gt@hpfcmt (04/11/86)
The following response is a copy of an outline I will use in teaching portions of a road racing school here in Colo. I thought it might be fun to throw it in here and see if any of the topics might generate questions/discussions. Things have been a little slow in net.cycle lately and the weather is turning nice. gt
gt@hpfcmt (04/11/86)
MRA Rider School Outline 1. EEEEqqqquuuuiiiippppmmmmeeeennnntttt aaaannnndddd PPPPrrrreeeeppppaaaarrrraaaattttiiiioooonnnn.... 1.1 MMMMeeeennnnttttaaaallll PPPPrrrreeeeppppaaaarrrrttttiiiioooonnnn.... Number one priority is to know what you are doing and why. The best equipment in the world on the best track in the world isn't going to help you if you're a space cadet. 1.2 PPPPhhhhyyyyssssiiiiccccaaaallll PPPPrrrreeeeppppaaaarrrraaaattttiiiioooonnnn.... 1.2.1 _R_a_c_e__D_a_y Stretching and relaxing. 1.2.2 _E_v_e_r_y__D_a_y Workout, special emphasis on neck, legs and forearms. 1.3 TTTThhhheeee BBBBiiiikkkkeeee((((ssss)))) 1.3.1 _T_e_c_h__r_u_l_e_s A look at how to tech ready your bike. 1.3.2 _S_u_s_p_e_n_s_i_o_n__&__H_a_n_d_l_i_n_g Includes tires, shocks, forks, wheels, brakes and weight reduction. 1.3.3 _E_n_g_i_n_e 1.3.3.1 _C_h_e_a_p Intake, exhaust and electrical. 1.3.3.2 _E_x_p_e_n_s_i_v_e Trick parts. 1.4 CCCCllllooootttthhhhiiiinnnngggg Leathers, boots, gloves, braces and protectors. 1.5 EEEEvvvveeeerrrryyyytttthhhhiiiinnnngggg eeeellllsssseeee Includes: spare parts, tools, gas, lodging ... eg. getting your shit together. 2. TTTThhhheeee TTTTrrrraaaacccckkkk 2.1 SSSSuuuurrrrffffaaaacccceeeessss One half of the traction equation. Include rain, etc. 2.2 EEEElllleeeevvvvaaaattttiiiioooonnnnssss The effect on traction. 2.3 CCCCoooorrrrnnnneeeerrrrssss 2.3.1 _C_a_m_b_e_r 2.3.2 _R_a_d_i_u_s 2.3.3 _E_l_e_v_a_t_i_o_n 2.3.4 _C_o_m_b_o_s__o_f__t_h_e__b_i_g__t_h_r_e_e 2.4 SSSSeeeerrrriiiieeeessss ooooffff ttttuuuurrrrnnnnssss 2.5 VVVViiiissssiiiibbbbiiiilllliiiittttyyyy Eg. Steamboat vs. Pueblo 2.6 VVVViiiissssuuuuaaaallll ccccuuuueeeessss.... 2.7 RRRRuuuunnnn ooooffffffff One variable in the risk taking equation. 3. BBBBrrrraaaakkkkiiiinnnngggg 3.1 TTTThhhheeee pppphhhhyyyyssssiiiiccccssss Friction, weight transfer. Everything from your two right fingers to the rubber on the road. 3.2 TTTThhhheeee ffffeeeeeeeellll Just this side of locking it up. Endos and photos. 3.3 TTTTiiiimmmmiiiinnnngggg 3.4 FFFFrrrroooonnnntttt aaaannnndddd RRRReeeeaaaarrrr 3.5 BBBBrrrraaaakkkkiiiinnnngggg wwwwhhhhiiiilllleeee lllleeeeaaaannnneeeedddd oooovvvveeeerrrr.... 3.6 BBBBrrrraaaakkkkiiiinnnngggg mmmmaaaarrrrkkkkeeeerrrrssss.... 4. CCCCoooorrrrnnnneeeerrrriiiinnnngggg 4.1 TTTThhhheeee ggggooooaaaallll Get through the turn in the least amount of time with the most speed coming out and ready for whatever is next. 4.2 TTTTyyyyppppeeeessss ooooffff lllliiiinnnneeeessss Three or four of the more common lines and what they are good for. Warning on addiction to lines. 4.3 SSSSeeeettttttttiiiinnnngggg uuuupppp Where, when and how. 4.4 IIIInnnn tttthhhheeee hhhheeeeaaaarrrrtttt ooooffff iiiitttt Steady as she goes. 4.5 OOOOooooppppssss,,,, ttttrrrraaaaffffffffiiiicccc............ cccchhhhaaaannnnggggiiiinnnngggg yyyyoooouuuurrrr lllliiiinnnneeee Act, don't react. Smoothness counts. 