Keys to Speed

Eyes are currently my keys to speed. It’s the one thing that I can work on and receive the greatest improvement on a lap time. My eyes were scaring me, for the longest time. Because I was looking at things too long. I focused too much on the upcoming reference point (turn-in cone, apex cone) until I got there. Then, focus on the next one. Which makes you more a reactionary type of rider, because you aren’t looking into the future enough. This is why I disagree with, “You drive a car the same way you ride a motorcycle.” If I’m coming into a corner too hot (fast), the cage slides because it has four wheels. Different story for the person on two wheels. Which vehicle would relax your eyes more? The one that slides and has a cage around it, or the one that doesn’t have a cage and flips all over the place?

But which one is exciting? That’s why I choose to ride a motorcycle on track.

Robertino Pietri pointed this out to me as one of my biggest faults. Now, I see it. If I can see more of the track, it relaxes the mind and your speed comes up. Just like when you first start to drive a car. I wrote about this topic many times in my newsletters. As my vision of the racetrack grows, so does my speed.

One thing that blows my mind. I was breaking personal records on the first day while riding the whole session, every session. Then repeated day one on day two. I didn’t think this was possible, until the end of the season.

Set goals and break them early.