What are you good at and why?

[2 strokes 4 life]

Originally Posted by Loosenut

Look guys, I have a good skill set, or I wouldn't be in the A class, but I hate to talk about it because I don't want to sound like a jerk. I generally let my riding speak for itself.

2 things that have really improved my speed without much more physical effort are cornering speed and line selection. I carry more speed into blind turns than most of my friends. So, I gotta be careful not to run them down if I'm not leading. I also ride as strait as possible. All the zig-zagging through the rocks waste time, but you need your suspension working for you. I find that it's almost as smooth and passing is way easier.

Good stuff there. Anyone can go fast in a straight line but the corrners is where it is all lost or gained.

I have beeb told that to race A class in the series I am going to do this year is easier than B class due to all the sandbaggers. If it was not for that I would just start B classs.

I am sure A is A thoe and it does make you a good rider.

[REVERUP]

I probably would say the ability to finish even the toughest races, and to know when and where to conserve and push.
I'm not in great shape, not young, or overly gifted, but luckily I am tough.

But if your talking just strictly fundamentals I would say my balance is at the top of the list. Followed closely by the ability to ride smooth which conserves energy. Smooth is fast.


My weak points are sit down riding and huge intimidating MX jumps. You all know the ones, where mistakes mean traction. Ya, for some other guy as he uses your broken body for it, Or you end up in the hospital in it.

Roscoe

[SpeedyManiac]

Originally Posted by 2 strokes 4 life

Good stuff there. Anyone can go fast in a straight line but the corrners is where it is all lost or gained.

I have beeb told that to race A class in the series I am going to do this year is easier than B class due to all the sandbaggers. If it was not for that I would just start B classs.

I am sure A is A thoe and it does make you a good rider.

I'd recommend you start out in the Junior or Intermediate class at PN races. Definitely Junior if you haven't raced before. Intermediate, Expert and Masters are all really, really fast classes. This is my last year in the expert class - next year I should hopefully be moving up to Pro/AA/Masters up here.

[GMP]

I don't quit either, I've puked in my helmet and kept going. Other than that I do better if its nasty, because I live and practice in a nasty place. High speed sand whoops are my weakness, but like most rock guys I have limited practice.

[cladoo]

I've been told that I look real smooth when I ride and by being smooth I use less energy. I also believe that you must keep the rubber side down to finish a race, so slow down and finish rather than go faster and crash.

[2 strokes 4 life]

Originally Posted by SpeedyManiac

I'd recommend you start out in the Junior or Intermediate class at PN races. Definitely Junior if you haven't raced before. Intermediate, Expert and Masters are all really, really fast classes. This is my last year in the expert class - next year I should hopefully be moving up to Pro/AA/Masters up here.

Will do for sure, I can race 250B on the moto track but I guess its a different ball game in the PN series. I am going to do junior over for sure then.

[whodat]

good at picking the bike up and exceptional at quick lever changes!

[gasser]

I'm good at riding slow and conserving my energy so I can stay awake for the ride home.

[cvl05]

I'm good at leading a group into no mans land and getting lost, " now i know that damn trail was there last week" Thank god for maps and gps. I also love the slower and tougher the better, as long as i don't have to carry the bike i'm ok.

[T.Low]

great thread.

As a point of reference for you Washington guys, I ride Walker Valley a lot.

Strengths:
When it comes to climbing hills, I'm a hard charger. Guys that have gapped me somewhere along the way, I'll catch them on twisty, rocky, rutted, bermed, hillclimbs. Against gravity, I'm confident and agressive as hell. I'm not sure, but I think its because if I screw up, I can break easily up hill.

And I can wheelie thru gears up hill. Luv getting the sliding power wheelie, but only on slight ascending grade.

Been complimented more than a few times on picking good fast lines. It dawned on me one day that maybe I have a vision for good lines in general as I was a good running back in football, a natural playmaker in basketball and hockey, and I white water kayak a lot, which is dependant on being able to pick (and stay on ) good lines.

Weaknesses:
DOWNHILL. I'm slow cornering downhill. I'm slow and afraid to commit. My bro in law says i need to practice braking until i'm comfortable doing stoppies and that will give me more confidence in my stopping abilites so i will be able to commit to some downhill speed.

Flat corners. Will not commit to lowering the bike or pivoting. Will roost a little at the end of the sorner but thats about the extent of it. Have no confidence to trust the bike and the physics. Tired of sprained knees and ankles (more from other sports, not motorcycling). Yeah, I know, I'm a wuss.

Any advice will be appreciated.