"I'm such a slow rider" - Yeah right!

**phase** · 9th July 2004, 08:53

Originally Posted by curious george

Well, I have actual proof. 1'30" lap time at Puke. The watch never lies!
*Oh, hang on, no one ever said I was fast..ermmmm bye*

1'30"? That's nothing, I was doing 1'35"s, all wobbling round the corners. Shit, I'm surprised I didn't fall off and get run over.

**Drunken Monkey** · 9th July 2004, 09:02

Originally Posted by phase

1'30"? That's nothing, I was doing 1'35"s, all wobbling round the corners. Shit, I'm surprised I didn't fall off and get run over.

dude, I've seen people jog around Puke faster than that :P

**vifferman** · 9th July 2004, 09:10

Originally Posted by Hoon

A fast street rider will be an average track day rider
A fast track day rider will be an average club racer
A fast club racer will be an average nationals racer
A fast nationals racer will be an average international racer
...and so on

And a fast bench racer will be faster than ... ?

**FROSTY:Me** · 9th July 2004, 09:23

[QUOTE=Hoon]I think it all depends on your point of view. I read somewhere something that went like:

A fast street rider will be an average track day rider
A fast track day rider will be an average club racer
A fast club racer will be an average nationals racer
A fast nationals racer will be an average international racer
...and so on

So a fast track day rider may seem godly to a typical street rider but will look slow to a fast club racer. Just goes to show all the different size ponds out there.

Thanks Hoon you said what I wanted too but so much better.
It really is all down to who you are comparing yourself to
I see so many talented riders out there who amaze me with their fluidity on the bike.That and the mind numbing speeds they attain.
I believe that the moment you stop reaching upwards,stop comparing yourself to those with a higher level of skill than yourself is the day you stop growing -as a person and a rider.
Tall poppy syndrome aside I think the people you are speaking of andrew generally are humble in their skills.

**Jackrat** · 9th July 2004, 09:54

Originally Posted by Deano

Possibly because we hear so many stories about guys who consider themselves fast, and we snigger at them (or tell them outright that they are full of shit), and so we don't want to be tarred with the same brush, therefore modesty is the best policy.

Also, as mentioned earlier, there is always someone (or a lot of people) faster than you are, and if you boast about your skills, then get dicked on the road/track, you look like a right prat.

I don't consider myself that fast, especially compared to some of the hoons I ride with, but I don't do slow either.

I think this is probably close to the mark,and that tall poppy thing as well.
As for me I know I'm slow,not because I say so but because others do.
Mind you the guys I ride with are all better than me.They all ride faster bikes than me(just about everybody does)and they all ride harder than me.
I,m happy to be considered slow.Unless the other guy is on a Kawasaki W650 or 70s British, that's a different story an I'm stickin' with it.

**Ms Piggy** · 9th July 2004, 09:55

Originally Posted by FzerozeroT

It's a defensive reaction against NZ's tall poppy syndrome, remember the all blacks a few years back, told to stop being happy that they'd scored a try and to walk calmly back down the field.

Thats probably the reason I don't give or take compliments, in fact not giving is prettystupid if you think about it

That's something I find really annoying...I'm with Wari on this one.

In fact I almost get insulted when someone I give a compliment to rejects it & talk themselves down. I find it really unappealing. Arrogance is just as gross though. I mean no-one wants to be a big head but it's ok to be happy with yourself too.

**Paul in NZ** · 9th July 2004, 09:55

Is this a case of "In the kingdom of the blind, a one eyed man is king"?

Or is the problem more a case of diversity?

How many of the people on this forum are regular track riders that can supply lap times on near identical bikes? Not enough to supply a decent sample I'll bet.. Racing identical bikes around the same track on the same day a number of times might supply the answer. Maybe the measure of success for a racer is the number of races you have won? Things like selecting a class you have a chance in, luck, bike availability are all factors as well.. Hells teeth the Guzzi is the ONLY bike I have ever owned that has shit like electric starting and disk brakes (still making my mind up about them too). I have ridden a few bikes on the track but it would take me a while to get used to them to put up worthwhile times surely.. That just makes me a unfamiliar with modern bikes rider, not a bad rider...

