This is a back-up copy of the book.Books and DVD available at

www.motovudu.comFew unnecessary pages have

been removed.

INTRODUCTION

When I first got on a big capacity bike I needed help understanding how to ride it fast. There wasn't a Book or Film available that really worked. I tried to learn from the experienced riders I met on my travels but either they didn't know how to put exactly what they do on circuit into words, or they didn't want to reveal their secrets.

I want to save riders from the mistakes I made and the painfu l crashes I had whi lst learn ing how to r·ide fast. I believe this book wil l show you techniques that are helpful at all levels of riding, from your very first on-track experience, through to racing at the highest level.

When riding on circuit, with everything that's happening, both around you and on the bike, you need straight forward techniques. My objec­t ive is to teach any rider how they can ride faster. ... the methodology is simple, but effective with logical processes and instructions."

I love riding on track, I love being there with people passionate about bikes and the feeling I get when I help a rider improve their lap time. It truly is an amazing feeling to put a great lap togethe~ squeezing everyth ing out of your machine, using all of the track and then being able to do it lap after lap.

I hope I can help you safely unlock the speed in both you and your bike, so you too can experience the passion that I feel for our sport.

Simon Crafar

CHAPTER 1 : BODY POSITION

From my instructing experience I have learnt that body-position habits are the hardest things for a rider to change. I think this is because body position is a habit, a feeling, rather than something visual like a line or a braking marker you can see on circuit.

Although it is not essential when you are riding at a lower level it is important that you learn to use the correct techniques, so by the time you are riding at a higher level they feel natural, will work well and keep you safer:

You might have to slow down and practice the following techniques for some time for them to become second nature. This is well worth doing. It will not take long for them to feel normal, so you can then concentrate on going fast again.

The most common body position mistakes I see are:

> Riders moving their backsides when it isn't necessary, ie off the side of the bike and back to the centre between every corner

> Riders moving their backside from the centre of the bike, to the side too late on corner entry

> Riders moving their backside back to the centre too early during corner exit onto a straight

> Riders sitting too far back

THE IMPORTANCE OF SITTING FORWARD

Please go and take a look at a sports bike. Stand back and look at the bike side on. If you sit against the tank, as far forward as you can, you are getting close to the centre of the bike. If you sit back, your weight is shifting the centre of gravity rearwards. If your weight is biased to the rear mid-turn or at the exit and you have a rear-wheel slide, you go with it and with less control. By keeping your weight forward you stay with the front of the bike and have a much better chance of keeping control of the slide. Everyone who's ridden a dirt bike will know this well.

Secondly, when you sit forward the bike turns better. I believe if you have a good front tyre and you trust it, getting your weight forward distributes the weight more evenly. What I know is as soon as you sit back; the front forks run higher in the stroke, the back runs lower and the bike won't turn as well.

THE CORRECT FORWARD POSITION SITTING TOO FAR BACK

Finally, the most obvious reason to sit forward is, the furthe1- forward you are the harder you can accelerate out of a corner without the front wheel lifting. A rider sitting too far back will experience the front wheel lifting, with consequent instability, earlier than a rider sitting folward. On a powerful bike I not only position myself as far forward as possible under hard acceleration, I also keep my upper body low so that I can physically feel the tank on my chest. Both these things help you keep the front tyre on the ground and the throttle open wider especially in the lower gears. Acceleration is the best place to win time.

WHERE AND WHEN YOU MOVE AND POSITION THE TOP HALF OF YOUR BODY IS LESS IMPORTANT, IT'S A PERSONAL STYLE THING THAT YOU CAN VARY TO GET THE MOST FROM YOUR BIKE'S SET UP.

TWO HALVES OF THE EQUATION

Think of the body in two halves. The top half can be moved around without upsetting the bike's stability but the bottom half does affect it, so must be moved only when necessary and at the correct moment

If you watch the best MotoGP riders closely, their lower body movements are so smooth and perfectly timed that you hardly notice them and they do not upset the bike's stability, Also take note of how far forward they sit

Changing your lower body position is best done when the bike is close to straight up and down and while your head is on the bike's centre line. That is the moment when it is safest to move your backside in preparation for the next turn. Think about the steps below ...

1 As the bike returns to the vertical from full lean, your head moves from out to the side looking over your hand back to the centre line and looking through the middle of the screen

2 The moment the b1ke is upright and yow hP(/(IJs on the cenl!e line 11 IS time to move your backs1de (rom of{ one sick• to ofT t/Jc> othf'l 51(/e 111 one smooth movement (without dmgg111g yowsel{ ctr 10ss the srut os th1s will upset stability when riding at higher <;peecls)

3 Then you can commit your head and upper body to the tum as the bike leans over. You should be standing on the balls of your feet when doing this as this is much more efficient than when 'flat footed'. Also, the flat-footed position restncts ground clearance.

'' ONCE I RELEASE THE BRAKES, I COMMIT MY HEAD AND UPPER BODY TO THE TURN,

LOOKING WHERE I WANT TO GO ''

Don't move your lower body if the next corner goes in the same direction as the one you have just exited. Coming out of the corner and onto the straight section once the bike is upright, get tucked in out of the wind with head behind the screen, knees and elbows tucked away. but don't move your backside; leave it off to the side ready for the next turn.

MOVE YOUR BACKSIDE FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER IN ONE SMOOTH MOVEMENT

BRAKING

TOP HALF OF BODY

During maximum braking I hold the top half of my body up with relatively straight arms until I commit to the corner.

Apart from holding my upper body weight back for a slight centre of gravity improvement, it is far less physically demanding to hold your body in a 'push up' position with straight arms rather than bent arms.

Once I really start turning in, I move my upper body off to the inside and relax my arms as I come off the brakes.

BOTTOM HALF OF BODY

To hold the bottom half of your body back during maximum brak1ng is physically more difficult than s1mply letting it slide forward against the tank and off to one side in preparation for the corner.

The problem with holding your lower body back from the tank during braking is not only physical, it is not safe to move your lower body forward once you are committed to the corner.

INCORRECT FOOT POSITION CORRECT FOOT POSITION

OUTSIDE FOOT

The outside foot's position does not matter unless you are going to need to change direction quickly, in the middle of a chicane for example. (In that case it should be ball of the foot on the peg in preparation for the change of direction,

otherwise you choose where you want it)

FOOT POSITION

In general. a rider should position their feet so the ball of the foot is on the peg. You not only have more ground clearance and are more agile while changing position, you also have less chance of knocking the gear lever while changing pos1tion. Accidentally selecting the wrong gear at the wrong time can cause a crash.

INSIDE FOOT

While comenng. the ball of the foot on the ins1de or the corner and therefore near the asphaiL. should always be on the foot peg unless you need to change gear or use the rear brake momentarily.

CHAPTER 2: IT'S ALL ABOUT THE STRAIGHTS

Many people that I see riding on the circuit are obviously focusing on trying to go as fast as they can around the comers and to achieve the 'holy grail' or getting their knee down. By doing this they are lengthening the corners and shortening the straights and so putting themselves in a situation where a crash is more likely to happen.

By shifting your focus from the corners to the straights you will go faster with less risk and eventually the 'knee down' will come to you.

It's all about the straights ...

You can win the most amount of time safely on the straights; corners are for getting from one straight to the next.

-0 z !1! .. I ~

<i a: 1-Ul w

I 1-z 0 0 w

w

a. Ill w

I 1-c: a: ~

>­Ill 0 w

1-~ J !!! a: w

z a: 0 u ct 0 z ::J 0 a: ct 0

. ~

z ct u ::J 0 >-0 w

w

a. Ill w

I 1-

The speed you can go around a corner is limited by grip, your speed on the straight is not.

