When I was taking the class for my road racing license in '97, I ran off in turn 3. The lead instructor, David Aldana, later told me he loved watching my "controlled off-track excursion." He was behind me when I went off course as I instantly switched from road racing mode to motocross mode and stood up on the pegs with my elbows out and wheelied thru grass and dirt back onto the track at high speed. I just loved his expression "controlled off-track excursion." (It was blind luck...)
@@DoodleOnAMotorcycle You need to spend a lot of time riding trails in the woods. You will learn very quickly to NEVER focus on anything but where you are going and where you need to go and always assess your speed to make sure you can do both. If you are going too fast, no amount of leaning/counter steering is going to save you because the bike can only lean so much. Slow down entering till you see the exit accelerate off. You will be forced to ride this way in the woods or you will hit a tree.
Leaning how to fly made me really appreciate the value of applying unputs smoothly and slowly. The key to this is anticipating what is ahead and planning for it in advance. I have applied this to both motorcycling and driving a car, and it has resulted in vast improvements in both. Whenever I find myself applying harsh inputs it is ususally because I have made at least 1 error (usually more) leading to this non-ideal situation.
Dan is correct - adrenaline can do weird things. Back when I was a plaintiffs personal injury attorney, I saw it all the time. The client would be in a car wreck and refused medical attention because they did not think they were injured. The next day, or the day after, they would be wracked with pain. And of course the insurance companies would us this against them: "If you were hurt in the wreck, why did you not get medical attention until 3 days later?"
Have you asked yourself why you target fixated? Thats not a cause, but an effect. Without knowing the "Why" you are highly likely to do it again. Once any rider has Target fixated particularly at a track, it means that mentally the rider has already decided that they can't make the corner and are going to wreck or go off course. They have given up on trying to make the corner. So in relation to you, either you were afraid to lean (doubtful given your experience,) afraid to brake in the corner(possible if you don't know better which you should given your experience), or you realized too late you were going way too fast, which is what it sounds like which led to giving up on slowing down and trying to get the bike to turn. You did say overconfidence. So thats a good step.
@@spartanx169x Great comment. I think you are exactly right. To me, the question maybe we should ask is whether watching where you are crashing is beneficial? ;)
Glad you brought up the sunglass thing, most people don't think about it, myself included until I saw someone talk. about it in a video. Now even driving my car I'll take my sunglasses off for a sec when I'm approaching an area where I know a lot of people try to merge into the same lane abruptly
I was a test driver for a car company years ago. and have tried S.C.C.A. autocross racing. Been riding for almost 20 years now. But. not sure if confident enough trying a track day on a motorcycle yet. It`s not the speed, it`s the not having as much protection as a car does. Good for you Doodle. You're doing a great job trying that and all the other different kinds of riding. Stay safe.
I've been riding for a year and 8 months. I just finished my 3rd track day and definitely plan to go back. At least in my estimation, if you've been riding for 20 years you most certainly have the competency for track riding. If I can do it you absolutely can as well.
@@Knoxvillemoto Only a year? Ok haha. I`m sure I would do great on a track. BUT. Wait till you turn 50 + and if you go down. It takes a long time to heal up. Any crash you have now will mess you up years down the road. So take care of yourself kiddo and be safe.
In the UK crashong sliding the front is called a "lowside" while crashing after sliding the back, followed by re-grip followed by flip up and over is called a "highside".
I'm 66 and still learning when backroading, don't look where you don't want to go, look where you want to go. Also, don't watch the rider in front of you, look past him/her.
I recall my days at the track and having several oops moments. Those were tough lessons as back in those days i had to use my own bike. The lessons I learnt on the track made me a better rider on the street though and it also changed my mindset. I never rode crazy on the street again after my track days as falling on the track at high speeds is a lot different than falling on public streets at high speeds. You're goibg to gain so much more wisdom form these track experiences Doodle
Just goes to show you how much of a difference good gear makes. Sure you hurt later, but being able to just get up after any fall is a win in and of itself
Another reason to crash (not necessarily in the corners) is what happened to a friend this pass weekend... while riding 60mph on a straight country hwy. a deer came out of know where into my friends lap.... the bike laid over and down to the right, the deer went to the left and my friend went rolling, then upright and rolled some more down the road. The HD Road glide totaled, dead pregnant deer and he suffered a little road rash on the face, bruised body but no broken bones or deep cuts. He was lucky to say the least. Be safe and be Blessed!!!!
LowSIDE like you said in the cutaway at 00:37, not lowslide. My learning curve started on sportbikes so it's interesting to see someone with so much experience have to learn how to ride differently in a track setting.
another excellent cornering and track course is American Supercamp. It is dirt track taught by pro road racers/flat track racers both active and retired and it is so much fun I have gone 6 times
The most important one is being aware of your vision and really making it important to yourself to look to where you need to go. I've got a personal experience where this helped me stay on my wheels when things could easily have gone very bad. I was out riding with two friends, and the woman infront of me lowsided her bike in a turn. The most common thing is that you want to see if she's ok, but that's the opposite of what you should do. You have to understand that you are still sitting on a motorcycle at speed, so that's why I forced myself to look into the corner and find the find a suitable place to stop. Little did I know but her bike smacked into a rockwall and travelled out into the street again and landed right infront of me. Thankfully there was no vehicles coming in the opposite direction because I needed the other lane to save the day. I did manage to stay upright and park the bike, and then run over to check on her. She had broken her hip, so definitely painful but other than that she was fine. The ambulance came fairly quick as well and she did get back on her bike after a bit which was what made it all a lot better, because so often people shut down after a crash which is understandable. I just try to advice people to get back on the bike, just take it easy to begin with to build confidence again, that's all.
