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Sensible Riding

4K views 44 replies 18 participants last post by  CarolynR 
#1 · (Edited)
While I'm not averse to breaking the occasional speed limit. I do it within the bounds of common sense, & I'm totally against those taking stupid risks that put themselves & others (especially others) in needless risks. Here are two examples of stupidity that happened locally in the festive season, & completely ruined Xmas for these two families
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...166775036?nk=75383bcbaa95a8b450a07c2d8bd79280
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...at-millaa-millaa/story-fnn8dlfs-1227165550168
I lived in the town the 2nd incident happened in, so I'm fairly certain I know the family, as it's a very small community.
So please! Have fun, & push the envelope! But stay within the bounds of sanity. The World is watching!
 
#2 ·
Seems those two accidents had nothing to do with speed or motorbike riders in general though, as both were off-road.

I've also had a run in with a wire fence. Was riding my sister's big horse through a field and I saw the wire fence and assumed the horse would automatically jump it.

He didn't - but I did lol! Thankfully the horse wasn't injured and my flight through the air was sort of fun (looking back now!).
 
#3 · (Edited)
Yes, I've had a run in with a barbed wire fence. My Buddy decided to close his gate one day, which had been opened for years! Unfortunately it was half way down a bloody steep gully. So the the only option I had was to lay the bike down & slide underneath the gate. I would've survived with just scratches, but the handlebar dug into the road & pushed my shinbone against it, which resulted in massive bruising to both my knee ligaments & my ankle joints. & no, I was not very happy with my now ex-friend & for closing the gate without hanging a fert bag across it to alert me of it's closure! In fact I haven't spoken to him since, & this is going on for 20 years ago!
 
#4 ·
...In fact I haven't spoken to him since, & this is going on for 20 years ago!
In the "spirit of christmas" you know you should ring him straight away and make amends for all the lost time yadda yadda :rolleyes:
 
#5 ·
A friend of mine, when he was in his mid 50s, was trying to recapture his youth. He got real serious about dirt bike riding, and he hooked up with several other guys with something to prove, and they would ride together.

Each was always trying to outdo the others and to be the chief of the tribe ... the baddest, most accomplished, off road rider of this pack of old guys.

He pushed the limits and pushed the limits for bragging rights. And then one day, he misjudged his curve ... and rode over a cliff to his death.

I've seen this sort of stuff, not at this extreme result, many times ... and it has led me to speculate that "the number one cause of motorcycle accidents is riding with other people."

It also leads to the idea that "you should ride your own ride."
 
#11 ·
My personal experience of DR 650s is at least 15 years out of date. So they could well have improved them in that time. One would hope so. Because my experience of them was that they were no where near capable enough. Of the big Jap dirt bikes I liked the Honda XR 650, which I've had at least 3 or 4, & the Yamaha YZF 450, which I've had a couple of & found them absolutely faultless.
 
#12 · (Edited)
One bike I wouldn't recommend is the KTM, I think it's a 520. My Son bought one the same day i bought my ill fated Ducati in 2013. He hardly rode the thing, as my accident rattled him, & he sold it a few months ago, with less than 1000 klms on it, & it needed a cracked subframe welded up before he could get a roadworthy certificate for it. & the POS had never even been jumped! My Son was most unimpressed & says he'll be going back to a Kawasaki 450, which he raced for many years, if he ever gets back into bikes, which is unlikely.
 
#13 ·
I like a spirited ride but we know where the appropriate time and place is. Can't do it on normal suburban streets but there is a great run - Putty Road, that let's you unleash a bit. I've had too many friends come off and injure themselves and a couple kill themselves because they let the red haze come down too hard. We do track days where we can really let go and have some fun. That's the best place.

I finally got to take my black beast out today and holy crap that's a wild bike to ride. Old Scratcher, it's an amazing wee beastie! I've never felt so at home on a bike so damn quickly! Why did the other thread get closed down? That was really funny and I was offended in any way! It was all just good fun!
 
#14 ·
It wasn't you, or me, Carolyn. Some other people, with a different axe to grind, decided to take offence on your behalf. I'm glad you took it with the humour it was intended. I thought you did.
I know the Putty Rd well, & it's one of my favourite blasts out of Sydney. The Street's an amazing bike, & a completely different animal over 10K RPM, which unleashes the beast. I really miss mine, & as soon as I get a new shoulder screwed in place next July, & get over the op. I'll be buying myself another one. If I hadn't traded my last one on a Ducati 1198S, in a mad rush of blood, I'd still be riding my wee beastie. If you & your Hubby ever make it up to Nth Qld I'll show you some of our excellent range roads around here. They're not as long as the Putty, but much more fun, especially when you've learned the fast lines. Enjoy that bike, & keep the rubber on the road (track days are great too, though unfortunately there's no decent ones up this way).
 
