Archive for May, 2010:
Headshake Solutions
When I first started riding big bikes, I was so stoked to finally have all of the power I wanted. However, with great power, comes great responsibility…courtesy of Uncle Ben from Spiderman. Sometimes, we can get ahead of ourselves on a rougher track and the braking bumps fight back. Most of the time, the chop and speed result in head shake. This uncontrollable shaking can be thwarted with a few adjustments.
One of the most common reasons for head shake is fatigue. When you are fatigued, your form goes out the window and it gets worse as the moto progresses. Your elbows drop and you cannot get enough leverage to keep the bars straight. As you get more and more head shake, you begin to grip harder with your hands and the forearms pump up to bricks. Sound about right? When your upper body feels like rubber, the need to grip with your legs becomes even greater. Again, the quadriceps and hamstrings are a much larger muscle group that can support greater loads of stress for longer periods of times. Start the moto out with a conscience effort of using your legs more than your arms and you will be better off.
Another problem is RPM range. The relationship between the motor and suspension is pretty crazy when you really think about it. When you hear pros run through whoops and moguls, they are running a higher gear. The RPMs are lower and take some of the load off of the forks and shock. They travel smoother and won’t bind, which gives you that bouncing effect through the rough stuff. If you shift down AFTER the braking bumps, you allow your suspension to ride with you, instead of against you. The forks will travel through the entire stroke and do their job; soak up the terrain. When you ride in too low of a gear, the fork don’t travel all the way through the stroke and rebound too fast.
Weight distribution is also important. Maintaining your attack position through the rough chop will help keep your elbows up and in good form. This attack position will place your weight evenly over the bike, allowing you to make changes if need be. As I have said before, riding on the balls of your feet will give you some extra “suspension” and forces you to grip the bike with your legs.
By throwing good form and the right gear together, head shake will be a thing of the past. Of course, making sure your sag is set on the shock and your clickers are dialed is important, but the rider can make a big difference. As always, remember the basics and keep it fun.
2011 KTM’s….
KTM will have linkage in 2011. The new SX350F info was officially debuted and it looks good. It should be interesting to see how the shootouts new year will end up.
Here’s the info.
I’ll have another post up tomorrow, so be sure to check back.
Maintaining a Lead
Let’s be honest now. If RV2 wouldn’t have crashed himself out of the series, the 2010 Supercross Championship would look very different. Ryan Dungey did a great job of staying consistent and maintaining a drive to keep him on the podium. Winning championships at that level takes ridiculous talent and skill. With all of that winning, both of these guys know how to maintain a lead and keep it; each and every week.
One thing that I notice between champions and contenders are that the champs never look back. They are not concerned about what is behind them. They are focused on what is ahead of them and keep their vision on the next obstacle. Even when practicing, looking back throws me off rhythm. You cannot expect to race forward if you’re always thinking about the people behind you. Like I said last week, you want to race the track and block out the competitors. Not to say that Mike Alessi is a bad rider, but when I watch him race, I can tell he looks behind him more than most riders. I’m not saying this is the reason why he hasn’t won a championship, but RV2 and RD5 don’t really look back….
When you have a nice lead on 2nd place, guarding the inside is not the best idea. Sure, you are closing the door, but it is pointless when you have the option of taking your normal line. However, once things get tighter, a lot of times, the inside line is usually a good passing option. Keeping the other rider on the outside of you allows you to choose between the inside or outside. This gives you the option to sweep out and block them from passing you.
Obviously, practicing this can be somewhat tough. Each race situation is different and anything can happen. However, just be aware of where the rider is behind you and keep your line. Riding defensively can sometimes slow you down, so just keep concentrating and racing ahead.
Racing the Track
It has been a while since I have written an article, but between exams and moving out of my apartment, I have been going like crazy. But, I have something to look forward to….nationals. This goes for professional and amateur. By now, most of the Area Qualifiers are finished up and the Regional Qualifiers are shaping up. The Area races are more like your local races with a few new people. But for the most part, you will be racing some familiar faces. However, once you get to the Regional race, there are going to some big names.
No matter what region you are from or what class you race, there is always going to be one person that everyone is worried about. I can remember when I was at an Area Qualifier a few years back and there was one guy I was always worried about. He was consistently up front and I could never catch him. So, the whole time I was on the line, I was thinking about how fast he was. I doubted myself and my abilities before my bike was even started. This negative thinking played a big part and screwed up my race.
One of my biggest problems was that I would always put the “faster” person on a pedestal. I would compare myself to them and always seem to trick myself into thinking they were so much better than me. These kids who you see on videos and in magazines are just like you. They are human and they can be beaten. However, instead of trying to race them, race the track.
That is how every great rider trains and keeps their speed up. When you stop worrying about who is on the gate with you and you ride the track, it is easier for you to get in the “zone” and settle into a fast race pace. You almost need to look at the other riders as moving obstacles. They are just in the way and you just need to get around them. That’s it. Attacking the track will help you keep your lap times down and you will always be charging when others are cruising.
If you qualified for a Regional race, congrats. Just remember that everyone on the gate has two arms and two legs like you do. Race the track and don’t worry about the other riders.
Moment of Silence for Andrew Mcfarlane
Andrew Mcfarlane passed away yesterday due to injuries from a crash during practice. Paramedics spent over an hour trying to revive Andrew.
My thoughts and prayers are with his family.
Sorry Guys
I know it has been a while since I have last posted. I have had exams and I am in the process moving/transferring, so time hasn’t been on my side. I will get an article out this week for sure though. Again, I am sorry for not posting anything. If you have any ideas, questions or comments, feel free to email me.
