Do you always ride the racing line?

Lolzzzzzzz!!!

 

Thanks for your words of Wisdom. When I ride in a group, I like to stay behind someone and try, I use the word try loosely here, to keep up which I usually can't. If they can take the corner, I can to :courage: If he takes a semi, hopefully I can maneuver around ray: I'm stuck between staying alive and staying within the laws. That is what is keeping me slow. I like group riding, it gets me out of the house. Enjoy some commradery with fellow bikers and ride places I would have never ridden on my own. Group Ride? I'm in Just let me know?

 

Yeah, the one thing about following someone is trying not to be a Lemming! :wink: This is why the term "ride your own ride" is our mantra. We don't care if you don't match our pace or vice versa, it's all good. All we really ask is that you have a well maintained machine with good tires and with decent riding protection.

 

I never try to 'keep up' ... this just gets people into trouble. They go fast on the straights to 'catch up' then go into the corner hot with too much speed, braking when they should be accelerating though the corner and impacting their line - THAT is where most guys get into trouble.

I just ride to my abilities and enjoyment. It's not a race. Arrive alive.

 

If I can see around the corner then the racing line is my first choice BUT if I can't then what ever gets me around the bend safest is my preferred choice. I also believe that TOO many people trail brake solely because they just don't understand how to put corners together. And I really don't enjoy group riding unless you are all of the same level...

 

What really drives me up the wall is confidence braking......

It's when they brake but don't actually slow down much because they are only kissing the brakes & is totally unnecessary.

 

Race line...... so many lines for different riding styles, different bikes, same bikes with different settings.... a myriad of variables. I keep to the track for hauling the mail but will have "spirited fun" in mountain twisties. If you can see open road while looking at the apex then its ok to be on that line. If there is not a good view a late apex with a lot of "oh fuck!" buffer is much safer. Even roads you travel on regularly can change quickly with debris near the road edge, oil, water ect too.

 

Pretty much all this. You better be damn confident in your traffic and surface if you're going to give up your "oh fuck!" buffer. I honestly get most of my best cornering in on roundabouts... Kinda short on twisties around here...

 

Good points. And I was literally laughing out loud.

 

Blind corners I look at the furthest visible point of the shoulder line on my side of the road and let the bike take the line naturally.

If a car comes around the bend oncoming or I see obstacles, I'm able to remain fixated on the shoulder or move my target accordingly.


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I just wanted to point out that this can be a dangerous approach. Even on the exact same machine, one rider may be able to take a turn faster than another rider. Don't discount skill and comfort level here. I ride with a couple of guys that have skill and comfort far above my level. As such, they can take corners far faster than I can because I would tense up at those over my head speeds. My tension affects the bike's ability to corner, which makes me more tense, and narrows my focus, which makes everything feel like it speeds up, which leads to more bad reactions and downward the spiral goes until I finally make the final bad decision which causes the crash.

As OOTV said, ride your ride. If you work on the right things, getting faster will come. BUT speed on the corners is a byproduct of doing a lot of things right. The "line" is only part of it. In my mind, for street riding, you should never be going at a pace that you can't adjust your line at any point in the turn. If you are, you're asking for trouble.

Even at the pace I ride, which I think is pretty decent, I'm pretty comfortable knowing I can adjust my line mid corner. This serves as my comfort limit that I rarely exceed intentionally. (In reality I should never exceed it intentionally, but I'll admit to some stupid moments in the past) As long as I ride with the knowledge and ability to adjust my line, I stay relaxed, and the bike stays amazingly compliant. As I learn and become a better rider, my ability to adjust gets better, my comfort threshold moves up and the speed increases. For me, this process is two steps forward and one back. My confidence starts to soar, until I have a "pucker moment". That saps my confidence for awhile until I can build it back up again, and on and on it goes.

 

Good stuff. I hope what you say doesn't devolve into another oil discussion..LOL

 

Lol. Perhaps an oil filter discussion?

 

I've been to Gladstone Australia for 4 weeks in 1999. And as I recall, they had the largest and beautiful roundabouts I have ever seen in my life. I want to go back there and just rent a motorcycle and take on those circles eaceful:

Oh and I spent 5 weeks in Pattaya Thailand during their Songkran Festival same year . Saw lots of motorcycles and scooters. I would not jump on one there if someone paid me to do it. Ok, maybe if it was a very large amount to ride the main beach strip during the day. :tongue-new:

 

I was in Phuket that year, and saw a little old lady mowed down by a family on a scooter. Lanes are just suggestions there.

 

Was it during the Songkran (Water Festival)? I had a chance to Parasail and take a one day fishing trip on a private boat. Water was so clear out there in one of those little Islands on the bay. It was Paradise, that is what I see when I go back and forth to the Motherland. You know where, I talked about it at Lunch. When I settle and you have an itch to visit the Motherland, drop me a line and I'll provide room and board for you on me.

 

Why did the little old lady cross the road?

She didn't.

 

Is this the same question as,"Why did the chicken cross the Road?" To get to the other side?

 

The fastest street line is usually the one which allows you to see farthest. The farther ahead you can see, the closer to racetrack speed you can get without using up your "Oh S**t" buffer. Always assume that just out of sight there is water, sand, oil, a cow patty, or a whole cow which you'll have to steer around or brake for. I've had all those, and I try not to overdrive my vision. Doesn't mean you can't go fast, but I've seen enough crashes and had a few myself when going so fast the line couldn't be changed mid-corner. As a mental exercise, look for "escape routes". I've gone thru filling stations, up mountainsides (you stop a lot faster if you go UP the mountain than DOWN) and done some high speed motocrossing in pastures when a deer, a Volvo whose driver was turned around dealing with her child, or an errant pickup suddenly appeared in my lane. Almost anything beats a head-on crash.

 

I like my chicken with a side of fries and some coleslaw.