Hamilton Wednesday night ride

[Meekey_Mouse]

Hope you guys had a good ride!

I got no bike!

[TerminalAddict]

less crashes than last week
couple of new faces (Mr black hornet, and Bnonn )

so got the track bike lined up? or in shopping mode? (oh dear ... a woman in shopping mode )

[Warr]

Twas a good outing. K place by the C, ~170k's getting up there for an evening outing.
And yes good to see new faces, shame the F&Chip shop was shut. Have to consider our destinations more closely where we can find a feed. My rear tyre was moving around a bit too much under breaking. I think all the sticky bit has gone.
Appologies to anyone who though my passing moves were a bit ragged. My excuse is they prob were
That was on our return & it took a few corners to get back into the grove

[FzerozeroT]

I don't know what happened, I stopped to change my visor, got lost in that "shortcut" to templeview, had to cruise at 105 to Pirongia because I was being followed by what looked like a mufti cop. asked some of the locals if they had seen a group of bikes go past, "No" so I turned around and went home. What a sad bastard.

[Warr]

I don't know what happened, I stopped to change my visor, got lost in that "shortcut" to templeview, had to cruise at 105 to Pirongia because I was being followed by what looked like a mufti cop. asked some of the locals if they had seen a group of bikes go past, "No" so I turned around and went home. What a sad bastard.

Big thanks for playing decoy Shame about the other we were wondering what happened and you would have been sweet for gas as the place you pass near Oparau was open. Someone else dropped out as they were getting cold too. So dress for the occasion guys tis getting cooler new

[Bnonn]

Yeah, Ben dropped out as well. Hopefully he'll be warmly dressed next week (:

Thanks for a great ride guys. Sorry I was slow in the twisties on the way to Kawhia. In the spirit of sharing knowledge, let me quickly report what I learned:

Having never ridden twisties in the dark before, and having not really thought about it beforehand, I found the darkness rather confounding. As it got darker, I could see less and less far ahead through the corners, and so without realizing it I was focusing my attention closer and closer in front of me, so as to have something to look at. Obviously, once it got completely dark, the only thing I could see was what was in my own headlight beam. This caused me to unconsciously fixate on a point maybe ten metres directly in front of me, and even when I was going through really tight bends, this was what I was looking at.

Needless to say that this sort of unconscious target fixation dramatically reduces your ability to ride a corner. As I think Matt pointed out, I nearly went off the road one time because of it. Got fixated on the shoulder and so...you go where you look. Because I was initially very uncomfortable riding the bends in the dark, I didn't take advantage of the guys in front of me lighting the way, and so they disappeared into the night. However, my wee brain was churning away as I rode, pondering what it was that was giving me so much grief, and wondering whether everyone else knew the road really well, just had balls of steel, or if they were way more skilled than me.

In the end I decided it was mostly the latter with bits of the former thrown in, and realized I was target fixating, after which I found myself going quite a bit faster. It takes some getting used to looking through a corner you can't actually see, though, so I was still really circumspect and took things nice and slow so as to get used to it. Hence I rocked up a good while after the rest of you fullahs. It's really hard riding by guessing, rather than by reference points. Hopefully I'll improve and not slow you guys up in future (:

On the way back I just made sure to keep someone in front of me, so that I had a reference point through the bends. Matt set a good pace on his Aquila, and as long as I could see his tail light I knew where the bend went and could take it just fine; and the headlights obviously helped too. Truth be told, it is a bit nerve-wracking riding close to reserve on roads you don't know, in the dark, where you can't see the surface or much anything else. But having said that, it was a really enjoyable ride, so thanks for having me along! I hope this post doesn't sound too whiney or like I'm trying to make excuses. I just take a fairly academic approach to riding, and if describing my own experiences can help others to learn who haven't ridden in the dark before or summat, then so much the better.

Incidentally, when you said "averagely fast and mildly aggressive" (ZeroIndex, freaking crazy Durbaners) what you really meant was "fast enough to lose your license and aggressive like the racetrack" huh? Don't you guys worry about being nailed for speeding? I have no problems gassing it on the backroads where encountering a cop is amazingly unlikely, but on the main roads it seems a bit dodgy?