I loved this video. Breaking down where you could have done better is hard for so many. Here you so gracefully break it down so we can do better. Just a moment of gratitude for your awesome videos. Thank you. It took me 3 crashes in the street to humble myself. So you killin’ it!
Not talking crap, my first bike was a 79' KZ1000 ST I paid $400 for. I've dragged the pegs on it a number of times. I'm talking taking off ramps here in NH at 50+mph, borderline hairpin turns. It shocks me the amount of people that ride, yet have no grasp of handling of their bikes or how to corner. You need to understand basic physics, inertia, etc. Maybe like most GenX stuff, that's no longer taught in schools. Who knows. I rode dirt bikes as a teen, didn't get my MC Lic until 30yrs later. Still haven't wrecked, despite going 135+ on same 79' KZ1000 ST's. But I will say, love you Doodle, and your videos.🙂
This was awesome Doodle. These are very valuable lessons. Appreciate you sharing them with us. I’ll keep this in mind for when I go to Yamaha champ school in August.
I had an extra vehicular lawn tour on a track day. Fortunately no falling down, and I decided to take the next session off. My glide path was very long, and had no shame with stopping safely, then going to the nearest corner worker to be directed back onto the track.
Not sure if it has been mentioned but I see a lot of riders not having confidence in their bike’s abilities when cornering and end up going wide into other lanes or off of the road. You HAVE to be comfortable with both your own skills and the bike. I know I’ve been guilty of this when I was a newer rider, especially, but even after over 40 years of experience, I sometimes have to put my head in check and realize… I have quality tires, I’m on a well maintained motorcycle, and it can do more than I think to keep me safe.
Awesome video Doodle! Can't wait for the next one. You are an inspiration to riders both experienced and new to train, learn and continue improving! 😎👍
One thing I learned from Dave Moss is your suspension is very important as well. You want your suspension set up for you. If you bottom out your suspension and you hit any bumps your tires become the suspension and with your tires not having a lot of suspension travel sliding becomes your suspension travel until you inevitably slide on the ground
Great advice here, Doodle! I wear those Flying Eyes shades too (thank you for your discount code!). Fantastic fit under my helmet (the only sunglasses that actually fit).
Great Info, When I desire to go fast in the corners I go to my local amusement park and ride the fast roller coasters, other than that I don’t push it in the corners
On regular roadway, sand and especially wet leaves on a corner are super dangerous. Even though you know the road, sand can build up after rains and fallen wet leaves in the fall can be very tricky.
Hey Doodle, just found your channel a couple of weeks ago. Watching a lot of your stuff lately. I have to say it's just a joy to see how you get better and better from year to year. I am riding motorcycles since more then 40 years now but honestly I think I am not better then you are after what ever 8 or 9 years. Just keep on grinding. It's amazong to follow yopur journey. Greets from Germany, Stefan
After any injury and you know that its going to hurt tomorrow or the first sign of pain start taking advil. If you have not run on a track and you run a mile, you will be sore the next day and maybe more sore the day after that. BUT if you started taking advil BEFORE you go to bed that night, the inflammation will be kept in check. You choose to stay ahead of it or be in pain. Inflammation is much easier to control when you stay ahead of it. 8-10 advils a day for a few days isn't going to kill you.
Doodle, Christian Sarron was supposed to be photographed riding his very fast bike. Cold tires resulted in a broken wrist at less that twenty miles an hour. It happens. I'm sure of the spelling but he was one of the top riders in the country.
That information about the injury is good to hear. Not sure it would occur to me as I would want to just jump back on and ignore it (if I could) Excitement -seems it gets you in trouble on a bike. Thanks for sharing
I had a similar injury experience from crashing on a motocross track. I woke up at 3:00 am the next morning with pain, nausea, and chills. I had minor fractures in my left tib and fib.
A Harley bagger can lean about 27 degrees. A Moto GP racer can lean 68 degrees. But it takes a real hero to lean their bike the full 90 degrees. Welcome to the club!
The 7 reasons we crash*: COLD Tires Rushing corner entry Lack of focus Abruptness Overconfidence Not adjusting to change Repeating the same mistake (*YCRS)
Training, training, and more training . Every day is a training ride. Build those skills👍 It’s always a pleasure to watch your videos. Be safe out there, and enjoy the ride to the fullest.
I’m very skeptical of motorcycle riding glasses that have thin flexible frames even if they have “shatterproof” lenses. Maybe easier to slide into a full face helmet, but safe? I have my doubts! I always wear my certified safety glasses when riding my motorcycle. Certified safety glasses are more than just a shatterproof lens. It’s also a frame that prevents the lens from pushing back into your eye when hit. On fashion glasses the lens is placed in the frame from the rear to achieve a nice clean look on the front of the frame. But that means the lens will travel back into your eye when struck. On safety glasses the lens must be placed in from the front because the frame is designed to prevent the lens from moving towards the eye when hit. And the frame is sturdy enough to take a strong hit. Thin & flexible are kinda the opposite of what’s required to actually protect your eyes.
