How a roadracing champion looks at: The limit, Crashes and Reserve We were lucky enough to have AMA Superbike champion Josh Hayes at YCRS (Yamaha Champions Riding School) for some lunchtime Q and A. His studied approach to this sport is immediately apparent and the audience soon realized that Hayes thinks about every facet of it. A student asked Hayes about a crash he had at Miller Motorsports Park and that’s when this terrific nugget of information came out. Hayes talked about the crash and then added that if he rode around the track at 99 percent of the limit, he would “never fall off.” He talked about pushing up to 100 percent and beyond; he said that leaving that 1 percent in reserve provided a significant decrease in risk. And every rider can attest to what Hayes is describing. We have all found “our rhythm” or a pace that allows us to see and feel everything without any heart-in-the-throat moments. We describe the riding as “easy” or “comfortable” or even “fun.” For Josh Hayes, that fun pace is just 1 percent off his maximum. Hayes’s comment has affected YCRS because we now encourage riders who feel a bit tired or unfocused to take a few percent off their pace. We used to say, “go 30 percent slower,” but have now realized this significantly slower pace affects too many other aspects of riding. Specifically, light acceleration on the straight means slow corner-entry speed, which means not much brakes, which means the bike steers poorly, which means it doesn’t get pointed, which means the rider then never accelerates. One growing snowball rolling downhill, because this sport’s rhythm is ruined when the pace is way off. Now, we encourage tired riders to “take a few percent off.” The pace gets fun, the risks decrease, the bike is being ridden as designed. Like a slip into Hayes’ mid-race mode that is comfortable and still quick. 
FIND THAT RHYTHM We all need to find this pace, especially those of us doing track days. To push to or beyond 100 percent at a track day, begins with mistaken priorities. Hayes pushes to and beyond 100 percent because it’s his job and he will lose his job if he’s consistently being beaten. Not so at a trackday. This lack-of-points-and-money priority must remain first and foremost. Let’s quantify the few percentage points we need to keep in hand. Specifically, we need to take a few percentage points off our corner entry speeds. Go to the brakes 2 percent earlier than you think is perfect. Build an extra 1 percent of lever pressure at maximum to make sure you aren’t rushing. Leave the brakes on 1 percent longer (you know you need to be a few percentage points slower when you are missing apexes). Take Hayes’s advice and apply it to your corner entries. STREET PRIORITIES The speed priority for street riders is even further down the scale. Over-slowing our corner entries on the street is exactly the advice Hayes wants you to hear. Rushing into a canyon corner at the limit of your bike’s or your ability, gives you no hope of dealing with the unexpected. Having the reserve Hayes talks about will leave you plenty of time and distance to handle the gravel, tree limb, or car with two wheels in your lane. Riding with this reserve speaks directly to a subject we discuss at every YCRS. Instructor Kyle Wyman will tell the students: “crashes are almost always a series of events. One thing is wrong, then another issue is added and then the third problem puts the rider down. If you are on the limit and have no tools left in the toolbox, the added problems are tough to deal with. Leave a reserve, especially on the street.” The street-riding reserve means a reserve of everything: more brake pressure is still available if needed, more lean angle is being held in reserve, your line can be changed instantly because you aren’t rushing in at the limit, your eyes are scanning because you’re not target-fixating during an overzealous entry, your mind is calm and able to deal with the deer in the middle of the lane. Josh Hayes wants to ride with a reserve. Find yours. More Next Tuesday! 
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