Track skills vs Street skills
- Thread starter MrCrash
- Start date
ALANRIDER7
MeowMeowMeow
Captain over the PA:
"Thank you for flying Clusterfuck Airlines. We will be landing at Racer City in just about 10 minutes."
:laughing
"Thank you for flying Clusterfuck Airlines. We will be landing at Racer City in just about 10 minutes."
:laughing
Bowling4Bikes
Steee-riiike!
Climber - congrats! your sleep should be coming back pretty soon....just don't count on sleeping in! Mine is 2 yrs. now, and there is no choice for me but to get up abour 7am every day...no days off.
nahhh, you guys go ahead and tear up the streets and canyons....I've just signed up for trackday #3! zoom zoom at Reno/Fernley, July 2....see you there! I'll be the slow guy on the scooter :laugh.
nahhh, you guys go ahead and tear up the streets and canyons....I've just signed up for trackday #3! zoom zoom at Reno/Fernley, July 2....see you there! I'll be the slow guy on the scooter :laugh.
ALANRIDER7
MeowMeowMeow
We are in the presence of greatness. :toothless
MrCrash
King of FAIL
I'm going to try to wrap things up here:
Control through Track Riding
A great degree of motorcycle control can be developed through track riding. It is not the only way control can be developed, but it is one of the best ways available. This control allows a rider to focus his attention on his surroundings to identify potential hazards. This control includes:
- the ability to turn quickly
- the ability to stop quickly
- the ability to manage traction
Street Skills through Real World Experience
The ability to identify potential hazards, derived through experience. These would include:
- Knowing what cars will do in different traffic situations. For example, when a gap in a lane appears in moving traffic, next to a lane where traffic is stopped, one can expect a car to dart into the gap suddenly, with little warning. Or knowing that cars often dart across three lanes of traffic from the Foothill Blvd exit in Dublin from 580E, in an attempt to make it to the left turn lane to Stoneridge.
- Being familiar with the blind spots in traffic, and staying out of them.
- Understanding that the diminuitive size of a motorcycle makes the rider less visible to drivers, and taking that into account when negotiating different situations in traffic. For example, witnessing a car in oncoming traffic as it merges into its left hand turn lane, and seeing that it's still moving along at a good clip. There's a good chance it doesn't see the rider, and may attempt to make the turn.
- Knowing where and when compromised traction conditions are likely to exist, and when likely to exist there. For example, the likelyhood of gravel spills on blind right hand turns around cliffs and steep hillsides (think northbound on Highway 1 between Mill Valley and Stinson Beach).
- Knowing where and when wildlife may be present.
Putting it all together
Hopefully we can agree on the following:
- Tracktime alone will not give a rider all the skills necessary to be as safe as possible on the street.
- The ability to identify hazards on the street is an acquired skill.
- Tracktime is not the only way for riders to develop control of their machines. Nor is it a guarantee that a rider will develop their control. But it is an avenue that can let a rider learn a lot in a short period of time.
- Street skills will help riders identify potential situations before they happen, and what actions to take should they happen. Track skills can help those riders execute those actions as well as they possibly can.
That's why I think track skills can help a street rider become a safer rider. Can we agree on that much?
Now let's talk about that ride...
Control through Track Riding
A great degree of motorcycle control can be developed through track riding. It is not the only way control can be developed, but it is one of the best ways available. This control allows a rider to focus his attention on his surroundings to identify potential hazards. This control includes:
- the ability to turn quickly
- the ability to stop quickly
- the ability to manage traction
Street Skills through Real World Experience
The ability to identify potential hazards, derived through experience. These would include:
- Knowing what cars will do in different traffic situations. For example, when a gap in a lane appears in moving traffic, next to a lane where traffic is stopped, one can expect a car to dart into the gap suddenly, with little warning. Or knowing that cars often dart across three lanes of traffic from the Foothill Blvd exit in Dublin from 580E, in an attempt to make it to the left turn lane to Stoneridge.
- Being familiar with the blind spots in traffic, and staying out of them.
- Understanding that the diminuitive size of a motorcycle makes the rider less visible to drivers, and taking that into account when negotiating different situations in traffic. For example, witnessing a car in oncoming traffic as it merges into its left hand turn lane, and seeing that it's still moving along at a good clip. There's a good chance it doesn't see the rider, and may attempt to make the turn.
- Knowing where and when compromised traction conditions are likely to exist, and when likely to exist there. For example, the likelyhood of gravel spills on blind right hand turns around cliffs and steep hillsides (think northbound on Highway 1 between Mill Valley and Stinson Beach).
- Knowing where and when wildlife may be present.
Putting it all together
Hopefully we can agree on the following:
- Tracktime alone will not give a rider all the skills necessary to be as safe as possible on the street.
- The ability to identify hazards on the street is an acquired skill.
- Tracktime is not the only way for riders to develop control of their machines. Nor is it a guarantee that a rider will develop their control. But it is an avenue that can let a rider learn a lot in a short period of time.
- Street skills will help riders identify potential situations before they happen, and what actions to take should they happen. Track skills can help those riders execute those actions as well as they possibly can.
That's why I think track skills can help a street rider become a safer rider. Can we agree on that much?
Now let's talk about that ride...
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clutchslip
Not as fast as I look.
ontherearwheel said:
This man is a REAL rider.
Here is a truism:
A good street rider will be a good track rider.
A good track rider may NOT be a good street rider.
And, yes, there are plenty of assholes on the track that will kill you as fast as any cager.
A good street rider will be a good track rider? That's a new one...
I'm still confused. I drive a car. Does that mean I have street skilsl? I still have most of the same issues...deer, traffic patterns, etc. Am I on the right track here?
Mike, I think the whole point of this thread was the idea that learning how to control one's bike better in a closed enviroment (the track) aids in having increased control and safety on the street.
I'm still confused. I drive a car. Does that mean I have street skilsl? I still have most of the same issues...deer, traffic patterns, etc. Am I on the right track here?
Mike, I think the whole point of this thread was the idea that learning how to control one's bike better in a closed enviroment (the track) aids in having increased control and safety on the street.
Climber
Well-known member
I'm not sure that a good street rider will be a good track rider.clutchslip said:
I've been riding for over 29 years but when I do my first track day in a couple weeks I signed up for the 'C' group. I'm making no assumptions about what I know and don't know when it comes to an environment that I haven't experienced before.
pussycatzrule
pussy burrito!
I have been riding for a year now and want to get some track time to push my awareness of my bike's handling limitations. I come nowhere near any of them on the street because I do not feel city traffic is the place to do that. I will try to save up by the end of this year for some track gear.
Robert R1
Well-known member
The one thing you certainly cannot learn at the track is moving out of the way for cars:
http://bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=163543
http://bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=163543
wackyiraqi
Towelhead extraordinaire.
This thread is still going. Wow.
Bowling4Bikes
Steee-riiike!
Climber said:
spoken like an experienced street rider
BTW - my boy (colin) made 'vroom vroom' sounds on the STrip today...I melted.
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