Gonna ask my fellow track riders a question. I have been riding a one track for the last 4 trackdays really learning this track pretty well and it's a blast to ride. Got a chance to ride another track not far from the other but its a really incredible track with elevation changes blind rises, drops you name it. My question is should I continue at my present track get really good at it and make it into intermediate or should I tackle the other track. Really want to get bumped up, but have been aching to get to this other track. I'm torn !!!

If you can afford it and have the time, go to both.

If the issue is class level you ride in, it will prolly be recommended that you ride in a lower class for at least a few sessions the first time you go to a track you have never ridden....so if you bump up to intermediate on track A, you will still be novice on track B.

Really need to work on body positioning though DOGO got any tips on improving that?

Main thing is core strength. Put your bike up on stands and hop on it... Scoot your ass back in the seat, get your torso low, put your head where your mirror would be, inside butt cheek off the saddle, sternum inline with the inside edge of your tank, and outside arm straight. Keep the balls of your feet on the pegs, and pivot your inside foot so that your heel is touching the guard on the rearset... Do not use your arms to hold yourself in position... When you've built up your core strength, you'll be able to let go of the bars and still hold your body position.

My question is should I continue at my present track get really good at it and make it into intermediate or should I tackle the other track.

Sounds to me like the "other" track is more what you want to ride... I say go for it... The more track time you get, the faster you'll go @ both tracks. ... 'Course this is coming from a guy that has still only ridden one track.

You ride one track, you've ridden them all. Yep, it's all about going round and round like practicing buckets of golf balls. There is a straight, a right, a left, an up, a down, and there you find your braking, your apex, your exit is when you are back on the throttle is how fast one is. It is how one lowers their lap times. There you will find your, 'run at your own pace' running faster than last time.

As some have stated, it is all in the head. Your ability to absorb quick speeds, fast decisions, calculate staying on and demanding to go faster the next lap. It takes a certain mental makeup I guess? Dogo, you have a lot of insight for once around the block.

Dogo, you have a lot of insight for once around the block.

Once around the block?... Not even... but can almost make out the house numbers now.

The best bang of the buck for new trackday riders is a good suspension set up and just lots of time on the track. There are some very good, very fast guys that ride crap bikes. Experience makes the difference.
Keep it up!

Mad

I'm going to have my suspension set up hopefully by the owner of our riding org. next track day . I've got it pretty close tires look good no tearing or odd wear. About to order some rearsets gotta get a little more legroom and these size 11's up out of the way. So far confirmed for the last weekend of July!!! Now just gotta get the money up to pay for it, and the rearsets thinking about Vortex any suggestions?

rearsets thinking about Vortex any suggestions?

Take a look around the pits @ what other guys are using. Particularly on bikes like yours. Being able to borrow a part from someone could be the difference between a quick fix and calling it a day... That being said, Vortex will likely be the most popular.

Well DOGO, Installed the vortex rearaets and I feel like they were really what I needed. They force my body back off the tank so I can move around better on the bike. Psyched for next trackday at the end of the month. A couple of questions though 1. They seemed most comfortable all the way up and back is this normal? 2. No provision for a brake return spring, should I worry? they look incredible on my R6 though may have to put in an early birthday request for a set for the 14!!! Looking at race fairings anyone have any experience with Optimal?

Main thing is core strength. Put your bike up on stands and hop on it... Scoot your ass back in the seat, get your torso low, put your head where your mirror would be, inside butt cheek off the saddle, sternum inline with the inside edge of your tank, and outside arm straight. Keep the balls of your feet on the pegs, and pivot your inside foot so that your heel is touching the guard on the rearset... Do not use your arms to hold yourself in position... When you've built up your core strength, you'll be able to let go of the bars and still hold your body position.

Just want to revisit this.

You see, this is how I've been doing it (or at least attempting to) all year. However, I've crashed 3 times this season. Two of those crashes, I lost the front... And after attending Jason Pridmore's Star School, earlier this week, I/we have determined that my body position has been wrong. By scooting back into the saddle, I was putting too much weight towards the rear of the bike and unloading the front... not to mention chewing thru rear tires like pit bull does a pig ear. ... Also, getting off of the bike to the point of straightening my outside arm was not only unnecassary, it caused a lot more work to transition from side to side, and when fatigued, I would sometimes pull on that outside clip on to assist with the transition. Recipe for disaster.

Jason and his instructors taught me to stay forward in the saddle, and rather than moving my ass from side to side, I now am working on pivoting my hips around the curvature of the gas tank. This not only keeps my weight more centralized, giving me better control, it puts more load on the forks... Allowing the bike to turn in faster with a lot less effort.

Learned more from those guys than I can put into words... I highly reccomend finding out when they will be near you.

A couple of questions though 1. They seemed most comfortable all the way up and back is this normal? 2. No provision for a brake return spring, should I worry? they look incredible on my R6 though may have to put in an early birthday request for a set for the 14!!! Looking at race fairings anyone have any experience with Optimal?

Sorry I did not see this sooner... If all the way up and back is where you're comfortable, I say go with it. Everyone is different. On my CBR, I have them all the way back and 2 down... However, that may change now.
Don't worry abut the return spring. It is not needed. If working properly, the rear MC will not need any assistance from a spring.

