On behalf of 86gsxr.....

[sarahtvet]

yep. and 86 always listens to the doc

well 86 had better do that or the vet may do some surgery to fix the damage when she gets back

I am sure the prescription for a quick recovery was lots of lattes, plenty of time on that gorgeous golden bike screaming along great roads with a team of nutters. Sure the doctor scribbled that before leaving

I am right in hearing that chanceyy is giving you some competition

[chanceyy]

good following you back up the valley today sandra,looks like those riding tips from cowboyz are working,u4ea will have her work cut out keeping up with you now!sorry i didn't ride all the way back with you,i stopped and had a bit of a yak with yod near waterford.

thought that was Yod & when I realised you had stopped thought about coming back but was under pressure to get back .. was only 10 mins late so all good


Cowboyz your right those tips when I could remember them .. absolutely brilliant.. made quite a difference on the way home .. just took a while to realise that ohh thats right I shouldn't do this ..

first off Al that explaination regarding the arrows .. that is one thing that will definately help me to read if the corner will tighten or not .. blardy brilliant .. all riders should know that one ..

Cowboyz your right looking for the exit before I have entered the corner bad move .. by looking at it in degrees .. much much better .. forgot about this from the RRRS course duhhhh .. also took a while before I realised the tip bout keeping my head level.. fab wot a difference you do get a different perception on the lean of the bike ..

tried to stay out further before cutting across the apex of the corner .. did not have to many wobble moments .. but one question & Alan could prob see this since he was behind me .. was nervous about the wet stuff .. I took it pretty conservatively through cause being cold did not know if it was icy anywhere .. esp coming down hill .. .. so can you actually see the ice or its just one of those things you will hit .??


from Shannon to Ashhurst getting buffeted by the cross winds was a bit scary .. so again really backed off the speed .. but the bike & obviously my confidence had grown heaps ..ohh yeah decided I better stop @ linton to refill .. damn glad I did .. she was ummmmmmm very low ..

Thanks to Dogs for tightening up the back shock .. she is really hard now & know it when ya go over a bump for sure .. Also thanks for the excuse & the ride on ya playground .. they are good roads .. a wee bit of everything .. will be playing on them roads a bit methinks ..

all in all was blardy stoked with the ride .. felt damn great to get back out there again on Betsy .. thanks definately to Cowboyz for staying behind me & seeing the list of things I can improve .. definately glad your a mentor .. was a bit nerve racking knowing you was behind me .. but forgot you was there after a while .. & you also have a lot to offer us newbies .. can see a few more practice rides coming up . & hopefully you will see the improvement soon ..

thanks Al for the explanation of the corners & arrows .. It was one of the first things I started to notice on the way home & your totally right .. makes me feel like I might be able to start "reading" the corners better .. something I definately had trouble with ..

also thanks to Alan for the company back to Ashhurst was great to know that someone else was there ..

& of course Meanie for the company mate

[sarahtvet]

[QUOTE=chanceyy;1133111] ..

all in all was blardy stoked with the ride .. felt damn great to get back out there again on Betsy .. thanks definately to Cowboyz for staying behind me & seeing the list of things I can improve .. definately glad your a mentor .. was a bit nerve racking knowing you was behind me .. but forgot you was there after a while .. & you also have a lot to offer us newbies .. can see a few more practice rides coming up . & hopefully you will see the improvement soon ..


Sounds like a fab start on the new improved Betsy, well done, great to hear all is going so brilliantly. You're a hard act to follow woman, hope you will pass on some tips when I get back

[chanceyy]

I am right in hearing that chanceyy is giving you some competition

no competition .. just damn good mentoring

Sounds like a fab start on the new improved Betsy, well done, great to hear all is going so brilliantly. You're a hard act to follow woman, hope you will pass on some tips when I get back

well girl you been riding a heap more yrs than me so figure that I will be following you ..

& the boyz have all the tips, it makes such a difference to understand & have that lightbulb moment go off .. once you can give it a try & realise how much of a difference it makes .. totally awesome .. now its just practice practice & then practice some more til it becomes a habit .. & a good one at that

[cowboyz]

I hope while you were figureing all that out you remembered to have fun.


Wet/shadowed/icey areas and how to judge them. That is one of the challenges of road riding.

You see a wet patch spread across a corner and you have to ask yourself the same question you should ask yourself every corner you come up to.

How much grip has this corner got to offer?

"The slower riders" (as a random label) of the ashhurst rides see the big bikes disappear into the distance and assume that we are scraping everything on every corner. Heres an inside tip for ya. All of us at some time or another have taken suggested speed signs on a corner as a litereral meaning due to dampness or gravel or simply that we dont like the corner. It has been said a thousand times about riding your own ride. I have dropped behind on some rides and I have been out front on some rides. It just how the puzzle falls into place and as long as noone is picking themselves up off the road then it is a good ride.

There are two ways to look at road surface.

first way.

on every corner ask yourself.

Is there gravel?
Is there ice?
Is it wet?
Is it dry?
Is there sand?
Is there dirt?
Is there cowshit?

And then avoid it all.


OR you can ask yourself

Where is a clean dry piece of road to ride round and concentrate on hitting that spot. If you cant find one within the 1.5 seconds lining the corner up, it is time to slow down.

There is always another ride just round the corner. looking forward to the next one.

