Everything I will say comes from personal experience, which isn't transferrable, and reading books like Lee Parks' Total Control.
According to his advice, to brake even in the most controlled situations, you should apply the rear brake before the front brake. This maximizes braking AND grip, avoiding accidents such as yours.
From experience, if something undesired happened and you don't know what you did wrong, it's very likely you have done something wrong, and being conscious about it and trying to figure it out is a great symptom that you care and want to improve to not do it again.
Maybe your mind wandered a bit and you hit the brakes just a bit harder than you think. The street conditions you describe are worse than pouring rain, because the drizzle mixes with dust and oils in the tarmac making it very slippery. Heavy rain washes all that residue faster.
I'd give lee parks' book a shot, you will learn the technical aspects of why your accident actually happened and the correct technique to avoid it.
Drive safe, and heal soon!
To anyone interested in this movie/story, I wholeheartedly recommend "Go Like Hell" By A.J. Baime. Great book that goes over the story in detail, along with the magnitude of the development the Ford GT40.
Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans
An fantastic breakdown of the history between Ford and Ferrari at LeMans, and the inception of the Ford GT. Written well, and the story itself is super interesting! A must read in my opinion.
Read Proficient Motorcycling by David L. Hough. It's the most comprehensive guide in becoming a better rider; beginners and experienced alike agree that this is a great read; I have it on paperback and in the off season, I give it a read; there's so much to learn.
https://www.amazon.com/Going-Faster-Mastering-Race-Driving/dp/0837602262
This book goes into incredible detail on how to approach learning a new track specifically. I've done a lot of reading on websites, forums and essays on race-craft and race driving. This book is still the biggest contributor to my skills in iRacing.
There's a great biography written about this by author A.J Baime, titled "Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans.
It gives very detailed accounts from both sides of this epic rivalry, and how badly Henry Ford II and Carroll Shelby wanted to beat Enzo Ferrari. Worth the read.
Link: Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans https://www.amazon.com/dp/0547336055/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_zXj9CbJQXZM27
More like everyone has now copied this book...
> Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans
https://www.amazon.com/Go-Like-Hell-Ferrari-Battle/dp/0547336055
Why upgrade from the Fanatecs so soon? They're pretty solid. My inverted clubsports have taken a crapton of abuse and have good feel.
Biggest upgrade in my simracing has been this, FWIW.
You are in prime riding country, in all directions you can go exploring. You’re gonna have so much fun! Then you know about dear, just be careful dawn and dusk when they tend to move. There’s some really good reading material for you.
Proficient Motorcycling: The... https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620081199?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Sure thing! I realized I forgot to answer the book question, the driving books that I learned a lot from were Ross Bentley's Speed Secrets books - less so on raw technique and moreso on thought processes and way to approach things. Back when I read them the first time (I was probably 11 ish so... 2006 I guess?) They came as a series of books but they're now all compiled into one book: it's on Amazon here and is absolutely worth the money. Plus it's way cheaper than it used to be. It helps understand how to break down corners and think about what's going on which then applies the knowledge you have of the vehicle to apply it. It takes longer than reading a simple how to but as a result you'll be a more complete driver after - and potentially get yourself the skill set to drive the fsae car or other cars more quickly and easily.
A good way to practice is iRacing or rfactor or pcars - something with a more real tire model than say Forza or Grand Turismo. Obviously this isn't cheap, sim racing on a college budget can be tough but it's something to look into. It's much more forgiving than real life.
Sport Riding Techniques, by Nick Ienatsch, if you can find a copy.
Written by a guy who's an AMA top 3 250GP rider, a magazine editor, and, ironically enough, a class instructor, too.
No flashy, outdated video. Just hard text, which you can go back to for brush ups.
https://www.amazon.com/Sport-Riding-Techniques-Develop-Confidence/dp/1893618072
Man that's a lot to unpack. There's a ton to learn and the school of hard knocks is the toughest one.
As u/Ralliartimus noted, wear the gear. That's boots, overpants, jacket with spine protector, gloves, full-face helmet. All the gear, all the time.
Generally speaking, drivers are nowhere near as aware of you as you might think they should be. Be very aware of this, particularly in places where someone can turn in front of you (approaching intersections, driveways, etc.) No gear will protect you going from 45 to zero in a few feet.
Not sure what bike you're getting and it sounds like you're committed already, but I'd advise getting an older bike without a lot of fairings. You are going to tip over. Guarantee it. Learning and tipping a cheap, older, lower powered bike is definitely the way to go.
