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Putnam B session video #2 - input?

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shadrach

· BSB > WSBK > MotoGP
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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I just got my DVD from Smiley of the last Putnam event, Beginner session #5 on Sunday.

I clipped it down to my two fastest laps of that session, both about 1:33.


I immediately noticed two thing:

  1. My toes are still a little lower than they should be. My boots are a little big as I have wider feet, so I also have extra toe room as I go up a size. I am on the balls of my feet, if I move them anymore the pegs will be under my toes. Need to get rearsets (I said that last winter!)
  2. Wow, I really overbrake for turn-in!

Let me know if you see anything else. (For some reasons I really blew T9-T10 in these couple laps as I typically take it wide, out to the seam. I was probably getting tired, as I notice my head staying above the bike more towards the end.

The two sessions after this I felt even faster, especially the desolate final session, I have open track the entire time. I think I might have grabbed a 1:30-1:31 by the end of the day. Not sure now slow/fast that is, but I felt comfortable and smooth the whole time.
 
#3 ·
First of all coming down the straight stay on the throttle over the hill before turn one. Your letting off before the crest, turn one can go MUCH faster.

next thing is get you outside arm down on the tank and get your head down where the mirror is supposed to be, your still stayong waaay high on the bike.

Next thing is buy a Duc and a canon, nikons and gixxers do not rule :D
 
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#4 ·
Couple things:

1. You are doing a lot of things right and you are looking comfortable on the bike. Your body position is not perfect, but it is much improved. Your lines are also not perfect, you could use more of the track on your drives out of the corners, but your lines still look somewhat OK.

2. I think it is time you start "trail-braking". Right now, you simply can not trail brake at all because you are dropping far too much speed before you begin your turn in. If you start to focus on trail braking to the apex, that will help break you out of the habit of over braking so early.

3. You need to gain more confidence in your bikes ability to retain traction at higher lean angles. It is clear that you are somewhat hesitate to lean the bike all the way over. Of course, this in turns prevents the bike from being able to carve nice tight lines and therefore prevents you from upping your mid corner speed.
 
#5 · (Edited)
ronhix said:
Couple things:
3. You need to gain more confidence in your bikes ability to retain traction at higher lean angles. It is clear that you are somewhat hesitate to lean the bike all the way over. Of course, this in turns prevents the bike from being able to carve nice tight lines and therefore prevents you from upping your mid corner speed.
Click to expand...
Disclaimer :
confidence in your bikes ability to retain traction neither decreases nor increases actual tire traction. :)

YMMV
 
#7 ·
DieselBoy said:
Disclaimer :
confidence in your bikes ability to retain traction neither decrease nor increase actuall tire traction. :)

YMMV
Click to expand...
:laughing: :laughing:
 
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#8 ·
shadrach said:
I think I might have grabbed a 1:30-1:31 by the end of the day. Not sure now slow/fast that is, but I felt comfortable and smooth the whole time.
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ahaa yes, Putnum - one of my favorite tracks. Looking good for a beginer!

Last time I raced there was in 2004, fast laps were in the low 1:11's on my 600. I think the lap record is somewhere in the 1:09's on a 1000.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Biggest thing I noticed was the abrupt movements on the bike. Your lines and body position as a whole could improve, but are looking pretty good. You do a good job of setting up before the turns (with your butt), not resting in the middle between L/R switches, etc... but, you are making the bike get a bit squirly when you move around on the top of it, and also when you set your body position for the turn.

EVERYTHING has to be real smooth. Being on your toes more may be part of a solution to transitioning smoother, as it makes it a little easier to move 'ballerina like'.

As far as setting your body position goes, one thing I like to try to get people to do is to raise your upper body up when on the brakes. This is something that was pounded into my head at Freddie, but it took me a little while to really feel and appreciate. One thing this will do is allow you to SMOOTHLY lower your upper body into the turn. Also, it will help prevent you from doing what you, and many other riders do... brake for the turn, then automatically set your body position to lowest position, which is really only beneficial once you get close to the apex, and on the drive out. Really over exxagerate raising your upper body when practicing at first, almost locking your arms, so you can really get a sense of what it does. This along with realizing that there are different body positions for different parts of the turn (variations of the body position) should help you smooth things up a bit!
 
Discussion starter · #12 ·
Ron, Nicole, thanks for the input.

It's funny that some of the stuff you mentioned are either things I was doing before and/or in other sessions, or thought I was doing. I used to sit-up while breaking but working with Tom that day I was concentrating on my butt and inside leg position during braking. It's so aggravating that when you concentrate on something new, other aspects fall behind again. None of this stuff comes natural to me and find myself constantly battling with keeping track of all these things while riding.

It guess this just underlines the need for more seat time so I can get some muscle-memory in more fundimental aspects, and slowly build from there. Three events a summer is not cutting it.

Also, when I watch the laps from the start of the session my movements are much smoother. Those two laps are from the end of the session and I'm typically exhausted by then. My lower back is shot and I find myself laying on the tank for rest, hence the poor upper-body position as time goes on.
 
#15 ·
Team Serpent said:
Yep, WERA, but since no orgs race there anymore I may do a trackday there next year just to get back on that track, it's just such a blast to ride there.
Click to expand...
Mr. Mysterious. You have no signature.

Are you Jason?
 
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#19 ·
Hey Jeff glad your enjoying the DVD.
I thought you looked really good out there the key is more seat time
some people need less then others but holds true for all.
I recomend trying to get your head down further stay on the gas and look further through the turns.
Hope to see you out there next season!!!
 
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