Crashing

[Tony.OK]

or just soft eh???

Yep, soft all over lately hahaa..........I do ride (or try to ride) a Honda ya know!!

[Kickaha]

I think there is three reasons you crash, your fault, bikes fault and someone else's fault.

I've had three of the first, two of the second and one of the last in 10 years racing, but doing about a meeting a month and one year about 18 different events

Least serious injuries on the sidecar (few grazes), most serious on the bucket (two fractures), I am convinced small bikes try to hurt you more

Funny because I have only ever crashed due to my own doing at National events.

I don't think someone taking your brake lever off with a close pass could be "considered you own doing"

[neil_cb125t]

Hmm yeah its one of those things that you hope only to do on practice days - but red mist often changes that...... I feel better after a small oooppsss followed by getting straight back on and giving it death, mind you my large high side and then free ambo ride last year was no so good....

i did learn the tyre wall at the end on turn 1 at manny is nice and soft.. you and the bike bounce well off that!!

if you wanna temp fate some more - paint the bike and get new leathers... that will do it.... watch this space at round 6 of VMCC ill have both!

[Pumba]

Crashing sucks, if you can avoid it do. Trust me I have become very well practised (as a sit here typing with a moon boot on my foot looking at the scare on my arm from six months ago)

This looks interesting though for those of us with Sky

[CHOPPA]

Has Andrew Stroud ever crashed?

[Goblin]

Has Andrew Stroud ever crashed?

Does the Pope wear a funny hat?

Deano, you're a good sensible rider with a lot of talent. I really hope you dont crash but if you do I hope you wont be injured and your bike doesn't get too wrecked that you cant patch it up and continue racing the same day.

[cowpoos]

What are racer's thoughts about crashing ?

How often is too little or too much ?

I know what Drew and Mr Shirriff's thoughts are on the matter......ya carnts !!

I mean, I try pretty damn hard and get some good results.....better than average anyway.

But I haven't crashed in the whole time I've been racing (4 years). I've had a few bins riding on the road (no major's - very badly sprained/bruised foot was the worst)

Oh hang on - I crashed a bucket (AJ's Christine) at the slipway......doing all of about 20kph. Does that count ? "Everyone" crashed Christine.

I've run off the race track 3 times at high speed. Two of those I could have seriously farked myself up, and I've had a lot of other small moments.

I never used to buy into the "you need to crash to find the bikes limits", or "if you're not crashing, you're not pushing hard enough".

I prefered to find the limits at a slightly slower rate and rely on feedback from the bike to let me know when its about to let go. But I have been recently reassessing that philosophy.

So what are your thoughts ?

p.s. This is a bit of a larf really so don't take any of it too seriously.

I'll give you my opinion.....you are a more complete rider than most!!
have great bike control, have great mental control, and don't obviously suffer mental fatigue or red mist.

and I know your faster than most!!

I reckon the saying you need to crash to find your limits is bulshit...you crash when you fuck up!

{ps: I've never fall off in a race either}

[Kickaha]

{ps: I've never fall off in a race either}

Thats because you were so fucking slow

[cowpoos]

Crashing rocks it lets you no you are alive never is not enough and every time you ride is to much. Hope this helps

Yeah....just like eating lots of pies tells you your stomach is full eh craig!! but you can't stop eating pies because pies are soooo good...got to eat pie....mmm love pie!!

[Rogue Rider]

From my experience, which I have to be honest was mostly motor cross styles, yes you do learn when you push towards your limits, But, I never pushed or aimed to push past my limits.
You can usually only learn from mistakes, and or other peoples mistakes, (learning from others is preferable lol...)
I found the best riding I ever did, was when I was at mo most comfortable and when I was in a relaxed physical and emotional state. The more relaxed you are, the less clinical and mechanical you are, hence you become one with machine.
I imagine track racing will be similar in respect of pace and maneuverability. The only real diff will be in the speeds, and obstacles. on the tracks you will be going considerably faster, however you shouldn't be comfronted by gorse bushes, trees, or pylons if you miss a bend, corner or jump lol.

[cowpoos]

Thats because you were so fucking slow

How would you know...you were at the fucking pie cart fatty...not even watching!

[roadracingoldfart]

Something to ponder over Deano.
Most top level racers (Moto GP , SBK) all crash when either practicing or in timed practice, this tells me they have an ability to guage where to push and have an advantage from finding thier own level of physics fooling ability.

If for EG; you do the same thing every lap and consider it to be ok and then see another rider going on a diff line or much faster for whatever reason , you have to try it to see if its something you can do or just the other guy. Like Steevie , we would all fall off cornering like him but he manages to do it and for the most part stays up (hes slow though) .

Wayne Rainey was quoted as saying ... I always wondered how Kevin Schwantz could get through a certain corner as fast as he did and then i watched him from close up and realised he was crashing while still upright everytime he went through that corner. He was the only one that could but he was over the limit doing it.

You dont crash because you have a good package and the feel for the bike and the track , move to another track and you may crash a bit more to make up for such a good time at Manfeild lol.

On a simple note , feel free to use my Motto,
Give it just enough shit to make a differance , but not so much shit as to make it happen.

Paul.

[roadracingoldfart]

All valid points as I said. I remember when I was starting out...often took me two odd laps to realize I wasn't even breathing! Breath slowly and deeply!

Only 2 laps Pete?? When i did the first 6 hour it was 20 mins till i could breathe lol , those Le Mans starts are a bitch.

[Matt Bleck]

I really don't like crashing and I don't see how it can make you faster, make you look like a dick, but not a fast dick.....

[Biggles08]

I don't think someone taking your brake lever off with a close pass could be "considered you own doing"

Haahaha...that's my team mate your talking about there!!!! I wasn't referring to that one...you are right, I think that could be classed in the "someone else's fault" category...but I did crash at Ruapuna high-siding out of the dipper and low sided at turn 4 at Hampton...all of my own doing.