The key to going faster is to make the straights as long as possible and the corners as short as possible. My definit1on of a 'straight' is: where ever you can possibly use full throttle or a ful l braking effort. Find these areas and squeeze everything out of them you can and I don't just mean the obvious straights, but the little ones between the corners. On a series of turns look for the places between the corners where you can open the throttle and find the lines that allow you to make these small straights longer. Don't make the mistake of turning a short straight between two corners into an 'S'. As with everything there is a balance, but the general rule 1s that longer straights means more time on full gas and ultimately a faster lap time.

To explain this in a little more detail, if you push hard and use a lot of corner speed without be1ng strict about your lines, you will stay leaning over longer so you w ill not be able to open the throttle fully until well out of the corner. I always say:

' ' IT'S NOT WHO GETS ON THE GAS FIRST, IT IS WHO GETS ON FULL GAS FIRST ''

RIDERS USING THE GREEN LINE WILL HAV E MORE TIME ON FULL THROTTLE BETWEEN THE TURNS

1 MOTORLAND ARAGON Tl TO T2

When I am learning a track, whether I am looking at a track diagram or out there riding, I identify the longest straights first. The exit points of the corners onto the longest straights are the most rmportant. Everything else is of lesser importance and slightly variable, but the point where you exit your corner in order to make the longest straight as long as possible is normally fixed. Usually this exit point starts with a late apex and your body over the paint or kerb on the inside of the carne~ You need to get most or youi- turning done before reaching this point to be able to come up rrom rull lean angle (the edge of the tyre) and maximise the exit onto this long straight.

You may need to S.Jcnfice a shortei- straight to posrtion yourself best for a good exit onto a longer straight.

THE RICER ON THE GREEN LINE SACRIFICES MID TURN SPEED ON Tl4 AND THE SHORT STRAIGHT TO WIN TIME ON TO AND ALL THE WAY DOWN THE LONG STRAIGHT

LONG STRAIGHT --+-

MOTOR LAND ARAGON Tl4 AND T15

SIMON SAYS "HOLD IT ON"

Holding a big capacity bike at a full throttle can be Intimidating, but if you can't do 1t on the straights where there is the least amount of risk where can you do it?

By full throttle, I mean all the way until it is phys1cally on the stop, not partially open or nearly open, but wholly. completely and totally I 00 per cent open. I recommend that you don't do it half-heartedly. So, once the bike is upright, I grit my teeth, grab the throttle by the scruff of the neck and hold it open until the engine rpm has climbed towards the limiter (where it makes peak power) in each gear, trying to blow the b@*1%"d up. This is where you are winning time.

Yell abuse out loud at the bike if this works for you, use whatever makes the fear go away because this is the safest place to win time. After a few laps of this 'holding it on' the fear goes away and you can relax while the throttle is wide open and, in relative calm, line up the next corner entry while looking for your braking marker.

I never use the clutch on upshifts. This doesn't damage your gearbox if your timing 1s correct.

Once you start using full throttle together with h1gh engine rpm you will start pass1ng nders on the straights, the riders who think they are on full throttle. It 1s much easier and safer to pass on the straights than in the corners.

The most common error in motorcycling would probably be buy1ng too big a capacity bike. Most of us have done it, the less you ride the greater the chance of you making this mistake. Biggest is not necessarily best, you end up flapp ing off the back and could end up in A& E. If the bike is too big it wi ll be tiring, intimidating, heavy and too powerful and most importantly you won't enjoy riding it, so your confidence won't grow. Once you know these riding 1·ules, it is all about confidence.

T HROTTLE OPENING IS DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL TO LEAN ANGLE

There is a lot happening when you are riding on track If you forget everything else, do not forget this rule as it will keep you safe and show you where to push in order to go faster. I still rely on it today. The greater the lean angle, the smaller the throttle opening: The more upright the bike, the more you open the throttle.

Very simple I know, but it works. It amazes me how many reasonable track riders do not understand this and put themselves in unnecessary danger and make slower lap times. Looking at the riders trying to get their knees down, I see them at half throttle on the straight looking for the corner and then they lean the bike over and open the throttle up. Crazy!

The rear tyre can cope with ful l throttle when the bike is relatively upright and on the fat part of the tyre. On fu ll lean you are using such a small contact patch. It's designed to hold you and the bike up through the middle of the corner. with closed throttle, neutral throttle (no acceleration or deceleration), or slightly building speed to adjust track pos1tion, but not hard acceleration.

Look carefully at the diagram to the right. The area from part lean left to part lean nght 1s approximately where you can use full throttle (and full brakes) 1n relat1ve safety, although 1t 1s impossible to say exactly what degree of lean angle is safe on your bike. It depends on the power of your bike, surface grip and how good the rear tyre is, to name just a few variables. It is your job as the rider to solve this equation.

PART LEAN

STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN

PART LEAN

APPROXIMATE EXAMPLE OF LEAN ANGLE AND THROTTLE

VUDU QUICKSHJFT If you don't have a quickshifter (the device that senses pressure on the gear lever and momentarily cuts the ignition, allowing you to change gear without backing off the throttle) you still don't need to use your whole arm when twisting the throttle. I know this might sound obvious but I see it regularly. This causes you to lose a fair bit of acceleration with each gear change. Practice what I am about to tell you with the engine off:

Grab the throttle with your normal hand position and open it by using your wrist rather than your arm. When you run out of wnst movement roll the throttle twist grip in your fingers while keeping your arm and elbow at roughly the same level.

1 Gnp the throttle 1n a comfortable 2 Open throttle as far as comfortably 3 Open hond slightly (not fmgers) to position possible while holding yourself get to I 00% throttle (Feels much

forward during acceleration like hong1ng (rom o bar 1n the gym).

On the long straights your focus should be on keeping the throttle open, only partly closing the throttle quickly and just enough to slot the next gear in.

THE LONGEST STRAIGHTS ARE THE ONLY TIME I BREAK THE- SIT FORWARD AND OFF TO ONE SIDE- BODY POSITION RULE

4 Return to Position 2: Close hand reducing throttle only just enough to select the next gear up

5 Return to Position 3: Open hand slightly aga1n (not (tngers) returning to I 00% throttle.

CHAPTER 3 : BRAKING

Braking is concentrating on stopping in the shortest possible time.

In this section, by 'stopping' or 'stop' I mean slow1ng to the requ1red speed. Never come to a complete stop on the racing line.

BRAKING MARKERS

The first thing I do is find my braking markers at the end of the long straights. Make them at safe and early points to start w1th 1f you want, so you know you will stop easily. but on the straight section the throttle needs to be open fully until you reach these markers, brake hard immediately and see where you stop (slow to the required speed).

The aim is to reach the point where you start to turn in at the desired speed. If you slow down too early. you know you can move your braking marker a little closer to the corner on the next lap. It is very important to concentrate solely on stopping the bike in the shortest possible time from the braking marker to the turn-in point. If you look away from the turn-in point too early you will go where you look and probably turn in too early. Some riders use braking markers everywhere around the track. Personally, for shorter straights I find I can judge the distance without a physical marker, but it is important that you do what works for you.

FULL BRAKES

Brake hard. The only thing that limits your braking when you are at safe lean angles and track conditions are good is the back wheel coming off the ground. Brake hard immediately every time so it becomes comfortable. By holding the throttle open fu lly you will arrive at the end of the straight at a simi lar speed every time. By braking hard every time you wi ll slow to your desired speed at around the same place every lap. This leads to consistency which in turn creates confidence. If you brake softly at first, then harder as you get closer to the corner h: can lead to panic. If you brake hard then let the brakes off earlier; you have more control. Just like with the throttle when the bike is upright, you must use the brakes to the maximum. Braking half-heartedly will only lose you time.

