Racing/riding styles

I was asked on sunday buy this R1 numpty what my riding style was on my "Girls Bike" and i really couldnt answer the guy because its not officially set yet.. he still laughed at me...
but what do you guys ride/race like, in terms of "knee down" "lean in" "hang off" does it really make a difference how you choose to ride and take corners ?? as long as you ride correctly and safely does it even matter?
i wish i raced like Chris vermulan eith my elbows down lol,
as for riding i prefer to ride safe.

[fizzwheel]

Depends what I'm doing, where I'm going, if I've got a pillion on the back, if I know the road, is it raining or not...

To many factors to say "I ride like this" I change all the time.

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

Depends what I'm doing, where I'm going, if I've got a pillion on the back, if I know the road, is it raining or not...

To many factors to say "I ride like this" I change all the time.

I guess your right on that fizz its what i thought because you cannot allways stick to one style as conditions change all the time.. maybe he was a weekend warrior trying to pick on the little guy, what about track days and racing though?

Clearly another clued up bike rider.

Was he wearing shorts and a t-shirt too??? Racing style indeed You ride how your comfortable.

My race track style would be different to my road style, as on track your trying to get it over round the bend as quickly as possible. On the road, you go round the bend hoping to come out the other side and not hit something (diesel, animals, dodgy 2 lane driving cars etc)....

Ask him if he's leading any race championships. He'll probably say he doesn't race, just turn round and walk off laughing.

I would have probably given one of two replies

"What the **** are you on about ?"
or
Having first checked his chicken strips
"Faster than yours, even on my girls bike" (even though it may have been a lie )

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by lylej

maybe he was a weekend warrior trying to pick on the little guy, what about track days and racing though?

Might have been, but maybe he's only just passed his test and was after some advice...

if you go to a bike race, even the racers do things differently, different lines through corner ( Haga and Kagayama ) Elbow down ( Hopper ) Rossi if you watch him carefully changes what he's doing ( moving weight to the rear to get more traction etc ) through a race.

If I rode on a track then I'd probably ride differently but I've never done it so I dont really know.

Alternatively he was yanking your chain, personaly I tend to just ignore people like that or I'll chat to them for a few minutes and see how genuine they are. If I think they are taking the p*ss I go quiet and dont say alot back to them.

[Ruffy]

Originally Posted by lylej

I was asked on sunday buy this R1 numpty what my riding style was on my "Girls Bike" and i really couldnt answer the guy because its not officially set yet.. he still laughed at me...

IMHO, you got it right, he's a numpty and you're obviously good enough to adapt you riding to the conditions. He won't be laughing so much when someone with more ability, but less money, than him stuffs him on his favourite bit of road on a 15yr old FZR600 or similar. It'll happen one day - either that or he'll end up in prison or in hospital!

but what do you guys ride/race like, in terms of "knee down" "lean in" "hang off" does it really make a difference how you choose to ride and take corners ?? as long as you ride correctly and safely does it even matter?

Personally, on my VFR as a self confessed average speed man, I sit in the seat (generally with pillion) or hang off a little (solo), pushing the inside knee and shoulder forward. Knee down? - No thanks, try to scrape the toes/pegs if I'm going for it, but like to keep my knee out of the way. Knee-down's not so impressive if your pegs are still inches off the ground.

It only needs to make a difference to you. If you enjoy your riding then your "style" is OK. I'm sick of folk pretending that the road is a racetrack. Dosen't matter how good you are, safe road riding is slow compared to track riding. If R1 numpty's that good why isn't he proving it in club racing or even BSB/WSB?

[Ruffy]

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

Might have been, but maybe he's only just passed his test and was after some advice...

Possibly, but still a numpty if he thought an R1 was a suitable first bike after passing his test? I prefer the weekend warrior theory.

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by Ruffy

Possibly, but still a numpty if he thought an R1 was a suitable first bike after passing his test? I prefer the weekend warrior theory.

Ah I missed that bit, changes the perspective slightly doesnt it...

[johnnyrod]

Does the R1 now come wit a big purple vein down the side? This is one of the few things I hate about motorbikes, all the ones who are full of it.

And Ruffy, what the hell is that a picture of? Did you run over the thing that spawns all the Gremlins in the film?

For what it's worth, on road I ride like they're out to get me, on track I ride like my **** is on fire, knee on the deck, but my mate rides his like his **** in on fire all the time, and never moves out of the seat, and has never got his knee down, despite whipping my sorry ass.