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In a technical sense, I believe you are correct. When changing gearing ratio, it’s more a “perceived” change in where the bike is making peak torque/power in the rev range. So even though, from the engine’s standpoint, the power band hasn’t changed, in effect, the power band is translated differently to the ground by changing the final drive. Thanks for the great question and clarification.

I would suggest good crash protection. I recently made a video about that. I also suggest checking out the introduction and idle rate videos in my Setup Series.

This is a common question. Check out this video: th-cam.com/video/D0w0FIZBRyk/w-d-xo.html Notice how the rider has his feet placed further back and under his ass. You can try this position and use your heels to brace yourself under the seat. I don't know what your scooter looks like; every scooter is designed differently but get creative and think outside the box. Every scooter has it's trick for bracing yourself somehow. Hope this helps :)

No problem. I appreciate your comment. If you know anyone who might be interested in learning, please share the videos. Arigato and peace, my friend :)

Thanks for the recommendation and for watching. I appreciate it 😎

Hello and thanks for the question. When this video was first posted, I received lots of comments and questions about this. Some comments were a little combative, lol. So I ended up making another video explaining this dynamic: th-cam.com/video/VWx-1Mpsa_8/w-d-xo.html I hope that video helps. I wish I could have a conversation about this with Mr. Yoshida from the Kintaro videos to ask for clarification. My guess and opinion is that when he says that the bike goes quicker around the turn the more you lean, he's talking about the amount of time it takes to go around the curve, but not faster as far as speed (mph/kph), per se. The more you lean the bike, the tighter the radius of the curve which means you are reducing the distance you must travel. So you DO make it through the curve more quickly...but it doesn't increase your actual speed. I hope my response along with the other video that I linked answers your question. Thanks for watching ;)

@@LexcoMotoGymkhana yes, it has a sense for me. Thanks a lot for the exhaustive explanation based on research.

Thanks, my amigo :)

Thanks. I remember doing plenty of studying for that video 😅

Thanks for your kind words. I’m glad you’re enjoying the videos. ❤️

I appreciate the comment. Good luck with your Moto Gymkhana studies. Let me know if you ever have any questions. Thanks for watching.

I completely agree. I love watching MotoGP and MotoX but nothing is cooler to me than watching a good Moto Gymkhana rider. It’s so much fun to watch and ride. Thanks for your request. I will definitely try to add more practical examples in my upcoming video lessons. Thanks for watching 😎

Yeah. I think it’s a great option. The King of Moto Gymkhana, Takayoshi Sakuta, rode that bike well for several years about a decade ago.

MT07 is quite popular. In Poland, the top rider uses this machine. Unfortunately - the front suspension needs investment.

Those small bikes are great for maneuvering but low on power, so you’d have to ride them hard. Full throttle all the time. You can make up for lost time in straightaways in the tighter, technical areas of the course. I rode a stock Grom for competition and I used a clutch-less style in 1st gear. I think that with the right setup, they can be competitive.

@@LexcoMotoGymkhana thanks. I believe a YCF 190 SM would kill!

Thank you, Sir. I appreciate the comment. Thank you for watching 😎

Thanks. I’m just finishing my modifications series. I hope you have time to watch those too. They’re very helpful if you’re brand new to the activity.

Great question. I can see why you would think that but it’s a little trickier than that. When it comes to the rear shock, we also need to balance the fact that the shock also needs to keep us stable during all of our maneuvering, accelerating and braking. So if we go too soft, we will be wallowing around on top of our shock. But if we go too firm, we will not allow for the subtle weight shifts to happen. So we need to find a balance between too soft and too firm. In both front and rear, I like to have slightly firm springs and go relatively softer on compression damping. If you have softer springs, you might need more compression damping. Another thing to consider is pace. Once you start to improve and go faster, physical forces will be more aggressive, so we might need a firmer settings as well. Lots of things to consider.

Shoot me an email and tell me what you had in mind.

Thanks, Brother.

I got to briefly meet him twice. He checked out both my Ninja 300 and KLX and did a brief tuning. I learned a lot both times.

Do you mean the Flop?

@@LexcoMotoGymkhana yes.

