[Saudi Biker]

Hi guys,

Yesterday, I went for my first track day. The track was a lil too bumpy at one of the corners... Anyways, at the very end of the track day, I lowsided at that corner. Thank god I had my frame sliders on and my A-Stars full suit on, or else I would be lying in bed for a week!

Now my question is how to avoid a lowside?? Especially, when you feel that you are about to lose control of the bike...

Are there any usefull parts that should be considered for the bike to help avoiding a lowside??? Plz advise.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ducatibrandon]

Luck! I guess you just need to learn the feal of the tires. I've not had much luck with this either lol.

 

[JIM]

You did say track day?

I am a old man on this board. The way I deal with a section of track like that is back off. Just a track day not a race day. Usualy by the end of the day some one will have showen me the way through and I will be going way faster than early in the day fighting the corner and bumps.

Race tires and Ohilns also help:mrgreen:

 

[Gurm 10]

Hi guys,

Yesterday, I went for my first track day. The track was a lil too pumpy at one of the corners... Anyways, at the very end of the track day, I lowsided at that corner. Thank god I had my frame sliders on and my A-Stars full suit on, or else I would be lying in bed for a week!

Now my question is how to avoid a lowside?? Especially, when you feel that you are about to lose control of the bike...

Are there any usefull parts that should be considered for the bike to help avoiding a lowside??? Plz advise.Thanks in advance.

:hello:.....tell me that the bike you low sided on, on your first track day is not your primary bike that you ride on the street. But in fact it is a bike that you had for the track.:sad: I have ambitions to do some track days...but I only have one bike and its my street horse. Therefore a track day (def. 1st one) on it would be very conservative. In otherwords I will have to have a bike for the track and one for the street. Just my 2 cents.:wink: Good luck with the bike and your track endeavoursccasion1

 

[RussMcB]

Hopefully someone far more experienced than I can comment, but one thing I think is to get as much of your body weight off to the side. That way your tire angle is less than if your body is in the same plane as the bike and tires.

Did the front end wash out, or did the back tire slide out from under you?

 

[Saudi Biker]

:hello:.....tell me that the bike you low sided on, on your first track day is not your primary bike that you ride on the street. But in fact it is a bike that you had for the track.:sad: I have ambitions to do some track days...but I only have one bike and its my street horse. Therefore a track day (def. 1st one) on it would be very conservative. In otherwords I will have to have a bike for the track and one for the street. Just my 2 cents.:wink: Good luck with the bike and your track endeavoursccasion1

Negative man... That's my only bike!!!! I just got it. Thank god that I have'nt hurt it real bad. It was only scratches and shit. But the feeling of being lowsided sucks big time!

I'm thinking of installing a cage, but I don't know if they allow it at the track or not... and if yes, then would it be dangorous while leaning at corners with the cage on?...

 

[lyodbraun]

yeah I know ive had several lowsides on bumpy tracks also most of them I could feel that front end starting to go and id try to push off the ground with the knee but just never had any luck LOL... but yeah if its just a track day then id just work on finding a different line through the turn and avoid the bumps if ya can ?? glad your ok.

 

[Saudi Biker]

Hopefully someone far more experienced than I can comment, but one thing I think is to get as much of your body weight off to the side. That way your tire angle is less than if your body is in the same plane as the bike and tires.

Did the front end wash out, or did the back tire slide out from under you?

No, the back tire slided out from under me and the bike slipped from under me to the ground. Funny thing, I dragged my knee before this happened!

I really wanna know what was the real issue with this accident.. I know that I was not heavy on the gas and I was at the 4th gear and when I was at Apax, I tried to lean over more and trusted my bike for that.. but I shouldnt have done that!! Guys if you know something in here shouldn't be done plz let me know... the tire I'm running on the rear is Metzeler M1, I guess. It's 200 wide, but in reality, it's only half cm wider than the stock tire.

Plz advise guys...

 

[kawiiiiii]

Get a set of race tires, it makes a lot of difference. Were your tires cold when you went down? No matre what tire, either you need to warm them up or becareful a couple of laps to warm up the tires.

 

[Saudi Biker]

Get a set of race tires, it makes a lot of difference. Were your tires cold when you went down? No matre what tire, either you need to warm them up or becareful a couple of laps to warm up the tires.

The tires were not cold at all. I did like 10 laps before I lowsided... Now, when you are saying Race tires do you mean slick tires or what??

 

[lyodbraun]

sounds like you just ran out of rubber and or the rear just let go on ya ?? to much lean angle?? there are all sorts of answers/ and or causes and ya prob wont pin point it just take what ya learned from that crash and move on and dont over think it...

 

[kawiiiiii]

I mean DOT approved road and track tires. Your suspension set up is also important or should be adjusted accordingly.

 

[kawiiiiii]

sounds like you just ran out of rubber and or the rear just let go on ya ?? to much lean angle?? there are all sorts of answers/ and or causes and ya prob wont pin point it just take what ya learned from that crash and move on and dont over think it...

