advice Archives | Inside Motorcycles Magazine

Trevitt’s Blog: Cornering ABS and using the rear brake

Andrew Trevitt — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 00:53:37 +0000

One rider aid that is available on an increasing number of new motorcycles is cornering ABS, sometimes incorporated into a stability control package. In its basic form, a cornering ABS function takes into account the motorcycle’s lean angle to adjust brake pressure, increasing the ABS effectiveness beyond a simple straight-line stop. However, as I outlined […]

Street to Track Blog: Track Days, Part II

Patrick Lambie — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 22:40:00 +0000

To be totally honest, my first track day of 2016 started out as a complete disappointment. I arrived at Castrol Raceway's road course confident and ready to ride, having just successfully completed Justin Knapik's On Track Performance Race School less than 24 hours earlier. In seemingly no time at all, my intermediate group received a five-minute warning, and in the time that it takes to start your bike, put on your helmet and gloves and line up, I was out on the track.

Trevitt’s Blog: Electromagnetic Valve Control (video)

Graeme Jones — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 21:47:28 +0000

While variable valve timing has been a hot topic over the last few weeks with the introduction of the updated GSX-R1000 featuring Suzuki's innovative mechanical VVT system, many companies are working toward the next step in this area: eliminating camshafts completely and controlling the valves directly using electromagnetic actuators. There are many stumbling blocks to electromagnetic valve actuation (EVA), but a research group in the Control and Automation Laboratory of the University of British Columbia has created a new type of actuator that may make EVA a very realistic option in the not-too-distant future.

Trevitt’s Blog: What’s a Qualifying Tire Worth?

Andrew Trevitt — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 19:23:50 +0000

At the final rounds of this year's Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship series, held at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Dunlop offered qualifying tires to the top 10 riders for a separate, 15-minute final qualifying session. This was new for many of the competitors, as qualifying tires have not been used in the series for several years. Jeff Williams was one of the riders in the top-10 session, and I was able to get some data from the Accelerated Technologies Honda CBR1000RR that he was riding for the weekend.

Street to Track blog: School’s in!

Graeme Jones — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 21:26:29 +0000

So you arrived the racetrack, unloaded your motorcycle, attended a riders meeting, jumped on the bike, and rode out onto to the track. And then, before you knew it, you were sitting in your pit reflecting on a day that feels like it flew by in an instant. More than likely, somewhere near the front […]

Street to Track Blog: Part 3: Pre-track prep

Graeme Jones — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 20:28:09 +0000

Your bike is all ready and it's time to head to the track. Not so fast. Preparing the bike is just one step of many, and inadvertently skipping even one item has the potential to ruin your time at the track before it even begins. With this in mind, here are a few items to consider.

BLOG: From the Street to the Track with Patrick Lambie: 2nd installment – Bike Prep

Patrick Lambie — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 01:04:48 +0000

After making the decision to head to the track this season, my attention quickly turned to determining what bike I should take with me. While momentary consideration was given to acquiring a bike specifically for track days and club racing, there was never really any doubt that it would be anything other than my trusted 2006 Honda CBR600RR taking this new adventure with me.

Trevitt’s Blog: Backing it in

Andrew Trevitt — Sat, 28 May 2016 01:47:58 +0000

We see all the time now road racers “backing it in” to corners, sometimes with the rear end of the motorcycle out of line with the front just as much as dirt track or supermoto racers. Using engine braking or the rear brake, these riders are skidding the tire just enough that the rear end […]

BLOG: From the Street to the Track with Patrick Lambie: An introduction

Graeme Jones — Fri, 29 Apr 2016 20:05:21 +0000

I guess the best way to start this blog is with a simple “Welcome to my latest adventure.” After what feels like a lifetime of riding on the streets, in 2016 I am heading to the racetrack in search of an outlet that can satisfy a desire for speed and the accompanying adrenaline rush. It […]

Trevitt’s Blog: Anti-Squat in Theory and Practice

Andrew Trevitt — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 23:25:40 +0000

In previous blogs, and in the print version of the magazine, I have discussed anti-squat and how it relates to chassis setup. Anti-squat is a very important tool in making a motorcycle lap quickly at the racetrack, especially a powerful superbike, but at the same time it’s one of the least understood setup parameters. Some […]

Touring Essentials Blog: Winter Reading

IM Admin — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 21:13:34 +0000

What’s on your bookshelf? It’s cold and miserable outside. Your bike has been parked for two months already, and many more months will go by before you are riding again. How do you pass the time? Pick up a good book. Since you ride, that tells me you are a bit adventurous, which also tells […]

Trevitt’s Blog: Identifying (and quantifying) smooth riding

Andrew Trevitt — Fri, 11 Dec 2015 22:16:20 +0000

We know that riding smoothly is one aspect of quicker lap times at the track and being safe on the street: Gentle, precise throttle inputs, fluid body movements and steady lean angles mid-turn are just some of the characteristics of what you'd consider a smooth rider. Jorge Lorenzo is a perfect example, with a glass-smooth riding style that looks like he is going much slower than he actually is.