Weekend Warriors

[Oscar]

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.

Jeez, I hope you aren't in advertising or promotion for a living, because you're going about this the wrong way.

What makes you think that belittling and criticising your intended participants with names like "newbie" and "weekend warrior" is an attractive and successful method of promoting your track days? If this is the best you can do by way of advertising or promotion, what are training methods like?

Ve vill make you a zafe rider or you vill be shot!

[James Deuce]

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




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

Which hair? My toenails have grown through the Crocs, so i rather think I'm stuck with them.

[cowpatz]

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.

Actually here in lies the problem. For the record I am in favour of track day training but purely from a manipulative aspect.

Dpex you know your bikes limits on that bike, on that track surface, on an ideal day, at that temperature and with those tyres...that is all. Change any of those variables and you no longer know the limits.

On the track you don't get cowshit, clay, loose gravel, reverse camber, shadowed corner, chip seal, painted lines, manhole covers and cagers. Those learnt limits are as useful to you then as an ashtray.

Perhaps what the track day experience may give you is an appreciation that if you do encounter an "oh fuck situation" that you might just have the extra confidence to increase countersteer and throttle off to lean over a little further than you are comfortable with and decrease the turn radius and stay on the road (especially your part of it) or to recognise a bad line and allow for it or brake correctly.

So the track has some value with manipulative skills but not necessarily with cognitive or defensive ones. It is of value but limited value.

[scracha]

if any of your warriors can beat me around the track....on weekend warrior bikes, then yeah, I'd be prepared to pull in my head.

Oh dear oh dear oh dear. You're so out of your depth here it's embarrassing.



If I whip out my pork sword every Saturday does that make me a weekend warrior?

[sondela]

...
So the track has some value with manipulative skills but not necessarily with cognitive or defensive ones. It is of value but limited value.

To quote a bright young friend of mine.. a tripod needs all three legs to stay stable, take one away, and it falls over...

We as bikers need all the skills we can acquire, doing whatever it takes to acquire them. This is how we stay upright.
You can't dismiss any skill as being of limited value.. it's a survival tool..the more we have, the safer we become.

[gatch]

We as bikers need all the skills we can acquire, doing whatever it takes to acquire them. This is how we stay upright.
You can't dismiss any skill as being of limited value.. it's a survival tool..the more we have, the safer we become.

Right on man (apologies, ma'am, well said.

You might never use the skills you took home with you from a track day, then again there might be that situation where something you learned going silly fast on the track has saved you from serious injury. It all helps eh.

Plus it gives real fast cats like me a chance to show you old koonts up.

BWWWWWWWWwaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahaha

[dpex]

Jesus but even I've had enough of watching these pratts giving the rest of us bikers a bad name.

I think that when it gets to the stage that one biker, minding his own business, and just tooling along, is nearly taken out in a head-on with another biker being a dick, it's kinda time to yell, 'Enough'! Isn't it?

This first fuck...yeah, as you'd expect, dressed in all the leathers. Just-so German war helmet and sunnies, sitting astride all the chrome, managed to over-cook a corner on the Riverhead Rd, for Christ's sakes!

A kid on a rocket would have a problem doing that. But this tit did.

I rolled into the corner and found him right ahead. Mouth open. 'Aaaaaaarrrrrhhhh!

Just got around him. Where he went? God knows. And I don't care.

Then I hive up behind a line of traffic on the open road. It's doing 70. Ahead are five bikes, one with an L-plate. Yup, doing 70. And all his buddies are doing 70.

Are they giving the annoyed cagers the space to pass? Oh no. We're bikers. We have as much right to be here as God!

So I click past a few cages till there's just two cages between me and the beetles. I'm kinda fascinated. One cager decides he's had enough and goes for the pass in a bad place. Around the corner comes a stream of weekend warriors.

There's Herbert out on the line, and Linly on the inside track, then Jack out wide, Bill in close, and so on; as taught (staggered line) but Herbert is about to meet the frustrated cager.

How they missed a head-on I will never know.

The 70k tits pulled into a gas station. I followed them in. Asked after who was the leader. And after some substantial 'discussions' I was told to fuck off on account of every person has the right to be on the road if they have a licence.

That they had so nearly been embroiled in yet another fatal seemed to pass them by.

The statement being, 'We didn't have an accident'.

And you just look at these people and wonder.

Have you got an answer to this?

It's not just their appalling riding, it's also that they seem unable to understand the dangers.

Bugger me!

[cowboyz]

i hear what your saying but unfortuntely.... the only people who will are the converted. I used to ride with a guy who firmly believed that if he was following the road code then he was in the right and so it didnt matter if he had a accident or caused an accident cause he was in the right. Seems crazy.

