Originally Posted by
Ulsterkiwi
I don't know about photos and maths but I call horseshit on your horseshit. Taking a wide line is only part of the story. Taking a wide line is not always the best line for a particular corner. Safety is your top priority, then stability of the bike, then visibility (what YOU can see) If taking the wider line to get a better view compromises your safety then its the wrong line.
The ride forever courses use the Roadcraft system as their basis. In that respect you are absolutely correct that a single day or weekend of training will not a complete rider make and there has to be some variation as to how the content is pitched depending on the riders who turn up on the day. That is simply good teaching practice. So, accepting Ride Forever is not the complete story, it is however a hell of a lot better than nothing at all. Otherwise the approach is effectively, "lets not teach ANYTHING unless we can do it all"
Back to Roadcraft, that takes months of practice and mentoring to get right, in some cases years. Its also not an end in and of itself, riding to Roadcraft standard is accepted by those who practice it as a lifelong commitment to learning and improving.
The very first part of the system of Roadcraft involves taking note of just the very things you listed as a series of observations, its called INFORMATION, more simply put, you keep your eyes, ears and nose open and pay attention to what is going on around you, with particular focus on what is ahead, as far ahead as you can see. (lack of forward observation is probably the most significant missing piece in rider/driver skills/practices)
Taking in information will then determine your POSITION. So sometimes you will shift your line to get a better view, hence the wide lines you often see discussed. In selecting the position you also have to then select an appropriate SPEED, a GEAR to control that speed before you finally ACCELERATE away.
lets talk about that position thing for a second, leaving visibility aside. If you position yourself on a wider line for a corner, chances are your entry speed will be slower than if you are closer to the centre line. That means you will be better able to respond to what you do not yet see. It also means that you have the maximum amount of room to lean the bike and carry your entry speed to the apex before accelerating away (this is what bikes do best isn't it?) If you are for example going through a right hand corner and find you need to lean more to take a tightening arc that isn't much fun if your head is hanging over the centre line, taking the wider line allows you to lean more without that happening.
On the left hand bends coming wider means to enter you MUST be going slower, not going in hot and then drifting because you are too fast. If you have to lean more then you do so and that leaning takes you away from oncoming traffic. Again you do not apex too early and instead get to power away from the corner at the most effective point.
Its not racing lines but we aren't on the track are we?
Of course all of this is moot if there are corrugations on the bend, tar bleeds, debris/gravel/shit. Then you select a line to avoid those (safety first remember?) The point is Ride Forever is based on Roadcraft which is a system, the system is flexible enough to cover all scenarios. You cycle through the stages of the system, if something changes (new information) then you reset and begin again. Like anything skillwise that takes practice and lots of it. It also helps if you get feedback on what is working and what isn't.
Honestly you sound like you take being on the road seriously, you are a professional, that makes sense. Your headspace is all about being up to the task. Great! Roadcraft recognises that is appropriate. The system has a manual, the first chapter is all about the psychology of riding/driving.
If the thought of being taught how to suck eggs gives you shivers down your spine, then get in touch with IAM ask for an assessment ride and go show the observer what you can do. I am very confident the experience will be beneficial to you no matter what you decide to do after that.
I could give you plenty of examples of how the system and applying it properly has saved my bacon in any number of potential "oh fuck" moments. IN actual fact I would say riding using the roadcraft system actually significantly reduces the number of those moments. Its not the system that falls over, rather my application of it. There are plenty on this forum with way more knowledge of Roadcraft than me who could do likewise. Bother that, I would suggest go check it out for yourself.
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