Steve Hatch technical tips - before race

	Before race strategy
	Top 10 things prior to race

* Have your motorcycle clean and polished with good tires,clean airfilter,etc...
* Have all your gear packed and be ready to go to race.
* Spend 10 minutes prior to leaving for the race making sure you have
    everything (check it 2-3 times)
* Spend time preparing your goggles with all the goodies.(no
    fog,roll-offs,have a few sets for each weather condition)
* Drink lots of water at least 3 days prior to race (Itry to drink 1 gallon a day)
* I like to clean the race shop and get it organized prior to
    leaving (it helps to feel ready and is nice to come home to a shinny shop).
* Mentally prepare for the race(visualize the terrain and the weather
    and the start and how you want to attack the race)
* Always have a back up or two if your start isn't good don't panic, go
    straight to plan B which is don't panic and try to come from last to
    first in one lap ride smart aggressive and strong and keep picking off
    riders as the opportunities come.
* Spend time 30 minutes before the race getting focused calming your
    thoughts and just relaxing
* I always tell myself no one said we couldn't have fun while we are
    doing this.(this helps to calm me down from any race hype and have fun
    and flow)



        Controls,  are they set up correctly? 
        The little things can make you a lot faster!
How are your levers adjusted?  Have you ever tried to move them into
different positions?  I know that how you set up your bike is a lot of
personal preference, but if done correctly it will help you.  I use to
not pay to much attention to my control settings at the beginning of my
career.  As I learned how important it was to set them up, that is the
first thing I do with any bike I'm going to ride now.  Sit on your bike
and feel the handlebars with your eyes closed helps you feel the most
natural position.  Once you have adjusted your handle bars you can then
adjust you levers.  I like to have my levers slightly down (this forces
me to keep my elbows up) and you should be able to reach them in both
the standing and sitting position.  Another big thing is that if they
are bent and you can't use them very well that will obviously not help
your riding.  As for the shifter and the brake pedal I usually run my
Suzuki's in the stock position and the brake pedal I adjust so it is a
little more responsive but doesn 't overheat.

Pay attention to detail and your riding will be enhanced.  



        How to rail in corners
        CORNERS
     Corners are what distinguish the beginer from the professional.
Any one can twist it back on the straights but in the corners there is
no faking who has bike control and confidence.  Corners come in all
shapes and sizes, but let's just concentrate on the good old flat 90
degree corner around a tire.  The biggest trick of hitting a corner
perfect is to have the correct entrance speed.  (I should really listen
to this tip because I have a tendancy of coming into corners way
aggressive and too fast).  The goal is to be able to slow down enough to
hit the line you want.  I try to be able to hit the inside line first.
Then if the inside line is great I take it, but if it is slow I can hit
the middle or outside lines.  Once you come into the corner you should
slide your body forward so that your weight is on the front wheel.
Also using the front brake helps to compress the front suspension giving
the front tire more traction and bite.  Once in the corner make sure
your elbows are up, and your head is looking forward.  As you begin to
turn the bike you should shift your body weight so it's on top of the
seat as you lay the bike over.  This gives the tires the added grip to
stick to the ground.  Once you are half way around the corner you should
release the brakes and roll on the throttle.  You should slip the clutch
just enough to keep the motor in the strong part of the power as well as
be on the verge of wheel spin.  As you exit the corner you should be
pulling back on the handlebars as hard as you can.  This helps to set
the rear tire into the ground and give you more traction.  (I learned
that technique from Bob Hannah and Larry Roesler) I suggest you practice
this technique with both feet on the pegs so you can go around the
corner perfectly.  I always try to concentrate on the correct form,
later speed will come on its own.  As you get going faster you can put
the inside foot out, but be sure not to drag it or let it hit the
ground.  Focus on this technique and do it over and over 50-75 times
until you feel you can do it perfectly every time!  Always rember you
have to slow down to go faster.  CONTROLLED AGGRESSION!  Best of luck!



        What are you doing on the straights?
        Don't just sit there!
I have come to the realization that most riders just sit on the seat and
relax while going down the straights.  I want to let you all in on a big
secret.  We are not just sitting on the seats waiting for the next
corner.  This may come as a suprise to a few of you but our jerseys are
hiding an important secret.

If you looked at a pro riding with thier jersey off you would realize
that they are pulling back on the handle bars as hard as they can to get
traction to the ground.  This is real obvious if you have ever watched a
125 outdoor National Motocross.

Bob Hannah taught me that when you are going down the straights you
should be pulling so hard, like you are trying to rip the handlebars
clean off the bike.

Remember Pull Back to Go faster!


        Do you enjoy crossing logs?
        Do you enjoy crossing logs?
Probably only a very few of you warped minded people thought "why of
course I enjoy log crossings steve!"  Well you are not alone I never
really liked to see a slick log coming into sight.  But I do know how to
help you with learning how to do it.  First I feel that you have to see
the log as your advantage because you know everyone else it going to be
scared of crashing.  The main rule with log crossing is to be going
pretty slow when you get to it.  By this I mean that you may have to
slam on the brakes just before it and at the last second floor it.  I
usually like to be in second gear, depending on the size and the angle
of the log.  When you get just before the log you want to wheelie your
front wheel and set it down just on the other side of the log.(log
approx.  1 foot tall) Once your front tire lands on the other side you
want to pull in the cluth and let the rear tire just track over top of
the log.  This helps to keep the rear end from slipping out and from
kicking you over the bars.  Once you feel the rear tire get back to
solid ground you can let out the clutch and floor it .  Tree roots are
usually about the same technique but a little easier.  Remember
Practice,Practice, and more Practice.  If you get so you are not scared
of tree crossings you will have a big advantage over the others!  Shred
some log crossings for me!


        Rocks, does even the word scare you?
        How to get over the fear of rocks!
Rocks are painful if not handled correctly.  I use to have a big fear of
rocks until I learned how to ride them.  Have you ever heard the saying
whatever you look at you hit.  This concept is exactly true when it
comes to riding rocks.  You have to look at them only for a split second
(to figure out the best line) then look through them (or past them) to
not hit them or be pulled into them like a magnet.  Yeah right you say,
that is easy to say but hard to do.  All it really takes is focus.  You
have to train yourself to focus on what you want to focus on and what
you don't want to focus on.  Always look past the rocks and you will
have a huge advantage.  Happy rock riding!


STEVE HATCH




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