Something else nobody talks about is how to break "Target Fixation". It happens to everyone, even MotoGP riders. What do you do when it happens? In a panic your body does what it has practiced so there must be a good way to practice "Anti-Target-Fixation" .
I think most people consider target fixation to be innate. Focusing on danger and deciding how to deal with it is favored from an evolutionary perspective. There are things you can practice to overcome it though. Being more intentional, specific and consistent with looking where you want to go is a good start. The next thing is knowing when to shift your focus to the next target and using your peripheral vision for anything that is less than 10m away. This is something you can practice on the road at every turn, stoplight or stop sign - keep your head up and your gaze in line with the horizon. One situation I’m still struggling with is approaching a blind corner or coming over a rise, but I’m working on looking past the thing blocking my vision while still looking in the direction I want to go. Like many other things, we need to develop good habits to overcome natural tendencies
A lot of bikes are dropped in the spring, because of low tire pressure. Tires all lose pressure over time, not just during wi ter storage. Check those pressures.
Most bikes will corner better than most riders can ride, ie, your bikes cornering ability is better than yours. However, there are factors that change this. The main factors that affect if cornering will be successful are angle of curve, and entry speed, but there are a couple of factors most riders don't know. As your corner speed increases, your suspension compresses, because of the loads being fed into it. This decreases your clearance, and it's why you can't measure the amount of lean your bike is capable of at standstill. I have seen riders trying to do this by leaning the bike over (at standstill), till it touches the ground, sometimes with a friend helping, and usually with something on the ground to stop the bike getting scratched. The actual maximum lean angle will be less than this, sometimes a lot less depending on the bike. Another factor is length of wheelbase. There is actually a mathematical ratio that can be applied to this, but put simply, the longer the wheelbase of a bike, the further in needs to be leaned to negotiate the same angle of curve. When you take a long wheelbase bike like a Harley, and then add in a wide engine case at the point it will contact the ground during cornering, then you have a very reduced lean angle to play with. The only remedy for this is to reduce speed( it's why so many Harleys run wide if they enter a corner too fast, unlike a sportsbike they just can't lean any further). It's why most sports bikes have a short wheelbase, it's not so they're easy to wheelie (although that's fun), it's so that they need less angle of lean for a particular angle of curve, and so you can corner at a higher speed for any given angle of curve. Racers hang off their bikes to increase cornering clearance, but some of the extra clearance comes from less suspension compression when the bike is more upright. The throttle setting on a chain driven bike affects cornering clearance in that if you add throttle during the corner, the rear suspension loads up, and ground clearance is reduced, it also increases the rake in the forks, so the steering slows slightly. Mid corner inputs need to be very smooth and progressive, as they change the bikes handling slightly and the loading on the tyres. Shutting the throttle suddenly mid corner decreases rear suspension load, and increases the rake angle making the bike steer faster (and be less stable), it also shifts the load to the front tyre, and is capable of causing a sudden low side if grip is overcome. Bikes with a shaft drive do the opposite. Because of the torque reaction at the rear end, if the throttle is shut suddenly mid corner, the bike will load the rear suspension, sometimes bottoming out, which can reduce clearance to the point the bike can't negotiate the rest of the corner. Most people only ride one bike as that's all they own, and you get used to the handling and cornering characteristics of that bike, which is good, but if you move from a bike with limited cornering ability to one which is much more capable, you can be limited by the mindset of being used to what your last bike was capable of, and not being able to fully use what your new bike will do. A track day with a good instructor should help sort this, and give you a safe place to expand your performance envelope. I started riding at 4yo, and I'm in my 60's now, and I ride more conservatively now than I used to, but I still know that if I need more cornering ability suddenly, that I can (probably) safely lean my bike till it's scraping the hard points on the road. If the alternative is running wide on a corner (off the road, or into oncoming traffic), I'll happily sacrifice anything that might scrape away. You also need to be able to refocus your eyes on the tighter line to get round the corner . It's also a good skill to practice (refocusing your vision onto a tighter line), as it goes quite a way to combating 'target fixation', because you have a habit of focusing on where you want to go, and being able to change it at will.
I hope you learned something. In a single day you had more accidents on your motorcycle than I have had ever. In 1979 I had a fast front wheel puncture on the Autoroute. I have never gone to a track day and probably never will. I'm 66 and don't want to crash again. Once was enough. Please ride safe!
Read or watch Twist of the Wrist 1&2 by Keith Code and then when your done do it again, It will help immensely for you street riding and especially your track days!!!!
should have seen when I hit the concrete wall at US 41 Drag Strip showing off to 5 chic's, bad day for me. One of the reasons I have crashed in the past, trying to look good in traffic.
Five reasons for going down in a corner 1. Going too fast in a corner 2. Going too fast in a corner 3. Going too fast in a corner 4. Going too fast in a corner 5. Going too fast in a corner
@@mygi43543 I do, but I like to keep things simple. All of the tricks to not lose the bike in a corner are all related to how to do that while going faster than the corner was designed for. Go the speed it was designed for, which is usually posted just before that corner, (and don't target fixate), and you will never go down in a corner of your own volition.
