How long does it take to learn to ride a sprot bike

**k1w160** · 17th June 2006, 09:21

Gidday,

I think I know exactly how you feel about the lack of confidence, I binned the race bike in January and it really rattled me the next time I got on the track.
I whole heartedly agree with all of the above comments about riding at a pace your confortable at and putting on heaps of km's, BUT there is an excellent way to improve your riding and the enjoyment you get from it.

As I had lost a bit of confidence after binning it, I came to the conclusion that the problem is in my head, as the bike was perfectly capable of getting round the track in reasonable times prior to the off (there was only panel damage to the bike so there were no other mechanical factors slowing me down).

So...I went down to Technical Books in Newmarket and picked up a copy of "Twist Of The Wrist 2".

This has to be the most valuable thing I have ever bought for my bike as it teaches you how to relax and let the bike work under you instead of fighting it. Although it's written toward a race senario, it transfers to all road riding situations.

As an example, I often ride with tensed arms, WRONG, this only unsettles the bike more!!!

Once you know what's happening with your rider input to the bike and what it is causing the bike to do, you can then adust your riding to work with the bike - not against it.

As your bike appears to be set up already, then it sounds like the rider needs work (no offense ment).

Think about it - what makes Rossi so fast - he KNOWS he can do it (ok - a full factory bike helps but I don't see the other Yamahas getting the consisant results he does. Come to think about it - he could lap fast on a tricycle).

I'm not so sure an ex-race bike is a bit over the top as it should be well set up and they only go as fast as you let them, but take your time and definatly get a few track days in to boost your confidence as well.

This book will be the best money you ever spend on your bike (oh yeah - I hate riding in the rain as well).

Cheers

**aff-man** · 17th June 2006, 10:00

ride heaps. Ride with different people. TRy find someone a little faster that you and try stick with them. The more you ride the more you'll get to know the bike. The more you get to know the bike the more you'll be able to "feel" subtle changes in what the bike is doing. Then you just start pushing a little harder each time a little faster in the corner etc etc etc. Unless your bike is set up really really badly it should be able to handel quite a bit.

Another area to work on which slows me down heaps but it one of the scariest things to practice is late breaking cause at first you feel like you are always going to overcook the corners, this is followed closley by holding corner speed.

Now i'm no speed demon and also feel I've reached a point where the learning has slowed down to a little less than a dribble. Track days are probably my next source of education but not wanting to drop the bike / the cost involved has always put me off. But I'll get there eventually.

**beyond** · 17th June 2006, 10:17

Well said all.

Aff-man, you are quite right too. I thought I had reached the limits on my bike sometime back until I started following Gary on his R1. I haven't met to many people who are as quick or quicker than Gary and he can really ride.

When I first started riding with him, I was in front and going for it and I really thought I was doing quite well until we came to a sweeping right hander and he passed me like I was on a push bike.

Sure, there will always be someone faster and better and at all times, you really need to be comfortable with your riding. But follow a fast rider and push the envelope a bit each time and follow their lines and before long, you will be amazed what your bike will and can do.

I've now got to the stage that around 90% of the time, I can stick with Gary, except when he goes into what I call race mode and that's when I just keep going at my own pace. There's no way in this wide world a GSX1400 is going to stay with an R1 in the fast tight stuff with the ground clearance and tyres I've got for a sports tourer.

But. I have learnt heaps about the right lines, how fast and how hard I can go into a corner while on the brakes, when the bike is at or near it's cornering limits. I'm actually amazed that a 1400 weighing in at 250kgs gassed up, can actually get around the tight stuff and the sweepers like it does when pushed hard.

If my bike can do it, any other bike surely can especially if it's set up for racing.

**aff-man** · 17th June 2006, 10:20

Originally Posted by beyond

When I first started riding with him, I was in front and going for it and I really thought I was doing quite well until we came to a sweeping right hander and he passed me like I was on a push bike.

Hmmm now where have I seen that before... I seem to recall a certain 1400 doing the same to me just our of clevedon

**scracha** · 17th June 2006, 10:23

Try just slowing down and relaxing a little. I sometimes find when I'm trying too hard (e.g. trying to keep up with latest sports tackle) my lines, braking, etc are all borked up and I end up going slower than my normal riding..

Try going out in the wet more, it REALLY increases confidence and teaches the importance of shifting body weight.