If the rear wheel starts coming around during hard braking, sliding out to the side (backing in) or chatter-ing/bouncing, all you need to do is put slight pressure on the clutch lever; enough to make the clutch slip ever so slightly. which results in the rear coming back into line and the chatter stopping. This is what slipper clutches do automatically. For this and down changing, I enter every corner with one finger on the clutch. It does not matter if all this happens while you are braking, as long as you get it back in line and under control before you release the brakes and commh: to the corner. This rear stepping out (backing in) is the easiest type of slide to do and control. If you brake hard enough at a slight lean angle and change down through the gears, the rear will automatically step out. The danger really only comes from not getting the rear back into line before you release the front (or both) brakes.

On a bike with lower gnp, like those used in other motorcycle racing disciplines (enduro, supermoto etc) it is possible to transition from 'backing in' on the brakes to quickly com1ng off the brakes and onto the throttle while the rear is still stepped out in order to continue the slide. On a sports bike with a good rear tyre it is incredibly dangerous. I NEVER do 1t. You might get away w1th it a few times, but eventually it will bite you big style!

On the initial hard braking, hold the top half of your body back with relatively straight arms because this uses less energy, as ment1oned earlier. Let the bottom half of your body slide forward against the tank and off to the appropriate side for the corner you are approaching. Using the fuel tank to support the bottom half of your body saves a lot of energy.

All this is scary and difficult to make yourself do at first, but our minds adjust quickly and it is good to get into the habit of braking hard every time. Like most things we do repeatedly, in a short time it will become second nature to brake like a demon and be relatively relaxed at the same time.

BRAKING HARD EVERYTIME LEADS TO CONSISTENCY AND CONFIDENC

CHANGING DOWN

As soon as you hit the brakes you should be going down through the gearbox to the gear that is correct for the corne~ It's not important to know what gear you're in, as long as it is the correct gear for the cornec you know this by the engine rpm. Personally, for each corner I go into, I note how many gears I go down to get the right geac not what gear I am in. So for example, 'down one' or 'down three' , but you soon know if you are wrong because either the bike is not slowing enough and rpm is low, or it is backing in and rewing its bollocks off. While the bike is relatively upright during hard braking it is not a problem to change to the correct geac as long as this is done before you release the brakes and commit to the corne~ I use one finger on the clutch and blip the throttle to smoothly match the down changes.

Ever had a false neutral? The bike doesn't want to stop and it wants to go straight on, pushing the front tyre ahead of it The same is true in reverse; if you go down the gears and keep the engine braking at its maximum (engine rpm high), the bike stops bettec turns better and accelerates off the corner bette~ These are all extra little ways you make time over someone who can't be bothered with the extra gear changes. By using this technique you can enter the corner much faster than you ever thought possible. This is not an easy thing to do; it is something that you build up to. Once you have it mastered, it is an incredibly useful skill for almost every corner of every track.

REAR BRAKE I never use the rear brake on a four stroke, I use the engine braking (gears) but this is a personal choice. When I rode the SOOcc two strokes in GPs I had to learn to use the rear brake again because they have no engine braking. In order not to have to move my foot on right hand corners and for ground clearance, I chose to remove the foot-operated brake and f1t a thumb-operated rear brake -which meant my hands were operating the throttle, clutch, front and rear brakes all at the same time.

Neither the rear brake or engine braking is very efficient at stopping the bike in a straight line. they really come into effect once you lean over and there's some weight back on the reartyre. I choose engine brake over rear brake on a four stroke because you have to think about and control the brake. You don't have to control engine braking, the motor does it for you if you choose the right gears.

BRAKING TOWARD THE CORNER

just as with the throttle there is an area between part left and part right lean where it is possible to use maximum braking with no danger. Again you can keep the bike 1n this zone longer by leaning your upper body off the s1de of the bike. This enables you to start committing to the corner and keep the bike more upright for a moment longer. I call this 'stealing a few metres.' If you steal these few metres on corner entries and also on the exits, you'll have made the straights longer and will ultimately win a good amount of time over the whole lap.

STEALING METRES BY USING YOUR UPPER BODY

STRAIGHT UP ANOOOWN

APPROX IMATE EXAMPLE OF LEAN ANGLE AND BRAKING

Toward the end of the maximum braking period approach1ng almost every corner. I brake at a slight angle (lean and line) towards the corner. This not only gets you closer to the corner from the outside of the track. the distance to the apex once you release the brake 1s shorter (more time won). It also puts your bike on the right trajectory thus making the turn eas1er. This also makes it possible to release the brakes at a h1gher speed 1f the corner requires it. Basically, this method of braking towards the corner IS setting yourself up for corner entry.

When you start to lean the bike on fu ll brakes you wi ll get to a certa1n point when you may feel lhe bike start to resist or refuse to lean. Your bike and front tyre are telling you something. Do not ignore this warning and stay on full brakes beyond this lean ilngle' ~ull braking at small lean angles is NOT to be confused with trail braking. Trail braking is braking more gently but at a greater lean angle and is far more 1·isky.

*Note: Occasionally I have come across comers where I am leaning and still acceleratmg as I get to the poult where I must swn brakmg. In this s1tuat1on it is vital l.hat you roll off the throttle a fraction before applying the brakes in order to transfer the we1ght to the front tyre. Otherw1se there is a good chance of locking the front wheel because there is no we1ght on 1t.

WEIGHT SHIFTING WITH YOUR LEG

ADVANCED RIDERS ONLY

The rear wheel's tendency to come around during maximum braking at part lean (backing in) is one of the reasons you see top riders 'weight shifting' by holding thew leg out.

As soon as you tum the bike toward the corner undet· heavy braking, the front of the bike moves sl ightly in the direction of the corner but the inertia of everything else behind it wants to continue straight ahead. This results in the weight of the bike and rider behind the fronHyre contact patch no longer being evenly distributed. At this same moment the rear wheel has almost no downward force on it (low traction) and the engine braking or rear brake is resisting the asphalts attempts to turn it so the rear wheel wants to slide out ('back in').

Taking your inside foot off the peg and moving your whole leg (5-I Okg) toward the inside of the corner, redistributes the weight of you and the btke behind the front tyre contact patch more evenly again, so helps prevent the rear wheel sliding out ('backing in').

I have also noticed that taking my foot off the footrest and moving it close to the asphalt surface and also rearward, allows me to brake slightly harder before the reat· wheel lifts off the surface. This enables me to stop the bike a metre or two earlier and not run wide, but can also help avoid a collision with a bike in front. I call this my 'panic brake'.

Please Note; I am not a scientist. I have done my best to describe in simple terms what I feel is happenmg at these moments during nding.

SUSPENSION

To make hard braking safe and to get the most out of the bike and yourself. you will need well set up front suspension.

If your forks have springs that are too soft or too soft damp1ng settings, or both, they will dive through their stroke too quickly. transferring all the weight of bike and rider to the front tyre contact patch. If this is the case your b1ke wil l not only be hard to stop, there is a good chance the front tyre will lose grip once you start turning into the corner because of this load.

Well set up suspension will slow this weight transfer and al low you to focus on your riding. Obviously. good brakes are a must.

WELL SET-UP SUSPENSION WILL ALLOW YOU TO FOCUS ON YOUR RIDING

CHAPTER 4 : CORNER ENTRY

Years of working with hundreds of track day riders have shown me that corner entry is probably the hardest aspect of riding to improve.

When approaching a corner on full brakes, once I arrive at the part lean angle where the bike starts to resist leaning over, in order to stay on full brakes for longer, I start to lean my upper body into the corner instead of lean1ng the bike. I extend my arms and lean my upper body off the side of the bike, so the bike remains at the same lean angle for a few moments longer. Essentially this is 'stealing a few more metres' closer to the corner on full brakes while still committing to the turn. When you decide the time is right, simultaneously release the front brake and fully commit your upper body and bike to the corner. The nature of the corner will dictate whether you need to make this transition gently and slowly or more decisively and quickly.

