Pace Yourself（控制你的步調） - 機車討論

看到有人分享NICK IENATSCH 於1991年所寫的The Pace，想起以前上英文課時剛好翻譯另一篇文章做為報告，在此與大家分享。該文為同一作者於1993年發表於MOTORCYCLIST Magazine。翻譯的部分有點兩光，還請多包涵。            
PACE YOURSELF
BY NICK IENATSCH
.... Two weeks ago a rider died when he and his bike tumbled off a cliff paralleling our favorite road. No gravel in the road, no oncoming car pushing him wide, no ice. The guy screwed up. Rider error. Too much enthusiasm with too little skill, and this fatality wasn't the first on this road this year. As with most single bike accidents, the rider entered the corner at a speed his brain told him was too fast, stood the bike up and nailed the rear brake. Good-bye.
兩週前，一名騎士連人帶車摔落一條我們喜愛的公路旁的懸崖且身亡。地上沒有砂石，沒有對向來車逼他出去，沒有結冰。他只是搞砸了。這是騎士自身所造成的錯誤。因為太過熱血/衝動且缺乏操控技術，這次的死亡意外已不是今年在這條路的第一次。就如同大部分的單車意外，騎士的大腦告訴他進彎的速度太快，於是他拉直車身並鎖死後煞、再見。
.... On the racetrack this rider would have tumbled into the hay bales, visited the ambulance for a strip of gauze and headed back to the pits to straighten his handlebars and think about his mistake. But let's get one thing perfectly clear - the street is not the race track. Using it as such will shorten your riding career and keep you from discovering The Pace. The Pace is far from street racing - and a lot more fun.
在賽道上，這名騎士會直接撞上緩衝塊，包著紗布上救護車回到維修區拉正手把然後思考自己到底是怎麼摔的。但我們要完全搞清楚一件事，街道非賽道。把一般道路當成賽道來奔馳只會縮短你的騎乘生涯，使你無法發現The Pace的奧妙。The Pace完全不是公路賽車，而且有趣多了。

.... The Pace places the motorcycle in its proper role as the controlled vehicle, not the controlling vehicle. Too many riders of sport bikes become baggage when the throttle gets twisted - the ensuing speed is so overwhelming they are carried along in the rush. The Pace ignores outright speed and can be as much fun on a Ninja 250 as on a ZX-11, emphasizing rider skill over right-wrist bravado. A fool can twist the grip, but a fool has no idea how to stop or turn. Learning to stop will save your life; learning to turn will enrich it. What feels better than banking a motorcycle into a corner?
The Pace讓機車回歸「被控制」，而不是「控制你」的角色。太多的賽車騎士在扭下油門時變成車輛的負擔，持續的加速是如此的強大以致他們只能被車子拖著跑。The Pace完全忽略所謂的「速度」，強調騎乘技巧而不是「勇敢的」猛灌油門，他不論在忍者250或ZX-11上都一樣有趣，不因馬力差距而顯的無趣。笨蛋也會轉動油門，但是笨蛋不知道如何停下及轉彎。學習如何停下可以挽救你的生命，學習如何轉彎可以豐富他。有什麼騎車比攻入彎道更有趣的呢？
.... The mechanics of turning a motorcycle involve pushing and/or pulling on the handlebars; while this isn't new information for most sport riders, [the rider should] realize that the force at the handlebar affects the motorcycle's rate of turn-in. Shove hard on the bars, and the bike snaps over; gently push on the bars, and the bike lazily banks in. Different corners require different techniques, but as you begin to think about lines, late entrances and late apexes , turning your bike at the exact moment and reaching the precise lean angle will require firm , forceful inputs at the handlebars. If you take less time to turn your motorcycle, you can use that time to brake more effectively or run deeper into the corner, affording yourself more time to judge the corner and a better look at any hidden surprises. It's important to look as far into the corner as possible and remember the adage, "You go where you look."
機車轉向的技巧牽涉到推/拉龍頭把手，雖然對大多數的騎士來說並不是什麼新奇的資訊，但是騎士必須瞭解施加在把手上的力道會影響機車轉向的效率。用力推，機車會快速傾倒；輕推，則會緩緩的轉過去。不同的彎需要不同的技巧，但是當你開始思考如何取線，延遲入彎與推後彎頂點，將車子於正確的時間點頃斜到正確的角度，會需要更重的力量施加於把手上。如果你傾斜車子所需的時間減少，你就可以利用那時間來做更有效的煞車或是入彎更深一些，讓你可以有更多時間來判斷彎道，以及看看彎中是不是有什麼未知的狀況。盡量在彎中看遠一些是很重要的，記住那句格言：「看哪就會到哪」。
DON'T RUSH
.... The number one survival skill, after mastering emergency braking, is setting your corner entrance speed early, or as Kenny Roberts says, "Slow in, fast out."
