Planning to Survive

[R6_kid:Me]

After talking with fellow KB-ers i have decided to write a post about 'Planning to Survive' essentially preparing yourself and others for group riding situations on the open road.

First Point is aimed at new riders:
Do you have the skill to ride with the group? If not think twice about attending the event.
It has been said that many new riders on 250's and other L/R licence bikes try to keep up with faster riders on fast bikes.
If you fall into this group there are three things you need to do.

1.) Attend an advanced skills course - try contacting BRONZ or a similar riding organisation in your area to see if you can get on to a course that teaches proper cornering, breaking and general ettiquite. These will help improve your riding, however remember that this will generally make you safer for the same speed, it will not make you a GP racer overnight.

2.) Join a racing club and get your arse to a track. If you want to speed and test your mettle against other riders do it on the track. It's safer, controlled and with first aid standing by.

3.) Wait til you have your full licence and an equally equiped bike before trying to cut it with the "big boys". It will save you in the long run and you want become yet another statistic.

Second Point is aimed at ride organisers:
Things to think about when planning your rides.
1.) Pace - Blistering/racing, fast, at the speed limit, or scenic cruise???
- It needs to be clear so that people know what they are in for.

2.) Skill level/bike size
- Again make it clear so that inexperienced riders and people with smaller bikes dont get themselves into trouble.

3.) Be vigilant. Not to discourage the newer riders from upping their experience, but to discourage those wanting to compensate for something - its better to tell them to wait for a better suited ride than to have them hit the road going full tit trying to keep up with you.

4.) Explain the route in detail
- Outline each road, where it is, the known hazards and hard corners.
- Set check points at places where you know people may get lost. Make sure everyone knows where the checkpoints are and that someone will be there waiting for you when they get there. (this will save people having to ride out of their skill level to try and keep up)

Also its always good to have a food/break point where people can have a rest and re-energize. As riders we need to be alert and aware of our situation. As you will know you start to lose concentration and alertness after a couple of hours at the handle bars.


Third Point to everyone in general
BE SAFE!!! Do you really need to speed to get enjoyment out of your bike, if yes is the answer - go to the track. If you get your excitement from doing it on the open road - be mindful of those around you and those who may be following your lead.

PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. It all counts in the end and you may find that your favourite local bend or that car park down the road could be your best friend. Dont worry if you look like a dick riding round practicing. It could save your ass at the end of the day. Things to practice are braking and cornering (not at the same time tho).

Im running out of things to say but thats my 2c for the mean time. In light of recent events and just general riding it always pays to lookout for yourself and your mates. Remember as bikers we are alone on the roads, but we are not alone as bikers Take the time to improve your riding, and ALWAYS ride at your own pace, not at the pace your penis tells you to.

[jazbug5]

....at your own pace, not at the pace your penis tells you to.

Great post.
Um. So all this time the guys have been getting extra 'help' from their other head? To think I have to make do with just the one feeble brain...

[enigma51]

Great post.
Um. So all this time the guys have been getting extra 'help' from their other head? To think I have to make do with just the one feeble brain...

Does the saying not go two heads is better than one?

[R6_kid:Me]

Great post.
Um. So all this time the guys have been getting extra 'help' from their other head? To think I have to make do with just the one feeble brain...

on a gn250!!! didnt u read the bit about getting a better equipped bike

[jazbug5]

You beast.

*sulks*

[Storm]

Great post.
Um. So all this time the guys have been getting extra 'help' from their other head? To think I have to make do with just the one feeble brain...

Never fear, you have two bresticles to compensate.

On another topic yay for GN250's
























PS Hugely impressed that all you called him was a beast. I'd have gone much further personally

[Lucyloo]

Great post Gareth!
Thanks for that.
Hopefully some of this will sink in!
Lucy.

[R6_kid:Me]

You beast.

*sulks*

i'll give it points for reliability and just for being around for so god damn long, what is it - 30 years now?

[Coyote]

Another tip is to get a Dirt Bike. When you fall (often) the landing is a bit softer, and you learn to control your bike on slippery terrain

And GN250s ROCK!!!

