How we ride … perception

[Richie]

Originally Posted by Biker Biggles

Despite having access to faster bikes,better tyres,brakes and suspension,I ride slower now than I did a few years ago.I also go for it less when filtering,and tend to have a more relaxed attitude to getting there quick than before.As the saying goes---The older I get,the faster I was.

I dont think age necessarily the only factor. I found, the bigger bike i had the less i feel the need to "prove" something. Either to myself or others.

I ride like a pussy, but then I want to arrive alive. If that happens, then I'm happy. I'm never going to win any races.

People have asked how I define hard (or safe) … that guys is exactly the point of this thread!! … how can we assess ourselves if we don’t have any defined common yardstick?!?! And what I mean by a yardstick is something to judge/mark oneself against.

I’d say someone who has passed IAM etc (and actually rides like that to the letter) has a defined yardstick of (relative) safety. However, if for example you just haven’t had any accidents and think that means you are ‘safe’ COULD be misleading for so many reasons.

As for the ‘hard’ that is so much more subjective and there is really no direct test/measure as there is no test. Ok so if you could beet Joey Dunlop’s TT times then its fair to say you can ride hard on the open road … but even that is a bit misleading as that is closed road …

Another way is to mark ourselves against out peers … but what’s to say our peers are any good? Or what’s to say that the peers we know are all exceptional and although we are lesser, compared to even the head of a ‘weaker’ group we are superior?? (this works for safe too).

See where I am coming from? What you 'think' with no frame of reference, means nothing ... (you might be slower/faster safer/less-safe than you think) ....

Davido – how are you judging that you are riding the bike near its limits?

In the tricky dictionary "riding hard" means to the extents of my ability and that of my bike.

I don't think I have ever ridden hard (by my own defination) espeacally on the road and probably not even on the track (although my track experiece is limited).

If I ride to the extent of my ability then I have nothing in reserve if somthing unexpected happens (you can't anticipate everything).

I feel my ability and confidence are improving (albeit at a steady pace). I might get faster quicker if I pushed my limits but then there's a good chance I might crash too, how do you know where your limit is until youve crossed it ?

As for safe, I always ride as safely as I can for any situation. I am very critical of my own riding and always try to learn from my mistakes, however minor they may be.

I have no idea whether I ride Hard, Safe, Hard & Safe, Soft & Dangerous or even like a retarded anorexic lemming on thier final bid for oblivion.

That's for other people to decide - and I gernerally don't get to ride with others who have an opinion worth it's weight anyway.


Both the bike and I arrive home in the same state we left plus a big grin on me and that nice 'pinking' noise coming from the bike as the exhaust cools...

... I mean, that's what it's all about really isn't it?

Originally Posted by K

I have no idea whether I ride Hard, Safe, Hard & Safe, Soft & Dangerous or even like a retarded anorexic lemming on thier final bid for oblivion.

That's for other people to decide - and I gernerally don't get to ride with others who have an opinion worth it's weight anyway.


Both the bike and I arrive home in the same state we left plus a big grin on me and that nice 'pinking' noise coming from the bike as the exhaust cools...

... I mean, that's what it's all about really isn't it?

Yarrrr!!

I get beeped, or flashed at by the occasional cager/lorry driver which I guess means I'm being silly in their opinion... and yes, sometimes they're right...

For the most part though, I ride safely.

Originally Posted by rictus01

The true nature of riding I believe is hazard awareness and assigning a % of danger to each and treating each accordingly, you can't cover everything but can limit the chances you take.Cheers Mark.

Very well said Mark, I was going to say something similar, but maybe not as eloquently

I find that my "safety zone" is often quite larger than that of other people I ride with. I know I could of gone round that corner faster, but I just didn't want to. I can't be doing with falling off, it hurts, both myself and my wallet.

I consider myself a safe rider. I ride no better than anyone else, I just tend not to put myself in situations that could put me in danger. For instance, going up the inside at a red light, the guy in the van at the end of the traffic may decide he wants to turn left and just reposition his vehicle, taking me with him... I see people doing that type of manoeuvre often in London. Maybe I'm just more risk averse than others

.

Every day someone flashes me... so... am I riding hard or safe or both? Don't know, don't care, just as long as I get in front of that smug Volvo, BMW, Audi, White Van driver sat in the outside lane.

Max hardness has got to be defined by the Ghost Rider video's.
Max safety most be parked up in the garage.

I think most of us ride to our own acceptable levels of risk taking, with some seeing no risk in filtering at high speed etc.
Now that I have been riding for quite a number of years I am much slower and move over to let other riders pass but if the road is clear (min. hazards) then "I'll open her up" (term used by bikers decades ago)