Constructive tribute

[Big Dog]

There are lot of very moving tributes to Bruce and Darryl floating around, but as a coworker pointed out "flying with your pegs down" has it's "romantic", emotive charm without offering anything constructive.

Reading the many tributes I see many common threads one of the less mistakable is that the lads were never backward in coming forward with teaching, lessons, or just plain tips.

These tips have changed a lot of peoples lives, I say we continue that trend.

If you feel so inclined please add your own riding tip tribute.
If you feel you do not know enough to contribute in this manner offer your tribute by reading the the following tips doing what you can to become a rider with the experience and skills to pass them down when your time comes.

I'll start :
At least once a year practice emergency stops, starts and evasions in the wet even if you ride all weathers.

No safety gear is too expensive if you ever "use" it.

Taking the time to "fettle" your bike to fit you is the best mod you can do to your bike dollar for dollar regardless of your style.

Don't take advice about riding from anyone you would not pillion with.

[Blakamin]

Don't take advice about riding from anyone you would not pillion with.

Bloody good advice!

here be my 2 cents:
When group riding, don't try to "keep up". Ride at your own pace and enjoy yourself.

[Colapop]

Trust your bike - ensure that you keep it maintained well. You'll be thankful when it does what you want it to.

[slowpoke]

Buy the best safety gear you can afford...preferably BEFORE you buy your first bike. Too often it's an afterthought done with cost in mind after blowing your budget on a bike, then inevitably you end up buying better gear anyway as you get more serious.

[Big Dog]

Trust your bike - ensure that you keep it maintained well. You'll be thankful when it does what you want it to.

Relax your shoulders and elbows, if you maintained your bike well and you find your self getting all twisted you may need to trust the bike to "know what to do" when you don't.

That and you will enjoy your ride a lot more and be less worn out when you get there.
Trying to wrestle a bike you will never win, finesse is where the real power is.

[R6_kid:Me]

Your bike is all that lies between you and the road. Keep it in tip top shape all the time... if you need help or advice, just ask.

[sunhuntin]

Bloody good advice!

here be my 2 cents:
When group riding, don't try to "keep up". Ride at your own pace and enjoy yourself.

ill add to that for group rides:
if you are a slower rider [newbie] keep left and let the faster bikes go by. i usually end up tail end charley, but so long as i can see at least one bike who knows where they are going, im happy.
keep a close eye on your mirrors as well as ahead and to the sides, specially if you are "parading."
keep a distance from those ahead, and ride staggered. dont speed to catch up if theres a big gap between you and the bike ahead. invariably, you will get too much speed and not enough room, resulting in brakes being slammed on by you and upsetting the flow downstream.
keeping the traffic flowing does not mean climbing in someones boot or exhaust pipe...leave a gap. if you get overtaken and your gap is lessened, slow down till you are happy with the distance.

[KLOWN]

Best tip I ever got was to RELAX you stiffen up and the bike is harder to control.

[HDTboy]

If you find yourself having to make a split second decision between slowing down, and going around a corner. Going around the corner usually works out best.

[Maha]

If you think you are fastest rider in NZ...you are Not!!
There will always be someone better than you..Always !.....
And there will always be someone lesser than you.
Motorcycling is not about a race....its about how you feel when you get to the end...and getting to the other end is a must

[madboy]

Not everyone is born to ride a bike. Twisting the throttle is easy, any monkey can learn the mechanical steps of making a bike move, turn and stop. A bit more thought and you can wheelie, stoppie and power slide. But the really smart monkeys know when to slow down and take it easy. To finish first first you must finish and all that.

Some monkeys, like me, recognise that they just don't have the right attitude for a bike at all - so they quit while they're still around to lecture other people about it.

Bikes are a dangerous piece of machinery. Fun if respected, deadly if not. Remember that.

[Edbear]

Bikes are a dangerous piece of machinery. Fun if respected, deadly if not. Remember that.

Bit like women, really....

Good thread, I'll keep an eye on the tips and if I think of something actually constructive, I'll mention it, but at the mo I'll read and ponder.

[sAsLEX]

One of the things you develop over the years is a sixth sense, kinda of like a spidy sense, which tells you little things. Like that shadow up ahead is a person coming out of a drive without looking, that white van parked up on the side of the road ahead aint stopped for a picnic.

Never stop listening to this biker sense.

Not everyone is born to ride a bike. Twisting the throttle is easy, any monkey can learn the mechanical steps of making a bike move, turn and stop.

Scott Dixon bought a 999, rode it for 100 miles then got rid of the thing as he knew it was to tempting to twist the wrist and feel the rush and then not be able to deal with the situation.

[Big Dog]

Just got back from Brisbane today though I'd heard of this tragic news on Saturday. Although I didn't know Bruce and Darryl very well at all, I was deeply saddened to hear of the loss of these two well respected young men. Had I not been away, I would have been there on Saturday's ride with my mates too. My first encounter with Bruce was this reply to a thread I started about sunstrike a year ago...

Quote:
Originally Posted by loosebruce View Post
Sun strike, what to do, well me i'd pull a mingin wheelie and use my front wheel to block out the sun, thus carrying on like normal, well normal for me anyways.

As a newbie here at the time I didn't know what to make of it, but now can imagine his smile when he typed it. Having done a few trackdays this year I'd met and watched Bruce in action and admired his skills. From what I've read here he was one of the good guys in other aspects of life too.

Pay attention to wit, sarcasm and the truth.... learn the difference.

[forkoil]

Try to feel the tyres on the road, feel every little bump, change in road surface. Just let your attention rest on the road / tyre contact area. That keeps you in touch with the bike, and distracts you from fear, and lets you ride at the right pace for the piece of road your on.