I think I have lost my bottle
Discussion
..........and I lay the blame on the s
t state of the roads.I'm not sure exactly when it started, only that I can't remember the last time I felt everything flowed when I was on the bike. Decent corners are few and far between where I am, and if there isn't a tin box in the bloody way, then a braking zone that smashes you and the bike into submission is hardly conducive to a settled corner entry. And when the corner arrives I'm never fully committed as more often than not it also is littered with bumps trying to fling you off the side of the road.
I'm sick of it, and people posting pictures of cracking mountain roads just rubs salt in the wounds.
Just today I was on a straight section of the A10 (a f
king main road for christ's sake) on a short circuit before the footy, and it had me wondering if I had a buckled wheel it was so bloody choppy. How the hell are they getting away with this?Moving house would undoubtedly help as East Anglia, and the Fens in particular, have what are without doubt the s
ttest roads in the UK.But how far?
Or do I start going on longer trips or foreign trips?
I did pretty much since I got a car. I enjoy riding but I’m nowhere near as good as I was when I was riding every day. I did a Trackday at oulton a few months ago and was 14 seconds a lap slower than my best. I know I could brake later and accelerate earlier in my head but actually doing it was a different story.
On the road I’m having a similar struggle where I find cornering much harder than I used to. I’ve pretty much accepted it now as I don’t have the time or the right bike to use more often and I’m not willing to put the money into doing loads of track days as they don’t really represent good value to me.
On the road I’m having a similar struggle where I find cornering much harder than I used to. I’ve pretty much accepted it now as I don’t have the time or the right bike to use more often and I’m not willing to put the money into doing loads of track days as they don’t really represent good value to me.
Donbot said:
Ride around Manchester for a bit. It will make East Anglia feel like a biker paradise.
I drive all over the country for work. I'm in no doubt The Fens categorically are the worst roads in the UK. There are scrapes all over the place where cars have bottomed out and gouged the surface.
cmaguire said:
Donbot said:
Ride around Manchester for a bit. It will make East Anglia feel like a biker paradise.
I drive all over the country for work. I'm in no doubt The Fens categorically are the worst roads in the UK. There are scrapes all over the place where cars have bottomed out and gouged the surface.I'm not saying you are wrong (it's all opinion after all), but I find East Anglia a nice place for riding.
jamiehamy said:
The state of the roads was one contributing factor to getting an adventure bike rather than sports tourer! Sometimes it's just like trail riding on the public highway!
Same here, it was a contributing factor in getting the AT, I can ride more relaxed knowing it'll soak up most of the bumps.
Folks,
Good thread subject.
My 2p. As an older biker, with sportsbikes, I can surely agree with the OP. I have two thoughts. One is that we can learn our area and find the best stretches of road, from a route, surface, congestion and speedtrap point of view. Familiarity does help.
Second is that a bike always has an overtaking advantage. In our neighbourhood it is rare to get an overtaking opportunity in the car, but the R1 can always slip through in a jiffy. I still love it.
P.
Good thread subject.
My 2p. As an older biker, with sportsbikes, I can surely agree with the OP. I have two thoughts. One is that we can learn our area and find the best stretches of road, from a route, surface, congestion and speedtrap point of view. Familiarity does help.
Second is that a bike always has an overtaking advantage. In our neighbourhood it is rare to get an overtaking opportunity in the car, but the R1 can always slip through in a jiffy. I still love it.
P.
Philos said:
Folks,
Good thread subject.
My 2p. As an older biker, with sportsbikes, I can surely agree with the OP. I have two thoughts. One is that we can learn our area and find the best stretches of road, from a route, surface, congestion and speedtrap point of view. Familiarity does help.
Second is that a bike always has an overtaking advantage. In our neighbourhood it is rare to get an overtaking opportunity in the car, but the R1 can always slip through in a jiffy. I still love it.
P.
How old are you? And where do you hail from partner.Good thread subject.
My 2p. As an older biker, with sportsbikes, I can surely agree with the OP. I have two thoughts. One is that we can learn our area and find the best stretches of road, from a route, surface, congestion and speedtrap point of view. Familiarity does help.
Second is that a bike always has an overtaking advantage. In our neighbourhood it is rare to get an overtaking opportunity in the car, but the R1 can always slip through in a jiffy. I still love it.
P.
Riding in the UK is a bit crap now. There's a few good spots in Wales but that's it. Spain, the Alps and parts of Germany are a different kettle of fish though.
I do two or three trips a year over there now to get my real biking fix. Riding in the UK is just an efficient means of transport.
On the bottle front, I'm getting better at recognising my moods. Sometimes I feel like a riding god, I'm in the zone and the force is with me. Other times I feel aware of my own venerability and back off. I don't fight it any more just go with the flow of my mood. I love either mood, riding like a nutter or cruising and enjoying the view. I'll be up front of the group leading the way or at the back and they'll wait at the next junction.
Pushing hard when the force isn't with you is just unpleasant, glorious when in the zone though.
I do two or three trips a year over there now to get my real biking fix. Riding in the UK is just an efficient means of transport.
On the bottle front, I'm getting better at recognising my moods. Sometimes I feel like a riding god, I'm in the zone and the force is with me. Other times I feel aware of my own venerability and back off. I don't fight it any more just go with the flow of my mood. I love either mood, riding like a nutter or cruising and enjoying the view. I'll be up front of the group leading the way or at the back and they'll wait at the next junction.
Pushing hard when the force isn't with you is just unpleasant, glorious when in the zone though.
Harry H said:
Riding in the UK is a bit crap now. There's a few good spots in Wales but that's it.
Really??I disagree, I am surrounded by fantastic roads in every direction, there's Cumbria, Northumbria, Yorkshire, Richmondshire and Lancashire, all of which have some stunning and lightly trafficked roads
Jazoli said:
Really??
I disagree, I am surrounded by fantastic roads in every direction, there's Cumbria, Northumbria, Yorkshire, Richmondshire and Lancashire, all of which have some stunning and lightly trafficked roads
All you flat cap wearing, whippet owning, gravy on your chips Northerners posting your ride out pictures just cheeses me off.I disagree, I am surrounded by fantastic roads in every direction, there's Cumbria, Northumbria, Yorkshire, Richmondshire and Lancashire, all of which have some stunning and lightly trafficked roads
Everytime I am in Wales or north of the Watford Gap I get envious as the scenery and the roads improve.
I agree that many of the roads in the UK can be challenging, for all the wrong reasons. Too much traffic, poorly maintained, inappropriate speed limits etc. That said, there are still lots of good roads and a significant number of very good roads. It’s just a matter of planning the when and where to get the most from them.
With regards to losing your bottle, I would expect that two key elements are in play here:
1) You’re trying to hard – to go fast, to have fun, to enjoy the ride …
2) You’re not looking far enough ahead.
My suggestion would be that you go out for rides with a slightly different set of priorities. Try to ride as smoothly as possible. Try to ride such that you deal with every hazard (bend, junction, overtake etc.) correctly by being in the right position, in the right gear at the right time. Mark yourself on how smoothly you’re riding and how well you’re dealing with hazards, and do better next time.
Do this for a while and see how much better you feel about riding your bike.
With regards to losing your bottle, I would expect that two key elements are in play here:
1) You’re trying to hard – to go fast, to have fun, to enjoy the ride …
2) You’re not looking far enough ahead.
My suggestion would be that you go out for rides with a slightly different set of priorities. Try to ride as smoothly as possible. Try to ride such that you deal with every hazard (bend, junction, overtake etc.) correctly by being in the right position, in the right gear at the right time. Mark yourself on how smoothly you’re riding and how well you’re dealing with hazards, and do better next time.
Do this for a while and see how much better you feel about riding your bike.
Most of Wales is fantastic on a Sunday. Saturday's the roads are still great obviously, but too many cars doing 20-30 around 50-60mph bends ....
Wierd as I picked up my bike from Norwich with my mate and we were saying how good the roads were coming from the west midlands. I always head to Wales as I'm there in under an hour but I should try the east/north Midlands.
Wierd as I picked up my bike from Norwich with my mate and we were saying how good the roads were coming from the west midlands. I always head to Wales as I'm there in under an hour but I should try the east/north Midlands.
This thread sums up my recent change from GSX-R to Z1000SX. The roads were full of pot holes and gravel, and having a bike threatening to chuck me off every time I went near any, pushed me towards something with ABS and traction control.
I miss the thrill of the GSX-R, and also being able to push my bike about, but the improved position and electronics more than makes up for it.
Roads are total crap, and I can't see with brexit happening that they are going to start spending money on the roads any time soon
I miss the thrill of the GSX-R, and also being able to push my bike about, but the improved position and electronics more than makes up for it.
Roads are total crap, and I can't see with brexit happening that they are going to start spending money on the roads any time soon
black-k1 said:
I agree that many of the roads in the UK can be challenging, for all the wrong reasons. Too much traffic, poorly maintained, inappropriate speed limits etc. That said, there are still lots of good roads and a significant number of very good roads. It’s just a matter of planning the when and where to get the most from them.
With regards to losing your bottle, I would expect that two key elements are in play here:
1) You’re trying to hard – to go fast, to have fun, to enjoy the ride …
2) You’re not looking far enough ahead.
My suggestion would be that you go out for rides with a slightly different set of priorities. Try to ride as smoothly as possible. Try to ride such that you deal with every hazard (bend, junction, overtake etc.) correctly by being in the right position, in the right gear at the right time. Mark yourself on how smoothly you’re riding and how well you’re dealing with hazards, and do better next time.
Do this for a while and see how much better you feel about riding your bike.
I think you probably need to ride the Fens to appreciate how truly awful, and ultimately dangerous, the condition of the roads is.With regards to losing your bottle, I would expect that two key elements are in play here:
1) You’re trying to hard – to go fast, to have fun, to enjoy the ride …
2) You’re not looking far enough ahead.
My suggestion would be that you go out for rides with a slightly different set of priorities. Try to ride as smoothly as possible. Try to ride such that you deal with every hazard (bend, junction, overtake etc.) correctly by being in the right position, in the right gear at the right time. Mark yourself on how smoothly you’re riding and how well you’re dealing with hazards, and do better next time.
Do this for a while and see how much better you feel about riding your bike.
Bermuda Triangle springs to mind.
Two rear springs on the van last week.
Not sure what you are riding but a few people have alluded to the solution, the right bike for the job, I did c50,000 road miles on sportsbikes before a commute switched me onto a Monster and then from there I never looked back as all my road riding became fun, you can still ride fast, still get 'the rush' still despatch cars at will, I have not once since making that change missed riding a sportsbike on the road, but do still retain a trackbike.
I'm now menacing traffic on the baby Multistrada 950 and it soaks up anything and everything that gets thrown at it one or two up, I'm not saying you need anything as adventurey as that but I think you'd find a 'non sportsbike' a revelation ... especially with so many more sit up, unfaired sportsbikes out there by the likes of BMW, Aprilia etc ....
Failing that MTFU ..... just kidding .....
I'm now menacing traffic on the baby Multistrada 950 and it soaks up anything and everything that gets thrown at it one or two up, I'm not saying you need anything as adventurey as that but I think you'd find a 'non sportsbike' a revelation ... especially with so many more sit up, unfaired sportsbikes out there by the likes of BMW, Aprilia etc ....
Failing that MTFU ..... just kidding .....
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