Useful Articles on Riding: The Pace

[linp]

Nick Ienatsch's article on The Pace

Reprinted w/o permission as originally published in Motorcyclist, Nov 91.

Racing involves speed, concentration and commitment; the results of a mistake are usually catastrophic because there's little room for error riding at 100 percent. Performance street riding is less intense and further from the absolute limit, but because circumstances are less controlled, mistakes and overagressiveness can be equally catastrophic. Plenty of roadracers have sworn off street riding. "Too dangerous, too many variables and too easy to get carried away with too much speed," track specialists claim. Adrenaline-addled racers find themselves treating the street like the track, and not surprisingly, they get burned by the police, the laws of physics and the cold, harsh realities of an environment not groomed for ten tenths riding. But as many of us know, a swift ride down a favorite road may be the finest way to spend a few free hours with a bike we love. And these few hours are best enjoyed riding at The Pace.

A year after I joined the Motorcyclist staff in 1984, Mitch Boehm was hired. Six months later, The Pace came into being, and we perfected it during the next few months of road testing and weekend fun rides. Now The Pace is part of my life--and a part of the Sunday-morning riding group I frequent. The Pace is a street technique that not only keeps street riders alive, but thoroughly entertained as well.

THE PACE

The Pace focuses on bike control and de-emphasizes outright speed. Full-throttle acceleration and last minute braking aren't part of the program, effectively eliminating the two most common single-bike accident scenarios in sport riding. Cornering momentum is the name of the game, stressing strong, forceful inputs at the handlebar to place the bike correctly at the entrance of the turn and get it flicked in with little wasted time and distance. Since the throttle wasn't slammed open at the exit of the last corner, the next corner doesn't require much, if any, braking. It isn't uncommon to ride with our group and not see a brake light flash all morning.

If the brakes are required, the front lever gets squeezed smoothly, quickly and with a good deal of force to set entrance speed with minimum time. Running in on the brakes is tantamount to running off the road, a confession that you're pushing too hard and not getting your entrance speed set early enough because you stayed on the gas too long. Running The Pace decreases your reliance on the throttle and brakes, the two easiest controls to abuse, and hones your ability to judge cornering speed, which is the most thrilling aspect of performance street riding.

YOUR LANE IS YOUR LIMIT

Crossing the centerline at any time except during a passing maneuver is intolerable, another sign that you're pushing too hard to keep up. Even when you have a clean line of sight through a left-hand kink, stay to the right of the centerline. Staying on the right side of the centerline is much more challenging than simply straightening every slight corner, and when the whole group is committed to this intelligent practice, the temptation to cheat is eliminated through peer pressure and logic. Though street riding shouldn't be described in racing terms, you can think of your lane as the racetrack. Leaving your lane is tantamount to a crash.

Exact bike control has you using every inch of your lane if the circumstances permit it. In corners with a clear line of sight and no oncoming traffic, enter at the far outside of the corner, turn the bike relatively late in the corner to get a late apex at the far inside of your lane and accelerate out, just brushing the far outside of your lane as your bike stands up. Steer your bike forcefully but smoothly to minimize the transition time; don't hammer it down because the chassis will bobble slightly as it settles, possibly carrying you off line. Since you haven't charged in on the brakes, you can get the throttle on early, before the apex, which balances and settles your bike for the drive out.

More often than not, ciccumstances do not permit the full use of your lane from yellow line to white line and back again. Blind corners, oncoming traffic and gravel on the road are a few criteria that dictate a more conservative approach, so leave yourself a three- or four-foot margin for error, especially at the left side of the lane where errant oncoming traffic could prove fatal. Simply narrow your entrance on a blind right-hander and move your apex into your lane three feet on blind left turns in order to stay free of unseen oncoming traffic hogging the centerline. Because you're running at The Pace and not flat out, your controlled entrances offer additional time to deal with unexpected gravel or other debris in your lane; the outside wheel track is usually the cleanest through a dirty corner since a car weights its outside tires most, scrubbing more dirt off the pavement in the process, so aim for that line.

