Chch Wednesday Evening Cruises - 2008

[chanceyy]

been watching this thread with a bit of interest .. how rides go in the manawatu

as we have our rides on a fri nite someone by around thurs will do a proposed route .. this person will then organise ride .. after all its their idea .. they may not necessarily lead it but could organise a leader, TEC etc

some ideas on how to make the rides flow ... have a leader rider if the lead rider turns off the second rider parks up & waits for TEC to come through .. they can then have their bit of fun making their way to the front again ..generally the fastest riders will be at the front, with one or two hanging back .. also have the snr riders take a turn at TEC esp those mentoring .. they can then assess the slower riders & perhaps help with tips (if asked/offered/welcomed)

regroup fairly regularly but not every 5 ks or 10 mins riding & if you have riders showing the way on corners you should not need to do this ..

[T.W.R]

Firstly, good on ya Transalper and the others who helped Dave out!!

T.W.R you've brought up some valid points about the rides but I'm not sure how far we need to take these rides. You talk about reward systems??

Help should always be offered to the newbies, but I consider it to be implicit, as in: everyone on the ride should know that if they need help then they only need to ask. Of course the explicit offering of help at the start of the rides may be a step in the right direction.

Let me just describe a typical TCWNR in Wellington...

Everyone arrives at the carpark, they chat, talk shit and decide where they want to go that night. Some of the experienced riders might make sure those less experienced are ok. Someone volunteers to be tail end charlie. Everyone gets on their bikes and rides to the chosen destination (usually a pub), they chat, talk shit and then they get on their bikes and go home. Pretty simple really. A good time is had by all.

In the end Transalper is right. I'm not a leader. I started these rides down here because I loved the rides up there so much. They're a great opportunity to get out for a ride and socialise with like minded people. In saying all that I don't believe there needs to be one "leader" for these rides, but perhaps a few of the "regulars" should step up and take control, (that probably includes me). Of course systems such as buddying up etc. requires that some of the more experienced riders step up. Without their commitment to it, it isn't going to work. Don't look at me either cause I've said all along I'm not one of those experienced riders!! Ultimately, I think the most important thing is that everyone knows that if they want help they just need to ask someone.

I'm happy for others such as T.W.R input their ideas to this, so don't worry mate. The way I see it I'm just one of the regulars.

Yeah I understand fully what you're saying about how far these rides should be taken etc
What I put forth was more closely directed to getting more younger & less experienced riders out into this type of event, not completely wrapping them in cotton wool as such but making the environment more user friendly for them.

The reason I said about the location is for a newbs benefit, When people learn to drive they aren't thrown into major city thoroughfares to learn they're kept in the suburbs until their confidence builds so they're more capable when they do need to deal with heavier traffic situations (build their situational awareness 1st rather than chucking them in the deep end).

A rotation of senior riders to tend to the needs or requests of younger riders would be far more beneficial to all involved rather than particular individuals taking the responsibility (More is learnt by taking pieces of information from a variety of sources rather than just one).

I did say in a previous post that as this was my 1st W.N.R it was purely observational and I'd like to be able to make it to more of them but several factors make that a difficult task. Other W.N.Rs may have gone differently but the wee things I picked up on usually flow over into other scenarios. I'm definitely no angel when it comes to my own riding (had reference made in old threads by people with chips on their shoulders but thats & another story not for here and every coin has 2sides ) but I'll try to put others on the right path if I can for their benefit.

The reference to a reward system was mentioned slightly out of context but I'm considering piecing together a fairly reasonable ride aimed more towards younger/less experienced riders basically to get a few more out exploring what can be had around some the secondary Canterbury roads with a hint of being under observation by their peers and during said ride several check/gathering points at which things would be discussed etc then the final destination a breakdown of the total ride and the rider/s who are observed and accumulate the least or most points takeaway a prize or similar, I'm in the right place to able to offer something of benefit.
The benefit aimed towards the newbs in building their confidence and capabilities from their peers and the riders they aspire to be like. The premise of the ride will not be anywhere near being a point to point race but a test of observational and general riding skills.

[Biggles2000]

Don't underestimate the value of propper rider training. I recently did the Mainland Driving School, advanced rider training and it improved my riding 100%. It was the best $200 I have spent in a long time.

[imdying]

Where to this week?

[Transalper]

Where to this week?

Where and which way would you like to go?

