Close call? Another 'OFC'.

[Biff]

Known in some circles as an OFC (Oh Fk Corner!) these are the kinds of corners that you come across, ill prepared, and suddenly find that you’ve totally under-estimated how tight it is, or that it’s a switch back or similar, so basically you suddenly find yourself in a bit of shit.

I had one of these on the weekend. A great ride – about 12 bikes all heading north towards Kaikoura, then cutting inland in order to enjoy some great hills and turns as you head in the general direction of Hamner.

After just over an hour in the saddle since our last stop my mind was wondering to mundane things, like building wardrobes, when I happened across what appeared to be a relatively simple left-hander. I positioned myself appropriately (so I thought), moments later as I hit what I thought would be the apex of the bend the corner tightened – a lot. Needless to say I’d messed up – and suddenly found myself following the guy in front onto the other side of the road around a blind bend, as did the guy behind me, and so on – not good. Thankfully nothing was coming towards us.

At the next pit stop pretty much everybody admitted to fluffing this corner. It makes me wonder how many times we’ve all (and don’t give me some crap that you’re all perfect and have never fluffed a corner in your biking lives) come across an OFC and have managed to get away with it…and of course the times you haven’t.

Incidentally we saw a couple of police cars who appeared to be chasing a bike before we left (wasn’t with us). And get this - I think it was a Harley!!!!

[Beemer]

...don’t give me some crap that you’re all perfect and have never fluffed a corner in your biking lives...
Incidentally we saw a couple of police cars who appeared to be chasing a bike before we left (wasn’t with us). And get this - I think it was a Harley!!!!

Definitely fluffed a few corners in my time, especially when I met my (now) husband. I tried following him and braking for corners when he did... only took me ONE corner to realise he is a MUCH better rider than me and I needed to brake about three seconds earlier than he did!

As for the Harley, they were probably trying to stop him to tell him one of his fringes had come off...

[Flyingpony]

Haven't done that on a bike before. I'm still over estimating corners.

Therefore most of the time I'm the opposite.

Find myself going in too tight too early and have to dodge ball outwards to avoid coming to grief. By the time my new line is stitched up, I'm at snails pace with majority of entry speed and rhythm lost.

[bugjuice]

OFCs are becoming less and less frequent for me, but saying that, I had a big one on yesterday's ride, which ended up me facing a car around 100ks, and for the first time ever since riding, getting ready to bail out. I started a left corner in the middle of the road cos of some crap, knew it'd run wide a little, but no where near crossing the centre line, and prepared to rake it round for the fast exit. But, there was a huge bump in the road, which bounced me to the centre and me off the seat. Getting to grips with it, in the middle of the road was another bump, which I hit while still on the tank/front of the bike. This bounced me across the road further. I reseated myself quicksharp to see a dark red Astra facing me, and the driver not looking best pleased with the situation, neither was I for that matter.. I managed to really pull it round and brake hard, which pulled me in, else I would be typing this now..

Thankfully, that's the worst I've had, and I can't remember the last OFC I had specifically. Trick is - don't give up. pull it hard, do everything you can and keep calm no matter what..

glad you OFC biff, wasn't too tradgic, but hope you learnt from it like I did!

[crshbndct]

i have had a few, but i like to always know the road really well before i try fanging it

[sAsLEX]

OFCs are becoming less and less frequent for me,

yeah once you have mastered 22 a few times normal roads dont phase yah


but yeah there is one OFC corner on 22 that gets a bike or three a month according to the farmer who came to see if the three bikes that came off in one incident where ok the time swanmann broke his r1

[bugjuice]

yeah once you have mastered 22 a few times normal roads dont phase yah


but yeah there is one OFC corner on 22 that gets a bike or three a month according to the farmer who came to see if the three bikes that came off in one incident where ok the time swanmann broke his r1

the 22 is one of those special roads, where you'll have pretty much 95% of corners you'll do in your riding life, is on one road.

The trick with the 22 I'm learning - is learn the bad corners first. If there's any corners you remember, it's the nasties. Then once you know those, work on the easier ones.. The corner Swanman crashed on was one of the first corners I remembered hard. There's a few others with gravel/metal on the outsides of the corners too, so you can't run wide.. I've done the 22 solo at speed a few times. That's an interesting ride..

[Sniper]

I have found myself in an OFC many a time and the best thing to say, is that you can only learn from them

[Smorg]

Yeah i've had 1 or 10 OFC's they mainly came of me riding a bigger bike before i had enough experience and didnt know what my bike or me could do ....but now that we've got to know each other (me and the bike that is) i find im doing just about everything the right way :spudflip:

[enigma51]

There is a corner like that on the way to whangamata. Its says 25 but when you enter it you go what the .. this is more like a 55 corner only to find that the corner goes around a cliff face. Very dangerous corner. Thats why I tend to follow the direction of the bords displayed even though they dont always make sense. And I know some fucking asshole is going to say thats what the boards are for but in my experience those boards dont always reflect the correct speed for the corner.

[Smorg]

There is a corner like that on the way to whangamata. Its says 25 but when you enter it you go what the .. this is more like a 55 corner only to find that the corner goes around a cliff face. Very dangerous corner

I'll be riding that way in a few weeks will keep it in mind........how many 25 corners are there?

[enigma51]

I'll be riding that way in a few weeks will keep it in mind........how many 25 corners are there?

You know where you have to turn off to wangamata or you will go straight to whitianga take every 25 corner easy after that as I can explain exactly where its is. theres not many and the one in question has like a river or something on the right and a cliff face on the left. Oo yes and the corner goes to the left and drops down quickly.

[Blackbird]

We've all had them Rhod, and will continue to have them (only occasionally, we hope). The big differnce is if you learn from them. If you beat up on yourself afterwards like you guys seemed to, there's hope. If you just laugh it off, you're in trouble!

Yesterday, I pulled out and overtook a car and trailer and whilst going by, ran over a big bare slick of tar where the road chips had worn away. I was pulling a fairly big cog too but the rear tyre still spun up and I ended up with the back end stepping out in both directions - scary. I actually spotted the slick before I got to it but "assumed" it would be ok as I was going in a straight line. Lesson learned!

Geoff

[scumdog]

[QUOTE=Beemer
As for the Harley, they were probably trying to stop him to tell him one of his fringes had come off...[/QUOTE]

WTF??'Fringes'? get your nomenclature right, they're not fringes, they're TASSLES! tassles, alright? Sheesh! :slap:

[DemonWolf]

Yeah I've had a few OFC's... and I've always kicked myself for over estimating... Only time i've had a bin on a corner is when there was some loose gravel on it.. ended up in the ditch with a broken collar.

Though my first experience of a OFC was on Mount Ruapehu, coming down.. locked up the bike.. kept going straight and headed for a cliff with a mighty fine drop.. luckily I hooked my foot on the signage!... which reminds me that I also binned it on that trip down.. looked behind me.. pulled left slightly too much and ended up in some toitoi (sp)... now I'm very much a nana around corners I dont know!