Cruisy Night Rides

[JMemonic]

BTW. BIG news!! I proposed to Liv this morning and she said yes. I thought that was a pretty good bday present for her!!

Well done and congrats to you both, btw happy birthday Liv

[Sparrow_1982]

BTW. BIG news!! I proposed to Liv this morning and she said yes. I thought that was a pretty good bday present for her!!

Congrates and best wishes to u and liv both

[laRIKin]

everyone has a accidents, ur a fool to think that u wont ever crash..... u gotta have it set in ur mind every tome u get on ur bike, it's not a case of if ur gonna crash but when.... that way u might be thinking straight and carefully everytime u get on ur bike,

Think that a better way to think about it is.

What can I do to limit the chances of a crash that is mine or someone else's fault. (or the bike's, if it is need of repair)

And what can I do to get myself out of any potential trouble.

The important thing is it is down to YOU.
As no one else can do it.

You must protect yourself at all times, as no one else can.

[fireliv]

HOLY FUCK AWESOME!

PAAAARTY!

That is lovely news - congratulations !!!!!

Outstanding. Good on you both!

Well done and congrats to you both, btw happy birthday Liv

Congrates and best wishes to u and liv both

Thanks Everyone!!!!!!!
Was a very nice birthday surprise and the ring is stunning, how could I resist a guy with such taste........ sometimes the quiet ones are the ones to watch

[Deviant Esq]

Man... you do strugle to get it dont you.. it was you that told someone to piss off... as for the not happy comment christ sakes man... I wasent happy I was nearly pushed into the bushes, your relaxed "so no one arsed up" qoute is not good, go figger... so I could let loose with my AK47 and no one gets hurt and that would be ok, ie: eveyone is happy ???

Bud, for starters, let me just say that I totally agree with what you're saying, with regards to riders stepping out of their comfort zones on this ride, and pushing too hard - it really isn't on. It's dangerous and foolish - I really don't want to have to pull someone out of the bushes either, I don't want to see anyone hurt, anyone hurt anyone else, or get themselves killed. Totally honestly (you may not see it), I'm here for a long time and not just a good time. I don't really like riding outside my comfort levels, because I don't want to have an accident and get hurt or die... so I try my damnedest to have a good time but to be sensible and not overstep the mark. It's guys like you who help keep this message visable for those who don't think about it as much as they really should.

All I'm saying is that I can't understand how you seem to like to blame me specifically for some of the things that go on on the ride. Sure, they're not good, but what good is it having a go at me over it? I also can't understand why you seem to think I'm kicking dirt at people offering me help - far from it, that'd be the last thing I'd want to do. I appreciate any help and assistance offered, and would like to offer some to new riders as well, stuff that I myself have learned. Sure, maybe I was a bit harsh with Mr. S, but he was being a bit of a grumpy poos... you and him could relate well!

I didn't know you were nearly pushed into the bushes. When was that?
Maybe you shouldn't wheelie so much at the top of Gebbies Pass? That one almost wound up in the hillside (nice wheelie though, and glad you only did it when there was no silly buggers watching who'd try it on too and fail)!

Maybe we should just sit down over a beer and nut out what I'm doing that gets you so pissed off - I'd like to know just so I can do it more

[fireliv]

The way I see it, if someone doesnt want to come on a ride, for whatever reasons, so be it. Each to there own. Just dont post. Mr S has not been on a ride, and does not wish to participate thats fine- he should have just not bothered posting cos we are not interested in people who just step in to make trouble for troubles sake.
D- at least you come. We know who you are, so your opinions mean a lot. You have the right to come down hard on riders as you see fit-because you were there, not because you are saying shit because you feel you have to make a point.

Hoped to make the next ride but as for reasons stated by phoenix wont be able to! I enjoyed the ride over Akaroa way last time so enjoy! Dont forget to state ure regroup points!

[Rashika]

Think that a better way to think about it is.

What can I do to limit the chances of a crash that is mine or someone else's fault. (or the bike's, if it is need of repair)

And what can I do to get myself out of any potential trouble.

