Weekend Warriors

[SARGE]

That's a hell of a laundry list there, mate.

yea .. i've been further than the Bombay's too

I nearly said something like that, but I didn't want to look like a girl.

try cutting your hair and get rid of the Crocs man ...

[jono035]

yea .. i've been further than the Bombay's too

That's somewhere in India, right?

[SARGE]

That's somewhere in India, right?

was thinking South Aucks, but ive been further than India too

[dpex]

The level of ego-related ignorance from some of the posts above sadden me.

Here we some who assert they can simply pick up where they left off, last weekend.

Then we have others asserting that learning to ride a bike properly, in a relatively safe environment such as the track will cause all who make the effort to simply go faster on the roads.

Then we have those who have asserted they don't need to practice or learn, or that road-craft practice, in any vehicle is not specific to bikes.

Then we have the tits who think track-days are just for speeding around.

In fact I have wondered about the balls of some of the weanies who have gone down this track ('scuse the unintended pun). They seem to shout very loud against track-days. I've come to wondering if the dill-brains are actually so confused they can't separate the likes of an AMCC ART day from a standard, give it hell, track day, and are actually quite scared they might not be able to lead the group.

Like it matters.

I can understand the weanies worrying about their (relative performance) during an open track-day, again, like it matters.

But I cannot understand how anyone can assert that learning somewhere near the limits of their bike's performance curve, on the track, could be in some way negative on the road.

Having done sundry track-days and some racing, I now know the limits of my bike. On the road I don't go anywhere near those parameters, despite, on occasion, pushing a bit.

I go out for a ride, via some road I know are nice and windy, and yeah, I push a bit. But nowhere near the levels I push on the track, so I know that dressed in my jeans, sand shoes (quite often) I'm riding well within the limits of my bike.

But I know this only because I have pushed, and pushed, and pushed, on the track. Splatted heaps of times, and thus know my bike's limits.

Do you?

The answer being, unless you've splatted, you don't know your bike's limits.

And for all those who rattle on about 'stuff' on the roads, go do a trasck-day after the burnout boys have been there. You'll be going a hell of a lot faster than on the road, and that small bit of rubber from a burn-out's tyre might get your adrenalin pumping.



Jesus H Leprechaun! All such positers deserve to be removed from the gene pool.

[Usarka]

I love posts that abuse others for being self righteous.

[Virago]

The level of ego-related ignorance from some of the posts above sadden me...

The irony in your post is delicious. A shame that it will be lost on you.

[dipshit]

Later, I hung old Zimmer from the garage roof then let her lay over till the crank-case touch the floor. I as utterly amazed. I couldn't see how a bike could keep going forward at such an incredibly deep angle of lean. Yet, she did, and I learned.

Take your hand off it.

Your bike sitting static in the garage is totally different to the load your suspension will be under through a corner.

[rosie631]

Take your hand off it.

LOL +1

10 char

[jono035]

The level of ego-related ignorance from some of the posts above sadden me.

Most of the responses have been calm and reasoned, no need to start throwing lines like that around... Basically you've just straight out called everyone who disagrees with you an ignorant ego-maniac... Eloquent.

I still think that if you are riding within your abilities then it shouldn't matter what those abilities are. If it means you have to take corners at sign-posted speeds to be safe, then so be it. Being able to corner faster and handle my bike better at speed just means that I'm more likely to be out of my depth in other areas (hazard detection and mitigation) due to less time to react and make decisions...

I am very keen to do one of these training days at some point, probably when I've upgraded to a better bike though and I can definitely see the advantage in them in terms of skill development, I just don't see how they are the panacea that they are being protrayed as.

[trumpy]

Thought I had better report back to the ABWW Safety Committee (Ageing Bikers and Weekend Warriors) about my latest activity. Yesterday I decided that this week I would actually ride my bike rather than pat it fondly each time I passed it in the garage. So I made a plan: I would ride from Taupo to Taumaranui, then up 43 for a while, hang a right through Ohura then back down to Taumaranui, the western access road and then home.

Pretty ambitious plan I thought what with all those corners and me being old an' all but I figured with perserverence, lots of coffees and plenty of places to pee (major priority when you're old) I might just "knock the bastard off".
Thus Saturday was spent in careful preparation: I washed the bike but no polishing, this had to look like a used bike. Took to my chicken strips with a bit of sandpaper (had to at least look the part at the other end) and reversed scrubbed all the scuff marks on my leathers to make them stand out a little more for that extra bit of street cred at coffee shops ("yeah mate, that was my last big off......broke my shoulder on that one way out on boondocks....yeah just left the bike there and walked the 70kms home....popped into the hospital the next day...blah..blah..blah).

Of course I would ride alone (like every self respecting adventurer). This is of course imperative so that no one can contradict you when you regale your mates with tales of your Rossi like prowess on two wheels.

Well I can now report that I made it safely home, without falling off or making anyone else fall off and I did not indulge in any "unnecessary displays of acceleration" or "sustained loss of traction" so even the boys in blue would be proud, in fact I even managed to stay close to the speed limit on the (few) straight bits (just for you Katman..).

Did I pass muster.........?

Highlight of the day: I didn't fall off, which is great because old people don't bounce very well...

Bummer of the day: There's no coffee shop in Ohura! Actually come to think of it, there isn't much of anything in Ohura.....

Note to all: If you want to do Highway 43 (and everyone should...including old people) now is a great time to do it as the road is as good as it's going to get. Judging by the current state of the road surface, come about the end of November it's just going to be a molten mess.

[gwigs]

3 small comments:

1. The AMCC ART instructors actually do spend a lot of time discussing different lines (and similar lines) for street and track. The vast majority of participants are primarily street riders; it's pretty pointless concentrating on pure race technique.

2. The whole point about improving your machine handling skills for the road is so that your mind can be taken up with defensive riding, not struggling with your ability to handle your machine. Streets and the open road are not places to be practising basic cornering and braking skills.

3. One of the insurance brokers who has done more than one ART day described the typical motorcycle write-off in his company's clientele: a. 1000 cm3 machine +/- 250; b. ridden by a male 45 yrs old +/- 10 years; c. who has had a break from riding of several years at some time; d. and who crashed in a single-vehicle pile-up on a Sunday afternoon.

Mental note ...must not ride on Sunday afternoons....

[PrincessBandit]

Most of the responses have been calm and reasoned, no need to start throwing lines like that around... Basically you've just straight out called everyone who disagrees with you an ignorant ego-maniac... Eloquent.

I think he is well on the way to being a master-baiter.

[trumpy]

......3. One of the insurance brokers who has done more than one ART day described the typical motorcycle write-off in his company's clientele: a. 1000 cm3 machine +/- 250; b. ridden by a male 45 yrs old +/- 10 years; c. who has had a break from riding of several years at some time; d. and who crashed in a single-vehicle pile-up on a Sunday afternoon.

And your problem is?.....

[jono035]

I think he is well on the way to being a master-baiter.

Hahaha well put, I guess I should stop feeding the troll then...

[The Stranger:Me]

I think he is well on the way to being a master-baiter.

You give him way too much credit.
This guy is and example of what happens when ADD kids get old.

You will note I didn't say gow up.