SX Testing vs Practicing

mx_563
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Edited Date/Time 1/27/2012 12:42pm
I notice in all the SX testing videos, the riders are taking what appears to be a very wide line around the berms. In a racing scenario, it seems you would never leave the door open like that. I remember from High School athletics that you gotta practice like it's the real thing. So what gives? Perhaps I don't understand what is actually taking place at the Supercross practice tracks.

Another thing I wonder about is drills. Aside from starts, I've never seen any videos of the riders doing any sort of drills. Is that because the camera is not on during this time? I think I may have seen some footage of Alessi doing drills once, but that's it.

I don't know but to the untrained eye, most of the SX practice track footage looks like a bunch of fast paced riding around. Seems like good practice to mix it up, maybe do all inside lines for 10 laps, then all outside lines, etc.

Can someone enlighten me? Are the guys just so good that they only need to test? No practice needed?
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jndmx
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11/10/2011 6:50am Edited Date/Time 11/10/2011 6:51am
When you see a video of a rider testing or practicing, you can bet that you are seeing about 2-3 minutes of a 4-5 hour day.
I'm sure the drills and inside lines, starts and all the non-glamourous stuff gets hit on pretty hard.

Everyone wants to rail the outside and whip it out cool for the camera guy.....that's what you are seeing.
mxtech1
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11/10/2011 7:00am
If they are testing parts, they will ride the exact same lines each lap to try and notice the differences the part makes. They can't tell what's going on if they are switching lines up every corner and not getting a consistant feel for what the bike is doing.

Like jndmx said, aside from testing, the rest of their time is spent doing motos and I can gurantee they are testing new lines and rythms to get in the practice of race mode.
mx_563
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11/10/2011 7:08am
I just don't see the lines forming in the dirt, which would indicate anyone ever takes a different line. Here's are two examples I just grabbed real quick from videos posted earlier in the week.

KTM:




Honda:




I can see where the tractor prepped the track everywhere except the main line. Maybe the vids were shot early in the morning, I don't know.


Now look how people square the corners in a race...



zookrider62!
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11/10/2011 7:13am
I know a privateer team that had tons of drills. For instance one drill was to stand up the entire time, no sitting anywhere

The Shop

jasonward73
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11/10/2011 7:20am
I have often wondered this as well. When you see footage of almost any rider at their home track there is only one line on the face of jumps and through corners. Usually the outside line as mentioned above. Go look at any video of Barcia, JS7, Reed... at their home track. I always thought it was a waste for their track builder to have this beautiful wide track and the rider only use about 10" of it each lap.

Maybe we just aren't seeing everything.

Jason
MX4EVR
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11/10/2011 7:58am
Great points, I have wondered also.
And why are the whoop sections not longer than the tracks they race on? The whole track should be longer.
If I were 20 and a AMA pro, I would time my practice motos on a longer track for 30 laps and push
Myself hard so when a1 is here 20 laps would be a walk in the park.
mxRob
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11/10/2011 8:26am
I have noticed that too, like in the TWMX Chad Reed Raw film, on the tripple its only one line up and the same with the corners.
saw it at Canards practice track too and wondered why they do that...
in2mx
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11/10/2011 8:51am
Ther taking the fastest line around the track in supercross ther is ruts out of the turns so they have to pick one. its always better to make the turn as round as possible if ur goin fast
MXTRAINER1
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11/10/2011 9:09am
You would need to see what section the rider was completing prior to this turn and what section he is going into also.
When the dirt at the Honda track is wet it is very slippery and moisture always goes to the bottom so that may also be the reason he is high in this turn.
Lightning78
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11/10/2011 9:19am
mxRob wrote:
I have noticed that too, like in the TWMX Chad Reed Raw film, on the tripple its only one line up and the same with the...
I have noticed that too, like in the TWMX Chad Reed Raw film, on the tripple its only one line up and the same with the corners.
saw it at Canards practice track too and wondered why they do that...
Maybe thats why EVERY TRACK were "one lined" last year ....... It is quite possible the sx riders rely on the lines used in the turns they use at the practice tracks, not to mention 4 strokes in tight turns ....the 4 strokes typically force a rider to use the same wide lines ......imo a 2 stroke rider can take whatever lines he chooses.....not trying start a 2 vs 4 stroke debate but it seems to me that the 4's have a massive gyroscopic effect that makes them resistant to lean and line change ..... It is amplified when riding a 2 and 4 stroke back to back 4 strokes imo typically want to "stand up" when charging forward which leads me to my theory that 2 strokes based on engine design are more 3 dimensional handling machines and 4 strokes are a more 2 dimensional handling machine based ion what I stated above .....of course this is only an IMO standpoint.
GuyB
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11/10/2011 9:48am
I can ask around, but here are a couple guesses. Feel free to dissect to your tastes.

