Wellington Newbie Ride 29 Jan 06

[Slingshot]

I didn't see the off but I did see the diesel. I was probably heading down the hill 10ish minutes before your group started the decent.

We were going at a reasonable pace and I remembered thinking "shit, diesel" as we rode over it...I got lucky though cause the rubber held the road and on we went.

It sounds like you got lucky too. If it was corner that I'm thinking about...it would have been a right hander, so at least you would have slid away from the on-coming traffic. You managed to get up and ride away which in my book is always a sign of good luck!


***Edit..didn't know my right from my left***

[hsvboy06]

Having driven a cage for more than 20 years (without a single accident, I might add) I think I have some pretty good "on road" instincts. However, in a cage you don't really have to worry about the road surface, so as a newbie biker I think I need to add that to the list of things that need to be programmed into my subconcious.

I don't want to over analyse the whole thing, but I also don't want to forget it and take the "I was unlucky - it'll never happen again" attitude, because then it probably will!

[Wasp]

Wasp, you got to ride a CBR600? Damn, wheres my luck? See you all later

heh well you coulda followed me instead of turning right at that roundabout, i even looked for you for a bit after that, then spotted the bike when i was comming outta countdown.

ive spent all day today at work staring out the window wishing i could be out there riding it in this great weather.

[phoenixgtr]

Sorry. I dont know my way round the hutt. Only go there on the odd occasion.

You looked for me? I made it to queensgate.

So whos bike was it?

[madboy]

Sorry to hear about the bin, HSV. Still, every one you walk away from is a good one.

I was stopped on the way down the takas talking to a guy on a K5 20th annv Gixxer 750 that lost the front end. But I guess he got it going by the time you guys came past. Ironically, he (a very experienced rider) and I couldn't for the life of us figure out how he lost it on that corner (a right hander). None of us could see anything on the road surface (aside from Suzuki colours). Luckily it was mostly cosmetic so rideable, but it'll hurt the bank balance. He was fine.

Then two corners further down the hill I saw the diesel spill start, on the right handers. We just kept way the hell away from it, except one corner where it was headbutt truck or sample the diesel. We won vs the diesel. I'm suspecting that perhaps the unlucky Gixxer dude managed to get the first of the spill, where it was just enough to slick the surface without being enough to actually see.

[MidnightMike]

Sorry for the hijack but would anyone here be able to testride a bike for me?
PM me for details. Thanks :spudwave:

[merv]

hsv as you know I was heading off down the hill with you and Sels1, and Sels1 was behind you and me behind him. My line of sight was ahead and around that right-hander when down went a bike to the left of where I was looking. My immediate thought was sels1 had bit it but then when I focus on the bike I saw it was your bike skidding along the ground and the scraping sound was quite distinctive, not a sound you hear often - luckily.

The way your bike went down was a pure lowside - steering turned quite sharp by the time it hit the deck and it just skidded off to the outside of the curve. Sels1 somehow managed to miss you on the road and I was able to pull up behind you and the bike.

So what happened? No question you were caught by the slippery surface, but as for advice I can only think of a few things:

Had you changed down enough gears for the corner? Rightly or wrongly on the bikes I am always down into the gear I will power out of the corner in before I completely enter the corner. This helps with better control using the throttle if you do skid at all.

How hard did you grab the front brake given you were following a car - the guy who was nice enough to come and see if you were OK? This is back to the gear comment, because more use of gears is less need for brake. When you started to lose the front end did you feel it, or was it just too quick? Otherwise you've got to get off that brake instantly, apply a bit more back brake to slow it down and flick the handlebars and the bike itself against the slide - a bit like opposite lock in a car. Easy for me to say, I have had years on dirt bikes used to slippery surfaces and on bikes with big front wheels and wide handlebars that are easily flickable. Those are things you can only learn through practice and experience - so don't give up, and count yourself lucky it was a right hand turn and you weren't at risk from opposing traffic.

It was good riding with you and I do hope you haven't been put off. See you again.

[Wasp]

lol, i spent 5 minutes hooning around qgate carpark, got some air off the ramps and all ya know :P

can't remember the guys name, he didnt have his license and neither did his brother, bike wasnt rego'd or wof'd. he's gonna come join us as soon as he gets his sprocket and chain fixed.

i still dont understand where this oil spill was, i never saw or slid across anything....

[cowpoos]

I was stopped on the way down the takas talking to a guy on a K5 20th annv Gixxer 750 that lost the front end. But I guess he got it going by the time you guys came past. Ironically, he (a very experienced rider) and I couldn't for the life of us figure out how he lost it on that corner (a right hander).

and before someone asks...it wasn't me...

the strange thing is though is I had big problems with my front end on my bike till spunky balls [martin] and I had a play at manfield... it would tuck serverly when you power on exciting a corner...an odd trait to come strait from a new/factory set up bike....Hmmm...

[SPman]

I headed back over about 1.45 but saw no diesel.....musta been spilled after that.

[phoenixgtr]

lol, i spent 5 minutes hooning around qgate carpark, got some air off the ramps and all ya know :P

can't remember the guys name, he didnt have his license and neither did his brother, bike wasnt rego'd or wof'd. he's gonna come join us as soon as he gets his sprocket and chain fixed.

i still dont understand where this oil spill was, i never saw or slid across anything....

I'm surprised you didn't see my bike parked up. Oh well. You going on TRTNR? You still gotta get your cam chain replaced don't you? Don't know if I'll be going this week. The missus is starting to complain that I spend all my time and money on my bike. (which is true)

[phoenixgtr]

Went to Motomart tonight and got my leak fixed. Turns out I had 2 holes in the tube. Its really weird cause theres obviously no mark on the tyre, so I hadn't hit anything. May have happened when they fitted the tyre, don't know. So it's balanced and it's full of air. Shes never felt better to ride, ever. It's never felt easier to lean her over. Had a great blat back from the hutt

[madboy]

Yeah, poos, this one was on the entry to the corner judging by the marks. Just as he turned in really. Identical to your bike too, except this one has additional marks of manhood now.

And he was no where near as sexy as you.

[cowpoos]

And he was no where near as sexy as you.

that goes without saying...you didn't need to post it... everyone knows how hot I am.....

[Uncle B]

Looks like these rides are the go with the amount of requests for a regular Newbie ride.
Been thinking that mid month would be better as not to clash with other first of the month rides.
If there are no objections to this, shall we make the next Newbie ride on the 12 Feb? Then every mid month after that.