"I can't slow down" and other mentalities

[Bendy]

Alright, not sure I'll word this too well or get across what I'm on about in a terribly concise way, but it's something I've been thinking about of late...

You hear a lot of "I'll have to get rid of this bike, it makes me ride too fast" kind of comments thrown around the biking world. Now this is something I've never been able to wrap my brain around.

It's usually in reference to getting caught by the police, rather than personal injury, so it's not a 'it'll hurt me' thing, it's an 'I'll lose my licence' thing.

So if you're worrying about it, perhaps only in the back of your mind, perhaps to the point you're looking to sell up and get something slower... why can't you just tell yourself "No. Don't turn the throttle any further"?

I guess I'm just intrigued because it's a mindset I've very rarely found myself in. I speed, yes, but for the most part I stick to my self-imposed limits, numbers that I've decided would see me given a bollocking and maybe even points and a fine, but are unlikely to see my licence taken away. Because for me, losing my licence means my life would be turned into a complete hell, forcing me to do things I hate and stopping me from doing the only things that cheer me up. Not somewhere I want to go.

Not really sure where I'm going with this, just looking for opinions on the whole 'brain' thing.

[Shaun]

I'm one of those people who said something similar Bend, except it was more of the I will crash soon rather than license part of it.

Bassically I get on the bike and if I don't ride how I like to I get bored, quickly, I stop worrying about hurting myself because I'm having so much fun and because all of my concentration is being used on the task at hand, such as scraping ma shit round the next corner I come to. It's only after when I get off the bike I stop and think about how I just rode, then I get back on and do it again.

Although since I said that my riding has become a lot smoother, less of the hammering the brakes, I prefer to flow from corner to corner now to give me more time to judge the corner and put myself where I want to be. Still ride like a bit of a twat though, just a bit of a safer twat.

[killa]

I know what you mean Bend.

Thing is when I had a 50-125 the top speed was a fun thing to do, because you read some bikes of the same CC cant do it. So I used to try hard to get that top speed everywhere, thus allocating 12 points.
I got the 400 and now the top speed is pretty fast for any road in the UK, I have the ability to loose my licence in one offence, so I am controlling the level of madness.
I know if I got a 1000 or 750, it would be easier to loose, so I guess I tell myself I wouldn’t get one because it is too easy. This also depends on the bike, some bikes I’ve ridden feel like they need to do something more than you want, so you push it a bit, could be sound and torque but something gets me going with my bike I reckon I wouldn’t get with a tourer.

Is that about right??
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[Milo]

Good topic.

I have recently thinking about what speed I'm doing and what would happen if I get caught at that speed. If I lost my licence I'd be in a state of shock. Probably something like if your favorite bunny rabbit that you've looked after since you were a kid suddenly gets blown up in your face.

I'd have to get the bus or train everywhere, and though I may feel a little bit more free with my drinking habbits I'd feel so constrained and trapped in my own house.

I've not been caught yet, but it's only a matter of time.
Doing 140 down the A3, a road which I do not know well enough to know the potential locations of camera vans, does seem very silly.
When I've been on long journeys I can stick to 80 most of the time, but I have to stretch it's legs every now and then or it feels like my life is slipping away.

Speed limits do not suit the freedom the biking brings, so making yourself stick to these limits when you could go much faster and still be safe is a very hard thing to do.
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[VTR SP1]

I used to think the same as you Bendy but since changing from my R6 to the SP1 I have found it harder to keep the speed down. It can be difficult to do a steady 30mph as the bike has to rev so low. It will do 90 in first and half revs in top is 136mph.
As it's a twin it's harder to tell when the revs are getting up just from the noise. I hit the limiter quite a lot.

Having said this I do accept that if I get caught it's my fault and I cant blame it on the bike.

I also find that once you get used to the speed it does not seem to bother you so much and you just get faster.

