Power rangers.

[rictus01]

Just back from Boxhill, came back through Coulsdon, gradually came up behind a guy on an R6 (matching blue and white leathers), Obviously the sound of the T'bird must have intimidated him some what (now it wasn't my intention , honest, hey I'm a cripple ), anyway, off like a scalded cat he was, from just passed dobles right up to purley lights (2 miles perhaps ?), I just carried on at my normal traffic managing pace.

However we both headed up into Croydon and the traffic became somewhat heavier, not a problem really, but it ment I caught him up just after passing Jambo's place, I was sitting about 30 ft back or so and every straight he'd gun the motor, but stop behind the cars when there wasn't a clear 6 ft space to pass , which enabled me to keep with him without any effort on my part really (just as well as I'm still not really riding as well as I'd like), a little later he cut off to use the back roads and I though that was the end of it and I carried on straight, joining the main drag, got to the end and guess who's there , once again absolutley no intention on my part but I ended up once again directly behind him (he would have known it was me as apart from the sound I have a rainbow strobe thing in my light), we pull away and I have to slow somewhat to keep a safe distance, but we stay like this for perhaps half a mile and then he gives up (must admit I didn't know there was a contest going on) and pulls to the left and waves me passed, and the kicker?


It was all of 200yds from the turning off I take home, did bring me a smile though.

Cheers Mark.

I have noticed a lot of hostility to other riders in this thread, namely those that only come out and enjoy their bikes in the sun and wear matching kit.
I can se YC’s point that some of them are not as confident as him at filtering and therefore are holding him up a bit.

But the over riding theme in this thread seems o be one of maybe some of you are a little jealous?? That some can have these bikes and buy all the top kit to go with it? I have a new sports bike in black and wear leathers that go colour wise, as in blue white and black, my helmet is the same colours my leathers and so are my boots! Am I a power ranger?? Maybe some would say so. Infact I Chose the ZX6-R in black partly because the Kwak green would not go with my leathers at all. A tart? Well yes but to me seeing a biker in completely mis matched kit just looks scruffy and wrong , I t makes me laugh seeing a biker on say a red bike with bright yellow leathers or green ones, that looks even worse than having matching kit IMO. Have you ever thought they wear that kit to protect themselves as well as look good!! We all know leather gives better protection combined with armour than textiles can, or we would see Rossi and co sporting the latest textiles. Leather is also cooler than textile IMO, and means in general you can move around the bike better.

Also what is so wrong about only getting out when the weather is nice?? If i don’t have to use the bike in wet and cold weather I won’t at all, I am in the fortunate position to have 2 cars and a bike though. For me riding a bike is about enjoying yourself and having fun so sorry but riding around in the cold and wet isn’t fun. NW3 proved to me that wet weather riding is not fun at all, infact at one point it was down right sh*t due to the weather and I considered going home cos of it. It was not fun!! So who are you lot to knock someone for going out to enjoy themselves just because they have a new bike and top notch matching kit??? They are doing something they enjoy , they are not hurting you so why take the P out of them. Yes there are a few that do it for the pose factor and are unsafe on a Blade etc . But the majority are just like you, enjoy their riding and make their own progress that they are happy with.

Some of you on here have seen me ride etc, you may well consider me a weekend warrior due to my bike choice, my kit etc, but I have a brand new bike in top notch condition and I intend to keep it like that, for me it’s a play thing and fun for the weekend. I don’t intend to ride it in the wet and winter unless I really have to so I can keep it looking A1, is that wrong?

SO I apologise for being a weekend warrior and only enjoying my bike in the dry and sun as a play thing, ill stop doing it in the future just so you lot don’t feel a bit jealous shall i??????????????

[SoulKiss]

Originally Posted by neio79

I have noticed a lot of hostility to other riders in this thread, namely those that only come out and enjoy their bikes in the sun and wear matching kit.
I can se YC’s point that some of them are not as confident as him at filtering and therefore are holding him up a bit.

But the over riding theme in this thread seems o be one of maybe some of you are a little jealous?? That some can have these bikes and buy all the top kit to go with it? I have a new sports bike in black and wear leathers that go colour wise, as in blue white and black, my helmet is the same colours my leathers and so are my boots! Am I a power ranger?? Maybe some would say so. Infact I Chose the ZX6-R in black partly because the Kwak green would not go with my leathers at all. A tart? Well yes but to me seeing a biker in completely mis matched kit just looks scruffy and wrong , I t makes me laugh seeing a biker on say a red bike with bright yellow leathers or green ones, that looks even worse than having matching kit IMO. Have you ever thought they wear that kit to protect themselves as well as look good!! We all know leather gives better protection combined with armour than textiles can, or we would see Rossi and co sporting the latest textiles. Leather is also cooler than textile IMO, and means in general you can move around the bike better.

