Neevesy's track tips: Straights
By Michael Neeves -
Riding Skills
11 November 2009 10:16
There are lots of ways to go fast around a racetrack. Just look at Rossi and Doohan, or Biaggi and Bayliss - their riding styles are racing lines are wildly different but the awe-inspiring end result for these naturally-talented World Champions is just the same.
Although there isn’t really a right or wrong way to ride a bike fast around a track, we’ve put together some brief tips and tricks to get you started and help you get the best out of your next trackday.
We’ll run you through such things as braking, body position, turning, cornering and throttle control. But first, and this might sound silly, how to ride along the straights!
Riding on the straights
Riding in a straight line would seem to be the simplest bit of a trackday, but there are some things to look out for if you want to be fast and safe:
• From a safety point of view it’s a bad idea to slipstream or follow other riders too closely on the straights on a trackday. You’re literally putting your life in a stranger’s hands. If they suddenly brake earlier than expected or ease off for some reason, you’re going to pile into the back of them. If something falls of their bike, or leaks coolant, fuel or oil, you’re going to be the first person to ride into its path.
• Make every effort to really tuck in out of the windblast to get every last drop of speed out of your bike. It’ll feel a bit uncomfortable and ungainly at first, if you’re not used doing it, but squeezing every last mph out of your bike on the straights is the easiest and safest way to reduce your lap times.
• Make sure you use full throttle when you can. You’ll be amazed at how many people think they’re using all the throttle on the straights but are only using 80-90%. Make sure you can feel the throttle hitting the stop through every gear.