I have not used Optimal fairings... I've used Attacks and Hot Bodies... The Attacks are awesome... The HotBodies suck, IMHO.

* Last updated by: DogoZX on 9/20/2012 @ 9:06 AM *

Thanks DOGO, I appreciate you getting back to me. I had to move my rearsets all the way back and 2 down alot more comfortable than all the way back and up. I recently completed a track day actually this past monday at VIR north course. Very technical track a lot of hills and blind crests. AWESOME!!!!! I've found out the best riding position for me was the middle of the seat riding coach worked a whole session with me on it. Too close can't rotate to far unneeded bar input. Practice, practice, practice is what he reinforced. For body work haven't decided yet either sharkskinz, or attack will decide this winter off season. Trying to take a school this spring before season really gets going. I'll see if pridmore is coming this way.

I'm running Optimals, haven't crash tested them yet, but, so far I really like them.

Using a gopro on the tail facing forward is a great way to critic your body position. Sometimes you feel like you are doing it right then you see it on film and realize that's not the case.

Practice, practice, practice is what he reinforced.

No doubt about that... Been getting a lot of "Where the fuck did you come from?" since winning @ the races... There was even speculation flying around the paddock that I had been racing down in Cali.
Fact is... I just have more laps around The Ridge than anyone else.

Congrats! I'm going to be doing some track days next year with my son, it will be his first. The only problem I am having now is that the ole knees don't bend like they used to. Guess I gotta do a LOT more stretching exercises from now on. Maybe my larger ass will make the difference.

Mad

Do it Mad!! All I have to tell you is the street becomes less and less appealing. I've done 5 trackdays so far 2 more scheduled till the end of the season. It becomes an addiction, you'll find yourself studying track maps and youtube videos. Joy riding forget that, that money is going to the tire fund. You will never experience what these bikes are capable of on the street. You'll love it!

rather than moving my ass from side to side, I now am working on pivoting my hips around the curvature of the gas tank. This not only keeps my weight more centralized, giving me better control

Are you staying in the middle of the seat now, or still moving your butt a little from side to side (not as far to the side as you used to)? -bg

* Last updated by: bgordon on 9/22/2012 @ 11:15 AM *

Are you staying in the middle of the seat now, or still moving your butt a little from side to side (not as far to the side as you used to)? -bg

I'm never in the middle of the saddle... as soon as I exit a corner, I get the bike stood up, and immediately set up for the next corner.

What I meant was rather than moving my butt from side to side in a straight line, I am now moving it in more a "U"... Greg White's statement was, "The gas tank is shaped that way for a reason, move around it."

Makes sense, I'll try that next trackday. I'm really gonna try to enroll in a school next season they're pretty much all done in this area for the year. I know we get California Superbike and Cornerspin at VIR. Gonna have to save up.

The gas tank is shaped that way for a reason, move around it."

Now my question is how do you brake properly when you body is already set up for the next corner?
I try to hug the tank with one knee or hook the peg with my boot but every time I break hard I move forward and mess up my body pos!!!

I know we get California Superbike and Cornerspin at VIR.

Cali SBK School came out to the Ridge, and the guys that went had nothing but positive things to say about it... but the cost... OUCH!... That's what kept me away.

Now my question is how do you brake properly when you body is already set up for the next corner?

Only getting one cheek off of the seat, so no problem squeezing the tank with my legs... Stomp Grip and/or Tech Spec helps a lot.

Crash tested the Optimal's sunday....they held up great!

Crash tested the Optimal's sunday....they held up great!

Sunday? Weren't you @ Pridmore?

Since you are posting, I'm assuming you are ok?

What happened?

Nah, Pridmore was last month and I didn't make it to it.

Cold tires, I got on the throttle a little too aggressively coming out of turn 3 and low sided I just finished editing the video down(had two gopros running) to post to YouTube. I'll upload it tomorrow and link it in a new thread. Corner worker said I high sided(this corner is known for it), but, my video says low side. Yeah, I'm fine just sore from tumbling as I didn't slide at all.

Bummer... Glad you are ok, Dude... Tumbling sux! I did it when I tried to stand up before I was done sliding (my second crash, 4th time @ the track). Wish someone had told me to pat the ground before that crash.

Buddy O'mine lowsided on cold tires Saturday, first session of the day, exiting onto the front straight to start his 3rd lap. Had his line and was ready to rip, but a slow first 2 (sighting) laps on a cold track had sucked all the heat out... He turned it up a little too much for lap #3. 9 years he's been doing track days, and this was his time down... Thank GAWD he can't give me shit anymore. j/k... was actually way worse to see a friend on the ground than to be the guy there.

Glad to hear YOU and the bike are OK Jeffo, all the great crashes, it's a sign of character BUT not warming the tire!!!!? it's a rookie mistake that should be left to guys like me . You and Dogo spend too much time on the track to make mistake like that. On a cool track, I heard most guy wait 7 laps. No?

@Dogo, the 14 is my "pretty" bike, but stomp grip are going on the track bike asap!