Practise braking on the straights, then you'll know how much abuse the front tyre can take before it lets go.

Get your braking done before the corners so the suspension is setted before the turn in, find nice smooth long sweeping corners and get on the gas as soon as possible. Better still, find a nice big quiet roundabout.

You'll find some of the "faster" riders don't leave much margin for error (some of them are just FAST though!). This is a bad idea (dodgy road surface, bad camber, diesel on road, etc) so don't ride on the roads like they're a race-track (race track's are a LOT stickier too). Life's too short to spend time in hospital.

Ride regularly and enjoy it, regardless of how fast your corner speed is.

On a different note...the purple ZX-7 was one of the nicest looking bikes ever. How the hell they didn't copy it for the ZX-9 beggars belief.

**WINJA** · 17th June 2006, 11:39

get someone who is good to take your bike for a spin to make sure the bike inspires confidence in the first place , some people cant ride bikes that arent set up well , have you got matching rubber?is your suspension set up? are your bearings good?

**beyond** · 17th June 2006, 13:55

Good point Winja.
It's easy to not notice a change in your bike as you ride it all the time and make compensation for components that are wearing slowly. Can't ride a decent bike fast to start with if it handles like a bent banana for any reason.

**aff-man** · 17th June 2006, 13:59

Originally Posted by WINJA

get someone who is good to take your bike for a spin to make sure the bike inspires confidence in the first place , some people cant ride bikes that arent set up well , have you got matching rubber?is your suspension set up? are your bearings good?

You wanna take my 600 for a spin

. Suspension is letting me down a little in the corners......

**imdying** · 17th June 2006, 15:21

Oh yeah, make sure you tyres are always at the right pressure, and I mean always. Here's a good trick... let your tyres down to 25 psi, then go for a good 3-4kms of riding. Then put the right pressure in (I'm guessing closer to 36 for your ride). Once you've experienced just how bad your bike will handle on underinflated tyres, you'll always keep them right. It's simply amazing just how bad even a good bike handles with the wrong pressure. If I could give just one piece of advice to someone new to sportsbikes, tyre pressures would be it.

**diggydog** · 17th June 2006, 16:09

Excellent reading and good infro, i thought that i might check out that book on (twist of the wrist 2"). I took note that some bikers had different ways of tackling these corners which gave me some new ways of achieving better cornering.

I have a feeling about the handing of different bikes, as i dont think a cruiser would be able to keep up with a sport bike.?

**Lazy7** · 17th June 2006, 16:16

okay - so seems there are two schools of thought. comes with time and just enjoy it.

or:

go out and actively find ways to improve myself.

its all good comments and thanks guys.

i will book my bike in to get brakes and suspension looked at. you are right. it would be nice to hear from somebody who knows that my bike will stick to the road rather than me thinking its about to give up. Its got matching 208rr's so rubber isn't a problem.

i am going to nail this. i hate not being good at something.

in answer to some of your comments. i love riding my bike. but i have way too many "moments". hit the brakes, stand up the bike and nearly straightline off. that part isn't fun. and the more of those i have - the more i seem to have!

i will get better at this. but if you see me at a ride and spot me doing something really stupid. please say something!!!

thanks heaps guys.

**trumpy** · 17th June 2006, 16:25

Originally Posted by scracha

Try just slowing down and relaxing a little....

Great advice. Sometimes you have to slow down to go faster. Sounds daft but it's true. As a BAB I am no expert here (I ride slower than my grandma) but when I struggled with smoothness (and hence pace) racing single seaters my business partner, a National single seater champ himself at the time, made me slow the whole process down and focus on smoothness. Two meetings later I had moved from the middle to the front of the grid. Control is the word....

**avgas** · 17th June 2006, 16:28

Get a small bike, and go do 10000's of twisties. Once you cant stop - cos your having too much fun, change to a bigger bike. Repeat until the ZX dont feel like a waste anymore (and the tyre is destroyed).
There is no easy way to get good, only practice.

**Lazy7** · 17th June 2006, 16:57

i have ridden the 7r since february.

before that it was almost 4 years since i rode - and the bike i had then was a zxr400 for about 8 months. i definitely felt a whole lot more sorted on that than i do on the 750.

maybe 4 years younger = immature big balls syndrome? i dont know.

so only about 13 months total riding experience. maybe i am just expecting too much.