I went down on a corner. Was a freeway on ramp. It had sprinkled earlier in the day. I was going slowly around the corner and my bike lost traction and I went sliding with my bike
Low speed exercises literally dont translate to track riding at any level. At no point, on literally any track, are you doing 10mph through cones at 1100 rpm stabbing your breaks and neutral coasting.
Pro Tip: Take two Advil and two Tylenol at the start of the day. Even if you don't have a get off, you'll be sore from leaning off, I sure am. Ive ridden the crash cart back to the paddock more than once.
Doodle... Can I make an observation? You look very timid and uncomfortable at speed, especially in corners where you are achieving a massive 20-degree lean angle, I'm kidding about the lean being massive. It wasn't that long ago where you literally mastered the art of maneuvering a 900 lb. bike around a tight course at slow speeds. You went from timid to comfortable and when you are comfortable you become confident. In order to apply the techniques Ken is teaching, you first need to become comfortable at a minimum 30-degree lean. You're in GA, get on your bike and enjoy some weekend carving (not putting) thru the awesome roads you're 100% blessed to have just an hour or two away. There are tons of these really long sweepers where you can accelerate in the corner to increase or decrease your lean with a little throttle. I'm looking forward to seeing your confidence level by becoming more comfortable at increased lean angles. I promise, once you can smoothly enter and exit regular road corners at a good 30 degrees like it's no big deal... that's when you head back to the track. And I'm not saying break laws and take huge risks, just roll on the gas a little mid corner to get a bit more leaned over. Cheers, Love your content and what you're doing for women and the motorcycling community. p.s. Ride to the top of Blood Mountain then turn of your bike and roll down the mountain in neutral. Practice getting the bike leaned over with zero throttle using only gravity and your brakes. You will be so surprised at how quickly you learn and you'll get these kind of "ah ha" moments.
@FrankBonessa I'm now 59yrs old and started riding when I was 5 on a Briggs and Stratton minibike and graduated up, up up to my first street bike a brand new 1984 Honda interceptor,unlike Mr perfect, I have been down many times, usually because I'm pushing the limits of my experience and I always want to go faster, jump higher and farther. Number 1 reason people crash, they are riding beyond their talent, skill, and experience level. I just outlined the best way to learn how to ride motorcycles...start in the dirt and hone your skills b4 getting on unforgiving asphalt with multi ton vehicles that will hurt and kill the less skilled riders and even riders of my level, because if I don't see them, then they have the chance to do much damage. RIDE ON DOODLE
Typical Advanced group track junkie here, while I would never advocate for people starting out to invest in tire warmers for track use, especially with dot street tires, the principles remain the same. Gotta get some heat in the tires that first lap out, do this by excessive breaking etc. This is why youll see riders hard pumping their breaks before T1 on pit out etc etc. Youre doing great, just keep listening to your coach and dont get too deep in your own head and start overthinking everything.
When I was taking the class for my road racing license in '97, I ran off in turn 3. The lead instructor, David Aldana, later told me he loved watching my "controlled off-track excursion." He was behind me when I went off course as I instantly switched from road racing mode to motocross mode and stood up on the pegs with my elbows out and wheelied thru grass and dirt back onto the track at high speed. I just loved his expression "controlled off-track excursion." (It was blind luck...)
LOL that's amazing!!
Who said track bikes can't go offroad right? 😅
yeah no that didn't happen
@@DoodleOnAMotorcycle You need to spend a lot of time riding trails in the woods. You will learn very quickly to NEVER focus on anything but where you are going and where you need to go and always assess your speed to make sure you can do both. If you are going too fast, no amount of leaning/counter steering is going to save you because the bike can only lean so much. Slow down entering till you see the exit accelerate off. You will be forced to ride this way in the woods or you will hit a tree.
I was actually there and saw the whole thing. It did happen. Dude kept calm and stayed up.
Leaning how to fly made me really appreciate the value of applying unputs smoothly and slowly. The key to this is anticipating what is ahead and planning for it in advance. I have applied this to both motorcycling and driving a car, and it has resulted in vast improvements in both. Whenever I find myself applying harsh inputs it is ususally because I have made at least 1 error (usually more) leading to this non-ideal situation.
Thanks
Dan is correct - adrenaline can do weird things. Back when I was a plaintiffs personal injury attorney, I saw it all the time. The client would be in a car wreck and refused medical attention because they did not think they were injured. The next day, or the day after, they would be wracked with pain. And of course the insurance companies would us this against them: "If you were hurt in the wreck, why did you not get medical attention until 3 days later?"
Oh man!!
Ah BI attorneys. Always looking for a buck…..
Have you asked yourself why you target fixated? Thats not a cause, but an effect. Without knowing the "Why" you are highly likely to do it again. Once any rider has Target fixated particularly at a track, it means that mentally the rider has already decided that they can't make the corner and are going to wreck or go off course. They have given up on trying to make the corner. So in relation to you, either you were afraid to lean (doubtful given your experience,) afraid to brake in the corner(possible if you don't know better which you should given your experience), or you realized too late you were going way too fast, which is what it sounds like which led to giving up on slowing down and trying to get the bike to turn. You did say overconfidence. So thats a good step.
