Why I love Wellington, hills, and commuting by motorsickle

**James Deuce** · 3rd November 2007, 11:04

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfojJRPe2qs[/youtube]

**Zuki Bandit** · 3rd November 2007, 11:27

What a great vid! I found myself tilting my head at each corner.

**Her_C4** · 3rd November 2007, 11:49

Originally Posted by Zuki Bandit

What a great vid! I found myself tilting my head at each corner.

ha ha ha - me too!!

Great video Jim... so do you just go up and down the hill for fun?? Excellent stuff...

**Ocean1** · 3rd November 2007, 12:10

Noice.

Used to do most of that every morning.

While ago though, and a bit different on an XL175.

**quallman1234** · 3rd November 2007, 13:32

I taught my self to ride around that area.

Great little hills them

.

**2fst4u** · 3rd November 2007, 14:05

great video, but how come it looked like you were turning into the corners as opposed to counter steering?

**Deviant Esq** · 3rd November 2007, 14:33

If you value your nice twisty commute... don't move to Christchurch / Canterbury: The land of the squared off commuter's tyre. Having said that the weekend rides make up for it, less traffic and less of those funny white cars with disco lights on the top, too...

**nudemetalz** · 3rd November 2007, 15:30

Good stuff Jim.

Makes me wonder if the big Z will ever be used again.....

**James Deuce** · 3rd November 2007, 16:09

Originally Posted by 2fst4u

great video, but how come it looked like you were turning into the corners as opposed to counter steering?

Probably because I was. The Katana has an 18" front wheel and compared to a sprotsbike, a lot more trail. Its lazy geometry means that the speed where it changes from turn left to go left to push left to go left is a lot higher than something with less rake and trail. I was travelling between 40 and 50 km/hr for the duration of the vid too.

You notice the same effect on something like a V-Rod where it feels like the front wheel is flopping about at 50 km/hr.

**Fatjim** · 3rd November 2007, 16:11

Well that bit made no sense to me. I better go and visit some knitting sites.....

**James Deuce** · 3rd November 2007, 16:11

Originally Posted by nudemetalz

Good stuff Jim.

Makes me wonder if the big Z will ever be used again.....

The Zed's being used alright. Just not every day, especially days where it looks like it might rain.

**riffer** · 4th November 2007, 12:56

Hey nice stuff Jim.

Just goes to show you don't have to exceed 50 km/hr to have a good time AND wipe out the chicken strips.

That bike is looking nice. You know, when I was coming back to bikes (and bought the FZR) it was a toss-up between that bike and a GSX400S just like you're riding there.

I'd like to think the bike I test rode was the one in that video. You never know...

**James Deuce** · 4th November 2007, 13:15

Originally Posted by riffer

I'd like to think the bike I test rode was the one in that video. You never know...

Was it at Motorcycle City and had 7000kms on the clock? Because if it did, it is.

**xwhatsit** · 4th November 2007, 13:20

Mmm great video. Very jealous. I've got a very short (1-2km or so) stretch of corners that I go through on my commute; requires a slight detour but it's worth it so the bike doesn't feel sad and neglected. It's 50kph all the way too; I like to see if I can hold it at 50kph the whole way (a couple of 25kph-marked corners). Not as good as what you've got there, though.

Either that's a very smooth road or you've done a very good job of rebuilding your suspenders.

**2fst4u** · 4th November 2007, 14:09

Originally Posted by Jim2

Probably because I was. The Katana has an 18" front wheel and compared to a sprotsbike, a lot more trail. Its lazy geometry means that the speed where it changes from turn left to go left to push left to go left is a lot higher than something with less rake and trail. I was travelling between 40 and 50 km/hr for the duration of the vid too.

You notice the same effect on something like a V-Rod where it feels like the front wheel is flopping about at 50 km/hr.

oh, right. thanks for clearing that up