Good form vs bad form - photos

[Triple J]

Yeah buddy!   You're bringin' it!!

How'd it feel riding that way?

Update...the revised body position translated into dropping my lap times by 3 seconds this past weekend, while still feeling comfortable.   This puts me up there racing with the "fast guys". I still can't hang with the top 5 or 6 guys in the open classes, but I'm getting closer, and I can hang with the rest of them. 4 of the top 5 number plates in our club race in the open classes, so that's what I'm up against.

The suspension guru also doesn't just tell me to just go faster anymore...he actually makes little tweaks to help out.  

[Monsterlover]

Well, then I'd say you're where the rest of us would lobe to be

[Monsterlover]

Nope - when I go flat out I can just hang my upper body a little inward - that's all it takes at my size/weight - on road tires. If I was on slicks and wanted to use the added grip, then I'd need to hang off.

90% of the track day riders I see hanging off, don't need to - often with ass off and upper body resisting - upsetting the bike and disturbing their smoothness - IMO

I'm basing my comment on lean angle.

What happens when you abruptly need to tighten your line to miss something (it happens more than you'd think)

You're gonna end up feeling like a buttered pony.

[stopintime]

I think you're right - it would give me flexibility to tighten my line without running out of tire - good point. On a known track with little traffic, I choose to stay seated because I gain more by being stable than I loose by not being 'flexible'. Just one, of many ways, to deal with the forces.

[Monsterlover]

If you lean over any farther you're gonna have to start sticking your foot out sumo style

[$Lindz$]

Update...the revised body position translated into dropping my lap times by 3 seconds this past weekend, while still feeling comfortable.   This puts me up there racing with the "fast guys". I still can't hang with the top 5 or 6 guys in the open classes, but I'm getting closer, and I can hang with the rest of them. 4 of the top 5 number plates in our club race in the open classes, so that's what I'm up against.

The suspension guru also doesn't just tell me to just go faster anymore...he actually makes little tweaks to help out.  

Awesome dude!

I've been working on a lot of stuff since being here last (jeez, it's been ages). One of which is looking at how Marquez changed the way to ride a bike, and especially a Moto2 600cc no-electronic-gizmos bike. Now when the rear gets light I don't move back to settle it, I keep my weight forward and ride the front end into the corner like a unicycle. As you start to turn and the rear is unloaded it will float to the outside (centrifugal force making it like a pendulum). With the rear wheel unweighted and light you don't have much braking from it (engine brake or tire friction) but as you trail brake into the apex it sets the rear down, while sideways, while you're counter steering, while you're leaning into the turn and you just pick your line, slide the rear tire a bit (chatter is taken up by the slipper) and pick up the throttle through the exit.

Obviously not every turn is like that, usually whatever is slow and just after a straight. But it's been working lately so I'm stoked. Try it out (don't be afraid of the bike moving under you, just trust and feel that front tire and suspension).

[$Lindz$]

Oh, and a pic!

New lid, new leathers (yes, I've already crashed in them pretty good), new bodywork and paint, new suspension tuning, new confidence, new scratches on my elbow slider...

[Triple J]

Looking good Lindz! 

Are you racing yet?

[$Lindz$]

Yup, racing with MWGP out here. Started last season and going a lot more this season (have to miss a round here and there due to schedule conflicts... ya know the usual).

I just grabbed a shot of me scraping elbow from my GoPro and I got to 58° of lean in Riverside corner at Buttonwillow. 4th gear, pinned. FUN!

[Triple J]

Nice!  Racing is a blast!

[$Lindz$]

If you lean over any farther you're gonna have to start sticking your foot out sumo style

[red baron]

I remember when he took this shot, felt like I nailed this corner, this is upon entry to the corner, decreasing radius uphill right-hander.

[Staggerlee]

Here's one of me in T9 at PIR at MotoCorsa's last track day.  This was my second track day in the C group; I think I'm going to sign up for the B group for the September session.  It's super discouraging to try to work on cornering techniques when you're behind dudes on their brandy-new Superbikes that pin it on the straights and then stand on the binders to dawdle through the turns. 

[red baron]

Nice shot!!

keep working on the head position.

[uncalcetindelana]

I'd like to revive this thread, if you don't mind

This picture is of around a month ago. No leather pants yet so very conservative with the knees and speed. I'd love some input, please. Although it's not the ideal photo.

What I do know: Need to lossen my grip on the bars more

By the way, any 696 owners here, helplessly scraping side stands?