just wanted a little breathing space, this shouldn’t be a free pass however to be a tool and ride like a madman.  He will know the difference, trust me.  I’ve had many a cop drive up next to me after I broke clear of a cluster and just give me the hand wave of slow it down and I nod my head, but they really do get it.  Also, be aware that while you are close to a car to pass, they don’t know what you are doing, so give yourself enough of a cushion should they brake check you.  Again, another reason why I’d like to educate drivers in general.  Many don’t understand that you are trying to calculate speed to pass safely and may do the worst thing possible for you and hit their brakes, but most of the time, many will change lanes.  Do not tailgate them for a long time or they get edgy and things could get heated.

There are so many other things that I want to discuss, but that is enough for now to at least get you thinking.  I will do a part two here about how to make yourself seen better, at least giving you a fighting chance of being seen without any special equipment, just awareness.  It really is up to you especially if you want to get the most out of your experiences out there on the road and to free up more of your time on enjoying the ride.  And don’t forget to give the courtesy wave, two wheels down, hang loose, devil horns…whatever hand signal you choose, customize it if you wish to fellow riders.  We are all out there having fun together and heck it’s just common courtesy!  It’s gorgeous out there, what isn’t to love?  I don’t know about you, but I am always smiling ear to ear everytime I’m out on my bike and it is my honor to share the road with my fellow riders.

Vixens Ride!

New focus on street riders

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June was an incredibly busy month for track days and if you add the number of days I was at the track along with auditions, bookings and shoots it was exhausting.  I am not sure I’ve ever relayed what I do on the side besides MotoVixens (and just appointed AXO dealer), I am a mom of two sons, one going to college and one just turned 16 (and driving!)…I am also an actor/model/voiceover talent/whatever they need me for and pays ;).  What ends up being a week where I believe I can gain headway and write a blog, ends up being booked up with auditions to sometimes as far as Portland.  This brings me to my first love motorcycle riding…it is the most rewarding thing I do.  Honestly if it paid well I’d give everything up just to do it, but since it doesn’t, I have to resort to spreading myself around…

The one thing that I’ve noticed as an instructor is that track day companies are now very focused on street riders which excites me tremendously, one for the fact that they are reaching out to people who need to gain more knowledge and skills for surviving the craziness out there and two because seeing the person start the day nervous to ending it with a great big shit eatin grin makes me feel honored to be a part of that journey.  The truth is there is a lot to be gained by riding on the track; knowledge, confidence, no cops, emergency vehicle (in case), adrenaline rush in a safe place and hopefully keeping that off the streets where there can be dire consequences and above all what you accomplished while there for the day.  I try to attend every session of every school Mark puts on and while I know the curriculum, each class is unique in that with each group there are things that get stressed more due to the questions raised.  Plus the truth is, I’ve sat through a couple recently where I got a refresher on things that I’ve forgotten to pay attention to, so I still continue to learn. It is an ongoing thing and honestly your brain can’t wrap it’s head around ever concept discussed in one shot, it requires repetition, practice and nailing one concept down is an accomplishment.  I encourage students to go away with the knowledge they’ve obtained work on one or two things then hit a few track days and take another school course and build upon what they have as the foundation.

The focus is clear – teaching riders to make better decisions, knowing their machines capabilities in a way they never thought possible, trust themselves and the machine together, understand how to make it work for you and giving them the knowledge and confidence to survive even the most hairball situations out on the road.  Panic is not our friend, it causes people to make kneejerk reactions which upset the bike and in turn the bike ejects you for pissing it off…we hope that in the knowledge you gain, you KNOW you can handle it and will stay relaxed when such an event happens and it does everytime you ride.  So let’s save our fellow riders and tell them how beneficial track riding is and let’s all be around for a very long time!

Vixens Ride!

Pre-Ride Checklist

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We are all guilty of it, we are busy and at the first sight of sun, we grab our helmet and go…but if it’s been a month, even a week of not riding your bike you should check your tire pressure and do a quick walk around your bike.  I recently was asked if I knew what tire pressure I was running and when the last time was that I checked, honestly, I think it had been two weeks…my tires should’ve been inflated to 30-32 lbs., but I was told that they came in at 20!  Yeah, I was both surprised and embarrassed.  Considering I spend so much time on my bike and safety is paramount, it was a wake up call that I need to be much more on top of checking them weekly.  Needless to say, every chance I get I wipe down or wash my bike after a long ride and do a quick check of everything in order to have it ready to go for my next trip out.

