KoroJ's Blog

On Saturday, I took the opportunity of good weather and organised with Dennis to have another Slow Handling practice.

Over the past two months I’ve managed to have six or seven sessions, trying and testing various courses (about eight of twenty plus), practicing a few of them on the ST and comparing how other bikes seem to go, although so far that has only involved Ken on his DR, BMWST on the Paris Dakar and Dennis on the ‘Busa.

The process has been quite interesting so far with BMWST proving to be the most proficient on the Dakar, the DR went OK, I’ve improved heaps on the ST but still lack the required finesse and require various levels of expansions to get around and the more sporty ‘Busa brings up the rear. I suspected the more upright position on the Tourers, Cruisers and adventure bikes would be better suited for this style of riding and this proved to be the case with Dennis acquiring a few scuffs, although maybe a smaller, lighter sprotty won’t have so much trouble??

We should find out more in a couple of weeks as we will be setting up some courses at the next scheduled Uly’ Ride. The biggest problem to do this is the wide range of bikes and skills make it difficult know what size to set the courses so the plan is to set up three sizes of the ‘Shield’ course, as well as a flow through ‘figure-8’, ‘Mid Atlantic Cone Weave’ and ‘S’. The Shield will enable us to assess the various bikes, while the other courses will provide a flow through set-up so riders aren’t sitting around awaiting turns.

So...hopefully, by the end of the month we will have an idea of how popular a Slow Handling event will be, how various bikes cope with the courses, and how riders find this improves their skills?? Here’s hoping for a fine day on the 31st and enough tennis balls by then.