@@spartanx169x Great comment. I think you are exactly right. To me, the question maybe we should ask is whether watching where you are crashing is beneficial? ;)
Glad you brought up the sunglass thing, most people don't think about it, myself included until I saw someone talk. about it in a video. Now even driving my car I'll take my sunglasses off for a sec when I'm approaching an area where I know a lot of people try to merge into the same lane abruptly
I was a test driver for a car company years ago. and have tried S.C.C.A. autocross racing. Been riding for almost 20 years now. But. not sure if confident enough trying a track day on a motorcycle yet. It`s not the speed, it`s the not having as much protection as a car does. Good for you Doodle. You're doing a great job trying that and all the other different kinds of riding. Stay safe.
I've been riding for a year and 8 months. I just finished my 3rd track day and definitely plan to go back. At least in my estimation, if you've been riding for 20 years you most certainly have the competency for track riding. If I can do it you absolutely can as well.
@@Knoxvillemoto Only a year? Ok haha. I`m sure I would do great on a track. BUT. Wait till you turn 50 + and if you go down. It takes a long time to heal up. Any crash you have now will mess you up years down the road. So take care of yourself kiddo and be safe.
In the UK crashong sliding the front is called a "lowside" while crashing after sliding the back, followed by re-grip followed by flip up and over is called a "highside".
I'm 66 and still learning when backroading, don't look where you don't want to go, look where you want to go.
Also, don't watch the rider in front of you, look past him/her.
1:00, A master lol. The cousin of the guy that designs really hard golf courses.
@@slowpoke96Z28 my cousins don't even play golf.
I recall my days at the track and having several oops moments. Those were tough lessons as back in those days i had to use my own bike. The lessons I learnt on the track made me a better rider on the street though and it also changed my mindset. I never rode crazy on the street again after my track days as falling on the track at high speeds is a lot different than falling on public streets at high speeds. You're goibg to gain so much more wisdom form these track experiences Doodle
Just goes to show you how much of a difference good gear makes. Sure you hurt later, but being able to just get up after any fall is a win in and of itself
Another reason to crash (not necessarily in the corners) is what happened to a friend this pass weekend... while riding 60mph on a straight country hwy. a deer came out of know where into my friends lap.... the bike laid over and down to the right, the deer went to the left and my friend went rolling, then upright and rolled some more down the road. The HD Road glide totaled, dead pregnant deer and he suffered a little road rash on the face, bruised body but no broken bones or deep cuts. He was lucky to say the least. Be safe and be Blessed!!!!
Curious, what time of day did this happen?
@@spartanx169x It was around 1:30/2:00 pm in the afternoon and was in the Washington Natl. Forrest in VA.
LowSIDE like you said in the cutaway at 00:37, not lowslide. My learning curve started on sportbikes so it's interesting to see someone with so much experience have to learn how to ride differently in a track setting.
It’s a good thing you ride for the slide… too many people don’t.
Another great video!!
Wouldn't be allowed on the track without it! :D
another excellent cornering and track course is American Supercamp. It is dirt track taught by pro road racers/flat track racers both active and retired and it is so much fun I have gone 6 times
Nice! Analyzing and learning from mistakes has kept me riding for almost 50 years. Getting old now, a whole new set of issues to deal with.
The most important one is being aware of your vision and really making it important to yourself to look to where you need to go. I've got a personal experience where this helped me stay on my wheels when things could easily have gone very bad. I was out riding with two friends, and the woman infront of me lowsided her bike in a turn. The most common thing is that you want to see if she's ok, but that's the opposite of what you should do. You have to understand that you are still sitting on a motorcycle at speed, so that's why I forced myself to look into the corner and find the find a suitable place to stop. Little did I know but her bike smacked into a rockwall and travelled out into the street again and landed right infront of me. Thankfully there was no vehicles coming in the opposite direction because I needed the other lane to save the day.
I did manage to stay upright and park the bike, and then run over to check on her. She had broken her hip, so definitely painful but other than that she was fine. The ambulance came fairly quick as well and she did get back on her bike after a bit which was what made it all a lot better, because so often people shut down after a crash which is understandable. I just try to advice people to get back on the bike, just take it easy to begin with to build confidence again, that's all.
I loved this video. Breaking down where you could have done better is hard for so many. Here you so gracefully break it down so we can do better.
Just a moment of gratitude for your awesome videos. Thank you.
It took me 3 crashes in the street to humble myself. So you killin’ it!
Not talking crap, my first bike was a 79' KZ1000 ST I paid $400 for. I've dragged the pegs on it a number of times. I'm talking taking off ramps here in NH at 50+mph, borderline hairpin turns. It shocks me the amount of people that ride, yet have no grasp of handling of their bikes or how to corner. You need to understand basic physics, inertia, etc. Maybe like most GenX stuff, that's no longer taught in schools. Who knows. I rode dirt bikes as a teen, didn't get my MC Lic until 30yrs later. Still haven't wrecked, despite going 135+ on same 79' KZ1000 ST's. But I will say, love you Doodle, and your videos.🙂
This was awesome Doodle. These are very valuable lessons. Appreciate you sharing them with us. I’ll keep this in mind for when I go to Yamaha champ school in August.
Ahhh you'll have so much fun!!
I had an extra vehicular lawn tour on a track day. Fortunately no falling down, and I decided to take the next session off. My glide path was very long, and had no shame with stopping safely, then going to the nearest corner worker to be directed back onto the track.
