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Thread: Is knowledge really power?

  1. #1
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    Is knowledge really power?

    Of course it is and it is even more important in any type of motorsports racing.

    There are new tire and suspension vendors at the track this year and while they are all really smart people, they cant give you a magic answer. The thing with having a successful racing program (doesn't only meaning winning) is asking the right questions.

    Tire and suspension vendors can only give answers based on the questions asked and the information given along with the questions. So before you go and ask a vendor a question expecting a magical answer, figure out what the bike or tires is doing so when you ask them a question they dont ask you a question you are not sure about.

    These are busy people and "hang on I will have to go and check" isnt what they really want to hear. The next trick is figuring out the "right" questions to ask and I would suggest spending some time with the tire/suspension vendor when they aren't slammed, which could be before the day has started or after it has finshed.

    Going fast is about having the right information to help you go fast. You see a lot of the better funded teams using data aquisition and having their own suspension technician. Information is key for any racer, the smart racer's learn to ask the right questions :wink: Regardless of how fast you are or how long you have been racing, talk with your tire/suspension vendor (when they have time) to figure out what sort of information they will need to help you in your quest.

  2. #2
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    knowledge is power only if we have the balls to use it!!!
    if Oscar the grouch built a bike with “stuff” he had on hand #269

  3. #3
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    Perhaps, but the more knowledge you have with your bike and tires means you actually dont need balls to go fast :wink: Get your bike and tires working for you and you dont need to risk anything (ie. using your balls) to go fast. The tires guys can just sell tires if you just want to buy tires, but the experienced tire guys can help you actually go fast if you want to. People like Bru (Steve Brubaker the new Dunlop vendor) have been helping fast people go faster for a very long time 8)

    The same thing with a rider-coach, the easy way to go fast is to brake later and accelerate earlier but a great rider-coach like for instance Jason Pridmore, will teach you how to brake later and accelerate earlier and all the pieces inbetween. It's all in the details, which comes from knowledge 8)

    Basics like this should be taught at the new rider clinic, they may be already being taught not sure. Asking a friend in the pits for advice is a good start, but why not ask the right people, the right questions :wink:

  4. #4
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    I defintely agree with what you said Aaron. It makes it much easier to find a solution when we have all the variables.

    However, don't let us vendors off the hook too easy. A partnership between the rider and a specialist is defintely a two way street. It's up to us to ask you the correct questions in order for you to give us the information we need to know for the solution. Especially with the new riders that don't have much experience. Some riders really don't know much about the bikes they are riding other than what model it is.

    The best price if advice I can give is for the riders to be proactive and learn/set up your bikes BEFORE you get to the track. Understanding how the changes of sag, trail, damping, tire compounds, tire pressure and track/ambient temperatures (yes, that can affect suspension) etc, changes the personality of your race bike will be very beneficial to your race program! It's better to know these variables before the race and not after. Also, what might work at HPR might not (and probably won't) work at PPIR.

    If you haven't already, it might be a good idea (after you learned the track and your lines) to purposely change a setting (damping, tire pressure, ride height etc.) to an extreme opposite and use a couple practice laps to (safely) feel what that change feels like and how you can exploit that knowledge for power in the future.

    To echo what Aaron said, us vendors are here for you guys and gals. You pay enough money for the race parts you ride on and deserve to have the support at the track that come along with those parts. It only helps both parties to get to the source of the problem quickly and effectively.

    Have a great season!

  5. #5
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    Knowledge is power if you have the right information. There are a lot of people completely full of shit out there. :lol:

    Definitely build a relationship with your vendors. You may not even know what questions you should be asking yourself or them, which is where the really good ones (like Dave @ STM) help fill in the blanks. Getting your bike or your brain to do faster laps isn't a simple Q&A; it's an introspective, critical conversation, and one you should be having regularly.
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  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sol Performance
    A partnership between the rider and a specialist is defintely a two way street. It's up to us to ask you the correct questions in order for you to give us the information we need to know for the solution.
    I couldn't agree more Oscar. A few years ago when I was still racing several racers (fast racers) tried a different brand of tire that was winning races in several classes without changing any of their bike setup, and not listening to the tire vendor. The had decided that their setup work well for the tires they were running on and that this other brand of tire should just make them faster.......

    They didnt listen to the advice/instructions given by the different tire vendor and the tires didnt work at all. They then went on to declare the tires didnt work, the tire vendor didnt know anything about the tires and the other fast guys who were winning were only doing so because the were actually getting 'special tires' that weren't avaliable to them :lol:

    Being proactive BEFORE the races is a big part of doing it right as you said. The fast experienced guys have different game plans for different variables they may incounter at the track as far as weather, track condition etc and dont get frazzled when things dont go to plan.

    Work with you tire/suspension vendor and as Oscar said it is a two way street. That means good feedback from rider to the vendor, and help or direction from the vendor to the rider :wink:

  7. #7
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    Again, I couldn't agree more Ralph. I worked with Dave @ STM Suspension for a long time and couldn't of done as well as I did without his help. Communication is key and Dave understands what a racer is saying, he can even translate ramblings and guestures into the Language of Speed 8)

  8. #8
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    I think club racers get way too wrapped up in the complexity of searching for answers in the bike, the tires, the suspension, etc. when 80-90% of us need a decent baseline setting and then need to learn to ride the damn bike.

    I agree whole-heartedly with Clarkie on the benefits of a good coach - and fast guys certainly need to work with the technical experts to dial in their kit to get the most out of it each weekend... but guys that are 5+ sec off the pace will get a whole lot more out of a good baseline setting (from the Daves, Oscars, etc.) and focusing on learning to ride than they will messing with the suspension settings looking for some magic pill.

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