Braking pressure must be directly related to the lean angle of the bike. You can stay on full brakes until a certain lean angle, just like with the throttle. (I explained this in the Braking chapter).

METRES c::::::::::::: #,;.

BRAKING POINT AND START OF MAXIMUM

EXACT POINT TO CRACK AND KEEP NEUTRAL THROTTLE DEPENDS ON CORRECT SPEED TO STAY ON LINE

~~' I

Your aim is to keep the load on the front tyre consistent all the way through the transition from upright to full lean, balancing the forces on the tyres from braking to cornering. The more you lean w1th the brakes applied, the b1gger the risk you are running of the front letting go. There is absolutely no point taking risks by pushing in this area unti l you are executing all the other areas of riding well.

Let me explain this another way. Imagine you are compressing the front fork by a certain amount when you are at maximum braking in a straight line. Once you start turning in, your aim is to keep the forks compressed by that amount so you must reduce brake pressure as you lean over and the lateral forces due to cornering increase. Once I reach the point where I do not wish to push my luck any further, I smoothly and simultaneously release the front brake completely. commit to my maximum lean (turn) with the bike and my upper body. while relaxing those stiff arms that supported me under braking. A ll of this is to g1ve the front tyre the best chance of maximum turn without losing grip.

FULL THROTTLE APPROACHING BRAKING ZONE

BRAKING IN A STRAIGHT LINE BEFORE TURNING IN

TURNING IN ON THE BRAKES

The key points to successful corner entry are:

MID- CORNER OFF THE BRAKES

> Releasing the brakes at the point where you still have enough speed to get to the middle of the corner without having to accelerate, relying on engine braking and turning of the bike.

> Push all areas of corner entry to the limit without creating one particular tyre stress point. Consider not only brake pressure and lean angle, but also the initial turn-in.

> Having relatively stiff arms on maximum braking is not a problem, but it is important to relax them once the brakes are released. This allows the bike to move freely over uneven ground without your body weight being transferred to the front tyre through your arms. This is only important when the bike is leaning.

DEMONSTRATING TURNING WITH A CLOSED THROTTLE'

TURNING WITH A CLOSED THROTTLE

I close the throttle on the entry of almost every corner of every track.

To go fast you must take advantage not only of the rear grip you have. but also the front If you have the right tyres and they are warm you can trust them. Until you are riding at a very high level, it's mainly throttle opening and applying the brakes that make the tyres let go. not closing the throttle.

I use maximum engine braking. full lean angle, closed throttle and no brakes, simultaneously. You'll never feel the bike turn better than at this moment It is a fantastic technique that I trust, but it only works to 1ts optimum if you have changed down enough gears beforehand (under hard braking) so you have the maximum amount of engine braking and released the brakes while you still have enough speed to reach mid-turn. You will need a clear track in front of you to practice this in case you come across a late turn in rider who stays on the brakes until he's almost stopped. This might sound scary and most riders prefer to keep dragging the front brake for too long. scrubbing too much speed off as if every corner is a hairpin.

Consider the following:

Closed throttle turning is much safer than trail braking because with no front brake applied there is much less chance of the front tyre letting go. If it does, it happens at a slower rate and you have more chance of it coming back because the wheel is turning freely.

This technique is more effective in flowing corners rather than hairpin turns where you need to scrub more speed off by staying on the front brake a little longer.

' '

!; ' ~·f.'

TURNING WITH A CLOSED THROTTLE (coNT.)

AS A GENERAL GUIDE ...

Once you release the brakes, 1f you have to open the throttle before the middle of the corner to get to the apex, you have gone in too slow or stayed on the brakes too long. If you have stayed on the brakes too long, when you let them go and are on full lean you will not be carrying enough speed to enter the corner with a closed throttle and as soon as you open the throttle you take away the opt1mum turn of your bike and put more stress on the rear tyre.

When th is happens - and it wi ll - please don't try to make up for it by accelerating and destroying your turn and exit as well. Su1·e you can vary your line by using very small amounts of t hrottle to adjust w here you a1·e on the track, but do not accelerate. Keep strictly to the correct line and get the exit r ight. Fix the entry on the next lap by getting off the brakes fractionally earlier so you carry a little more speed. Chip away at it like th is, bit by bit, until when you release the brakes you no longer need to open the throttle to get to the corner. This is not easy and will take some time. You will be impressed with the way your bike turns, the grip of your front tyre, and how fast you can enter the turn using this 'tool.'

Another tip: Once you let go of the brakes, you should go to your max1mum lean angle as quickly as possible so the bike can turn-in the tightest arc possible. If you lean the bike slowly, it's like turning the steering wheel of your car slowly, it's turning circle will not be as small as 1t could be. If you don't use all of the lean angle available while you are off the brakes and have the throttle closed (the safest t1me to do this) you will not turn as tightly as you could.

-

TURNING WITH A CLOSED THROTTLE

ADVANCED

On double-apex corners it is an advantage to enter even hotter but still on a closed throttle.

Go in so fast that you run out to mid-track or wider (depending on what works best for that particular turn) before the bike has slowed enough to start turning back towards the inside. It takes balls to run it in that hot but when the bike starts turning back. it comes back on a better line for t he exit so you have gained time on the entry. lost a little by runn ing wide in the middle, then gained time out ofthe turn and al l the way down the next straight. Overall, you've smoked the guy who just rode around the turn.

APEX2

POINT AND APEXl

MUCH FASTER ENTRY SPEED, SLOWER MID AND MUCH

FASTER EXIT SPEED

~·

MOTOR LAND ARAGON T14 AND Tl5

STRAIGHTS LONGER -CORNER SHORTER RULE

CORNER ENTRY LINES It is important to prepare for the entry to a corner while you are stil l on the throttle approaching the corner. Sometimes you will have to compmmise the exit and acceleration out of one corner (or on a stra1ght) to get into the correct pos1tion for the next corner. If you don't, it IS often not only the entry that suffers but m1d-turn and ex1t too. Look at the d1agram to the left.

Note: Because the rider on the red line came back too late in preparation forT 15 the bike ends up facing the wrong direction (or the exit ofT I 5. This then asks too much (rom the front tyre dunng entry to T I 5 compared with the rider on the green line. Also the rider on the green /me w11/ exit T I 5 faster

BRAKE RELEASE POINT ...--

150M GREEN -4-- LINE BREAK

POINT

+- ~~g~INE BREAK POINT

MOTORLANO ARAGON n6

CORNER ENTRY GENERAL GUIDE

BRAKE RELEASE POt NT

BRAKE RELEASE POINT

®

EXAMPLE OF CORNER SIMILAR TO BRANDS HATCH 'DRUIDS'

RIDER A

By braking in a straight line for too long, Rider A will have a much later turn in point. This makes the initial turn-in sharper. putting stress on the tyres for no gain. It also results in having to slow down too much to make it back to the apex, so Rider A wtll not be able to use 'turning on a closed throttle' and will have to get back on the throttle to get to the corner. Opening the throttle takes away the optimum turning circle of the bike.

Rider A does not utilise the available side grip of the front tyre while braking at a slight angle or turning with a closed throttle. Rider A will be easily overtaken by Rider B on entry. Rider A makes the corner much longer than it needs to be by spending longer on full lean (straights longer. corners shorter rule).

RIDER B

Starting from the outside of the track, Rider B brakes in a straight line then when the time ts nght, brakes at a sltght angle (and slight lean) towards the corner. Rtder B can brake just as hard using this line as Rider A can in a straight line .

