I think I'm bad at this

CorriganJ · Scooby Slapper Joined: 04 Apr 2019 Karma :

Yeah, I think I'm not a very good rider. Title says it all. Been exploring the Sierra de Guadarrama (and getting lost on the Spanish motorway system as well) and probably have 500 miles under my belt now. I'm past the stage where I am just wobbling all over the place at low speeds, and feel comfortable riding, but god I'm slow. Yesterday I got overtaken by someone on a push bike.

I was going down some twisty mountain roads and taking the corners really slow (about 30mph, which was actually the speed limit) because they were steep. And this nutter in lycra comes speeding up behind me, hovers on my tail but won't overtake. I increase my speed to get away from him because he keeps weaving across my tail, and he sticks right with me up to 80kmh (50mph) on a bloody push bike. I have no idea how but this absolute nutter is taking corners way way faster than I can. I easily could have built up distance between the corners but I would have been doing double the speed limit if I had. Eventually he gets bored of my slow ass and overtakes.

Anyway, just was a wake up call that I am a very, very slow cornerer. I think I might just not be good at riding fast.

Unrelatedly, the bike was really struggling on the way up. Maxed out at 30mph on the uphill. I guess this was because of the altitude (1800m) and the bike being carbureted? Was fine on the motorway on the way home. Fun day in all.

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

What's the bike? If it's a 125, going up gradients that steep may well just be the limiting factor with regard to speed although yes, 1,800m is getting to the point where it will be starting to affect the engine.

Anyway, from riding a pushbike on some of the roads in that area, even I hit 40mph on some of the downslopes, and I'm an unfit, overweight guy who wasn't slipstreaming a motorbike.

Anyway, 50mph on a pushbike is scary and unstable so he was probably a total nutter and it'sd all good fun until you crash into a ravine full of cactus.

Ride for you and your own comfort levels. Don't feel the need to keep up withanyone else or speed up because someone is behind you. As you say, the limit was 30 and you were doing 50 anyway... The faster you TRY to go, the worse it'll get, concentrate on visability and smoothness.

Never does any harm to read up on cornering technique though, especially with regard to road positioning for maximum visability, "reading corners" using vanishing points and countersteering. Lots of content online about this.
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wr6133 · World Chat Champion Joined: 31 Dec 2013 Karma :

Learn how to corner, positioning, lines to take, etc. Put that in to practice, speed then gradually comes naturally.

arry · Super Spammer Joined: 03 Jan 2009 Karma :

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

CorriganJ · Scooby Slapper Joined: 04 Apr 2019 Karma :

arry · Super Spammer Joined: 03 Jan 2009 Karma :

wr6133 · World Chat Champion Joined: 31 Dec 2013 Karma :

dynax · Trackday Trickster Joined: 06 May 2019 Karma :

Have a look through some of these clips on counter steering, they helped me a lot to understand and i can take corners faster and smoother now from practising these techniques Thumbs Up

https://www.youtube.com/user/motorman857/videos
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Riejufixing · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Jun 2018 Karma :

ThunderGuts · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Nov 2018 Karma :

I would actually suggest that in the right circumstances (e.g. on a seriously twisty steep descent where a bicycle's inability to accelerate doesn't really factor into thing) a racing bicycle (with a good rider) could out-corner most (all?) motorcycles!

More generally though, there are loads of factors to cornering fluidly on a motorbike. Counter steering, posture, where you're looking etc. and they all add up. To make them work, as said, you need to practice them lots though. It's surprising how it comes together, suddenly corners that felt like you were teetering on the edge of death at 30mph you're then taking at 40mph smoothly and easily. Keep at it. Thumbs Up

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TG.

CorriganJ · Scooby Slapper Joined: 04 Apr 2019 Karma :

CorriganJ · Scooby Slapper Joined: 04 Apr 2019 Karma :

Riejufixing · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Jun 2018 Karma :

Easy-X · Super Spammer Joined: 08 Mar 2019 Karma :

Downhill on a small bike:

https://youtu.be/bCHU3G4GuX4?t=149

(BTW, 2 stroke so that's why he's coasting down.)

Small wheelbase (bicycle) = less stable therefore easier to corner. Don't sweat it.
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stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

CorriganJ · Scooby Slapper Joined: 04 Apr 2019 Karma :

notbike · Posted: 17:37 - 19 Jun 2020 Post subject:

Everyone started off much shitter than they now are however many years down the line.

Don't rush. 500 Miles is a weekend or two of riding.

I almost hit a bus head-on when I got my 125. Who doesn't see a fucking bus?

Take any advice here and then come back in 5000 miles and report on progress.

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Riejufixing · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Jun 2018 Karma :

Easy-X · Super Spammer Joined: 08 Mar 2019 Karma :

arry · Super Spammer Joined: 03 Jan 2009 Karma :

Prawny · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 22 Jun 2019 Karma :

Don’t feel bad, 500 miles is nothing I’ve been riding my little scooter for a year last week and covered about 5000 miles and I’m still nervy on it.

And definitely don’t feel bad about being overtaken by a cyclist coming down a mountain road, I’m a cycling fanatic and the motorcycle outriders in bike races have a real time getting out of the way of the cyclists on mountain roads and those guys are great riders.

I went to watch a town centre race a few years ago and the camera bike had to get a bit of a lead before one section on the flat because the cyclists were faster through there than the moto, and he was scraping pegs every lap, with a pillion, sat backwards, holding a camera.
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CorriganJ · Scooby Slapper Joined: 04 Apr 2019 Karma :

slowside · Nova Slayer Joined: 23 Apr 2019 Karma :

I don't vividly recall what I was like with just 500 miles experience, but I can confidently say I was probably terrible.

However, I was super cautious and observant (and therefore slow).

It's a good way to start out your riding career I'd say. I'm faster and more confident now, but I still keep my mind on 'cautious and observant' when I ride.
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