A GOOD LEADER, WILLING FOLLOWERS

The street is not a racing environment, and it takes humility, self assurance and self control to keep it that way. The leader sets the pace and monitors his mirrors for signs of raggedness in the ranks that follow, such as tucking in on straights, crossing over the yellow line and hanging off the motorcycle in corners. If the leader pulls away, he simply slows his straightaway speed slightly but continues to enjoy the corners, thus closing the ranks but missing none of the fun. The small group of three or four riders I ride with is so harmonious that the pace is identical no matter who's leading. The lead shifts occasionally with a quick hand sign, but there's never a pass for the lead with an ego on the sleeve. Make no mistake, the riding is spirited and quick--in the corners. Anyone with a right arm can hammer down the straights; it's the proficiency in the corners that makes The Pace come alive.

Following distances are relatively lengthy, with the straightaways---taken at more moderate speeds--the perfect opportunity to adjust the gaps. Keeping a good distance serves several purposes, besides being safer. Rock chips are minimized and the highway patrol won't suspect a race is in progress. The Pace's style of not hanging off in corners also reduces the appearance of pushing too hard and adds a degree of maturity and sensibility in the eyes of the public and the law. There's a definite challenge to cornering quickly while sitting sedately on your bike.

New rider indoctrination takes some time because The Pace develops very high cornering speeds and newcomers want to hammer the throttle on exits to make up for what they lose at the entrances. Our group slows drastically when a new rider joins the ranks because our technique of moderate straightaway speeds and no brakes can suck the unaware into a corner too fast, creating the most common single-bike accident. With a new rider learning The Pace behind you, tap your brake lightly well before the turn to alert him and make sure he understands there's no pressure to stay with the group.

There's plenty of ongoing communication during The Pace. A foot off the peg indicates debris on the road, and all slowing or turning intentions are signaled in advance with the left hand and arm. Turn signals are used for direction changes and passing, with a wave of the left hand to thank the cars that move right and make it easy for the motorcyclists to get past. Since you don't have a death grip on the handlebar, you left hand is also free to wave to oncoming riders, a fading courtesy that we'd like to see return. If you're getting the idea The Pace is a relaxing, noncompetitive way to ride with a group, you are right.

RELAX AND FLICK IT

I'd rather spend a Sunday in the mountains riding at The Pace than a Sunday at the racetrack, it is that enjoyable. Countersteering is the name of the game, a smooth forceful steering input at the handlebar relayed to the tires contact patches through a rigid sport-bike frame. Riding at The Pace is certainly what the bike manufacturers had in mind when sport bikes evolved to the street.

But the machine isn't the most important aspect of running The Pace because you can do it on anything capable of getting through a corner. Attitude is The Pace's most important aspect; realizing the friend ahead of you isn't a competotor, respecting his right to lead the group occasionally and giving him credit for his riding skills. You must have the maturity to limlt your straightaway speeds to allow the group to stay in touch and the sense to realize that racetrack tactics such as late braking and full throttle runs to redline will alienate the public and police and possibly introduce you to the unforgiving laws of gravity. When the group arrives at the destination after running The Pace, no one feels outgunned or is left with the feeling he must prove himself on the return run. If you've got something to prove, get on a racetrack.

The racetrack measures your speed with a stopwatch and direct competition, welcoming your agression and gritty resolve to be the best. Performance street riding's only yardstick is the amount of enjoyment gained, not lap times, finishing position or competitors beaten. The differences are huge but not always remembered by riders who haven't discovered The Pace's cornering pureness and group involvement. Hammer on the racetrack. Pace yourself on the street.

[linp]

Nick Ienatsch's Pace Philosophy

Reprinted w/o permission as originally published in Sport Rider, June 93.

PACE YOURSELF

The street is not the track - It's a place to Pace

Two weeks go a rider died when he and his bike tumbled off a cliff paralleling our favorite road. No gravel in the lane, no oncoming car pushing him wide, no ice. The guy screwed up. Rider error. Too much enthusiasm with too little skill, and this fatality wasn't the first on this road this year. As with most single-bike accidents, the rider entered the corner at a speed his brain told him was too fast, stood the bike up and nailed the rear brake. Goodbye.

On the racetrack the rider would have tumbled into the hay bales, visited the ambulance for a strip of gauze and headed back to the pits to straighten his handlebars and think about his mistake. But let's get one thing perfectly clear: the street is not the racetrack. Using it as such will shorten your riding career and keep you from discovering the Pace. The Pace is far from street racing - and a lot more fun.