The important thing is it is down to YOU.
As no one else can do it.

You must protect yourself at all times, as no one else can.

yeah this sums it up nicely.

I for one dont go out in anticipation of crashing, BUT I do take all the precautions I can to avoid getting myself into a situation that may lead to that (or wear clothes that will help if it does happen)... by my own or others fuckups. But that is only common sense.

We are vulnerable on bikes, so the odd stray over the centre line may not seem like much to a beginner, but if that kinda attitude about seemingly minor things continues as you get more skilled you will become blaise about it until you have a close call (or worse), and you wont really even consider it a problem.

I guess everytime I am going round a blind corner my brain is instinctively saying "what would happen if a car came round now on the wrong side of the road? What if a car is stopped just round the corner" All the stuff that I'm thinking of, most beginners prob aren't cos they have yet to experience some of the scary shit. Having said that it is actually kinda easy to become hohum to thinking that way esp on a long ride and you have to mentally kick yourself at times to wake up.

I dont wanna hit a cop car, or a campervan, so save my racing for the track (errrr well mostly anyway, I aint perfect!)

[Rashika]

All I'm saying is that I can't understand how you seem to like to blame me specifically for some of the things that go on on the ride.

Sure, maybe I was a bit harsh with Mr. S, but he was being a bit of a grumpy poos... you and him could relate well!


Maybe we should just sit down over a beer and nut out what I'm doing that gets you so pissed off - I'd like to know just so I can do it more

hey DE, I dont think D was specifically getting at you... except for the bit at Mr S, prob a bit OTT but you know that so we're over it

You do seem to take everything that D (in particular) says about people on the ride as specific digs at you and I dont think it is intended to be that way.
Sure you were one of the orig organisers and maybe feel some responsibilty for people on the rides, but you are merely a participant and everyone else has to take their own responsibilty for their actions.

The only thing I can see is that there is a bit of the "she'll be right" atittude happening in some of the younger riders (and you can see it in the comments on this thread) and I guess most of us hope it is mere bravado and in reality they actually are concerned about them doing something that might result in an accident.
Group riding is really the most dangerous riding we can do (the campervan acco says it all really), so seeing some in the group with a devil-may-care atittude can get you worried about whether you might get caught up in any mayhem.
Take what the grumps say with a grain of salt... listen, and think about what they say next time you cut a corner (and this is NOT aimed specifically at you DE!! ) but at those on the ride who know they were maybe a bit over that line more than once... .
...and besides it takes way more skill to NOT to cut corners than it does to cut em! Dont you wanna be known as skilled riders?

[Transalper]

...and besides it takes way more skill to NOT to cut corners than it does to cut em! Dont you wanna be known as skilled riders?

Ohhh, I really like that comment.


Righto, have decided that weather permitting I am going to have tea at Duvauchelle on Wednesday so that's where I'll be going reguardless of what others decide, be nice to see the group head there again too but most you seem so obsessed with other stuff to say where you want to go.
I'd be tempted to go over Dyers to Governers,round to and over Gebbies, regroup at Little River to check on the followers and finish at the Duvauchelle Hotel.
Alternative could be out through Halswell, Old Tai Tapu Rd and the Akaroa Highway, still regroup at Little River then on to the Duvauchelle Hotel.

Several more have said they're keen (either here or on SBF),
so see you at BK.

Cheers
TA.

ps. Congrats to Phoenix and fireliv

[Deviant Esq]

I'd be tempted to go over Dyers to Governers,round to and over Gebbies, regroup at Little River to check on the followers and finish at the Duvauchelle Hotel.

Sounds good to me - I'll be there with bells on. Hopefully they'll drown out the rather loud bangs emitting from my exhaust recently!!

Seriously though, the route sounds good to me, but then, I always enjoy Dyers Pass Road. It was great two weeks ago, only had to pass one car on the way up and I wasn't mucking around either

Edit: Where are my manners?! Many congrats phoenix and fireliv (many happy returns)! Didn't see that one coming... but good on ya! When's the big day then?

