'Trail breaking with the rear (lightly), late to the apex for stabilization, chassis stable, more push, more lean, less drama, more zen...shhhhh'

Ha ha ha, just guessing hub! :))

Yes, Hub. I have learned that there is no rushing your skill level being improved. I just keep at it, and gradually improve.

Its getting to be more fun as I roll around corners with what I think is a more controlled, confident *execution*.

I am getting there, but no need to rush anything. I am in no hurry, whatsoever, to end up in a lowside crash.

* Last updated by: ZX14MAN64 on 6/6/2013 @ 8:19 PM *

Time...it takes time.I ALWAYS get a new experience from riding...everytime.You never stop learning on a bike...ever.Whether it be crashing,or blitzing,or cruising.All of it uses all your skills and reflexes.Learning your bike is NO1 on the list IMO of getting a great riding experience out of it.It always has something to teach....in every curve...at every speed.On every mountain road or track setup.Always.

Keeping an open mind about what you read or hear is paramount to learning.EVERYONE has their own style of riding.Just like no two zx14's are the same.You pay attention and have fun....you'll survive.Bottom line...these bikes were made to run....so I have to respect the power and strength of this deal here.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 6/6/2013 @ 8:48 PM *

Well spoken Grn!

I find by June I am riding apex turns with cutting edge accuracy, by August I am dusting turns like moto GP. In September the asphalt gets cold and I slow down. By October, I am slowing down and oscillating at traffic lights because motorists have stopped looking for bikes. In November (should have my heated grips on) the grips are on and my undergarments are feeling tight. December she sleeps till March. By June I am riding apex turns with cutting edge accuracy...and the cycle continues...

I wish we could ride all year round.

I have four degrees will anyone hire me for a job in the southern states...Texas? Florida? Cali? I am ready for a move! I am ready too apply within!

Wman

Hey wolf! She ain't the southern states that is fer dang sure! But my other brother from another mother that rides a zx600rr homologation special works here. If you were interested you would have references blasting them from inside and outside!
linky

Cblast that is dang awesome!!! I am going to throw an ap at one of these roles fo show! Thanks C. As I write this my wife is throwing her death look in my direction and trying to suffocate me with the dark side of the force. I have the option to take a year off from work with deffered salary. I think I am going to come down and test pilot life down there brotha. Thank u for the linky!

You my bastion of good will and brotherly love!
Big Hug!
Wolf

Hell yeah!!!!! You have my contact info sir! Put me as a reference, I have a solid relationship with them. Great people, great company. If you end up out this way Wolf, you don't even have to ask! You have a place to stay at my house anytime! I can only promise flawless steaks and cold beer and jack Daniels and great riding. Not much I know, but I'm just saying! :)))))

Dam homie,
Thank you for the invite. Mad love...
Back at cha, got a big place here in Toronto, two kids and lots of extra room bro. Beer, Jacks, whatever...Wolfman is ready for you too.
My deferred leave comes up in 2016. Then I'll be putting out my appi!
I will collect my full pay, and work states side for a year. That my boy is the plan!

Yippee ki yay! I hear the isle of Mann calling us both that year...

I might have to bring an 1199 Panigale R.

Shit man I am down for that! I will have enough expendable cash to rock either scenario...
Wolfman

It would be nice to earn that three legged patch!

C, patch, most def!

Update; I am really enjoying this now! Continually working on taking corners with more control and confidence, and the increase in speed is a result
What works best for me is to slide off The seat more and try to keep the bike more upright

Get out and do a track day, man. You'll learn more in one day than an entire year on the street.

Pushing your limits and skills in the street is a sure way to get hurt or killed.