[sarahtvet]

I have dropped behind on some rides

When I have had a slick tyre on in the wet on the way from wellington

and I have been out front on some rides.
There is always another ride just round the corner. looking forward to the next one.

Every ride apart from the wet one as I remember

But you are totally right, gravel, sheep shit and water on roads were a daily joy in Devon and I slid around a few corners on my side when not taking heed.

[chanceyy]

I hope while you were figureing all that out you remembered to have fun.


Wet/shadowed/icey areas and how to judge them. That is one of the challenges of road riding.

You see a wet patch spread across a corner and you have to ask yourself the same question you should ask yourself every corner you come up to.

How much grip has this corner got to offer?

"The slower riders" (as a random label) of the ashhurst rides see the big bikes disappear into the distance and assume that we are scraping everything on every corner. Heres an inside tip for ya. All of us at some time or another have taken suggested speed signs on a corner as a litereral meaning due to dampness or gravel or simply that we dont like the corner. It has been said a thousand times about riding your own ride. I have dropped behind on some rides and I have been out front on some rides. It just how the puzzle falls into place and as long as noone is picking themselves up off the road then it is a good ride.

There are two ways to look at road surface.

first way.

on every corner ask yourself.

Is there gravel?
Is there ice?
Is it wet?
Is it dry?
Is there sand?
Is there dirt?
Is there cowshit?

And then avoid it all.


OR you can ask yourself

Where is a clean dry piece of road to ride round and concentrate on hitting that spot. If you cant find one within the 1.5 seconds lining the corner up, it is time to slow down.

There is always another ride just round the corner. looking forward to the next one.

ohh yeah mate I had a absolute blast dunna worry bout that .. nods .. totally fun

your right I do look at the corners & esp on the way home .. but was contemplating the wet stuff that was shaded & esp watching speed on the downhill stuff .. was under brakes most of it cause figure speed, being wet, moss in places, gravel & corners may not have been a good combo, but also it was good to experience the loose gravel & on a couple of corners there was heaps on there. (esp that last bit over the bridge - up to dogs house)

I have never thought that the guys out front are scraping around all corners but with your experience you can obviously read the corners better, general conditions, & with experience speed will come naturally ..

I want to be smoother & flow the corners speed will come much later (dunna mind fanging it down the straights .. thats my fun bit) I always try to ride my own ride .. at least I am out there doing it .. so have nuffin to prove to anyone ..

Ditto on everyone getting home in one piece .. I have no probs slowing down if I am not confident case in point the winds coming to met you guys ...

but I really do appreciate your time today Cowboyz .. am still buzzing from it

[cowboyz]

When I have had a slick tyre on in the wet on the way from wellington

cut it out. my super slick worked great today. Actually it is a fantastic tyre in the dry. Pity I cant find a dry road to ride on. Might have to see about changing it this week. The biggest thing that worries me with the new tyre is it is a racetek tyre and they have a small rep for not warming up.

Every ride apart from the wet one as I remember

But you are totally right, gravel, sheep shit and water on roads were a daily joy in Devon and I slid around a few corners on my side when not taking heed.

And there was this one time, at band camp.................

[86GSXR]

Yes, those corners. We had all type of conditions thrown at us today. Gravel, moss, dampness, shit, sunstrike, wet dust, and tight twisting ones.

Good on you Sandra for taking all these tips on board, it will really help you in the long run.

Plus, you need to add into the mix total and utter concentration on the road, always, and especially up around the roads we were on today. You know the feeling? Your whole world is focussed on the road and what your bike and senses are telling you about it. If your mind is wandering, rein it in and slow down.

[cowboyz]

what if your mind is playing tricks on you and you are thinking that a triumph just went past you when a triumph is going past you?

[chanceyy]

Plus, you need to add into the mix total and utter concentration on the road, always, and especially up around the roads we were on today. You know the feeling? Your whole world is focussed on the road and what your bike and senses are telling you about it. If your mind is wandering, rein it in and slow down.

yup your right & sure had that today .. after reading the post about the RZ you do have to do that the whole time you are on her.. tis true ..

only time I have had trouble concentrating is when I am fatigued .. but its something that everyone else suffers as well .. & I definately back off at that point .. (generally after stopping for a period of time)

also potential hazards .. passing lots of stock & thought hmm there could be loose stock out ..

but they were great roads to ride as there are plenty of hazards & things to watch out for .. a bit of everything really

[86GSXR]

what if your mind is playing tricks on you and you are thinking that a triumph just went past you when a triumph is going past you?

You need to slow down and check your rear vision mirrors for more Triumphs

[sarahtvet]

what if your mind is playing tricks on you and you are thinking that a triumph just went past you when a triumph is going past you?

triumph going past you, must be losing your touch cowboyz

Or is 86 getting quicker now he is healing up and not restrained by the pillion

I am sure that I kept saying faster faster but maybe that was something else the doctor recommended

[cowboyz]

It was good to see the 650R ninja on one wheel and the power slides going into the corners too.


(just noticed mouse is reading the thread)

[sarahtvet]

cut it out. my super slick worked great today. Actually it is a fantastic tyre in the dry. Pity I cant find a dry road to ride on.

25 degrees here today and bone dry roads, loads of hogs at winery yesterday and the throaty roar of the bikes melded well with the opera and made me want to grab my helmet, jacket and ride how bloody frustrating