Direction

Going down the straightaway, you are hugging the gas tank, tucked-in behind the windscreen. You’ve got your butt off to the inside, preparing for the upcoming corner. You sit up when you go to the brakes for several reasons:

1. It shifts your weight back to the lightened end of the bike.

2. It’s a signal to other riders that you are braking.

3. Your upper body acts as an air-brake, once you pop up from behind the windscreen.

You’ve got the ball of your inside foot on the end of the footpeg, heel raised and tucked into the bike at about a 45 degree angle. With your toes pointed to the inside of the corner and knee out. You are un-weighting handle bar pressure from braking as you transfer the weight to your inside footpeg for turning. You lower your head at the rate you want the bike to turn-in, by weighting the inside footpeg and pulling the bike down with your outside thigh. Which is locked in between the gas tank and outside footpeg, using knee and foot. The desired loose inside arm (and arms) allow the bike to turn and allow you to lower your head to the inside, lowering your center of gravity.

In a car, you turn the steering wheel. That’s it!

It’s no wonder why no four wheeled world champion has ever become a two wheeled world champion. But the opposite is true.

My description of the physical movements necessary to properly turn a motorcycle on the racetrack is equal parts a description to you and a reminder to me of how I should be doing it. This is also the reason why it took me so long to understand what Ken Hill meant by, “Direction”. And why a steering wheel made it so easy. Imagine trying to remember all those movements to properly turn a motorcycle with the adrenaline pumping. Then, having enough brain space to think about direction. Also, Ken Hill’s description of direction doesn’t match the way I see it. Neither person’s fault, it’s just the challenges of teaching different people.

So, my new game! In the truck I say aloud, “Direction”, when I think I have direction. The steering wheel will prove me right or wrong. For example, the other day I said, “Direction” but the steering wheel had been in that position for a while. Basically, I had direction before I realized it. I was late. And would’ve had a later acceleration point, if on the race track. Shortening my straightaway, allowing a pass and costing me lap time. When you have an earlier acceleration point, you are traveling at a higher rate of speed than the other person; when they finally realize they need to start accelerating. A disadvantage you can’t make up for, if the bikes are equal.