RE: PH Blog: Harris learns biking, part one
Discussion
I did my test 4 years ago (with BMW 
). One of the best things I've ever done. The whole bike scene is just great fun. I've toured the Alps, Spain and Borneo on a bike. I've met loads of new people and now have a fleet of 3 bikes tucked up in the garage. Track days on a bike are great fun and fairly cheap. Turing up at a bike garage, chatting to other bikers whilst enjoying a bacon sandwich and cuppa then taking a brand new bike out for a couple of hours is also a great way to spend a saturday morning 
On the whole car thing I think treat them as the enemy is the wrong way to describe it. I just treat them like they can't\haven't seen me and try to be prepared for the unexpected.
). One of the best things I've ever done. The whole bike scene is just great fun. I've toured the Alps, Spain and Borneo on a bike. I've met loads of new people and now have a fleet of 3 bikes tucked up in the garage. Track days on a bike are great fun and fairly cheap. Turing up at a bike garage, chatting to other bikers whilst enjoying a bacon sandwich and cuppa then taking a brand new bike out for a couple of hours is also a great way to spend a saturday morning On the whole car thing I think treat them as the enemy is the wrong way to describe it. I just treat them like they can't\haven't seen me and try to be prepared for the unexpected.
Shocker - turns into a 'them and us' thread on both sides.
Nice work Chris for giving it a go. You seem to be able to do some quite special things in cars - it'll be a steep and sometimes painful learning curve if you intend to be able to do some high end riding on bikes eventually.
As you like the Bowlers and rallying - I thoroughly recommend getting out on an enduro bike off road. It'll teach you some fantastic skills and bring on bike control massively (and I don't mean some BMW off road school on fat tourers on knobblies - I mean proper enduro riding).
Nice work Chris for giving it a go. You seem to be able to do some quite special things in cars - it'll be a steep and sometimes painful learning curve if you intend to be able to do some high end riding on bikes eventually.
As you like the Bowlers and rallying - I thoroughly recommend getting out on an enduro bike off road. It'll teach you some fantastic skills and bring on bike control massively (and I don't mean some BMW off road school on fat tourers on knobblies - I mean proper enduro riding).
Chris Harris said:
K2MDL said:
Hopefully Mr Harris's attitude will change towards bikers then. I clearly remember him slagging them off when he used to write for Autocar and thought they shouldn't be on the road. Thought he had been reading Clarkson too much. Ironic that he's decided to learn the craft... 
Utter, patronising nonsense. I once wrote that the incidences of what I'll simply call 'aggressive' riding were increasing where I live. That was maybe 8 years ago, and I haven't been drawn on the subject since. I have never said bikers should not be on the road. I have made exactly the same observations about car drivers many more times in the past.As a biker of many years and many, many miles, please shut up.
Chris it's great that you're doing your test. Enjoy it. It IS possible to love both bikes and cars, but being able to ride a bike opens up a whole new world of acceleration and freedom. I'm really keen to hear your thoughts in a year or so, reflecting on how you felt before and after learning to ride.
There are selfish drivers and selfless drivers. That's all it boils down to. Doesn't matter is you're on a Penny Farthing or in a Chelsea Tractor.
As a car driver, I'll always make way for a biker, especially when they're looking to get a shift on. In fact it always makes me smile when I see them coming up in the mirror, imagining what the road looks like through their eyes, giving them a little space to encourage the overtake, a raised finger of acknowledgement from the biker as they open up and vanish. Good stuff. We all get along.
Car drivers who get aggressive in these situations have probably been taken by surprise and are a little annoyed that they didn't manage to see the bike coming or predict the biker's intentions properly, either way and bell-ends aside, I think it's more often than not an 'ego issue'.
As a car driver, I'll always make way for a biker, especially when they're looking to get a shift on. In fact it always makes me smile when I see them coming up in the mirror, imagining what the road looks like through their eyes, giving them a little space to encourage the overtake, a raised finger of acknowledgement from the biker as they open up and vanish. Good stuff. We all get along.
Car drivers who get aggressive in these situations have probably been taken by surprise and are a little annoyed that they didn't manage to see the bike coming or predict the biker's intentions properly, either way and bell-ends aside, I think it's more often than not an 'ego issue'.
Chris Harris said:
The article was 1142 words long, according to Bill Gates.
The acronym BMW was used 4 times, once to describe the vehicle I was riding. Not in the title, or the standfirst. Is that excessive?
At what point was it suggested that BMW are the only people to offer these courses?
Don't rise to it - it was a well-written document without too much reference to BMW. The acronym BMW was used 4 times, once to describe the vehicle I was riding. Not in the title, or the standfirst. Is that excessive?
At what point was it suggested that BMW are the only people to offer these courses?
