Just about four years

There is a lot to say about the last four years, but I’m not sure when the time will feel right to think about how much has changed and where I find myself now. Looking forward has come pretty naturally to me.

It has been a long start to the next part of my journey, and I am convinced that life will never be as full and meaningful as it could have been. Motorcycles still excite and motivate me. They seem like both a distraction and a reliable escape from my sense of loss.

I plan to keep myself engaged and accountable through this site. Truth be told, motorcycles are a bigger part of my life than ever. Fishing has taken a back seat for the moment, but knife-making is something new that I have added that I hope to spend more time doing during the winter.

Quick update

KIC time on an R3 (stock engine) 1:31.9
Track days on an R6.. super slow but hope to break into 1:25 before the end of the season
Started racing the R3.. but not close the the podium yet

End of season

Late post.. but what an amazing year. The coronavirus and constant rain meant that I could not get as much time on the track as I had wanted, but hitting my goal of 1:35 at Yeongam was a big step. I think an extra three or four days on the track would have helped me make another breakthrough (really accelerating out of corners), but I feel ready to make those improvements early next season.

Off-season goals
- Video analysis
- Training
- Build second R3 (full WSSP300)

Off-season projects
- Helmet painting
- Race water bottle painting
- Helmet liner project w/Sana
- Glove padding project w/Sana

Last track day of the year, hit 1:34 on the ideal time at KIC.

Immediate places to find time
- Turn 4-5: full throttle in sixth gear (.5 seconds)
- Final turn: later breaking, higher corner speed, earlier tip-in (.8 seconds - including straightaway)

Goals for next year
- 1:33 at KIC by first race weekend (qualifying time)
- 1:30 at KIC by end of year
- Sub 1:10 at Taebaek by end of year

Things to keep in mind
- Set up for turn earlier. If I am trying to make the corner, then it is already too late. (Need to feel weight on front tire: pushing)
- Lead with shoulder when leaning into the corner (keep head low)
- Hold body position with outside leg (locked-in)

Parting shot..

Race to 1:35 (KIC) and 1:10 (Taebaek)

Slow start to the season with my crash and a handful of wet track days, but I am finally getting into the swing of things with my R3. Feel like the bike fits me, and I can get settled into a rhythm.

Just need to cleanup a few things
- Relax shoulders and tip into the corner early
- Focus on exit
- Position torso a little bit more off the bike
- Shuffle body into position for turns earlier and crisper
- Load bike into the apex with my body position and open throttle more aggressively

1:35 (KIC) achievement awards to unlock
- Custom D-Air suit
- Custom paint Pista
- Race bike “A”

too soon..

Second track day since putting my bike together.. and I lowsided..

Heartbroken..

First day of a two-day track weekend was totally wet, so I took out an EXIV. Second day was still wet in the morning, so I took out my bike with rain tires. Barely touched a painted line and immediately slipped. Probably the last lap of the session. Jeez…

Lessons
- Go into the session with a plan
- Stay within the boundaries of your goals
- Ride smooth. There is no way to muscle improvement.

This bike is now my practice bike.. Need to put some coin together to put together a dedicated race day bike.

2020 season start

First track day time

Bike: ready

Pieced together all the parts during the off-season.

IvyConnection Racing

new whip

Wish I would have posted progress pictures of my R3 build in real time.. but the summer has been busy.

A part of me wishes I had saved the R3 for next season and just finished the last few track days of 2019 on the EXIV, but it all kind of just happened.

Fresh out the box

The bike position is so up-right out of the box that riding on the track feels crazy cramped. Just had to deal with it for the four or five track days on the R3. Did not even put a lap timer on it.

Steady stream of parts over the last month. Should be ready by the end of the year. Paint job happening soon.

Goals (Yeongam)

Sub-1:45 by the end of the year? Go!

Two days at Yeongam

After watching videos and listening to some feedback from coaches, I realized that I was shifting up way too slowly. Instead of my upshifts happening as one quick action, I was engaging each step on its own. Let off throttle, pull in clutch, shift up, let clutch out, twist throttle.

I was losing all of my RPMs during that process. Started practicing at home on my Grom and actually felt that quick upshifts came naturally to me.

