Race Experience

On Saturday I did my 2nd race of my life. Had alot of fun. I was going to take Ray's advice and race in schoolboy but i decided not because there where only like 5 people in it and almost all of them where really fast. I thought about racing in both, but im glad i didnt, I got pretty tired. So i raced 250C. Man, half of the field was really fast and I didnt see them the whole time, the other half was what I raced in. Call me a wimp if you want, but for both moto's I just decided to get a last place start and work my way up. This is beacause there are some whoops near the start that if you get a good run though them, its really easy to run into the rider in front of you. and hey, in moto 1 there was a small pile up I could of been in. If I really tried to get a good start, my result would have probably been the same becasue I couldn't catch that faster pack either way (as long as I didnt crash). To be honest I thought the race was a one moto format, but when my dad went to go check my results he said I better get eady for moto2. At first I was worried because I was pretty beat and didnt think I could make it. but it turns out I felt less tired after moto2 than practice or moto 1, lol. yeah I'm alittle bummed I got alittle out of shape in the whoops and lost those 3 positions in moto 1. I could have easly gotten 6th place. those guys that I was about to pass were miles in front of me for the first 4 laps but when it was 2 laps to go i cought up and was about to make my move. My results where 9-10
thanks for reading and watching
skip to 1:47
Skip to 2:19
Skip to 2:16
 
You'd be suprised how long you can run with the faster pack if you get a good start. The second moto i did on my first race i went for it and i didn't go into the "slow" pack untill about 2 laps in (out of 4). Just an FYI. But thats awesome your getting out there, its the most legal fun you can have (and barley legal at that)
 
Thanks guys. this was a pretty big deal for me. its been all i can think about since thursday and its still on my mind haha. the only bad thing about this racing is that my dad doesnt get to ride. but if things go to plan i will be racing again on saturday and my dad will race too!
 
Thanks guys. this was a pretty big deal for me. its been all i can think about since thursday and its still on my mind haha. the only bad thing about this racing is that my dad doesnt get to ride. but if things go to plan i will be racing again on saturday and my dad will race too!
Yea tell your dad to join the vet class :thumb:
 
That's great to hear, I see you must have enjoyed it :thumb: The more you race, the faster you will get no matter how you cut the cake. Keep it up buddy :thumb: The most mentally strong on the line are the the top guys, remember that
 
You did really well for your 2nd time out. But it almost seems as if you were faster on your 150, i recall you clearing a few jumps that you barely hit on your 250f, but maybe thats because that was just for fun and this was a race, idk, there were a couple times where people passed you and I hoped you would chase them down, but overall you did well, no major crashes and you seemed to be having fun with it :thumb: good job
 
You did really well for your 2nd time out. But it almost seems as if you were faster on your 150, i recall you clearing a few jumps that you barely hit on your 250f, but maybe thats because that was just for fun and this was a race, idk, there were a couple times where people passed you and I hoped you would chase them down, but overall you did well, no major crashes and you seemed to be having fun with it :thumb: good job
Most of those people who passes me where from gate 1 and i was getting lapped. but in moto 2 i passed my friend on the kawi (who i beet in moto 1) he ended up passing me back and i tried to get him, but i just had no gas left in the tank. and i never really hit those jumps on my 144sx. but i always hit them fine on practice days on my new 250(my riding skills are alot better now). the reason i wasnt hiting them on race day was the track was wetter than normal and then jumps where not as peaked as normal, making them hard to clear. skip to 6:54 in moto 2. that was like the only time i cleared all of those good haha. (normally no problem) and the jump at 13:45 is normally pretty easy but the run was really scetchy. so after getting out of shape there, i just didnt even go for it anymore. thanks for watching and writing a reply
 

James

Staff member
Never started on a concert pad, is that easier/harder?

One thing I'd suggest is to work on corners. Speed is in the corners, not the jumps, so I'd focus on just those the next time you're practicing. If you have access to a private track, cut the track and keep hitting the same corner over and over.
 
Tire, You looked good for the second race. I have been riding for about 10 years and have never raced. So next month is my first race and I will be running the beginner class as well.

May I make a suggestion though. I know its is really hard to gauge anything off of a Go Pro video but in the corners you are a little to hesitant. Turning is caused by lean angle. You can go through corners without turning the bars if you lean the bike. Just the bike not your body.

Here is what I do. Get all my braking done before I enter the corner (just remember slower in = faster out). I make a conscious effort to tell myself weight forward (not lean forward) weight forward. (put your nuts on the gas cap or as close as you can). This gets the front tire to dig in. Out side elbow has to stay up. Upper body straight up. Let the bike lean under neath you. You can help it by putting your :moon: on the outside of the seat. Weight the out side foot peg and put inside leg out by front axle so it doesn't get hit or stuck in a rut. Then start accelerating at the apex of the corner.

You are running the beginner class so your not jumping all the jumps and neither is anybody else. You can make a lot of time up in the corners. I have proven this theory time and again. By racing people on the track and not jumping the jumps but use proper cornering techniques and still being able to stay ahead of them.

Hopefully your not confused because this post makes perfect sense in my head :loco:. The most important thing is that you have fun and go back to the truck healthy.
 
thanks for the advice guys. im racing tomorow and i will keep those things in mind. Although this track will have flat turns with no ruts in them, im sure those techniques will still aply. I'll post the vids right here. Once again thanks
 
thanks for the advice guys. im racing tomorow and i will keep those things in mind. Although this track will have flat turns with no ruts in them, im sure those techniques will still aply. I'll post the vids right here. Once again thanks

Those techniques will work better there than in rutted corners. Flat off camber turns is all about technique. See pic below. Weight forward not leaning forward. Bike leaning underneath him weight on the outside peg. sitting on top of the seat (or outside of the seat). elbow up. Yah Yah I know its K-dub but who better to learn from than a guy with almost perfect technique.
untitled-44.jpg
 

James

Staff member
Those techniques will work better there than in rutted corners. Flat off camber turns is all about technique. See pic below. Weight forward not leaning forward. Bike leaning underneath him weight on the outside peg. sitting on top of the seat (or outside of the seat). elbow up. Yah Yah I know its K-dub but who better to learn from than a guy with almost perfect technique.
untitled-44.jpg
Ok I have to ask, how old is that picture? :lol: Or is it a vintage race?
 
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