Just a reminder to all out there... slow down to go faster. On a Christmas trip to Ocotillo Wells I decided to get racy right out of the box. Bad idea. Within half an hour I was on my way back to camp with badly ripped pinky finger. As in almost the whole tip. Not a scratch otherwise. It wasn't worth it. Just to pass my friends, I spent my whole vacation time only able to bench race. Not to mention driving right back home to unload (2hrs) and then to the emergency room (1/2hr) for a fun time of x-rays, scrubbing, stitching (4hrs) that ended at 2am. NOT a fun way to spend the day. Remember... Safety first!!!
Motorcycles can hurt you!!!
- Thread starter nick414
- Start date
- Oct 20, 2000
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I usually try and ride within my limits all the time.
- Thread starter
- #3
Yeah, that's a good plan. I like to feel I've progressed at the end of the weekend, but not in the e-room! Fact of the matter is that last weekend, I forced myself to go slower (because it was still painful and difficult to put a glove on, which I did!) and I swear I was smoother, faster, and more in control than ever on Sunday night.
- Oct 20, 2000
- 2,969
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It's funny you mentioned that. I've been racing only for the past few months and this last weekend I raced 2 classes on a new track. 1st 2 practices and the 1st 3 races I rode like a bat out of hell. On my last moto I was so far in front of the guys behind me yet so far behind the guys in front I slowed down and worked on technique. I even fell and got back up to leave the guys behind me even further yet I wasn't riding what I felt like as "quite as hard."
After the races while on my way to p/u my trophys I had several people stop me and say "you were the guy on the KTM?" They said "you were looking good out there." At 1st I thought they were kidding but I realized (I hope) that I was riding smoother. I'm gonna have to try that more often. It was a lot of fun to just groove thru the track rather than fight it the entire way around.
I know it's hard to not ride as hard as you can when the gate drops but if you can get smoother and ride smarter then I know the speed will come.
After the races while on my way to p/u my trophys I had several people stop me and say "you were the guy on the KTM?" They said "you were looking good out there." At 1st I thought they were kidding but I realized (I hope) that I was riding smoother. I'm gonna have to try that more often. It was a lot of fun to just groove thru the track rather than fight it the entire way around.
I know it's hard to not ride as hard as you can when the gate drops but if you can get smoother and ride smarter then I know the speed will come.
- Thread starter
- #5
Hey, thanks Mr. Gilbert, that encouraging! I'm stoked for you too... I'm sure they meant good things by their comments. Where are you going to ride this weekend out there in TX? I used to drive a truck based out of Houston, so I am kinda familiar. Any hills in your neck of the woods?
- Oct 20, 2000
- 2,969
- 2
I'm right smack dab in the middle of Texas. Depending on which way I drive determines if there are hills are flat land. if the rain ever stops I'll be riding Burleson this coming weekend, it's an old style mx track with little variation in the track. Only small singles with turns after almost everyone. The next week I would like to try Lake Whitney MX http://lakewhitneymx.com/ and it's a lot more extreme than anything I've ever tried. I just hope I can go the distance for the duration, it's a lot longer track than I've ever riden also.
- Thread starter
- #7
Whoa, yep that looks liike a tough track from what I could see from the photo. Fun, but a bit over my conditioning for sure. I'm just gonna do Ocotillo Wells http://www.ocotillowells.org/ again. And not get hurt! Be Safe
fremontguy
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- Jul 1, 2000
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It's usually not the motorcycles that hurt me. It's the trees, manzanita, dust, rocks etc. But that's what makes riding fun.
