jason370
Zone Head
Posts: 589
|
posted November 14, 2002 02:39 PM
 Edited By: jason370 on 14 Nov 2002 15:05
california superbike school commentary, with pics
this summer i attended a keith code California Superbike school, at ppir pikes peak int. raceway. without a doubt, it was the best thing that i have done this year (other than trading in my ZX11 for a ZX12).
I've been riding that ZX11 since '95 and in those 7 years i cannot really say that i have made any major improvements in my riding skills other than becoming unafraid to risk my life at insanely high speeds.
i still sucked in the twisties, and had tremendous fear due to the fact that i often entered turns way too fast (only to grab a handful of front brake so as not to go right off the edge of a cliff).
IN A DAY, i repeat, ONE DAY, i went from horrible to very respectable as far as my skills were concerned. I was clueless as to where a bikes suspension should be when entering a turn; i certainly had no clue how to control the bike to make for maximum efficiency. in fact i often did the opposite without even knowing.
now instead of always being on the brakes i find myself mostly on the throttle. i am destroying guys in the canyons and on the track that used to smoke me and leave me feeling like crap cause i sucked and i knew it.
heres the important part, i used to push myself harder, beyond my skill level to try and keep up. i've had close calls (as we all have). thst is no more; now i glide through the canyons on rails. it's the other guys that are pushing too hard to try and keep up and they fall further behind trying.
if you are like i was then i suggest making the investment in yourself and doing so. ONE DAY of csbk school has forever changed my knowledge, skill, confidence, and level of enjoyment.
btw, that is 6'5 me on a zx6, not bad all considering.
jason
____________
'02 ZX12 black/gold
   
|
beansbaxter
Needs a life
Posts: 5911
|
posted November 14, 2002 03:10 PM
nice pics...do they take pics of you while your riding? or did a friend do that?
|
jason370
Zone Head
Posts: 589
|
posted November 14, 2002 03:11 PM
oh i almost forgot, plan to drop a couple hundred on pics. there was a photographer on site that i think travels with the school, but is not actually part of the school. either way, i bought.
jaosn
____________
'02 ZX12 black/gold
|
beansbaxter
Needs a life
Posts: 5911
|
posted November 14, 2002 03:18 PM
did you run into the cones that are dropped over in the background of the pics?
|
jason370
Zone Head
Posts: 589
|
posted November 14, 2002 03:19 PM
nope, wasnt me. i was riding at the fron most of the day.
jason
____________
'02 ZX12 black/gold
|
wannabe
Pro
Posts: 1931
|
posted November 14, 2002 04:30 PM
Good pics Jason. I'm signed up for November 26th at Laguna Seca. I decided to just go ahead and ride the 12. I want to learn everything on the actual bike I'm going to ride. The only thing I'm worried about is that Laguna Seca has some lame noise rules. My acra isn't too loud, but I have to remember to short shift on the straight where the sound tower is.
____________
-----------
"There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; the rest are just games." - Ernest Hemingway
|
ZHooligan
Moderator
Post Whore Extraordinaire!
Posts: 3829
|
posted November 14, 2002 04:57 PM
Edited By: ZHooligan on 14 Nov 2002 19:45
Laguna is really fun in the class. Especially the 5th gear no brakes exercise!
Remeber to park your ego at home or the gate, and listen and do what you are asked. Doing so will enable you to come away with an amazing amount of improved skills and confidence. When I have taken these schools the rickey racer guys leave the class with the same and or less skills then they come with. I have seen guys that could barely ride leave at the end of the day faster then the rickey racers!
____________
To those who do not count their life in years, but in how life
has touched them in the past and how much it can hold in the
future; -- Youth is forever.
|
jason370
Zone Head
Posts: 589
|
posted November 14, 2002 06:42 PM
well said zhoo,
at first i tried to be a big shot and run faster than the rest, but then i realized that my ego was getting in the way of my learning. once i slowed down and actually started doing what they were teaching, i ran much faster with less effort. park the ego and work the drills
jason
____________
'02 ZX12 black/gold
|
wannabe
Pro
Posts: 1931
|
posted November 14, 2002 08:32 PM
Thanks for the advice, guys!!! I doubt my ego will fit through the gate anyway. 
|
jason370
Zone Head
Posts: 589
|
posted November 15, 2002 01:21 AM
i wish i was going to laguna
____________
'02 ZX12 black/gold
|
ZHooligan
Moderator
Post Whore Extraordinaire!
Posts: 3829
|
posted November 15, 2002 01:23 AM
So Jason... looking at your photos, did you drag anything besides your toe?
