REPORT w/ PICS (Formerly: Beta on Reg Pridmore's CLASS and/or Laguna Seca?)

[pronator]

Tomorrow's the big day! Any last minute tidbits of wisdom? Advice to calm me down?

Bob, do stop by if you have the time. It'd be awesome to see you. My friend who did the Salinas/Carmel ride will also be at the class. 

[fred]

Have fun! Post pictures and your thoughts when you get back! I'm totally jealous!

[pronator]

I'm bummed you won't be there!   

Will definitely give you all a full report this weekend. Pictures, too, of course! 

[fred]

I'm bummed you won't be there!   

Will definitely give you all a full report this weekend. Pictures, too, of course! 

Yeah, good thing I'm not scheduled to go up to Laguna Seca, both of my GSs are down! One has no front brakes and the other has carb problems. I've been riding a KLR250 all week, which is fun, but not super well suited for a track like Laguna Seca. It will do 80 at wide open throttle in 6th but not much more...

[pronator]

Attended Reg Pridmore's CLASS School last Thursday (19 March 09) at Laguna Seca. Just reporting back with an account of the day. If you're feeling lazy and don't want to read, here's the CliffsNotes version:

I am fine. My bike is fine. I learned a lot. Scroll down for pics.



Arriving

My buddy (we'll call him Beemer Boy) and I arrived at Laguna Seca a little later than anticipated due to some directional confusion <cough> not my fault <cough> I'm in a frenzy because we rode to the track which means we needed to make our street legal bike to a track ready bike and quick! Remove mirrors, disconnect brake and turn signal lights, disconnect the headlight. Then reconnect the headlight once I discover it's linked to the ignition. Find the masking tape, zip tie the numbers on.

My bike gets held up at tech inspection because my chain is "way too tight." My tool bag doesn't include a wrench large enough so one of the instructors helps me out. We get about an inch, inch and a half of free play into it. Drop the tire pressure to 30/30 and I get a bright orange sticker on my head light that means I've passed.

I should mention that my GS was the only bike under 600ccs and without fairings. Oh yeah, I was also the only girl.

First Impressions

Note to the ladies: it takes a good 20 minutes to go to the bathroom when wearing leathers. Try stripping down in a porta potty without you or your gear touching anything disgusting.

The C group was given a tour of the track by Reg himself. Specifically, we stop at turns 5 and 8/8A, The Corkscrew. The advanced group is on the track and we watch their lines coming around those corners. The Corkscrew was incredible. It feels like going over a cliff because the right-hand turn drops off 50 feet - five stories! - before I could even say, "Holy Shi..."

There was a 4:1 student teacher ratio in the C group so that was pretty nice. I could always get an instructor to follow my line, or set one for me to follow. The first few times around the track were pretty surreal: it's a wide, smooth road and everyone's going in the same direction. 

Trixie!

The groups rotate between track time and classroom time. My group was getting ready for our third time out when they tell us that we have to hold because there was some fluid on the track. This pretty much meant only one thing - someone laid a bike down. As we're waiting to be released, I see Beemer Boy riding in on the back of an instructor's bike. Oh no!

Trixie (Beemer Boy's bike) went down in Turn 11 - a very sharp left before the straight. Beemer Boy pulled a Superman and high-sided; Trixie dropped on her right side, breaking the frame slider, bending the handlebar, and shattering the (front) brake fluid reservoir. Between my buddy's quickly swelling knee and Trixie's lack of brakes, the day's over for both of 'em. Sadness ensued.



Lunch

My buddy was bummed out but still excited about everything he was able to learn in just those few sessions on the track. He distracts himself with a tri tip sandwich and fries.

We get Trixie back to the classroom area and hose her down before the brake fluid can damage the paint job (any further). My sports bottle came in handy but the brake fluid had gotten a head start sitting out by Turn 11 until the track was cleared for lunch.

