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So you recently started riding a sport bike and wonder - How do I get fast like the guys I see around in the canyons? Well, even though I can’t claim to be the fastest rider out there, I am definitely above average and started out just like you.

So, what does it take?
Well, first of all if you just started riding, get Keith Code’s book “A twist of the wrist” - both part 1 and 2. You will probably say - why the hell would I read a book about riding instead of going out and doing it - well, I can pretty much guarantee it will help. I don’t want to do a book report here, but in summary, there are a few major, important things you should take away from this book: body and seating position, counter steering, and learning how your bike actually works when you turn.

What is counter steering? Well if you are riding anywhere above 10 mph you are doing it whether or not you realize it. When you turn right for example, you are actually pushing the right side of the handle bar forward (or steering the other way). It’s going to happen whether you like it or not, but the key here is to be aware of it. Once you are aware of what you are doing, you will actually stop fighting your mind, which is telling you this is wrong (at first), and mess you up in the turn. Another thing to remember about steering in general is not to push down on the bars but push forward - which of course goes hand in hand with proper seating position. A lot of guys out there - even the veterans - still do it wrong. It might work, but it definitely requires a lot more force to do - so unless you want to waste your energy on this, push forward, not down. The only real way to steer a bike is with the handlebars and not leaning, contrary to what your buddies might have told you. The leaning just helps and happens because you are turning.

Another thing that’s worthwhile to learn about is - how your bike actually works. For example you need to realize that you will have much more tire patch on the ground in the rear as compared to the front when you turn. So in fact you are turning on your rear wheel and not on the front. Also, you will realize why you slow down through a turn, unless you are on the gas. The short and very simplified explanation is: the tire closer to the rim (when the bike is leaning) has a smaller diameter, so you will need the engine to go faster to keep the speed constant. It’s like the gears on a mountain bicycle. It’s also nice to know why you are not falling on the ground when you are leaning so close to it - it’s the centrifugal force that counteracts gravity.

Now that the basics are out of the way, here are some other things which I see too many people do.
First off, don’t TRY to scrape your knee… I know every sport bike rider thinks they are fast or look cool when they scrape their knee sliders, but I can run circles around them in my jeans. Why? Because dragging knees is an inevitable product of going fast, not the other way around. When all you are thinking about is how to drag your knee, you are probably not even going close to fast enough to need it. And since you are so leaned over, and have much less rear tire on the ground to get on the gas hard enough, you can bet a guy not dragging his knee will pass you (at least on the exit of the turn). Of course you are going to say - “well, what about all those AMA and Moto GP racers? They drag their knee”. The answer is they are going fast enough and have no choice. So stop concentrating on how your knee slider looks and concentrate on turning. Believe me; you will look much cooler when you pass those guys.

Another kind of obvious thing is - if you don’t know the road, take it easy. To me, knowing the turns (before you get to them) is half of being fast. If you know the turn, you know when and how hard you should brake and where the turn in point is. If you are on a new road or track for that matter - take a couple of rides before you try to pass your buddy.  If you are riding on the street and canyons, you should know where there could be dirt on the road or driveways, etc. There are places, I know, I can go much faster, but I also know there is a driveway right around the bend, and I’ve seen a many friends get hurt really bad when they don’t think ahead. Don’t forget to look as far as you can into the exit of the turn - not only for safety but it will help you be faster. You need to always look to where you want to end up. Look out of the turn not into it.

Equipment: Well, not that you think you are pretty fast, you may start thinking about upgrading your bike. In my personal experience, the most important things are: suspension, rearsets and last but not least tires. Other good upgrades are a steering damper, and of course brakes.
A better suspension will definitely give you more confidence and stability. You can get more power to the ground where you couldn’t before. You can either get completely new shocks and forks, or just get the internals redone. In either case - it will be better than stock.
Rearsetsare often overlooked by street riders - or just purchased for looks J. The most important thing about rearsets is - they will get you into a better riding position - more comfortable. You will be surprised what a difference one inch (or less) in height of your rearsets can make. At this point I have a hard time riding a bike with stock rearsets - it’s just very uncomfortable.
Last, don’t forget your tires. Obviously worn out tires are worse than newer ones - everyone knows that. But something I will recommend is - don’t be cheap. In the old days of Dunlop GPs, they didn’t last very long on the street, so a lot of people were reluctant to spend the money, but now days the GP 211s (or even the GP 209s) are fantastic. The new multi-compound GPs have a good lifespan on the street and they are one of the best tires out there you can get. If you want the performance without the price - try looking for some race take-offs, on a site like eBay or Motoyard.com. A lot of times you can find a good set with a lot of life left in it, for less than half the price of a new set.

So now that you know all this - go out and practice. Like with anything else, same goes for riding a bike - practice makes perfect. You will get more comfortable and know what to do before you get into that turn. Try to remember your braking point, turn in point and line and try to hit them every time. If you are not going fast enough you probably will wonder where these should be. If you are still wondering, don’t hurry yourself, you are not there yet. Once you are at the right speed it will all come together and you will see where all these points are. Of course with practice you will fix the last thing that’s holding you back - your mind. Once you get up to speed, your mind will get used to it and it will all seem easier.

Don’t forget your gear. Road rash is a bitch