How to keep up on a small bike

[FJRider]

Just curious FJ, if you were a newbie, what practical steps would you take to try and achieve emulating it?

The emulation of fast riders riding fast is not for a newbie .. in my opinion.

I enjoy all motorcycle rides.

Some I enjoy more than others.

If I go over the speed limit ... and I can enjoy that too. But I know I start thinking less about anybody else on the road when I do. (and be caught out with things I was not thinking about)

But I have plenty of beautiful rides on roads that don't require 200 km/hr to get me excited.

[george formby]

I reckon getting in the "zone" & riding at quick average speed on the road, not sprot bike warp factor... comes from focusing on riding well, not fast. Road craft, technique, lines, observation etc lead to efficient, safe riding & a by product is finding yourself traveling faster than the rest of the traffic or the law permits. Still riding to the conditions, though.
How often has anybody here been enjoying a nice road, not going mental, but just getting into a nice rhythm only to glance at the speedo & see naughty numbers then backing off & it feels like walking pace?

Years ago a Eurocrat called Bangerman (Herr) wanted to impose a blanket horsepowers limit on motorcycles in Yerp. The British gummint did a study to see if he had a point. The conclusion was that "experienced" riders of large, powerful bikes were less likely to cause an accident than your average road user or the rider of a small bike because their concentration & focus was so high at the speeds they travelled at.
Maggie Thatcher vetoed the proposal & you can still buy a full power R1 in Yerp as a result. Came down to that one deciding vote... Scary.

[sugilite:Me]

I could imagine the very real danger of a newbie thinking that if they just concentrate hard enough on what they're 'doing', they'll suddenly find themselves in some Motorcycling Nirvana. Unfortunately it's very likely to be at the expense of committing sufficient attention to what's happening around them.

I can think of worse things for newbies to aspire to than concentrating hard, but I get your point. However whether they find themselves in this motorcycling nirvana is purely subjective to themselves.

The emulation of fast riders riding fast is not for a newbie .. in my opinion.

I enjoy all motorcycle rides.

Some I enjoy more than others.

If I go over the speed limit ... and I can enjoy that too. But I know I start thinking less about anybody else on the road when I do. (and be caught out with things I was not thinking about)

But I have plenty of beautiful rides on roads that don't require 200 km/hr to get me excited.

Not one of your points attempts to answer my question to you, but I was expecting that because after I read your post to Katman below......

And what about the newbie ... that has heard talk of "the zone" ... and tries to emulate it ...

I was buggered after reading my and other peoples posts regarding this "zone" of a single practical way of trying to emulate it, other than practicing things over and over again until it's 2nd nature. Even then, that is no guaranteed gateway into this mystery zone because as John puts it oh so well below...

The thing about The Zone is it can be, and is, elusive - it may find you, never the other way round.
Which is why so many deny its existence and none who experience it can describe how to achieve it.
We can describe (partly) how it feels, but that's it. We really have little to no control over when it takes effect. It's a lot like that odd human condition called love.

Which brings me back to my earlier statement.

My opinion on these "zones", is they are near indefinable, unique to each person and unteachable.

I don't feel we are going to find the ditches festooned with the bodies of newbies because they tried to emulate an indefinable zone described on the internet, especially if it meant concentrating really hard and practicing things over and over until it is 2nd nature.

I support the KB safetycrats and what they are trying to achieve, but getting over precious about theoretical states of mind is getting fairly close to saddling up a ten speed while wearing a suit complete with natty name badge, then going door knocking imho.

[Katman]

Quite honestly Anthony, the less people we have trying to find some sort of trance-like state on our roads, the better.

[MSTRS:Me]

Quite honestly Anthony, the less people we have trying to find some sort of trance-like state on our roads, the better.

Too late...there's fecking thousands of them out there right now, sleeping the journey away in their car. And quite possibly on bikes too, from some of the plonkers I've seen about the place.

[sugilite:Me]

Quite honestly Anthony, the less people we have trying to find some sort of trance-like state on our roads, the better.

Equally honestly Steve, the best way to keep your self out of a trance, is to mentally try and put yourself into one.

[Subike]

Equally honestly Steve, the best way to keep your self out of a trance, is to mentally try and put yourself into one.

I hope I never try that when riding...I do it each night to go to sleep,...put myself into a trance like relaxed state.
anyways, this "state" of riding that can be achieved I find is when I am touring, at the limit, know where I am going and just meld with the machine. Feel the road, the wheels just becoming an extension of my own self. You are all right when you say, how do you explain it, you cannot. Many will never feel it, because it also , I think, requires an understanding of mechanics, and machinery..You know how every part of your bikes works and why, you can feel it. But to explain it to someone who has no mechanical knowledge, just fills the tank, and rides, even if they are a very competent rider, not going to happen.

