When You're Hot

[The Stranger:Me]

From talking to a few people on the rides I see a common issue which I think presents an oppertunity for some of the more experienced to assist those with less experience.

So to set the scene.
You are out on a KB ride and there are a bunch of experienced guys up the front having their fun. You are on your 250 young and bulletproof trying desperately to keep up. You know it is futile as LooseBruce overtakes you at 140kmh on one wheel and disappears around the next bend (had to keep it real aye). That next bend happens to be a right hander, and you just saw LB take it at 170+ so you can do it at 140 no doubt.
Or can you?
You enter the bend and realise that hey it is tighter than you thought and hell who put all that camber there. Hey shit look how close the edge of the seal is Yikes! you roll off the throttle hoping for enough decalleration at about the same time as you go tense bracing for the crash but you are still running wide. You keep an eye on that seal edge, after all that is the danger isn't it, that is what is going to trip you up.

I invite others to complete the storey, but lets keep at least a modicom of reality aye.

[MSTRS:Me]

.....
I invite others to complete the storey, but lets keep at least a modicom of reality aye.

Instant thought is...."BRAKE!!!!"

[Cibby]

From talking to a few people on the rides I see a common issue which I think presents an oppertunity for some of the more experienced to assist those with less experience.

So to set the scene.
You are out on a KB ride and there are a bunch of experienced guys up the front having their fun. You are on your 250 young and bulletproof trying desperately to keep up. You know it is futile as LooseBruce overtakes you at 140kmh on one wheel and disappears around the next bend (had to keep it real aye). That next bend happens to be a right hander, and you just saw LB take it at 170+ so you can do it at 140 no doubt.
Or can you?
You enter the bend and realise that hey it is tighter than you thought and hell who put all that camber there. Hey shit look how close the edge of the seal is Yikes! you roll off the throttle hoping for enough decalleration at about the same time as you go tense bracing for the crash but you are still running wide. You keep an eye on that seal edge, after all that is the danger isn't it, that is what is going to trip you up.

I invite others to complete the storey, but lets keep at least a modicom of reality aye.

shit. been in that position on my first ride with the KB's.. 100% not cool..

Although i didnt die, jsut lucky that there wasnt a car coming..

[Right Charlie]

As per a Twist of the wrist...

You only have a certain amount of attention to spend.

Id be spending it all on holding on to my line, dont spend your attention thinking about possible gravel around the bend (who cars if its therte not much you can do about it now), dont spend it thinking about how easy it was for bruce, and dont think/look at the seal edge, if there is anything i learnt in my MX/MTB days if your worried about hitting somthing, and oyu keep looking at it, thwack, you'll probably hit it. look where you want to go, not where you dont...

[bugjuice]

Instant thought is...."BRAKE!!!!"

which is the worst thing to get too heavy on.. can brake moderately most of the time, but a wee too much can easily lock a wheel and/or change the dynamics of the bike, which can be unexpected and cause further issues to deal with. Most bikes will want to straighten up under heavy braking, so you have to force it back down while you're braking.. And just keep looking at where you want to go - don't look at where you don't want to go, cos you'll end up there

If you see anyone taking a corner at 170, then in theory, you can achieve a high speed thru there too. Very few reasons why not.

Best thing to do, regardless - lean. Lean like fuck. Lean until the pegs scrape the ground, and lean some more if you have to. Worst case scenario - a low side hurts a lot less than a high side or head on with a verge. Just lean the crap out of it, and you'll be surprised. If it's past that point, then just enjoy the ride.

Of course, the very worst thing to do, is think that you can keep up with boys on bigger bikes. If it's way beyond you to ride that fast, don't bloody do it. Ride for another day, don't make it the last. If they can do it, you will be able to too one day. Most didn't just jump on a bike and do it. Most have come from years and years of riding and crashing. Don't run before you can walk, cos it'll end in tears and high insurance premiums, and both will be yours.

[MSTRS:Me]

shit. been in that position on my first ride with the KB's.. 100% not cool..

Although i didnt die, jsut lucky that there wasnt a car coming..

