First real day riding today

[nzspokes]

One day I'll ride up to Auckland and take you down to Mercer for a bacon sandwish or to Okoroire for the best burger on two wheels.

(Every new rider should get to Okoroire at some time)

By the way, my favourite road is over the Kaimais and back. Going south you get those lovely downhill twisties on the Waikato side, then coming back up on a 250 you reach the last three or four tighter corners and you're down to 3rd gear at 9,000 rpm leaned over like a maniac/

Sounds good to me. Lets just wait untill its a bit warmer?

Im just trying to get my head around the riding at 100kph thing. 80 is fine but 100 and I feel like I get blown all over the road. Bike has the power.

[Old Steve]

Hey spokes, it sounds as if you're getting along alright. As someone said before in this thread, you'll look back at this and laugh. Cruising along at 100 (and plus) will just become commonplace, you won't notice when you start doing it. Great philosophy is to get as many kilometres as possible under the wheels, and do a RoadSafe course or such.

Funny you should mention getting blown around. One thing I learnt and would pass on is for you to fade to the left of the road when a big truck comes the other way, that way you are further away from it and the wind blast from it knocks you around less.

As for side winds, I find their effect is less the faster you go, it all comes down to vectors. If you're riding at 30 km/hr and there is a 30 km/hr side wind then the apparent wind you feel is a 42 km/hr wind coming from 45 degrees to your front. Now if you are going 100 km/hr with a 30 km/hr side wind the apparent wind seems to be only a 105 km/hr wind just off the front of your bike and while there is still a 30 km/hr component to the wind you feel, the increased speed gives you greater momentum/inertia and stability. You'll find when riding in side winds you'll be compensating with a just little countersteering, i.e you're pushing very slightly forward on the wind side handlebar to make you lean slightly into the wind.

But be alert! Lerts survive on motorbikes. Watch ahead for grass on the side of the road being blown in the wind, or tree branches being blown, or dust being blown across the road. These may show that there is a gap in banks alongside the road ahead creating a gust which might blow you sideways before you can react to it.

[allycatz]

Took me to 50 to overtake my first !

Is that 50 bikes or 50 years????

[sinfull]

Is that 50 bikes or 50 years????

Take ya pick ! No wait, only owned a doz !

[nzspokes]

Hey spokes, it sounds as if you're getting along alright. As someone said before in this thread, you'll look back at this and laugh. Cruising along at 100 (and plus) will just become commonplace, you won't notice when you start doing it. Great philosophy is to get as many kilometres as possible under the wheels, and do a RoadSafe course or such.

Funny you should mention getting blown around. One thing I learnt and would pass on is for you to fade to the left of the road when a big truck comes the other way, that way you are further away from it and the wind blast from it knocks you around less.

As for side winds, I find their effect is less the faster you go, it all comes down to vectors. If you're riding at 30 km/hr and there is a 30 km/hr side wind then the apparent wind you feel is a 42 km/hr wind coming from 45 degrees to your front. Now if you are going 100 km/hr with a 30 km/hr side wind the apparent wind seems to be only a 105 km/hr wind just off the front of your bike and while there is still a 30 km/hr component to the wind you feel, the increased speed gives you greater momentum/inertia and stability. You'll find when riding in side winds you'll be compensating with a just little countersteering, i.e you're pushing very slightly forward on the wind side handlebar to make you lean slightly into the wind.

But be alert! Lerts survive on motorbikes. Watch ahead for grass on the side of the road being blown in the wind, or tree branches being blown, or dust being blown across the road. These may show that there is a gap in banks alongside the road ahead creating a gust which might blow you sideways before you can react to it.

Pretty much sorted the 100k thing today. My mate gave me some ear plugs. Think the wind noise was getting to me. With them in 100kph was easy. Got up to 114. But found an issue with the bike. It doesnt like long runs at higher revs. Think the carbs are not getting enough fuel. Will check tank filters etc.

But Yay!! Great fun today.

[nzspokes]

Old Steve, I will take you up on a ride. Im still torn over long term what style bike I would like but after a great ride today with MikeD400 Im loving what I have. And with the panniers on I can carry gear and cameras etc. So it may hang around longer term. I can see a trip away being easy.

im still buzzing about our ride today.

[GrayWolf]

Good on ya

As you get better go for longer rides. Nothing beats going out for a 100k odd ride every now and again just for the sake of it.

Going out for a 4-500km ride for the hell of it, does!!!!

[LBD]

Going out for a 4-500km ride for the hell of it, does!!!!

4-500km ....your are just getting into the zone at 400....that just wets the appetite.....

[DrunkenMistake]

4-500km ....your are just getting into the zone at 400....that just wets the appetite.....

Exactly! I make sure I do long rides when the bank account is low, that way I cant keep topping up my tank leaving myself stranded someone at the top of the south Island..