Not sure if it has been mentioned but I see a lot of riders not having confidence in their bike’s abilities when cornering and end up going wide into other lanes or off of the road. You HAVE to be comfortable with both your own skills and the bike. I know I’ve been guilty of this when I was a newer rider, especially, but even after over 40 years of experience, I sometimes have to put my head in check and realize… I have quality tires, I’m on a well maintained motorcycle, and it can do more than I think to keep me safe.
Riding over their skill level.
Love Dan. Always enjoy watching his videos
Awesome video Doodle! Can't wait for the next one. You are an inspiration to riders both experienced and new to train, learn and continue improving! 😎👍
I t-boned an SUV at ~40mph, somersaulted over the top of it and landed in the street. No body injuries. Gear saved me.
One thing I learned from Dave Moss is your suspension is very important as well. You want your suspension set up for you. If you bottom out your suspension and you hit any bumps your tires become the suspension and with your tires not having a lot of suspension travel sliding becomes your suspension travel until you inevitably slide on the ground
Great advice here, Doodle! I wear those Flying Eyes shades too (thank you for your discount code!). Fantastic fit under my helmet (the only sunglasses that actually fit).
Great Info, When I desire to go fast in the corners I go to my local amusement park and ride the fast roller coasters, other than that I don’t push it in the corners
Personally I have always just focused mostly on how the bike sounds, feels, the motor, the vibrations, the rubber noise etc. ahhhh love it.
On regular roadway, sand and especially wet leaves on a corner are super dangerous. Even though you know the road, sand can build up after rains and fallen wet leaves in the fall can be very tricky.
Hey Doodle, just found your channel a couple of weeks ago. Watching a lot of your stuff lately. I have to say it's just a joy to see how you get better and better from year to year. I am riding motorcycles since more then 40 years now but honestly I think I am not better then you are after what ever 8 or 9 years. Just keep on grinding. It's amazong to follow yopur journey.
Greets from Germany, Stefan
But I have to say I never did any trainings. It was just not a thing back in the days. But it's never to late ;-)
I'm very surprised it took you until now to purchase some airbag equipment with how safety conscious you are. Glad you have one now!
Really helpful. Thanks for sharing this!
Love that you're featuring some of Ken Hill's tips. Shiny side up Doodle 👍
After any injury and you know that its going to hurt tomorrow or the first sign of pain start taking advil. If you have not run on a track and you run a mile, you will be sore the next day and maybe more sore the day after that. BUT if you started taking advil BEFORE you go to bed that night, the inflammation will be kept in check. You choose to stay ahead of it or be in pain. Inflammation is much easier to control when you stay ahead of it. 8-10 advils a day for a few days isn't going to kill you.
Doodle, Christian Sarron was supposed to be photographed riding his very fast bike. Cold tires resulted in a broken wrist at less that twenty miles an hour. It happens. I'm sure of the spelling but he was one of the top riders in the country.
That information about the injury is good to hear. Not sure it would occur to me as I would want to just jump back on and ignore it (if I could)
Excitement -seems it gets you in trouble on a bike.
Thanks for sharing
I had a similar injury experience from crashing on a motocross track. I woke up at 3:00 am the next morning with pain, nausea, and chills. I had minor fractures in my left tib and fib.
A Harley bagger can lean about 27 degrees. A Moto GP racer can lean 68 degrees. But it takes a real hero to lean their bike the full 90 degrees. Welcome to the club!
The armor did its job 💪💪💪💪💪 Glad you're okay =)
The 7 reasons we crash*:
COLD Tires
Rushing corner entry
Lack of focus
Abruptness
Overconfidence
Not adjusting to change
Repeating the same mistake
(*YCRS)
You forgot, 'looking where we want to go'. No 1 in my 58 years of riding experience.
For the last 20 years I've had sunshades integrated in the helmet, easy switch on/off while riding.
Training, training, and more training . Every day is a training ride. Build those skills👍 It’s always a pleasure to watch your videos. Be safe out there, and enjoy the ride to the fullest.
I’m very skeptical of motorcycle riding glasses that have thin flexible frames even if they have “shatterproof” lenses. Maybe easier to slide into a full face helmet, but safe? I have my doubts!
I always wear my certified safety glasses when riding my motorcycle. Certified safety glasses are more than just a shatterproof lens. It’s also a frame that prevents the lens from pushing back into your eye when hit. On fashion glasses the lens is placed in the frame from the rear to achieve a nice clean look on the front of the frame. But that means the lens will travel back into your eye when struck. On safety glasses the lens must be placed in from the front because the frame is designed to prevent the lens from moving towards the eye when hit. And the frame is sturdy enough to take a strong hit. Thin & flexible are kinda the opposite of what’s required to actually protect your eyes.
hey Doodle your back long time no see love your vids
Something else nobody talks about is how to break "Target Fixation". It happens to everyone, even MotoGP riders. What do you do when it happens? In a panic your body does what it has practiced so there must be a good way to practice "Anti-Target-Fixation" .
I think most people consider target fixation to be innate. Focusing on danger and deciding how to deal with it is favored from an evolutionary perspective. There are things you can practice to overcome it though. Being more intentional, specific and consistent with looking where you want to go is a good start. The next thing is knowing when to shift your focus to the next target and using your peripheral vision for anything that is less than 10m away. This is something you can practice on the road at every turn, stoplight or stop sign - keep your head up and your gaze in line with the horizon. One situation I’m still struggling with is approaching a blind corner or coming over a rise, but I’m working on looking past the thing blocking my vision while still looking in the direction I want to go. Like many other things, we need to develop good habits to overcome natural tendencies
A lot of bikes are dropped in the spring, because of low tire pressure. Tires all lose pressure over time, not just during wi ter storage. Check those pressures.
