Do you ever envy those rocket ships with 1WD?

Do you ever envy those rocket ships with 1WD?

Author
Discussion

lostkiwi

4,584 posts

124 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
Ozzie Osmond said:
From some of the riding we see I have concluded that the brain is removed long before other organs...
Have to agree. Luckily we don't transplant them.

crofty1984

15,858 posts

204 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
Blib said:
What is it that surgeons call 'bikers? Oh yes, 'Donors'.
I don't think it is. I think it's a tired cliché made famous by Stephen Fry so now everyone who says it thinks they're the next Oscar fking Wilde.

Could be wrong though. I don't know every surgeon in the country, so maybe a couple have said it somewhere.


Hugo a Gogo

23,378 posts

233 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
lostkiwi said:
WinstonWolf said:
lostkiwi said:
Hugo a Gogo said:
I've been off bikes for a couple of years now, but it's not even about speed or acceleration

it's such a tactile thing, tiny movements of fingers and toes, natural shifts of body weight for instant response, like an extension of yourself - whereas in a car you are wholly separate from the movement of the car, all you can do is press the pedals and turn the wheel

oh and wheelies, definitely wheelies
All you do is press pedals and turn a wheel? You need to learn how to drive and not just be an operator.
It's very easy to spot those who can't drive...
Fixed that for you.
please tell me the other ways you have of controlling a car

Hugo a Gogo

23,378 posts

233 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
Blib said:
What is it that surgeons call 'bikers? Oh yes, 'Donors'.
patients, friends, colleagues, other random people they've never met I suppose

lostkiwi

4,584 posts

124 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
Hugo a Gogo said:
lostkiwi said:
WinstonWolf said:
lostkiwi said:
Hugo a Gogo said:
I've been off bikes for a couple of years now, but it's not even about speed or acceleration

it's such a tactile thing, tiny movements of fingers and toes, natural shifts of body weight for instant response, like an extension of yourself - whereas in a car you are wholly separate from the movement of the car, all you can do is press the pedals and turn the wheel

oh and wheelies, definitely wheelies
All you do is press pedals and turn a wheel? You need to learn how to drive and not just be an operator.
It's very easy to spot those who can't drive...
Fixed that for you.
please tell me the other ways you have of controlling a car
I don't disagree but your over simplistic evaluation was my issue. Fundamentally a bike rider has only one extra means of control - wriggling about on the seat - hence my equally over simplistic reply.

I appreciate the greater level of interaction present whilst riding a bike but its not just a matter of pushing a few pedals and twiddling a wheel when driving a car either. If it was then more people would be able to do it well and F1 drivers would be 10 a penny.

That was my point.

lostkiwi

4,584 posts

124 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
crofty1984 said:
Blib said:
What is it that surgeons call 'bikers? Oh yes, 'Donors'.
I don't think it is. I think it's a tired cliché made famous by Stephen Fry so now everyone who says it thinks they're the next Oscar fking Wilde.

Could be wrong though. I don't know every surgeon in the country, so maybe a couple have said it somewhere.
You might want to read the book on advanced driving by Reg Local (an ex police driving instructor).
He refers to bikers as organ donors in his book.

Hol

8,412 posts

200 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
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CorvetteConvert said:
At a car meet recently several sports car owners said that although they don't ride bikes and likely won't, they quietly envied the sheer performance, the 0-100, the bang per buck, if you like, that sports bikes give you. Or are 2 wheels just not the real deal for you?
Page 3 and completely off topic.

The people who own bikes obviously have a clear opinion of what that means to them, but as far as I can tell - the question was directed at those who don't own bikes today.

This question was asked and aimed at the readers of the GG forum.

If some of the sports car owners of PH (who don't own bikes) disagree with the bold bit in the original post - then they disagree with the bit in bold in the original post.










deltashad

6,731 posts

197 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
I really appreciate bikes. I used to love tagging along with my biker friends on road trips. The integrale never really had trouble keeping up with the front runners. As soon as you hit the twistys your all over them.

I loved the whole scene. I used to be ride pilion a lot, I never got scared and I know my friends were no slower with me on the back. I decided not to go through my full test and all my money went on my cars.

I don't envy them. I appreciate them massively. I've thought about doing my test and buying a nice bike. Not something hypersports like my friends, I'd be happy with a supermotard, something noisy and upright which I can have some fun on the back roads and abuse a bit.

