[NA] Motorcycle Riders

[fgcason]

Like I said, it was quick. It is a gray zone to me now. But I'm alive, unhurt.

One strike and I'm out. Hmm.

I wouldn't necessarily say you're out after one oopsie. I would however seriously advise that you train yourself out of going to lala land during an emergency before you get into a truly dangerous situation. If your brain won't disconnect from the fear during an emergency, then you should seriously consider not riding anymore.

IMHO: The best riders are NOT the ones who have never even toppled over no matter how many miles they have. The best riders have been down hard enough to be humbled and became determined to not have that happen again.

Once down, you'll never look at riding the same way again.

 

[flyersfan31]

I

Once down, you'll never look at riding the same way again.

I fully understand that.

Now.

 

[Henning]

I wouldn't necessarily say you're out after one oopsie. I would however seriously advise that you train yourself out of going to lala land during an emergency before you get into a truly dangerous situation. If your brain won't disconnect from the fear during an emergency, then you should seriously consider not riding anymore.

IMHO: The best riders are NOT the ones who have never even toppled over no matter how many miles they have. The best riders have been down hard enough to be humbled and became determined to not have that happen again.

Once down, you'll never look at riding the same way again.

Is that "trainable" or innate?

 

[fgcason]

Is that "trainable" or innate?

Therein lies the difference between science and art. Some have to train to be able to function in an environment. Others don't need the multi-thousand page procedural checklist because it's natural instinct.

 

[Henning]

Therein lies the difference between science and art. Some have to train to be able to function in an environment. Others don't need the multi-thousand page procedural checklist because it's natural instinct.

Problem with "training" it in a risk filled environment is getting killed during training. Even the military loses some every year and they are pretty careful.

 

[steingar]

Oh for gosh sakes! You fell off the horse. No biggie. Yeah. Progressive is marvelous, they'll fix up your ride just fine. I ride a fire breathing race bike (954rr, the "rr" stands for "race replica") and I am both chicken**** and klutz. I haven't crashed my race bike in thousands of miles and years of riding. Use some throttle discipline and you'll be all right. Wear your gear, and have fun.

If you like, take your bike somewhere sans cages, and ring it out just a little. Try a couple hard stops and tight turns at low speed. Fart around.

From the sounds of it your ego got a bigger beating than your bike. Use some common sense, there are plenty of guys like me who've been riding since Hector was a pup without getting badly busted up. You don't have to be a racer to be a good rider. Just a bit careful.

 

[Rob Schaffer]

Passed the skills test and MSF course yesterday. Rode a lot this week practicing on my bike and even rode from Lansdale down thru Valley Forge Park yesterday for the last day of the course and test. Great day out, had a lot of fun and traffic was light. Thru the park with the slight turns along the creek and fall foliage was very nice.

My seeminly only encounter with an idiot was a woman who wanted me to make the right turn on red in Valley Forge Park (Rt 252 & 23). She even honked at me. Light turned green and up the hill I went towards Washington's Chapel. Lots of walkers and bicyclists around, I was watchfull and holding the 30 mph speed limit, when She passed me on the double yellow line! Caught up to her at the end of the park , that didn't get her far.

Rest of the ride was nice and smooth back to Lansdale.

 

[Ted]

My seeminly only encounter with an idiot was a woman who wanted me to make the right turn on red in Valley Forge Park (Rt 252 & 23). She even honked at me. Light turned green and up the hill I went towards Washington's Chapel. Lots of walkers and bicyclists around, I was watchfull and holding the 30 mph speed limit, when She passed me on the double yellow line! Caught up to her at the end of the park , that didn't get her far.

That is the first of many encouters you will have with homocidal cagers. There are some people who actually look down on motorcyclists and go out of their way to create a dangerous environment for us (I have had people admit to me that they do that). Just something to be aware of.

I rode the RC51 for 6 hours yesterday now that it's working. It still needs a bit more work, but it sure is fun!