Most bikes will corner better than most riders can ride, ie, your bikes cornering ability is better than yours. However, there are factors that change this. The main factors that affect if cornering will be successful are angle of curve, and entry speed, but there are a couple of factors most riders don't know. As your corner speed increases, your suspension compresses, because of the loads being fed into it. This decreases your clearance, and it's why you can't measure the amount of lean your bike is capable of at standstill. I have seen riders trying to do this by leaning the bike over (at standstill), till it touches the ground, sometimes with a friend helping, and usually with something on the ground to stop the bike getting scratched. The actual maximum lean angle will be less than this, sometimes a lot less depending on the bike. Another factor is length of wheelbase. There is actually a mathematical ratio that can be applied to this, but put simply, the longer the wheelbase of a bike, the further in needs to be leaned to negotiate the same angle of curve. When you take a long wheelbase bike like a Harley, and then add in a wide engine case at the point it will contact the ground during cornering, then you have a very reduced lean angle to play with. The only remedy for this is to reduce speed( it's why so many Harleys run wide if they enter a corner too fast, unlike a sportsbike they just can't lean any further). It's why most sports bikes have a short wheelbase, it's not so they're easy to wheelie (although that's fun), it's so that they need less angle of lean for a particular angle of curve, and so you can corner at a higher speed for any given angle of curve. Racers hang off their bikes to increase cornering clearance, but some of the extra clearance comes from less suspension compression when the bike is more upright. The throttle setting on a chain driven bike affects cornering clearance in that if you add throttle during the corner, the rear suspension loads up, and ground clearance is reduced, it also increases the rake in the forks, so the steering slows slightly. Mid corner inputs need to be very smooth and progressive, as they change the bikes handling slightly and the loading on the tyres. Shutting the throttle suddenly mid corner decreases rear suspension load, and increases the rake angle making the bike steer faster (and be less stable), it also shifts the load to the front tyre, and is capable of causing a sudden low side if grip is overcome. Bikes with a shaft drive do the opposite. Because of the torque reaction at the rear end, if the throttle is shut suddenly mid corner, the bike will load the rear suspension, sometimes bottoming out, which can reduce clearance to the point the bike can't negotiate the rest of the corner. Most people only ride one bike as that's all they own, and you get used to the handling and cornering characteristics of that bike, which is good, but if you move from a bike with limited cornering ability to one which is much more capable, you can be limited by the mindset of being used to what your last bike was capable of, and not being able to fully use what your new bike will do. A track day with a good instructor should help sort this, and give you a safe place to expand your performance envelope. I started riding at 4yo, and I'm in my 60's now, and I ride more conservatively now than I used to, but I still know that if I need more cornering ability suddenly, that I can (probably) safely lean my bike till it's scraping the hard points on the road. If the alternative is running wide on a corner (off the road, or into oncoming traffic), I'll happily sacrifice anything that might scrape away. You also need to be able to refocus your eyes on the tighter line to get round the corner . It's also a good skill to practice (refocusing your vision onto a tighter line), as it goes quite a way to combating 'target fixation', because you have a habit of focusing on where you want to go, and being able to change it at will.
3:48 GOD BLESS YOU DOODLE JI😰😰😰😣😣😣😣😣🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝
I totally love that you're calling it "low slide"! I mean, that's basically what it is!
Great Video 👍
I always enjoy your videos!!!
thank you!!!
GREAT VIDEO❤
The term is ' low side' not low slide.
1:00, A master lol. The cousin of the guy that designs really hard golf courses.
Lowside
Good video thanks! I want to ride the Tail of the Dragon this year and frankly…I’m kinda freaked of all the curves. We should ride it together !
Ouch, hope you're feeling a little better
If you know a road well and think you know what you can do, be aware that conditions of that road can change daily.
I hope you learned something. In a single day you had more accidents on your motorcycle than I have had ever. In 1979 I had a fast front wheel puncture on the Autoroute. I have never gone to a track day and probably never will. I'm 66 and don't want to crash again. Once was enough.
Please ride safe!
Darn Doodle you actually seem to enjoy dropping bikes ! Lol.... stay safe
Thanks fore the info. Overconfidence is definitely a factor. But u survived to ride another day ❤👍🏾
Read or watch Twist of the Wrist 1&2 by Keith Code and then when your done do it again, It will help immensely for you street riding and especially your track days!!!!
It’s not needed. What’s needed is to just ride
@@mygi43543 There is only so much you will learn on your own, You would know that if you've been riding any length if time.....
@@mygi43543 The fact that you even said that tells me you know absolutely nothing about riding....You think you can learn it all by yourself???
@@michaelsalice9952 watching keith code twist of the wrist that is outdated....good advice.
Just ride, go do courses etc forget watch keith code.
@@michaelsalice9952u learn how to ride by riding.
should have seen when I hit the concrete wall at US 41 Drag Strip showing off to 5 chic's, bad day for me. One of the reasons I have crashed in the past, trying to look good in traffic.
on my bike.
A good mantra to repeat is, Task at hand.
