Valuable lesson for beginner

[mowgli]

Did my second trip over the Rimutakas last night with TCWNR along with more than a dozen other riders. Awesome weather, not too blowy, an excellent evening for getting a bit more experience under my belt. Learned a valuable lesson aswell.

We left the duckpond with the next stop at the saddle carpark. Riding up the takas I was well warmed into the ride. After the stop and heading down the other side found the first couple of corners awkward. Then the next few were diabolical. I kept it in my lane and on tarmac but whoever was behind me must have been just waiting for an off with all the late, mid corner braking and squared corners.

I slowed and then realised what I was doing wrong. When we set off from the carpark we were quite bunched. I WAS FOLLOWING THE BIKE IN FRONT TOO CLOSE. I'm not suggesting I was up his tail pipe, worse I was watching him and not the road ahead. Consequently I was in the wrong position, too fast and ended up decelerating and braking through corners.

I backed off and reminded myself to "look where I want to go" (ie as far ahead as possible) and everything settled down. For the return trip over the hill I deliberately put myself in space and got into a comfortable cornering groove.

Thanks to all those on TCWNR last night. I enjoyed myself and practised a valuable lesson of the priorities of safe biking: Look, position, speed, gear, accelerate.

[Trudes]

Good on you for sorting it out. I watched you for a little bit at some point last night and thought you looked very in control and relaxed.:scooter:
I'm finding more and more with group rides that I prefer to find myself a gap and ride than be stuffed up someones bum, so often hang back and let everyone else take off and then go (not too much of an issue the way I stuff about).
Glad you had a good time last night, was a grand evening for it!:yes:

[PrincessBandit]

thanks for sharing that, very helpful reminder or lesson for those of us who have done very little group riding especially in larger numbers. :niceone:

[jimbo600]

A very astute observation, and well timed. Nice going Rob. Sounds like y'all had a good ride too.

[Hawkeye]

Well done Rob, You certainly didn't look like a rider going over there for only the second time.
I also learnt 2 valuable lessons last night.

1. don't follow a cruiser over the Taka's. Their lines are totally different. Which goes back to your learning Rob. Ride your road not theirs.

2. Put a cloth and a small bottle of water under the seat to clean the visor. By the time I got back over Haywards, I could hardly see out of the visor for flies splattered on it.

[Drum]

I think I was behind you on the way down the hill (you're on the red Hyosung right?).

You were probably approaching corners a little fast and braking a little late, but you improved markedly the further down the hill we got. So keep up the good work.

I noticed you exceeded 70 km/h at one stage in the 'Rapa too! :shifty:

[mowgli]

I think I was behind you on the way down the hill (you're on the red Hyosung right?).
Yep that was me.

I noticed you exceeded 70 km/h at one stage in the 'Rapa too! :shifty:
Yeah, a bit slack I know. Still think the fuzz would let me off with a warning for doing 72 km/h :yes:

[sels1]

Still think the fuzz would let me off with a warning for doing 72 km/h :yes:

Of course they would......

Good ride last night.

[mowgli]

I also learnt 2 valuable lessons last night.

1. don't follow a cruiser over the Taka's. Their lines are totally different. Which goes back to your learning Rob. Ride your road not theirs.

2. Put a cloth and a small bottle of water under the seat to clean the visor. By the time I got back over Haywards, I could hardly see out of the visor for flies splattered on it.

3. No matter how bad your visor gets, wiping it with your glove won't make it better.

[mowgli]

Well done Rob, You certainly didn't look like a rider going over there for only the second time.

'Tis but a thin veneer. Like a swan it might seem all grace and composure topside but underneath those feet are churning big time.

[dipshit]

For the return trip over the hill I deliberately put myself in space and got into a comfortable cornering groove.


Or next time you could just go for a ride.

You don't have to go riding with a bunch of people from an internet forum. No one can actually help you when riding the bike... and you may only pickup other people's bad habits and advice.

When riding on your own, you can solely concentrate on what you are doing rather than worrying about what others are doing.

[PrincessBandit]

3. No matter how bad your visor gets, wiping it with your glove won't make it better.

does when it's raining though :laugh: -instant windscreen sprayer

[99TLS]

good to know you knew what you were doing wrong and learnt from this shows great learning ability :niceone:

[mowgli]

Or next time you could just go for a ride.

Amen to that. I've had my learner's exactly one month today. Bought the hyo the day after and have put over 1500km on it since. It's been a case of love at first ride.

[Tall Learner]

Amen to that. I've had my learner's exactly one month today. Bought the hyo the day after and have put over 1500km on it since. It's been a case of love at first ride.

Ive heard that the GT250R isnt such a great bike to learn on, apparently ur put in too much of a foward leaning position and u cant see much of the road. Dunno if this is tru or not, what do u think? Im looking 4 a bike at the mo and need all the tips i can get!

