Track school diary lvl 2 (sorry, long)

To the Island for the superbikes on Sunday, and level 2 superbike school on
Tuesday.

First mistake - should have done the track day on the Monday between as its
slightly too much information too learn the track at PI the same time as
trying to do the drills properly.

Second mistake - approx 2 years between L1 (old post about that below) and
L2 with only one track day between - drills from L1 are assumed knowledge
and they need to be with you on the day of L2.

Now have a trailer so the way in and especially the drive back to the pub at
days end were much better - everyone having to get a wrist band at the gate
at PI creates a hell of a traffic jam at 6.30am in the early morning
drizzle.

Basic scrutineering (just to make sure you are unlikely to leave much oil
glycol or glass on the track, that they might have to clean up after you)
and tyre pressures front and rear down to 30psi seem to be std operating
procedure - as is taping over some of the instrument displays on the bike
that you have gotten used to - queried that to my slightly out there
scrutineer and he touched me on the shoulder, looked me in the eye and he
said -

"here, you will learn to trust the force Luke Skywalker".

Same basic format as before - 15 minutes in the classroom followed by 20 to
30 minutes on the track doing the assigned drill - 4 levels being taught in
sequence so there is always a bit of time standing around chatting in your
group before getting waived out on to the track.

As in L1, 2 day ending offs for 2 riders, one a low side when the track was
still wet and the other a trainee instructor who got over enthusiastic
passing on the inside and dropping it into the grass and the bike then going
end over end in the kitty litter - if you want to push it to 10/10 ths then
you need to be that good to avoid those dramas - most of us are clearly not
so skilled.

Memo to self - avoid white or light coloured leathers - your history of
slides will be displayed to all.

L2 was all about the vision thing - understanding the space you have on the
track, how to choose the alternative lines available to you (there are
usually several grasshopper) and how visually to link the corners into a
smooth whole - what you can see, you should be able to ride.

By far and away the most useful exercise (for me) was to convert that
target/hazard fixation thing we all have and re-train that fixation to pick
each successive turn point, apex and exit point (or loss of road vision
point which happens on a sky line like Lukey) - that was hard by itself but
when they asked you to also use your peripheral vision for speed estimation
and judgement it all made sense (that'd be the force you need to trust in
Skywalker).

Last exercise was starting to use body mass and movement to keep the bike
more upright (gives more stability with a better contact patch you can use
for acceleration and grip) - my third mistake was polishing the bike esp the
tank sides before school day - you need to grip the inside leg of your
leathers just there - those grippy things you can stick to your tank sides
are a tad important for that.

I have no intention of trying to race any time soon but those that do ride
track seem to me to have more time to do things on the road and be smoother
and more conservative/better riders - my suspicion is that L3 and up are
much more confined to race track skills than dual purpose road / track
skills.

Good things - 1. sticky tyres - big uplift in confidence (avoid slicks
unless you are sure it will be a wholly dry track and have the use of tyre
warmers and access to a pit space (they charge extra for that at PI -
sharing a garage between 4 or 5 riders would be smart).

2. Skins or other form of lycra under your leathers are great for wicking
sweat, keeping you at a comfortable temperature, and getting the leathers on
and off easily.

3. Have some good knowledge/memory of the track before doing a school on it.

4. Be predictable in keeping your line esp if you are on a slower bike - let
the litre+ kiddies have some room to go round you.

5. Lots of track time after the school to re-enforce what was learnt or in
my case partially learnt.

Expensive but worthwhile - best, Andrew































____________________________ post about level 1 ---------------------->

Track school at Eastern Creek, last Friday, which was a bit wet, as in
pissing down. Thought I might pass on my experience in case anyone was
interestedthinking of it.

4 levels, maybe 40 in kindergarten (level 1, with me) maybe 15 to 20 in each
of the 3 higher levels.

Hired a set of leathers and Serious Boots; they checked the bikes pretty
well; 30psi in everybody's front and rear tyres and the hell with
manufacturers recommendations. I guess you get a bigger contact patch that
way and tyre longevity ain't their problem.

Run by the local disciples of Keith Code ("study the ways of the masters, by
simplifying each important thing and then learn them in sequence,
grasshopper). I think they do the same school days at Phillip Island.

Format is 20 mins in the classroom, half an hour on the track, repeated 5
times - a 7am to 5pm day at the track, which was plenty.

