2 whole days of fun in Springfield!
If you want to learn trailbraking, sliding the bike around in dirt & mud & falling a lot, this is the class for you.
Danny Walker runs the class along with 3 other instructors, plus we were privileged to have Josh Hayes, 2006 National Formula Extreme Champion as a guest instructor.Despite the fact that Josh was limping from an injury earlier in the week, he led many of us around the track & gave personalized off-track instructions to those of us who were struggling the most.
The 1st day starts off with brief introductions & a brief lecture about the key elements of a slide. Forget what you learned about countersteering & leaning into the corner- this is the exact opposite. the basics:
1. Stay on the gas deeper into the corner.
2.Reduce speed by squeezing the rear brake (there is NO front brake used-ever!)
3.Change direction- PUSH the bike down to turn the front tire around the corner.
4. Start the straight-away by rolling on the throttle.
Now for the basics on body position:
Your upper body stays perpendicular to the ground. NO LEANING!!!!!Shoulders straight with the bike. Butt on the high side of the seat. Slouch in the seat, you must be able to see your elbows, with hands over the top of the grips. Extend the inside arm to push the bike under you. Pivot by using your legs to push against the tank.Head up, looking down the track. Inside leg always bent & in front of the footpeg when dragging, so it doesn't get caught behind you.
After the lecture & a diagram of the proper line, we all got geared up. All the gear is provided at no extra charge- boots, jerseys,pants, elbow & knee armor, gloves, helmets & goggles.The bikes are CRF 100s.
The track was set up inside the livestock arena at the State Fairgrounds.The first track session was a small,oval, where we practiced the techniques. As the day progressed & we got better, the instructors videotaped us to give feed back during the luch break.(food provided) Then we did drills of riding with 1 hand only .
After lunch, it was time to hose down half the track so we could continue our skills in a very slippery environment.
Day - the oval was much enlarged, turns added, and in addition to more speed, we did cone drills, one hand cone drills, and lots more 1 handed riding to teach us to use our legs more.All drills were done in both directions.
After lunch, even more fun-a TT track, bigger, more turns around hay bales & tires, more speed,using 3rd gear for the first time.
The instructors gave instuctions from the sidelines,or signaled you to pull over for personal instruction, used padded sticks to prod our elbows up as we came around, some of us even got a Chatterbox headset to put in our helmets for even more on the spot personal instruction.
The instructors are very enthusiastic & able to pinpoint where you need the most help.The hardest part for me was to not lean into the turn. I am on crutches today and my right thigh is 4 inches bigger than my left & completely purple, due to falling over & having the handlebars strike that part 4 or 5 times.
The next class in Sringfield will be in May, exact dates not posted yet. I am planning to return in hopes of getting better, with thigh armor this time.
Hope some of you will join me-it was a total blast!
http://www.americansupercamp.com/index.shtml
__________________
If you want to learn trailbraking, sliding the bike around in dirt & mud & falling a lot, this is the class for you.
Danny Walker runs the class along with 3 other instructors, plus we were privileged to have Josh Hayes, 2006 National Formula Extreme Champion as a guest instructor.Despite the fact that Josh was limping from an injury earlier in the week, he led many of us around the track & gave personalized off-track instructions to those of us who were struggling the most.
The 1st day starts off with brief introductions & a brief lecture about the key elements of a slide. Forget what you learned about countersteering & leaning into the corner- this is the exact opposite. the basics:
1. Stay on the gas deeper into the corner.
2.Reduce speed by squeezing the rear brake (there is NO front brake used-ever!)
3.Change direction- PUSH the bike down to turn the front tire around the corner.
4. Start the straight-away by rolling on the throttle.
Now for the basics on body position:
Your upper body stays perpendicular to the ground. NO LEANING!!!!!Shoulders straight with the bike. Butt on the high side of the seat. Slouch in the seat, you must be able to see your elbows, with hands over the top of the grips. Extend the inside arm to push the bike under you. Pivot by using your legs to push against the tank.Head up, looking down the track. Inside leg always bent & in front of the footpeg when dragging, so it doesn't get caught behind you.
After the lecture & a diagram of the proper line, we all got geared up. All the gear is provided at no extra charge- boots, jerseys,pants, elbow & knee armor, gloves, helmets & goggles.The bikes are CRF 100s.
The track was set up inside the livestock arena at the State Fairgrounds.The first track session was a small,oval, where we practiced the techniques. As the day progressed & we got better, the instructors videotaped us to give feed back during the luch break.(food provided) Then we did drills of riding with 1 hand only .
After lunch, it was time to hose down half the track so we could continue our skills in a very slippery environment.
Day - the oval was much enlarged, turns added, and in addition to more speed, we did cone drills, one hand cone drills, and lots more 1 handed riding to teach us to use our legs more.All drills were done in both directions.
After lunch, even more fun-a TT track, bigger, more turns around hay bales & tires, more speed,using 3rd gear for the first time.
The instructors gave instuctions from the sidelines,or signaled you to pull over for personal instruction, used padded sticks to prod our elbows up as we came around, some of us even got a Chatterbox headset to put in our helmets for even more on the spot personal instruction.
The instructors are very enthusiastic & able to pinpoint where you need the most help.The hardest part for me was to not lean into the turn. I am on crutches today and my right thigh is 4 inches bigger than my left & completely purple, due to falling over & having the handlebars strike that part 4 or 5 times.
The next class in Sringfield will be in May, exact dates not posted yet. I am planning to return in hopes of getting better, with thigh armor this time.
Hope some of you will join me-it was a total blast!
http://www.americansupercamp.com/index.shtml
__________________