The vast majority of us are street riders. Surely the measure of success here is surviving? I can ride shit loads faster than I do but I would loose my license in an hour and possibly die. Too many variables in bike type and capability. Could you honestly say that any competent rider of a modern 400cc and above sport bike could not clean me up on my old 650cc triumph?

Yet who is surprised when I can pass a full dresser HD on mt TR6C in the twisties? Many variables...

So.. Whats my honest assesment of my skill level?

Competent for the road riding I do. Why? Because I'm still alive to type this. I am a little too agressive / arrogant and tend to be a show off in some circumstances. In short, I am a normal, competent road rider. I have done track days on my 25 year old Guzzi and been faster than some and humiliated by others... What I learned was, it was a lot of fun, but I'm not a racer...

Thinking you are a very good rider or acting like a racer on the road is the first step to disaster! The more chances you take, the harder the world will try to present you with a hazard to match your ego and then it's plain down to luck! You are a damn fool if you confuse luck with skill....

I ride on the road. Ego has no place on the road...

Paul N

**FROSTY:Me** · 9th July 2004, 09:59

holey cow paul that was well said.

**MikeL** · 9th July 2004, 10:33

The fact that I ride too fast proves that I'm not a fast rider...

**Zed** · 9th July 2004, 11:05

Originally Posted by Andrew

...
I don't think I'm the only one who has found this among riders. So it would be interesting to hear your takes on why fast riders seam to put themselves down.

Any ideas???

It could well be Andrew that those "fast" riders as you call them actually think they are slow by their own standards, while you think they are fast by your own standards!

Do you consider yourself to be a fast rider? I've only riden with you once and by my standards you are.

Zed

**Motoracer** · 9th July 2004, 11:20

I have given up on modesty as I have learnt that it doesn't get you very far in life. However I always try my best not to be an arrogant cocky prick.

On the road, I have always said that I am pretty quick. I know that there are faster riders out there but that's fine. There is always going to be someone faster.

These days, I have been saying, "I am not that fast" or "I have been real slack and I need to train hard". This is only for the track. It is true that I am not that fast on the track and I need to put a real hard effort into it if I truly want to become fast (I don't need encouragement from anyone either, telling me that I am fast for the track because on the track, results matter and it is always crystal clear).

I am not going to try any harder on the road though. Riders like White Trash are faster than me on the road while being safe at the same time. I don't want to go outside my comfort zone just to see if I can keep up with them. I have nothing to prove on the road. It isn't worth it. Once I gain lots of experience and then skill with time, speed will eventually come on its own (hopefully).

Edit: I am wrong about the encouragement bit. It is always nice to get encouragements. I really do appreciate all the nice things that all you people have said and it actually really does help. Thank you

**scroter** · 9th July 2004, 12:55

i think the guys your talking about all have people thay know that they think yeah there fast too. Motoracer said it well. dont worry about the speed, just be smooth and relaxed and the speed will deal with itself. I agree with you andrew about those guys Two Smoke hes quick but watch him hes very smooth jeez he even crashes smooth. I think im average and i got lapped by WT on friday on the smae bikes

**Andrew** · 9th July 2004, 13:28

Originally Posted by Zed

It could well be Andrew that those "fast" riders as you call them actually think they are slow by their own standards, while you think they are fast by your own standards!

Do you consider yourself to be a fast rider? I've only riden with you once and by my standards you are.

Zed

A good point Zed. There are all these different standards which define "fast". There are some riders here that would call 110k's fast even though they're on bikes capable of doing well in excess of 250kph. I consider myself a mid-fast rider, but most of all I ride to a speed at which I have most fun.

**Mongoose** · 9th July 2004, 13:30

Originally Posted by Deano

Possibly because we hear so many stories about guys who consider themselves fast, and we snigger at them (or tell them outright that they are full of shit), and so we don't want to be tarred with the same brush, therefore modesty is the best policy.
I don't consider myself that fast, especially compared to some of the hoons I ride with, but I don't do slow either.

Have you noticed how mnay *Fast* riders have all their best rides alone? Or are the nut cases prepared to overtake where no sane person would and therefore clam to be " Faster, better, quicker" than anyone else?