Punished!

[wkid_one]

I LOVE that road - it is a blessing - but just too short......I love slow twisty road tho and think that a road like that 10km long would rock.....Most (if not) all of the road can be taken in 2nd gear..........provided you set your entry up well.

I used to live in Alfriston so rode that area all the time.......the corners are tight - but typically well cambered (just not good in winter because they are slippery when wet) - there is the one corner to be careful on on the Clevedon side where the road has subsided,the double apex corner at the top, and one double apex corner towards the bottom of the Clevedon side - but other than that most of the corners are honest.......

I miss that road - I used to take the Alfriston/Clevedon/Twilight/WhitFord/East Tamaki road all the time rather than the motorway.....

 

[Motu]

I hope you were carefull of the chooks at the top of the hill! Last time I was up there I shared a meal with the roadside bandits - but one of their number was flat.Here's feathery legs coming to check out my nose bag.

[750Y]

Wkid is right, but wkid, You have a twin which has the torque to get out of low speed corners quick unlike the multis which must build up revs and some corners do not allow for a rider to carry high speed or high revs which is where the quick little cars come into their own. the hp figure is less relevant than the torque figure in the twistys. not making excuses tho. I'm not ashamed to say that I had a stationwagon pulling away from me through some sections of road. I rode to the conditions and rode safely for myself and other road users. There's no prizes for crashing. ...flame away 8-)

[Coldkiwi]

me thinks I need to go practice it some more wkid

Having said that, i prefer the slightly longer straights between sharp corners found on skyline road to hunua. probably something to do with having more time to get the revs up.. and the corners aren't so blind. I've seen many cars cut those corners on twilight because they tighten up like they do. Slightly more open (maybe 10-25%) is my preference.

 

[bluninja]

I hate tight slow corners....remind me too much of hairpins

TTFN

[750Y]

I hate tight slow corners....remind me too much of hairpins

hahahaha

tell us more bluninja

btw Motu great shot of the chooks. I sometimes stop and let my daughter feed them.

[bikerboy]

I agree with Simon, fast sweepers are much better than tight twisties(hairpins)

[wkid_one]

I just love corners and hate straights......that's why I own a bike.......having discovered the pleasure of knee down cornering I am hooked - soooo wicked.

Cold - with that road just stay off the brake a little more than you would think and ride the bike using the gears to control speed without the brake - keeps the balance better for the corners and keeps the revs up better. 

The problem with that road is the blind corners where you can't see the exit line until you are well through the corner - which is what causes most riders to slow (and panic brake).....trust your ability to read the corner - there are only 3 on that road that have decreasing radius' - the one at the top and right handers on the way down towards Clevedon.  Use your throttle to control your line not your brake.

I myself hate blind crest corners - that scare the shit out of me...I hate not being able to see over a crest and read where the road is going.

[wkid_one]

750 - still with the power to weight and torque to weight advantage a bike has over a car, regardless of twin, multi or triple - no car should out accelerate a bike out of a corner.  Same reason from a standing start why cars typically have a slower 0-100kph time than bikes....demonstrative of the torque and power of the bike over the car.

Yes torque/pulling power is important - however - twins rev lower so picking gears is no less important in a twin than a multi.......the key is not torque - but gear selection..........which determines whether the torque is available to use.

Also - following someone is always harder to pass them because you become transfixed with their driving and tend to brake when they brake and follow their line.  Once you get in front of them - you will typically put significant margin on them quicker because you are riding your own ride.

Fecked if I would try and pass a game Porsche driver on that road - he is too wide - too unpredictable and the road is too narrow.

[bikerboy]

I agree with Wikd. I hate blind crest corners!

[SPman]

Blind crest corners are the pits - unless you know them and attack them in a leap of faith, hoping theres noone over the top where they shouldnt be I like my car passing twisties a little more open - like the Tairua hill or going up from Kopu.........majic!

[Motu]

Been doing that hill for over 30yrs,cars,bikes,gravel and seal.I'm a bit biased,but I feel I have an advantage there with my adventure bike - these things rock on this sort of road.I get right up on the tank,chin over the steering head,I have a Vtwin with plenty of over rev - I can damn near do the thing in 2nd all the way - I'd pull the wheel up going over the top...but I love my chooks.

The other road going over to the south of town was gravel for longer and was one of my favorites - it goes straight up,both sides,with twisties over the saddle.Haven't done it for awhile,maybe next time.

If I was to name the road most important to me,it would be Skyline,I was sad to see it sealed,but that just means I can do it faster.Once had a blow out on the front wheel,full lock 3rd gear slide,the right bar end got tangled with my knee,but we got through ok.Parked a few bikes in there and walked out (no traffic in those days).Hey,had to park my bike 2001 on the road this thread is about!

[festus]

Wkid, how do those VTR's go do'in wheel stands? with all that torque/power to weight ratio??

Are you able to pull it up in third?

[Coldkiwi]

yes, well, aside from the power issue, those porsche's have a FRIGGEN big traction advantage and room for error (as 750 pointed out) if he gets a bit hot into a corner and needs to stomp on his ABS. I also simply don't know those corners well enough to know which one I'm up to and whether its a decreasing one or a normal one.

knowledge is power and is porbably worth more than a bit more power on that road

 

[andy1]

just wanted to say something about cars blasting.
i ride a cbr 250, until last week. but anyway about 2months ago i was riding up north the back roads with a big group of bikes, we came across a holden manro, year 1980's i think, big fuckn thing, a v8 monster. 3 bikes in the group managed to pass him (one on the back wheel about 160k) but soon as they did, he lost his mind and started chasing them, soon he got up the arse of my mates i couldnt belive my eyes, he had his hands out the window pulling the fingers yelling and screaming at us(and driving fast). WHY! why do some people hate motorcycles so much, didnt think we got in the way or anything. but i was impressed about his speed in the corners thou, 120k-130k arould some 55k corners i didnt know cars were able to corner so fast (on the road not race track). may need to have a secong thought about blasting a car. no problem in the tight shit tho. maybe i need a bigger bike! but some much fun in the twisties!
anywayz laterz.
get your knee down!