Keep the stock exhaust. Virtually no one likes listening to a loud pipe and, if we're being honest, they're hard on the rider as well. Speaking of, include ear plugs with your gear. Tinnitus really, really sucks.
Take every rider training class you can. Read Proficient Motorcycling and other books about riding. If there are off-road riding classes around you, take them. It's a different kind of riding and you can learn things that apply to your road skill set. A lot of professional riders got their start off-road.
There's paragraphs and paragraphs more, but that's off the cuff.
Good luck!
Another good one is Ross Bentley's Speed Secrets: Professional Race Driving Techniques (Amazon and iTunes). I now look up to him like my greatest teachers from school as a child, and I merely read his book.
He covers driving, handling, racecraft, even tuning, your mindset, etc. He's an astoundingly good communicator. My Forza performance launched into the sky as I absorbed each chapter.
No affiliation, but went off a lot of the green trails in this book with a grand cherokee and it was helpful to understand what we were getting ourselves into, as well as find new trails.
https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Moab-Backroads-4-Wheel-Drive-Trails/dp/193483825X/
Practice. Practice. Practice. Find an experienced riding buddy and get a helmet headset/intercom. Take some more classes. Read a book - here's a really good one:
Proficient Motorcycling by David Hough
Sign up for a CHP riding course. Start reading https://www.amazon.com/dp/0760343446/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_3K0PQDXHGP8PYN3N1XDF
Ride on empty back streets with no cars. After you start getting more confident, you can graduate to busier streets. Take a break and relax. Don't force yourself to ride. You should feel confident and clear minded before getting on.
The Suzuki’s are wonderful bikes as well, they’ve got their own look sound and feel. I’m not sure if you’ll find any in your price range that has ABS but on the other hand we’ve been riding without it for over 100 years. Have you taken the safety class yet? Do you know anyone who rides who can help you look at bikes and answer questions? I recommend this book, because you’ll read it more than a few times over the next year or so as you learn to ride. Covers a lot of information most of it or much of it anyway you may not understand yet until you get on the bike.
Proficient Motorcycling: The... https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620081199?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Well first it’s really important to stay up on the maintenance aspect. You know how the brakes feel on your bike and if they ever feel different for some reason you examine that carefully. I check the brake pads when I start the season and of course examine the tires. But I test the air pressure in my tires once a week for sure. I still work as a field service engineer so I don’t ride the bike much during the week, so before it comes out of the garage on the weekend I check the tires cold with a quality air pressure gauge. There’s a couple three places around my house in the country where I can safely see if there’s anybody around and I start first about 20 or 30 miles an hour and I progress to 40 and then 50 or 55. You’ve got to know your bike and I have discovered with my big Yamaha Raider, especially if carrying a passenger, if I “touch” the rear brake lightly first (it’s a very quick transition I don’t mean to sound like I’m holding the back at all it’s just a touch and then a clamp on the front) the back squats down a little then I can really clamp hard on the front and the front will stop me. That may not work for your bike, you have to experiment with it and get the feel and you need to do this about 8 or 10 times. The next week try it again and you’ll notice right away that your hand and foot and brain are working slightly differently and you’ll find yourself stopping better. If you get new tires, especially if it’s a different manufacturer, wait until they’re broke in and try this again. Do this whenever you feel the need, but also realize that during practice you “know” that it’s going to happen. The idea is to get the muscle memory going so that when you Don’t know it’s going to happen, you can safely perform the maneuver without thinking and focus on the Myriad of other things taking place in that moment. I have found this book an excellent read.
Proficient Motorcycling: The... https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620081199?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I would buy this book for her, you should read it too. Even experienced riders like myself read this book a few times over the years as a reminder. You don’t encounter every situation right away so having this information in your head and explained in a way that most anyone can understand is very good. Plus here is the MSF study guide as well.
Proficient Motorcycling: The... https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620081199?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Start with this:https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Moab-Backroads-4-Wheel-Drive-Trails/dp/193483825X
​
First time try driving some mellow trails to get the feel of things. Dome Plateau is a good one, Long Canyon, then to Secret Spire.. The drive down Bartlett wash is fun and easy, you can turn off into Hidden canyon for a nice drive.
Safety course is a great idea. Helps your brain understand the physical mechanics of riding. Also this book really helped me too and I give it to any friend that buys a scoot.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620081199/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_imm_TM46DFBEXPXY1CSYK3E3
Good for you for trying to improve. A while ago I read this book that really taught me a lot. It's worth a read in my opinion, really good advice for real life as well as track riding.
