GOT MY KNEE DOWN!

Originally Posted by mysteryjimbo

I'd say ride your bike with confidence as often as possible.

Merely a bonus, I'd say.

i only cliped it atm i am trying to keep it on the ground for a long time !

proper sparks out of me sparkies

carnt do it

[Red ones]

I'm with Lyn - I don't get it.

Police riders are amongst the quickest out there, but who ever saw a BMW or Dullsville with the knee down?

[sv4me]

'cause theyre not the type of bikes you can get your knee down on,or yes even need to

Did feel awesome the 1st time I did it but I agree with the opinion that its not needed or particuarly safe on the road. Doesnt stop me sometimes though

After nearly ploughing into the back of my mates who constantly try and get their knees down I realised you can go faster in most cases when your knees not planted on the deck and youre all out of ground clearance :P

If the copper I went past when I was surfing a roundabout one day was anything to go off it doesnt even honk some coppers off that much,if youre not going too fast and you do it smoothly. I guess thats where a standup wheelie comes in

Originally Posted by hall13uk

never been that intrested in wheelies & stuff your more of a "real" biker if you wear the correct gear & improve your handling skillls imo. so if you want to be a "real" biker do iam & bike safe.

and that worries me. that you think if you do the courses that is all it takes to be a "real" biker. That 2 courses will be everything you need to know in addition to the DAS.

those courses can help you and get you developing your skills, but theres no way they can ever give you the one thing that does make you a better rider [in general]: experience.

bum on seat time is invaluable. and theyre not the only courses you can do. anyone who is thinking they do the courses and theyve nothing else to learn other than perfect the techniques taught is on a sticky wicket imho. as long as you realise that every day you get on the bike youre not a riding god and theres something, even little things, that you can improve on then you'll be fine.

Im not condeming you for wanting to do them, in fact wholeheartedly think its a good idea. But you need to have the same perspective to additional training as you do to your gear. It helps but it doesnt make you invincible.

[Balky001]

All this talk of being a real biker is a state of mind - as if there is only one type of real biker.

If you want to sit on your tourer doing 40mph all day, never filtering and leaning about 5 degrees from bolt upright - cool, if you getting a kick out of it, enjoying the freedom. You don't need knee down or a host of courses under your belt although clearly the more enthusiastic you are the more likely you'll do those. Me, I like to rush up the A13 on the way to work, Southend to the City in 40 minutes. No too banzai (guess that's a matter of opinion) - just reading the road and the half alseep drivers, being sharp and giving it 10 10ths. But its not just speed and the manouverability of the bike that makes me get up in the morning looking forward to the ride - its being on the bike - period. Even the slow bsuy stuff is fun. And getting your knee down around the (round) London Museum off St Paul's is just a bonus! If you are doing it and enjoying it then you are a real biker however, you might not be any good at actually riding the bike!

Originally Posted by Red ones

I'm with Lyn - I don't get it.

Police riders are amongst the quickest out there, but who ever saw a BMW or Dullsville with the knee down?

That's because they're heavy. For a given centre of gravity, the greater the weight, the less the lean angle required for a given corner speed.