Motorcycle Gymkhana: practice and have lots of fun

[mmittek]

Hi,

I don't know how many of you guys are familiar with the topic of motorcycle Gymkhana, but I would like to introduce the idea here anyway

It all started in Japan, where the riders compete on their tuned / modified motorcycles in order to get the best time riding through the artificially created course. The figures and obstacles are set using color-coded cones and the competitors have not only to pass the course as quick as possible, they also have not to make mistakes in memorizing the track. Some nice explanation videos are available here: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFEh59GVMnQ"]Welcome to the world of Moto Gymkhana Vol.1 - YouTube[/ame] .

Personally, I think, that practicing this kind of riding will make you prepared for the street situations and will teach you how to completely control your bike.

In 2011 Honda Poland decided to organize this kind of events in Poland and I was there - That is why I know about the stuff :P

Anyway, this kind of sport start to become popular all over the world (http://motogymkhana.org), even in the US (http://amgrass.com/). The local guys started in Alabama, without any Asian-Hardcore rules. Here they draw arrows on the pavement and make the courses not so complicated, so even the Sunday goldwing riders can handle it ;P Some videos from the 2012 are available on youtube: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjKIxiGei6k"]American Motorcycle Gymkhana Summer 2012 Birmingham Alabama USA - YouTube[/ame]

Let me know if you are interested I am going to prepare my Katana for this year's AMGRASS events - at least one of them, so maybe we can meet at the event?

[Scout]

I see gymkana here all the time. I have even visited a Japanese Police gymkana training facility near Kadena AB, and got some instruction from the top JP rider on the island. He also competes. His bike is a VFR800 Police edition.

[superbike]

Looks like good fun!

[steves]

I don't mind this one type of repost

[il_ragazzo]

i have always wanted to get enough cones to do some thing like this.

[Wild-Bill]

Don't think I'd want to try this on my Kat. I'd have to have a dedicated Gymkhana bike that I wouldn't mind dropping. One of the comments that jumped out at me was a statement that the poster dropped their bike hundreds of times a year practicing for these events.

Looks like a lot of fun, though.

[dano68]

I would love to try it, but on some one else's bike though

[mmittek]

Some quick update on my pre750

Hi all!

I finally managed to build the "crash cage" for my pre98 750, so I can start practicing some technical riding. I am still waiting for the protective gear to arrive, so I am not getting really hardcore yet... Guys from http://amgrass.com are doing some Gymkhana event in Alabama on Nov.9 so there is plenty of time to get ready for it

Done some riding tonight Just in case you don't believe that Kanatuna can turn, here's some basic video: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXm_LG7sHv4"]MotoGymkhana.pl - 1994 Suzuki GSX 750F Katana - Night of figures 8 @ DMV, Lincoln, NE - YouTube[/ame]

Enjoy!

[Wild-Bill]

Nice. I'd like to give that a try myself but I'm not sure how my 1100 would do. Maybe after I get the rear shock redone...

It looks like you keep your butt pretty well planted throughout. Have you tried sliding a little to the outside of the turn direction? That's how they had us doing the tight, slow turns at the last MSF course I went to. dunno... Might be too much movement would just unsettle things.

[mmittek]

Nice. I'd like to give that a try myself but I'm not sure how my 1100 would do. Maybe after I get the rear shock redone...

It should be good as long as you have good tires and can set your suspension stiff enough for the bike not to bounce, but soft enough to react on weight distribution.

It looks like you keep your butt pretty well planted throughout. Have you tried sliding a little to the outside of the turn direction? That's how they had us doing the tight, slow turns at the last MSF course I went to. dunno... Might be too much movement would just unsettle things.

I tried, I used to use this "countersitting" technique in 2011 and it worked just fine, but it limits you to slow speeds. The idea here is to try to push the speed up and compensate by the high lean angle (like the Jap riders). I know that I am not there yet, but I hope I will be till November :P

[ygolohcysp]

That looks like a lot of fun. You look pretty comfortable on that Kat doing that. I'm doing alright on technical roads and the track at high speed. I do occasionally practice braking and such in parking lots. Maybe I should try this out.

[JSMencer]

yeah they're really tight 8's. I should try it on my Kat. Got good speed to them too. I'm thinking of taking the advanced riders course. It works on turns more.