Tight twisties - Eeeekkk!

[chanceyy]

Tight twisties always give me the eeekk feeling. I have never felt comfortable or been able to get a nice flow going. I know most riders love the tight twisty type roads, everyone except me !!

I have always preferred a nice open flowing road and I never really have to "think" about what I am doing, but twisties can make me cringe. Til this weekend !!!!!!!!

It appears the Parapara’s will be on my agenda every 6-8 weeks so it’s something I needed to get sorted. On the Friday nite I made my way to Dogsnbikes/Dodgy B’s place to stay and BB had a wee surgery to install new heated grips. Thanks Baz - Yay!!! Then over breaky on sat morning, I was talking to Baz and saying how I could never get a flow on, his reply was the magic words “you are counter steering though the corners right ??”
Pondered that thought for a min and replied “actually I think I stop riding completely when I hit the twisties” so my main mission yesterday/today was to counter steer and weight the pegs on EVERY corner!

Well it was amazing!! OMG moment it worked !! Funnily enough by the time I was half way through I even realised I was smiling and actually enjoying the experience. I realise now that I had stopped riding the twisites and tensing so was trying to steer the bike around the corner, not weighting the pegs being tentative, and that in turn was making the bike heavy, not smooth and that unsafe feeling.

So with this new revelation (to me) again my aim today is to counter steer/weight the pegs every corner, and I was going home Vinegar Hill (prefer Halcombe) so woke this morning actually looking forward to getting out & practicing this some more .. Since my text to 86 went unanswered figured a call was necessary to drag his arse outta bed and meet in Taihape (was far too nice a day to be sleeping) Then after an awesome breaky, it was time to head to Taihape and wait n wait n wait for 86 to show, however there was a lovely parade of bikes going past for me to ogle, and of course some reflective time in counter steering and how good it felt. My normal cornering style is to back off the corner and then power through and this felt awesome now I was riding correctly.

V Hill was great, although only stuffed up one corner being completely in the wrong gear but all good, all the others were awesome and for the first time I actually really enjoyed feeling that zen moments with the bike and having a smooth flow with a light responsive bike I even leaned her over more than I think she has ever been (and I survived the experience)

So next weekend I think I may need to go find some more tight corners to practice this some more

[Number One]

Good shit gal! Just keep doing it and it will get betterer!

Xxx

[SMOKEU]

It only gets easier with time.

[mossy1200]

It only gets easier with time.

Nah .I think im getting worsa and im blaming shrinkage.Im hoping viagra may give me some returned potency.

[SMOKEU]

Nah .I think im getting worsa and im blaming shrinkage.Im hoping viagra may give me some returned potency.

A bit of speed will be even better. Viagra isn't that great. DAMHIK.

[MSTRS:Me]

Thought someone had dragged up an old thread...but no.
Proof that any of us can forget particular techniques if we get complacent and/or stop practicing them.
Good on you, S. You (finally) twigged to a problem and did something about fixing it.

[dogsnbikes]

So next weekend I think I may need to go find some more tight corners to practice this some more

Thats the attitude....Something to aim for this years route to the CD is via the Paras,Fields and the Annie

[gijoe1313]

Never too old to learn something in this motor-cycling business! Keep up the good work! Timely reminder for us to think of how we all do it (ride the twisties that is!)

[DEATH_INC.]

I hate real tight stuff. If god had intended sprotbikes to do them he'd have given them 1/2 gear.
Get a trials bike.

[FJRider]

We have twisties down here in the south, you may not be ready for yet. So dont try ... you wont like them. And the roads are really busy ...

[MD]

We have twisties down here in the south, you may not be ready for yet. So dont try ... you wont like them. And the roads are really busy ...

Exactly. If people don't like tight twisties, stay away from the Sth Island. The road up to the Denniston Incline must be one of the tightest I've come across. Made the old Arthurs Pass zig zags look easy.

[chanceyy]

Sounds perfect to come practice on then lol

[FJRider]

Sounds perfect to come practice on then lol

Check it out ... look in streetview.


View Larger Map

[unstuck]

FJ is right, crap roads and heaps of traffic down here. Best you stay in the north.

[pritch]

Congratulations Chancey.

I love the way South Islanders rave about their own roads, mostly with zero idea of what else is available.

The West Coast Highway is the best ride in the country im(ns)ho. After that though it's a toss up with the Lewis Pass, SH43, the Gentle Annie, the Coro Loop, and others, all damned fine motorcycle roads.

After that there are the shorter fun rides, the Takaka Hill, the Crown Range, the Paraparas, etc etc

Anyone who hasn't ridden all of them really isn't qualified to comment.

And I can't comment of the TeAnau-Milford Road because I haven't been there. Yet.