Your favourite riding memories...

[gruntygiggles]

So...just posted in another thread and it made me think.

I decided to give up road riding after AR10. I found the speed too comfortable and it was all too easy flinging the bike around the roads like I had a rocket in my ar$e. I do not want to come a cropper on the roads and I think it would only have been a matter of time, despite how sensible I was in where and when I pushed it...before something went wrong and I paid the price.

However...depsite only passing my test last April and giving up 4 months later...I did 5000 miles which involved some very memorable rides and moments. Here are my favourites...go ahead and share yours too

1/ First ride on the babyblade a week after passing test. Rode with Stretchie to Squirrel_Hunters house. Stretchie let me past to "look after me" as idiot behind was a tail gaiter. Got to Squirrel_Hunters and all I heard was, "what the hell was that? I let you past and when I looked up I just saw you cranked over and whizzing around the bend into the distance". The grin was on my face for days.

2/ Going down one of the 270 degree constant radius bends in South Wales and overtaking Squirrel_Hunter AND Beenz...two of the best riders I have ever seen...mega big head moment, lol.

3/ Riding home from Abergavenny with BaP and Squirrel_Hunter and being slowed down in the twisties by Mr. Squirrel_Hunter. Yes, he was on a Blackbird and is FAR superior to me in riding skill....but for those few miles, I felt like a riding god!

4/ This is probably the best of all of my riding memories. It was on AR10. We were coming back along thousand sheep road and I could see another kwak behind me keeping pace. I looked at the road ahead and thought to myself, "why not" and then opened up and let rip...what followed was awesome...and so was the grin on the face of Treacle...who had been only too happy to make chase...lol

Yes...this thread may read a bit like a "oooh, look at me, I am awesome thread" but that is the point.

Share your memories of times you felt like you were put on this earth to ride a motorbike. Whether you are/were good or not is irrelevant...they are YOUR memories, tell them like you feel them!

Strangely enough my 125 days.
Me and my best mate both flying around on our CBR125s having a brilliant time. Every Wednesday evening riding out to the local meet for fish n chips. Twas a brilliant summer weather wise and I was out whenever I could finding new roads and having a right laugh. Laughing to myself in my helmet, grinning all the way round. Squeezing every last ounce out of that poor little bike. Cleaning it religiously if it got even a speck of dirt on it. Not a care in the world.

Then I did my test. Got my SV and was blown away at what a bigger bike can do. Then got the restriction off and got blown away again. But even though I have been in love with biking since I started, my 125 days were some of the most memorable. I dont plan on the good memories stopping there though. Still plenty more to be made. Im only 21 so plenty of years left to enjoy it. Providing a car doesnt ruin thing and petrol supplies stay around.

[Dave20046]

Probably Scotland... for the past 3 years. But have to say in particular 2010 as I had a full 6 days or something up there along with Pete and Leesa and their son RavingDavis. We were covering good miles, and doing it fast; I think we averaged around 300 miles a day and the roads and weather were beautiful all along. The scenery was breathtaking, at some points I had to physically force myself to look at the road. It was like we had the roads to our selves for a week, cars and caravans didn't really register, every road was amazing and it was mostly perfect riding weather. Remember looking at my speedo after passing a 'maximum (advised) speed' sign round a lovely sweeping bend and it being around triple it.

Happy memories



Didn't realise you'd stopped riding Grunty! Noticed a few less posts though.

[Bri w]

Crikey! Loads and loads of great memories.

Having a "spirited" ride with two other large bikes between Selby and York. My bike was less than half the size of their's, and I caned 'em on the twisities but when we got to a decent straight stretch they gave me the bird.

My first two years of biking was in the Lakes, almost every day was a great day.

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by gruntygiggles

Yes...this thread may read a bit like a "oooh, look at me, I am awesome thread" but that is the point.

Not fair to make claims of awesomeness and then "oooh I'm giving up because I've got no self control"... where's the daft carry on there?
On your bike!


I would supply similar tales, but they are few and far between, it's all the bike. You see where your skills fall short of the limits of the machine, even on roads or track pushing far harder than is sensible and realise the squishy bit in the middle falls short of what the metal can do. I don't think I've ever done a bit of a ride and thought "by f*ck I'm good", always "could have gone faster", "why didn't I see that sooner, I could have opened throttle earlier/stayed on it/not braked". It's sad that the one thing that makes you properly alive is always tinged with shortcomings. But sometimes you get that zen like clarity where nothing matters but the ride, nothing exists but tyres, tarmac and speed. Doesn't matter if that's on a rideout overtaking your mate or riding home on a frosty night fighting for grip, but the moments of perfection are rare. #ommmm#

[gruntygiggles]

Originally Posted by Dave20046

Didn't realise you'd stopped riding Grunty! Noticed a few less posts though.

Just a decision I made to keep me and my conscience happy really. Could never quite shake the guity feeling each time I got on the bike. My family have suffered far far too many tragic losses and my mum is petrified of bikes. It's not that I won't do something just because my mum says not too...those days ended when I left home as 16, lol. It's just that I can't justify her and my dad getting that dreaded call one day. It's a bit of fun...not really worth the risk for me.
I could feel myself thinking that it would only be a matter of time before something happened. I will no doubt get on again in future, but probably just on track.

Not been posting much at all anywhere really...just took some time out I guess...did you enjoy the peace

[gruntygiggles]

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Not fair to make claims of awesomeness and then "oooh I'm giving up because I've got no self control"... where's the daft carry on there?
On your bike!

Ahhh...I never said I gave up because I have no self control . I said I felt riding at speed very natural and that thought is one that made me take stock. I did always ride with self control as anyone that has ridden with me will tell you BUT...I am human and I enjoyed pushing it. I would rather push it on track than on road. That is a sensible thing, nothing to do with self control on the roads. My reasons for giving up are more personal, but certainly, realising how fast bike are and how vulnerable riders are played a part in that decision.

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

but the moments of perfection are rare. #ommmm#

Haha...I can honestly say I never had a moment of perfection...lol. I like what you said about thinking of all the things you would/could do better. That was me after every ride. I would get off and grill Stretchie about all the mess ups I had made and how I could do better.

The point of this thread, as it says in the first post is not that you think you ARE awesome....but that you have felt awesome. Two very different things.

My favourite riding moments? The one that started at 12.01am on 6th April 1978 and ended when I got home about 90 minutes ago

[gruntygiggles]

Originally Posted by Lozzo

My favourite riding moments? The one that started at 12.01am on 6th April 1978 and ended when I got home about 90 minutes ago

Clear and concise...like it,

[tigersaw]

Riding our Fizzies, AP50's and SS50's in a swarm back in the late 70's.
One our our team tipping his heavy fibreglass helmet back to shake the last of the sherbert fountain into his mouth, not looking and riding headlong into a phone box.
I've laughed at that for over 30 years.