Whether it is a day or weekend trip just some basic precautions can make your trip go smoothly, a little preparation can make all the difference.  Firstly, check your tire pressures (check tire manufacturer and look for your tire type to get the recommended pressures to run) and look at the tread-wear indicators near the center of the tire, if they are even with the tread surface, it’s time to buy a new set.  Also look for cracks, splits and separation of tire compounds all these things mean it’s time to retire those tires.  Next, look at your wheels, if you have spokes tap them with a wrench and listen for a ting, if it thunks then it could be loose.  If there is a crack in your cast wheels, you are pretty much grounded until you order a replacement.  Take a quick check of the axle nuts and bolts too and if you should need to tighten them a quick look up will give you the torque specs on your specific bike.

Check your oil, your dealership should have shown you where the window is located and where the oil level should be.  Most bikes need to be straight up and down and not leaning on the side stand in order to properly read the level, then look around the engine and on floor for leaks.  If you see bright green drops of coolant under your bike, wipe them clean asap, pets are attracted to the ethylene glycol which is sweet tasting and poisonous, then find the source of the leak.  Also, check your brake and clutch fluid, if it’s been a while since you’ve changed it and it is starting to get an amber hue it is time to flush it out and put in some nice fresh fluid, nothing feels better than the feeling of confidence when you squeeze that lever and it delivers a perfect bite as it brings you to a smooth stop.

Quick look at forks and rear shocks, just run your finger around the forks to see whether or not the seals are leaking and use a flashlight to check the shocks for any leaks.  Inspect your chain and if you haven’t cleaned it do so to make sure that there is no rust on it.  Lube the chain and check how much give there is in the chain, if it’s more than over half a tooth’s distance (and the chain adjusters are all the way back) then it may be time to consider a new chain, otherwise you are good to go.

Get on your bike and have someone stand in back and front to make sure your lights aren’t burned out and functioning properly, they are our only means of communication to drivers so they need to be in working order.  Make sure the headlights, turn signals and brake lights work then hit the high beam and horn to make sure everything is working.  Check for any loose nuts and bolts and tighten and then if you are adding accessories like racks and luggage, make sure they are secured and nothing is dangling that could get caught in the rear wheel or sprocket.  Then lastly, but certainly not least, make sure you are gassed up, geared up and ready to go!

Vixens, get out and ride!

Why I Advocate Track Training

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I recently bumped into some individuals who became members on my site and asked why I was purely a track related website…I had to correct them that this site was created to inform and be a resource to all types of riders. I only use the track as a training tool and heavily advocate track training purely because outside of MSF courses and even specialized on street courses, there is no where to really up your confidence at real life speeds. MSF courses are fantastic and teach you safety and maneuvering, but at very low speeds and as all riders know it is not realistic when applying it to everyday situations. It is like getting your graduation certificate and then getting that smack on the ass to say, “Good luck!” Scary as hell when confronted with a situation at speed and have to recall the training you received at say 20 mph. Having the confidence to know you can avoid these situations, corner with confidence and educating yourself (as you would in any endeavor) can only be a benefit to you. That is why I post so many track days and track school events, education and hands on learning are the only ways to improve your riding abilities and to gain the confidence you need to apply to your everyday street riding.

I have teamed up with 2 Fast Track school, Ducati Bellevue, OPRT (where I will be one of their new rider instructors) and WMST to continue my quest to educate and empower women riders. I hope that you take the opportunity MotoVixens tries so hard to provide when we bring these special events to you at discounted prices. Every time you sign up, you show the schools and dealerships you are serious about learning and they will continue to give us the opportunity to provide these events for you. Track days and events are not just for racers, many individuals sign up to hone their skills and new riders sign up to gain the confidence they need to street ride competently. I commend those individuals because they take their riding seriously and quite honestly most who try track days get hooked, they get to go way above speed limits and not worry about getting ticketed as well as not worrying about some car coming at you unexpectedly. If you never have tried a track day, join us (look in the event section) and if you have, I won’t have to twist you arm you already know it is a blast. In August I will be receiving my certification for On Street training and will be able to help you ladies in the future through WMST and possibly through private instruction. I will notify you of the details and hopefully see you out there with me soon. Vixens Ride!