The Pace places the motorcycle in its proper role as the controlled vehicle, not the controlling vehicle. Too many riders of sport bikes become baggage when the throttle gets twisted - the ensuing speed is so overwhelming they are carried along in the rush. The Pace ignores outright speed and can be as much fun on a Ninja 250 as on a ZX-11, emphasizing rider skill over right-wrist bravado. A fool can twist the grip, but a fool has no idea how to stop or turn. Learning to stop will save your life; learning to turn will enrich it. What feels better than banking a motorcycle over into a corner?

The mechanics of turning a motorcycle involve pushing and/or pulling on the handlebars; while this isn't new information for most sport riders, realize that the force at the handlebar affects the motorcycle's rate of turn-in. Shove hard on the bars, and the bike snaps over; gently push the bars, and the bike lazily banks in. Different corners require different techniques, but as you begin to think about lines, late entrances and late apexes, turning your bike at the exact moment and reaching he precise lean angle will require firm, forceful inputs ant the handlebars. If you take less time to turn your motorcycle, you can use that time to brake more effectively or run deeper into the corner, affording yourself more time to judge the corner and a better look at any hidden surprises. It's important to look as far into the corner as possible and remember the adage, "You go where you look."

DON'T RUSH

The number-one survival skill, after mastering emergency braking, is setting your corner-entrance speed early, or as Kenny Roberts says, "Slow in, fast out." Street riders may get away with rushing into 99 out of 100 corners, but that last one will have gravel, mud or a trespassing car. Setting entrance speed early will allow you to adjust your speed and cornering line, giving you every opportunity to handle the surprise.

We've all rushed into a corner too fast and experienced not just the terror but the lack of control when trying to herd the bike into the bend. If you're fighting the brakes and trying to turn the bike, any surprise will be impossible to deal with. Setting your entrance speed early and looking into the corner allows you to determine what type of corner you're facing. Does the radius decrease? Is the turn off-camber? Is there an embankment that may have contributed some dirt to the corner?

Racers talk constantly about late braking, yet that technique is used only to pass for position during a race, not to turn a quicker lap time. Hard braking blurs the ability to judge cornering speed accurately, and most racers who rely too heavily on the brakes find themselves passed at the corner exits because they scrubbed off too much cornering speed. Additionally, braking late often forces you to trail the brakes or turn the motorcycle while still braking. While light trail braking is an excellent and useful technique to master, understand that your front tire has only a certain amount of traction to give.

If you use a majority of the front tire's traction for braking and then ask it to provide maximum cornering traction as well, a typical low-side crash will result. Also consider that your motorcycle won't steer as well with the fork fully compressed under braking. If you're constantly fighting the motorcycle while turning, it may be because you're braking too far into the corner. All these problems can be eliminated by setting your entrance speed early, an important component of running the Pace.

Since you aren't hammering the brakes at every corner entrance, your enjoyment of pure cornering will increase tremendously. You'll relish the feeling of snapping your bike into the corner and opening the throttle as early as possible. Racers talk about getting the drive started, and that's just as important on the street. Notice how the motorcycle settles down and simply works better when the throttle is open? Use a smooth, light touch on the throttle and try to get the bike driving as soon as possible in the corner, even before the apex, the tightest point of the corner. If you find yourself on the throttle ridiculously early, it's an indication you can increase your entrance speed slightly be releasing the brakes earlier.

As you sweep past the apex, you can begin to stand the bike up out of the corner. This is best done by smoothly accelerating, which will help stand the bike up. As the rear tire comes off full lean, it puts more rubber on the road, and the forces previously used for cornering traction can be converted to acceleration traction. The throttle can be rolled open as the bike stands up.

This magazine won't tell you how fast is safe; we will tell you how to go fast safely. How fast you go is your decision, but it's one that requires reflection and commitment. High speed on an empty four-lane freeway is against the law, but it's fairly safe. Fifty-five miles per hour in a canyon may be legal, but it may also be dangerous. Get together with your friends and talk about speed. Set a reasonable maximum and stick to it. Done right, the Pace is addicting without high straightaway speeds.

The group I ride with couldn't care less about outright speed between corners; any gomer can twist a throttle. If you routinely go 100 mph, we hope you routinely practice emergency stops from that speed. Keep in mind outright speed will earn a ticket that is tough to fight and painful to pay; cruising the easy straight stuff doesn't attract as much attention from the authorities and sets your speed perfectly for the next sweeper.

