Aug 12, 2022
We start this episode by taking a moment to remember Scott Briody, a paddockmate who lost his life in a single-bike incident at the Brainerd MotoAmerica round the weekend this episode was recorded at the end of July.
Then, we move into breaking an unwritten rule of the sport and talk about being uncool. In this episode, I share the specifics of what I’m working on as a slower rider on track, and what I’m doing (on and off the bike) to work to improve your riding since I’m not fast (yet)! Not everybody in this sport is a born natural and even those who are really talented naturals tend to hit a plateau from time to time. While practice makes perfect, some of us only get a few good practice days on our bikes each year. So, if you want to know how to work on your riding between track days, this is the episode for you!
Tuning in, you’ll learn three things that you can do to make a difference in your riding, even though you may have limited time to practice. You’ll hear about the value of being technical, not emotional; where you can find great resources to help you overcome any obstacles you may be facing in your technique; and how to come up with a plan that will set you up for success when you do get out on the track, plus so much more. For this helpful advice and some great resources, make sure to tune in today!
We also give a shout-out to two of the sponsors who’ve stuck with us this season despite things not going to plan with our program: Cascade Motorcycle Safety and Law Tigers of Washington.
And finally: since we’re home a little more than planned this summer, we have a little extra room in the shop schedule, so if you’ve got a motorcycle build, motorcycle service, or motorcycle repair project you’ve been waiting for the off-season to get started, drop the shop a note or give us a call and we’ll see if we can get you back on the road (or track) sooner.
Key Points From This Episode
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The grief that the MotoAmerica family is feeling this weekend after the loss of Stock 1000 rider, Scott Briody, and Sara’s condolences to those who are grieving.
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Today’s topic: not being fast (yet), and how to work on gaining pace when you’re not riding.
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How not all of us are born naturals and even really talented riders tend to hit a plateau.
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The challenge of not being able to practice every day.
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Sara’s struggles with finding pace and repeating bad habits.
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Sara’s specific area of current focus for improvement: carrying speed into turns, instead of overslowing her entries.
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Three things that make a difference for Sara’s riding, given the limited practice time she gets, starting with being a technical rider, not an emotional rider.
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First, the benefits of shifting from coaching lines to fostering a newer rider’s ability to feel what’s happening while they are riding.
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The second thing that can make a difference in your riding: studying trusted sources.
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Some of the trusted resources that Sara relies on, including the Ken Hill Coaching Podcast, Ken's coaching program on Blayze, and Yamaha Champions Riding School's Champ U program.
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Number three: have a plan and think through what you need to do when you can practice.
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A recap of the three things you can do in between your practice sessions to make sure that you are able to make progress.