The "Flop" part of the maneuver is the moment you reach the new, desired lean angle. We want to transition as quickly as possible from side to side. The "flip" is when you're on the old lean angle and when you initiate the transition, the "flop" is when you land on the new lean angle and have completed the transition. The timing of this "flip-flop" might seem arbitrary at first, but in a Level 2 video called "Use The Force", it becomes clear why I teach students to think of it this way.

@@LexcoMotoGymkhana thanks. I've ordered plastic markers so hopefully will practice properly soon as I find now I go to a place then my mind blanks as to a practice drill plus feeling as if people are watching

Good luck with your training. Stay safe :)

😎

Thanks for watching. I wish you luck on your Gymkhana journey :)

Honestly, I would save up and go with the SSB. Even though it may seem very minimalist as far as protection, they know exactly how to protect the bike the best with the least amount of material to avoid making the bike heavier. They've been designing these bars for a while and I trust their experience and judgment. But I feel you're on the right track: If you can, find someone in your area that makes custom bars, check to see how much they charge. It might be a better value.

@@LexcoMotoGymkhana Okay, a big thanks for the advice. I'm going to consider buying them from SSB or from a custom shop here in my neighborhood and get rid of the Givi's then. Take care 🙏

Good question. It might be helpful to review the Level 2 lessons where I talk about those effects but stay tuned…The next lesson on Suspension will also talk about this a little bit.

@@LexcoMotoGymkhana are you talking about the change in the rake?

Not just in the change in rake but also the unloading of the front wheel.

@@LexcoMotoGymkhana which would result in less traction

Keep in mind that this is referring to a tight rotation turn, not a normal, road speed turn. During a tight rotation turn, the priority is not front tire grip and the unloading of the front wheel allows the front end to lighten up and allows the self steering action to turn the handlebars quickly. This is explained in the Level 2 lessons, especially the one called The Magic Moment.

Personally, I've never encountered a bike that did not have enough steering radius. I've only encountered bikes that have too much. It's definitely possible there are bikes out there in the world that don't steer enough...so you would have to remove the steer stops but like I said, I've never seen a bike like that. It sounds like you don't have the issue of not enough steering radius if you are feeling that ugly, tucking sensation when reaching full lock. I would experiment with the steer stops. Use wheel weights but without the strong glue at first; use the mild adhesive that come on the weight already. That way, if you don't like it, you can easily remove it. And you are correct: Staying on the front brake too deep into the Magic Moment can definitely give you that same kind of over rotating feel. It will make the Magic Moment happen TOO quickly and If you combine that with a steering radius that is too great, it could get ugly very fast. This is why I recommend getting off the front brake right away when you feel the bars start to turn and do the rest of your slowing with just rear brake.

@@LexcoMotoGymkhana Cool. I've drilled and tapped the stops on the bottom yoke so I now have a bolt on each side that I can screw in or out to adjust the steering lock.

Very cool solution. Hope it works out :)

It depends on both your bike and your riding style. Some people prefer tighter rotations, some people prefer larger rotation radius with more speed carried through it. If you have a small displacement engine, you are sorta forced into the second category as you need to carry your speed through the course. Reducing your steering angle is beneficial for your confidence, as Alex said in the video. If you have a larger engine which could accelerate you out of a tight rotation, you may want to cut into your steering stops to tighten your rotation radius.

Yeah, it was a tough decision on choosing the first video...but I can agree, the crash protection especially is a crucial topic. When it comes to seating position on the supermoto, I tend to see people in Japan sitting with the butt right over the foot pegs or slightly behind the foot pegs. But with Takayoshi Sakuta, he was even further back. Check out this example:th-cam.com/video/oHZulDJjlAE/w-d-xo.html I tend to put my butt just over the strip of material that acts as a handle on the seat. When I sit there, I feel the most balance. BTW: I was watching your riding on your channel. Nice job, Bro :)

@@LexcoMotoGymkhana thanks for the link! Thats one video I have not watched yet. Thank you! The Versys 650 is a strange bike to ride gymkhana in. It has the dimensions of a super moto but the weight of the bigger bikes specially with the low cost heavy crash bar. It has the riding position of a sumo but need to use conservation of energy techniques of heavier bikes. Not as competitive but still fun! Maybe someday I'll change to a dedicated motogymkhana bike but right now, the Versys is so comfy going to events hehe.

