Going Wide (warning: rant)

[SPman]

I FUCKEN OWN SCENIC DRIVE

And your fucken welcome to it - poxy slimy traffic infested rathole.

[XP@]

Looks like there is some really good advice on the technique (and some off topic and inappropriate macho stuff)

But how to put it in to practice?

Yes, some bikes handle well, others like crap. unless there is something seriously wrong with your bike, it will probably cope with a lot more than you are going to throw at it... well unless you are getting good or muck up real bad.

The best advice I have been given is to adopt a set of corners. There dosent need to be too many, about 6 or 7. Make sure they are close to home so you can ride them regularly (every day to and from work is a good start)

You have read up on all the cornering techniques, you have a mental map of the the lines, breaking points, observation points all in your head.

Start slowly make sure you get the line right. if you are happy at a speed then open up a little more.

I use Grays Road (just outside wellington) for my set of corners. when I started (about 12 months ago) taking the 10 min detour i had never scraped anything when cornering. now I know exactly when I am going to scrape. I also am taking corners 1 or 2 gears higher. It takes a while but it does work.

Practice Makes Permanent!

[White trash]

. Great advice Jimmy -

There's a contradiction in terms. Right there.

[gamgee]

While I agree with some points that have been made at the end of the day the learner rider chooses his bike, I had to choose between a GSXR250 which the guy said you could redline in first gear.. or an SR250 which goes like 120k full go.

you can redline any bike in first gear... or second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth... even neutral!

[scroter]

Perfomance bikes magazine said once. if youve got enough grip to brake in the middle of the corner then you had enough grip to get round it in the first place.

if the corner tightens, relax and push the inside handlebar, leave the brakes. corse if the pegs are already on the ground youd be up shit street.

[murhf3]

Tyres ,Tyres ,Tyres,mate don.t be tight when buying tyres,trully get the best, they really do make a big differance

[Wenier]

Another good way to learn is jus follow some really experienced guys with good lines ya can learn alot about braking points and all that.

[Lou Girardin]

Tyres ,Tyres ,Tyres,mate don.t be tight when buying tyres,trully get the best, they really do make a big differance

Too true, but which are best?
Track day tyres that never get up to temp on the road or sport touring tyres that get slippery on the track?

[Motu]

Too true, but which are best?
Track day tyres that never get up to temp on the road or sport touring tyres that get slippery on the track?

Dirt tyres that are slippery in all conditions - I like consistancy.....I like a few other things too,but we'll talk about that later.....

[XP@]

Tyres ,Tyres ,Tyres,mate don.t be tight when buying tyres,trully get the best, they really do make a big differance

Do they? for you possibly, but look who asked the question ... a noob to riding. For a noob it is skill that is the biggest difference.

Even the cheapest tyres stick to the road to some extent, it is really quite hard to aquire the skills needed to out ride a pair of cheepo's. It takes time to work your way out to the edge, if a noob ever got in to the circumstance that they needed to use edge of traction then they would probably fall, not because the tyres let go, but because they don't belive what they are doing is possible.

Take a look at the <= 250cc bikes around the bike parks in town. very few use all their tyres, most are flat in the centre. I saw a ZXR250 the other day, and half of the rear tyre was covered in chain oil, the bike had never been over more than about 20 deg's. No matter how expensive the tyre, a sharp left on that bike would see any rider in the ditch.

Is it right to suggest that a new rider goes out and buys a pair of expensive soft compound tyres because they stick well in corners? probably not, as they will probably never even touch the hairs on the side before "Mr WOF man" says "no" because there is no tread in the centre.

Tell the noob, Tyres are a compromise softer = better cornering versus harder = longer lasting.

I ride with long lasting, cheap tyres. my reasoning is they last long time (more than 10,000kms) and I can still make sparks in a corner. It is my choice to go as cheep as possible and I can still corner. Things may be different if I was riding a sport bike, but the important thing is to get the right tyres for you.

[XP@]

Another good way to learn is jus follow some really experienced guys with good lines ya can learn alot about braking points and all that.

Hmmm... but who has a good line?
the racer, commuter, cop or instructor?

[Lou Girardin]

Hmmm... but who has a good line?
the racer, commuter, cop or instructor?

There's the answer. Get a cop to teach them. There's nothing like riding fast in heavy traffic, day in day out, to hone the rough edges. Bikey cop, you out there?

[John]

There's the answer. Get a cop to teach them. There's nothing like riding fast in heavy traffic, day in day out, to hone the rough edges. Bikey cop, you out there?

But they just flick on the flashers and drive in a straight line, anyone who holds em up gets ping'd - bloody good life I say!

[v.ros`]

yada yada yada....

[Lou Girardin]

But they just flick on the flashers and drive in a straight line, anyone who holds em up gets ping'd - bloody good life I say!

Ah, the voice of experience. So you'd have enjoyed the yocal who finally sees the flashers coming up behind and stamps on the brakes while you're doing 160 k's.