Anyone can see his braking points, turn-in points, rate of lean, lean angle, brake release, on-gas, lines, body position, etc. We can also see his head position but we cannot see how, where, when or even what he is looking at. Is that his secret weapon?
Top racers of the past have been photographed in action wearing a ‘1000-yard stare’. For example, Mike ‘The Bike’ Hailwood had an unshakeable calm about him. His easy regard for the unfolding action with face and mouth relaxed, just looking, stands in stark contrast to the often strained visages of today’s riders when seen with clear face shields.
The real perceivable difference is not in their apparent stress levels, however, but in their degree of head rotation. In the evolution of body position, a…