Frequently-Asked Questions

[LUCIO NOBILE]

thank you
the core curriculum is very useful particularly for new rider but a good set of reminders for experienced riders as well.
I have been applying trail braking quite often for several years now but often my entry speed is too slow and sometimes I need to accelerate after the entry point to be able to apply some trial braking. What is the best way to improve your entry speed. May be is better to improve the entry speed only on the track and not on the street?

[Nick Ienatsch]

Hello Lucio, thanks for the note and support of Champ U.

We love your last sentence about track and street, you are exactly correct. That said, we can safely increase our entry speed on the street as long as we retain that vital 30% safety margin. Pushing much harder than that should be done on the track.

So here is how we increase entry speed safety: Rather than “brake later”, which is common advice, try this: brake at approximately the same point (when you’re nervous), but brake lighter so that your entry speed stays higher, longer, and your bike slows later in the corner. With this approach, you will have your brakes in play and that gives you exact and constant speed and radius adjustment.

Refer to the class where Kyle and Chris talk about fork travel at turn-in by the white board for reasons why braking “later and later” will eventually not work. Also note that his approach is exactly how we safely increase entry speed on the track!

Thanks and please help spread the word about Champ U! -Nick I.

[Armando Morales]

I finished the online class, great content at a very affordable price, thanks for your work!
I’ve been riding motorcycles only for a couple of years, it is mostly weekend riding through twisty roads, my brother wear a communicator and we’re constantly providing feedback to each other, trying new things, practicing to make us safer, and hopefully a bit faster.
After the online class I learned and remembered 3 things:
1- 5% brake on/off – this is new I was way to abrupt letting go of the brakes.
2- body position, start before the curve, end after the curve, the lowest point is when I start to accelerate , relaxed hands, fingers pointing towards the outside of the curve
3- ergonomics, adjusting the brake lever it was to high and to far away, and the rear brake height it was too high and always a struggle to keep my foot off the brake
Last weekend I found myself slowing down more than usual, but I had zero surprises on the twisty roads where I always had 1 or two errors, not this time around I found myself with ample margin to correct.
The twistys have a much higher % of blind curves than ones with good visibility, and The pavement can be ugly, with lines, sometimes bumps, or potholes, the ideal pavement is rare.
I’m adjusting to a better body position and letting go of the brakes later, as I used to go from say 20% to 0% upsetting the chassis, with the corrections I’m finding the bike turns more than I’m used to, I get closer to the inside and I need to correct, I guess it will take me some more practice to flow better.
Thanks again
Armando

[Josep Maria Macías]

I have finished the course and I am very grateful for the teachings received. I am 75 years old man and I have been riding a motorcycle all my life. Currently I have a T-MAX with which I go out with other motorcycles, maintaining fun rhythms on winding roads.
I would like to know the specific recommendations, if any, that UChamp would make, applicable to the driving of a T-MAX. and different from or on top of the recommendations of the course.
Thank you very much

[Troy Martin]

A must have for any rider!

Looking forward to more content!

[Barry Cahill-OBrien]

Excellent course. Please thank everyone for the effort. I like that it focuses mainly on riding at close to 100% of the bike design capability, which is good, as to learn how to push yourself and your bike is critical (only on the track). It has some excellent information on how to be a better street rider, and how to practice in a safe responsible way. I like that there is a lot of information on how to use the brakes, to help cornering safely, and stop effectively, as well as how to practice a controlled progressive response to any reaction you need to make. The most important lesson I learned was “We brake when nervous” which means that with practice we can overcome nerves, and speed and safety will improve through practice of good habits

If there was one thing I would have liked to see more of is a little information on counter lean and counter steer, as I see some riders will pop a boot out on a corner sometimes for fast reactions at less than full speed (Dirt bike style). There is one drill on this topic, so counter steering is there. I personally don’t like to move body parts too far from the fairings on the street as legs and toes tend to break off when they collide with objects.

Thank you, it has really helped me,

[Alex Hatfield]

Hey Barry!

Thanks for the kind words; we really appreciate the feedback!

As far as counter-leaning and countersteering, two quick points:
(1) Counter-steering is the most efficient way to deflect the front tire and initiate a lean, period. Even when we’re moving our bodies laterally, we’re subtly counter-steering. While we didn’t go into great detail in this course, keep an eye out next year for a street survival course, in which we’ll discuss counter-steering in more detail.
(2) Counter-leaning is something we’re familiar with and do both in the dirt and at very low speeds, such as in parking lots. We don’t focus on low-speed maneuevers such as motogymkahna courses or parking lots in this course because frankly, we’re not dying in parking lots or at parking lot speeds. While we may address this briefly in the street course next year, there are a plethora of resources from reputable sources online that cover “rodeo” style riding if that’s something that interests you.

[Alfredo Marún Bermeo]

Hi, just finished Champ U. Very complete and useful set of techniques very clearly explained. Very greatful you made this and that I took the course.
A suggestion: as i’ve already recommend to a couple of friends, notice it’ll be awesome if you had spanish subtitles, as some of them (as many latin americans) don´t understand as much english to take the course. Cheers!

[JOSE MANUEL J. YULO]

Hi Champ U , many thanks for the great online course. Since I started to apply what i learned my riding experience has transformed from a soap opera filled with drama to one of relaxed total readiness. My country is a great place to ride but like a lot of developing countries, traffic rules are gentle suggestions. It pays to be technical and ready for anything.I’m great friends with my front and rear brakes, they serve me well. Looking forward to a chance take the 2 day class soon.Many many thanks Champ U!

[Alex Hatfield]

Jose:
We’re super glad you got out of the “soap opera” phase! Welcome!

Alfredo: “A suggestion: as i’ve already recommend to a couple of friends, notice it’ll be awesome if you had spanish subtitles, as some of them (as many latin americans) don´t understand as much english to take the course. Cheers!”
We’re looking into this! Unfortunately, its exceedingly expensive to do – otherwise we would’ve done it already!

[Clifton White]

Can I access these courses through a mobile app? I’ve been looking for one on my Android phone so that I can complete the courses while on-the-go instead of using a web browser.

[Alex Hatfield]

Not through an app, but any web browser should work.

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