 

[steingar]

I have to replace the central bulb in the 954, and so far its resistant. Must be a trick. I think I said this already, but it bears repeating because it is very important:

Cagers cannot see you, you are invisible to them. If they do see you they will actively try to murder you if they can.

While I realize this is overly dramatic, if you treat cars as if it were true, your chances of getting into an accident will be reduced. Watch what they do, and assume, if they can do something to ruin your day, they will. Have a plan to get out of it always.

No one should be able to turn in front of you without warning. Cars slow down to turn, they often have signals, their drivers are looking in the direction of the turn. Watch carefully.

I swear to the FSM, I have only once in my decades of riding had to trust to my luck when a bus pulled out in front of me on a blind curve. Had a car been coming in the opposite lane when I went around him I wouldn't be writing this (or anything else). The only reason I came that close was it was my first ride of my first winter non riding season. I further swear that I am not that good or lucky. I ride conservatively and I watch cars. They stopped being able to surprise me some time ago. If a car can do something stupid to mess you up, sooner or later it will.

 

[Ted]

Cagers cannot see you, you are invisible to them. If they do see you they will actively try to murder you if they can.

While I realize this is overly dramatic, if you treat cars as if it were true, your chances of getting into an accident will be reduced. Watch what they do, and assume, if they can do something to ruin your day, they will. Have a plan to get out of it always.

Motorcycling makes you a better driver. I think the big reason is that you start to think everyone's out to kill you. I've still never had an accident in a whole bunch of driving, and I'm happy like that.

I swear to the FSM, I have only once in my decades of riding had to trust to my luck when a bus pulled out in front of me on a blind curve. Had a car been coming in the opposite lane when I went around him I wouldn't be writing this (or anything else). The only reason I came that close was it was my first ride of my first winter non riding season. I further swear that I am not that good or lucky. I ride conservatively and I watch cars. They stopped being able to surprise me some time ago. If a car can do something stupid to mess you up, sooner or later it will.

This is also why, even when I'm carving the twisties on a sportbike, I'm very careful with how fast I go around blind turns.

 

[steingar]

This is also why, even when I'm carving the twisties on a sportbike, I'm very careful with how fast I go around blind turns.

You always slow down for a blind turn wherever you are. What you can't see can kill you. I was quite serious, my one blind turn lucky incident was my first ride of my first non-riding season. New issues.

I begin teaching tomorrow. Soon the Goldwing will go from being an annoyance to a necessity.

 

[Doggtyred]

The closest call I've had this year was in June... when the car behind me plowed into the car stopped in front of me. In the fast lane on the freeway

ALWAYS check your 6.. and evade when necessary

 

[steingar]

Ago two winters I was driving Mrs. Steingar and my big sister north. We hit a bridge and a car in front and adjacent started spinning wildly. He hit the guard rail and kept spinning. The car behind hit him and the car in front of me slammed on the brakes. I had no traction at all, so I swerved into the now empty adjacent lane, swerved back in front of guy who was in front of me and somehow found traction, and went right past the two crashed cars (the one still spinning and releasing parts) and on my way.

Al because I've been riding bikes all these years.

 

[DeeG]

I must be the only one here dumb enough to buy an Italian bike. I ride a 2002 Moto Guzzi California, and she's a sweetie.
I don't have a pic, which is good for everybody else because you'd all be driven mad with jealous longing.

No your not. Along with the other assorted rice burners and german engineered bikes I have:

2005 Breva 750
2) 2005 Nevadas
2009 V7C
1998 V11 EV
2003 Cali EV
2002 V11 Scura
several 60's era Stornellos.

And I'm saving my Lira for a Centauro

I not only drink the Kool Aid, I bathe in it.

One of the Stornellos...this one was sitting in a barn in CO, only has 400 miles on it.

The baby GS's:

R1200C (aka the james bond bike)

1978 R45/N;

couple of the 250cc dual sports:

Breva and Nevada:

the hack:

The California EV:

My Honda Rebel at the top of Beartooth Pass on its way from WA to WI.