Gong's Superbike School

Gong's Superbike School, it's one day course are carefully structured and the school uses high quality digital still camera and video camera to help riders tackle their weakness and can immediately sees their mistakes. Yeah Right!

Under the Gong's supervision your riding skills and confidence will increase.

Last month Sifoo Gong organized a class especially for Pojaman, who've just upgraded to ZX10 and joining him that day was also Najib and Man .

If anyone wants to learn how to kneedown in one day don't hesitate to contact Gong.

I also participate in this class but since this time I'm a senior I got to be Gong's Gundik (Assistant).

Here are some of the picture from our most recent classes.

Sifoo Gong showing the newbies how to do it.

1

Gibsi Laut

1

Pojaman with his new ZX10R

1

Najib practising hard

1

It's not as easy as it look, Pojaman trying realy hard.

1

Showing the lines to Pojaman.

1

Hell yeah!! Kneedown baby

1

The Master in action

1

Side by side

1

Hehehe

1

Pojaman and his new ZX10R

1

The Class of 2008

1

The only 2 graduates hehe

A Twist Of The Wrist

Ever wonder how can those guys go so fast on the track? It's all about hard work. And what they are working on the bike is applying every technique that they know to be the fastest on the track. Believe me, to get the fastest lap is to always concentrate on what you are doing. A few seconds lost is a big time for a racer. If you lost my 0.001sec, you still lost. Right? In taking a corner, you have to always watch your reference marker to know exactly where you could brake the latest. Knowing your line which is the best to take, you throttle, you weight distribution, what your suspension will to do you is most of the things you where thinking while on a corner. So, how do you learn about this technique? And where to? The simplest and easy way is to read a book. Keith Code is a common name in the superbiking world. He wrote several riding technique books and the important of all I must say is the "A Twist Of The Wrist". This books help riders to think and prepare themselves how to beat the track.


Here's what the book looks like. If you planning on getting one, it's available at Kinokuniya, KLCC. I don't find them elsewhere when I was looking for this book. It was recommended to me by Mr. Lee, my first boss when I work as a Shell pump attendant when I was 18. He used to be a good rally driver, and motorsports has always been his hobby. I admire him because he knows where and when to go fast and when and where are not. A person like this always know his responsibilities for himself and others. When I took by my ZX6R in front of him, he gaves me a thumbs up. He then grab my hand and took me to his office. "Come on", he says. He wrote down "A Twist of The Wrist" on a paper and ask me to find this book and understand it. I did and I'm glad.


A boring look inside. But excitement starts when you where thinking on how would it'd be if you are on you bike. Personally, I say the book helps a lot on my riding technique. It would not be as fun as having a teacher or a personal coach, but the theory inside already helps you to explore and experiment what it'll be like to take a perfect corner. But it's not just about cornering. It's more about self control and awareness.


Keith other product doesn't just end on a book. I purchase the AudioCD for A Twist of The Wrist Volume II which is just the same as reading the book itself. I would recommend getting the Volume II rather than the first one. But it's never a lost to have them both. Other books and DVD also available from him.

It's never important to me to be the fastest rider on the track, because I'm not racing. But I love riding. And I like anything that's fast. So to be fast on the track, it's not just about opening up the throttle and have the meanest & powerful machine you could find. It's all about the technique. And a good rider or racer knows them. Let's be one!

Kneedown Lesson @ Turn 17, Nilai

I think everyone will make a question, "Where the hell is turn 17?". Well, the place was discovered by Epol, Ehermm... Sifoo Epol, and the name was given when me and Epol where a little bit frustrated for not having the opportunity to play Sepang on one fine day. That's because it was a little bit raining and I remember seeing a well experience rider smacked his R1 on the Sepang straight speeding on about 240km/h. As we not dare to join in the fun, Epol asked me to practice the kneedown at one quite roundabout. Since Sepang has 15 turns, the exit from Sepang we count as a turn, hence, the roundabout is the 17th turn.