除了精通緊急煞車的技巧，第一生存技術就是提早設定進彎速度，如同Kenny Roberts說的：「慢進快出」。
.... Street riders may get away with rushing into 99 out of 100 corners, but that last one will have gravel, mud or a trespassing car. Setting entrance speed early will allow you to adjust your speed and cornering line, giving you every opportunityto handle the surprise.
公路騎士或許可以衝進99個彎道都沒事，但在第100個彎道…最後一個彎道，就會有沙塵，泥巴或衝入對向的汽車。提早設定入彎速度可以讓你修正速度與彎道路線，讓你有餘欲去處理彎道中任何的狀況。
.... We've all rushed into a corner too fast and experienced not just the terror but the lack of control when trying to herd the bike into the bend. If you're fighting the brakes and trying to turn the bike, any surprise will be impossible to deal with. Setting your entrance speed early and looking into the corner allows you to determine what type of corner you're facing. Does the radius decrease? Is the turn off-camber? Is there an embankment that may have contributed some dirt to the corner?
我們都曾經以過快速度入彎，而體驗到不只是恐懼，還有強迫車輛進彎的控制不良。如果你狠狠的煞車與試著轉彎，任何情況都會變得難以處理。提早設定入彎速度，以及將視線投入彎中，可以讓你知道你面對的是怎樣的彎。曲率是否改變？是否不是弧形？是否有路堤造成堆積沙塵？
.... Racers talk constantly about late braking, yet that technique is used only to pass for position during a race, not to turn a quicker lap time. Hard braking blurs the ability to judge cornering speed accurately, and most racers who rely too heavily on the brakes find themselves passed at the corner exits because they scrubbed off too much cornering speed. Additionally, braking late often forces you to trail the brakes or turn the motorcycle while still braking. While light trail braking is an excellent and useful technique to master, understand that your front tire has only a certain amount of traction to give.
騎士們經常討論延遲煞車，但這技術只適用於在賽場上超車，而不是跑出更快的單圈成績。強力煞車會影響判斷彎道速度的能力，而大多數車手太過於倚賴煞車，導致過度的減速以致於在入彎點被超越。另外，延遲煞車往往會迫使你帶煞入彎，或者還在煞車時就必須轉動車子。雖然精通輕帶煞車入彎是極佳且有用的技巧，仍要了解你的前輪只能提供固定量的磨擦力。
.... If you use a majority of the front tire's traction for braking and then ask it to provide maximum cornering traction as well, a typical low-side crash will result. Also consider that your motorcycle won't steer as well with the fork fully compressed under braking. If you're constantly fighting the motorcycle while turning, it may be because you're braking too far into the corner. All these problems can be eliminated by setting your entrance speed early, an important component of running at The Pace.
如果你把前輪大部份的磨擦力都拿來煞車，卻仍然要它提供最大的彎道牽引力，這就是典型的 low-side 事故。還要考慮在煞車時因前叉完全壓縮導致車輛不好操控。如果你在轉彎時常要跟機車奮戰，也許是因為你煞車進彎太深了。所有這些問題，只要提早設定入彎速度皆可解決。這是「The Pace」中一個重要的元素。
.... Since you aren't hammering the brakes at every corner entrance, your enjoyment of pure cornering will increase tremendously. You'll relish the feeling of snapping your bike into a corner and opening the throttle as early as possible. Racers talk about getting the drive started, and that's just as important on the street. Notice how the motorcycle settles down and simply works better when the throttle is open? Use a smooth, light touch on the throttle and try to get the bike driving as soon as possible in the corner, even before the apex, the tightest point of the corner. If you find yourself on the throttle ridiculously early, it's an indication you can increase your entrance speed slightly by releasing the brakes earlier.
既然你不在每個入彎時都緊扣煞車，過彎的樂趣會大大提高。你會嘗到將車子快速入彎而提早摧油的快感。騎士們常談到提早開啟油門，而在公路上這也同樣重要。注意到車子在加油時是如何穩定下來而有更佳表現嗎？油門輕含，在彎中提早且柔順的開始加油，甚至在彎頂點-也就是曲率最大的一點-之前即可。如果你發現你實在太早就開始加油，這表示你可以提高入彎速度，更早放開煞車。
.... As you sweep past the apex, you can begin to stand the bike up out of the corner. This is best done by smoothly accelerating, which will help stand the bike up. As the rear tire comes off full lean it puts more rubber on the road, and the forces previously used for cornering traction can be converted to acceleration traction. The throttle can be rolled open as the bike stands up.
當你掠過彎頂點後，你可以開始將車身回正。這最好以柔順的加速來完成出彎的動作，同時可幫助車子回正車身。當後胎完全傾斜時，更大面積的橡膠接觸路面，而原先在彎中維持車身穩定的摩擦力在此時可轉為加速用的摩擦力。當車身完全回正後，油門便可大開。
.... This magazine won't tell you how fast is safe; we will tell you how to go fast safely. How fast you go is your decision, but it's one that requires reflection and commitment. High speed on an empty four-lane freeway is against the law, but it's fairly safe. Fifty-five miles per hour in a canyon might be legal, but it may also be dangerous. Get together with your friends and talk about speed. Set a reasonable maximum and stick to it. Done right, The Pace is addicting without high straight-away speeds.
