Riding today

Hi all,

Trying to get some mileage on the bike to bed the engine in. So today I took her for a little spin to footy it's only about 15 mins away.
I took the M4 for 1 junction, the road are so slippy

Am I right by going slow and riding to my ability? I felt a right nob ed, as on the way home from footy tonight, a took the lanes back to the house, not lit very well, and I must have done all of 28mph all the way home.

It's really odd, I am scared sh*tless of either coming off cos of the road being slippy, and also dropping the bike.

Is this normal peeps? I feel a right nob-ed asking. Does everyone go through this when they first pass?
It was really windy, and as Jabba knows, the roads around here are so slippy and full of crud.

Any advice?

Cheers - Mass

There is nothing wrong with taking it easy in slippery conditions. Get used to controling the bike, smoother gear changes, low speed handling, perhaps learning to blip the throttle on down changes.

You might well be eager to build up you confidence and pace, but I can tell you that now isnt the time to do it. Spring is on the way.

[rictus01]

Just remember what it feels like, then in six months time remember again, won't do you any harm at all.

Cheers Mark.

Too windy here today for safety I thought.

Nowt wrong with slow and steady - days like today are not the time for 'exuberant' riding.

Cheers all,


And thanks for the comments, beleive me, I'm in no hurry.
Just very cautious I think, the weather is sooo bad.


Cheers anyway

Mass

I have read somewhere or possibly dreamt it

The councils are using a new type of synthetic road salt, that doesnt wash away with the rain, and it also leaves a slippery film on drying roads.

Sounds like a ploy of the government to get bikes off the roads, literally

[embee]

Originally Posted by wheelnut

....The councils are using a new type of synthetic road salt, that doesnt wash away with the rain, and it also leaves a slippery film on drying roads.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/m...de/4115515.stm

[embee]

Since on the subject of nasty road conditions, while hunting round I came across this site for Warwickshire (my home) 2003 accident statistics.
The download document is quite interesting if you're into that sort of thing.
http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/Web/c...256C3F004D7327

You can make what you want of statistics, but the trend is fairly clear that the high risk group is young men, mid-20s to mid-30s, on rural roads, in daylight, dry roads, taking bends or right turns. Also men have a far higher failure rate and total numbers tested in breath tests than women.
Make of that what you will.

The other startling statistic is the cost of fatal accidents, typically £1.25M per fatality! (not exactly sure of all the included factors)

Interestingly there isn't a particularly strong trend for more accidents in bad conditions nor in winter, I guess road users tend to take appropriate care when conditions are bad. Or in other words they exhibit a constant proportion of "lack of care" in all conditions. Or bad drivers are bad drivers whatever the weather.

Originally Posted by The Mass

Does everyone go through this when they first pass?

No. Some do, and stay on their bike, some don't, and fall off. You'd be surprised at just how slippery the roads can be at this time of year and how long it takes to understand the way the bike reacts to them.

Come the summer you can have some fun, till then use the conditions as a wonderful learning opportunity .


.

remember - that feeling is one of the things that will keep you alive

summer is for training of the bike -
you learn the bikes capabilities and how to control it

winter is training for the mind -
you learn to use your head taking lines that maintain speed without using controls, mastering smooth pulling away and acceleration, braking and steering. therefore making you faster when summer comes round again (being safe at the same time)


but seriously - its just one of those days, everyone gets them - and they slow down because of their paranoia.