First session, just use the throttle (4th gear everywhere except the
straight, no brakes) use engine braking to slow, progressive roll-ons of the
throttle trying to keep it as smooth as possible.

Like most things in NSW the track needs a little attention as in
resurfacing; the track was way more slippery in the wet then the roads were
when riding out there.

Two riders down in the first session, both low sides at corner 9 (sharp
right elbow downhill, very unforgiving in the wet if you come in too hot).
One an old big green kwakka and the other a 250cc road bike - both with just
a tad too much enthusiasm. No injuries except to pride and fairings.

We swapped sessions between class room and track; the instructors just
stayed out for each group - I shared an instructor with another guy so there
were lots of them, seemed to all be riding factory supplied gixxer 600's.

You'd start the drill, he'd find us, sit on your wheel, watching you, then
go round you, you sit about 3 bike lengths back on his wheel watching him do
it, swap turns till he was ok with you.

Later sessions were on choosing your turn points, turning quickly once and
then smoothly powering out of the exit, loosing the tension in you arms and
shoulders (and weren't we pilgrims hanging onto the bars a tad tightly by
that stage), and then doing all of that while forcing your self to look for
your next destination early. Very little braking, and only using all the
gears in the very last session.

The trumpy (daytona, 675) and I fell in love all over again; really
predictable on the track, no vices. Most of the other hardware there had
about 300 to 400cc more than me so we watched a whole lot of tailights off
into the rain on the straight - could hang on ok in the corners.

No intention of competing in anything anytime soon - I just wanted to get
smoother and enjoy the ride more; I think its going better but I need some
time on the road to really tell.

Expensive ($400 +) but worth it - the key was working with the instructors
and they had a lot of then and they worked their tails off (thanks, Terry).

Few things learned -

1) Trailering the bike makes a lot of sense - you can also bring some things
I would have liked like a change of clothes, fuel and would prevent that
first surreal half hour when your on the road home afterwards (were did
these crappy cars come from??)

2) Good leathers are smart - and hiring them was good on a really wet day,
except when the wind chill thing started happening.

3) Would make sense to do one when you have a lot of questions and things
you wanted sorted in your riding.

Left my license at the track yesterday so had to go back and get it this
arvo - a day later its stinking hot our there and they are running a real
track day - my don't the big kiddies fly ...

 

In aus.motorcycles on Sat, 05 Mar 2011 12:24:55 +1100

The L2 I did at EC was crap. Badly taught, badly organised, and I got
nothing from it.

I think because aside from doing exercises out of order, they couldn't
deal with someone who didn't fit their "everyone learns like this"
mode, so when they came to me their scripts didn't work and they
couldn't answer my questions. (Their "this will be a great revelation"
was to me "doesn't everyone know that?" but their "obviously this
happens" bits were "it does? But I don't see that or get that." That
I am not a visual learner and don't have much visual memory threw them
badly too.)

It might be the Vic mob are better at it that the NSW ones, but I was
majorly underwhelmed by L2 whereas L1 was very good.

Zebee

 

I found L2 harder to grasp, and they do assume everyone learns the way Keith
Code thinks you should - I suspect I need to have a track day to test
whether wisdom has been acquired.

 

In aus.motorcycles on Sat, 05 Mar 2011 13:20:33 +1100

Well Bruggy said "I have taught many people so you not learning is
your fault not mine.".

My fencing master - who says the difference between a fencing
instructor and a fencing master is the fencing master can teach the
difficult pupils - got the closest I've ever seen him to dissing
someone else. A raised eyebrow and "I see. Yes, there are people
who call themselves teachers who say that sort of thing."

I was just depressed that the excellent level 1 was followed by such a
downer of a day.

Zebee

 

On 03/05/11 1:54 PM, Zebee Johnstone wrote:

He did come over like a pompous prick.

As it happens, I was at the L2 school with Zebee and basically agree
with her.

Yup, me too.

I continue to recommend the L1, but, frankly, think the L2 is a waste of
time and money, unless you plan to go on and do all the levels.

It seemed to me that L2 was way to far into "headology" rather than
riding a motorbike.

I don't think Super Bike School allows for any variance in their style
from Vic to NSW....... they just ain't that style of operation.... they
have a script and that's what they do.

Don't ask too complicated questions or they get quite narky.

Having said that, I am happy that Andrew seems happy with his experience.


regards,
CrazyCam

 

at that point you got a refund?

fault not mine.".