[erik]

After talking with fellow KB-ers i have decided to write a post about 'Planning to Survive' essentially preparing yourself and others for group riding situations on the open road.

Nice idea.
I'd like to comment on a couple of points you make.

First Point is aimed at new riders:
Do you have the skill to ride with the group? If not think twice about attending the event.

Many KB rides are organised for people of all riding abilities. Rather than newbies asking themselves if they have "the skill to ride with the group", I think it is more important for them to ask themselves whether they have the skill to ride on the open road by themselves, because unless there are other slow riders on the ride, that is what the newbie will be doing.

It has been said that many new riders on 250's and other L/R licence bikes try to keep up with faster riders on fast bikes.
If you fall into this group there are three things you need to do.
...

Personally, I would say there is one thing you need to do:

Don't!

IE. I think newbie riders shouldn't consider trying to keep up with the faster riders. Rather they should go on the ride and be confident enough to be left behind and set their own pace. (That's what happens with me, anyway...)


Just one last though: Try to rely on luck as little as possible in your riding.

[Zapf]

Nice idea.
I'd like to comment on a couple of points you make.




Many KB rides are organised for people of all riding abilities. Rather than newbies asking themselves if they have "the skill to ride with the group", I think it is more important for them to ask themselves whether they have the skill to ride on the open road by themselves, because unless there are other slow riders on the ride, that is what the newbie will be doing.




Personally, I would say there is one thing you need to do:

Don't!

IE. I think newbie riders shouldn't consider trying to keep up with the faster riders. Rather they should go on the ride and be confident enough to be left behind and set their own pace. (That's what happens with me, anyway...)


Just one last though: Try to rely on luck as little as possible in your riding.

I'll be cruising with you guys on my CB400 to be for a while...

[Coldkiwi]

Gareth, one point you might've skipped over is attitude:

I have been on rides where its all got very competitive between experienced riders and has started to get really dangerous. Trying to beat ya mate is one thing but loosing perspective and stuffing it up the inside of a corner really isn't smart group riding. Its not a lack of skill, its just a stupid approach to the ride.
Conversely, I've seen younger riders loose all sense of perspective and try and share tyres with the guy in front along the motorway.

A lot of the stupid stuff I've seen on group rides would get booked under 'doesn't give themself or other rider enough space'. Some do it because they think 'screw them' while others are doing it because they just haven't engaged their brain... but its definitely a problem in groups.

[Skyryder]

Just one last though: Try to rely on luck as little as possible in your riding.

That's the best advice to both novice and experianced riders alike. Great advice to us all.

Skyryder

[Badcat]

Another tip is to get a Dirt Bike. When you fall (often) the landing is a bit softer, and you learn to control your bike on slippery terrain

And GN250s ROCK!!!

yep - starting in the dirt has saved my ass a hundred times.
you can't beat it - remember kenny roberts used to train racers on xr70s on a dirt track
...
k

[TwoSeven]

Might I suggest folks go on a course that teaches road sense rather than rider skill.

You can be the best racer/rider in the world, but it means squat if you have no road sense. In general, my observations are that kiwis have little or no road sense at best - they simply dont teach how to read and respond to traffic here. I dont think I've even heard of a place that teaches traffic psychology.

Yesterday I saw 10 bikes on the roads in christchurch, All ten of them were tailgating the car in front, from memory, 7 of the riders were watching the back of the car in front and were oblivious to what was happening around them, one I followed checked his mirrors once, another was, but never looked in his blind spot where I was sitting, and the final one was looking around shortly before he overtook a slowing car on an intersection.

I mean, if these people are not bothering to look for hazards and work the bike to put it in a hazard avoidence position (defensive driving) - its not so hard to see why there are so many 'oh dear I crashed' threads.

It appears they havn't quite figured out they put the demerit points on the unsafe following distance for a reason.

Town riding is a really really basic skill, and I'll bet those same 10 riders will go home and say how bad all the other traffic is, yet its there poor skills that probably caused their own grief in the first place.

Mind you, chch is one of the cities where I'm actually fearfull of riding in traffic. I felt much safer in auckland central for some reason.