____________
To those who do not count their life in years, but in how life
has touched them in the past and how much it can hold in the
future; -- Youth is forever.
|
jason370
Zone Head
Posts: 589
|
posted November 15, 2002 01:26 AM
ya know, long legs and all i dont reall get my knee out to the side too much. i learned that i need to pull my toes back so that the tip of my toe is on the peg. doing that sorta locks my legs into the bike so knee dragging doesnt seem to be in my future anytime soon. i do get the bike over a lot though and i run pretty fast at the track. guess i gotta work on it.
____________
'02 ZX12 black/gold
|
ZHooligan
Moderator
Post Whore Extraordinaire!
Posts: 3829
|
posted November 15, 2002 01:33 AM
When ou start moving your butt from side to side and actually hang off the bike you'll find yourself actually working to not drag your knee. I saw your toe hanging out so I had to flip you crap!!
____________
To those who do not count their life in years, but in how life
has touched them in the past and how much it can hold in the
future; -- Youth is forever.
|
jason370
Zone Head
Posts: 589
|
posted November 15, 2002 01:34 AM
that was like my first lap of the day, sheesh. u should see me now
____________
'02 ZX12 black/gold
|
jason370
Zone Head
Posts: 589
|
posted November 15, 2002 01:35 AM
i can hang way off the bike but because my toe has to be so far bak on the peg (due to my monster feet) my leg jams in there and does not want to swing out away from the bike
____________
'02 ZX12 black/gold
|
ZHooligan
Moderator
Post Whore Extraordinaire!
Posts: 3829
|
posted November 15, 2002 01:38 AM
My son inlaw who is 6-7 and I got into racing last year said the same thing. After pretty much kicking the crap out of the Novice clas crashing my spare race bike 4 times etc. he has no more problems with his size 17 shoe and wears out his knee puck quite readily.
____________
To those who do not count their life in years, but in how life
has touched them in the past and how much it can hold in the
future; -- Youth is forever.
|
jason370
Zone Head
Posts: 589
|
posted November 15, 2002 01:39 AM
then soon enough i will too. takes a little muscle memory to get comfy with it i guess. i get better everytime out
____________
'02 ZX12 black/gold
|
beansbaxter
Needs a life
Posts: 5911
|
posted November 15, 2002 09:01 PM
All that stuff Z said about feathering the brake and letting the suspension/geometry settle before going into the turn works. They have a nice article on geometry on sportbikes in one of the current UK motorcycle magazines (forgot which one but there are only 5 of them at BarnesNobles)
|
ZHooligan
Moderator
Post Whore Extraordinaire!
Posts: 3829
|
posted November 15, 2002 09:06 PM
Before Obiwan and Yoda there was Z! If I could only put everything I know together consistantly on the track I'd be faster!
____________
To those who do not count their life in years, but in how life
has touched them in the past and how much it can hold in the
future; -- Youth is forever.
|
swft
Needs a life
Full throttle!
Posts: One MEEEEEELLION
|
posted November 15, 2002 09:10 PM
We never did figure out why I was two seconds a lap faster on the DOT tires than on the slicks, Z...
|
beansbaxter
Needs a life
Posts: 5911
|
posted November 15, 2002 09:15 PM
The force is strong in you Z....I am still a young Padawan!
|
ZHooligan
Moderator
Post Whore Extraordinaire!
Posts: 3829
|
posted November 15, 2002 09:19 PM
Let me answer young jedi, you went out on the slicks in the morning. The track was cool and your confidence was ok but it was early. You then went out later the track was warm, your confidence brimming with many laps under the belt so bang you cut some good times.
____________
To those who do not count their life in years, but in how life
has touched them in the past and how much it can hold in the
future; -- Youth is forever.
|
swft
Needs a life
Full throttle!
Posts: One MEEEEEELLION
|
posted November 15, 2002 09:29 PM
Yah, just wish I was .001 sec per lap faster during my last race!
|
ZHooligan
Moderator
Post Whore Extraordinaire!
Posts: 3829
|
posted November 15, 2002 09:45 PM
You have months to think about it now! The interesting question for you will be how your lap times on the 12 actually stack up on the SV. The comfort level of the SV versus the violence of the 12!
____________
To those who do not count their life in years, but in how life
has touched them in the past and how much it can hold in the
future; -- Youth is forever.
|
beansbaxter
Needs a life
Posts: 5911
|
posted November 16, 2002 12:52 AM
Violent 12....I like the sound of that.
|
|
|
HOME
NEW TOPIC