I don't remember what the Ninja had. It was a budget bike and I think the caliper was made by Kawasaki. The BMW has Brembo. What's funny is that when the BMW rear would overheat, I would wait until it cooled (about 30 min) and it would unlock and start working normally again. But with the Ninja, it would STAY LOCKED even after cooling. I would have to remove the caliper and push the pistons back manually to reset them. The good news is that I soon figured out how to stop the overheating and it stopped being a problem but there were some frustrating moments caused by this.

Excellent. Hope you can figure something out for your steer stops. If not, that technique video will be helpful.

Named after THE KING Himself. I love those bars.

@@LexcoMotoGymkhana I've dropped my bike plenty during practice. Rock solid!

Glad to hear it. I hope it helps any new rider out there. Thanks for watching.

The crash protection is so important. Very true.

Cheers, mate, and thanks for watching. Your support is very appreciated :)

I actually have that video recorded already. Just need to edit it and post it. Should be up by the end of the week. Thanks for watching 🙌🏼

I haven’t experienced any abnormal wear like that. I usually get about 10-12 months out of a set of tires on my gymkhana dedicated bike. I think abnormal wear is most likely due to issues with suspension settings, which could also include tire pressures. I don’t know if you have any adjustability but if you do, I would look into make sure they’re set right for your weight and needs.

Thanks! You can do it. It might take practice but anyone can learn to ride like this 😎

Thanks for that. I should have done this series a while ago but I hope it helps any newbies. Thanks for watching, Man. 😎

Yes, I agree. Using a screwdriver type position greatly increases control. It's something I plan to bring up in Level 3 techniques actually. Makes a big difference :)

@@LexcoMotoGymkhana nice! can't wait for that video! Thanks for returning back to youtube. Makes it easier to use your videos as reference for the people asking me about Motogymkhana (and not need translators).

Exciting sound, indeed. Reminds me of when Takayoshi Sakuta rode the Suzuki GSX-S1000. Loved that sound.

Indeed! At the motorcycle school where I teach, I love riding gymkhana on stock Suzuki VanVan 200's, Honda Grom's, Kawi KLX300, BMW G310R's and Yama XT250's. No mods whatsoever on those bikes and totally possible to ride gymkhana just fine. Always remember, Riders: FIRST FIX THE RIDER, THEN FIX THE BIKE.

Thank you for offering to share the videos; I would appreciate it greatly. Thank you for watching and for your comment.

@@LexcoMotoGymkhana And it happened... The SV650 now has a 14/47 and a factory 108-link chain. Now it rides. And I make your materials available on the site f - MotoGymkhana Warsaw. This sport is experiencing a revival in Poland.

Exciting! Thank you 🙏

I love the SV650. I always enjoyed the engine especially. Lot's of great, low end power. Very fun.

Thank you, my friend. Cheers from USA. Safe riding and thank you for watching :)

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You got it, My Bro 😎 I’ve been working my ass off writing the scripts, filming, editing, posting and sub-titling so im thankful for the positive feedback. If you know anyone who might be interested, spread the word 🙏

Oh, yeah…that was fun 😎

Hello. They’re in the playlist section but I will add the link to the description of this video as well. Thanks

Thank you for your question. I've never had any traction issues because of cold tires while riding gymkhana. My falls have always been due to rider error, not traction loss. I can usually get them warm enough by just warming up for 5 min doing heavy acceleration and braking. Plus, I'm not using slicks; I am using road oriented tires that are designed to warm up pretty quickly. With M-Gymkhana, we compete in areas where it's usually between 85-110 degrees F and the tires keep warm enough by just hanging out in direct sunlight. Track needs are definitely different than gymkhana needs. We're definitely not dealing with the same speeds and amount of physical forces. Like I briefly mentioned in the video, I'd say gymkhana needs are more like the needs of a stunt rider than a track rider. Thanks for watching :)