That is very true. I low sided once due to jumping on gas so quickly and I learned not to be hard on the gas in turns again.

 

[10roller]

sounds like you just ran out of rubber and or the rear just let go on ya ?? to much lean angle?? there are all sorts of answers/ and or causes and ya prob wont pin point it just take what ya learned from that crash and move on and dont over think it...

the m1's are a good tire, more geared for sport touring though. i wouldnt try to push those tires while at full lean. i doubt they give good feedback for tire feel while leaned over also. ive lowsided in the twisties on the m1's before. switched to DC3's and never looked back.

and if you havent setup the suspension for your weight, it is highly recommended.

 

[caboose]

Was this at Cayuga? I see you live near me. What track? What corner?

There's many things that could contribute to a lowside.

- Are your tires in good shape? Pressures?
- Suspension set up? Have you done anything to set it up for your weight?
- Body position? If you're a noob, it could be that you've got some room to improve there. Proper body positioning is less taxing on the tires.

My advice is:
- Get your suspension set up as best you can.
- Get good tires. I would not venture out on the track with a 10R with anything other than DOT race tires or slicks. Good condition take-offs will be fine for you but IMO a 10R with street tires on a race track is a recipe for disaster.
- Get some help from faster riders with your riding.

 

[Saudi Biker]

Was this at Cayuga? I see you live near me. What track? What corner?

There's many things that could contribute to a lowside.

- Are your tires in good shape? Pressures?
- Suspension set up? Have you done anything to set it up for your weight?
- Body position? If you're a noob, it could be that you've got some room to improve there. Proper body positioning is less taxing on the tires.

My advice is:
- Get your suspension set up as best you can.
- Get good tires. I would not venture out on the track with a 10R with anything other than DOT race tires or slicks. Good condition take-offs will be fine for you but IMO a 10R with street tires on a race track is a recipe for disaster.
- Get some help from faster riders with your riding.

Yes, bro... It's Cayuga track... Corner# 6!! I'm sure you are familier with that corner.

I haven't checked out air pressures at all! As far as the suspension, stock! I weigh around 60 kgs... Do I have to set the suspension up??

Body positioning was not bad, I was trying to get my knee dragged while taking that nasty, bumpy corner... and I wish I didn't do that.... But I wanted to trust this bike and go for it... I'm sure there was something wrong in my position at that time that's why I got the bike slipped under me. maybe I didn't got off the seat enough, and tried to lean the bike too hard while my butt was on top of the seat not half off.

I got some feedback from one of the instructors there who followed me.... those guys were really cool.

I don't know... Just sharing my insights.

 

[cesarb714]

What did they instructor say? Im sure he had the best view and can give you the best feedback since none of us were there to actually see it. Did you have your knee down when you fell? I would get some slicks for the track but if you dont want to bother with changing your tires everytime you go to the track get some pilot power 2CTs, those are bad ass and Ive never had an issue with them. I think the problem was you just leaned too far for those tires and ran out of grip. One of the posts here said it well, dont over-think it! It will bother the shit out of you and may affect you the next time you hit that corner. I'd say just switch up your tires and try again... good luck bro!

 

[Saudi Biker]

What did they instructor say? Im sure he had the best view and can give you the best feedback since none of us were there to actually see it. Did you have your knee down when you fell? I would get some slicks for the track but if you dont want to bother with changing your tires everytime you go to the track get some pilot power 2CTs, those are bad ass and Ive never had an issue with them. I think the problem was you just leaned too far for those tires and ran out of grip. One of the posts here said it well, dont over-think it! It will bother the shit out of you and may affect you the next time you hit that corner. I'd say just switch up your tires and try again... good luck bro!

Too bad, we switched places just right before I lowsided... so after I saw him at the end, he was like I was doing great for the last three laps... I was following the right riding line... He was saying at the begining that I was too rigid on the bike in corners and I wasn't running my bike smoothly.

I won't let this affect me at all!!! I just wanna know what's the problem so I avoid it next time.

 

[10roller]

I won't let this affect me at all!!! I just wanna know what's the problem so I avoid it next time.

after every crash there is a great opportunity to learn what not to do next time

I haven't checked out air pressures at all!

you should know the proper tire pressures for the tires your running. but i would upgrade from the M1's you got on there.

As far as the suspension, stock! I weigh around 60 kgs... Do I have to set the suspension up??

yes you should get your suspension setup for your weight.

maybe I didn't got off the seat enough, and tried to lean the bike too hard while my butt was on top of the seat not half off.

sounds like you need to work on your body positioning. do you have any friends you ride with or somebody that could work with you on proper technique?

did you get any photos taken of yourself at the trackday? thats a great way to check out your body positioning and find what you need to work on.

 

[Speedyj]

what caboose said is correct... man you have to check pressures, on an ordinary road tire inflated to 38-40 psi, can get to 48psi+ on the track, that plays major issues with traction and side wall flex.