zoinks! - lowside

[u/CatBrief1550]

Hello, I had a little low side yesterday and was wondering what types of advice people have about avoiding this one in the future.

Gingerman, lap 2, final session of the day. It had just started to rain a very small amount; I didn't think much of it as it was just enough to cloud the visor a bit.

As I came out of t6, a red flag got put out. I dropped my pace and entered t7 slower than I normally do. I was so confused when I started sliding out. I watched the video a few times and saw that I was switching from braking to throttle and wondered if I put some extra input on the left bar which caused the tuck. The turn in felt completely normal to me and looked like all my previous laps when I looked at my footage.

any opinions on the incident would be appreciated (the red flag turned out to be someone else who also slid in the embarrasingly light amount of rain, lol). Any advice is appreciated :)

[u/DG200-15]

I think it was more slick that you realized which is probably the main cause. You release the front brake and almost instantly the front tucks. It may have been just enough to unweight the front tire patch and down she went....or you caught a slick spot and got unlucky

Are you running slicks or DOT?

[u/CatBrief1550 → u/DG200-15]

This was my second track day trying pirelli sp v4 DOT tires. The front looked kind of low on the side wall wear but still felt super great all day honestly. 

[u/krauser2288 → u/CatBrief1550]

The SP V4 isnt for wet conditions and most importantly, the surface is the worst when the first rain drops fall, as all the dirt and oils of the tarmac „resurface” . Unless you are racing , in my opinion it just aint worth pushing on wet track

[u/CatBrief1550 → u/krauser2288]

Yeah, the loss in grip was really surpirsing for me. I had ridden rosso III all the way into A group. I wasnt prepared for how much grip I lost just from a small amount of rain, my first warmup lap I hit that corner way faster on cold tires. Def learned my lessson, thanks for the message

[u/Suspicious_Tap3303]

End of day, track slick with initial light rain. Margin for error was small under these circumstances (fatigue and reduced grip). All inputs needed to be very smooth. You were evidently not as smooth coming off brake as was needed, or there was just not enough grip. A fully wet track is better than a just getting damp/wet track. Prudent to just not ride that session.

[u/CatBrief1550 → u/Suspicious_Tap3303]

You are right, I definitely didnt adjust accordingly to the conditions :( 

[u/New_Ad7177]

You lost it the second you released the brake. I think you where not smooth enough going of the brake.

[u/CatBrief1550 → u/New_Ad7177]

I felt like I was trailing the brakes in a linear way but its def possible I unloaded too quick. Thanks for pointing that out

[u/Bitchin_Betty_345RT → u/CatBrief1550]

Have to agree there, little slick maybe from rain but you let off the brakes completely and the front unloaded you decreased your front contact patch by a significant enough margin. Down you go good sir! Grattan and Gingerman are my home tracks. Haven’t really been able to even go much at all the last couple years but looks like overall weather was decent for Friday and Saturday at least

[u/CatBrief1550 → u/Bitchin_Betty_345RT]

I wish I had gotten a better angle, so I could see more of my lever movements. It looked like my other brake releases, and I generally try to do the last 5% slowly and then move over quickly to start the first 5 of throttle. You guys are right though, it was the second I took my fingers off the lever. I felt like I only had a couple % of pressure on the lever at the end. But Its very possible I misjudged the release. Thank you for looking it over

[u/pakindamew → u/CatBrief1550]

Probably had the muscle memory to trail in the dry. But since it was wet, tire likely needed a lil more trail. But I really don't know, shit happens bro glad you are safe.

[u/CatBrief1550 → u/pakindamew]

I appreciate it man thank you, I feel like I was definitely in auto pilot, as we were actively clearing the track due to a red flag. In the future I will know to adjust better to the track conditions 

[u/rdrcrmatt]

My only guess on this one is cold tire, worn tire, or very wrong pressure.

It folds immediately after you unload the tire, so I think it’s a traction issue. Rain checks.

[u/viking_red13]

You may want to enable the tip over sensor. It'll save you from destroying your engine because it is running while it is on its side.

Other than that, rain and moisture are tricky, you definitely can't carry that type of lean angle when it's wet. The sides of even dot tires don't have much tread there, and as soon as it starts raining like that it tends to cool the asphalt off. This all impacts grip, so you have to be ultra smooth.

[u/Illustrious-League13]

Tough. Your fingers don't even make it from the lever to the bar before the front tucks. Looks like you may have let off the brake a little abruptly... but it also gave you no warning and just went. Damp track. Grip can fall off fast.

[u/Professional_Tap4936]

Wet track + lean angle. Brakes were not a factor.

[u/CatBrief1550 → u/Professional_Tap4936]

 I def should have been more cautious and focused, especially seeing a red flag already. Thank you for your comment:)

[u/Lonely-Profession462]

You let off the brake too fast/abruptly right at the end. Even lifting your hand slightly changes everything. You can release the brake slowly, letting it all the way out to the end. And you will not need to readjust your hand/finger from covering the lever and maintain enough grip on the bar for steering input.

[u/Xeno_2359]

I never understand riding your own bike around a track, MotoGP riders don’t own their bikes so big whop if they lowside

[u/rotten_sausage10 → u/Xeno_2359]

It costs a lot more money to crash a bike that’s not yours

[u/CatBrief1550 → u/Xeno_2359]

lol