SP1
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[craigs23]

There's more to biking than just speeding. I get a lot out of biking other than just hammering down my favourite country bends at xxx mph. If I get bored, it's not because I'm not going fast enough, but rather that I'm missing the point.

Time for a change for me anyway, I foresee another restoration on its way.

Hmmmm, 23 going on 53?

[kb-zxr]

Maybe its because people can feel there is a chance they can get carried away, and perhaps know that it is morally/legally wrong

I respect them in the fact that they "feel" they are doing something "wrong" so are trying to solve the problem.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Different bikes have different speeds at which the engines and chassis feel hapy, same for the kind of road they work well on.

The Bandit engine now has a nice comfy motorway cruising speed on the wrong side of 100. The Bimota suits fast roads with sweeping bends, something it could sit at around 120mph on. Outside those ranges the bikes just feel a bit like "C+, could do better".

Choice of bike works well, same for choice of route. My comfy cruising speeds combined with the regular locations of the local talivans has pushed me onto using quieter roads.

All the best

Keith
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[TOM M]

Good topic
I used to speed every time i got on the bike or got in the car, but when i got 3 points for speeding it changed things, because i can only get another 3 points in 15 months or ill be banned (the 6 points rule) so i am more controlled with the speed im doing, and im more careful where i deceide to open the throttle.
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[Andy99]

This is the main reason i'm still riding round on the R6 it's fast enough to ride quite hard and do silly speeds instead of getting a 1000 and not riding it hard and still doing silly speeds if you see what i mean.
I admit i suffer from a lack of self restraint when out for a blast and i don't think i could trust myself on a 1000.

I have been banned before for 28 days for speeding which wasn't that bad as it was in winter and i was getting chauffered everywhere,thanks Cath, but has made insurance harder and i certainly don't want it to happen again.
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[stinkwheel]

I thrash the nads off any bike I sit on. I think this dates back to me owning quite a few 2-strokes when first I got into biking.

It is for this reason that I choose to ride 500 twins. Even spanking their arse, I am unlikely to be doing enough speed to instantly lose my licence. Can't afford to loose my licence.

In my case it is nothing whatsoever to do with being 'socially acceptable' or showing respect for the law and entirely down to fear of being caught.
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[priller]

[GearboxGeezer]

This is an interesting topic.

Im 16 years old and I do kart racing, not the shitty hire karts, Im currently in a class called Jnr Gearbox, which uses cr85cc motocross engines with a 6 speed gearbox, We reach speeds of 100mph on most of the big tracks. So with this hobbie I obviously love speed.

I ride a 50cc Peugeot xr6, anyone who don't no this bike, its a 6 speed bike which looks like a super bike, It reachs 60mph if I rev the bollocks of it so its very slow compared to any other bike.

I want to pass my test when Im 17 and get a 600, Not sure if I want an R6 or a CBR yet, as I love them both But Im also wondering whether I should just get a car, As I really don't think im going to ride safely on something that fast, even if it is restricted.

Im often doing 50mph everywhere, which is pretty stupid as I know just how much it hurts to crash in a safe surrounding ( having been put in an air-ambulance after crashing at 60mph and breaking my ribs in a kart ) so imagine how much it will hurt if I crash at that speed into a car, or a tree, or a wall, ect. Well, thats even if I live to feel the pain...

I try to slow myself down and I managed it for 5 or 10 mins, but then im off doing pretty fast speeds round corners on a bike which isnt very good once it gets over about 45degrees leaning angle.

I feel that if I get a car then I'd think " If I speed and I child steps out in front of me and I kill them then imagine how im going to feel" But on a bike I think, well theres less chance of me hitting someone. Which is ridiculous really...

Don't think I will get a car lough as the traffic is stupid around here, Hopefully if/when I do get my first big bike Ill feel the need not to speed as I can have fun accelerating from the lights that way. Also I can get some more satisfaction from riding at 70-80 on the motorway which is a more safe environment compared to city roads.