A: They're doing it because they can. These guys can hit the same line over and over, where a lot of us (okay, me) would be happy if we're within two feet of the same line each lap. Wink

B: Track preservation. The tracks get beat up fairly quickly. Yes, they get freshened up from time to time, but it's not like Marc Peters or the Dirt Wurx crew is on standby to tidy it up between each moto. If they were squaring up turns a lot, they'd get beat up a lot more quickly. You'll see some line variations (inside/outside), and sometimes different rhythms, but a lot of the time it looks like a monorail system.

C. A lot of the SX test tracks are really hard-packed. The lines you make when you first break in a new track are the same ones that you'll be riding for a while.
Sondy132001
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11/10/2011 9:52am
GuyB wrote:
I can ask around, but here are a couple guesses. Feel free to dissect to your tastes. A: They're doing it because they can. These guys...
I can ask around, but here are a couple guesses. Feel free to dissect to your tastes.

A: They're doing it because they can. These guys can hit the same line over and over, where a lot of us (okay, me) would be happy if we're within two feet of the same line each lap. Wink

B: Track preservation. The tracks get beat up fairly quickly. Yes, they get freshened up from time to time, but it's not like Marc Peters or the Dirt Wurx crew is on standby to tidy it up between each moto. If they were squaring up turns a lot, they'd get beat up a lot more quickly. You'll see some line variations (inside/outside), and sometimes different rhythms, but a lot of the time it looks like a monorail system.

C. A lot of the SX test tracks are really hard-packed. The lines you make when you first break in a new track are the same ones that you'll be riding for a while.
but it's not like Marc Peters (or the Dirt Wurx crew) is on standby to tidy it up between each moto.

haha you'd be surprised... Wink

S
GuyB
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11/10/2011 9:53am
[b]but it's not like [u]Marc Peters[/u] (or the Dirt Wurx crew) is on standby to tidy it up between each moto.[/b] haha you'd be surprised... ;)...
but it's not like Marc Peters (or the Dirt Wurx crew) is on standby to tidy it up between each moto.

haha you'd be surprised... Wink

S
I know Marc and the gang are busy all the time. Smile
TeamGreen
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11/10/2011 11:46am
I know a privateer team that had tons of drills. For instance one drill was to stand up the entire time, no sitting anywhere
Roger and Joel...the '70s.
TeamGreen
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11/10/2011 11:48am Edited Date/Time 11/10/2011 11:49am
GuyB wrote:
I can ask around, but here are a couple guesses. Feel free to dissect to your tastes. A: They're doing it because they can. These guys...
I can ask around, but here are a couple guesses. Feel free to dissect to your tastes.

A: They're doing it because they can. These guys can hit the same line over and over, where a lot of us (okay, me) would be happy if we're within two feet of the same line each lap. Wink

B: Track preservation. The tracks get beat up fairly quickly. Yes, they get freshened up from time to time, but it's not like Marc Peters or the Dirt Wurx crew is on standby to tidy it up between each moto. If they were squaring up turns a lot, they'd get beat up a lot more quickly. You'll see some line variations (inside/outside), and sometimes different rhythms, but a lot of the time it looks like a monorail system.

C. A lot of the SX test tracks are really hard-packed. The lines you make when you first break in a new track are the same ones that you'll be riding for a while.
The Single-Line-Syndrom has a helluva following...

The most INSANE at this is Martin Davalos...he can nail that VERY SAME line down to the millimeter...well...it looks like he can...
Ddavis
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11/10/2011 12:06pm
I think it's more about getting your endurance ready for supercross rather than practicing actual racing lines, and also practicing being smooth, that way if you do get out front you end up riding your own race at a quick, smooth pace.
FastEddy
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11/10/2011 12:09pm Edited Date/Time 11/10/2011 12:09pm
Ddavis wrote:
I think it's more about getting your endurance ready for supercross rather than practicing actual racing lines, and also practicing being smooth, that way if you...
I think it's more about getting your endurance ready for supercross rather than practicing actual racing lines, and also practicing being smooth, that way if you do get out front you end up riding your own race at a quick, smooth pace.
Yeah dude....and eating lots of TATERS.
Chris O'Neal
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11/10/2011 1:02pm
It's pretty simple. How many drills do you think someone like Reed or any of the top guys need? They already have thousands of hours practicing and racing. The testing videos we see on websites are exactly that, testing parts and new ideas. Guys like Reed, Dungey and RV or any factory rider for that matter already know how to ride SX.

Now go to a SX track where privateer's are training and that's a whole different story. They don't have the experience and need to learn through drills and SX training.

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