[MSTRS]

Or next time you could just go for a ride.

You don't have to go riding with a bunch of people from an internet forum. No one can actually help you when riding the bike... and you may only pickup other people's bad habits and advice.

When riding on your own, you can solely concentrate on what you are doing rather than worrying about what others are doing.
NOT SUCH GOOD ADVICE!!!
Learners need to ride, sure, but on their own how will they learn good lines, proper gear selection, corner speed, etc?
Ride with a mentor to learn this stuff, then go ride on your own to practice.
Only thing I agree with in the quoted post is to not learn this stuff in a large group ride.

[mowgli]

Ive heard that the GT250R isnt such a great bike to learn on, apparently ur put in too much of a foward leaning position and u cant see much of the road. Dunno if this is tru or not, what do u think? Im looking 4 a bike at the mo and need all the tips i can get!

Best advice I can give is to go and test ride one. I'm 5'7" and find the riding position comfortable and visibility excellent. The GT250R is actually kind of half way between a tourer and a sport bike so you're not fully forward like you'd be on a regular sport bike. The seat is low and the tank big so all fits well for me.

If you want to be a little more upright then go for the naked GT250 as this doesn't have the drop handlebars. You'll have the additional bonus of being cheaper to fix if you happen to drop it.

[mowgli]

NOT SUCH GOOD ADVICE!!!
...
Only thing I agree with in the quoted post is to not learn this stuff in a large group ride.

Unless the group recognises you as a beginner and deliberately leads/follows you to provide either the example lines or feedback on your riding. Group riding is fun and good for building experience.

[CookMySock]

Ive heard that the GT250R isnt such a great bike to learn on...the GT250R is quite a bit to chew in one bite. My wife has one and she is quite concerned about riding it, but they look like sex.. so what to do ?

It depends what your priorities are. She wants her hot ass to look hotter, sooo the Yellow GT250R it is - getting to grips with it is secondary.

If you get the Hyosung, my guess is you will be so in love with it you will not notice it being harder to ride. But in answer to your question, yes a little bike with a more upright riding position will be easier to learn on. The GT250R is huge.


DB

[Tall Learner]

The GT250R is huge.

yea but I'm quite a tall guy... hence my profile name :banana: will that make a difference????

[Number One]

I prefer to find myself a gap and ride than be stuffed up someones bum

ROFL - I just hate being stuffed up somones bum! Blaardy uncomfortable and the view is crap! :devil2:

Oh and to comment ON topic...the Takas are a good practise ground, just a pity they have to go down hill too! Why not just lots of up and across with no down bits!!!

[mowgli]

yea but I'm quite a tall guy... hence my profile name :banana: will that make a difference????

If you're really tall then you could apply to the LTSA for an exemption to the 250cc limit. Think about this carefully though. A bigger bike could be a lot less forgiving.

Do a search on here and you'll find examples of guys that have done this.

[DingoZ]

The GT250R is a full size bike. Good for tall people as well. The footpegs are adjustable to give you a bit more...

Best thing go and have a sit on one. See how it feels. One of my work colleagues is 6ft3 and he rides a GT250R. No probs for him....:)

So it might be okay for you also..:)

[Macktheknife]

Ive heard that the GT250R isnt such a great bike to learn on, apparently ur put in too much of a foward leaning position and u cant see much of the road. Dunno if this is tru or not, what do u think? Im looking 4 a bike at the mo and need all the tips i can get!

Don't know if I agree with this, I have seen a lot of newbies on the Hyo's and most of them do quite well. Go try one and see how it fits you, then decide.

As for the original post, I love reading stuff like this!
Good on you for spotting the issue and dealing with it well, bloody well done.

[ital916]

Or you could get a RG150 :shifty:, they define the term pocket rocket, small, flickable and with a personality. Patience is a virtue with them though as I am finding out. I found the hyo to be too large for me. The reach over the tank was ginormous......or maybe even gargantuan lol But hey bigger people might fit it better.

[Tall Learner]

If you're really tall then you could apply to the LTSA for an exemption to the 250cc limit. Think about this carefully though. A bigger bike could be a lot less forgiving.

Do a search on here and you'll find examples of guys that have done this.

Na na na haha no way, i choose life haha but it is quite interesting to know that people would try that. I mean Ive only just got my confidence up riding my mates bike around a little, that just started off being practice 4 the BHST but now its really fun. Hes got a 99 bandit 250 and im a little big for it.

PZreferably id want a bike in between the size of the hyo and his bandit but i still want it to look nice, the GSX 250 looks nice and fits nice but i can tell it would get a bit boring after a little while. . . . is there a GSX-R 250? that wul b awesome :niceone: