Fort Worth Motorcycle Riders

Hmm, maybe I should put some sticky tires on the Versys and go pass him at Cresson...

Rhino wrote:Guess we'll have to agree to disagree on that one then. My only other advice would be ride a less twitchy bike on the track. I love my 600, she handles like a dream and doesn't bite (too hard).

That's because you're not riding her hard enough! Let me tell you just when you start feeling comfortable, CHOMP! That's when she'll get you.

Rhino wrote:Hmm, maybe I should put some sticky tires on the Versys and go pass him at Cresson...

DO IT!!! Maybe the photographer will get a picture of you passing him too!!!

Dragonfly wrote:

Rhino wrote:Guess we'll have to agree to disagree on that one then. My only other advice would be ride a less twitchy bike on the track. I love my 600, she handles like a dream and doesn't bite (too hard).

That's because you're not riding her hard enough! Let me tell you just when you start feeling comfortable, CHOMP! That's when she'll get you.

I'll buy that. But still, better than a liter bike where it doesn't even wait for you to feel comfortable. It's just chomp after chomp.

Grinner told me I was laying down a black stripe on my drive into the front straight at Barber. That made me happy that I'm starting to ride her like she wants to be ridden.

Rhino wrote:Guess we'll have to agree to disagree on that one then. My only other advice would be ride a less twitchy bike on the track. I love my 600, she handles like a dream and doesn't bite (too hard).

Thats part of why I asked, is it just suzuki, is it just me, cause I just can't get it to be smooth it drives me nuts, and 1st is clearly different, so I was hopping someone would say "get your ecu remapped and it'll smooth it out" or something like that.

Sounds like I'm not the only one with first gear fear, and thats cool with me

Rhino wrote:... laying down a black stripe on my drive into the front straight at Barber. That made me happy that I'm starting to ride her like she wants to be ridden.

You wouldn't happen to have 2CT's on would you?

I shoulda had one of you guys take my gopro, I'd love to see some front of the bike footage from your guys's runs out there.

Nope, straight up Pilot Powers. They didn't feel like they were slipping, I was apparently just driving out at the edge of traction for those tires. I didn't feel a thing, I was just leaving my mark on the track.

Is there no passing at all in level one in the mornings?

You know Fixxer... now that you mention it. Suzuki's may be a little less smooth on the throttle. I can not say for sure as I have now ridden alot of them but when I was deciding between my ZX-14 and the Busa that is on thing that I didnt like about the busa. It seems to be almost a on/off switch for the throttle where the ZX is much more tame and you have to twist more to make it do the same thing. I have not ridden a GSXR 1k or 750. I have ridden ZX-10s and they feel simular to the 14 so it might just be the way Suzuki sets up there throttle.

DarcShadow wrote:Is there no passing at all in level one in the mornings?

straights only before lunch

fixxervi6 wrote:

DarcShadow wrote:Is there no passing at all in level one in the mornings?

straights only before lunch

Which you still shouldn't have a problem with on a 750. Set up for a pass when there's a line of traffic and you should get around several people in the first half of the straight.

Rhino wrote:

fixxervi6 wrote:

DarcShadow wrote:Is there no passing at all in level one in the mornings?

straights only before lunch

Which you still shouldn't have a problem with on a 750. Set up for a pass when there's a line of traffic and you should get around several people in the first half of the straight.

I really don't care about passing right now, right now, its just an annoyance. Right now I want to get my basics down to what I consider an acceptable (acceptable to me) level, thats what I want to work on.

Things I plan on working on

right hand turns - my body posistion and everything in the left feels great, spot on, right is better but needs improvement still I can FEEL it, I want to concentrate on setting up for the turn and going through it instead of setting up for pass, I need to be able to turn right better before I even worry about passing, cart before the horse, I'm not satisifed with the level at which I'm riding when it comes to this operation. Parking behind someone and setting up for passes takes away time I could be working on this.

lines - not pass lines, if you want to put a name on them, qualifier lines. My lines aren't bad enough that I'm going to get someone hurt but they are not good enough for me to satsified with, parking behind someone or setting up for passes takes away time I could be working on this.

no coasting - I coast into turns that come after the big straights. After I hit the rev limiter I just let it coast, I figure why burn up the brake pads, I don't plan on doing this anymore, going to concentrate more on keeping that time to a small span, I'm sure this will get me into more trail braking but thats an effect not a goal.

If I'm the slow guy and I can run all day and not have to pass a single person I can make real good progress on these 3.

I get what you guys are saying, passing is part of the fun, and the 750 can out drive a liter on the right lines I get all that and don't disagree, my problem with passing is me, my skills in this area are low right now, and I don't want to have to mess wtih that right now.

When my right hand turns are at a satisfactory level, my coasting is minimal to none, and my lines are consitent enough to hit them and maintain a smooth speed every single time, I'll worry about passing.

Darc - you've been at this a long time man, I'm trying to improve my basic riding skills, passing is further up the road

Rhino - your welcome to take my gopro and come blow my plastics off anytime then show me later in the vid how you did it - I'm still working on hitting good running lines before thinking about pass lines, I'm just not there yet and thats not what I want to improve on at this stage.

Hell maybe if going to level 2 helps me with what I want to work on I'll go back down to level 1 to work on passing when I decide thats the next check box on the list.

I just wanna go fast

fixxervi6 wrote:Darc - you've been at this a long time man, I'm trying to improve my basic riding skills, passing is further up the road

Yes and no. True I have been riding track for about 5 years now, but my first ever trackday I was passing people, and the 2nd day I was passing all of the students, granted they were all about 20 years older then me and not quite as "brave/stupid" but still.

As for passing in the straights only, that's pretty much where I do all my passing. Passing in the turns on the outside is a bit tricky and rarely does the pass actually finish in the turn. Typically you might start the pass in the turn but it's the straight where you actually do the passing.

As for running good lines, the "race" line is just that. The ideal line for racing. In reality a good line is what ever best for you givin your current location on the track. Learning to read the track and find your lines is a big part of track days, and a part that in my oppion RideSmart does not teach well. Learning/knowing how to find and adjust your line is far more imporant then being able to run the "race" line every lap, especially since the race line is only really correct if you are also running at race pace. If you're not going the race pace, the race line changes.

I do get what you are saying though and understand where you are coming from. Just saying, don't worry about getting hung up on going fast and enjoy the ride. From day one I always have had more fun dicing it up with others and passing then I have just running fast, although there is nothing quite like that feeling of touching your knee to the ground the first time.

After I get down the couple of things I wanna work on, I'll practice my pass lines on you

oh yea, I know, new guy is talkin shit so I'm gonna get buzzed

fixxervi6 wrote:After I get down the couple of things I wanna work on, I'll practice my pass lines on you

oh yea, I know, new guy is talkin shit so I'm gonna get buzzed

Heh, not just that, but Darc runs at the top of L2, should probably be L3.

na, no buzzing, passing that close is not allowed. I'll just park my front tire 2" from your rear and follow you the around honking my horn the whole time. ha!

DarcShadow wrote: From day one I always have had more fun dicing it up with others and passing then I have just running fast, although there is nothing quite like that feeling of touching your knee to the ground the first time.

It tickles a little bit if you are on the drag strip ... Im just sayin. Hey darc next time I am at bike night or when you have some free time and I am not on vacation you mind helping me out with riding position, getting alot stronger and flex is getting close to being able to get more aggressive.