Even though the total maximum braking distance is the same for both riders, Rider B can brake slightly later because he has moved his brake t·elease and turn-in point closer to the corner. Also Rider B doesn't have to slow as much, can release the brake at a higher speed and still make the apex 'turning with a closed throttle' because the bike is on a better angle for the corner. The distance from brake release point to the centre of the corner is far shorter so takes less time. Finally, the corner is shorter and there is less time on full lean, so less risk (straights longer, corners shorter rule).

OPTIMUM TURN-IN POINT The aim is to keep a constant level of pressure, close to the limit. on the tyres all the way into and through a turn. You do not want a higher stress level at one particular point.

Imagine a fast 90-degree turn that requ1res you to close the throttle but not to brake. If you turn in too early you make the corner tighter in the middle, therefore loading up the front tyre more than necessa1-y at that point. If you turn in too late, you stress the tyres on the initial turn in. The optimum turn-in point is between those two extremes, putting the same load on the tyres all the way into and through the turn. If there isn't a high stress point, there is no one particular area the tyre will let go.

The transition from upright on full throttle, to full lean and closed throttle, has to be smooth and progressive (the corner will dictate 1f this transition must happen quickly or slowly). The throttle position, lean angle and turn all work together to keep the pressure on the tyres even. Remember. the throttle posrtion is directly connected to the lean angle of the b1ke.

CHAPTER 5 : MID-CORNER

The mid-corner is basically all about getting the bike turned to set up the corner exit. If you are using all of your lean angle, your bike is turning well and you are carrying as much speed as you can staying strictly on your line, there isn't much time to be gained here. This area is limited by grip.

It is quite common to hear riders, even really good riders. say that they are either accelerating or braking mid-corner. Th1s is bullshit. I understand why they think they're doing it but I assure you that they are not. Sure th1s 1s the a1m 1f the bike is upright, but for a significant part of the lap the bike is leaned over far too much for hard braking or acceleration.

I remember well the weekend of the 1998 British 500 Grand Prix. which went quite well for me. There were many places on the track where I had the throttle cracked open, but I was rolling through, not accelerating, waiting for the bike to turn a little mol-e so I could stand it up enough to fire it hard off the corner and down the next straight towards the next turn. Anyone on a big capacity bike who tries to accelerate through the middle of all types of turns will JUst succeed 1n high-siding higher; not lapping faster.

THERE ISN'T MUCH TIME TO BE GAINED HERE. THIS AREA IS LIMITED BY GRIP

RACE PROFILE

> Slight increase in instability on straights

> Bike turns in easier both on and off brakes

> Max lean turn circle is smaller

' ' '

ROAD PROFILE

' ' ' ' ' '

EXAMPLES OF F R ONT TYRE PROFILES

> Slight increase in stability on straights

> Heavier feeling to lean the bike over and keep it there, especially during braking

> Max lean turn circle is larger

Once your bike is ful ly on its side (maximum lean), re lax your arms and your grip on the bars. Th is not o nly saves you energy and avoids arm pump, it also feeds less input into the bike. This means the bike is more stable and lets the tyre and chassis geometry do their work. The less input you put 1nto the bars, the smaller the chance of the front tyre letting go. If your bike needs input into the bars at this po1nt to steer or to stay leaned over then something is not quite right. This could be caused by set-up ortyres. Street-orientated tyres can cause this as they have a flatter profi le for more stability

l l EXAMPLE OF USING TOO MUCH THROTTLE MID CORNER

"WAIT"

The next very important skill has proved difficult to teach. Some people just do it, others don't seem to understand.

Once you decide the time is right to crack open the throttle, you need to do so softly and so slightly that the bike stops decelerating but stays strictly on the line you have chosen at the correct speed (fast, but not running off line).

If you open the throttle too much or too early the bike will run wide and off the line you need, destroymg your turn and ex1t. Also 1t is dangerous. Espeoally now the rpm is very h1gh because you are utilis1ng maximum engine braking on entry and there is limited rear grip when you are travell1ng as fast as possible at full lean. You may feel the rear moving around at this point. It IS 1mportant to not try and go faster here but to keep a neutral throttle (not accelerating hard o1· decele1·ating) and wait for the bike to turn.

The skill is in knowing when to o·ack the throttle open, (not too much, not too early, not too late). I only crack the throttle when I know that I'm going to make it back to the paint on the 1nside of the corner and I've slowed enough. Once you have it cracked, WAIT! Keep the bike on that neutral throttle still turning at its maximum. hugging the tight inside line a moment longer. until you can stand the bike up off the edge of the rear tyre and get on the throttle ha1·der. winning time accelerating off the corner.

If you crack 1t open too ha1·d or too early, you will stay leaned over for longer and never get accelerat1ng hard unti11ts too late and risk high siding. Like I always say 'It is not who is first on the gas but who 1s nrst on FULL gas'

'' ONCE YOU HAVE THE THROTTLE CRACKED,WAIT!! KEEP THE BIKE ON THAT NEUTRAL THROTTLE, TURNING

AT ITS MAXIMUM, HUGGING THE TIGHT INSIDE LINE ' '

KNEE DOWN

One of the questions I am asked regularly is, knee down: How much? How hard? When? When not to? Getting your knee down is not important for your lap time. It's just a personal thing, I use it as a gauge and a safety net

GAUGE If your knee is on the ground, you know how far you are leaned over. I don't use it heavily, I use it softly, just touching everywhere. I do not need to change my knee sliders very often. Some riders have smoke coming off theirs and change them regularly. It is, once again, a personal choice.

SAFETY NET The only time when having my knee on the ground really does help is if I lose the front. Then I drive my knee into the ground as hard as possible to try to hold the bike up long enough for the front to grip again and pop back up. If you are on the front brake when the front goes, there is not much chance of saving it; if your are not, there is a good chance it will come back. Holding the bike up on your knee is not something you plan, it is a reaction, a reflex, just like when you slip and try to stay upright. I have never hurt myself pushing my knee into the track when the front lets go but you do have to watch for high kerbs.

KNEE DOWN AS LEAN ANGLE GAUGE AND SAFETY NET

KNEE DOWN (CONT.)

People have mentioned that they need to sit back from the tank in order to put their knee out further and not pivot around the tank. I don't rate knee down as important, it will come when you go fast. Concentrate on going fast which requires sitting forward. Look at the styles of Doohan, Schwantz, Bayliss, and mysel~ for example. It is clear to see that we all sit forward and pivot around the tank. I am not saying that this is the only way, just that there is nothing wrong with it. When riding both Superbikes and SOOcc Grand Prix bikes, I remember having my knee up against the side of the bike but still touching the paint on the curbs on the inside of the corner. Basically, my leg was getting jammed between the painted raised curbing and the bike.

People that hang off and push their knee out as far as possible to touch the ground are just stopping the bike from leaning over further. The bike will never be able to turn to its optimum if held up like this in the m1d-turn.

The only other reason I've heard for getting your knee down is to st1ck 1t 1n the dirt on the inside of the corner. spraying the rider behind with stones. One of my heroes and friend Mick Doohan told me about this, then did it to me in the Dutch SOOcc Grand Prix a few years later. I was hiding behind the screen, laughing out loud. Personally, I would not recommend doing this as your knee could catch in the dirt and rip you off the bike, but all's fair in love and racing.

GETTING YOUR KNEE DOWN IS NOT IMPORTANT FOR YOUR LAP TIME

CHAPTER 6 : CORNER EXIT

The point where you start your exit onto the longest straights is the most important on the track. All of the other points are slightly variable. It is possible to, for example, start braking a few metres earlier or later. or start your turn-in a few metres earlier or later: The point where you need to be in control, have finished turning and on the way up off the edge of the rear tyre, late in the corner and lining up the exit, is right next to the pa1nt on the inside of the corner: You need to do this in order to ach1eve optimum exit and make the stra1ghts as long as possible.

