What makes a good rider?

**hurricane_r** · 28th April 2007, 23:50

Originally Posted by MSTRS

*if u cant stop wanking ul go blind

thanks, dont worry, il never be like you mate, cheers for the advice tho

**R1madness** · 29th April 2007, 09:17

Smooth = fast.
Fast does not always = smooth.
Try to do your fav ride without using the brakes. You will learn a lot about corner entry speeds and smooth lines.
Different bikes suit different riding styles. Knee down on a hypersports bike is the same as foot down on a chookie. Its just the style darling.

**Bonez** · 29th April 2007, 09:34

Originally Posted by gixermike

on the road it's someone who doesn't routinely use the brakes...and doesn't need to. same thing as being smooth / deceptively fast.

has seen the corner etc early enough to do something about it without the brakes...whatever speed they're doing... and only uses the brakes for an emergency stop.

I score myself on how i'm doing, and if I use the brakes on a ride then I got it wrong.

Try riding a road you've never riden before that has really tight twisty roads and not use your brakes? Bit like the road Storm and myself discovered yesterday on or little wet sojourn via back roads to Havelock North. A good rider knows how to use his/her brakes "effectively" in ALL riding situations.

**Bonez** · 29th April 2007, 10:42

Originally Posted by The_Dover

isn't it easier to stop and pee?

No pushbike tube on the wee falla which is routed down and out the bottem of your trou does an effective job.

**hurricane_r** · 29th April 2007, 11:59

hahaha, good idea!

**Morcs** · 29th April 2007, 13:51

Originally Posted by Bonez

Ditto. Do find "knee downs/outs" on public roads quite ammusing though.

Tis quite amusing. My last sliders lasted a week on the roads before I wore them out...

As for what makes a good rider - its purely opinion. Someone who has ridden for 40 years due to riding really safe and nana'ish could be classed as a good rider by some, whearas someone who goes hard, has evident skill, takes risks and enjoys themselves would be classed a good rider by others - my view being the latter.

**The Stranger:Me** · 29th April 2007, 13:56

Originally Posted by Ixion

They're amusing when you're following someone on a sprotsbike who's hanging way off in every corner , knee stuck right out. And you're following him through at the same pace, on a chook chaser, with knobbly tyres , sitting up nice and comfy. Not sure if Valentino has chook chasers after him .

So ok, maybe I have been under the wrong impression here. Perhaps you could straighten up a couple of points for me.
1) You have to lean a bike to in a corner to (amongst other things) counteract the centrifugal force that would otherwise tip you off your bike on a corner.
2) To counter that force, you have to get X amount of weight inside the wheel track. All things (weight, bike speed etc) equal, 2 bikes must get the same amount of weight inside the corner in order to go around it.
3) You can achieve this by either a) staying seated and leaning further or b) getting off of the bike and not leaning the bike so far.
4) Suspension was designed to opperate most effectively when the wheel is perpindicular to the road surface. Thus if you do hang off and say enounter a mid corner bump or dip and your bike is nearer perpindicular the suspension is better able to absorb it.
5) If your bike is nearer perpinciular and you encounter an obstruction does this not give more room for escape, as in taking a tighter line if required.
6) If you misjudge your speed for a corner and/or the corner tightens does not the bike being nearer perpindicular have a greater ground clearance should it be needed to again take a tighter line?

Also, what is the weight of your chook chaser. Mine is 120kg my road bike is about 200kg are you comparing apples with apples?

I am NOT advocating here that is a necessity, but I see no problem with it, nor with people experimenting, practicing and testing.

**Ixion** · 29th April 2007, 14:04

So you are arguing that all riders should be hanging off with the knee out on every roundabout, then?

The climb off the bike , knee down riding position is an extreme one, developed by racers for race track level cornering. Its primary purpose is to prevent the risk of the tyre rolling off the tread edge.

I have no problem with you, or anyone else, hanging off knee down on every corner. But unless you're going through them at something like race speed I will smile to myself. And if you are going through at race speed , justifying the riding position, I'll frown to myself, for other reasons.

Same thing with those (like a certain gentleman recently) who like to adopt a motard , foot down style on the road.

Race riding for the race track. Road roading for the road. Works for me.

**The Stranger:Me** · 29th April 2007, 14:15

Originally Posted by Ixion

So you are arguing that all riders should be hanging off with the knee out on every roundabout, then?

No. That is a womans argument - it must be one way or the other - I did not say that at all. However if some whish to experiment on closed roundabouts at Albany for example more power to them. You do learn about limits and how it feels at those limits.

However feel free to point out, as I asked of you, where I am wrong there. I am not saying I am right, it is not a challenge, I am genuinely interested in learning.

**Bonez** · 29th April 2007, 14:18

Originally Posted by hurricane_r

hahaha, good idea!

Just make sure you cut the tube either side of the valve stem or it could get quite nasty.

**Morcs** · 29th April 2007, 15:01

Originally Posted by The Stranger

No. That is a womans argument - it must be one way or the other - I did not say that at all. However if some whish to experiment on closed roundabouts at Albany for example more power to them. You do learn about limits and how it feels at those limits.

However feel free to point out, as I asked of you, where I am wrong there. I am not saying I am right, it is not a challenge, I am genuinely interested in learning.

Les is obviously talking about me... on the Kaiaua run I was shifting my weight around in every corner, knee stuck out - just to get in the habit of it with the trackday coming up. Yes les you were doing the same speed without doing what I was doing because I wasnt pushing it, and certainly not going fast enough to need to lean into corners that much - just getting into the habit.

But knee down on twilight road.... im please with that particular achievement

**yod** · 29th April 2007, 15:50

Originally Posted by Bonez

No pushbike tube on the wee falla which is routed down and out the bottem of your trou does an effective job.

i wondered what that little trail was behind your bike....

eeeewwwwwww

**Bonez** · 29th April 2007, 16:08

Originally Posted by yod

i wondered what that little trail was behind your bike....

eeeewwwwwww

How did that Christie song go again. Oh yes-

So long, boy you can take my place
I've got my papers, I've got my pay
So pack my bags and I'll be on my way
To Yellow River

Put my gun down, the war is won
Fill my glass high, the time has come
I'm going back to the place that I love
Yellow River

Yellow River
Yellow River is in my mind and in my eyes
Yellow River
Yellow River is in my blood, it's the place I love

Got no time for explanations
Got no time to lose
Tomorrow night you'll find me sleeping underneath the moon
At Yellow River

Cannon fire lingers in my mind
I'm so glad that I'm still alive
And I've been gone for such a long time
From Yellow River

I remember the nights were cool
I can still see the water pool
And I remember the girl that I knew
From Yellow River