GROUP MENTALITY

Straights are the time to reset the ranks. The leader needs to set a pace that won't bunch up the followers, especially while leaving a stop sign or passing a car on a two-lane road. The leader must use the throttle hard to get around the car and give the rest of the group room to make the pass, yet he or she can't speed blindly along and earn a ticket for the whole group. With sane speeds on the straights, the gaps can be adjusted easily; the bikes should be spaced about two seconds apart for maximum visibility of surface hazards.

It's the group aspect of the Pace I enjoy most, watching the bikes in front of me click into a corner like a row of dominoes, or looking in my mirror as my friends slip through the same set of corners I just emerged from.

Because there's a leader and a set of rules to follow, the competitive aspect of sport riding is eliminated and that removes a tremendous amount of pressure from a young rider's ego - or even an old rider's ego. We've all felt the tug of racing while riding with friends or strangers, but the Pace takes that away and saves it for where it belongs: the racetrack. The racetrack is where you prove your speed and take chances to best your friends and rivals.

I've spend a considerable amount of time writing about the Pace (see Motorcyclist, Nov. '91) for several reasons, not the least of which being the fun I've had researching it (continuous and ongoing). But I have motivations that aren't so fun. I got scared a few years ago when Senator Danforth decided to save us from ourselves by trying to ban superbikes, soon followed by insurance companies blacklisting a variety of sport bikes. I've seen Mulholland Highway shut down because riders insisted on racing (and crashing) over a short section of it. I've seen heavy police patrols on roads that riders insist on throwing themselves off of. I've heard the term "murder-cycles" a dozen times too many. When we consider the abilities of a modern sport bike, it becomes clear that rider techniques is sorely lacking.

The Pace emphasizes intelligent, rational riding techniques that ignore racetrack heroics without sacrificing fun. The skills needed to excel on the racetrack make up the basic precepts of the Pace, excluding the mind-numbing speeds and leaving the substantially larger margin for error needed to allow for unknowns and immovable objects. Our sport faces unwanted legislation from outsiders, but a bit of throttle management from within will guarantee our future.

THE PACE PRINCIPLES

Set cornering speed early. Blow the entrance and you'll never recover.

Look down the road Maintaining a high visual horizon will reduce perceived speed and help you avoid panic situations.

Steer the bike quickly. There's a reason Wayne Rainey works out - turning a fast-moving motorcycle takes muscle.

Use your brakes smoothly but firmly Get on and then off the brakes; don't drag 'em.

Get the throttle on early Starting the drive settles the chassis, especially through a bumpy corner.

Never cross the centerline except to pass Crossing the centerline in a corner is an instant ticket and an admittance that you can't really steer your bike. In racing terms, your lane is your course; staying right of the line adds a significant challenge to most roads and is mandatory for sport riding's future.

Don't crowd the centerline Always expect an oncoming car with two wheels in your lane.

Don't hang off in the corners or tuck in on the straights Sitting sedately on the bike looks safer and reduces unwanted attention. It also provides a built-in safety margin.

When leading, ride for the group Good verbal communication is augmented with hand signals and turn signals; change direction and speed smoothly.

When following, ride with the group If you can't follow a leader, don't expect anyone to follow you when you're setting the pace.

[linp]

OFF IDLE:
Lotsa laps, load of miles

BY NICK IENATSCH

This sport, the one you're so addicted to, is unmatched in terms
of thrill and difficulty. Because of those assets, mistakes mean
more than hitting a ball into the net like Andre Agassi or throwing
an interception lke Brett Favre. Those guys can afford to make
mistakes, we can't. Rather than spend the next few years
learning from the school of hard knocks, let's shortcut the
learning curve by examining a few of the ways we hit the ground.

We crash on cold tires. And everyone who falls off cold tires says
the same thing: "Man I was going SO SLOW!" Respect cold - and
especially new and cold - tires by giving them a few miles to
warm up, and develop an inner alarm that gongs every time you
start a ride. Cold tires can handle smooth, subtle braking,
accelerating and cornering inputs. Just don't be aggressive.