 

That could be fun

 

In aus.motorcycles on Sun, 6 Mar 2011 09:30:12 +0000 (UTC)

I should have done.

I dunno why I didn't, I really don't.

Zebee

 

This is a not uncommon observation that L1 is a steep learning/
experience/buzz curve, Level2 tends to plateau and Level 3 climbs that
curve again.

IMHO..it is worth every cent to get through L2 to do L3.

Earlier comment re: L3 perhaps being too track-oriented and not
relevant for the street. I don't agree.. L3 is every bit as useful for
the street..body positioning, moving around the bike etc.

Yes, the Code Learning Style is somewhat quirky (LOL you should see
the DVD Twist of the Wrist) but do some research before, certainly ask
the difficult questions..work it out on the track and ask the
instructors again if need be. Some things may not crystallise until
after the day so soak up what you can and complement with other aids
such as the books and other coaches with a different perspective.

 

Glad of that advice I am. I am long lead time booked (and paid up) for
both L1 and L2. I was wondering if I ought to ask for a refund after
the negative comments here. I have read all of Twist of the Wrist so I
expect the course to be a bit quirky, but I would want benefit
commensurate with cost regardless.
Thanks for your feedback.

 

http://www.gmon.com/bike/csbs2.html

L2 reinforces that approaching and going around bendy bits is as much
to do with the mind and vision processes as it does the physics of
motion.

 

and I never could work out why people fork out 15-20 grand on a
bike..plus another few grand on shiny/go fast bits and Oh Look At Me
In leathers but don't consider investing a sizable percentage of that
asset value in ongoing training.

Track days can be useful for self-improvement but is no substitute for
professsional, structured and focussed training regime.

 

In aus.motorcycles on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 15:21:50 +1100

Level 2 seems to depend very much on the person. You have to think
the way they expect.

So it works well for some and badly for others.

Zebee

 

A sizeable percentage? Sounds like a sizeable waste of money to me,
unless you're looking for a factory ride.

Nev..

 

Well I guess insurance excess plus a few weeks off work and a new pair
of undies and leathers would tend to be a sizable percentage too.

Nev, you're just an old dog LOL.

 

That's a teacher fail, I'm afraid.

Students come in all shapes and sizes, and with varying abilities and
learning styles. There are usually many ways to arrive at the same
destination.

Tony F

 

There is no guarantee that you will need to pay any excess or have any
time off work if you do not spend a sizeable percentage of the asset
value on training; There is no guarantee that you will not need to pay
any excess or have any time off work if you do spend a sizeable
percentage of the asset value on training; I believe studies have shown
that 'advanced' driver training alone results in an increased, not
reduced, risk of accident; I don't necessarily think that racetrack
skills necessarily improve roadcraft or safe riding practices; I'm not
old, you're mistaking me for Johno.

Nev..

 

So roadcraft skills training, such as practising throttle control,
should be taught on the public road instead of a closed/controlled
environment that happens to also be a race track?

 

In aus.motorcycles on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 18:24:17 +1100

Driver training possibly, however, the only informatino I'm aware of
about motorcycle advanced training shows a definite correlation with
reduced crashes.

(it isn't clear if this is because of the training, or if the people
who take training are generally less likely to crash anyway. My own
experience is that training cut my crash rate massively.)

Zebee

 

You're making illogical leaps. I was merely disputing an assertion that
anyone should spend "a sizeable percentage of the value of their
motorcycle" on training. Then I disputed your suggestion that money
spent on training would necessarily guarantee against insurance claims.
You keep exaggerating my responses.

I consider roadcraft to be all the things you do to interract with other
road users. Road position, speed relative to other road users, road
position relative to other road users, anticipating hazards,
anticipating other road user's actions etc etc. The best place to
practice those things is probably on the road.

I don't think "throttle control" is roadcraft. I wouldn't consider
advanced cornering and braking courses to be practicing roadcraft.
That's just practicing riding, or learning to ride faster or more
confidently. Yes, it's perfectly good to practice throttle control on
public roads, you know, while you're riding your bike. Yes, it's
perfectly OK to practice your cornering and braking on public roads.
THere is no reason why you can't improve those skills on public roads, a
the speed limit. If you're not actually thinking about those things
every time you ride a corner you're probably doing yourself a disservice.

Now, If you're going to respond, you should limit yourself to my actual
comments, and not some imaginary extrapolation of those.

Nev..