Is anyone on here an average (or worse) rider?
Discussion
Rawwr said:
I imagine I'm pretty average. I ride for my own enjoyment and rarely ride with others, so I avoid that quasi-competitive chase instinct. I can get my knee down but it's a very rare occurence because on the road there appears to be very little need for it, if ever.
I constantly find myself in awe of some of the videos posted by the fast guys on here and I know I could never dream of being as quick or as smooth as them on track; McApe, Fleegle, BikersNemesis and that lot are most definitely at a level I'll never achieve but I'm not sure I have the desire to either.
Riding for your own enjoyment is the key to happiness on two wheels
Oh stop it. No, keep going.I constantly find myself in awe of some of the videos posted by the fast guys on here and I know I could never dream of being as quick or as smooth as them on track; McApe, Fleegle, BikersNemesis and that lot are most definitely at a level I'll never achieve but I'm not sure I have the desire to either.
Riding for your own enjoyment is the key to happiness on two wheels
It's just practise/experience. I still think you're a better rider than me, it's just I've done more Trackdays than you.
snorky782 said:
I can now summarise my findings from the replies on the thread.
Everyone is very coy when asked explicitly about their riding skill. That finding contradicts some of the posts over the weekend on other threads.
I wasn't the slightest bit coyEveryone is very coy when asked explicitly about their riding skill. That finding contradicts some of the posts over the weekend on other threads.
Fleegle said:
I'm f
king brilliant
king brilliant
I've been riding for decades and definitely slower than I was and I know I take less risks these days, this is an age thing.
I've found that the opportunities to ride quickly seem to be fewer and fewer, particularly in this country where the traffic volumes, state of the roads etc. don't encourage getting a wiggle on.
On Track days, I'm in the intermediate group and most definitely in the middle of that, which has not changed in the last 20 + years so I guess that puts me solidly in the average category.
However I'm comfortable riding as I do and enjoy it, which is why we all do it surely.
PS. The 4 guys who undertook me (I'm in my car) weaving in and out of the traffic at 6.30pm last Sunday on the A3 just after the Hook underpass, probably doing 70+, poor advertisement for motorcycling, complete
I've found that the opportunities to ride quickly seem to be fewer and fewer, particularly in this country where the traffic volumes, state of the roads etc. don't encourage getting a wiggle on.
On Track days, I'm in the intermediate group and most definitely in the middle of that, which has not changed in the last 20 + years so I guess that puts me solidly in the average category.
However I'm comfortable riding as I do and enjoy it, which is why we all do it surely.
PS. The 4 guys who undertook me (I'm in my car) weaving in and out of the traffic at 6.30pm last Sunday on the A3 just after the Hook underpass, probably doing 70+, poor advertisement for motorcycling, complete
Fleegle said:
Ballon said:
PS. The 4 guys who undertook me (I'm in my car) weaving in and out of the traffic at 6.30pm last Sunday on the A3 just after the Hook underpass, probably doing 70+, poor advertisement for motorcycling, complete
Were you sat in the middle lane?When you've been on here many years and ridden with lots of people on here, you form your own opinions based on your own criteria for 'average', 'good' and 'bad'.
I've ridden with fast and safe, fast and dangerous, slow and safe, slow and dangerous, fast on track - but slow on road, slow on road - but fast on track, quick on road- but slow off road, quick off road - but slow on road, straight line merchants that can't corner and people who corner well, but can't seem to open their throttle when the road clears, people who ride well, but can't overtake, people who overtake like a demon but can't ride quickly, etc etc.
Personally, I'll happily say that I'm a very fast road rider, but touch wood have only had 3 road crashes in the last 18 years since getting on big bikes. I'm less accomplished on track, as I don't really track ride and it's always on my road bike that I've ridden there and have to ride home on. Fastest in inters generally, or average in fast, being buzzed by quick guys on track bikes. Off road, I'm average, having come to it properly just too late and being too unfit. I can hold my own, but am under no illusions of being 'quick'.
As for other people's perceptions - I've been called dangerous by furious MAG members a few years ago who didn't appreciate my riding style. Then there are people on here that will happily ride with me in close proximity well into 3 figures on mountain roads in Europe. What that makes me is other peoples' views and TBH at this stage in my life, as long as I'm happy with what I do and I'm not upsetting people that I respect, I don't give a fk what others think.
I've ridden with fast and safe, fast and dangerous, slow and safe, slow and dangerous, fast on track - but slow on road, slow on road - but fast on track, quick on road- but slow off road, quick off road - but slow on road, straight line merchants that can't corner and people who corner well, but can't seem to open their throttle when the road clears, people who ride well, but can't overtake, people who overtake like a demon but can't ride quickly, etc etc.
Personally, I'll happily say that I'm a very fast road rider, but touch wood have only had 3 road crashes in the last 18 years since getting on big bikes. I'm less accomplished on track, as I don't really track ride and it's always on my road bike that I've ridden there and have to ride home on. Fastest in inters generally, or average in fast, being buzzed by quick guys on track bikes. Off road, I'm average, having come to it properly just too late and being too unfit. I can hold my own, but am under no illusions of being 'quick'.
As for other people's perceptions - I've been called dangerous by furious MAG members a few years ago who didn't appreciate my riding style. Then there are people on here that will happily ride with me in close proximity well into 3 figures on mountain roads in Europe. What that makes me is other peoples' views and TBH at this stage in my life, as long as I'm happy with what I do and I'm not upsetting people that I respect, I don't give a f
k what others think.3DP said:
When you've been on here many years and ridden with lots of people on here, you form your own opinions based on your own criteria for 'average', 'good' and 'bad'.
I've ridden with fast and safe, fast and dangerous, slow and safe, slow and dangerous, fast on track - but slow on road, slow on road - but fast on track, quick on road- but slow off road, quick off road - but slow on road, straight line merchants that can't corner and people who corner well, but can't seem to open their throttle when the road clears, people who ride well, but can't overtake, people who overtake like a demon but can't ride quickly, etc etc.
Personally, I'll happily say that I'm a very fast road rider, but touch wood have only had 3 road crashes in the last 18 years since getting on big bikes. I'm less accomplished on track, as I don't really track ride and it's always on my road bike that I've ridden there and have to ride home on. Fastest in inters generally, or average in fast, being buzzed by quick guys on track bikes. Off road, I'm average, having come to it properly just too late and being too unfit. I can hold my own, but am under no illusions of being 'quick'.
As for other people's perceptions - I've been called dangerous by furious MAG members a few years ago who didn't appreciate my riding style. Then there are people on here that will happily ride with me in close proximity well into 3 figures on mountain roads in Europe. What that makes me is other peoples' views and TBH at this stage in my life, as long as I'm happy with what I do and I'm not upsetting people that I respect, I don't give a fk what others think.
"Crazy bI've ridden with fast and safe, fast and dangerous, slow and safe, slow and dangerous, fast on track - but slow on road, slow on road - but fast on track, quick on road- but slow off road, quick off road - but slow on road, straight line merchants that can't corner and people who corner well, but can't seem to open their throttle when the road clears, people who ride well, but can't overtake, people who overtake like a demon but can't ride quickly, etc etc.
Personally, I'll happily say that I'm a very fast road rider, but touch wood have only had 3 road crashes in the last 18 years since getting on big bikes. I'm less accomplished on track, as I don't really track ride and it's always on my road bike that I've ridden there and have to ride home on. Fastest in inters generally, or average in fast, being buzzed by quick guys on track bikes. Off road, I'm average, having come to it properly just too late and being too unfit. I can hold my own, but am under no illusions of being 'quick'.
As for other people's perceptions - I've been called dangerous by furious MAG members a few years ago who didn't appreciate my riding style. Then there are people on here that will happily ride with me in close proximity well into 3 figures on mountain roads in Europe. What that makes me is other peoples' views and TBH at this stage in my life, as long as I'm happy with what I do and I'm not upsetting people that I respect, I don't give a f
k what others think.d" but I don't mind you inches away at 100+ on your back wheel 
Been there, done that, bought the old Harley so now I've stopped caring as long as I get there in the end.
It's true what others say above age. It's not just re-action times which slow down, and vision which narrows (try cutting edge stuff looking through filmly glasses, a scratched visor and bug splattered screen ... which is a pain), but the urge to have to prove oneself that mellows.
My greatest revellation recently were the joys, not of hitting the double ton or getting my knees down, but of fairing lowers and coming off a bike in winter with feet warmer than when I got on.
I should have done that a lot sooner.
My greatest amusement was having "my younger self" on a crotch rocket coming up behind me in traffic and going crazy, revving their engine and hitting their horn, because I was filling up so much of the lane they could not get passed me. (The bikes about as wide as it is high). I was just happy to just sit there and enjoy the vitro-massage experience and felt no need to play WWII pilots with taxis. You're going to catch them by the next lights anyway.
It's hard not to want to make an analogous relationship between one's libido and one's riding tendencies as I am sure Dr Freud would have argued that, surely, one exists.
But, having said all that, it's not the rider that's so worse these days, it's the roads and I feel sorry for younger kids and riders coming ... for them not to be able to enjoy the experiences of the open and un-CCTV-ed roads.
Traffic's much worse many thanks to all the 3rd world drivers who appear to bring with them 3rd world values (the bigger the vehicle, the more important you are and priority you have). I could flag up some worst cases but the PC bridge would start accusing me of being racist.
It's true what others say above age. It's not just re-action times which slow down, and vision which narrows (try cutting edge stuff looking through filmly glasses, a scratched visor and bug splattered screen ... which is a pain), but the urge to have to prove oneself that mellows.
My greatest revellation recently were the joys, not of hitting the double ton or getting my knees down, but of fairing lowers and coming off a bike in winter with feet warmer than when I got on.
I should have done that a lot sooner.
My greatest amusement was having "my younger self" on a crotch rocket coming up behind me in traffic and going crazy, revving their engine and hitting their horn, because I was filling up so much of the lane they could not get passed me. (The bikes about as wide as it is high). I was just happy to just sit there and enjoy the vitro-massage experience and felt no need to play WWII pilots with taxis. You're going to catch them by the next lights anyway.
It's hard not to want to make an analogous relationship between one's libido and one's riding tendencies as I am sure Dr Freud would have argued that, surely, one exists.
But, having said all that, it's not the rider that's so worse these days, it's the roads and I feel sorry for younger kids and riders coming ... for them not to be able to enjoy the experiences of the open and un-CCTV-ed roads.
Traffic's much worse many thanks to all the 3rd world drivers who appear to bring with them 3rd world values (the bigger the vehicle, the more important you are and priority you have). I could flag up some worst cases but the PC bridge would start accusing me of being racist.
Edited by Gone on Wednesday 1st June 18:26
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