We crash on overloaded tires. Modern sportbike tires will do
amazing things, but traction is finite. Tires begin to slide when
they become overloaded, like when too much front brake or too
much throttle is combined with too much lean angle. Those
scenarios push either the front or rear tire over the traction edge.
If it's a gentle push, the rider can usually gather it back up, but
if the traction edge is leaped over, the rider is down before he
knows it. We can sneak up on these traction limits by slowing
and smoothing our control applications. The faster your bike, the
smoother you need to work the brakes and throttle.

We can crash trying to catch up. The motorcycle has very little to
do with a rider's speed on backroads, but until you understand
that fact, using the throttle to keep up your friends seems like a
viable option. Trouble is, your focus has just gone from riding
technique and trying to read the road to trying to hang on with
your more experienced friends. Don't succumb to this
temptation. Ride at your own pace and keep studying the sport.
Learn to transition your bike off the throttle, onto the brakes and
into the corner's apex. Riding on the street isn't about going fast,
it's about attaining repeatability at speeds that won't freak out
your brain. Get it right going slow and don't worry about anyone
else.

We crash because we want to go fast. Freddie Spencer has a
great line: "This is a slow corner. I'm going to go.....slow!" On the
street, these "slow corners" can include intersections, school
zones, blind crests, unfamiliar roads, crowded freeways, gravel
strewn backroads etc. The riders that scare me the most are the
ones that can't slow down. Thirty miles per hour doesn't seem
fast until you see some idiot going that speed while splitting
lanes in stopped traffic. Speed reduces time and adds distance
in an emergency situation. Recognize and respect dangerous
situations that can be remedied by slowing down.

We crash because we bail out. What do you do when you enter a
corner too hot? First, understand that the term "too hot" probably
means that your brain is overwhelmed, not that the bike is at its
limits. You freak out because you missed a downshift or didn't
go to the brake lever or got surprised by an unforeseen situation,
but the bike could probably still make it through the corner if your
brain could just settle down. Do these three things: 1) LOOK
through the corner. The brain doesn't know the pavement exists
until the eyes see it. If you look off the road, the bike will
follow. 2) LEAN into the corner until the bike is dragging on the
ground. That's the limit. 3) BELIEVE in modern technology and
know that if you are looking into the corner and leaning all the
way over, the bike could still make it. Too many riders enter a
corner too hot, stand up the bike and nail the rear brake. Look,
lean and believe.

We crash because we aren't mentally there. Your motorcycle
covers 88 feet per second at 60 mph, so an instant's inattention
moves you quite a distance. If you're thinking about work, your
family, the scenery... slow down or pull over. If you're thinking
about your riding, make sure you're thinking about the next
corner, the next intersection, the next brake application...the
future. You can't turn back time, so forget a previous mistake and
look to the next situation. Ride ahead of your bike.

We crash because we rush corner entrances. Kenny Roberts
said "Slow in, fast out." Think of the entrance as preparation for
the exit. On your next ride, try reducing your corner-entrance
aggression by 5 percent. Literally ride into the corners slower
than you feel you could enter, and watch how much better your
exits get, how much better you get your bike steered down to the
apex, how much earlier you can pick up the throttle, how much
more relaxed you are. It worked for Roberts when winning three
world championships, and it works for street riders who want to
make it to breakfast every Sunday morning for the rest of their
lives. Most single-bike crashes come from too much entrance
speed.

We crash because we can't keep up with the motorcycle. Today's
sportbikes are the safest, most competent motorcycles in
history, yet they continue to hit the ground. Make sure your
software is equal to the hardware. Practice emergency braking.
Take advantage of the many riding schools and open track days
in your area. I can speak for the rest of the Sportbike staff when I
say if we hadn't visited the racetrack on our testbikes, we
wouldn't have had half as much fun or discovered the true
performance available from these amazing machines.

Discussing crashes is a no-no in some magazines. That's too
bad, because rather than commit a mistake that leads to
damage, I'd much rather learn that lesson from someone else's
goof! Don't be afraid or embarassed to work hard on your riding,
because the better your technique becomes, the more your bike
will reveal to you and the more joy this sport will deliver.

[Kurt'sSV]

This was a long read, but a good one, Paul.

[Setter32]

Good post Paul.

:D

[Burst]

agreed Kurt, long read..... but a good one.