I haven't ridden a bike for years (cars being my first love) but there's a lot of fun to be had hooning around on a superbike and it's cheap (well compared to decent cars anyway). Certainly makes you more aware of riders and gives more empathy for them too! I found it harder to ride slowly than to drive slowly though, hence why after an accident, I decided to give it up! Still occasionally think about doing the odd bike track day though!
Prof Prolapse said:
GTIR said:
Oh, is this the Chris Harris appreciation thread?
I'd do the same for anyone doing the DAS and writing it up as well.I still think he should be run out of town for his previous MX5 comments.
The usual ph thread - every story used ends up being about BMW and how hateful a company they are by the bmw haters, get over it – its funny but also getting a tad ridiculous.
Here, Chris Harris is wrongly accused of being a mouth piece for bmw – this is beyond ridiculous
And the story on BMW investing in the mini - people on saying £200M is nothing, big deal etc – well I hope BMW pulls out of all UK factories it owns or works with – then see that these a-holes have to say
And to a lesser extent the people saying how ugly the new M135 125i are. Doesn’t matter that these are great cars and very competitive priced, esp. the M135i and it's a comparative bargain for what you get. Yet people with Renault Meganes and the like are calling it fugly, pig ugly, ugly etc. Hmm, I wouldn’t call a Renault Megane a beautiful car but I won’t call it a pig ugly heap as only complete idiots would make statements like that on purely subjective matters. I think the M135i looks good, it’s not beautiful like an Alfa 8C but it looks well in M Sport guise in my opinion
As I say, BMW can’t win and are an evil company to some people but I am just glad they make the best cars and motorcycles in the world, fact
Here, Chris Harris is wrongly accused of being a mouth piece for bmw – this is beyond ridiculous
And the story on BMW investing in the mini - people on saying £200M is nothing, big deal etc – well I hope BMW pulls out of all UK factories it owns or works with – then see that these a-holes have to say
And to a lesser extent the people saying how ugly the new M135 125i are. Doesn’t matter that these are great cars and very competitive priced, esp. the M135i and it's a comparative bargain for what you get. Yet people with Renault Meganes and the like are calling it fugly, pig ugly, ugly etc. Hmm, I wouldn’t call a Renault Megane a beautiful car but I won’t call it a pig ugly heap as only complete idiots would make statements like that on purely subjective matters. I think the M135i looks good, it’s not beautiful like an Alfa 8C but it looks well in M Sport guise in my opinion
As I say, BMW can’t win and are an evil company to some people but I am just glad they make the best cars and motorcycles in the world, fact
Edited by D200 on Tuesday 10th July 13:49
M666 EVO said:
But the more these clowns abuse their right on the road, the less likely i am to show compassion and will adopt the "I am bigger than you, if you come off, it will hurt you more" as opposed to the swerving and trying to avoid accidents waiting to happen...
So by that logic, if ever I see a Ford Puma driven badly I should therefore attempt to cause an accident with every Ford Puma I see?Each motorcyclist you see is a person, a different individual with a different family and motivations and skills... Just like every car driver.
(Maybe I should edit this to say Lancia Delta or Jaguar XJ instead of Ford Puma!
)Edited by MarJay on Tuesday 10th July 14:00
priley said:
I can relate having just done all of this recently. I'd never sat on a bike until my CBT on the 19th May, four lessons later I passed everything first time and had my 1200GS delivered the afternoon I passed 29/6.
My plan exactly, although I may opt for the 600GS to start with.priley said:
I can relate having just done all of this recently. I'd never sat on a bike until my CBT on the 19th May, four lessons later I passed everything first time and had my 1200GS delivered the afternoon I passed 29/6.
I've a hell of a lot to learn and currently each journey lies somewhere between exhilarating and terrifying.
My car driving has changed markedly for the better.
Hmm... I've been riding for years and wouldn't want a 1200GS, I can't imagine having one as a first bike.I've a hell of a lot to learn and currently each journey lies somewhere between exhilarating and terrifying.
My car driving has changed markedly for the better.
I couldn't live down all of the 'Charley Boorman' jibes from my mates!
Nice one Chris. You'll thoroughly enjoy it and wish you all the best with the DA course.
I passed my test 20 years when I was 18 and bought a 600cc Suzuki as my first bike. Despite being young and stoopid, I soon came to realise just how much more visceral the experience of riding a bike is when compared to a car. That realisation still rings true today.
I don't need to tell you to ignore the numpties on both sides who take the "them and us" approach.
I passed my test 20 years when I was 18 and bought a 600cc Suzuki as my first bike. Despite being young and stoopid, I soon came to realise just how much more visceral the experience of riding a bike is when compared to a car. That realisation still rings true today.
I don't need to tell you to ignore the numpties on both sides who take the "them and us" approach.
Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff