New Riders and Big Bikes?
 

Now I can hardly talk, because I've had my licence almost 2 years, and only really ridden about 6000 miles...

But yesterday, I was sitting at some temporary traffic lights, and saw a guy riding down on his brand new GSXR1000, obviously feeling very smug... but could immediately tell his style of riding meant he was a bit rigid and looked like a new rider...

Now he came to the mini roundabout, decided to coast around it, and very very nearly came unstuck... put his foot down to "stop" the fall and then rode off.

Hopefully he learned his lesson and wont coast around corners, and hopefully especially wont put his foot down again!

But why buy a big fat bike if you dont even know how to ride it?

Re: New Riders and Big Bikes?
 

He comes under the section "All the gear, no idea". Unfortunately you get these types who have money, they buy all the latest kit but just don't have the fundemental skills to get the most out of them. Shame really, he would get on much better on a smaller cc bike and might not be so intimidated.

Re: New Riders and Big Bikes?
 

Jsut feel smug when you go round the outside of him on your diddy 70bhp SV.

I bet thats one storey he wouldn't be telling his mates :lol:

Re: New Riders and Big Bikes?
 

Coz he wants to have a GSXR Thou and can afford it ... he is probably 40 odd, wanted the GIXER and didn't want to spend the time going through the ranks ...

yes he probably underestimated the skills required ;)

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This seems a good place to post this, is something that was posted by a user of another forum.......

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:smt044 That was probably the funniest thing I've read so far this year :D

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I've read this in various forms and in various places over the years: even been told it as a story that happened to someone on here one Friday night in Soho (I took a bucket of salt with the news...) The details vary slightly, sometimes it's a nitrous Gixxer, others it's a turbo V-Max, other times it's an r1... Essentially the same story I read in Back Street Heroes in the mid nineties. Probably never happened, but it makes an amusing idea.

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Details don`t really matter... is still a very funny read

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:lol: ha ha ha LOVED that storey, made me literally LOL and get a few strange looks from work people :lol:

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superb - nothing to add except that has just had me in bits.

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Its not true I tell you.I rode it all the way home
My wife made me sell it.:D

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With regards to new riders on bikes that are way to big.

Don't be so SMUG!!!!!!!

You saw a bike briefly & decided that the owner was new to riding & on a bike that was out of his league. You never actually saw his licence so you're only ASSUMING.

It could be that he'd just bought the bike and was upgrading and therefore was learning its quirks. Or it could've been a test ride. Or he was going to sell it and was trying not to curse himself and crash it.

I've had my latest bike for 2 weeks now. I am VERY conscious about filtering (it's big & bulky and it's slow), it also weighs a ton.

Gie the bloke a break.

Re: New Riders and Big Bikes?
 

:laughat: Perhaps not such an "Unfounded myth" now ;-)

Dirk is right tho ... we all make assumptions from time to time.

Personally though I'd probably have just thought that the bike was a bit too big and/or powerful for the rider. Of course I could have been wrong, but that's my opinion and I'm comfortable with it :)

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Any numptie who coasts around a roundabout deserves to get some stick, moreso if they look like a power ranger and are on the latest SS bike. ;)

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Funny story though, on the phone to a customer while reading and trying not to laugh!! :p

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Good points made, humans are quick to assume, we all do it....

But also, when I first get on my bike, i must look a right rodney. I piddle ass around bends, I must look nervous and shakey.

Truth is, my tyres are hard compound and like riding on ice, and also the roads still have salt imbedded in them which makes it even more slippery.... Cold tyres suck ass. :lol:

Dan, not so much so, I don't like roundabouts, all the ones round here have traffic on them, and when it is clear, you can bet your bottom dollar that its got either some fuel, diesel, glass fragments (accidents) etc on it.

Hence why i'll never be a roundabout knee down person. I'll wait for the track.

Re: New Riders and Big Bikes?
 

Wise words ;-)
I don't necessarily agree entirely ... there are some good roads (bends) around that I reckon I COULD get my knee down (if I just had the ability and the cahunas big enough!), but I'd just rather not risk it when the track seems the most sensible place for it ;-)

Maybe once I've learnt a lot more about my bike's ability and my own ability and how well the two are matched (or otherwise) ... ON TRACK ... MAYBE ... JUST MAYBE ... I wouldn't mind taking the odd calculated risk in doing so on the road :smt083

Re: New Riders and Big Bikes?
 

