The minority may ruin it for the majority on the "Coro Loop"

**Drew** · 8th October 2012, 18:00

VIGILANCE people. The key to fuckin salvation I say!

That was the word I should have used last paragraph, of my last post.

**FJRider** · 8th October 2012, 18:08

Originally Posted by bogan

Riding 'ahead' of your sightlines is a whole other issue which shouldn't be confused with speed limits.

Depending on the quality of your headlight (most are actually poor) ... it may be ... that it IS very much to do with speed limits. Until you KNOW how far ahead you can see in regards to your stopping ability ... it would be foolish to assume the open road limit is safe for you on your bike.

Having spent many hours riding in darkness ... in all hours of the night .... over many years. I have had more problems with what I haven't seen ... than what I can, and had seen ... in my lights.

**jrandom** · 8th October 2012, 18:25

Originally Posted by FJRider

Having spent many hours riding in darkness ... in all hours of the night .... over many years.

I remember this one time when I'd just switched from a bike with a headlight that turned with the bars to a bike with a fairing-mounted headlight, and then rode from Tauranga to Rotorua via Pyes Pa at midnight in heavy rain, I was going slow enough that I was doing whatever the opposite of countersteering is, and I was subconsciously expecting the headlight to turn with the bars and light up the exit of the corner, but it wasn't, and that fucked me up and made me go even slower, and it became a vicious circle of cold, wet fail.

I'm glad it wasn't a group ride.

Edit: By way of explanation, I was on Metzeler Tourances and I'd had a great big moment heading south along SH2 to Tauranga that afternoon that'd completely put me off them. Worst road tyres in the wet I've ever had the displeasure of riding on, with the exception of the OEM BT020s that came on my GSX1400.

**FJRider** · 8th October 2012, 18:42

Originally Posted by jrandom

I remember this one time when I'd just switched from a bike with a headlight that turned with the bars to a bike with a fairing-mounted headlight, and then rode from Tauranga to Rotorua via Pyes Pa at midnight in heavy rain, I was going slow enough that I was doing whatever the opposite of countersteering is, and I was subconsciously expecting the headlight to turn with the bars and light up the exit of the corner, but it wasn't, and that fucked me up and made me go even slower, and it became a vicious circle of cold, wet fail.

The older "Faired" bikes did have an issue of not showing much of the sides of the road. What you describe was a common complaint then. And can be STILL on restored bikes. I know of two "off's" in the last two years with this issue.

**jrandom** · 8th October 2012, 18:53

Originally Posted by FJRider

The older "Faired" bikes did have an issue of not showing much of the sides of the road.

Yeah.

It was a 1988 DR750 BIG.

You'd definitely want to do finger-quotes around 'faired'.

**Gremlin** · 8th October 2012, 22:07

Originally Posted by bogan

Don't forget about boredom. If the speeds are too low road users pay less attention to their driving, less attention is longer reaction times.

They lay that one on fatigue.

**gammaguy** · 8th October 2012, 22:27

Originally Posted by jrandom

Edit: By way of explanation, I was on Metzeler Tourances and I'd had a great big moment heading south along SH2 to Tauranga that afternoon that'd completely put me off them. Worst road tyres in the wet I've ever had the displeasure of riding on, with the exception of the OEM BT020s that came on my GSX1400.

The Tourance is not a road Tyre,it is an adventure tyre and as such has a reduced contact area on tar seal

All tyres are a compromise,and a full road tyre would possibly not grip as well as a Tourance on a gravel track

yer pays yer money.......

**jrandom** · 9th October 2012, 02:07

Originally Posted by gammaguy

The Tourance is not a road Tyre,it is an adventure tyre and as such has a reduced contact area on tar seal

Yeah. I worked that one out while sideways. Should maybe have had a more in-depth discussion with the man at the shop before I told him to put on whatever would work well.

**Maha** · 9th October 2012, 06:23

Originally Posted by Drew

VIGILANCE people.

Never heard of them....what do they sing?

**Drew** · 9th October 2012, 06:31

Originally Posted by Maha

Never heard of them....what do they sing?

Prolly too heavy for your tastes.

**Maha** · 9th October 2012, 06:33

Originally Posted by Drew

Prolly too heavy for your tastes.

JB covers?.....

**Drew** · 9th October 2012, 06:56

Originally Posted by Maha

JB covers?.....

One direction.

**Banditbandit** · 10th October 2012, 09:04

Originally Posted by jrandom

I remember this one time when I'd just switched from a bike with a headlight that turned with the bars to a bike with a fairing-mounted headlight, and then rode from Tauranga to Rotorua via Pyes Pa at midnight in heavy rain, I was going slow enough that I was doing whatever the opposite of countersteering is, and I was subconsciously expecting the headlight to turn with the bars and light up the exit of the corner, but it wasn't, and that fucked me up and made me go even slower, and it became a vicious circle of cold, wet fail.

I'm glad it wasn't a group ride.

Edit: By way of explanation, I was on Metzeler Tourances and I'd had a great big moment heading south along SH2 to Tauranga that afternoon that'd completely put me off them. Worst road tyres in the wet I've ever had the displeasure of riding on, with the exception of the OEM BT020s that came on my GSX1400.

Originally Posted by FJRider

The older "Faired" bikes did have an issue of not showing much of the sides of the road. What you describe was a common complaint then. And can be STILL on restored bikes. I know of two "off's" in the last two years with this issue.

Hang about .. the differences between a fork mounted light on a naked bike and a fairing mounted light should have nothing to do with how you can see around a corner at night!!! To turn a bike you turn the bars only at very low speed ... you do not turn the bars, and therefore the light, at any normal riding speed.

In normal riding you lean the bike, and don't turn the bars - in fact counter-steering suggests a very small amount of turn on the forks on the opposite direction from the corner ... but that won't be the case in reality ..

If you are relying on a fork mounted headlight to see around corners at night, as you turn the bars, then you are doing it wrong.

And if you are turning the forks into a corner ... then you are doing it so wrong you have a much higher chance of falling off ...

**Banditbandit** · 10th October 2012, 09:04

Originally Posted by Drew

One direction.

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Drew again."

**jrandom** · 10th October 2012, 09:25

Originally Posted by Banditbandit

... you do not turn the bars, and therefore the light, at any normal riding speed.

Like I said. Pitch black, pissing down, 35kph signposted corners on an unfamiliar road, and tyres that I'd lost all trust in a few hours prior.

I wasn't going at any normal riding speed.

Originally Posted by Banditbandit

If you are relying on a fork mounted headlight to see around corners at night...

What exactly do you suggest I rely on to see around corners at night, old bean? Ultrasonic bat goggles?

Originally Posted by Banditbandit

And if you are turning the forks into a corner ... then you are doing it so wrong you have a much higher chance of falling off ...

You don't actually have a clue what you're talking about, do you?