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All the CSS coaches have spent years honing their riding, and are perfectly placed to answer your riding questions. So don’t be shy, ask Andy ‘Spidey’ Peck!
QI would like some advice please. While at a recent trackday I started to really struggle with downshifting into slow corners from a fast approach like Melbourne Loop at Donington?
AOn a fast approach down into a slow turn, the rider will find that a lot of his attention is taken up by the speed and the forces involved in getting the bike to slow down for the turn.
Add into the equation gearshifts, and there can be lot going on for the rider, especially if the rider simply closes the
QI know I need to look at my apex before steering into the corner but how long do I have to look at it as I’m finding myself watching it go by. What’s the timing and where should I be looking?
AWhen we look into the apex we need to look exactly where we are going to put the bike, and we can look into the turn when we are confident that we are going to hit our turn point.
It’s important that we look to the apex until we are confident we can hit it, and once we are confident we can then move our vision to the exit of the turn, but bear in mind that the amount we steer the bike varies for each turn If we look at the apex for too long, our sense of speed will go up and we will slow down because we are losing visual space and, consequently, time. Similarly, if we look away throttle and downshifts causing the rear wheel to start hopping and skipping around on the approach to the turn.
A slipper clutch will help to an extent with this but to smooth things out even further, or for those riders without a more modern motorcycle, the rider can blip the throttle when braking and downshifting. This will match the engine revolutions to the rear wheel speed to suit the lower gear, helping rear wheel stability and making for a smoother from the apex too early, we will find ourselves looking back to the apex to relocate ourselves.
We can’t skip the sequence here, and it’s important that once we are confident we are going to the apex, we keep moving our vision forward as the bike moves forward so we maintain the visual space we downshift. The rider can use the index and middle fingers on the lever to brake, and roll round the lever as he blips the throttle with his thumb and other two fingers.
Some motorcycles, such as the 1299 Panigale and the BMW S1000RR have auto blips on the quick shifter and will do this automatically for the rider on a closed throttle, but those of us with older motorcycles will find that blipping the throttle on downshifts will make life easier for both them and the bike. have made for ourselves. In a turn when you can’t see the apex you will need to locate a point which, when you look into the turn and steer towards it, will set you onto an arc that will eventually carry you to the apex, again applying the above to keep your space, of course.