[pcperks]

This is the kind of stuff a newbie like me needs to read. Luckily the first guy I went riding with, who has a 929, believed in this. He kept me nice and slow through the twisties, and told me to NEVER try and keep up with him if he pulled away. He would always slow down if I fell behind, so I could catch up. That probably kept me from trying to push the envelope and ultimately laying it down.

[dnakase]

The reason I like to ride at the back of the pack, (besides the fact that I'm one slow, old bastid), is to see other people's techneque and/or errors.


Watch and learn.

[SUCATI]

"The Pace"

One of the best I ever read. It's something my riding partner and I both read back when Nick first wrote it. "The Pace" comes up often in our conversations while out on a ride. I think that the fact we both read it and understood it has helped us avoid having an accident on mountain road type riding. "The Pace" runs through my brain while out on the ride, especially if I'm the leader. We ride 4 or 5 times a year up in the North Georgia/Tennessee/North Carolina area. Deals gap is on our list sometimes, but most of the time we leave it to the crazies that are drawn to it. I'm more afraid of one of them taking me out than a car/truck/deer/motorhome. Besides, it's only 18 miles long. I'd rather tool down N.C. 28 any day.

I just recently became bi-coastal. I drove my K75 to L.A. in August and left it at my sisters house in Covina. I've been scoping out the back roads all over California for the past 3 years - in a damn rental car! This time I had the chance to ride the Angeles Crest Highway, up Cal. 39, Mulholland Drive - Rock Store, Glendora Canyon, Little Tujunga Canyon, and down to the PCH. I had a great time and couldn't afford to crash while out there all by myself. I had fun at the one person "Pace". Next May I'll go exploring some of the California I saw from the rental car. I see that this site has some good directions and road maps - I'll be using the information I find to plan my May trip.

Take it easy,
Mike

Mike

[Danny]

Good article. Except for this:

Originally posted by linp

Don't hang off in the corners or tuck in on the straights Sitting sedately on the bike looks safer and reduces unwanted attention. It also provides a built-in safety margin.


Any fast paced sport rider should be hanging off. Not only does it allow the bike to turn better it provides the safety margin, increasing available lean. Also, no reason to get blasted in the face when there's a shield to tuck under, and who wants to sit sedately? :D :evil:

[Golden_Eternity]

Originally posted by Danny
Any fast paced sport rider should be hanging off. Not only does it allow the bike to turn better it provides the safety margin, increasing available lean. Also, no reason to get blasted in the face when there's a shield to tuck under, and who wants to sit sedately? :D :evil:

I think you miss the point... the idea is to find a moderate pace where you don't need to hang off to keep it between the lines... Obviously, if you come across some debris in a corner or something, then you can hang off...

As for tucking in... well, on the svs you really don't need to tuck... I only do that when I'm tired and feel like taking a nap on my tank for a while... if you have no fairing, then that changes things a bit... but the idea is not to ride aggressive or look like you're riding too aggressive; so you don't give people a bad impression of what riders are about.

My folks had a two-up sport bike blow past them on the right shoulder, heading up kanan recently... That's not the kind of impression I want my mom to have about how I'm riding or how my friends ride.

[Troy]

the pace is kinda like a zen thing...

[No_Brakes23]

There have been so many m/c crashes involving Marines in the last year, that (On Miramar, anyway) we now have Motorcycle Safety Meetings every month. Each Aviation Squadron has a Motorcycle Safety Coordinator responsible for these meetings. (Everyone in the unit who rides is involved, Dirt, Sport, Cruiser, everyone.) The MSC is also responsible for getting all the riders to the (free for military) MSF courses, Basic, Advanced, and Dirt.

Anyway, I showed my MSC a print out of "The Pace" and he thought it was awesome. So now its getting distributed to the riders in my squadron, (and possibly further.) Thanks for the article, Paul.

[sarge]

since riding, i've gone with 6 people to the dealership and helped them pick out thier bikes(3 sv's), and have taught 4 to ride. i've showed "The Pace" to all of them, because i think it covers alot of important info. if you're an experianced rider with a good head about you, these are the things you already know. you just don't know how to put it into words. you also forget that it isn't a race out there sometimes. everytime i come across this article, i read it. thanks for the reminder.