ZX your definitely on to something there, the more upright the bike the more stable and greater pctg of rubber is on the road. These guys all know what their talking about too, especially the ones that are talking smooth and allow progression to take it's course. The speed WILL come. I have a couple or 3 really close friends that race for a living. Heck, one of them had a DOUBLE win at BARBER this weekend! Yeahhhh go Dane!! Anyway, as fast as these guys look like and ARE going...to them it doesn't FEEL that fast because they've done it so much that all of their senses have risen to the point of it being normal to them. Example, does it feel fast to you to go sayyyy 50mph on your bike? Nope. The first time you ever rode a bike it sure felt impressive though! Same situation except they're used to going 170-200 down the straights and no worries going well into the 100s in a nice sweeper! My point is, that's the product of a slow and steady progression. Up one level feels REALLY fast! Then...not so much, next level...REALLY fast...then not so much. As you progress you'll also learn to "Feel" the limits of your bike, tires, conditions, etc... hence, slowly becoming an expert! Honestly, these are the most exciting times for a bunch of Hooligans like the guys that hang out on this place, and yes they know who they are! LMAO!!! FRUSTRATION will set in when you get to the point that you start feeling like other things are holding you back. But that's ANOTHER level! I'm impressed that you were willing to reach out for advice, that one particular quality right there will serve you well in your journey. Stay with it, practice, practice, practice and THEN and only then, practice some more, right up to the point that going into a corner becomes just something you do when the road bends!! Good luck buddy and remember, have fun, ride safe, and ALWAYS dress for the crash but don't expect that it will happen.

Sic

OK, so I have been kicking track days around for a while... but I need to get some real gear. where can I get a decent 2 piece track approved suit? I am a boy boy, and were 3x fulmer mesh jacket just fine, but don't know what to do about the pants. I will mention that I can wear 38 jeans, but rather 40's... you know for the boys to breath :)

I live in Ohio and Mid Ohio is the closest place for me to go to. Here is their requirements... any thoughts?

Rider Gear Requirements

All riders must be at least 18 years of age and have a valid driver's license.
All riders must wear a damage-free full-face helmet with a properly fitted face shield. DOT certification is a minimum requirement; SNELL, ECE, or other enhanced certification is recommended. Modular (flip-up) helmets are permitted in NOVICE GROUP only.
All riders must wear full-finger gauntlet style gloves.
All riders must wear sturdy over the ankle boots.
All riders must wear one or two-piece suits with substantial reinforcement and padding in critical areas (knees, elbows, shoulders at a minimum.)

* Last updated by: omega2k on 6/22/2014 @ 9:46 PM *

You know Omega, I've bought most of my stuff through Sportbiketrackgear. Unless you have a personal friend or family in a business like that I would say that they've been the best for me. There's also RevZilla, Motorcycle Superstore and CycleGear also. BUT for track stuff, I've found them to have the overall best selection and I can really backup their service. I just bought a new track suit, RS Taichi from them, they fit a little different than my AlpineStar did so I needed a different size. I called them about it last Tuesday and they had the warehouse ship it direct to me instead of going to them first. I had it Thursday. The other one they take back without a problem.

Which brings me to something I left out above. TRACK DAYS!! YES, YES, YESSSSS!! You guys will absolutely learn more in ONE track day than you'll learn in 6 months or a year of street riding! Just DO IT!!! One word of warning though, it's really VERY addictive. I'm talking...worse than meth!! The added feature is that it will give you a whole different perspective on street riding. Stuff that can very well save your life. Start doing them as regular as you can and at the end of a year tell me how much different you are riding on the street!

Sic

My old lady comes in and says, 'every time I come in here you are watching the same thing.' She doesn't know I'm [obsessed I am] looking at the vids with a different perspective. I see a lot of different things, hear a lot of things with the earphones on.
My latest is to stare at the steering nut and do not look at any other point of the vid. I'm ... http://www.quickmeme.com/img/ec/ecdeeae50f045b3e22cbbc66aa9d16c08a44ff6c4bfcb7730509f69185575dea.jpg ... No, that comes later. What I was watching next were both lines switching back and forth, not looking up over the dash to see just yet.

I'll waste your minutes twice you seeing both perspectives. I'm watching how smooth I can steer the bike at any speed, condition, blown lines, etc., thru the looking glass is to expose my [unorthodox] lines and how I approach them. The next part is to watch it again and this time, over the dash and where am I setting up next?