Something else always comes up and I don't have the time or the cash.

LankyLegoHead

749 posts

132 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
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Mr2Mike said:
The GPZ is a great little bike, I had one some years back. Properly set up they aren't slow either, it will take a pretty serious car to keep up on acceleration. If you have the single front disc model and the brakes are poor, the caliper is very probably seized. An SV650 caliper bolts straight on and is a lot easier to find.

Edited by Mr2Mike on Thursday 1st October 09:09
Noted, thanks! And I know I wont be riding like a nob.. mainly due to being terrified by it at first I'm sure

Hugo a Gogo

23,378 posts

233 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
lostkiwi said:
I don't disagree but your over simplistic evaluation was my issue. Fundamentally a bike rider has only one extra means of control - wriggling about on the seat - hence my equally over simplistic reply.

I appreciate the greater level of interaction present whilst riding a bike but its not just a matter of pushing a few pedals and twiddling a wheel when driving a car either. If it was then more people would be able to do it well and F1 drivers would be 10 a penny.

That was my point.
so my whole point of how body weight shifting around on the bike for cornering, braking, accelerating, top speed, etc feels like natural movement and fundamentally makes you more connected to the bike and that's part of what makes riding a bike so special, and what makes it so very different to driving a car is just 'wriggling about' to you

and you sum that up by saying I'm 'just an operator' because I can only press the pedals and move the steering wheel, just like every F1 driver

if wriggling about was so simple, more people would be able to be GP riders and TT stars

Edited by Hugo a Gogo on Thursday 1st October 09:44

WinstonWolf

72,857 posts

239 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
lostkiwi said:
Hugo a Gogo said:
lostkiwi said:
WinstonWolf said:
lostkiwi said:
Hugo a Gogo said:
I've been off bikes for a couple of years now, but it's not even about speed or acceleration

it's such a tactile thing, tiny movements of fingers and toes, natural shifts of body weight for instant response, like an extension of yourself - whereas in a car you are wholly separate from the movement of the car, all you can do is press the pedals and turn the wheel

oh and wheelies, definitely wheelies
All you do is press pedals and turn a wheel? You need to learn how to drive and not just be an operator.
It's very easy to spot those who can't drive...
Fixed that for you.
please tell me the other ways you have of controlling a car
I don't disagree but your over simplistic evaluation was my issue. Fundamentally a bike rider has only one extra means of control - wriggling about on the seat - hence my equally over simplistic reply.

I appreciate the greater level of interaction present whilst riding a bike but its not just a matter of pushing a few pedals and twiddling a wheel when driving a car either. If it was then more people would be able to do it well and F1 drivers would be 10 a penny.

That was my point.
You ride a bike with your whole body, it touches your senses in a way a car never can. It's not to say there isn't skill in pedalling a car fast and well, but a bike is just more involving. You feel the temperature changes in dips, you smell the fields, if it's misty it somehow becomes a part of you.

lostkiwi

4,584 posts

124 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
Hugo a Gogo said:
lostkiwi said:
I don't disagree but your over simplistic evaluation was my issue. Fundamentally a bike rider has only one extra means of control - wriggling about on the seat - hence my equally over simplistic reply.

I appreciate the greater level of interaction present whilst riding a bike but its not just a matter of pushing a few pedals and twiddling a wheel when driving a car either. If it was then more people would be able to do it well and F1 drivers would be 10 a penny.

That was my point.
so my whole point of how body weight shifting around on the bike for cornering, braking, accelerating, top speed, etc feels like natural movement and fundamentally makes you more connected to the bike and that's part of what makes riding a bike so special, and what makes it so very different to driving a car is just 'wriggling about' to you

and you sum that up by saying I'm 'just an operator' because I can only press the pedals and move the steering wheel, just like every F1 driver



Edited by Hugo a Gogo on Thursday 1st October 09:42
I seriously doubt you're as talented behind the wheel as an F1 driver......

phil1979

3,548 posts

215 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
Apart from custom chopper bikes, I can't stand the things. The transport of hooligans, if you will.

Then I saw this.



I am very envious of those rocketship riders now.

crofty1984

15,858 posts

204 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
lostkiwi said:
crofty1984 said:
Blib said:
What is it that surgeons call 'bikers? Oh yes, 'Donors'.
I don't think it is. I think it's a tired cliché made famous by Stephen Fry so now everyone who says it thinks they're the next Oscar fking Wilde.