Also what is so wrong about only getting out when the weather is nice?? If i don’t have to use the bike in wet and cold weather I won’t at all, I am in the fortunate position to have 2 cars and a bike though. For me riding a bike is about enjoying yourself and having fun so sorry but riding around in the cold and wet isn’t fun. NW3 proved to me that wet weather riding is not fun at all, infact at one point it was down right sh*t due to the weather and I considered going home cos of it. It was not fun!! So who are you lot to knock someone for going out to enjoy themselves just because they have a new bike and top notch matching kit??? They are doing something they enjoy , they are not hurting you so why take the P out of them. Yes there are a few that do it for the pose factor and are unsafe on a Blade etc . But the majority are just like you, enjoy their riding and make their own progress that they are happy with.

Some of you on here have seen me ride etc, you may well consider me a weekend warrior due to my bike choice, my kit etc, but I have a brand new bike in top notch condition and I intend to keep it like that, for me it’s a play thing and fun for the weekend. I don’t intend to ride it in the wet and winter unless I really have to so I can keep it looking A1, is that wrong?

SO I apologise for being a weekend warrior and only enjoying my bike in the dry and sun as a play thing, ill stop doing it in the future just so you lot don’t feel a bit jealous shall i??????????????

Its not one of jealousy, its one of safety.

Try commuting into London on a day when there is a tube-strike and these muppets have decided that they will bring the bike in.

They are all over the place as they have bikes that like high revs, which in the stop-start crawl they are really having to work hard to even just keep going.

Their inablility to filter coupled with their inability to back off and say that they are not riding gods means that they then cause the everyday riders to get frustrated and maybe do something stupid to get past them - I have often found myself going a bit on the fast side (as measured against speed limits, not safety) to get them behind me, where I feel they are safer.

A lot of them just bought their bikes and matching leathers etc based on the cost - Expensive Bike, Expensive Leathers, Replica Lid etc all so that when they turn up to Boxhill or The Ace on a Sunny Sunday for an houe (thats as long as their wife lets them out for) they think that they are Biking Gods.

But jealousy, come on, why would I be jealous of a bunch of identikit too much Power Rangers on their O's

Whats an O?

Well it comes from my recent visits to The Ace and means "Oh look an R1, Oh look another R1, Oh look an R1 etc etc.

Originally Posted by SoulKiss

Its not one of jealousy, its one of safety.

Try commuting into London on a day when there is a tube-strike and these muppets have decided that they will bring the bike in.

They are all over the place as they have bikes that like high revs, which in the stop-start crawl they are really having to work hard to even just keep going.

Their inablility to filter coupled with their inability to back off and say that they are not riding gods means that they then cause the everyday riders to get frustrated and maybe do something stupid to get past them - I have often found myself going a bit on the fast side (as measured against speed limits, not safety) to get them behind me, where I feel they are safer.

A lot of them just bought their bikes and matching leathers etc based on the cost - Expensive Bike, Expensive Leathers, Replica Lid etc all so that when they turn up to Boxhill or The Ace on a Sunny Sunday for an houe (thats as long as their wife lets them out for) they think that they are Biking Gods.

But jealousy, come on, why would I be jealous of a bunch of identikit too much Power Rangers on their O's

Whats an O?

Well it comes from my recent visits to The Ace and means "Oh look an R1, Oh look another R1, Oh look an R1 etc etc.

Saftey, hmmmmmm no doubt it, ever thought that they bring their bikes in when a tube strike is on because that is the best way to get to work??

I have one of those high revving bikes and never found it a problem in town, infact the throttle response on the 6R is far superior to the SV’s at low speed and probably your Z750’s?

Yes a lot did buy their bikes based on cost etc and got the top kit, but what is wrong with that, if you can afford itwhy not do it. And again who are you to have a po at them for doing something they like?? That may be fun to them. Just because they don’t filter beyond the speed you do does not make them unsafe, infact it probably makes them safer given the dangers involved in filtering in a city centre, were you not knocked off filtering?? Maybe if you had been going a bit slower you might not have been??
I would argue that they are safer filtering slower and more cautious than you are at a higher speed.

So yes I do think some people are a bit jealous at them cos they wish they had the latest R1 and kit etc, or had the luxury of having a bike just for a toy rather than their only means of transport.

[G]

Originally Posted by neio79

I have noticed a lot of hostility to other riders in this thread, namely those that only come out and enjoy their bikes in the sun and wear matching kit.
I can se YC’s point that some of them are not as confident as him at filtering and therefore are holding him up a bit.

But the over riding theme in this thread seems o be one of maybe some of you are a little jealous?? That some can have these bikes and buy all the top kit to go with it? I have a new sports bike in black and wear leathers that go colour wise, as in blue white and black, my helmet is the same colours my leathers and so are my boots! Am I a power ranger?? Maybe some would say so. Infact I Chose the ZX6-R in black partly because the Kwak green would not go with my leathers at all. A tart? Well yes but to me seeing a biker in completely mis matched kit just looks scruffy and wrong , I t makes me laugh seeing a biker on say a red bike with bright yellow leathers or green ones, that looks even worse than having matching kit IMO. Have you ever thought they wear that kit to protect themselves as well as look good!! We all know leather gives better protection combined with armour than textiles can, or we would see Rossi and co sporting the latest textiles. Leather is also cooler than textile IMO, and means in general you can move around the bike better.

