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Re: [ST] Code's Level 1 & Dragon GTSs



Continued from Part 1

 > Still, if my skill is not up to that level, I don't need to be riding that
 > speed.

Or your skill _may_ just already be above that level, of course... :-)

 > The bottom line is that each of us has to ride his or her own ride, no
 > matter what, and I have definitely not lost sight of this fact!!

Absolutely spot on!

 >
 > > It goes without saying, then, that the more you see, the faster you can
 > > safely go, so the best road lines are ones that wouldn't work on the
 > > track, but which give you a better view round the corners.
 >
 > Actually, Code, in Level 1, teaches a line is one that gives you more
 > sight than the one that was taught in the MSF course.


I don't have any knowledge of the MSF I'm afraid, being in the UK. We have a
wholly different motorcycle training and licensing regime over here. The
problem with using the 'Code line' on the road is that it's a racing line,
designed to be the fastest way of getting you from point A (corner entry) to
point B (corner exit). As you know, when you do your Code stylee 2-step you
look towards your apex, or where you know your apex to be, then turn towards
it. What's wrong with this on the road?

Well, firstly try to imagine a 45 degree bend (i.e. a sharp kink) or indeed
any bend whatsoever where you can see right through the corner because there
isn't a brick wall or a hedge or other obstruction in the way, the Code line
is absolutely ideal. When you do your two-step, you can see the apex, and
beyond that you can see the corner exit and all the road in between you and
that exit and beyond, and you can see any oncoming traffic that might
interfere with your planned line, so you can execute your quick turn with
confidence. Perfect.

Now try to imagine a horseshoe hairpin in thick forest. Let's imagine that
you know what this corner looks like, because it gets even harder if you
don't (like how do you pick a turn-in point or aim for an apex when you
don't know where either of these is in advance, and what happens if you
guess wrong, turn in too early and then apex too early?). So, you start off
out wide, you hit your turn-in point, you two-step, but you are actually
looking at thick foliage because you know the apex is the other side of
those trees, you quick-turn towards it and roll on the throttle... and
immediately you start moving in from out wide, so that by the time you
reach the apex, you are towards the middle of the road and you've now closed
down your view towards the exit of the corner, meaning that you can't see
half as far round the rest of the corner as you could before you dived in.
If you'd stayed out wide, and ridden round the outside of the curve, you
could have seen further, and thus gone faster safely, and your head wouldn't
have been hanging over the middle of the oncoming lane mid-corner, either.
So, instead of the Code 'racing' line, if you were to stay out wide on the
corner, then 'chase' the vanishing point with the throttle until you can see
the exit of the corner, and /then/ turn in hard and nail it, you'll either
go round the corner faster but equally safely, or at the same speed but more
safely...

 >
 > After a track day, I do have a bit more trust in my problem solving
 > skills.  For instance,

- - example snipped -

It's very satisfying when you realise that you've learnt not to e.g. pucker
up and grab the front brake or slam the throttle shut when something you
don't like happens. In my experience, the more you ride, and the more you
think and learn about your riding, the more often you find yourself
surprising yourself by doing the right thing automatically, when some time
previously you didn't in a similar situation...

 >
 > > See http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/011341143X for more on
 > > this, my favourite theme...
 >
 > I'll probably order that book, as it has been suggested before.  I've
 > just not had the time to read recently.
 >

Well, I'm annoyingly evangelical about it I know, but I reckon it's worth
buying the book and finding the time to read it. I reckon 'the System' has
saved my life on the road a couple of times, and you are - as somebody once
morbidly remarked - a long time dead...

 > That will always be my philosophy.  I realize, though, that there are
 > some corners out there that can bite--no matter my speed or skill . . .

If you start from the hypothesis that every time a rider goes down the road
without their bike, they could have avoided or prevented it had they been
better at what they do, then this sort of fatalism has limited shelf-life.
If you learn how to read unknown corners and judge road surfaces well,
corners aren't going to catch you out any more. If you learn to make
allowances for all the many and myriad idiocies of car drivers, then when
they try to knock you off you won't be there. Once in every million years or
so a cow is going to fall out of an aeroplane and land on your head as you
are riding along, but until then, if you fell off or got knocked off, it was
usually something you could have avoided happening if you had done something
different or better. If you put it down to 'shit happens sometimes' then it
won't be the learning experience it should be...

 > I love riding, and that's a risk I'm willing to take.  I would rather
 > live all aspects of my life to what I consider to be the fullest

- - snip reasons you ride -

Motorcycling is quite the riskiest activity I engage in. I'd be far safer
travelling around in a tin box, but I use a motorcycle for transport anyway
because it makes me feel alive. I help rationalise my decision by
trying to improve my skills at every opportunity via reading, practice and
as much training as I can reasonably fit into my schedule.

 > As those who have met me personally will testify, I'm a long way from
 > being a squid ;-)!
 >

What, does that mean no stand-up backwards wheelies while wearing just a
bikini and sandals?  :-)

 > Lisa

- - --

Ken Haylock - Sprint ST + TT600 - MAG Life Member #93160

- --------------------- http://www.cix.co.uk/~kwh ------------------------
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