So between those two perspectives watch someone's steering nut and fixate on that: see how smooth those lines are? I'm trying to be LOL, the Mike Hailwood, knees in, and feet touching down. Either the many rockstore vids [steer] all over the place, or do not see how you are just trying to propel yourself as straight and smooth so as not to upset the smooth no matter how you approached it. Force her to smooth each move over and over and over...

... You are either all over the road and not focused on line for line

Or you are focused like I am and sort of understand what smoothing the line means.

Where, I was one more street rider, no dirt track kind of racing, but plain old taking chances, does not need a trackday when the streets have their own lines. It more you have to find them when they are short or long. Where are you once that turn is coming? Where is your setup and how long/short did it take to get there? The next move is to see where you were and did you jerk the bike upright coming out of it? Was it a snap up in the short or did you smooth the line up? I don't jerk or snap the bike upright, but to smooth it up, meaning, by taking the whole lane, or kiss the other line or close to it.

At around the 6:00 count, I am setting up for a late line and within that 15 second span, it's throttle timing, entry, throttle timing, exit, all the road is doing is coming to me in the smooth of it, so says the dash's upright. It was so, I couldn't feel it at all it was that smooth. Like I finally hit a line drive with a golf club, a ball struck right at the pitcher, the 8-ball on your call of the pocket. It was one of those and you were not looking for it. It was just one sweep after the other and then bingo, one for the day.

So it's steering nut line watching: viewing the smallest screen. Watching the dash jerk or smooth to upright: using the full screen. Listening to how low an rpm it takes to catch up to those slower bikes no shit. Maybe... Just maybe this steers you into how to find smoothing the road out. Look at the vid both ways. Concentration is key. You may even know these roads, MAN64?

ZX14MAN64 - I agree with the others - it takes some time to get used to cornering, and only a lot of 'saddle time' and riding twisties conservatively will get you there. Definitely a track lesson shortens that, but trusting/knowing what the bike will do and what it will not do is the goal. The ZX-14 corners surprisingly well, actually.

As the others said, I would not push the envelope until you are 100% confident in cornering. I've been riding for over 20 years and at this point I actually don't think much about it, it becomes a part of me, but that took a long time to reach and I had some panic downhill fast curves I almost did not get away with back in the day. Knowing the road conditions are important - probably THE most important as the same radius curve in one spot with a quality smooth surface will not yield the same results on a broken-pavement curve where the tires are in the air more than making contact.

</ENDLECTURE>

* Last updated by: OpenRoad on 6/23/2014 @ 12:12 AM *

@Hub

Camarillo? Nice area.

Yes, ORoad. Got a call to meet at the store and take a ride to the Camarillo area. So I rode with a bunch of current trackday riders to some guy's place with a HUGE bike collection. Lots of duc's, Kawi's 2-storke line of triples thru the years, Bimotos, and sprinkles of other bikes. Turnout was small, so he's going to have another soon, next year, or who knows? He said to bring friends next time. So I'll bring a gaggle of local 14 rides, I give you guys the heads up when it happens again.

I love cornering on this bike! To me its becoming easier and easier. At first id go kinda slow. Wasnt rreally familiar or used to the weight and all that. My greatest test was just last weekend. Got caught up in the twisties (good tight ones too) trying my best to keep up with a subaru sti! That car was on flippin rails! I kept up no problem. But I tell ya, I worked my ass off! Most of the time I spent in 3rd higher in the rpms just to have complete control (cblast flash was tight!) Using engine brake as well. That was the most intense 10 minutes or so ive ever had on this bike. Flat out bouncing off the rev limiter in 4th on a lil straight and I lost him. I had Melinda layed over pretty far (for me), that I dont have chicken strips anymore! But the adrenaline rush and the nerves... I now have more confidence in the cornering abilities of this bike now. Just yesterday I went out riding with a zrx1109, and I was cornering just as good and more relaxed. Its awesome. Of course having the 55 on instead of a 50 helps too!