Well, Duh!
I feel like I know exactly what I need to do to keep progressing with my riding.
First and foremost, I need to focus on picking my bike up as I head out towards the exit of the turn, all while delicately applying throttle, increasingly as the bike becomes more upright. Ham-fistedly applying throttle while still leaned over can have disastrous results. I knew these principles before, I guess I had just never quite found the edge. The SV seemed so happy to willingly do whatever I asked of it, so I kept pushing more and more, and then I didn't just cross that line, I think I dove across it head first.
Fontana was strange though, because my head was not in the right place. And then it was on the ground. I had actually had a near highside the previous session, where the rear end of the bike wiggled madly and then corrected itself. Why did I not take that as a warning? I even mentioned it to Ace, a race buddy. Dumb, dumb, dumb!
Second, I need to let the bike drift all the way out to the outside of the turn, on exit. I get scared of running off the track, so I try and stay as far away from that edge as I can while still having decent lines. This results in me carrying more lean angle for longer, which means less time that I can be pinning the throttle open.
Third, I need to brake later and harder. I've done this effectively a handful of times, but fearing going in "too hot" I usually start braking early and don't carry enough corner speed to my apex (and as a result rush the exit by whomping on throttle before it's really safe to do so).
I am practicing this in my car, like on the morning drive to work. The driveway leading up to my office park is in a somewhat remote area, and has a long straight followed by a tight right and a medium left. This 's' turn is the highlight of my mornings. I try to go faster and faster in, braking at the last second, each time surprised by the responsiveness of my 330's braking. I have a similar mindset on the bike, where I never give it enough credit to brake effectively and in a short amount of time.
Seconds can be found on entry and by letting my bike drift out towards the corner exit. There are two fear factors preventing this, and I hope that I don't have to be taught another hard lesson in where the edge of traction is. One is the fear of going in too hot and lowsiding. Approaching a turn at high speeds is scary. Will I go in so fast that I'll run wide and into the bumpy, ditchy dirt? And then, will I go out so fast that I run wide and into the bumpy, ditchy dirt? I think about my friend Steve, who hit the dirt, started cartwheeling and shattered his ankle from it doing a 180 degree turn around on his leg. And then also my friend George, who hit the dirt too and got launched. The road seems much smoother and more predictable than the dirt.
First and foremost, I need to focus on picking my bike up as I head out towards the exit of the turn, all while delicately applying throttle, increasingly as the bike becomes more upright. Ham-fistedly applying throttle while still leaned over can have disastrous results. I knew these principles before, I guess I had just never quite found the edge. The SV seemed so happy to willingly do whatever I asked of it, so I kept pushing more and more, and then I didn't just cross that line, I think I dove across it head first.
Fontana was strange though, because my head was not in the right place. And then it was on the ground. I had actually had a near highside the previous session, where the rear end of the bike wiggled madly and then corrected itself. Why did I not take that as a warning? I even mentioned it to Ace, a race buddy. Dumb, dumb, dumb!
Second, I need to let the bike drift all the way out to the outside of the turn, on exit. I get scared of running off the track, so I try and stay as far away from that edge as I can while still having decent lines. This results in me carrying more lean angle for longer, which means less time that I can be pinning the throttle open.
Third, I need to brake later and harder. I've done this effectively a handful of times, but fearing going in "too hot" I usually start braking early and don't carry enough corner speed to my apex (and as a result rush the exit by whomping on throttle before it's really safe to do so).
I am practicing this in my car, like on the morning drive to work. The driveway leading up to my office park is in a somewhat remote area, and has a long straight followed by a tight right and a medium left. This 's' turn is the highlight of my mornings. I try to go faster and faster in, braking at the last second, each time surprised by the responsiveness of my 330's braking. I have a similar mindset on the bike, where I never give it enough credit to brake effectively and in a short amount of time.
Seconds can be found on entry and by letting my bike drift out towards the corner exit. There are two fear factors preventing this, and I hope that I don't have to be taught another hard lesson in where the edge of traction is. One is the fear of going in too hot and lowsiding. Approaching a turn at high speeds is scary. Will I go in so fast that I'll run wide and into the bumpy, ditchy dirt? And then, will I go out so fast that I run wide and into the bumpy, ditchy dirt? I think about my friend Steve, who hit the dirt, started cartwheeling and shattered his ankle from it doing a 180 degree turn around on his leg. And then also my friend George, who hit the dirt too and got launched. The road seems much smoother and more predictable than the dirt.