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Clip ons and getting caught speeding
Hey guys, haven't posted on here for a while. Been pretty busy over the last few months with a growing family, a long vacation and changing jobs.
I've been doing a lot of riding thought to make up for my lack of forum time. But that's all just changed.
I fitted my woodcraft clip ons to my speedy and boy! What a difference it makes to the way I ride the bike. A lot more confidence inspiring and less tendency to be lazy in the turns. The position is really aggressive, like most have posted on here before about these bars. The back was OK, but the neck hurt like crazy looking up all the time. Anyway, speed perception changes dramatically in the new riding position, plus it's also much harder to see the speed gauge and scan the road ahead.
Also done a number of track days recently to refine my riding including some instructor courses and finally got rid of the chicken strips. Yet to do them with the clip on's though.
Anyway, went for a ride down the usual haunt (old pacific highway north of Sydney), and got caught by the cops doing 115kph in a 60 zone. I didn't realize it was a 60 zone and thought it was 80 like most of the road in that section. Anyway, I was knowingly speeding.
I got chased by the cops (who were originally hiding in the bushes as they usually do) and pulled over in the middle of no-where. Given an on the spot fine for for almost $2200, had my license instantly revoked for a minimum of 6 months and also had the bike stripped of it's registration and number plates with a home based impound for 3 months.
I admitted to speeding and was very decent with the young officer, but I guess the fine helped fill up his quota a little quicker so he gave me the maximum on everything he could. Anyway I was about 7-8 km's from anywhere with no mobile phone reception and asked what am I supposed to do from here to get home and get my bike towed. I said it's a very dangerous strip of road to be stuck on as it's on the outside of a fast corner and I'm in the only available run off area. The reply I got was great. 'Thats not my problem'. So I was left on the side of the road by this cop who drove off to find the next person to book.
Just goes to show it's all about revenue raising and not about safety at all.
Anyway, managed to walk a bit and get some mobile coverage and called a mate of mine to hire a van and come pick me up. Was a fun 3 hour sit by the side of the road.
Disappointingly no passing motorcyclists stopped to check if I was ok. which says a lot about Sydney-siders. but I did get the check in from a couple of cyclists.
Anyway, going to appeal for some leniency on the penalty as a 10km commute to work will not take 1.5 hours each way with public transport and there will be no way to safely get my daughter to daycare.
Oh yeah, and about the clip ons, I have a track day booked for early Feb, and will transport the speedy there with a mate to try out the clip ons at the track. fortunately I don't need to hold a valid drivers license to participate on the day.
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Cheers, Delan
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