Track Day Plateau (mental block?)

[scott-sts]

I've been to 8 track days in the last few years, all at BeaveRun (north of Pittsburgh) aside from a day at Mid-Ohio with CLASS. Half of the track days were instructional type days with alternating classroom session and track session (STT, CLASS, TPM). Just did a track day on Wednesday that the local Euro shop sponsored (European Motorcycles of Pittsburgh, great shop). My question:

According to the control riders, my form and lines are fine. But I'm freaking slow. The fast guys are running 1:05 and I'm (maybe) around a 1:20. 15 seconds is a HUGE gap. I seem to have hit a plateau or mental block or something. I'm smooth and comfortable going thru the corners but really don't care for triple digits on the straights. I don't look at the speedo much but I did glance down a few times and generally saw numbers in the 100 - 110 range when the speedy guys are probably doing 140-something. But they're really fast in the corners too.

I don't know what the issue is. Afraid of speed or just not used to processing info at a ton plus? Don't trust my tires? Afraid of crashing? I don't think I ever have self-induced pucker moments on the track. Feels like a spirited street ride without the concerns about gravel, traffic, etc. I *know* that I have a very strong desire to never ever crash, especially since I have to ride my bike to the track (and then home). I'm sure I could get a ride from a friend if something happened, but I wonder if I have a mental block at riding harder than 90% or something. Dunno...

So, I'm sure I'm not the first guy to feel like they're not getting any better. Any thoughts or suggestions? I'm at the point of just giving up on track days since it seems I'm not getting much value out of them.

You've made the decision that you don't want to crash; this has much to do with why you aren't improving.  The best racers in the world also don't want to crash-they realize they may though.  They are willing to crash to go faster, you are not.  IMO, this is the biggest difference between racing and street riding: racers are willing to crash, street riders should NEVER be willing to crash.
during your next track day, I would suggest you play a little game with yourself:    
1-Be on the gas at the apex of every corner.  
Every turn, ID the apex and be on the throttle.

2-come out of every corner as tight as possible.  Don't run wide, keep it tight.

The "Correct" line is usually considered correct because speed makes it so.  Without speed, you are only following an imaginary painted line that tells you to follow it.   Once you concentrate on getting a good drive out of every corner, your lap times will drop and your entrance speed will pick up without you even trying to increase it.  Keeping a tight line will teach you how much speed you COULD have carried through the turn (Just look at how much track you have left).  This will help trick your brain that you can go faster while still being safe.  Also, once you start going faster, your bike will start to run out towards the "Correct" racing line.    

 

   

[phoenix]

I'm going to add in my $0.01. Potentially not as valuable as someone else's $0.02 as I have only done 2 trackdays, but they were recently (early August and just yesterday).

One comment I have to say is that yes, it could be the fact that your trackbike is also used for street riding (and its worth more than my trackbike). I bought a bike just for the track, and tried to get one inexpensive enough that if I did crash it, I wasn't going to be crying all week long about how much money it was going to take to return it to showroom condition. I really think that was one significant step to push me into a different mindset where I literally was saying to myself "lean the fukcer over some more and go faster, dammit! It's just your trackbike!!"

In the first session yesterday, I was monkeying around too much with gear changes. Downshifted too far once and had a little eye opener.   During the second session I was almost determined to just put it in 3rd and not touch it, just work on lines and let the fast guys pass me on the long straight. 3rd session I would bump up into 4th on the long straight but slow down at the end and downshift. After lunch, I was leaving it in 4th until the other side of the course (short course with a few loooonnnnggg corners that could easily handle this). In the last 2 sessions of the day, I think I only got passed once by another rider in the group, but plenty by the CR's.

I don't know what BeaveRun is like. Maybe you need to do more time on different tracks since you're almost too familiar with BeaveRun. I have to admit I prefer right turns to lefts, and I was hesitant to do the trackday yesterday because the course ran counterclockwise and had some challenging left turns. After doing that trackday, I feel a ton better about lefts. I have a ton of stuff to work on, and hopefully don't become too rusty between now and next spring.

If you're not having fun though, I'm not sure what advice anyone can give to help you out.

[1moreroad]

2-come out of every corner as tight as possible.  Don't run wide, keep it tight.

The "Correct" line is usually considered correct because speed makes it so.  Without speed, you are only following an imaginary painted line that tells you to follow it.   Once you concentrate on getting a good drive out of every corner, your lap times will drop and your entrance speed will pick up without you even trying to increase it.  Keeping a tight line will teach you how much speed you COULD have carried through the turn (Just look at how much track you have left).  ....

And if you've slid off that tightest line (2 wheel drift to the outside edge of the track on exit) or banged your exhaust can (diminishing radius turn into a chicane), what then? (this is a serious question because I try to run a tight line but each one of these things has happened)

[garry]

Every coach/CR/instructor I've had has said to stick to the race line. Period. No matter how slow you are going. Anything else is unsafe because you are no longer predictable when faster riders go to pass you. And given the closing speeds between fast and slow riders, there may not be much room/time for them to not asspack me if I do something unexpected. I'm even more afraid of some asshat taking me out than I am of me pushing too hard and crashing. I see and hear about way too many people that lose all sense of courtesy and restraint at track days.

Don't know if I'll ever do another road course track day at this point. Might put some 17" wheels on my DRZ and do the much more affordable "practice" nights on the kart/motard track next door ($22 a day!). Speeds are much lower and the turns are tighter, and you get to make left turns too! Plus, my DRZ is a trail bike and somewhat used to being on its side.

[scott-sts]

And if you've slid off that tightest line (2 wheel drift to the outside edge of the track on exit) or banged your exhaust can (diminishing radius turn into a chicane), what then? (this is a serious question because I try to run a tight line but each one of these things has happened)

I guess the answer is: Go around the track slow enough to avoid wheel drift and exhaust can touchdown?
Or, set up your bike properly to avoid such things.  

[Mr Sunshine]

Once you concentrate on getting a good drive out of every corner, your lap times will drop and your entrance speed will pick up without you even trying to increase it.

Interesting comment.  It makes sense and something to try myself.  Thanks.

[Mr Sunshine]

And if you've slid off that tightest line (2 wheel drift to the outside edge of the track on exit) or banged your exhaust can (diminishing radius turn into a chicane), what then? (this is a serious question because I try to run a tight line but each one of these things has happened)

Hang off more in both cases.  Also your bike needs some more setup.  For the longest time this year I would get out of turn 2 at Pacific Raceways spinning up my rear the entire way.  I moduled how far I drifted with my throttle...when I got close to the edge I would back off the throttle.  Well after spending some serious time with setup on my bike this isn't the case anymore.

[Mr Sunshine]

Every coach/CR/instructor I've had has said to stick to the race line. Period. No matter how slow you are going. Anything else is unsafe because you are no longer predictable when faster riders go to pass you. And given the closing speeds between fast and slow riders, there may not be much room/time for them to not asspack me if I do something unexpected. I'm even more afraid of some asshat taking me out than I am of me pushing too hard and crashing. I see and hear about way too many people that lose all sense of courtesy and restraint at track days.

Staying on the race line isn't predicitability....you can be predictable and be off the race line.  Predictiability is about taking a line and sticking to it.  For example taking an inside line into a corner and then suddenly going wide isn't predictable.  Staying inside even though off line is predictable.

Essentially not swooping makes someone predictable.