Group Rides

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If you have never joined a group for a ride, it is an experience that can either bring you back for more or turn you away from it altogether. Trick is finding a group you will not only want to ride with, but socialize with as well, the reality is you start to become an extended family and a place you know where you are accepted. Searching for a group can be challenging and there are plenty of sites that you can peruse to find them, but join with caution, some groups are testosterone driven free for alls and will not only dare you to push your limits, but could very well end you in the hospital. Ask to ride with the groups a few time to view the dynamics, the organizers and their safety protocol. I think the biggest test in a group is how they organize their rides, how well all the organizers and assistant organizers communicate, safety briefings (especially in big groups) and the general vibe you get from everyone. If you don’t feel that they get along, time to bounce, you know that once you are on the road you may be dealing with egos jockeying for position and you don’t want to be a part of that.

Safety when riding in groups is a challenge and of extreme importance, there are always varying degrees of skill level and you want to be in a group that will cater to all and keep them relatively happy. The organizer should have a video or before every ride a pre-ride safety meeting to go over hand signals (which for the most part is the only way you are going to be able to communicate to the other riders), formations and answer questions . A good organizer will have posted the route, the gas/food breaks and basic eta from one point to another. Chances are times will vary depending on size of group, but generally speaking it runs pretty close to the times posted. There should also be a clear blueprint of what to do in an emergency (benefit of riding in a group, plenty of help) and everyone should be sporting and I.C.E. card (in case of emergency card). If you aren’t a member of the AMA, you should join up (you can find the link on my home page), it is beneficial in many ways. One being that they will tow your bike for free, but check out their site for a list of benefits. Your group should also have a list of requirements for gear they expect you to have, trust me when you go down jeans are not protection, basics should include: Protective jacket, pants, DOT approved helmet, gloves (preferably gauntlet) and boots. Most importantly though is how you will fit into the group, most groups have a core group and many other groups within sometimes bound by skill level, friendships, etc. But they should all be able to mesh together cohesively when on a ride and it should be about having fun and doing it with people you actually want to spend time with. Many friendships come from joining groups like this which is why finding the right group is so important.

I am part of several groups, but there is one that I hold very dear to my heart (Eastside Sportbikers) and I play a very active role in every chance I can get. They took me in as a rider who could barely keep her bike from tipping over (while standing on tiptoes) to being my fans as I entered my novice year of racing. They encouraged me when I was a newbie and they gained my loyalty in return, I love this group and the people in it, the friendships that have developed and the camaraderie. Those are the feelings you should get when you decide to join a group, if not, move on. There are plenty of them out there and just like finding a mate eventually you’ll find one that is “Just Right.” Meetup is a great channel to find groups in general so give it a try and find out how much fun riding in a group can be. Ride on Vixens!

Emergency Card

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As I was filling out my forms to become a novice racer with WMRRA this year, one of the forms included a full medical information page which needed to be in your leathers in case of an emergency, I realized I needed to update my “In case of emergency” card I keep in my wallet while riding.  Not that we are tempting fate, but in the event that something should happen you should have this information handy for medics so they can get you proper care.  I am sure we all carry our ID when we are out riding, but all that changing from our everyday wallet to our smaller riding wallet, sometimes we forget, right?  I know there have been times when I got home after a ride and realized in my rush to get out the door or even being distracted by the kids, I had been riding without my license, oops!  It happens, life happens, so let’s be realistic and be prepared.  The card just provides the basic information, your name, DOB, blood type, address, phone numbers, physician, emergency contacts and a spot to put your insurance information.  I’ve included the document for you to print out, please fill it out and keep it with you in your riding wallet as well as your membership to the AMA (if you haven’t become a member, do, they are a great organization), they will tow your bike in the event something should happen.  It is that reminder from my girl scout days to “Be Prepared”!!!

It’s been chilly out, but I hope to see you all out there!  Vixens ride!

In Case Of Emergency

Safety Gear

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Brittany Morrow Safety Video

This is a subject that I will never compromise on, EVER!  No matter when you see me riding I will always be in full gear.  There is never a time you will catch me riding down the street without protective gear on, I have too much to lose, you have too much to lose Vixens!  Please watch this video, this will make you realize how important it truly is…

Carol T. Carpenter
MotoVixens