I see your point but I don't think I've seen any rider who'd past their test coast around a roundabout and have to put there foot down. It just screams lack of skill/confidnce to me. But like you say, could be any number of reasons. I'm still sticking with my original diagnosis though because I'm an awkward bugger like that! :D

By the way, never take anything I post all that seriously (I sure don't). Those who know me will tell you that most of the time I'm just messing about. ;)

Just a quick note regarding the roundabout thing though, you don't have to be going round a roundabout knee on the deck but to be in control certainly helps. Coasting is not in control, hance why he needed to put the foot down. That was my original point.

Re: New Riders and Big Bikes?
 

Oh yeah sorry missed the foot down bit. I've NEVER done that on a roundabout :lol: FLAME HIM :lol:

I think there are roads you could get your knee down, but you need to know them well. There are places round here, and im sure I could do it, but I don't want to risk binning the bike just to get my knee down, possibly hurting me and destroying the bike, meaning having to catch (cough spit spit) public transport and trains ARRRGHHHHH.

I'd be far more forgiving of myself if I binned it on a track day, probably less damage, and nothing to bounce into either :lol: as your there to expand your skills and push harder and safer than you can on the road :)

Im all for track days, just need to do one on the bike. Still contemplating turning the SV into a road legal track bike.

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Like I say, no problem with it as a story, but it's more urban legend than reality as far as I know. Doesn't stop it being an amusing idea nonetheless!

Re: New Riders and Big Bikes?
 

I was assuming, yes...

... Because I dont know anyone who would want to coast their bike around corners or roundabouts - only a newbie would do this, so I would say its safe to assume he was new to riding.

And I doubt you'd want to sell a brand new Gixxer, being as you've probably just bought it.

Either way - dont ride a bike out of your league! Or at least ride it as if you are learning to ride the bike, and not attempt to look cool and instead make yourself look like a tit, and potentially, break an ankle in doing so.

Re: New Riders and Big Bikes?
 

The bike coulda jumped outta gear and gone into neutral hence his coasting around...

...happened to me when I neglected my chain for a little bit :D Anywho, yea, there are people out there who are a bit nervous, specialy with slow speed riding where balance, a few revs and carefull use of the rear brake are needed...something not really practised along fast sweeping A-roads!

Of course, he may well be a relativly new rider, or he may just not cover many miles (mind you, neither does my dad per year but I dont doubt his slow riding skills for a moment, he can U-turn my bike with more confidence than I can) so is rusty. And if I was going slow on a bike with 160 bhp, I'd be carefull too

On the toher hand, he may well be a "all gear, no idea" rider. Seen a few of those!

Matt

Re: New Riders and Big Bikes?
 

buying bikes you dont know how to ride is something any Noob to riding does.. i was the same on my SV as i was on my DT125 i was a noob just because it is a very fast bike doesnt account for anything.. ive ran rings around some gixxer owners, but the like taking there time rather than acting like nobs which IMO is fine,....

the only type that really get on my noggin is WEEKEND WARRIORS ! ! ! they annoy the hell out of me. :reaper:

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Yes; those that just try and go as fast as they can, without having ever really understood what it takes to go fast. If they did, they'd realise how little room for error there is and would back off. Also, you can tell these sort of poeple as they hesitate before filtering, if they filter at all

My dad is a weekend warrior now, or rather a wednesday night warrior. Still, if you come across him, dont try and outride him...he'll make you look silly.

Matt

Re: New Riders and Big Bikes?
 

why should you not go out and buy the biggest fastest bike you can. A bike will only go as fast and you make it. Some bikes are more forgiving than others. I have known people who have come along to the IAM who have been riding for years and are rubbish and others who have just started riding and have real talent. those with talent are few and far between. Most people get better with practice, some are just practising the wrong stuff. It just seems that people assume you can ride well if you are on a gixxer or r1 - not always the case.

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Becuase humans are stupid and most of them cannot be trusted to ride properly. A lot of new riders (like a bloke at work here) are all about power power power how fast can i go in a straight line......

Needless to say, riding home with him one night, i left him standing, without even trying or realising.

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Yup there were a few of them out on the track yesterday, I have never seen an R1 go slow before, he was in the other noice group but I watched him do a few laps, I'm not fast yet but I will be.

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me and kevin schwantz think that 90% of racing is between your ears.. ( in your head ) lol, its only when you freak out you run into trouble..:|

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Very funny story. I met a guy on a brand new 07 R6 last year who had just passed his test. Looked very awkward trying to park and move off.

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we alll have to start somewhere peeps!! why should he not have a GSXR from day one?? do i detect a hint of jelousy?? so slagging him off makes you fel better. He has passed his test and EARNT the right to buy and ride whatever he can afford and insure.

Like Kit Kat sad , there is such a thing as throtle control! I tip toe arround some roundabouts in the winter mainly because of the wet slippy roads and the chance of Diesel being all over them does that make mea tw*t on a new bike?? no it means i am cautious and dont want to ruin my pride and joy.

Maybe we should just all watch each other on a wet slipppy oundabout and slag each other off ????? We ALL have to start somewhere and learn better skills, and it never stops no matter what bike we are on!!

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Its not just big bikes. I've seen nervous / new / not confident riders struggle on 125's, CB500's dare I say it SV's as well.

The most worrying thing is that bloke actually passed his test at some point with what sounds like little or no riding skills, ability or confidence.

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I'm sure I looked like a total numpty all the way home from Dumfries on my new SV, coming from a cruiser it was *interesting* at points, shall we say.

I'm now 40 and do most of my riding at weekends too, oh the shame.;)

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I had zero confidence after passing my test, it's really just come with mileage. My ability was pretty rubbish too - I had to repeat my cbt 4 times.

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Amazingly i agree entirely with Neio! :eek: :D

If they can afford to buy an expensive bike, as a first bike, then good luck to them...i wish my first bike could have been a tasty 1000.

If i see someone on a nice bike, my first instinct is "jammy *******"...but i don't resent the rider for having it, regardless of their level of ability.

The constant jealousy/underdog syndrome exhibited by some on this site, can become a little tiresome.

Re: New Riders and Big Bikes?
 

we dont know the full story to be fair, maybe he lost the front/ back for whatever reason, id put my foot down if it was needed,
maybe his tires had no heat in them what so ever and skipped on a change down.. who knows
but saying he cant ride a bike and has no confidence is a little harsh
IMHO

if i could afford a duke when i started i would of been a NooB on a Duke, doesnt mean i cant ride one if i passed my test just because its a high powered bike :p

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:D there is a first ;)

Like you said ASM, if i could have afforded the bike i wanted from day one i would have, as it is i finally got it after 2.5years :D.

i better watch out on AR08 as according to some on here if i hesitae or take it easy on my SS600 ill be a to**er wit h no skill :rolleyes:.

** i will accept to**er with very little skill ;)

Re: New Riders and Big Bikes?
 

OK Guys, let me put this into perspective...

Would you hand the keys to a Ferrari Enzo/Porsche Carrera GT/Lambo etc to your son/daughter who had just passed their driving test???????????

Jealousy, not at all. Common sense....... Riding is infinatly harder than driving a car, you start learning to ride once you've passed your test (Im all for the harder test rules).

People ARE stupid, sorry, its a fact. Some can be trusted to act reasonably, most can't. They crash, hurt themselves, maybe even killing themselves, they become a statistic, the government use it to try to impose more rules and regs ruining it for the rest of us.

I also don't think new riders should be allowed on SS600's either, but thats all my opinion. I was brought up to respect bikes and how easily they can kill/injure you. Seen it first hand at a young age, it aint pretty......

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Except a GSXR1000 isn't difficult to ride (slowly) - sure you can wheelie off the power in 4th should you so desire but it's even easier not to...

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No I personally wouldn't - but I don't mind if someone gives the keys to their son or daughter.;)

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i see your point RDOD, but is that based on the fact that they are the weekend warrior type who are completely reckless and give the majority a really bad name, or anyone new to riding that ownes a SS?
as i said i know a guy who ownes a gixer thou, he never and i mean EVER breaks the speed limits.. passed IAM assessments etc i wish i was as safe as him.. hes been riding for two years total.