[Danny]

Originally posted by Golden_Eternity
I think you miss the point... the idea is to find a moderate pace where you don't need to hang off to keep it between the lines... Obviously, if you come across some debris in a corner or something, then you can hang off...

As for tucking in... well, on the svs you really don't need to tuck... I only do that when I'm tired and feel like taking a nap on my tank for a while... if you have no fairing, then that changes things a bit... but the idea is not to ride aggressive or look like you're riding too aggressive; so you don't give people a bad impression of what riders are about.

My folks had a two-up sport bike blow past them on the right shoulder, heading up kanan recently... That's not the kind of impression I want my mom to have about how I'm riding or how my friends ride.

I got the point, the overall idea is great. Those few ideas just caught my attention. I've had a few people complain about me hanging off, tucking under, jumping around the bike, etc. using 'disturbing the peace' reasoning. The truth is that regardless off speed or ability, hanging off always gives you more available lean(think emergency: stopped car, deer, etc. around that blind corner). Tucking under always extends mind and body stamina. And it's always bad to be 'sedate' on a motorcycle. A common exercise in riding schools is for students to ride around flapping their arms like chickens, saying 'baKOCK' - you need to be loose, relaxed and warmed up while riding. Hanging off also accomplishes this. Besides, most drivers don't notice these motorcycle-insider things anyways. As you mention, nothing pisses them off more than passing them. But nothing pisses me off more than slow drivers, so that's another necessary evil:D
And again, it IS a great article.

[Vicelike]

Paul:

Thanks for bumping this thread. I was searching for it just last night for a refresher read.

Wonderful advice imho.

[mojo mofo]

bumpage ;)

Seriously though, I got the link for this off the thread for the SD ride this Sat. after some inquiries from those of us who are a bit newer to group riding and riding in general. I thought that this was one of the most informative, and in many ways most common sense, articles I have read in my brief 3 1/2 months of riding experience.

Since the last reply was 10 months ago I figured it could use some love :D.

[NukleoN]

Nick has a new book out called 'Sport Riding Techniques' which I just bought. Highly recommended...foreword by Kenny Roberts Sr. The book is up-to-date, thorough and a wealth of great information...even covers track prep and riding...definitely something every rider should have in his/her library.

Good Motorcycling Books thread:
http://www.socalsvriders.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1192

[Tillers_Rule]

Wow, VERY good read, long yes, but well worth it. Thanks Paul

[smooth]

I've tried the "pace" but just can't really abide it. The best I can do is relax and take it easy, however, that can quicken my pace too. I had a discussion yesterday about the people that have wrecked following me (and my wreck following others when I started). I always give them the "speech" about riding their own pace, not over their heads and not to worry about keeping up all the time.

[drewster]

just got a chance to read The Pace. it is a long read but a good one. i have been riding for a lot of years and it is the way myself and my friends have been riding for all that time. my cousin just aquired his mc licence and he has been riding alot with me. told him a while ago not to try and keep up with me ...if i see that he is getting behind i will adjust so that he can keep up . no pressure on him that is not the way for newbies to learn, besides if i were just learning i would not enjoy my ride if i was always alone. since he has been learning he has become a very good rider. we have also gone out with several other bikes for a ride which he also learned alot and enjoyed. :D ;)

[El Caballo]

:cool:

Very :cool: article.

Even though I hadn't seen it until now it's a great read.

[Silver6]

Originally posted by NukleoN
Nick has a new book out called 'Sport Riding Techniques' which I just bought. Highly recommended...foreword by Kenny Roberts Sr. The book is up-to-date, thorough and a wealth of great information...even covers track prep and riding...definitely something every rider should have in his/her library.

Good Motorcycling Books thread:
http://www.socalsvriders.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1192


Nick Ienatsch's new book is awesome. I also like all the pics he put in it to show as examples.

[NRE_03SV]

I would expect that this article has be posted before, but I am posting it in case any newbies have not seen it.

http://sportrider.com/ride/146_9306_pace/

Neil

[luckyphil]

Most definitely a top read. Iread it for the first time recently on SVDownunder.com and although I have been riding for quite a few years it certainly made me think about my riding differently...in particular cornering as I have always been notoriously cruel to my front tyres....never too old to learn...

[SVNerd]

Those articles were great ...