Your body should be over the pa1nt. Many nders th ink because thew knee is close to the paint on the inside of the corner. they are in the right position. It is where your tyres are that is important, they have to be close to the paint on the inside which means your body has to be wel l over the paint.

BODY OVER THE PAINT, LATE APEX

L--

MOST OF THE TURNING DONE BEFORE I GET TO THE LATE APEX

~LATEAPEX

SACRIFICE A LITTLE SPEED/TIME

PICt<iH BIKE UP

When a bike turns well 1n the mid-turn, it's a pleasure to ride and makes the exit easier and safe~ If you can't get your bike to turn well, you wil l stil l be at your maximum lean angle, waiting for your bike to turn when you reach the exit point. Accelerating at too big a lean angle is dangerous, also waiting for the bike to turn after the optimum exit point costs you time.

Your bike set up (geometry. ride height, preload and springs) is important here. Also tyres and the tyre profiles can make a big difference to how efficiently your bike turns and can make the rider's work easier and safer when it comes to exiting the turn.

On the most 1mportant exits, the ones onto the long straights, most of the turning IS done before you get to the late apex so you can start to pick the bike up and dnve as you clip the paint at the inside at the start of the exit. This way you sacrifice a little speed and time before the late apex to allow you to drive from Lhe apex all the way out of the turn and down the long straight (straights longer. corners sho1·ter).

When you have lined up the exit and start to stand the bike up, as the bike lifts up off full lean, you start applying throttle (remember throttle opening is d irectly related to the lean angle of the bike). This is the moment you can steal a few metres by extending your arms and pushing the bike away from your body. The bike is in a more upright position earlier which means you can instantly apply more throttle.

This is only possible if you wait a fraction longer. As I explained earlie~ if you don't get the bike turned enough in the mid-turn you won't be able to 'steal a few metres' on the exit If you stand the bike up before it has turned enough you will just run wide, maybe even off the track.

Deciding how much throttle to use as you lift the bike up involves treading a very fine line. As you have gone down gears to use the engine braking and turning with a closed throttle, the engine will be at a relatively high rpm in the mid-turn, pmducing high power. The peak power of your engine is on tap, ready to go in an instant It is therefore imperative to keep it on a smooth, constant or neutral throttle until you can pick the bike up from full lean and the edge of the rear tyre. Then you can really 'hold it on I'

That moment when you have the throttle against the stop in a low gear with the bike accelerating hard out of the turn. your backside still off the side of the seat at part lean, but upright enough to be in the safe area of the rear tyre, this is when you are winning time! You want as much of this in a lap as possible. If you find yourself waiting for the engine to pick up rpm and accelerate har·de~ you are losing time. Whenever you are ready to pick the bike up and accelerate, the bike must jump fo1ward as hard as possible, winning as much time as possible. The engine will help you do this only if it is in the last few thousand rpm of its range.

FINDING THE RIGHT EXIT GEAR

If you are 1n too high a gear the bike won't respond to the throttle instantaneously, so there will be a delay in it making peak horsepower and accelerating hard. If it is in too low a gear you won't get far enough out of the corner and will still be leaned over when you hit the rev limiter. The perfect gear is the one that allows you to accelerate hard, far enough out of the turn, without any delay, until the bike is at a safer lean angle before you hook the next gear.

SPLIT PERSONALITY

I think of myself as two personalities when riding. Mr Aggressive when upright, accelerating and brak1ng, and Mr Gentleman when at maximum lean: jekyll and Hyde. I progressively transform from one to the other, depending on the lean angle of the bike. On the b1ke, my personality is directly connected to the lean angle of the bike!

WHEELIE CONTROL

MyYZRSOO was extremely difficult, I found it almost impossible to stop it wheelieing out of corners when I first rode it. When it wheelied I had to shut the throttle and other riders would come past. It taught me to hold myself as far forward and as low as possible but also how effective it is to transfer the majority of your weight onto the foot pegs through the balls of your feet. No, you are not standing up, it looks like you are still sitting but you are putting minimal weight on the seat. This instantly raises the level of acceleration you can get away with without the front wheel heading skywards.

I believe the reason th1s works 1s because, look1ng at a bike side on, you will see that if you have your weight on your backs1de it 1s further back and higher than if you have it on the foot pegs. Recently, while instructing on circuit, I was reminded of how effective this 1s anywhere you have a wheelle-under-acceleration problem. Coming under the old Dunlop bndge at Donington Park in the UK, there is a slight change in elevation. Go across it w1th the throttle fully open and the front wants to continue rising skywards, resulting 1n having to close the throttle. By standing on the balls of your feet and holding yourself forward at this moment you can keep the throttle open without the front end lifting, resulting in a faster lap time.

CHAPTER 7 : VUDU TRICKS CHANGE OF DIRECTION

There are three main elements to getting your bike to change direction. The best way to apply them depends on whether you are accelerating or braking, the shape of the corner and the speed you are travelling at.

> Pressure on the bars: You always use this for change of direction, how much you apply depends on whether you are braking or accelerating

> Pressure on the foot pegs: This is extremely useful to get your bike to change directJon ifyou are not braking at the time. For example, a chicane that does not require braking

> Body position: Committing your upper body weight to the corner. I use this every comer

PRESSURE ON THE BARS- COUNTER STEERING

I think there is too much importance put on counter steering to change direction. For example, when I pushed my children off on their bicycles for the very first time at four years old, they changed direction by counter steering without me having to tell them about it. We all do it naturally (I hope so for your sake) and the only thing that needs to be thought about is the timing and the force required.

As I explained in Corner Entry. it is important to keep the transitional forces smooth and not to create a stress point for your tyres. This is where people who put too much emphasis on counter steering can come unstuck by using it too aggressively at the wrong moment.

When you decide the time is right, you simultaneously pull on the outside bar and push on the inside bar. If you are braking at the time of direction change you can apply much more force to the bars because the tyre has more weight on it, allowing you to get the change of direction done faster. Also, during braking you will already have pressure on both bars so you will just need to apply more to the inside bar and give the outside bar a pull only if necessary ... this is why your triceps get a workout riding on circuit. Once I have done this and initiated the change of direction I commit my upper body (weight) to the corner and look where I want to go.

PRESSURE ON THE FOOT PEGS- BRAKING

If I am braking, I personally don't find it necessary to apply weight to the foot pegs to get the change of direction done, as the front tyre has enough grip to cope with the change of direction and the majority of my body weight wants to go forward at that moment, not down. I am being supported by the tank and by the handle bars, I don't have much weight spare to push on the pegs.

PRESSURE ON THE FOOT PEGS - ACCELERATING

On the other hand, if you are accelerating during a change of direction, it's a whole different beast! You need to get your upper body werght as low and as far forward as possible; one of my ndrng heroes Mrck Doohan is a classic example of thrs.

Gnp the bars and hold yourself forward - face against the screen, chest on the tank, backside hovenng over the seat wrth all your weight on the foot pegs. Your front tyre will have very little werght on rl so you can use very little force on the bars before it wi ll turn and skim the ground (ver·y bad for stability!). So you need to use the foot pegs to the fu ll to make up for the lack of for'Ce you can put through the bars.

Under har·d ,\Ccclcr·dtron, if your weight is off the seat, the centre of gravity of you and the brke moves down ,md forward, enabling you to open the throttle more before the front lifts (also see antr -wheelie). At thrs moment of hard acceleration and change of direction, if your backsrde tr ~ m5fers werght to the seat, or you let your total body weight slip rearward, or if you srt up, the fmnt wheel wrll lift. turn, skim the surface and then grip. The result is massive rnstabilrty .md you wrll h.rvc to mil off the throttle. This instability is sometimes referred to as a 'tank sl.rppl'r·'

PRESSURE ON THE FOOT PEGS- NOT BRAKING

When not braking and applying pressure to the bars to get the bike to change direction, I am also pushing on the inside foot peg. The only way to apply pressure to a single foot peg is to commit your body to that side. It's not a conscious forceful move. it is a flu1d action that coincides wrt:h pulling your weight forward (if you are accelerating), moving your body position to that side and applying pressure to the bars, all in a balanced way. This IS all about getting the timing right to maintain the stability of the bike.

