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Dedicated to the memory of Uncle B.

Thanks Rosie and Quallman1234 for your selections this week and to Rosie and Quallman1234 congratulations you will be our selectors over the next fortnight.

The selections this week do have a theme ‘personal improvement’. The joy and pleasure in riding, seeing the progress we have each individually made, and also the progress we see in others.

This week I posted an entry regarding my own transition/s moving up from the GN250, however along the way I maintained vigilance:

“Buck – Where Are You Riding?
Buck – How Are You Riding?
And Buck – Why Are You Riding Like That – Right Now?”

I endeavour to maintain a constant discipline when riding and if things start to fall outside the norm I ask myself those three questions. The key point being self discipline, ride within your own comfort zone, and be patient.

Refer to: http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=55460

Originally Posted by Rosie

I choose yungatart for helping out a newer rider, as well as working on her own technique. I'm not used to following other riders, and find it takes a lot of concentration, even if they are an experienced rider. I've never been out riding with someone less experienced than myself, but I imagine that would require even more concentration.

Also, taking a systematic approach to cornering, identifying exit points etc is something that I should be working on myself. I'm taking the afternoon off work and going for a ride, and plan on working on my cornering technique.

Rosie.

Originally Posted by yungatart

Mstrs and I (along with others) are supporting Stickchick on the great learning curve of riding a motorcycle.
So with that in mind we headed off yesterday avo fo a short ride with her.
For me it was totally different. I have always been the most inexperienced rider on our rides, the one who lacks confidence and is the slowest.
Yesterday, I got to ride TEC for SC and help her out. It is quite a change when you have to focus on your own and someone else's riding. SC put huge faith and trust in me, and I was not going to let her down. I remembered back to my early days and didn't want to overload her with info, but rather give her 1 thing to help her improve her skill level and confidence. I chose telling her to keep an eye on her mirrors. She rode beautifully, so much better than I did at her experience level. Well done!!
For myself, I practised my counter steering, (man, that is soo much fun), keeping my head up in the corners and looking for the exit, and late apexing the corners. It is exciting to see progress in my riding and fine tuning the basics.
It is also great to be able to help out a new rider and pay forward all the hours that people have put in to my riding.

Originally Posted by quallman1234

I pick chanccey as my selection for this week, for having a good at the rimutakas and enjoying the expirence. And not to mention enjoying the expierence of touring .

Good to see you again

Originally Posted by chanceyy

Well another couple of first’s

My first organised ride & tackling the Rimutaka Hill .. that is something I have been wanting to do for a while ..

Well decided that there are a lot of palmy & surrounding area lurkers out there & it can be daunting coming to an established group so the plan was to get some new faces out there & give it a go ..

Planned a flowing kinda ride (thanks to the auck crew @ turangi for the idea on how to do this)

So 19 bikes turned out & all skill levels catered for, with no pressure to keep up or worries on where to go, also no pressure on anyone to ride above their own ride.

Now for my ride day .. after being sick for a few weeks I really really really wanted this ride and have not travelled the back roads of pahiatua for 3-4 months so really wanted to see if I had become smoother & if I could get the corners to flow ..

Needless to say the smile pretty much said it all .. I had an absolute blast .. road most of it myself but it was great knowing there were others behind me & a tail end Charlie so could concentrate on wot was infront of me rather than ahh fark I am being left behind ..

Still overcooked one or two corners but that was ok I Knew the mistakes I made & worked on making the next corner better.

After lunch the taka hill loomed & must admit I was feeling a mixture of trepidation & excitement, the hill certainly has a reputation & demands respect or it will spit you out without a second thought ..

But this would have to be the highlight of my ride I deliberately waited til all the other riders left .. apart from bonez who kindly offered to go TEC I certainly felt no pressure with him behind me & warned I would prob be slow .. but I found my niche .. kept Betsy in 3-4 gear & did not change up or down stable speed and the corners flowed fantastically really felt good about the ride & my ability to corner more smoothly

By the time we reached the summit I was really buzzing & smiling but also not getting above myself as we still had the down side & paikakariki hill to come so knew it was not time for any complacency.

Had fun with another kber on the windy bit by Te marua & he passed me on the straight but I passed him (in a safe overtaking manner) on a sweepy wide turn .. totally relaxed & grinning from ear to ear.

We managed to slightly hit a white line covered in rain on the paicock hill & felt Betsy give a wee sideways flick but totally did not bother me .. also aware of others accidents on this hill treated it with the respect it deserved & slowed down as well again tried to get the flow going .. but as I was the 3rd rider behind the leaders realised that I had some real experienced riders behind me .. so a wee bit conscious about this .. however no comments on cornering eventuated & experiencing this more should hopefully ease the incompetent feeling one sometimes feels ...

Other than the driving rain which I have experienced before the ride was totally a success & look forward to some more great times ahead ...

Today I have a smile that will not leave & a feeling of yeah that ride rocked …

Yungatart and Chanceyy will be your selectors for the fortnight ending 28 August.

Heads Up and Enjoy