Could be wrong though. I don't know every surgeon in the country, so maybe a couple have said it somewhere.
You might want to read the book on advanced driving by Reg Local (an ex police driving instructor).
He refers to bikers as organ donors in his book.
Not me. No donor card. Also, I know the NHS is strapped for cash, but are they really having to get in retired coppers for the job?

I know it's a tongue in cheek comment, but it's so boring and very, very overused. Yes, riding a motorcycle is dangerous, but so are a lot of things. I also don't like the fact it seems completely socially acceptable to to make jokes about people dying as if it's just a little thing that doesn't matter. What about other pursuits?

Do you know what the coastguard call holidaymakers that get swept out to sea? Floaters. Their own bloody fault, there are swimming pools you could use that are much safer. Their own fault, they only went in the sea for their own enjoyment, didn't consider doing the safe boring alternative.

I guess it's OK to joke about date rape too. I mean, she went out drinking, just for her own sts and giggles, wearing a skirt like that... Would have been safer to stay at home reading a book. Irresponsible woman, she had it coming.

Doesn't work quite as well at a dinner party. But someone enjoying themselves on a MOTORCYCLE? fk'im. Let's all have a giggle at that dead guy and his family.



trickywoo

11,789 posts

230 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
Some surprisingly narrow minded comments from supposed petrol heads.

One of the best things about bikes is the small amount of space they take up on the road. This gives a lot more scope for positioning than a car and adds a massive element to 'road craft'. Being in a car you can really only just scratch the surface of this element of driving.

If you ride with skill I think you are less likely to be in a crash than a car. Of course if you do crash its likely to be worse.

For all the people saying the danger puts them off think about all the things you do in life that involve danger and balance them against the benefit / enjoyment you get from them. If you got into bikes and developed skill I can pretty much guarantee the risk / return would be more than favourable

For my part if the weather was like it is now, and I could only have a car or a bike I'd have a bike. The reality in this country is that given one choice I'd have a car. Luckily you can get an amazing bike for £3k so I have both.


Hugo a Gogo

23,378 posts

233 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
lostkiwi said:
Hugo a Gogo said:
lostkiwi said:
I don't disagree but your over simplistic evaluation was my issue. Fundamentally a bike rider has only one extra means of control - wriggling about on the seat - hence my equally over simplistic reply.

I appreciate the greater level of interaction present whilst riding a bike but its not just a matter of pushing a few pedals and twiddling a wheel when driving a car either. If it was then more people would be able to do it well and F1 drivers would be 10 a penny.

That was my point.
so my whole point of how body weight shifting around on the bike for cornering, braking, accelerating, top speed, etc feels like natural movement and fundamentally makes you more connected to the bike and that's part of what makes riding a bike so special, and what makes it so very different to driving a car is just 'wriggling about' to you

and you sum that up by saying I'm 'just an operator' because I can only press the pedals and move the steering wheel, just like every F1 driver



Edited by Hugo a Gogo on Thursday 1st October 09:42
I seriously doubt you're as talented behind the wheel as an F1 driver......
equally, I can't play the trombone - I have never claimed either

so are you a driver and not an operator? what is your extra control method?

ZX10R NIN

27,604 posts

125 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
It's easy to ride a bike or drive a car to do it well is much harder to do on\in both, end of.




lostkiwi

4,584 posts

124 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
ZX10R NIN said:
It's easy to ride a bike or drive a car to do it well is much harder to do on\in both, end of.
^^^ Exactly ^^^.

Motorrad

6,811 posts

187 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
Cyder said:
sometimes it would be nice to sneak through a traffic jam or jump the queue at traffic lights.
You don't 'sneak' or 'jump the queue' on a motorcycle.

It's called filtering.

The mindset displayed by Cyder is similar to the sort of tools who get all angry because you filter past them while they're sat there using their phones and picking their noses.

To answer the question I often find myself envious of people on bikes when I'm stuck behind the wheel of a car.

trickywoo

11,789 posts

230 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
phil1979 said:
Apart from custom chopper bikes, I can't stand the things. The transport of hooligans, if you will.

Then I saw this.



I am very envious of those rocketship riders now.
Thats another interesting point. Bikes, even 10 year old ones (as long as they have been looked after) look great and have lots of lovely details. With a car pretty much all there is to look at is the bodywork and maybe some nice brake calipers. A well prepared bike is lovely to look at in detail and not just in silhouette like a car.