The upshifts and my increasing comfort at the KIC led me to cut my time by 5 seconds almost immediately. By the end of my two days at Yeongam, I was down to 1:54. Still 15 seconds off the pace, but I feel like my understanding of entry speed and my feel for laying the bike down and picking up after the apex with my throttle will be me to sub 1:50 times pretty soon (breaking 1:50 is my goal for the next KIC track day).

Track days

Went to the track with Aawon, Sana, and Jeff. Inje was a lot of fun (elevation changes feel so much bigger in person).

First track run

Ran a few laps during the class at Pocheon Raceway.

First motorcycle

Grom!

Learning how to ride on two wheels

Pictures from the winter of me learning how to ride a motorcycle. Preparing for track days this season on a rental 250cc.

Still remember taking the MSF class in grad school and wondering if I should buy a motorcycle. Where did all the time go?

First race

Really hoped that I wouldn’t get lapped, but it happened in every heat. The only good thing was that the field was so spread that it did not seem like I was that far back.

It was fun to check out a new track (Yeongam) and go through the entire pre-final process.

Breaking 50 seconds for my first time out on this track was not a huge deal, but still feel nice to hit one of my goals for the weekend.

And there was that one lap when I was not in last place. That was cool :)

Coming back for the full race season next year.. Goal: get on the podium! (and not just because there are only three people in the race)

get it. got it. good. (notes from a two-day weekend at the track)

Planned on hitting the 45 second mark at the track this weekend. Saturday was a pretty good day. Really started to exit turn one with some speed and come into the last turn with more acceleration. Looking at the lap data, I could see that a time in the mid-45s was easily possible if I just linked my best sections together. Best time of the day was around 46.3 seconds.

Arrived on Sunday really hoping to hit 45 seconds. I was going to be putting on a set of Shinko “white” tires (hard, high grip) for the first time. Immediately felt the performance over the Shinko “yello” tires. They did not feel like they were getting crushed under breaking, and the kart bit into the corners as I exited. But my time for the first few sessions were still the same. I had to figure out my break points again. I was stopping too early and losing too much speed into the corners.

But by the last sessions… hit 45.92. Actually, I didn’t expect that lap to hit the 45 mark. There were so many places for me to pick up some time, but I’ll take it~ Next goal: 45.5.

Notes
- Don’t roll onto the break… need to be more precise with my breaking point. Contact, pressure, off (quick). My breaking is mushy because I am always spending the first second “reaching” for contact.
- Hairpins… stay wide and enter later
- Press palms against the steering wheel and hold your posture. Turn and hold steering wheel in a quick motion. Do not steer through the corner.

for racing purpose only

still so much time waiting for my to pick up on the track

Paju.. race to 45 seconds

Long, fun day at the track. Planned four days at the Paju track this month. Goal is to get into 45 seconds by the end of the month.

9/8... Best lap 46.5 seconds

Half a second to knock off my time. Plenty of places to pick up some time.
- Turn one... setup closer to the left limit of the track before hitting my breaking point; apply breaking pressure more quickly before tapering off into the corner (trail break)
- Enter high speed turns slower (slow in, fast out)
- Accelerate further into the last turn

Switching over to high grip tires during next session. Should knock off a few seconds and open up the chance to use some lock-up breaking. Probably going to try and get two sessions or so on the Shinko yellow tires and try and get 45 seconds before "cheating" on the high grip tires.

new visor :)

TCR Korea

Visited the KIC to see Indigo Racing for first qualifying round of TCR Korea. Looking forward to checking out the GT3 team next year.

the future

First track day at Paju

8/11
Best lap: 48.00

Started the day at 52 seconds. Still getting used to driving a bigger engine, but feeling more comfortable with each lap.

Practicing: getting off the throttle quickly, sensing breaking pressure, completing all breaking before entering the turn.

Next time at Paju: identify all breaking points, sensing the limit of breaking pressure.

really wish my suit was black

team tent

the whip

new whip

Super kumho tires and they got to be run flats..

Bumper cars

I finally got a chance to try my hand at kart racing.. or just kart driving to be more accurate. After spending an hour at K1 with Jeff when I was in the States, I came back home determined to start kart racing in Korea. Never really had the time or money for karting in the past, but now that my life has become a little more comfortable, I have been able to scrape together a few bucks for some track time.

Finishing karting school this week and making a final decision on my first kart. More to come..

Brothers