I don’t understand why your father is disrespecting you especially knowing this is all you can do right now. That’s pretty sad, though I don’t know the entire situation of course. If I saw you I would wave, I don’t give a rats ass what people are riding. I wave to mopeds just see them smile. Take the time learning everything you can now because what you do now will stick with you for the rest of your riding life. always wear your gear and take time to practice emergency stops in a safe area of course. Read your operators manual and learn everything you can about operators maintenance and take care of your bike. Knowing how things work helps you imagine what the machine is doing as you are operating it. I totally recommend this book, it really teaches you a lot about riding on the street. Proficient Motorcycling: The... https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620081199?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share Take care out there!
That 'on rails' statement is Speed Secret #22 from Ross Bentley's excellent book. I believe it's a paraphrase of the classic Mario Andretti quote:
“If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough.”
Here’s some real good reading material for you, one of the biggest thing he teaches you is how to look 12 seconds down the road in front of you and identify the hazards, learn to prioritize and react before things become dangerous to you and what to do when they do. Good luck out there. Proficient Motorcycling: The... https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620081199?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Buy the book if you dont have it already. You can get it on amazon and in every gas station, book store and gift shop in Moab. You will regret not having it. And remember its desert hot there in June.
https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Moab-Backroads-4-Wheel-Drive-Trails/dp/193483825X
In Moab, if the trail name sounds gnarly...it probably is. ie Metal Masher, Rusty Nail, Steel Bender, Hell’s Revenge...etc.
UTVs are pretty versatile depending on which ones you have but for the beginner off-road people in your group just be careful as you can get into a spicy situation really quick.
Know which trails you are doing each day, plan it out well in advance, and share your itinerary. Charles Wells books are great for this and he has a Moab Edition . I love reading up on trails and planning out each day with these books. They’re Super well done and great to bring along while you’re out there as they have GPS coordinates, waypoints, and write ups.
For an extra security blanket OnX Off-road is a great app to use while you’re out there as you can download maps offline and your phone will still ping your exact location on the map. Also shows public vs private lands
There is a reason why this specific place is a no passing zone: because you can't see what's coming. To me the idiots doing the passing on this blind hill are at fault. The speed of the speeder is irrelevant, though of course he is also taking his own risks.
I live and ride in Colorado where we have a heck of a lot of blind corners and blind hills. I may ignore speed limits, and I also may ignore no-passing zones some times but no-passing zones and blind hills and blind corners are sacred to me.
Go to Amazon, look for ["Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well"](https://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1620081199/ref=pd_sbs_14_img_0/139-7517159-7299223?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1620081199&pd_rd_r=96f2c212-e043-49fa-bded-29c875d263fe&pd_rd_w=eRu5s&pd_rd_wg=sDPf0&pf_rd_p=5cfcfe89-300f-47d2-b1ad-a4e27203a02a&pf_rd_r=7ER30KKYD3KKZMFC4TXZ&psc=1&refRID=7ER30KKYD3KKZMFC4TXZ). You can get a preview of that book, read page 13. I lived a mile from where that happened. As a matter of fact, I rode that same blind turn about 3500 times. (I hope the link works)
THINK!
The question is not "how?" but "should I?". You shouldn't, your car is great but not a good platform for power. Before wasting your money on the car, spend it on improving the driver. Get into Autocross/Track days or whatever the equivalent is where you live. Maintain your car, learn not to buy shit parts or tires. Get this book: Ross Bentley's Speed Secrets. Improve your skills and car knowledge, save money, read automotive press, watch automotive videos, and frequent this sub. You'll be able to make good decisions very soon.
For years I never bought a single car pack or a single DLC car (Horizon 1, Forza 5, Horizon 2). Then recently I gave in and only purchased a small set 3 or 4 unique cars that I really like. What pushed me over the edge was this irresistible curiosity about "experiencing the interior" of these cars.
Personally, it would be crazy for me to purchase a season pass or ultimate edition or any of that stuff. I'm into racing and driving (also tuning and painting). I'm not into car packs. I don't have any fond feelings for all these souped up overpowered luxury status symbols. I like street-style cars from the 1960's-1995. (Also I have always personally found it unpleasant that a car pack, which represents a tiny material add-on to the core game, costs like 10% of the base price of the game.) If there were track packs, I would pay money for those. To me, more tracks means more game, while more cars just means more pairs of underwear to race in.
SOURCE: like... level 500 in Horizon 2 and Forza 5, top 1% leaderboard times, former top 10 holder (I assume I've been surpassed), extensive posts to the subreddit on tuning and driving technique, used to suck at Forza until I read Ross Bentley's book