I have recently finished Ienatsch's "Sport Riding Techniques". As many folks have posted on this site, a very worthwhile read for ANY street rider.

I am now constantly trying to put together all things that he offered in his book, everyday, all the time. There was little track-only advice, and a lot of real-world useful information.

I still feel "slow" a lot of the time, but this definitely extended the "challenge" envelope in my attempts at imrovement. I feel its helped me a lot. I find myself reviewing parts of the book again and again !

Never too old to learn indeed.

[zippytls]

Hey mods... could you edit down this wonderfull post to just the "pace and it's parts" and pin it as a must read for the newbs? Very helpfull info here. Thanks paul for posting it. :D

[centerline]

Great piece. I really do not know many people over here in Florida that ride for the same reasons, regularity, etc. My weekend joy rides are usually of two types... 1. errands (because it is an excuse to ride) and 2. improve my skills. Yes, I do practice emergency stops and evasive manuevers too. However, riding is unfortunately 99% by myself.

Work like "The Pace" is pure gold for me.

Thank you.

[biggalvan1]

pace that not made in new york city is it :D

[gixxerguy]

Great info guys, thanks.

[SVOC]

The thing I find hardest to do is judge exactly how much speed I can carry into a corner. I ususally don't bring enough and find myself wanting to accalerate mid-corner, which isn't good. Time for more practice..

[pAint]

Just go faster and faster untill you hit the "Oh shit" point.

[bdmsupersport]

Originally posted by pAint
Just go faster and faster untill you hit the "Oh shit" point.

that reminds me of what i think is a kevin schwantz quote: "wait til you see God, then brake" :D

[pAint]

Originally posted by bdmsupersport
that reminds me of what i think is a kevin schwantz quote: "wait til you see God, then brake" :D

:lol: !!!!

[sr9004u]

Originally posted by dnakase
The reason I like to ride at the back of the pack, (besides the fact that I'm one slow, old bastid), is to see other people's techneque and/or errors.


Watch and learn.



I love to follow peeps on rides, when I realize there riding over there heads and I blast by when safe, and follow the next guy.......I dont understand why some push beyond there abilities and end up in the guard rail trying to keep up......

I coached a kid on Smokes last group ride who was going at his pace(slow for most) but had an awesome time just checking things out countersteering with one hand and more.

Learned some stuff for me that day as well.

[bdmsupersport]

I forgot to say, thanks for the excellent post, i've put a link to here on my tips page. There's also "50 ways to save your life" printed in it's entiretly. Both are excellent reads for beginners, and excellent review for the rest of us.
http://www.dmvtestbike.com/tips.html

Personally I need to be reminded constantly. I can't help it, i'm a retard. i get in the twisties or track and my competitive side comes out. Yeah i teach this stuff constantly, but as a racer (slow one) I sometimes slip, figurativly and literally.

[allanhow]

My favorite quote on the subject of braking comes from Motorcyclist magazine. The first review I read about the new Yamaha V-Max (yeah it's from the mid 80's) had several great quotes. The first one was raving about how Mr. Max would "beam you from corner to corner", and the other one about how scary fast he got going was: "I saw Jesus so many times that I started using him as a braking marker."

[TheDude]

I've also read Ienatsch's "Sport Riding Techniques" and enjoyed it thoroughly. I find it's very helpful to skim through it again every once in a while. I particularly like his chapter on commuting, and the mindset it requires...make yourself known and visible on the road, yet be nimble enough to squeeze out of a sudden jam.

[SportyV]

Resurrecting this thread because I think it's important for the new riders.

Reading "The Pace" and "Sport Riding Techniques" has helped me tremendously.

You can still enjoy riding without having to go at breakneck speed. It talks about saving that for the track, not the roads.

[astroaru]

Resurrecting this thread because I think it's important for the new riders.

Reading "The Pace" and "Sport Riding Techniques" has helped me tremendously.

You can still enjoy riding without having to go at breakneck speed. It talks about saving that for the track, not the roads.

thanks SportyV for resurrecting. I think it is a very very good read. I usually do the mountains with three of my friends who own 600's. Now I have a 650, but till a week back it was a poor 500. They would disappear from my sights instantly just because they had so many horses on them. They never rode the pace although time and again I have begged them to.

Even though, I still ride the mountains with them, I do it my way - at my own pace. :groove: