Speaking of heads up ....

[Jimmy!]

I'm not sure if this belongs in the technique(lack of) or flame arena, so feel free to move it.

Here goes:

There seems to 2 very important skills that are often neglectled: Looking ahead & brake control.

Looking ahead is like part of the light side of the force: Takes more focus and dedication, but is a critical step on the path to becoming a 2 wheeled Jedi(I've got a ways to go yet! :think) and is much more rewarding in the end.

That patch of dirt 2ft if front of the front wheel is the path to the dark side. It takes no effort, and speed comes quick and easy when all you think about is twisting the throttle. But this path also leads to much suffering.

Another quick way down the dark path is to forgo mastery of the binders, concentrating on raw speed without the ability to control it. This to is the path too suffering.

I'm constantly amazed at the fascination that a very high percentage of riders seem to have with the trail 2ft in front of them. Seems that about 75% of time, when I meet someone going the other way, they are so busy studying their front fender that they don't see me until we're about 5ft apart! By which time I'm about stopped. Then it's all about :scream:, locked brakes and general flapping about as I calmly do my best to prevent them taking me out along with themselves.


Hmmm... apparently I *really* need to find something useful to do with my time .... :confused:

 

[Fe_princess]

Don't look down

The most important thing SFO ever told me about trail riding is: Look ahead, if you're looking down your already over it. Trail riding for me has become a series of future points. It's almost like brake markers in road racing. I know what I have/can do up until that point and I don't have to think beyond that point especially if I'm riding somewhere I haven't ridden before(which is usually). If I'm looking ahead, I'm able to set myself up for what I'm about to go over,under thru(or not) and it keeps me in control of my riding. The bike knows what to do...;)

 

[Ol'89r]

Peripheral vision & trusting your senses.

A really fast guy once told me that inorder to go faster than the average rider you have to trust your senses. Look ahead as far as you can see and your peripheral vision and your mind will tell you what is right in front of you.

In other words, if you are walking up to a flight of stairs, your eyes see the stairs long before you get to them. When you see the stairs with your eyes, it registers in your mind that the stairs are there. When you finally get to the stairs your mind already knows that the first step is there and you see the first step with your peripheral vision even though you are not looking directly at it and you automatically step up.

Kinda like when your driving down the road in your car and another car starts to pass you. You can see the other car coming along side of you even though you are not looking directly at it.

It is the same with riding. If you look far ahead on the trail or track and see a gnarly spot, this spot will register in your mind long before you get to it. Once you get to the spot, your peripheral vision will see the spot and guide you thru it. If it is a particularly bad spot, then, just a quick glance is all you need to get thru it. If you are only looking right in front of you, you will tend to fixate on the bad spot and slow down long before you get to it.

It is hard to go fast if your looking just a few feet in front of you. Like SFO said, if your looking down, your already over it.

Trust your senses.

BTW. FE_princess. Are you any relation to the Iron Maiden??:confused:

Ol'89r

 

[MR.WR]

Here is my .02.....

I use the ole, LOOK, SCAN & PREDICT method in the woods. I try to look as far as I can down the trail. Then I scan the trail for anything that might throw me for a loop. Then I predict as to what I need to do, go over , around the object, ect,ect. I use this method all day long. I will scan a trail umteenmillion times as I am riding. I never try to look at an object for too long.... LOOK DOWN.....GO DOWN

When I think of brake control, I apply it more so to making turns than anything else. Of course it is very important while decending steep hills, in terms of not locking the rear wheel and sliding.

Having your front brake lever adjusted so that you can reach it with a finger or two, but not too close to where you don't have any modulation, and the same applys to having it too far away. Same with the rear brake pedal. I like my pedal adjusted so that my inside part of my boot is able to apply the brake with enough force to feel the modulation and lock it up when needed.
Having you brake controls adjusted properly will boost your confidence and greatly enhance your braking control...

As for brake control, I like to run as hard and deep as I can into a turn. I use several different types of braking methods. I will drag the rear brake while on the gas as I enter a turn (to keep from stalling the motor), then as I apex the turn, off the rear brake and get back on the gas. If I run too much brake, then I might have to drop a gear or feather the clutch to gain some RPM's and then exit the turn.

If I can "square off" a turn I will drop a gear upon entering a turn, slide the rear end around and get back on the gas very quickly. I will use this method either standing or sitting.

I will also drag my front brake to compress the suspenssion (plant the front tire) while entering a turn. I ride with a finger on the front brake at all times.

Approaching a turn with no berm, I like to use plenty of body english, weight the outside peg, down shift if needed, then apply enough brake to slow me down so that I don't over shoot the turn, get back on the gas without trying to bust the rear end loose so that the rear does not come back around on me...

We all devlope our own riding styles, what works for me, might not for the next guy or gal. You have to go out and perfect your own method. Make adjustment to your controls and see what works best for you to ride with the most confidence.

That is my .02

Rick

 

[Jimmy!]

:) Ah, there we go! That's what I WANTED to say! Some very useful tips posted in a constructive manner(unlike the dribblings I tend to post):debil:. I should hope to be so articulate one day! Or even once in while...