Wafting – To Cause To Go Gently And Smoothly
waft (wäft, w ft)
v. waft·ed, waft·ing, wafts
v. tr.
1. To cause to go gently and smoothly through the air or over water.
2. To convey or send floating through the air or over water.
I waft from time to time. Mainly when I’m on my own, but sometimes I waft a little when while riding with others. While they speed off and see just how fast they can get around a set of twisties I sometimes ‘waft’ behind them. I get a bit of stick for this, but in my mind biking means more to me than just seeing how fast my R1GixxerBlade can go before my rear tyre squeals in submission. Not that there’s necessarily anything wrong with this, it’s just not my ‘thing’, and hasn’t been since I saw a good friend of mine (and a very capable rider) wrap himself around a lamp post a few years ago while we were out for a ride.
Wafting is when you ride slowly – sometimes at speeds as little as half the posted speed limit. Although riding a little faster can also be classed as wafting (according to the BiffBook of Motormacycle Pleasure). But wafting can only ever be really considered as such when you’re travelling at a terminal velocity of no more than 70% of the posted speed limit. So a maximum of 70 KPH down on a quiet road posted with a 100KPH limit is pretty much the limit.
Wafting is best conducted on a relatively high powered motormacycle in my opinion. This way you can easily cruise along at as little as half the posted speed limit, and really take in your surroundings without worrying about gear changes. If you find a car catching up with you, pull over and let it pass, and watch and enjoy the look of confusion on the car drivers face as you wave him/her past. “What does that biker know that I don’t?”,” Why didn’t he/she open up and make me look like I was standing as still as Elvis?”
It’s only when I waft am I reminded why I ride a bike. The corners, the scenery, the open air (as well as the power and the capability to travel at speed, when so inclined). All to be enjoyed in a way many bikers never actually experience. Sure I ride a powerful bike (Blackbird), and yes I do let loose sometimes and give it a fist full, who doesn’t? And I get a buzz from doing this. While it may be a little more difficult to waft comfortably on a sports bike, being that they’re not exactly designed for comfort, it can be done, albeit in nowhere near as much comfort as a bike that doesn’t have a razer blade for a seat, and which commands that you place so much weight forward onto your wrists that, take the bike away, and many would think that you’re praying to Mecca.
Wafting opens up a totally different dimension to riding a bike. A highly recommended one. Wafting gives you a chance to smell and watch nature at work, and watch the world go by. In fact during a recent waft I watched a sheep give birth, something I certainly wouldn’t have noticed had I been speeding past. You also get the opportunity to stop for a pee, coffee (why not take a flask of coffee?), or smoke at your leisure should you find an interesting spot to park up. Places that you may never have noticed before, despite the fact that you’ve ridden the same route for weeks/months/years at barely legal (and some) speeds.
I often get chatting to people when I waft, people that would normally appear as a blur if I were riding more aggressively. In fact on a recent waft I happened across a really chatty and friendly farmer. Not only did I find out that “one of those Yamiha’s have got traction control, on a farm bike for fks sake”, but I was also invited back to his house for a spot of tea. I graciously declined his kind offer, citing the fact that it was ‘curry night’, and our local Asian take away would be expecting my custom. I often get chatting to people that I’d never have the opportunity to. And, at least in my mind, these kinds of meetings helps to dispel the belief that we biker types are an anti social, ‘clicky’ bunch.
The only time I really feel ‘at one’ with my bike is when I waft. Not a really slow waft, but at a ‘waftier’ pace. To really enjoy a waft I advise avoiding using the brakes whatsoever, unless you have a need to come to an absolute stop. Using the engine/gears for all braking (bar emergencies of course) really helps me become one with my machine, and the road. It helps hone your skills to, especially with skills such as road positioning while taking bends. And the added benefit of wafting is that you’ve no need to slow down for your average corner. You’re already travelling at a rate that should easily allow you to negotiate all but the tightest of bends. Just line yourself up, ensure that you’re in the correct gear and at a speed commensurate to the corner, if not adjust your speed using the engine braking only, then waft around the corner. I swear that you’ll discover things about your bike while you’re leant over in that corner that you’ve never noticed before. The way the front end dives in? The fact that your bike could sit at that lean angle all day, without a fear in the world ? You’d actually be surprised at how easy it is to get your knee down while you’re all relaxed as well. If that’s what floats your boat. In my opinion, only by wafting do you really find out what your bikes really like, and how it behaves, and of course you’ll find out a lot more about yourself as a rider. Freeing up a lot more of your grey matters finite capability to concentrate on the world around you, to concentrate on other things.
So next time you have some time to kill, when you don’t really fancy attempting to emulate Rossi, risk your health and the health of others, or simply don’t feel like risking getting a ticket for speeding, or you just need to get out of the house/office in order to clear your mind, but you’d really like to go for a mellow ride - Go for a waft.
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Originally Posted by skidmark
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