Missing 2 mins per lap but front is at grip limit!

[stay_upright]

Full throttle - so your sitting position leans the bike over further?

I'll have a new front tyre for the next event (but partially worn rear)

There is a lot of conflicting info on whether to drift the rear round corners or not , the video I posted says yes - some others say no...

But I would guess if the corner is anything like a speedway corner then drifting is the way to go (I'm not saying I could do it though) since speedway guys know the fastest way (for flat loamy corners at least)

[swazi_matt]

Originally Posted by stay_upright

Full throttle - so your sitting position leans the bike over further?

I'll have a new front tyre for the next event (but partially worn rear)

There is a lot of conflicting info on whether to drift the rear round corners or not , the video I posted says yes - some others say no...

But I would guess if the corner is anything like a speedway corner then drifting is the way to go (I'm not saying I could do it though) since speedway guys know the fastest way (for flat loamy corners at least)

sitting on the outside edge is similar to weighting the outside footpeg. It helps push your tyre into the ground improving grip.
There are some good youtube that will help with body position for cornering braking etc. There are also drills that can help like fig-8 and circle ruts. Better yet is to try and get on a pro training day with the likes of Chris birch or Shane watts

[CDN Rick]

Assuming you are doing all of this already but here is what I was taught by Chris Birch.

- Sit very far forward on the seat. If you think you are far enough forward you probably aren't.
-Butt cheek should be hanging off the side of the seat.
-Inside leg should be out and even with your front fork leg.
-Outside leg should be on the peg trying to break it off by pressing on it. There is no such thing as pushing too hard unless it actually snaps off.
-Head should be forward and positioned vertically above the contact point of the front tire on the ground looking up and forward.
-Hand placement and pressure is kinda hard to explain online.

If you ever get a chance to go to a local professional riding school even for just one day you'll be glad you did. Best money I ever spent on bikes was classes with Pro's.

[LAWMAN]

All good suggestions + I bet a new front tire would have made more difference than you think

[Caravan Monster]

Guessing you're racing CEC, TBEC or Fast Eddy. Fast Eddy used to do short training sessions at his practice days where you could ask directly about technique on the same sort of ground. I guess they're probably still doing it.

[Jim Cook]

One characteristic that most GasGas bikes have is the ability to turn quickly; especially under power.

If a rider can do his slowing for a turn, then just a microsecond before he initiates the direction change he hits the throttle, the bike will corner like it is on rails.
This technique will bring you out of a corner a full 10 mph faster than "slowing, turning, and then accelerating out of the turn".

It was un-natural for me to do this.
I had to practice it at low speeds, and then keep it up while I went faster. For a long time, I had to do the slow speed drill each riding day, until it became natural. It really pays off.
(This works especially well for the 2002-2004 chassis, which is more stable but slower turning than other early models. It has worked very well for me on all of them, even the 2011.)

Good Riding and Racing to You!
Jim

.

[CDN Rick]

Originally Posted by Jim Cook

One characteristic that most GasGas bikes have is the ability to turn quickly; especially under power.

If a rider can do his slowing for a turn, then just a microsecond before he initiates the direction change he hits the throttle, the bike will corner like it is on rails.
This technique will bring you out of a corner a full 10 mph faster than "slowing, turning, and then accelerating out of the turn".

It was un-natural for me to do this.
I had to practice it at low speeds, and then keep it up while I went faster. For a long time, I had to do the slow speed drill each riding day, until it became natural. It really pays off.
(This works especially well for the 2002-2004 chassis, which is more stable but slower turning than other early models. It has worked very well for me on all of them, even the 2011.)

Good Riding and Racing to You!
Jim

.

Could you expand on this? I was taught to accelerate coming out of the corner sitting far forward on the seat, pushing hard on the outside footpeg, with my inside leg even with the fork tube, and my head plumb with the contact patch of the front tire.

Is my seating still correct but my throttle wrong?

What is your body positioning when accelerating through a corner?

[Jim Cook]

Originally Posted by CDN Rick

Could you expand on this? I was taught to accelerate coming out of the corner sitting far forward on the seat, pushing hard on the outside footpeg, with my inside leg even with the fork tube, and my head plumb with the contact patch of the front tire.

Is my seating still correct but my throttle wrong?

What is your body positioning when accelerating through a corner?

Your positioning and weighting the outside footpeg sounds good to me, although I try to keep both feet on the pegs in the tight woods.
(Weighting the outside footpeg was the only way to keep the old '87 WR430 Husky hooked up when cornering; so I've been doing it a long time. On the GasGas, it all depends on what's happening as to how much weight I put on that outside peg.)
I always lean forward with my crotch up on the tank when I'm in a hurry exiting the turns. My crotch moves up to the tank as I'm hitting the front brake.

I was simply suggesting that you try whacking the throttle open "on the way" to turning the bike (twist the throttle as you go to move the bars), so that it turns faster and gives you a faster exit speed; which gives you a head start towards the next turn. I found it gave me a noticeably higher exit speed when I mastered it. The GasGas bikes amaze me with their ability to turn under power.