ASK AN EXPERT
Gary Adshead, the CSS chief riding coach takes away some of your woes and worries!
Q I’ve just recently attended my first track day which was great fun and I'll be doing more. I took advantage of the opportunity to work with one of the track instructors while there. One thing that struck me when I got home was how consistent he was with his lines around Silverstone GP track which is huge. What do I need to do to be able to be that consistent?
A When we ride it’s very important to be accurate and consistent, especially with the performance that modern motorcycles offer, and we can achieve this accuracy and consistency if we always know where we are or what we have to do at any point around the track. This is critical when it comes to circuits such as the GP track at Silverstone, which is wide, long and very fast and it’s easy to become lost around there. If the rider makes an error the chances are there will be consequences for either his health or underwear!
Having this information and being able to be on the same line or make the same control action at the same place lap after lap is also the key to rider confidence.
The information that tells us either where we are or what to do we call reference points, and in order to be accurate and consistent these are ideally situated on or next to the track. The rider can use marks or stains on the track, tarmac repairs, ends of the kerbs, anything that he can identify to ensure he is in the same place every time or making a control action at the same point on track. However there are exceptions to a reference point being next to or on the track, and those who ride Cadwell Park will know of the lamp post (situated way off the track) that is useful when coming over the crest towards the right turn leading onto Park Straight. Using the lamp post as a reference point and looking at it on the approach to the top of the crest means that as the rider comes over the top he is in the correct position on the track to hit his turn point located on the track and take the right turn. The lamp post locates the rider on track and gives the confidence to carry speed over the crest even though he can’t see the other side.
CSS coaches often have different reference points to each other in the same turn yet all will have the same result of consistency and accuracy. But if a rider has too much to look at it can become overwhelming and confusing. A minimum of three reference points will make an arc for us to get through the turn.
Reference points will create space and time for the rider and give a smooth flow of information as he moves his eyes from one reference point to the next as he rides through the turns. This provides the rider with the best visual scenario he can have when riding as well as the confidence, consistency and accuracy that comes with knowing where he is and what to do.