#15 · (Edited)
In another life I bought one of the very first Daytona 675s.Number 3 in the States. I bought every add on from factory to after market I could find for that bike. Several track days convinced me I still had it and the bike was superb. No sensible riding in Texas.

I had been introduced to a secret road in Tenn. that puts the Dragon to shame and practiced on that road till I believed I could go back into senior road racing.

I invited a bunch of rats to come stay in the Rv and ride the secret road. Dog ( I wont get banned for printing his name will I?) rode behind me with his GoPro on and I really believed I would leave his Bonny in the dust. I didn't. When re viewing the filmed ride he pointed out a serious flaw in my riding. I would scrape the peg on right hand corners but set up and pull my left hand off the bar on left handers. I knew that rascal photo shopped that run. We did it again and not only did I realize I was riding above my safty zone I did take my hand off the bar. Also, Dog was faster on his Bonny. So was sparky 675, her husband Bill and brew Dude Bob.

After some soul searching I came t realize that I had never recovered from a crash in 2005 that darn near killed me. I tried for several more years to over come that to no avail. Sold that 675. Selling the last two sport bikes now.
Sensible riding now means letting Bob flog the heck out of every corner he comes too and I ride my ride
 
#17 · (Edited)
Sensible riding now means letting Bob flog the heck out of every corner he comes too and I ride my ride
I've always waited on you HAP so what's the problem? I knew you would eventually catch up...No ding dong ditch going to happen when riding with me...well, maybe if it's Lefty...:D

Bob
 
#16 ·
I hear you HAP. I doubt that I was ever as good as I thought I was either. & now that I'm 60, & recovering from a serious off that damn near killed me, probably won't ever get back to the level I was at. But I still think I'd like another Street Triple. The 2 I've had never came close to killing me, & they can be ridden within sensible limits, if you obey that mantra. Ride your own ride!
 
#25 ·
I like to get aggressive at times, but I tend to ride, what I call cautiously aggressive. I ride within both mine and my bikes abilities. That said I know I'm faster than some guys on sort bikes, on either my Thruxton or the Sprint. I know it's only because they aren't that good of riders and come back to reality when I get schooled by my friend on his big GS.

It's alright, I'm just out to have fun.
 
#26 ·
Pretty much the same boat. I can pretty easily out ride most of the t-shirt/shorts/flip-flops crowd, but am thoroughly out-classed by anyone with real skill. Real fun for me is enjoying the ride and having a straight bike and body when it's done.
 
#27 · (Edited)
I keep my ZX14 around mostly for the occasional straight-line acceleration thrill, and my wife thinks it's cool to be 63 years old and still riding something like that, but I don't like to scare myself on a motorcycle, so I ride within my limits, which are far below the ZX14's potential. If I'm on a curvy road, and someone riding aggressively comes up from behind, they are welcome to pass and keep going, I won't try to stay with a superior (or crazier) rider even if he's on half the motorcycle I'm on. When I'm riding either my Vulcan cruiser or 1200 Sportster, I just go my lazy way and let the world pass by me. I can be aggressive under certain circumstances though, but I'll only push things so far. Oh, and I never ride in a group, I'm always solo, or accompanied by my wife on her bike.
 
#29 ·
I was able to 'shame' a few riders of beefier machinery on my '04 Bonnie on Angeles Crest, but then was schooled myself a few times when on my potent 1198SP Ducati by better (or yes 'crazier') riders on lesser machinery. I've found the pace I like to ride and just ride it, no matter what bike I'm on. Sometimes that makes me the fastest thing on the road, sometimes much less so, but I ride my ride and enjoy it.
 
#30 ·
I used to push the Streety pretty hard to find my limits. I never found the bikes. When you say ride your own ride, that's exactly what I wasn't doing when I crashed. I hate leading but was showing some younger guys my favorite roads. Pushing it in some places and easy in others. The four of us would string out then bunch up. My downfall was checking my mirror too often. When I saw the deer I looked back a little to long to make sure everyone else was slowing. I guess what I'm saying is there is a lot of facets to "riding your own ride". Stay focused !


Sent from Motorcycle.com Free App
 
#39 ·
I meant it, & I still do. What you say, & what you mean, is up to you Bob. I'm not trying to 2nd guess your motives. It doesn't mean I won't be pissing you off again. I probably am already. But that's your problem, not mine. & the only time I'll make it my problem is if you decide to jump into a gang troll session again, & I've a right to defend myself. Otherwise I've got no problem with anyone here, & hope everyone has a safe & prosperous new year. & I Do mean EVERYONE!!
 
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