How to keep up on a small bike

[FJRider]

Hehehe, my quote says "my latest bike" which happens to be (yet another) 1989 ZXR 750 lol
But I do acknowledge your point! Every bike is different and it pays to get to know it 1st before going on a group ride and showing it off, in many bits!

I know of one very skilled rider (ZZR1100 skilled) that took his daughters GN250 on a group ride. (complete with L plate) ... and another GN L plater followed his every move. Well tried to. He binned it on about halfway into the ride. The bikes were identical ... the only difference was the riders abilities.

[Mom]

Hehehe, my quote says "my latest bike" which happens to be (yet another) 1989 ZXR 750 lol
But I do acknowledge your point! Every bike is different and it pays to get to know it 1st before going on a group ride and showing it off, in many bits!

I suppose we have all been guilty of making poor choices when riding our new pride and joy! I will never forget about highsiding off my Blue Bitch (formerly The Blue Lovely) because I was enjoying her speedy capabilities. I was drunk on the YAY! factor and forgot I should consider the age/suspension/handling of said BB, before committing to a right hander far too far too fast I thank experience and fast reactions for saving my skin that day, I could vision myself flying over the bars. Newbie mistake. I felt a dick and really learned a big lesson.

[sugilite:Me]

Hahaha, I remember my one and only ride on a Ginney, I approached a decent corner and thought "I'll just lean it ov.., oh, it's scrapping the foot peg!"

[sugilite:Me]

Newbie mistake. I felt a dick and really learned a big lesson.

Yeah, and I reckon right there is a really good trait as a rider, to be one's harshest critic. I've done similar and given myself a fair old rark up, an important part of learning me thinks.

[FJRider]

I suppose we have all been guilty of making poor choices when riding our new pride and joy! I will never forget about highsiding off my Blue Bitch (formerly The Blue Lovely) because I was enjoying her speedy capabilities. I was drunk on the YAY! factor and forgot I should consider the age/suspension/handling of said BB, before committing to a right hander far too far too fast I thank experience and fast reactions for saving my skin that day, I could vision myself flying over the bars. Newbie mistake. I felt a dick and really learned a big lesson.

In most such cases ... it is the mark of experience that makes the finger of blame point inwards.

[bosslady]

That's good to know ... the next time I'm in Auckland and needing dinner ... I'll go where YOU go. Where was that again .. ???

oh for you trev I'd make an exception!

I thought I was special

Speshul?

Yea speshul. Special is different. You is speshul

[ducatilover]

I've been really selfish on my latest bike and have not gone on any group rides in the 18 months I've had it,

Some jealous knob like me might steal it if you go on a group ride

Yea speshul. Special is different. You is speshul

Windows taste nice

[sugilite:Me]

Some jealous knob like me might steal it if you go on a group ride

Not if you see how the warehouse spray paint is holding up on the tank, the rest looking ok still though

[FJRider]

oh for you trev I'd make an exception!

Thank you ... I'm often told I'm the exception ...

[bosslady]

Some jealous knob like me might steal it if you go on a group ride

Windows taste nice

I've also been told roundup tastes nice.Be a dear and test that theory for me?

[ducatilover]

Not if you see how the warehouse spray paint is holding up on the tank, the rest looking ok still though

I'll look at it from a distance? Love them early ZXR750. I like to pretend I have one...

I've also been told roundup tastes nice.Be a dear and test that theory for me?

tastes green!

Thank you ... I'm often told I'm the exception ...

Mate, you really are an exception

[MSTRS:Me]

Yep, thats where it is at me thinks, being smooooth. The thing I'm working on at the moment is slowing my hands down, I know that may sound odd, but there you go. Not that I focus upon speed on the road, but a quote from Freddie Spencer recently caught my eye, "slow hands = fast laps". So I had a good think about it, and have been working on it ever since, so far it's working out pretty good.

And isn't that the key? Always learning. Always trying to improve the craft. All without placing others at risk from your fool hardy actions, and inappropriate advice.

These two know what they are talking about. It is NOT about being fast. Or keeping up with others. It is about being the best YOU can by continually thinking about what you are doing on a motorcycle and practicing skills old and new.
Keep doing this and one day you will think 'OMG - I'm at the front and they are all trying to keep up with me!'
And then, you'll think 'Fuck! These idiots are going to kill themselves. I'd better give them some benefit of my experience/s.'
Which is about where we came in, eh Suggy?

[Ratti]

To back up GTRMAN, this thread came about because 2 Lplaters who have been riding on the BRONZ Tuesday Slowpaced rides, feel they have superior skills to another Lplater who has also been riding with us.

I have yet to witness these superior skills, ( work committments and a broken Henry ) and am relying on the phone calls and messages from senior riders on the rides. L-platers thinking they know how to ride better than someone else is not an uncommon occurance, and them thinking they should really be sharing their 'skill' is, sadly, also something I have had to deal with every year for the 4 years Ive been co-ordinating the ride.

Word to riders....if you're on an Lplate, put your ego in your pocket, shut up and listen to the senior riders, ask questions if you don't understand,apply what you have been told. Do LOTS of professionally run training and several thousand klicks on the road, come back in a few years/decades as a senior rider and share what you know at that point.

One or two people getting dangerously close to being on the receiving end of a Rattslap ( metaphorical not literal )

[Subike]

These two know what they are talking about. It is NOT about being fast. Or keeping up with others. It is about being the best YOU can by continually thinking about what you are doing on a motorcycle and practicing skills old and new.
Keep doing this and one day you will think 'OMG - I'm at the front and they are all trying to keep up with me!'
And then, you'll think 'Fuck! These idiots are going to kill themselves. I'd better give them some benefit of my experience/s.'
Which is about where we came in, eh Suggy?

Had to smile at this post, it is so right. It has taken me 12 months and 17000k to finally find the limit of my 250's lean angle.
The pegs do scrape before the tires reach the limit. That was a butt clenching moment I dont want to repeat again soon, but I know now how far I can go if the need ever came. But thats 17000k of combined open road, hill work, touring, winter riding, snow, ice..and I still find each day something else the little bike can do that I never knew it could. Something I can do on a dry day, I cannot do on a wet day, or in fog, its different than on a windy day, like riding into the sun, or away from it. There are so many different conditions to learn how to ride the safest in. Im still learning......
Last weekend, I was riding in a group returning from the March Hare. They were not riding in a way I considered to be safe, I pulled over and had a ciggy, then rode on. Better for me to be behind them by a few k, than with them when or if turned to shit.

[DrDarkMatter]

another Lplater who has also been riding with us.

Word to riders....if you're on an Lplate, put your ego in your pocket, shut up and listen to the senior riders,

One or two people getting dangerously close to being on the receiving end of a Rattslap ( metaphorical not literal )

excuse me, who the fuck are you to tell me to shut up , I am not you partner or your husband or kid, and I am certainly not you bitch, you cant tell me to shut up....

WTF is wrong with you, talk about ego, I think its time to put yours in check and you are not the only one.

this is supposed to be a nice relaxed supervised ride, not some ride where senior riders get to stroke their egos and throw their more experienced weight around.

looks like some of you more experience riders (certainly not all) need to look in the mirror, seriously what the fuck is the matter with you. you just cant speak to people like that.

I will PM you so you can go stick my Bronze membership request..

enjoy the Tuesday night dictator ride, I wont be joining the again

seriously what is wrong with you...