Dang I'm bored today

**Jackrat** · 13th January 2004, 16:17

So here goes again.
How good a rider do you reckon you are?
What constitutes being a good rider in your book?
As for me Iv'e never been on a race track so don,t know the first thing about that.I have riden a lot of dirt an I keep me self happy.Never been in a race but did a bit of Enduro a fair while back.
I reckon I must be at lest average because Iv'e still got most of me bits an I'm still alive.
Been thinking hard about buying a Yamaha LC350 or RD400 an racing post classic.Then I can find out about that kind of good.
Anyway back to the Question.

**wkid_one** · 13th January 2004, 16:25

I suck I guess

**Lou Girardin** · 13th January 2004, 16:30

I'm still crap, but possibly a little less crap since I got my bike set up better.
Lou

**jrandom** · 13th January 2004, 16:36

How does one define a 'good' rider, then? 'Good' roadriding in my book probably means fast and smooth point-to-point while remaining safe. Turning in impressive lap times on the track has to count for something, too.

A little ability to horse around and do the occasional stunt with aplomb (wheelies, stoppies, burnouts, slides etc) indicates a fair degree of bike control. Pulling such stuff on the road is often on the silly side of incautious, though.

I guess anyone who enjoys their riding without endangering others (or inconveniencing others by busting themselves up!) counts as a good rider. Why be elitist about it? Just get out there, be safe and enjoy.

Of course, offroading/MXing and wotnot is a whole 'nother thing. Those trials riders have some damn impressive skills.

**Hitcher** · 13th January 2004, 16:37

Last night, coming back over the 'takas two-up -- I was MAGNIFICENT!

**jrandom** · 13th January 2004, 16:38

Oh yeah, and I suck, too. By anybody's definition

**Motu** · 13th January 2004, 16:59

Me too - got Jetstream now...means I'm online nearly all day,tend to keep checking up on things.

I've always just considered myself an average rider - my mates always thought I was kinda out there and beyond what they could do,but I never let my ego get the better of me - I knew I wasn't that good,I had bikes that were different as well,so my riding style was ''out there'' for them,I've had ocasion to come across real riders,so I had an idea of where I stood.My biggest asset,as in my job,is my experiance in many areas - I've done almost everything,so although I've never excelled in any area,I have at least ''done it all''.I've riden at Pukekohe and was probably the most exciting thing I've done on a bike,but I never went further,don't want to do that.Just want to imerse myself in ''bikes''

One thing I was going to mention in the ''Why'' thread is adaptability - do we change our riding style as we progress through the years...it seems I do,and it's important to me that I continue to grow in my ability as a rider.I have never riden modern bikes of any era - I'm too cheap for that.When I read Keith Codes Twist of the Wrist I went out to give some of his ideas a go...bit of a shock to realise that I was doing most of them anyway,this is along way different to how I rode 20yrs ago,but I've developed my riding in a vacuum anyway to atleast parralell current standards.From riding on the dirt track I learnt to control front wheel slides - to ''live'' in that zone,getting on the gas early,and too get as far forward as I can get.That's why I like a dirt bike - I can't get far enough forward on a sports bike...I gotta sit on the steering head.

Also to learn from the past,came as a shock when I found I needed to get up on the tank when I remembered something from the past.......It's 1975 and I've just blown the gearbox on my Triton on Skyline,so I'm hitching out.Coming up the Whitford hill a well known bike gang goes past,the club prez is riding last and he stops to pick me up,I have no helmet,but we don't care.I get on and he tells me to move up,so I do,but he tells me to move up 3 times,until I'm right up against his back,then we are off...fast,we catch and pass the rest,coming down the last hill to the bridge he catches the support car...while braking fiercely in the corner he is telling them to put me into the car when we get to Howick.He was one hell of a good rider,came as a suprise to me,but where in the hell did he find out to get the weight forward,this stuff wasn't known in 1975,specially not by wankers in gangs.May have been a wasted talent eh?

**SPman** · 13th January 2004, 21:30

All I've found is that, no matter how good you think you might be, there is always someone out there who can show you how it can be done.

I, am distinctly average!

**bluninja** · 14th January 2004, 08:19

How good a rider am I? Most of the time I'm a good rider on the road. On the track I'm slow but consistent (I crash in practise). However my weak spots are tight twisties with no visibility where I stiffen up and ride like a nana...and on track hairpins.

What's a good rider in my book? One that enjoys their riding and stays upright and in one piece.

TTFN