101 things I wish I'd known before I started riding...

[TSM]

Originally Posted by northwind

And in that vein, never camp beside Blue Flame at the annual rideout.

How loud was he?

While we were around the fire we could not figure out where the noise was comming from.

[northwind]

It was coming from all around us, that's why. Echoing off mountains, and occasionally going right round the world and hitting us twice. Ever wonder why Rock doesn't post much here anymore? It's because one particularily focused snore started vibrations in her head which built up over time and killed her.

Alarm it Lock it up all the time really really well

... its addictive. Be warned if you let it - it will consume your spare time and money.

[the_lone_wolf]

Originally Posted by Gmonsta

... its addictive. Be warned if you let it - it will consume your spare time and money.

as someone who'se spent many thousands of pounds on kites... yes... kites.... i know how expensive hobbies can get

[northwind]

Originally Posted by the_lone_wolf

as someone who'se spent many thousands of pounds on kites... yes... kites.... i know how expensive hobbies can get

I spent only tuppence for paper and strings, myself.

don't fall off

Buy a yellow one.



And a paddock stand.

A couple of tips, in order of how useful I find them (some of them written in the exact words of my DAS instructor, cheers Nigel for the constant reminders ):

1. If it's not an instinct, don't do it. If you have to even think about it, it's not right.
2. When you're sat behind someone, waiting for that moment to overtake, and you see it, pause for thought, then see point 1.
3. Hitting the front brake too hard coming in to a bend makes you find out what tarmac tastes like. See point 7.
4. In like a pussy cat, out like a tiger.
5. Use the vanishing point theory. Look at where the left side of the road meets the right. That's the vanishing point. If that point comes towards you, slow down. If it moves away from you, open the throttle. If it moves right, you move right or you get to milk the cows. If it moves left, don't even think about what happens if you don't move left, just bloody move!
6. Ride for yourself, not for your mates, and never for work. It's better to arrive late than not to arrive at all.
7. Tarmac doesn't taste nice.

[northwind]

Originally Posted by Baph

If it's not an instinct, don't do it. If you have to even think about it, it's not right.

...and sometimes, if it is an instinct, don't do it either Since that's what causes target fixation, panic braking, running out of the outside of a corner when you could have got round by leaning further.