slick, hard packed terrain

[tmoney]

I am racing this year at haspin acres out in Indiana. This area is very hard packed and VERY slick. Some spots you can just spin on that have hardly any grade at all. I am struggling to figure out how to handle the bike in the off camber situations uphill and downhill to keep the rear from comming around. No joke, this place is so slick that just a tad bit of throttle will bring the bike around in some corners. I am trying to remain neutral on the bike, but I'm not sure how I should be pushing or pulling on the bars as well as weighting inside or outside pegs. thanks. 250f rider

 

[Moto Squid]

You've got a thumper...they are the easiest to control wheel spin. Smooth throttle application and the appropriate, non worn, tire (Dunlops 739's maybe) should help alot.

 

[dirt bike dave]

On off cambers, lean the bike out away from the hill.  It doesn't feel natural, so you will have to practice. 

Anytime it's slippery, throttle and clutch control are your best friends.  It may help to ride a gear high and feather the clutch.

 

[CaptainObvious]

In flat turns, sit back and high on the seat (let your but hang on the outside of the seat). Look through the turn and use smooth throttle inputs.

 

[tmoney]

Thanks, when leaning the bike away from the hill do you keep your body to the inside and just push the bike to lean outward?

 

[dirt bike dave]

I find it easiest to keep my body vertical while leaning the bike outward.  Try to stand and weight the outside (downhill) peg. 

To understand why leaning the bike outside helps on an off camber, try to visualize what happens in the opposite situation.  When you lean the bike IN to a steep hill and put your weight to the inside, the contact patch of the tires will be shifted toward the sidewall, and you will slide down the hill/  

By leaning the bike away from the hill, you are making the tire more perpindicular to the hill, so the tire is contacting more with its center.  Obviously you can overdo this and lean too far outside  ;)

As a general rule, always weight the outside peg when exiting a corner.  It may not feel faster, but it is. 

 

[tmoney]

What I don't understand is how do you weight the outside peg if you are slightly leaning the bike outward...seems like you automatically weight the inside when the lean the bike outward.

 

[wardy]

lean the bike, but put your body straight up. meaning, not only wieght your peg, but use your knee, leg etc to "push" the bike down in the corner, use throttle gently, and if you can apply a little rear brake to keep wheel spin in check. It takes alot of practice to do dry slick tracks well.

wardy