If you are sitt1ng on a chair right now, pretend to hold the bike's bars in your hands. They should be close to your body because you are holding yourself forward and accelerating with the throttle open. Now lean forward and off to the left, putting weight on your left foot at the same time as turning the bars to the right. This is basically what I mean.

BODY POSITION I WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION

I use this for every corner and have explained this in the chapters on turn-in, mid-turn and corner exit. It is basically looking through the corner to where you want to go and moving your body and head off the side of the bike in that direction by extending your arms.

RIDING IN THE WET I can't say I enjoy riding in the rain, but my results were never worse if it rained, they were better: Many riders crash in the wet when at half lean braking or when accelerating at half lean. These are the danger areas, so I am careful with them. I treat a wet track as if it were a similar area of dry track w ith less grip than normal.

The safe-lean-angle zone where you can use full gas or full brakes becomes narrower: You cannot use the brakes as hard as in the dry but you can brake more than you'd think possible thanks to full wet weather tyres.

I try to carry speed through the corners rather than accelerate and brake too much while leaning. Also. I exaggerate my lower and upper body position off the side to keep the bike as upright as much as possible. I still brake hard in a straight line but I do not lean as much as in the dry while using maximum br·akmg. Then, I try to release the brakes as early as possible to reduce the danger or lockrng the front and run the bike through the corner carrying speed acr·oss to the point of exit. I start to accelerate very carefully and softly until the bike rs mor·e upright than it would be while exitrng the same corner in the dry, then I get to full throttle as soon as its within the reduced safe-lean-angle zone so I am not dfrard that the rear could spin up and step out (as described in the sliding sectron).

If you have full wet tyres the straights do not have to change much. you can still hold the throttle fully open and brake surprisingly hard in a straight line (when there is no deep standing water). It is the entry. mid-turn and exit or the cor ncr that you do have to change to suit the lower levels of grip.

When you are at a lean angle outside the safe area. you must be very gentle wrth everything and try to use minimal brakes or no braking at all; and no thr·ottle, a steady throttle, or slight acceler-ation only I hang off the side of the bike in " more exaggerated manner than in the dry, trying to help the tyres as much as I cun.

LOW GRIP AREAS

I STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN

PARTLEAN ' LEFT

~p..IN

ftE:.pl1CED

PART LEAN RIGHT

RAIN REDUCED APPROXIMATE LEAN ANGLE ZON E S

The general ru le about lower grip due to the surface, adverse camber; bumps, etc, rs rl rs betler to Cillr y speed across these areas while leaning rather than accelerate or brake across them. Paddock Hill Bend at Brands Hatch and The Corkscrew dt l.dgur1.1 5cL.l .rnd Molorland Aragon are such sections. Rather than brake or accelerate in them, I try to carry speed through these corners.

SLIDING- ADVANCED RIDERS ONLY Slides are easier under low-grip conditions (trashed tyres) with big horsepower. The key to a safe slide 1s not to be leaning over too much and having the engine at high rpm. If you are leaning over too much you have less control of how far the rear w ill step out during the slide, this is also the reason for using high rpm. If you are relatively upright and the engine rpm is high, the rear will only spin up and come around so far before the engine runs out of rpm and power. Then you only have to worry about how fast it will snap back. Normally. if you keep the throttle on and don't snap it shut, the rear wheel will come back into line nicely as you reach the maximum speed for the gear you are in (your speed increases and matches your 'lit up'/ sliding/ spinning rear wheel speed) .

To get a slide started I use enough exit speed/, lean angle and throttle to get to the limit of the tyres grip, or preferably sliding or moving slightly. At that moment you are so close to sliding it wont take much more to get the rear right out of line, but it's dangerous at this lean angle. Then, when I have turned enough and I can see a nice, almost straight run to the paint on the exit, the time is 1·ight

As I lift the bike up off the edge of the tyre, I hold myself forward on the handlebars in order to physically stay with the front of the bike. I transfer the rest of my body weight to the balls of my feet and whack the throttle the rest of the way open to make the rear spin up. The reason I transfer the maJority of my weight to the balls of my feet and not through my backside on the seat is, if the rear does step out of line too much, my legs will automatically extend as the bike goes sideways and then if I'm forced to roll off the throttle, they will absorb the bike's movement as the rear grips and comes violently back into line. If you are still sitting on the seat when this happens you would go with the bike's movement as it steps out of line and get thrown off the bike as it comes back into line.

I use this technique anywhere I feel there is a possibility of the rear letting go then com1ng back into line violently. If I trust that the slide will be controllable, I don't bother putting weight on the balls of my feet

Personally. I don't think sliding is all about 'ultimate throttle control', I think it is also about feel fm your tyres, confidence in yourself and your bike and commitment For example; I get a little bit nervous when I plan to do a big one because it is risky thing to do. Once I set it up and it's time to whack it open (depending on the horsepower of your bike), It's timing, commitment to holding it on and throttle control. If you do one th1ng wrong out of all the things I have listed, your bike is likely to be unforgiving. Like anything dangerous, it's a buzz. Entering a turn so hot that you don't know 1f you are going to stop in t1me probably gives more of a wide­eyed buzz than doing a ripper slide, it just doesn't look as impressive. Maybe, because of the dange1; 'heightened awareness' is another way to describe the feeling in these situations?

CRASHING I hate crashing. Fight it as if there is a possibility of saving it right up until the last moment. If you can't save it. get your hands well clear. It's possible to steer yourself a little while 1n a slide on asphalt. try and turn to make yourself go in feet first.

The rest is pretty much down to luck!

' . "'

8 ' ~t

CHICANES In slow and medium speed chicanes I brake at an angle on the approach to help find a stra1ght line through the chicane from paint to paint. Then, like every corner. I make sure I release the brake before I get too much lean angle and have enough speed to travel through the chicane without having to accelerate before the exit. Once off the brakes, I really go to work gett1ng my body over the paint on the inside of the first part of the chicane then over to the other side of the bike for the second part (see Change of D1rection) in as fast and flowing a single movement as possible. All this is much safer without brakes and throttle that are likely to make the tyres let go.

A FAST AND FLOWING SINGLE MOVEMENT

CHAPTER 8: TRACK DAY QUICKSTART Th is is a quick guide to getting started and help you to avoid making the mistakes I made.

When I was young I spent all my money on a beautiful bike and did not have any left for track time, tyres or transport. I recommend buying the bike best suited to your budget. You don't have to have the best bike in the beginning, what you need is t1me on the bike. A reliable and well-mainta1ned sports bike, matched to your ability, a big stack of tyres and some spare cash in your pocket is a great way to start. There 1s not much point having the trickest bike sitting in the shed doing nothing but devaluing.

Before you get to the track - prepare your bike

PREPARING YOUR BIKE FORK SEALS I've seen many people let down by leaky fork seals. If they are weeping a little on the street they will most likely leak more on the track because the braking is much more extreme. Plus, if your forks are worn out, saggy and soft, you won't be able to stop as well or safely. If your forks are not working well, it's very hard to get confident in your riding as everything you feel through your front tyre has to come through your forks. I am not saying you need the best forks, but they must be well maintained and set up. If they are not maintained or assembled correctly, you won't have confidence in your bike. Only let a qualified technician work on them.

BRAKE LINES Check your brake lines are routed properly. Because of the extreme brak1ng necessary on track. incorrectly routed brake lines can cause brake fai lure.