Also what is so wrong about only getting out when the weather is nice?? If i don’t have to use the bike in wet and cold weather I won’t at all, I am in the fortunate position to have 2 cars and a bike though. For me riding a bike is about enjoying yourself and having fun so sorry but riding around in the cold and wet isn’t fun. NW3 proved to me that wet weather riding is not fun at all, infact at one point it was down right sh*t due to the weather and I considered going home cos of it. It was not fun!! So who are you lot to knock someone for going out to enjoy themselves just because they have a new bike and top notch matching kit??? They are doing something they enjoy , they are not hurting you so why take the P out of them. Yes there are a few that do it for the pose factor and are unsafe on a Blade etc . But the majority are just like you, enjoy their riding and make their own progress that they are happy with.

Some of you on here have seen me ride etc, you may well consider me a weekend warrior due to my bike choice, my kit etc, but I have a brand new bike in top notch condition and I intend to keep it like that, for me it’s a play thing and fun for the weekend. I don’t intend to ride it in the wet and winter unless I really have to so I can keep it looking A1, is that wrong?

SO I apologise for being a weekend warrior and only enjoying my bike in the dry and sun as a play thing, ill stop doing it in the future just so you lot don’t feel a bit jealous shall i??????????????

I have to agree with most of that to be honest, post like this do really make me laugh for all manner of reason, mainly because that what everyone says is mostly true.

But what the hell gives anyone the right to judge or put down anyone else based no how, what or when they ride jump down off your high horses....

I did note on the way home yesterday though 3 08 plate harleys commuting in the traffic summers on its way

[Drew Carey]

I agree mostly with what Neio said and have no problem generally with power rangers. However, I do take objection when they are dangerous on the road and blocking people like the guy yesterday. It just so happens he was dressed in the full gear.

Take photos people.... I find myself in the curious, uncharted territory of.... agreeing with Neio (I feel so dirty!)

I'm not sure I go with the jealousy angle, and I'd certainly agree that you keep an eye on your mirrors and move over for folks behind who want to go quicker, but there's a distinct lack of brother/sisterhood going on in this thread. We all ride for different reasons, for some of us it's transport, for some it's enjoyment, for some it's a job. No reason makes it's devotees "more of a biker" than the others. Sure, I started my biking as it was the only transport I could afford, it got me from A to B in sun/rain/snow - nowadays it's pretty much enjoyment only, if it's piddling down with rain, that's what the car's for. I don't think I was more or less of a "biker" back then than now.

And on making good progress through traffic, go at your own pace, if someone behind you wants to go faster then let them, but don't let them (or this thread) pressurise you into going quicker than you feel comfortable with. For me, going quick on a bike is all about the perfect corner, front squeaking on the way in, rear squealing on the way out, perfect lines; if I get it wrong and over-push myself, I lowside, and then I'm in the hands of the gods, most of the time it'll be a slide down the road on my ****, if I'm unlucky I'll hit a kerbstone, if I'm really unlucky there's a truck coming the other way. However, over push it whilst carving through traffic and I think your chances diminish somewhat - it's not a graceful slide followed by roll of the dice on what you hit - your crash starts with a hit from a van, stands a good chance of including a not so graceful slide dragged under the wheels of said van, followed by coming to rest through the windscreen of the kiddy school run tractor.

Carving up traffic, sure it takes skill but your speed is largely a factor of how much risk you're prepared to take. You're double guessing so many external factors, including what other people are thinking and seeing. Going fast through the twisties however, and your external factors are all non human, is the road surface as expected, will the brakes work, etc. If I'm going to take risks (and I do), I'd rather gamble on non-human factors than on sales-reps, van drivers and school moms.

I'm not jealous of a nicer bike, yes I am, i wish i could have one to look at, but I feel like I am v.quick on my CBR that is 15 years old, would rather prat around and go fast on that than a brand new R6 or summit incase the innevitable happens and I trash it. I would say I could keep some speed up on the SVs and now on my CBR but trust me you give me a bike that I say I want because its nice and shiny and say don't worry about crashing it, I would definately freeze and lock up on it and be going round corners bolt upright.

Weekend warriors don't bother me, they can go past me as quick as they like on their R1s I know next bend I will be back with them. Its not a race remember, you are putting you life on your right hand and so are they.

Originally Posted by MiniMatt

Take photos people.... I find myself in the curious, uncharted territory of.... agreeing with Neio (I feel so dirty!)

.

Photo taken!!

and i agreed with your last post as well, i would rather filter more cautiously in traffic.

[Rich]

I agree with neio79, why slate other bikers for being out enjoying thereselves. But I would also add if I do see a biker up my @rse who's looking to get past I do my best to let them by. Just because they have the top gear and latest sports bike doesnt makes them @rsehols or crap riders.