I was quite frustrated when I know there wouldn't be any Sunday ride. I get frustrated every week if I were to miss one. So the plan was to join in the regular Awana's rider if there is no one wants to join. But Epol and Bedah are available, and Awana is not quite on their favour. So I think practicing a kneedown would be just great. It turn out to be fantastic. And I was pushed by Bedah everyday since then to write up this Blog today. Don't worry Bedah... I quite understand. :)

The match against Chelsea and WBA finished around 4a.m. And Bedah still keep SMSesing me about tomorrow's ride. Hmm... I'm a little unsure that he'll get up 8.00 o'clock in the morning. But turn out to be a surprise, at 8:38a.m., "Jumpa kt ner? Wat time?" came an SMS from Bedah. I'm quite happy with his spirit. I first told those guys to meet up at 8.45a.m. at Epol's place, but that morning I left the camcorder in my office and the battery a still flat, so I gap the appointment to 9.45a.m. That saves me some time to charge it, and we all meet promptly after. We had our breakfast and at 10.00a.m. we move to the endless turn.

Bedah are still short on the pants. So I brought my Taichi pants together with me. He borrowed it before at his first trackday few months before at it is kinda loose. On this day, it fits him well. So that kinda another proof biking doesn't slim you down, futsal does! SO COME PLAY FUTSAL LA TOMORROW!!!


Before Epol.. Sifoo Epol gives Bedah the green light, we taught him some of the tips that Bedah should know.


The concentration Bedah gives was amazing. Hehehe...


Gearing up. After this, he'll be heading to Pak Su's to get his own pants and a pair of racing boot. By now he thinks it worth getting one. Huhuhu...


Sifoo Epol show a sample move, where and when to slice.
He looks very comfortable on the Zx14 doesn't he?


I think he kinda nervous. So I take the 2nd role.

Some might say I have a whole lot of the riding technique. But I don't think that's true. I only manage to get a kneedown when I lean low enough. And I am quite OK on a left turn, but on the right, I still feel uncomfortable with my position, sometimes I put a lot of thought on my position while cornering, but most of the time, I don't care much, just to enter the corner as fast as possible. So there is little of technique that I know, and I still have a lot more to learn.


It my turn to suite up.


That's like 4 inches from the ground. Right?


And the speed is still ain't right.


It get lower by every circle.


And when you get it right, it's touchdown.


A little scratching add up to the slider.

It's Bedah turn now.


The body language speaks Bedah determination.


On first first few rounds...


After his first few rounds... Hahaha... Awesome man!


..and it looks good from the ass view too. I really meant the bike la.. Gish!

I remember getting my first kneedown. And Bedah share the same satisfaction. Bedah describe it as good as getting 8As on your SPM exams! Hahaha..


Another new scratch.


Epol then show some more example in reverse order.


Then he shows some fireworks display along the way.

We practice on a 2nd gear with speed around 60km/h. It's tiring to control a torquey bike at that pace.


I enjoy seeing them practicing.


We get comfortable by every turns.
Yippy!

Epol said any beginner would get his knee down average on his 10th laps. I would agree on that.
So don't worry, relax yourself and try it. It's really fun.


I can wait to get my glove and gear off. We played for about 2 1/2 hours. Each of us do 7 to 8 laps on each of our turn. I'm really exhausted by this time.


That's more kneescrapping.


Bedah looks most confortable by the end.
He looks awesome. This is his first kneedown session. And he scores!. In the end, he's not just kneedown, he's kneedragging! The feeling get better when you can do it again.. and again.. and again!


This looks like doing 200km/h on Sepang's turn 3. I'm betting he'll be a regular trackday person from now on. Hehehe..


That is justice to the slider.


Unbelievably satisfied.
I think he'll keep on this subject for a little while. Hahaha...


And I'm just loving it!

Kneedown is just another step of getting to know your bike. This is not just getting to know your body position. You learn to control your throttle as well. And the next step, controlling your suspension with your throttle. Sounds kinda weird? Ask Keith. Ride save guys!