ANDREI BODROV MOTO CONTROL TRAINING ROUTINE -INTRODUCTION In this book all the exercises are designed for most common bike types. They are good for the vast majority of upright motorcycles. However, if you struggle a bit - you always can increase the dimensions. And if you find an exercise too easy — feel free to shrink it. Nobody will judge you, | promise! All dimensions are given in both imperial and metric units. | personally recommend to use imperial, because you can measure literally just with your feet, it’s pretty convenient. But if you like to be precise and don’t mind to jump around with a tape measure — feel free to use metric units! If you can use tall cones for setting up the exercises — it would be awesome. But since for most people it’s not convenient to carry them around - you can use other markers too, such as tennis balls cut in half. They are cheap, compact, highly visible and heavy enough to not be moved by the wind. So, go to an empty parking lot, set up your favorite exercise and have a nice, productive practice session. And most importantly - have fun!TABLE OF CONTENTS Stow RACE Stop&Go SLow CIRCLE Stow Cone WEAVE CIRCLE Ficure 8 SLALOM CROSSROAD BRAKING BRAKING AND SWERVING| ! SLOW RACESLOW RACE Keep the throttle slightly opened if you don’t want to stall the engine! Keep your chin up and look far ahead. Use the “Friction Zone” of the clutch. Release the clutch a little to accelerate, pull it in a little to slow down. Remember to use it ina smooth and controlled way, it’s not an ON/OFF switch! Use the rear brake to slow down faster, but don’t rely on it too much. Your main control here is the clutch, not the rear brake. The pressure on the rear brake should be really light. If your bike is shaking and the engine sounds like it’s about to stall - you are probably using too much rear brake or not enough throttle. Keep your arms as loose and relaxed as you can. If you feel the bike is tipping over — just release the clutch a little and the bike will regain it’s balance.STOP2G0STOP&GO Remember to keep your throttle slightly opened to avoid stalling! Keep your chin up and look far ahead. Even when you stop — don't look down! The main goal of this exercise is to teach you the correla- tion between your clutch and rear brake. As you pull in the clutch - apply little pressure on rear brake. When you take off - release the clutch smoothly and don't forget to re- lease the rear brake too. If at stop you feel like your bike is pulling forward — it means you haven't pulled the clutch enough. Most of the time try to keep your arms bent and relaxed. However, when almost at complete stop you can use short countersteering inputs to keep the bike upright a little longer. Remember that if at any moment you feel that your bike is tipping over — just release the clutch a little and your bike will become upright again!SLOW CIRCLE Don't forget to keep your throttle slightly opened. Stalling your bike in the middle of the turn is not the most pleas- ant experience! Turn your head more. Even more! And try also turn your chest and shoulders. Ideally, they should be parallel to your handlebars. Use the friction zone and rear brake, but don't rely on the brake heavily! Your clutch makes most of the work. Relax your upper body and your arms. The handlebars should practically turn themselves, don't force them. Don't put your feet down. If you feel that you are about to drop your bike — just release the clutch a bit and every- thing's going to be fine! To enter the circle use countersteering. Turn your head first and only then use countersteering!ieee oye fohe eo 8SLOW CONE WEAVE The main goal of this exercise is to teach you to flip your bike from side to side very fast. To lean the bike - use countersteering. Push left to lean left, push right to lean right. When you are pushing the handlebars - don’t hurry, give your bike some time to lean deeper. Your bike should lean really deep. Keep your body upright. This way your bike will flip from side to side faster and deeper. Keep your chin up, look far, far ahead. Try to watch the cones only with your peripheral vision, don’t stare directly at the cones. Keep the throttle opened slightly. Your speed through the whole exercise should be more or Less constant, but if you need to change it - use friction zone.18 FT =5,5M & on =~ | N reac >CIRCLE Keep your throttle slightly opened, use the clutch and rear brake to accelerate and slow down. Don’t use too much rear brake! Relax your upper body and arms. Let the front wheel cor- rect itself. Try to reach full lock from time to time, get used to the feeling of it. If you are riding with fully locked handlebars, but still want to make your circle a bit tighter - you can use counterbal- ancing to do that. Don't put your feet down. If you feel that you are about to drop your bike - just release the clutch a bit. Turn your head as much as you can. Turn your shoulders too! Enter the circle close to its edge. Use countersteering to initiate the lean. Try to place your front tire close to the cones, this way you'll have more space inside the circle. Don't look directly at the cones, watch them with your pe- ripheral vision. Try to imagine your line in advance.18 FT =5,5M {8FT=5,5™M © eas @ ie \ Ol © ; \ \ 4 eX o & wo ae Ae - { \ ul & I a ¢ eSFIGURE 8 Remember to keep your throttle slightly opened, use “fric- tion zone” and rear brake. Don't drag your feet, release the clutch if you want to make bike more upright. Turn your head as far as you can, turn your shoulders par- allel to the handlebars. Try to look behind you. Don't look directly at the cones, try to look for your line instead. Use your peripheral vision to watch the cones. Try to place your front tire closer to the cones to have more space inside the figure 8. Use countersteering to flip the bike from one side to an- other. Just before you apply countersteering - turn your head.Ea 30 FT \ 1 I 1 l U XNSLALOM Keep the throttle slightly opened and use the clutch and rear brake to accelerate and slow down. Try to find your intended line as soon as possible. To do that — turn your head and look for the line even before you apply countersteering. Use countersteering to flip the bike. Try to place your front tire closer to the outer cone, this way you'll have more space available. Make big, wide S-shaped turns, don't try to go directly from one gate to another.1i8rt= :20FT=6mM 5,5 M et iCROSSROAD Don't forget to keep your throttle opened a little! This exercise is all about your vision! Use your vision to find your line as soon as possible. Turn your head as fast as you can, as far as you can. Use countersteering to flip the bike from side to side. Turn your head and look into the turn just before you apply countersteering input. Keep you arms and upper body relaxed, let the front wheel correct itself.SeeeeseBRAKING Pay close attention to your front brake. Apply it in a smooth, progressive way. If you don’t have ABS on your bike - be ready to release the brake in case you lock up the front wheel. As you start to apply the front brake - don’t forget to completely close the throttle. Under hard braking it’s pretty easy to lock up the rear wheel. So when braking hard - apply rear brake at the beginning of braking, and then gradually release it. If you lock up the rear wheel - either gradually release the brake, or keep it locked. Don’t release it fast. Don’t put too much weight on your handlebars. Clamp the tank with your knees and activate your core muscles. That helps you to seat firmly in the saddle and keep your arms loose. Keep your chin up and look far ahead. Don’t look down even after you stopped. Increase your entry speed gradually, don’t try learn braking right from high speeds. Above all - you are aiming for consistent result. Here are fair stopping distance results for reference: 40km/h - 18ft, 60km/h - 34ft, 80km/h — 68ft. Try to beat them consistently!BRAKING AND SWERVING Your main goal here is to drop the speed as much as you can and only then make a swerve. Don’t swerve too early. While braking - use progressive, smooth braking tech- nique, keep your chin up, look far ahead and keep your arms loose and relaxed. While braking - shift to the first gear. When it’s time to swerve - don’t dump the front brake, re- lease it smoothly. Turn your head and plan your line. Use countersteering inputs to lean your bike fast. Swerve is made in “friction zone’. 20