I really can't speak to that other than yes, Jerry Palladino does talk about a "Breeze Out". Every 20 minutes of practice, you ride the bike around the course a bit without touching the clutch or brakes to cool it down.

In everyday riding around town (not on a course practicing) I can't see over heating the clutch or brake.

FWIW: When I was going "hot and heavy" doing the snowman and iron cross 'n such, I was concentrating on turning my head and LOOKING WHERE I AM GOING TO GO NEXT. The clutch and rear brake usage my friend was automatic. So finding the "sweet spot" with both the clutch and brake was a "given".

I (and maybe it is just a "me" thing) I could not efficiently "think dip, sharp left, scrape, dip sharp right scrape, hold tight a left scrape until I am in the middle of a snowman" etc.... while also thinking about friction zone and feather as well.

So wherever the friction zone is (or if it is moving due to it heating up) I found it automatically. It becomes 2nd nature. You really do not think about it.

It sounds to me pyuchem, that you are making a transition into what I am talking about above. And that is AWESOME!!! Looking where to go is critical, and the other 2 things (the friction zone and feathering the rear brake) becomes automatic.

You do bring up another point tho.... what happens to some LEOs when they are learning these techniques AND some guys who join a Drill Team, is that they complain on going through clutches. <-- The reason for that is that they are too hard on the RPMs and braking. Lighten up. Go easy on it. When the speed of the bike is at a minimum speed in a turn, you are not going to drop the bike. When these guys ease up, be gentle with the bike, work up the nerve to trust the bike (maybe not be so scared of falling) then all will be fine.

The above is what I am being told. I nvr experienced it myself. I drilled a LOT wearing out the front tire SIDES but nvr a clutch or brake.

If I may remind you my friend, it sounds like you are doing a FANTASTIC job. 'juss don't get cocky. LOL!! Feel GREAT about yourself YES! But don't get cocky......like when you are going "live" in a parking lot and there are cars around you. Go Man Go!

 

Was riding this morning and thought......... huh.........I am using only my fingertips on the clutch.

No, I do not have an easy clutch or anything. It is stock.

I hold the clutch near the far end with just my fingertips. This gives me great (finesse) control.

FWIW..........thought I would share it.

The more we can all share and tweak, the better.

If you try it and it works, then great. The friction control is "easy peasey".

 

Up until now what I noticed was my head was turned in the direction I wanted to go, but my eyes would wander (milli second look) at the front of bike in a turn.

I hope this makes sense...In today's slow speed practice I noticed that for the first time my eyes were completely locked far out where I wanted to go, with complete head turn. At first it was little scary because I didn't know where my front tire was. But then I started to get confident not moving my eyes to the front of the bike and turns got tighter.

The more I do slow speed practice, more I feel like I'm riding a toy on the street especially in slow traffic. No more muscling the bike...

This is addicting...

 

HI FIVE!!!

You made me a happy daddy. Well, you know what I mean. (It is ALL YOUR doing, none of mine really. I'm 'juss HAPPY for you!!)

1) When you start to get that GREAT attitude you have and start to see the bike as a little "toy", then EXCELLENT!!! And my friend pyuchem, THAT is why I stated above (likely in my 1st post to you here) not to get cocky. Confident? Yes! Cocky.....not so much.

2) When you used the word "toy" I damn near fell off 'me chair. In training THAT IS the word I use. When you master your bike, the bike becomes a little toy. No matter how "BIG A BAGGER" you have. When you whip it around, it becomes a "toy" or a slave to your whims. Respectfully.

Now, since you blew me away with that, I am going to share another thing with you. The bike is just the bike. <-- Period.

It is your attitude TOWARD the bike. Your line of thinking. Your confidence. You are mastering skills you no longer need to think about bcs it becomes (has become) automatic to you. So it all lies in your mind. (Here it comes.........try this my friend.) Before you straddle the bike and KSU, mentally picture yourself as 10 feet tall. YES! You are 10 feet TALL. 20 FEET TALL if you wish or more. Mentally, picture yourself so tall that when you straddle the saddle, the bike is like a tiny little kids tricycle that you just whip around like a "toy". <-- Just this tiny little thing you have HUGE mastery of control over.

Once you have the technique, and you do, then it is all just mental. And as stated...........don't get cocky. Have fun! <-- Have fun? LOL!! You already are!!

 

Now that you are developing trust in these basic skills, muscle memory, it frees your mind and adds enjoyment to your ride. Need to do a U turn, no sweat. Skills like trusting countersteering, slow speed handling, emergency braking, swerves will give a whole new freedom to a rider.

You do in an emergency what is instinctive. These skills are different than driving. Only by practice do they become instinctive. Once they are, you are as prepared to handle road situations as any rider. Great attitude. I live in northern Idaho, each spring I spent 10-15 minutes slow speed, emergency stops, swerves and these skills are then reprogrammed. Love those guys who ride year round, lucky bastards.

 

I figured this would eventually happen. In my quest to excel, there will be fails along the way.

 

I disagree. If you look at the motorman (Ride Like a Pro) DVD's, he suggests doing that. it allows you to use more of the available space in the circle. I have to say that I was impressed when I saw him doing that, cuz not everybody knows that.

 

It is called a "dip". It helps you get the back angled downward quicker. Quicker sharp turn.

He (Jerry) even had a double dip which I did not buy into. But maybe that is just me.

 

Man, we would melt if we lived in that heat and humidity

I have always been able to flip a u-turn in a 2 lane highway, unimpeded, no putting feet down. I think this is an important skill that all should be able to pull off, and I am surprised by how many I have ridden with that cannot do this

 

well I disagree with you, not everyone has to do the "dip", I have been riding for years and was taught to do a u-turn without the dip, so let's agree to disagree. It may help some and others don't need it.