Have you favored one side yet? My left turns suck and I've been working on this for years.
For me, overestimating wet grip is the most common cause for crashes.
Thanks!🤙
5:40 😍❤❤
Take care stay blessed ❤❤❤
LOL - it's called a "Low Side" (as in the side of the bike that touches the track first after you lose traction).
Slowed and pointed at the turns... Amen!
what to say, we should be learning to ride smoothly, a bike should glide, effortlessly round corners with minimal input form the rider.
Five reasons for going down in a corner
1. Going too fast in a corner
2. Going too fast in a corner
3. Going too fast in a corner
4. Going too fast in a corner
5. Going too fast in a corner
no
@@mygi43543 Ok, there could be a sixth reason, but if you are falling asleep while on the motorcycle, then I am not sure that is a legit reason. lol
@@ariesmarsexpress clearly you dont ride a bike if you think going to fast in a corner is the only reason to crash
@@mygi43543 I do, but I like to keep things simple. All of the tricks to not lose the bike in a corner are all related to how to do that while going faster than the corner was designed for. Go the speed it was designed for, which is usually posted just before that corner, (and don't target fixate), and you will never go down in a corner of your own volition.
I went down on a corner. Was a freeway on ramp. It had sprinkled earlier in the day. I was going slowly around the corner and my bike lost traction and I went sliding with my bike
Doodle.. tha "Hawk Tuah!" Girl.. is that you?? 😅 Tell us honestly. 😂🎉
I feel like every new rider should watch doodle and danthefireman
Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.
Omg I love it...
Glasses thing. I always get safety rated glasses.
1:32 😣😣😣🤝🤝❤❤❤❤❤
5:21 😯😯😯😯😯😯👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
2:54 😍🥰🥰❤❤👍👍
6:21 😍😍😍❤❤🥰🥰🥰🥰
#1 reason : Riders don't practice. Get out to the parking lot and do your low speed exercises.
Low speed exercises literally dont translate to track riding at any level. At no point, on literally any track, are you doing 10mph through cones at 1100 rpm stabbing your breaks and neutral coasting.
@@Brian-wj5upwho cares? It'll translate to street riding,which is what actually matters.
Key word, high speed :D at Low Speed, practically nothing happens :D
Except it does. You can still low side.
What is high speed? Gaurentee you doodle didn’t do a high speed
Reason #6: gravel.
Speed multiples every event in your life.
Are you going to race soon? 😊
she needs to learn how to ride first
Show the wreck
Pro Tip: Take two Advil and two Tylenol at the start of the day. Even if you don't have a get off, you'll be sore from leaning off, I sure am. Ive ridden the crash cart back to the paddock more than once.
Sorry, but taking medication before a motorcycle trackday is not good advice.
Doodle... Can I make an observation? You look very timid and uncomfortable at speed, especially in corners where you are achieving a massive 20-degree lean angle, I'm kidding about the lean being massive. It wasn't that long ago where you literally mastered the art of maneuvering a 900 lb. bike around a tight course at slow speeds. You went from timid to comfortable and when you are comfortable you become confident. In order to apply the techniques Ken is teaching, you first need to become comfortable at a minimum 30-degree lean. You're in GA, get on your bike and enjoy some weekend carving (not putting) thru the awesome roads you're 100% blessed to have just an hour or two away. There are tons of these really long sweepers where you can accelerate in the corner to increase or decrease your lean with a little throttle. I'm looking forward to seeing your confidence level by becoming more comfortable at increased lean angles. I promise, once you can smoothly enter and exit regular road corners at a good 30 degrees like it's no big deal... that's when you head back to the track. And I'm not saying break laws and take huge risks, just roll on the gas a little mid corner to get a bit more leaned over. Cheers, Love your content and what you're doing for women and the motorcycling community.
p.s. Ride to the top of Blood Mountain then turn of your bike and roll down the mountain in neutral. Practice getting the bike leaned over with zero throttle using only gravity and your brakes. You will be so surprised at how quickly you learn and you'll get these kind of "ah ha" moments.
Your too much of an amateur.. gotta have more experience..
I've been riding a looong time. Have had over 50 bikes. Never have I ate it in a corner, turn, or sweeper. One must know their limitations.
@FrankBonessa I'm now 59yrs old and started riding when I was 5 on a Briggs and Stratton minibike and graduated up, up up to my first street bike a brand new 1984 Honda interceptor,unlike Mr perfect, I have been down many times, usually because I'm pushing the limits of my experience and I always want to go faster, jump higher and farther. Number 1 reason people crash, they are riding beyond their talent, skill, and experience level. I just outlined the best way to learn how to ride motorcycles...start in the dirt and hone your skills b4 getting on unforgiving asphalt with multi ton vehicles that will hurt and kill the less skilled riders and even riders of my level, because if I don't see them, then they have the chance to do much damage. RIDE ON DOODLE
@@dinogualandri7624 Like I said you have to know your limitations. You surely didn't.
Typical Advanced group track junkie here, while I would never advocate for people starting out to invest in tire warmers for track use, especially with dot street tires, the principles remain the same. Gotta get some heat in the tires that first lap out, do this by excessive breaking etc. This is why youll see riders hard pumping their breaks before T1 on pit out etc etc. Youre doing great, just keep listening to your coach and dont get too deep in your own head and start overthinking everything.
Doing great? Are you blind