This is really interesting. A lot is going on in the head of a motocross racer — timing, balance, strategy, judging speed. All of this is happening on a near unconscious level with most experienced riders, which makes it even more fascinating. That’s also why practice makes perfect. You can’t just read a book or watch videos and learn how to do it. The same goes for most other things, too.
But the unconscious nature of this stuff doesn’t mean that a significant amount of calculation is going into racing. This infographic is explicit on that point, and I love the breakdown of cornering. NASCAR drivers have it easy compared to motocross riders. It’s all about those angles. And if you hit a rut, or a rock, your whole turning arc could be thrown off. I’d love to see other sports broken down like this.
Via: MotocrossGear.com