4.6 CCCCoooommmmiiiinnnngggg oooouuuutttt Rolling it on and setting it up. 4.7 TTTThhhhiiiinnnnkkkkiiiinnnngggg aaaabbbboooouuuutttt iiiitttt How to improve with practice. 4.8 TTTTrrrryyyyiiiinnnngggg ddddiiiiffffffffeeeerrrreeeennnntttt ttttaaaaccccttttiiiiccccssss This just may save your ass. 4.9 HHHHaaaannnnggggiiiinnnngggg ooooffffffff The physics and the photos. 4.10 EEEEffffffffeeeeccccttttssss ooooffff ccccaaaammmmbbbbeeeerrrr,,,, eeeelllleeeevvvv.... aaaannnndddd rrrraaaaddddiiiiuuuussss Or, why I don't like downhill, off-camber, decreasing radius turns. 5. DDDDrrrraaaaffffttttiiiinnnngggg 5.1 TTTThhhheeee pppphhhhyyyyssssiiiiccccssss More speed for the little guy (or even the big guy). 5.2 TTTThhhheeee hhhhaaaazzzzaaaarrrrddddssss Gee, I didn't see any brake light come on. 5.3 TTTThhhheeee tttteeeecccchhhhnnnniiiiqqqquuuueeeessss How close and when to make your move. 6. CCCCrrrraaaasssshhhhiiiinnnngggg 6.1 CCCCoooouuuunnnntttt oooonnnn iiiitttt Sooner or later it's bound to happen. 6.2 RRRRuuuulllleeee 1111:::: LLLLeeeetttt ggggoooo ooooffff tttthhhheeee ddddaaaammmmnnnn bbbbiiiikkkkeeee!!!! 6.3 RRRRuuuulllleeee 2222:::: TTTThhhhiiiinnnnkkkk rrrruuuubbbbbbbbeeeerrrr Think jello, the blob, slime, jellyfish, son of flubber. You can total your steel and plastic bike without getting hurt, but not if you try to play man of steel. 6.4 RRRRuuuulllleeee 3333:::: SSSSttttoooopppp ssssttttoooopppp ssssttttoooopppp Don't stand up while you're still sliding. Don't start waltzing around the track. 6.5 RRRRuuuulllleeee 4444:::: YYYYoooouuuurrrr bbbbiiiikkkkeeee iiiissss bbbbrrrrooookkkkeeee Don't jump back on and try to make up for lost time! 7. RRRRuuuulllleeeessss ooooffff tttthhhheeee TTTTrrrraaaacccckkkk 7.1 OOOOffffffffiiiicccciiiiaaaallll Flags, cornerworkers, crashes, etc. 7.2 UUUUnnnnooooffffffffiiiicccciiiiaaaallll Passing, pushing, and prairie dogs.
chan@hpfcmt (04/11/86)
Seems to me you need something about the start in there: riding wheelies, etc. I don't know what it's like in motorcycle racing, but in car racing, the most spectacular crashes are at the very beginning when everyone is jockeying for position into the first turn. Also, what about the proper way to douse yourself with champagne in the winner's circle (or is that in the advanced class)? -- Chan
gt@hpfcmt.UUCP (04/17/86)
>Seems to me you need something about the start in there: riding wheelies, >etc. I don't know what it's like in motorcycle racing, but in car racing, >the most spectacular crashes are at the very beginning when everyone is >jockeying for position into the first turn. Also, what about the proper >way to douse yourself with champagne in the winner's circle (or is that >in the advanced class)? > -- Chan >/* ---------- */ Starting is another separate topic that doesn't appear in the original outline since somebody else is teaching that part. Starting is one of the most exciting (and dangerous) parts of a road race (or motocross et al.). You can explain the proper techniques for launching your bike without flipping over backwards but the part of going into turn one with a pack of determined riders usually just boils down to guts and fear. You wouldn't believe the things that happen without anyone crashing. As for champagne dousing, it is not proper to douse oneself, everyone is suppossed to douse somebody else. gt