Good Riders?

[FROSTY:Me]

Good is fast.smooth,and totlally under control

[Jackrat]

To me a good rider is somebody that has good road skills.
The abilite so see things coming,Stays smooth an gets where their going with a minimum of fuss.Anybody regardless of their style that is still doing it after many years just has to be good,even if they arn't all that fast.Just being alive must mean their doing it right.

[wkid_one]

Tankslaps are self-amplifying resonant oscillations in the steering head

So true - the best way to stop them is to not freeze on the bars and stiffen your arms - because all you will do is transfer the oscillations to the rear of the bike and come off. Best thing to do is to barely grip the bars and ride it out. A bikes natural tendency when going straight is to stay going straight

A good rider is hard to judge.....it is a personal thing. I have seen fast riders who look outta control and totally controlled riders who don't look fast.

However, there is nothing more impressive than following someone who just makes it look soooo easy it sickens you to the stomach.

I don't think speed comes in to it. There are sooo many things that make up a 'good' rider - bike control, line choice, pillioning ability, hazard awareness, traffic awareness, lane positioning. I think every rider has weaknesses in some areas (mine was not having prudent use of my throttle - got the red haze toooo often).

You will see rider choose the best lines - but brake too much, other riders not brake, and have the worst lines - however they could have both never have fallen off and be as quick from A - B - who is better?

Subjective word 'good'.

[Motoracer]

So true - the best way to stop them is to not freeze on the bars and stiffen your arms - because all you will do is transfer the oscillations to the rear of the bike and come off. Best thing to do is to barely grip the bars and ride it out. A bikes natural tendency when going straight is to stay going straight

Eh?? So you are telling me steering dampers make you come off? Cause they are doing the exact same thing as stiffening the steering with your arms but only a million times more effectively.

There isn't much you can do during tank slapper cause its just so fast and brutal, you either come through it or you don't...

Best to have a damper just in case.

[wkid_one]

Eh?? So you are telling me steering dampers make you come off? Cause they are doing the exact same thing as stiffening the steering with your arms but only a million times more effectively.

There isn't much you can do during tank slapper cause its just so fast and brutal, you either come through it or you don't...

Best to have a damper just in case.

Nope - steering dampers actually stop the oscillations in the first place....

Hence the word - damper!!!. If it was to mirror your arms locking - when the slapping starts - it would lock solid - dampers don't do this. They neutralise the oscillations.

[magnum]

i would have to agree with xjxjxj the most.analising road conditions/apexs,cambers etc would also come into it.

[moko]

Last time I came off was in 1979 and I`m a high-mileage all-year-round biker so maybe doing something right.Fast and smooth,be aware of everything going on around you and never take chances,bikes are plenty of fun without taking un-nescessary risks.Always remember how vulnerable you are without getting paranoid about it,get to know your bike properly,it`s limits and your own limits.Whenever I get a new bike I take it on a nice and steady ride,get it into an empty car park or similar and make sure I know exactly how the brakes feel,couple of low-speed deliberate lock-ups even,beats getting chucked off because you didnt realise how powerful your front brake was .Best tip I can give is to watch the driver/rider in front of you as well as the vehicle,if they`re not paying attention to their driving then all the more reason for you to do it for them,I`ve seen jerks on mobiles,putting on makeup and god knows what while driving.Also bear in mind that you could well be travelling a lot quicker than other road-users realise and they`ll react accordingly.

[madandy]

yep a good road rider is one who is observant of other road users and respects their ignorance enough to give them the space they need to make phone calls, adjust the radio and swerve accross their lane when it suits them.Always alert to emergency situations and always planning to avoid them whilst maintaining a swift, smooth tempo through bends and steady overtaking on straights.And having fun, too.

[andy1]

someone that can ride like GHOST RIDER is a good road rider

[Motoracer]

someone that can ride like GHOST RIDER is a good road rider

AKA Andy1... On a GSXR1000!

[Aucker]

someone that can ride like GHOST RIDER is a good road rider

Didn't that guy die in a high speed motorcycle incident?

[Skyryder]

I happened to see Carlos Spencers Harley yesterday, it seems that he didn't even ride it before it went into AMPS workshop for a mega custom rework. A rear tyre that'd do an F1 car, 123 cubic inch engine, custom paint, unbloody-believable. You could get 2 or 3 Italian exotics for the same money.
Lou

Well if he rides like the way he passes the ball without looking where it's going his bike will not be worth didly squat.

Skyryder

[Morepower]

Nope - steering dampers actually stop the oscillations in the first place....

Hence the word - damper!!!. If it was to mirror your arms locking - when the slapping starts - it would lock solid - dampers don't do this. They neutralise the oscillations.

Ah not quite , you can still get a slapper with a damper ( got a TL , been there !) , the difference is it hopefully straightens out quickly and is not too viscious.
The damper does its job by slowing the bars just like your shock stops the back end bouncing uncontrolably. Your arms have no hope in controling a slapper, loosening your grip is the best thing to do , how many times have you seen race footage of a bike that throws its rider and then carries on nice and straight!

Dave

[Joni]

Of the topic or not - dont judge people, especially if you dont know them. Zed is passionate in what he believes, at least he believes in something and does not ramble through life in nothingness.

Not cool to rant like that in any public forum.

[Zed]

Of the topic or not - dont judge people, especially if you dont know them. Zed is passionate in what he believes, at last he believes in something and does not ramble through life in nothingness.

Not cool to rant like that in any public forum.

Careful Joni or you might wake up BBunny from the dead- she's been quiet for a while now on this site...

So Joni, if there was one specific thing that makes a good rider, what would that be in your books?


Zed