[scumdog]

but I'll try to put others on the right path if I can for their benefit.
The premise of the ride will not be anywhere near being a point to point race but a test of observational and general riding skills.

I may yet get to one - if somebody (or) two had a tank-cam running during the ride I'd be prepared to give a critical revue of the riding on film.

And before the wise-arses start: Not to give out tickets or crap like that but to show the rider(s) what they were doing wrong or how they were leaving themselves open to danger, it would even help those not on film who were doing the same things at times and were unaware of the consequences of their actions.

[imdying]

I think I'll go back to Devauchelles with week

[headlesschicken]

I'm picking up my bike on wed so i can come along

[El Stevo]

Duvoucelles (spelling?) sounds good to me! IMAO there should be more fun focussed on these rides rather than nit picking others riding ability. A lot of posts sound like you're expecting people who have never ridden a bike to show up. If any rider wants to better themselves they would be better doing a proper course as mentioned above rather than taking advice from a stranger that may not be qualified to give it. In my time riding I've heard a LOT of BAD advice that should never have been said. There are also many riders out there that rate themselves far higher than they should.

I'm not saying I'm better than anyone else, there will always be someone better and someone worse. The main point should be to have fun and get there in one piece.

[Oakie]

IMAO there should be more fun focussed on these rides

Define 'fun'.

[El Stevo]

Define 'fun'.

Fun i.e. enjoyment. Offer advice if and when required but most people don't appreciate being judged or babied.

[T.W.R]

I may yet get to one - if somebody (or) two had a tank-cam running during the ride I'd be prepared to give a critical revue of the riding on film.

And before the wise-arses start: Not to give out tickets or crap like that but to show the rider(s) what they were doing wrong or how they were leaving themselves open to danger, it would even help those not on film who were doing the same things at times and were unaware of the consequences of their actions.

Only one let down with that SD is that in the group ride that I'm going to hatch, the tank-cam would only catch the person who had it and their riding partner (I'm thinking of putting together a ride styled like an orientation course)

If any rider wants to better themselves they would be better doing a proper course as mentioned above rather than taking advice from a stranger that may not be qualified to give it. In my time riding I've heard a LOT of BAD advice that should never have been said. There are also many riders out there that rate themselves far higher than they should.

I'm not saying I'm better than anyone else, there will always be someone better and someone worse. The main point should be to have fun and get there in one piece.

Only problem here with that is that some who've done & try to promote said courses are blatantly thumbing their noses at the golden rules of what said courses try to promote.

We're trying to minimize the chances of accidents or the such like.
Fun is a loosely used term, It's better to get out on the road & enjoy the ride, discipline and awareness is lacking with a few. Signs of nervousness and lack of calculating what & where risks were popped up last Weds.

[Transalper]

Duvoucelles (spelling?) sounds good to me! IMAO there should be more fun focussed on these rides....

Duvauchelle is how it's spelt on my map. That's 3 for (including me) and none against so far so that works for me.

I am also starting to lean toward tending to agree with El Stevo in regards to my focus is moving toward enjoying the ride and making less of a fuss or ignoring the fuss around the ride.
I'm tending to think I'll go at a pace that is cruisy and still enjoyable to me, nice and easy and doesn't smash any speed limits in or out of town.
I know that a lot of the regulars can easily go faster, but I would like to think it'll be a pace that the smaller bikes and more novice riders could still mostly cope with just fine, or at least not be very far behind.
Will be interesting to see whether I am moving through or falling behind the general group.

My feelings and opinion on the WNRs change like the wind...

[fireliv]

I'm always keen to go to douvocelles.
Phoenix and I went for a ride yesterday with some people from work to the bealey pub. Just happened that the Triumph club (Karla you'll be in on that) were also doing the same ride at the same time so we joined forces.
I was the only 250cc rider there, and though I was nearing the back of the pack I was not left behind. What the others had in the straights, I made up for in the corners. My lines were nice and my confidence has come along way since I started riding with the wed group. I felt heaps better, so for me the wed rides have been a great help so I will be eager the keep advancing on that.

[Deviant Esq]

I'm always a fan of going to Duvauchelle too, apart from the long straights most of the first two thirds of the ride, where I tend to get left behind on account of a) not being willing to speed and b) not being able to speed anyway! Still, I could just cruise along at 100 and will get there in the end... it's a bit on the boring side until you get to the hill.