THROTTLE Check the throttle cable is routed correctly and does not catch on anyth1ng when luming the bars lock to lock and that free-play is adjusted correctly,

CHAIN TENSION A too tightly tensioned chain is just as bad as one that is too loose. Both are likely to

cause damage.

TYRES

BRAKE PADS AND BRAKE FLUID Make sure you have a decent amount of brake pad left because you will use them up faster than you ever have on the street. A suitable 'circuit use' pad will offer the same advantages as circuit specific tyres, better performance at higher temperatures caused by harder use (you'll eventually need spares so why not have them r·eady).

Brake fluid will overheat easier with low I thin I worn brake pads.

Change brake fluid for fresh fluid of the correct spec. Old fluid boils at a lower temperature which will cause fade and an inconsistent lever.

I can't recommend strongly enough the importance of having the correct tyres. You've got to have tyres that are made for the track. Correct tyres are the single most important thing you can have in my opinion to enhance your performance and safety. People say to me 'oh I am not good enough to need slicks'. This is how I see it. A top riders job is to get very close to crashing, without crashing. That's what top riders do. A lower level rider will be up and down ... one moment very far from the limit, the next moment over the limit. Better tyres have a higher limit. If you have the best tyres possible ... essentially raising the limit much highe~ the less chance you have of going over that limit.

Tyres made for the street are also made to work at lower temperatures because it's necessary to r·egularly ride them when they are cold. Track specific tyres only work once they are up to temperature. This is why it is imperative that you have warmers or take the time to war·m them thoroughly on the track. Once they are up to temperatur·e, they are far better than street tyres.

Always check tyre pressures before riding. They not only perform at a lower level if the tyre pressures are too low or too high, they wont handle as well and will wear prematurely, which is like throwing money away.

WARMING UP YOUR TYRES I NEW TYRES The best way to get heat into and/or clean new tyres, is through the following method. I accelerate and brake hard in a straight line while the bike is upright, so I can release the brakes early and let the bike run through the corner~ If your wheels are turning freely. unhindered by the brakes, the tyres have much less chance of letting go, so you can lean to clean them and get heat into them. I lean very gently at first, a little further each corner. It is time on the side of the tyre that gets heat into the side of the tyre, not the quick flick corners. It is always essential to be smooth and gentle initially cracking the throttle when the bike is leant over, but even more so when the tyres are new/cold.

LEVERS Front brake, rear brake, clutch and gear levers: check they are all in a position where it is comfortable for you to reach. Levers too high or low make it more difficult and uncomfortable. Check that the clutch and front brake lever are positioned so that you have a good amount of leverage so they are easier to pull.

Make sure there is nothing that will restrict ground clearance. Incorrectly mounted exhaust, side stand and fairings, engine protections etc.

WHATTOTAKETOTHETRACK > Ucences and medical insurance details

> Ear plugs:

> Back protector:

> Leathers: Either one piece suit or a zip together pant/ jacket combination

> Boots: road/track Boots. They're smaller, lighter and give you more fee/ and ground clearance.

> He/met: Personally I would never put a cheap helmet on my head. In my experience with helmets the more you spend the better quality you get Apart from the normal fitting requirements, make sure that the helmet doesn't sit so low on your forehead so that when you are laid forward on the bike (tucked 1n on the straights position), you don't have to bend your neck uncomfortably to see. Push the helmet up so you are looking more through the centre of the vision area of the helmet and let your eyes do the work. not your neck.

> Gloves: Don't use too thick or incorrectly fttting gloves. Thin racing style gloves allow more feel and control.

> Simple tool kit The minimum requirement is to be able to: take both wheels out; take brake cal1pers off; adjust chain; bleed brakes; give your b1ke a check over for loose nuts. bolts and screws.

> I litre of engine oil (for top ups) and a small funnel.

> Brake fluid (the correct type for your bike) and small tube for bleeding

> Spare brake pads of the correct compound for circuit use.

> Spray can of brake/parts cleaner.

> Can of chain lube.

> Good quality calibrated tyre pressure gauge (no point having a cheap inaccurate one)

> Tyre pump: Someone will let you use theirs if you don't have one, just ask nicely.

> Cleaning product: For your bike and visor, to remove bugs etc

> Fuel can: Make sure it's full, plus a device for getting fuel into your bike ljug, funnel etc)

> Water: Take plenty, your mates always forget so take a bit extra.

> Snacks: To get through the day

> A chair:

> Hand cleaner:

> Rags/paper towels: For all of the above jobs.

> Optional :tyre warmers and extension lead with multi-plug block, front and rear stands

CHOOSING AN EVENT You are spoilt for cho1ce: Local event or abroad, small track or official GP circuit. safe or unsafe, hot weather or cold, an evening event. or four consecutive days. transport and hotel included or ride to the track. You can choose.

Know the safety flags Knowing the flags is very important as it is the only way the marshals can communicate with you. Knowing what the flags mean and how to respond to them will keep you and the other circuit users safe.

Some other things for you to consider. Open pit lane events: Open pit lane means that riders of all levels are free to ride on the circuit at the same time. This is fine if the riders and machines are all of similar level, but more often than not this is not the case. Many people like open pit lane because of the freedom to ride on track at any time. Personally. I don't. I think 1t's too dangerous to have riders and motorcycles with huge speed differentials on track

at the same time. In my opinion, speed difference is our biggest danger on circuit and an open pit lane means there are almost bound to be big speed differences between riders.

There are many companies that organize riders into three or even four different groups, so you can choose the level that suits you, your ability and the speed of your bike.

I have seen that many people are oblivious to the dangers they put themselves in at an open-pit-lane event. More than once I have been following a fast rider on a I OOOcc bike when he narrowly avoided a collision with a slow r ider on a small­capacity bike and the slower rider just thinks they have been overtaken closely with literally I OOmph ( 160kph) speed difference on the straight!

Put it another way, would you stand in the middle of the road with your back to I OOmph ( 160kph) oncoming traffic. moving from one side of the road to the other?

Do not slow down on the straight After going on about the speed difference at open pit lane. I am sure you will now understand the dangers I feel are caused by large speed differences on circuit. Slowing down on the straight causes you to have a big speed difference with the riders who do not. Please do not put yourself in this situation. It is better to continue at a reasonably fast pace unti l the time you need to signal early that you are coming into the p1t lane. Even if I am riding with one foot off the peg (the high side whenever I am leaning). I still continue at a reasonably quick pace so not to put myself in more danger than necessary

TRACK ETIQUETTE A quick guide to understanding some of the things that will keep you safe and help you to not become unpopular on circuit.

PIT LANE

Pit lane itself can be just as dangerous as the track. There has been incidents of people being killed in pit lane. Try to th ink of the pit lane as a road with two sides. The half closer to the garages w ill have bikes slowing and turning into garages, stopping, or leaving from garages throughout the session.

The pit wall side will have bikes travelling at up to 40mph (60kph). Do not stop on the pit wall side of pit lane to talk to your buddies on pit wall. Think of this side as a main road with plenty of traffic. So, please ensure that you look careful ly for bikes and people before pulling out onto this side of pit lane and please look very carefully before stepping onto it from the pit wall or garage side. It is very easy to forget and step off pit wall straight in front of a speeding bike. Please make sure that any friends and family with you understand these dangers.

Also, do not speed on the pit garage side of pit lane, think of this as riding on the hard shoulde~ There is a much greater chance of someone pu lling out or stepping out in front of you.

Be patient and polite in the pit lane. The really fast guys save speeding, noise and turning heads for the circuit. Only un-cool guys feel the need to do this in their garage or in pit lane, making other garage/pit-lane users day slightly more unpleasant.

NEVER TURN ACROSS THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC WHEN EXITING THE PIT LANE

· "'~Ol

l.r.·