Might just stick to a 125cc But I want a bike which makes that lovely vvvrrrrOOOOOOOOMM noise, ya get me...

[mr.z]

[TOM M]

[G]

Most people will to some degree sacrifice long term security for short term pleasure.
The number of unwanted pregnancies we see is testament to this and in an area where I would say the stakes are relatively much higher.

To a lesser extent, having that chocolate bar or other snack when you know you shouldn't is similar behaviour.

For me, I suppose my dad's death when I was eleven probably did push me further towards the 'short term' pleasure side in some aspects - we're not going to live for ever and I don't want to live my live forgoing fun to find my end comes tripping over a loose block in the pavement and bashing my head open.


On the road it's easy to build up confidence that you'll be fine.
Starting from not exceeding the speed limit it's easy enough to go over a few times and realise it's not that bad. Then you pop a few little wheelies away from the lights; well not used to this new bike officer, but you find you never have to use that excuse. So it goes on and you're now filtering at way over the ton, but it's been a gradual transition so you don't suddenly think 'this is bad'.


The problem is that the mind categorises the risk a lot lower as you get used doing stupid things and we can all be tempted by pleasure I suspect - it's just a matter of how much is needed to tempt you .
I unfortunately seem to enjoy such aspects of riding a bike a bit too much.

Yes you can just not go fast, but there's always the temptation there for some quick fun - especially when you find the 'normal' riding generally boring.

[Annabella]

Thank you Stinkwheel...You pretty much expressed what I feel.


I like my 400 because I can ride it aggressively if I so chose without being too far over the limit (this excludes motorway riding, or long straight roads where I tend to stay below 100 purely because I know that over this speed, I would loose my licence).

I agree with Bendy though, as I've said, on straights I try and stay below 100 unless the traffic is moving above that or I get case of Red Mist (those moments when a Seat Leon decides to try and undertake etc).

I think if i had a larger capacity bike I wouldn't get as much enjoyment from it as I would want to continue riding in the same manner - and this would mean travelling at higher speeds generally...
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[Claud 14.7 to 1]

I used to hoon everywhere (more), now I've grown out of it. I'm over that stage. I can still set a decent pace, without taking stupid risks (most of the time). I figure I'll last longer.

I think when the time is right, I could happily ride a bigger bike without using its 100% go, safely. But I feel that on occasions I would end up going faster than I would be on the 400.

I know I would miss a 400, so I'm seriously thinking about getting another, for a change... (ahem VFR )

[Jack_Cheese]

I've never had that mentality - i ride a scooter lol. I suppose people get used to leathering 2t 125s, or their restricted bike for the 2-year limit. After that, you lose the fun of going flat out evrywhere, unless you still do go flat out, which is where the license losing bit comes in

Jack
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[Zoffo]

I ride one of the fastest production bikes in the world and guess what.....

It also does 30 mph!

Amazing!!!
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[Bendy]

[Suzuki]

[colin1]

I think of myself as a self-controlled person but after I have been out in the countryside doing 60-80, my bike tends to whisper "I can go a lot faster than this you know." when im around town in a 30 zone.

Usually I ignore it but sometimes I succumb to peer pressure.

I dont take it higher than 80, but if i had a big bike I might.

For me the fun of a bike is in how nimble it is at changing lean angles quickly, and in acceleration. I might get a big bike and sacrifice some nimbleness for acceleration.

I can imagine what G talked about, where what seems too fast and what seems ok, just creeps up and up.
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[McGee]

Wow just ride how you want and be happy.
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[Zen Dog]

I definately feel like i'm holding back my 750 at 30mph, and that can get frustrating, and i never really felt like that on the 125.

Aside from that, and going a bit faster on the motorways, im not really tempted to speed anymore than i used to on the 125 (although I do overtake more often now, because I can).

But I do miss being able to get the full potential of a bike, and still being reasonably close to the speed limit. Considering a smaller bike when I get rid of this one for that very reason.

Zen Dog
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