Glad you didn't leave us.....but he was talking about a righthander. Roadedge is the problem here

[MSTRS:Me]

I know that. I was putting myself in a newbie's head for this excercise. Best thing to do is to lean heaps more AND roll on the throttle a little.

[bugjuice]

Glad you didn't leave us.....but he was talking about a righthander. Roadedge is the problem here

same applies to either tho. What would you rather have? Road edge on a right hander, or the possibility of oncoming traffic with a left hander?
personally, neither thanx.. rules apply for any corner, doesn't matter

[Cibby]

Glad you didn't leave us.....but he was talking about a righthander. Roadedge is the problem here

oh right..

sorry.. i'm skimming the reading part..

I think buggie is right. leaning to totally works..

[Sniper]

As buggy said, braking is a bad idea!. Rolling on more trottle is a bad idea. Leaning is a better thing to do. But prevention and brain power would be the best.

(Sorry, I know you said being a newbie)

[Keystone19]

You are out on a KB ride and there are a bunch of experienced guys up the front having their fun. You are on your 250 young and bulletproof trying desperately to keep up. You know it is futile as LooseBruce overtakes you at 140kmh on one wheel and disappears around the next bend (had to keep it real aye). That next bend happens to be a right hander, and you just saw LB take it at 170+ so you can do it at 140 no doubt.
Or can you?
You enter the bend and realise that hey it is tighter than you thought and hell who put all that camber there. Hey shit look how close the edge of the seal is Yikes! you roll off the throttle hoping for enough decalleration at about the same time as you go tense bracing for the crash but you are still running wide. You keep an eye on that seal edge, after all that is the danger isn't it, that is what is going to trip you up.

White Trash and I were discussing this after Phoenix tested the pond water on Saturday. Trouble is, one of the best ways to learn to ride a bike well is to ride with people who are better than you are and that will always mean pushing the boundaries a little harder. I guess the trick is in knowing when to back off - having no testosterone is helpful here .

At the start of all the KB rides I have done the guys always remind us to 'ride our own ride' and that is always helpful. Trouble is, if you don't know you are too hot until it is too late that advice may not be helpful.

I think what would be helpful is if we see people pushing too hard for their abilities something needs to be said the next time we stop. This needs to come from one of the more experienced riders though.

Look forward to hearing people's suggestions...

[MSTRS:Me]

I think what would be helpful is if we see people pushing too hard for their abilities something needs to be said the next time we stop. This needs to come from one of the more experienced riders though.

Look forward to hearing people's suggestions...

Yep. Also need to make an unscheduled stop for this reason. Waiting for next town/bar/whatever might be too late.

[Cibby]

As buggy said, braking is a bad idea!. Rolling on more trottle is a bad idea. Leaning is a better thing to do. But prevention and brain power would be the best.

(Sorry, I know you said being a newbie)

at the same time, i guess that encountering situations like these are part of learning right??? The very few rides i have been i, i have probably pushed myself far to hard to keep up with the boys, in hindsight this was stupid but all good.. and i learnt from it, i mean how many decent riders out there havent been in bad situations... it is great learning from the more experienced riders thou!!!

How much of it is chance?? i mean i have nearlly come off a few times but have managed to hold it, but then u get kids like that guy who put his bike in the ditch on the weekend.

{edit again}

Keystone is always right about everything including lack of testostorone.

[MSTRS:Me]

As buggy said, braking is a bad idea!. Rolling on more trottle is a bad idea. Leaning is a better thing to do. But prevention and brain power would be the best.

(Sorry, I know you said being a newbie)

Not sure that I agree with that. Positive power to the wheel creates a better 'bite' of the tyre, which in turn creates better control of the bike's tracking.

[bugjuice]

Not sure that I agree with that. Positive power to the wheel creates a better 'bite' of the tyre, which in turn creates better control of the bike's tracking.

it can (I've noticed this with the awesome power of the Avon Viper (A59 & A60) tyres I've been running), but I guess it would depend on what the tyre prefers to some degree, but more so, how far gone/hot you are already.. if you're already carrying too much speed into a corner, more power will most likely run you wider still.. But, I have taken corners too hard and just gassed it, and it pulls in.. I guess each corner has it's own merits to run to