[GOONR]

.....Then I hive up behind a line of traffic on the open road. It's doing 70. Ahead are five bikes, one with an L-plate. Yup, doing 70. And all his buddies are doing 70.

Are they giving the annoyed cagers the space to pass? Oh no. We're bikers. We have as much right to be here as God!

So I click past a few cages till there's just two cages between me and the beetles. I'm kinda fascinated. One cager decides he's had enough and goes for the pass in a bad place. Around the corner comes a stream of weekend warriors.

There's Herbert out on the line, and Linly on the inside track, then Jack out wide, Bill in close, and so on; as taught (staggered line) but Herbert is about to meet the frustrated cager.

How they missed a head-on I will never know.

The 70k tits pulled into a gas station. I followed them in. Asked after who was the leader. And after some substantial 'discussions' I was told to fuck off on account of every person has the right to be on the road if they have a licence.

That they had so nearly been embroiled in yet another fatal seemed to pass them by.

The statement being, 'We didn't have an accident'.

And you just look at these people and wonder.

Have you got an answer to this?

It's not just their appalling riding, it's also that they seem unable to understand the dangers.

Bugger me!

Can't really comment on the rest of your ride but being a L plater myself I feel safer if I have more experienced riders around me whilst I learn how to ride the open road. It's a big deal for some of us, we don't want to fuck it up and end up in a hedge or worse in the bonnet of a car. Maybe his buddies took a position that gave him safety. If a car want's to overtake then they should be responsible for their actions too and pick their moments a bit better.

Legally (rightly or wrongly) L plate's are allowed on the open road but restricted to 70K. Personally I would go over the 70k if I felt that I was up to it at that particular point if not I'd back off.

[Mom]

I would like to meet the 70k warriors you describe. If only to take them some place that they can get there 70k mate up to some sort of speed.

Bikes are entitled to OWN their bit of tarmac. I dare any one to attempt to intimidate me off my portion of road. But there are better ways of getting out there than pack riding at 70 on the open road.

As far as the other biker goes...

Wankers come in all shapes and sizes, sometimes you dont have to look too far to find them really.

[cowboyz]

Can't really comment on the rest of your ride but being a L plater myself I feel safer if I have more experienced riders around me whilst I learn how to ride the open road. It's a big deal for some of us, we don't want to fuck it up and end up in a hedge or worse in the bonnet or a car. Maybe his buddies took a position that gave him safety. If a car want's to overtake then they should be responsible for their actions too and pick their moments a bit better.

Legally (rightly or wrongly) L plate's are allowed on the open road but restricted to 70K. Personally I would go over the 70k if I felt that I was up to it at that particular point if not I'd back off.

L plate riders are allowed on the openroad at 70km/hr for sure. One would think that if you choose to take a mode of transport that you are learning on and are sitting on 70km/hr then you are not in a particular hurry to get anywhere. So whats wrong with pulling to the left and letting faster vehicles past?

[GOONR]

L plate riders are allowed on the openroad at 70km/hr for sure. One would think that if you choose to take a mode of transport that you are learning on and are sitting on 70km/hr then you are not in a particular hurry to get anywhere. So whats wrong with pulling to the left and letting faster vehicles past?

I always do, I don't really care for car's right up my arse.

If you had a learner in a small group that you are looking after would you move over, maybe giving the signal to the car that It's Ok to overtake when the L plate is thinking your right behind them watching their back.

[rapid van cleef]

discussing issues like this with a group of riders,or anyone else that you have observed and follwed into a service station.....is not going to get a positive response regardless, even if they think.that after your comments, they were in the wrong. they will stand up in front of their amigos. pack mentality and the need to look and strong in front of your friends etc. owning a licence prooves only 1 thing......... that a person knows how to pass a test.it does not actually show you that someone has hazard awareness, and basic control skills.

there is a lot of people that believe the requirements for all road users to gain their license here is a joke, whether it be car or bike, or whatever. there will always be people that were put here to test us..just be grateful that you were not involved in an accident and be proud you are aware when you ride.......many people do not look through windows of the vehicles they are following to watch for hazards, through trees, round bends, looking for the tree tops/ power lines to see which direction they go.....often they follow the road. this needs to be taught and practised, non of which gets assessed on a driving course or test that i am aware of....i may be wrong.

some people will always take undue risks, and sometimes will do so, without sparing a thought for the possibilty that there may be someone coming the other way that they cant see and obviously dont expect to see another vehicle in their lane coming round a corner towards them.

you have some amazing twisty roads here in NZ............and racetracks that are cheap and easily accessable to ride on........just be careful and never stop learing

[steve_t]

If you see a group of idiots posing a danger to themselves and others and you've had a word but they've told you to fuck off, it may be worth considering *555'ing them. You might just save a life

[rapid van cleef]

whats is *555ing them mean?