Ducatisti Forum - View Single Post - California Superbike School (Silverstone): 20 Apr 08

**Gilps** · 03 Jan 08, 01:18 PM

The reason any of us brake at a certain point, roll off the throttle, stand a bike up mid corner, tun at a certain point is down to survival reactions. Our brain says "you are going to die, hit the brakes" or "you are not going to make this corner, you will die, better to stand the bike up and brake in a straight line than try to go round the bend". We all have survival reactions. It is that fear of pain which stops us getting hurt. What CSS does is through a tried and tested set of progressive steps they build your confidence. When the brain realises that after repeatedly going round the same corner at a certain speed without getting hurt, it resets its fear levels. It is fear of the unknown that stops us taking risks. Some people are bigger risk takers than others, and therefore learn a bit quicker, but also sometimes crash too.
The first time out for me on track at Snetterton I was quite slow. Then I followed a guy into a corner, convinced I would crash, but I came out the other side in one piece. Job done. My brain then allowed me to corner at that speed again for the next few laps. Then I crashed at the same corner. My mistake, not concetrating. And that was me knackered. No matter what I tried after that my brain would just not allow me to atack the corner again. I ended up going slower round it than before.
If you can train the brain then your riding will improve.
I read somewhere about the huge amount of work done off-track with Lewis Hamilton. Somoneone firgured out that there were only a certain amount of scenarios that a racer had to dela with, something like 16. From starting at the front, mid field, and at the back, to overtaking on-line, off-line, braking late etc. So what they did is worked out with him what he would do in any of those given situations. Time was spent on simulators dealing with each situation. So then when those situations arose he no longer had to think what to do, it was already instinctive.
I have done 1 day woith the police on the bike safe course. My road riding improved enormously. I get from A to B in the same amount of time but I am safer whilst doing it and actually enjoy road riding more because of it. However, it doesn't teach you how to take a corner, only the right position to be in on the road.
There is a place for both schools. They both teach different things.

03 Jan 08, 01:18 PM	#52 (permalink)
Gilps Moto GP God Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Malmesbury, Wilts Posts: 806 Gilps's Gallery Bike: 2005 Monster S2R	The reason any of us brake at a certain point, roll off the throttle, stand a bike up mid corner, tun at a certain point is down to survival reactions. Our brain says "you are going to die, hit the brakes" or "you are not going to make this corner, you will die, better to stand the bike up and brake in a straight line than try to go round the bend". We all have survival reactions. It is that fear of pain which stops us getting hurt. What CSS does is through a tried and tested set of progressive steps they build your confidence. When the brain realises that after repeatedly going round the same corner at a certain speed without getting hurt, it resets its fear levels. It is fear of the unknown that stops us taking risks. Some people are bigger risk takers than others, and therefore learn a bit quicker, but also sometimes crash too. The first time out for me on track at Snetterton I was quite slow. Then I followed a guy into a corner, convinced I would crash, but I came out the other side in one piece. Job done. My brain then allowed me to corner at that speed again for the next few laps. Then I crashed at the same corner. My mistake, not concetrating. And that was me knackered. No matter what I tried after that my brain would just not allow me to atack the corner again. I ended up going slower round it than before. If you can train the brain then your riding will improve. I read somewhere about the huge amount of work done off-track with Lewis Hamilton. Somoneone firgured out that there were only a certain amount of scenarios that a racer had to dela with, something like 16. From starting at the front, mid field, and at the back, to overtaking on-line, off-line, braking late etc. So what they did is worked out with him what he would do in any of those given situations. Time was spent on simulators dealing with each situation. So then when those situations arose he no longer had to think what to do, it was already instinctive. I have done 1 day woith the police on the bike safe course. My road riding improved enormously. I get from A to B in the same amount of time but I am safer whilst doing it and actually enjoy road riding more because of it. However, it doesn't teach you how to take a corner, only the right position to be in on the road. There is a place for both schools. They both teach different things.