Afternoon Sessions

As I was putting more weight on my inside peg for the turns, I noticed that I was scraping them. A lot. Both pegs had been getting slowly filed away on the track during those turns. Reg and Gary (another instructor) suggested I check my rear suspension. After stiffening the final two notches (to 7), I was scrape-free for the rest of the day. 

My main goals were to work on looking through the turns and to become more comfortable with turns, especially hairpins and tight curves. I also added another one in the afternoon: loosening up my upper body and arms. I went on my last sessions with these in mind.

The Corkscrew

I'd managed to handle The Corkscrew all day without too many problems. I approached it mellow and kept to the lines I'd been shown. On the first lap of the second to last track session, I came down The Corkscrew and looked a little too long at the trees on the left. This caused me to swing wide toward the track's edge and I thought I was a goner. I slammed all my weight down on my right peg and managed to pull the tires to the right just before they went into the ditch between track and dirt. I took myself off the track to breathe. And I took a minute to appreciate the fact that if that'd happened on the first few laps instead of the last few, I would be writing a very different account of my day at the track.

During my last run on the track, I followed and was followed by Aaron, one of the instructors who helped me with the bike in the morning. When our time was up, Aaron led me to the inside portion of turn 11 and spent about 20 minutes teaching me one-on-one. He broke down body steering and how to shift my hips side to side in preparation for turns. He also explained how far ahead I should be looking into the turn. Keeping my head up and looking where I want to go is still not intuitive.

I only wished I could continue practicing but the day was over. There was a second day on Friday but truth be told, I'd had more than enough info to process and absorb.

The Photos

Blue masking tape on the headlight does photograph well, especially when the light is actually on. The fact that the pieces of tape are unevenly ripped didn't help either. Who knew there were going to be glamor shots?

Some of these are from a friend who came by in the afternoon; others are thumbnails from the School's photographer who had access to the track.

If you're surprised by how much it looks like I'm leaning, join the club! I'm pretty sure it's those photographers and their tricky angles. Actually, the photos are a great way to learn about body positioning. For example, it's clear from my photos (especially in comparison to other people's photos) that I'm doing what I'm calling "the reverse knee drag." Rather than hanging my body off so my bike can stay more upright, I'm keeping my upper body more upright and pushing my bike into the lean. 

Thanks to everyone who gave me advice and provided support! Bob even showed up to hang out a bit. 


Turn 3



Turn 4, from the inside



Turn 4, from the outside



Turn 6



The Corkscrew






Turn 9 - my favorite turn on the track



It was a beautiful day at Laguna Seca

[Bluesmudge]

That looks so fun! I'm very jealous.
There are no tracks any where near as good as Leguna Seca here, and I don't really have the money, but this is making me want to go to a track day sooo bad. Thanks for the story and photos. It sounds like you learned a ton.

[fred]

Looking good! That looks like it was a whole lot of fun. I'm totally jealous! I have to ride at Laguna Seca some day... Thanks for the pictures and the writeup!

[sticks]

that's awesome! you've convinced me that i need to ride out there and get a few laps on that track somehow. especially the shot of the corkscrew, reminds me of this: http://www.automotophoto.com/misc/1488_ROSSI_LSGP_ALW_O8.jpg (just a link so i don't hijack your thread)

[Roadstergal]

 

Note to the ladies: it takes a good 20 minutes to go to the bathroom when wearing leathers. Try stripping down in a porta potty without you or your gear touching anything disgusting.

It's even better when you're wearing these underneath:



Which, BTW, I highly recommend.  A little impact protection, and a chamois to keep the hooha from getting chafed.  A guy lowsided into me at a track day a few weeks back - his footpeg tore a hole in my leathers, but the shorts kept it from tearing a hole in my leg.

Looking good!  If I could give concrit based on pictures alone (which is always a dicey proposition), it would be to loosen up a little, relax the arms.  And make sure you're kissing those apexes (that's where instructors help); the faster you go, the more critical line becomes.

Are you braking in the corkscrew pic?

[Roadstergal]

By the way - they had this on Top Gear last night.

http://www.shewee.com/

You can be the pioneer...

[pronator]

That looks so fun! I'm very jealous.
There are no tracks any where near as good as Leguna Seca here, and I don't really have the money, but this is making me want to go to a track day sooo bad. Thanks for the story and photos. It sounds like you learned a ton.

I try to justify the cost because I consider it education. The track allowed me to forget about a lot of external factors we're all keeping track on the streets. No brake or signal lights, and no mirrors mean you get to focus on your ride and your ride alone. No one was there to race (at least not in the C group) so it wasn't like someone was going to pass on the inside coming down the Corkscrew. I could focus on my weaknesses.

The CLASS class at LS was ideal because it was close enough for me to stay with the 'rents the night before and not truck/trailer the bike in. Plus, they were doing a 3 group format which meant it was $100 cheaper than a 2 group format. A and B riders could pay the extra $100 and ride both A & B or B & C.

Looking good! That looks like it was a whole lot of fun. I'm totally jealous! I have to ride at Laguna Seca some day... Thanks for the pictures and the writeup!

Too bad you weren't able to make it down here. I hope you still gave your sister something for her birthday! 

that's awesome! you've convinced me that i need to ride out there and get a few laps on that track somehow. especially the shot of the corkscrew, reminds me of this: http://www.automotophoto.com/misc/1488_ROSSI_LSGP_ALW_O8.jpg (just a link so i don't hijack your thread)

I can't tell you how many times I watched that video clip of Rossi and Stoner at LS!  It's even more amazing once you've been on the track and have gone down the Corkscrew at 1/2 or 1/3 of their speeds. 

Note to the ladies: it takes a good 20 minutes to go to the bathroom when wearing leathers. Try stripping down in a porta potty without you or your gear touching anything disgusting.

It's even better when you're wearing these underneath:



Which, BTW, I highly recommend.  A little impact protection, and a chamois to keep the hooha from getting chafed.  A guy lowsided into me at a track day a few weeks back - his footpeg tore a hole in my leathers, but the shorts kept it from tearing a hole in my leg.

Looking good!  If I could give concrit based on pictures alone (which is always a dicey proposition), it would be to loosen up a little, relax the arms.  And make sure you're kissing those apexes (that's where instructors help); the faster you go, the more critical line becomes.

Are you braking in the corkscrew pic?

Thanks for the gear rec. I took the hip protectors out of my commute overpants to put into the suit since it didn't have them (or even space for them). Can you believe that suit didn't have a back protector pocket? WTF?! Granted, I got it for a steal on eBay.  It's an old model Dainese but women didn't go fast enough to warrant back protection six or seven years ago? 

All critiques, observations, and feedback will be welcomed and appreciated. Honestly. I definitely have problems with a stiff upper body and I'm working on loosening up. Any ideas on how? One thing that's worked is when I notice I'm getting tense in the arms, I squeeze my tank with the thighs - this does an amazing job of transferring the tension. That, of course, relies on me noticing my tension. 

I was definitely not on the teeth of each turn as much as I could've been.    I was leaning enough, just not close enough.  The nice thing about Laguna Seca is that the apexes are marked with red.

By the way - they had this on Top Gear last night.

http://www.shewee.com/

You can be the pioneer...

If I am, I'll be sure to write up a thorough review, but don't count on pics. 

[Roadstergal]

Honestly, I'm not a fan of that the back protector pocket - it gives the idea that the bit of foam a lot of manufacturers put in is decent protection.   Youse gots your back protector!

Oddly enough, I found hanging off actually helps me relax.  It keeps me down closer to the tank, it helps me look through the turn, and it helps me initiate and continue the lean with the handlebar push.  YMMV.

Also - this is going to sound odd - try not to think too much.  Before you go out, distill what you're going to work on down to one or two key things, and just keep those in your mind.  I found I had a certain tipover point where if I get my speed to a certain point, I hit a rhythm where I don't overthink.  If I start overthinking, I get stiff and uncomfortable and ride like crap.

[Toogoofy317]

Congrats! Looked like fun I was talking about doing that one day. We have Sebring down here and was watching it the other night.

It's soooo funny I never even realized you're another biker chick! Now it makes a whole lotta since that the boots I bought from you were too big! The whole time I was thinkin wow this dude has small feeit if it's too big for him!

Too many fevers and drugs I guess.

But anway you go girl! Keep representing for us!
Mary

[joshr08]

glad to hear you had a good time.  i wish there was a track around here that i could do this at.  theres just one thing i would do to your bike if your going to do more track days and thats take your center stand off.  in your pic i think turn 6 you can see that your center stand wasnt off the ground by much.  cool pics tho.

[pronator]

Congrats! Looked like fun I was talking about doing that one day. We have Sebring down here and was watching it the other night.

It's soooo funny I never even realized you're another biker chick! Now it makes a whole lotta since that the boots I bought from you were too big! The whole time I was thinkin wow this dude has small feeit if it's too big for him!

Too many fevers and drugs I guess.

But anway you go girl! Keep representing for us!
Mary

I hope you're feeling better and can get back on the bike soon. I know it's frustrating, especially when the weather's good. And it wasn't the fevers or drugs - I tend to keep things pretty gender neutral on forums. You're not the first to have that reaction:

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=43643.0

glad to hear you had a good time.  i wish there was a track around here that i could do this at.  theres just one thing i would do to your bike if your going to do more track days and thats take your center stand off.  in your pic i think turn 6 you can see that your center stand wasnt off the ground by much.  cool pics tho.

Thanks for the detailed eye, joshr08.    I probably won't be doing more than one or two trackday classes a year. Way too pricey. And they always tend to be on a weekday which means taking time off work. I originally hated the center stand when I first got the bike but it's so damn useful!

I hope you'll be able to ride on a track at some point. The experience - and looking at the professional photos (if any) - taught me a lot! 

[fred]

Thanks for the detailed eye, joshr08.    I probably won't be doing more than one or two trackday classes a year. Way too pricey. And they always tend to be on a weekday which means taking time off work. I originally hated the center stand when I first got the bike but it's so damn useful!

I hope you'll be able to ride on a track at some point. The experience - and looking at the professional photos (if any) - taught me a lot! 

Yeah, having a centerstand is pretty critical if you plan to do your own maintenance... I don't think it would be worth removing from anything other than a straight up track only bike, and in those circumstances, you'd probably have some other kind of stand handy anyways. The centerstand is so very handy when you need to work on the bike, and the fact that it is attached means you can work on your bike wherever it breaks down has saved me a lot of hassle. It is also handy for filling the gas tank all the way up...

[pronator]

Yeah, what he said. 

I've been having some issues with getting my bike onto the center stand lately. I think I've lost some weight and I'm not leveraging correctly or something. I usually end up asking a friend to give it a little pull at the same time I'm stepping down.

I used to be able to do it, though not without my boot and glove on. And it was difficult but not impossible.

Any advice? 

(Is this me threadjacking my own thread?)

[fred]

Yeah, what he said. 

I've been having some issues with getting my bike onto the center stand lately. I think I've lost some weight and I'm not leveraging correctly or something. I usually end up asking a friend to give it a little pull at the same time I'm stepping down.

I used to be able to do it, though not without my boot and glove on. And it was difficult but not impossible.

Any advice? 

(Is this me threadjacking my own thread?)

I had the same problem when I first started riding, and I am far from light. It took me a long time to realize that it is as much about pulling up on the frame under the plastics as it is about pushing down. My current technique is to just stand on the centerstand and pull up on the frame. It works every time. I used to try stuff like pulling back on the handlebars or building up momentum going backwards then jamming the centerstand down, but that never worked reliably. Hmm, I feel like I haven't explained myself super well... I should go take a picture or two... If only I could ever get out of work before it is dark out...

Back to the original topic (kind of) here is a fun article that made me think of this post: http://jalopnik.com/5185062/google-street-view-laps-laguna-seca-with-alms-race-cars

Next person who heads out to Laguna Seca can check it out on google street view first!