[Dave-]

in regards to going over the white line here's what I posted over at another forum.

the way i see it, riding is a set of calculated risks.

no matter where you are on the road, the conditions, your ability, the rotation of the earth, you have a chance of being in a head on collision, at some times it's so close to 0 it can be rounded down, this is constant, if you're on the road, then you have a chance of being hit.

the only one who has the ability to exponentially increase this chance is yourself, you do this by crossing the center line.

the second highest, is a vehicle coming in the other direction which you have little or no control over (the road you choose?) however this will increase your chances by less than half.

now if you can see it's a clear straight bit up the hill for 200m so you decide to cut the corner....you're increasing your chances of having a head on, regardless of what you see, you're increasing your chances by a dramatic amount.

if you cross the line on a blind tight corner you're increasing it hugely, massively, to the point where you have to ask where your common sense has gone...

if you combine your own risk factor and the risk factor of the car coming the other way you get 1 or 100%, if you're lucky though the car coming the other way might also be driving dangerously in which you both cross into one anothers lanes...I'd buy a lotto ticket.

also at another location it has been decided that we're going back over to douchebagville or whatever at the next ride.

resistance is futile.

have a nice day.

[JMemonic]

Sounds good to me - I'll be there with bells on. Hopefully they'll drown out the rather loud bangs emitting from my exhaust recently!!

Um yeah was going to ask you what is up with that, you get a nice flame out of the exhaust at the same time as well, almost like an intermittent misfire.

[Deviant Esq]

Um yeah was going to ask you what is up with that, you get a nice flame out of the exhaust at the same time as well, almost like an intermittent misfire.

Buggered if I know mate. All I know is that it won't do it while I'm riding it around town or commuting... it only seems to get going after maybe 20 minutes of working it harder up in the hills, once it's got really well heated up. Thing is that it never used to do it, only just started on the last Wednesday night ride. Dangerous thought it could be an air leak in the exhaust... anyone else know what it might be? I'm hoping it's not something too bad... the bike still runs great apart from the noise.

[Paulus]

All this talk of cutting over the white line takes me back to an incident last summer. A group of us were heading over to Akaroa when when came up behind an obvious novice on an R6. Friend in front slipped past him on the downhill into Robinsons Bay. As we got to the bottom of the hill (a pretty fast corner) I could see nothing coming and went to pass the R6. He drifted out over the centre line and right over to the other side of the road just as I was in the process of passing him carrying maybe 20kph more speed. I still don't actually know how I managed not to hit him but it was bloody close. Other friends following commented that they didn't know how I managed to miss him (luck I guess). I confronted the guy at Akaroa and he was totally oblivious of it! Not a smart thing to do by either of us and it is lucky that we both weren't killed. Be careful.

[Mikkel]

Yea, i didn't exactly be all that considerate with the other people on the road on Wednesday night. I was pushing towards my limits and it could have gone bad, sorry for that, got the blood lust lol. But hey, everyone makes mistakes and I'll learn from this one.

Pushing your limits - not on a group ride mate! Go find a nice piece of road and then practice pushing your limits there - alone or with a couple of mates who's in on it.
If you're confident you won't freak out getting passed *very* closely by a superbike travelling 100 km/h faster than you could ever hope to go on a learners bike I'd suggest going for an open training day at Ruapuna. It's good fun and you get to push your limits... (oh, and there's no ACC and no insurance cover unless you got special track insurance - so don't push too hard, mkay).





Glad to see you guys decided to bury the hatchet for now - I'm sure I wasn't the only one starting to develop a headache!


As for sparrow's comment about thinking about crashing - DON'T!
Just as with target fixation - where you look is where you go - your mind can work in the same way. If you start thinking that you're going to crash instead of smoothly taking the corner that was just a bit tighter than you expected you're much more likely to freeze up and wipe out!
Relax and go with it. When you're on the bike focus on your riding and maintain a healthy safety margin.

That's my experience so far - admittedly it's only been 3 months so far but I still think it's valid!