這本雜誌不會告訴你多快是安全的；我們會告訴你如何又快又安全的騎乘。騎多快是你的決定，但那需要反應與投入精神。在空的四線公路上騎快是違法的，但是相當安全。在峽谷中騎 55 英里或許合法，但可能也很危險。跟你的朋友聚在一起討論速度。設定一個合理的上限，而且確實遵行。只要做得對，不需衝直線，「步調」一樣令人上癮。
.... The group I ride with couldn't care less about outright speed between corners; any gomer can twist a throttle. If you routinely go 100 mph, we hope you routinely practice emergency stops from that speed. Keep in mind outright speed will earn a ticket that is tough to fight and painful to pay; cruising the easy straight stuff doesn't attract as much attention from the authorities and sets your speed perfectly for the next sweeper.
我所在的車隊完全不在意彎道之間的速度；任何笨蛋都會轉油門。如果你經常以時速100英里騎乘，我希望你經常練習在那速度下緊急煞車。記住，提高速度會帶來很難撤銷而且很貴的罰單；輕鬆的直線巡航不會那麼吸引執法人員的注意，而且為你下個彎道設定了絕佳的速度。
GROUP MENTALITY
.... Straights are the time to reset the ranks. The leader needs to set a pace that won't bunch up the followers, especially while leaving a stop sign or passing a car on a two-lane road. The leader must use the throttle hard to get around the car and give the rest of the group room to make the pass, yet he or she can't speed blindly along and earn a ticket for the whole group. With sane speeds on the straights, the gaps can be adjusted easily; the bikes should be spaced about two seconds apart for maximum visibility of surface hazards.
直線是重整隊伍的時機。領隊需要設定一個不會讓隊伍混亂的步調，尤其是離開停止標誌或在雙線道超車的時候。領隊必須在超車時大開油門，讓隊伍有足夠的餘裕超車，但他或她也不能一路猛衝而幫大家帶來罰單。以合理的直線速度，可以輕易的控制車與車的距離；車子間必須保持約兩秒的距離，以獲得最佳安全視野。
.... It's the group aspect of The Pace I enjoy most, watching the bikes in front of me click into a corner like a row of dominoes, or looking in my mirror as my friends slip through the same set of corners I just emerged from.
團隊是我最享受的「步調」層面，看著前方車子像骨牌般一台台切入彎道，或者是看著後照鏡中的朋友從我剛離開的彎道滑出。
.... Because there's a leader and a set of rules to follow, the competitive aspect of sport riding is eliminated and that removes a tremendous amount of pressure from a young rider's ego --or even an old rider's ego. We've all felt the tug of racing while riding with friends or strangers, but The Pace takes that away and saves it for where it belongs: the race track. The race track is where you prove your speed and take chances to best your friends and rivals.
由於有領隊與一系列的規則要遵循，路跑的競技面就被消除，同時移除了年輕騎士---甚至是年長的騎士為了肯定自我不得不騎快的巨大壓力。我們在與朋友或陌生人同行時都感受過競賽的吸引力，但「步調」將這種誘惑拿走，讓它回到它本該歸屬的地方：賽道。那是你證明自己速度以及試著贏過朋友以及競爭者的地方。
.... I've spent a considerable amount of time writing about The Pace (see Motorcyclist, Nov. 91) for several reasons, not the least of which being the fun I've had researching it (continuous and ongoing). But I have motivations that aren't so fun. I got scared a few years ago when Senator Danforth decided to save us from ourselves by trying to ban superbikes, soon followed by insurance companies blacklisting a variety of sport bikes. I've seen Mulholland Highway shut down because riders insisted on racing (and crashing) over a short section of it. I've seen heavy police patrols on roads that riders insist on throwing themselves off of. I've heard the term "murder-cycles" a dozen times too many. When we consider the abilities of a modern sport bike, it becomes clear that rider technique is sorely lacking.

.... The Pace emphasizes intelligent, rational riding techniques that ignore race track heroics without sacrificing fun. The skills needed to excel on the race track make up the basic precepts of The Pace, excluding the mind numbing speeds and leaving the substantially larger margin for error needed to allow for unknowns and immovable objects. Our sport faces unwanted legislation from outsiders, but a bit of throttle management from within will guarantee our future.
「步調」強調的是聰明、理智的騎乘技巧，忽略了賽道上的英雄主義卻沒少掉任何樂趣。一些可在賽道上勝出的技巧組成了「步調」的基本層面，卻排除了使人呆滯的高速而保留了更大的犯錯餘裕來容許未知或固定的物體。機車運動面對了外界過多的法規，但一點自我對油門的控制就可以保證我們的將來。
© Copyright MOTORCYCLIST Magazine
June 1993 issue