[Warr]

...... Hopefully I'll improve and not slow you guys up in future (:

No apology necessary at all.
Any group ride or in KB terms. (any ride where more than 1 is heading to the same general place at approximately the same time) people ride as individuals at a pace that is within their capabilities.
Riding nights is as you have experienced is not as straight forward as daytime. But you did well, had some moments but learnt the same.

......
Don't you guys worry about being nailed for speeding? I have no problems gassing it on the backroads where encountering a cop is amazingly unlikely, but on the main roads it seems a bit dodgy?

Radar detectors are our small insurance And if your speed is averagly faster than 100 then its only oncoming and stationary danger you have to worry about

[Bnonn]

But you did well, had some moments but learnt the same.

Radar detectors are our small insurance And if your speed is averagly faster than 100 then its only oncoming and stationary danger you have to worry about

Haha, ...pictures really are worth a thousand words sometimes. Thanks for the encouragement. Where does one get hold of a radar detector, and how much are they? Also, when riding in a group, I presume that there is a signal for cops, aside from just slowing down real fast? Do we use the twirling finger, the tap on the head, or summat else?

[Warr]

Haha, ...pictures really are worth a thousand words sometimes. Thanks for the encouragement. Where does one get hold of a radar detector, and how much are they? Also, when riding in a group, I presume that there is a signal for cops, aside from just slowing down real fast? Do we use the twirling finger, the tap on the head, or summat else?

We'll go with any signal. But usually a break light and smoke off the rear tyre are clear enough.

Below I posted somewhere else but the details are the same .....

Detectors are car ones, just need

1. Power - A lead to your bike electrics
2. Mounting - something you made in your garage or something from Radardirect ~$200
3. Weather protection - bit of tape in the right place or plastic cover from RadarDirect ~$45
4. Earpeice - Your choice really. You could be a dummy like the reat of us that have a curly lead which you need to connect to your helmet every time. Or be clever and get a howler thing (screamer) mounted somewhere on your bike. ~$200

So all adds up when you include the latest Detector as well ~$500

PS Could be a good idea if buying a new Detector to get one that does the new Ku Band which I understand is used widely in Europe.

[Bnonn]

Thanks. I don't think I'll be getting one for a while at that cost; so many other things I have to get first (including proper leathers).

Just thought I'd share this Sport Rider article on night riding, for the benefit of others, since it is pertinent to the thread: http://www.sportrider.com/ride/146_9..._night_riding/

[TerminalAddict]

race track agression ??? that was only warr .. he's crazy

[Bnonn]

Hehe, nah I didn't mean the passing so much, or Warr's speed, as the level of commitment to corners and the average speed of the group. When I ride by myself I'm really conservative. What Jamie didn't mention when you asked him about his license is that he isn't the only one riding illegally. I'm on my restricted. I've been riding for well long enough to have my full, but I didn't get my act together until shortly before my 250 fell apart, so hence I haven't had the restricted long enough to get it yet. I think I had my learner for about two and a half years. Silly me really.

But yeah, you guys ride what I would consider "pretty hard". I know that as riding goes it's not really that crazy, but given my predisposition to be cautious, and my paranoia of New Zealand's terrible road surfaces and drivers, as well as the fact that I often carry a pillion (I'm usually quite careful when doing that, but Jamie will tell stories!) I guess I'm just unaccustomed to pushing my bike as hard as it might like (: But as I said, it was good fun, and as long as I'm behind someone with a radar detector, I'm happy!

[Warr]

race track agression ??? that was only warr .. he's crazy

And I thought you were my mate !!
Well perhaps you are... do you think I should get onto the track??
If so I'd be looking for sponsors... you could be

[TerminalAddict]

And I thought you were my mate !!
Well perhaps you are... do you think I should get onto the track??
If so I'd be looking for sponsors... you could be

I only know it was you coz I was behind you all the way

damn it ... were's that "not guilty" icon ....


"TRACK WARR'S" has a nice ring to it

edit: rear tyre progress?

[Waylander]

You bloody hoons you.