[FJRider]

I can think of worse things for newbies to aspire to than concentrating hard, but I get your point. However whether they find themselves in this motorcycling nirvana is purely subjective to themselves.

In my own experiences in (or near .. ???) "the Zone" ... I've found the road and circumstances to be sort of "one with the road" sort of feeling. The speed at first seems no issue (as at first it's not) as it's usually at (or near) legal speeds. As time then progress's ... the feeling of the need to push the feeling more and more ... which is where the increase in speed starts. Some are quite happy with legal speed nirvana ... and so they should be.

But to a newbie ... or one new to that feeling ... it can be addictive. And you can get drawn into "the moment" ...
Chasing the feeling with little experience in situations such feelings "encourage" ... push the boundaries of what is safe. And probable.

I often chase the feeling on roads where the speed is not possible ... just average speed can be increased. And I know when that feeling is just not there. Just not "in the mood" type feeling. Then I just tootle along and enjoy the view.

I encourage people to enjoy their rides ... but not to the detriment of another persons day. Even WE do not have that right. And I try not to ruin my OWN day. That's not fun at all.

In my opinion .. experience is not about quantity ... but practicality,variety and quality of their experience. 10 years of riding within 100 km's of Auckland city ... will not prepare you for the south island west coast.

[Motu]

The thing about The Zone is it can be, and is, elusive - it may find you, never the other way round.
Which is why so many deny its existence and none who experience it can describe how to achieve it.
We can describe (partly) how it feels, but that's it. We really have little to no control over when it takes effect.

Not that I want to get involved in this thread, but I'm reading Neil Young's book Waging Heaving Peace today, this is what he wrote about playing with Crazy Horse. It's about finding that magical musical place.....to me very similar to my magical motorcycle place -

''Don't spook the Horse. This is very essential to the success of any ride.The Horse will head for the barn if it's spooked, and the music will continue but not have that magic that the Horse possesses. Any ride on the Horse must not have a destination. History has shown that the best way to spook the Horse is to tell it what to do or where to go, or even worse, how to get there. You must not speak directly to the Horse or ever look the Horse in the eyes until the ride is over and the Horse is secured in the barn. Disrespect for the muse will piss off the Horse, and possibly vice versa. The Horse will not tolerate anyone who is over complimentary.''

He rambles on a bit more on the subject, but you get the idea. I let the ride come to me, I don't go looking - I don't look the Horse in the eye, he'll come to me when I'm ready.

[Ocean1]

Not that I want to get involved in this thread,

You might as well, dude, damn near every other bastard's got an opinion about how everyone else should ride.

I'm reading Neil Young's book Waging Heaving Peace today,

Might just order that book. And the reference ain't far wrong either.

[GrayWolf]

Quite honestly Anthony, the less people we have trying to find some sort of trance-like state on our roads, the better.

Katman what the EF is it with you? Do you deliberately get your record STUCK in one groove and refuse to even concede you may JUST be misreading something??

I'll re-iterate 'a state of 'FLOW' is NOT repeat NOT a 'trancelike' state... go and read the fucking theory instead of spouting crap, PLEASE!!

FLOW... when the CHALLENGE of the activity is EQUAL to the skills of the participant....
So riding a Motorcycle requires INTERNAL SKILL... the ability and craft to ride the bike, and EXTERNAL AWARENESS of surroundings These two characteristics are required to complete the activity of riding a motorcycle competently....

Speed is not a required factor, neither is a trancelike state.... FFS.... It is a COMPLETE INVOLVEMENT of the activity.... A surgeon can acheive a state of 'Flow'. An operation could be challenging to perform and take his skill to their maximum, without causing stress.... at that point and that is the CRITICAL factor; challenge high, skills high and in a state of 'balance'.... FLOW.... complete involvement of the activity engaged in.
I am not going to try to educate you any further... at least one other poster on here has read the theory and understands it.. I have a pretty good idea Ocean and a couple of others get it as well.....

and as for what about post 206... when you can debate and accept others points could be valid? I MIGHT concede to look at yours .. Have a nice evening

[Katman]

So anyway, back to post #206.

[Deano]

So anyway, back to post #206.

So anyway, how's about another beer.

[Katman]

So anyway, how's about another beer.

Your shout.

[Deano]

Your shout.

I'm man enough. Are you?