If you really must exercise your mid-life crisis on the queen's highway, either learn to ride the fcuking thing properly, or learn some manners and get the fcuk out of the way of people trying to pass youimages/smilies/mad.gif

How do you spot a mid-life crisis? Easy, he is the one who moves to the centre of the road on corners, brakes sharply and doesn't lean because he is scared he will fall offimages/smilies/mad.gif He thinks the mirrors are for checking that he looks cool when he arrives at the pub with the busy beer garden at the front:D


[Edited by CrisPDuk - 11/4/2002 6:34:22 PM]

[Edited by CrisPDuk - 11/4/2002 6:51:39 PM]

Just for info...it's : mad : (but without the spaces for images/smilies/mad.gif ;) :D)

[Edited by Mice_Elf - 11/4/2002 6:46:11 PM]

Yeah, when Im cueing in the car coming up to a roundabout etc, and a 'motorcyclist' is contra-flowing, I always move over. Do they care or even acknowledge this, nope, saddo's prob think I'm moving cos I'm scared of their Hardly-Davidson, bad mother looks, either that or raising thier hands from covering the clutch/brake would cause them to wobble into me Scoob causing untold damage (to them that is) ;)

[Edited by SAMH - 11/4/2002 7:33:33 PM]

I was going to start a thread on what a friend of mine called "Fashion Bikers", but he comments apply here I think. I'm going to lift a section of his email (Please excuse the lenght of the quote)
Setting the scene:
Friend of mine has an R6, first bike after passing his test. He can't ride it to save his life....Overtook the R6 by accident. I came up behind it both doing around 70, entering a left hand bend. The corner was good for at least 100 so I was a little suprised to have matey brake in front of me. Had to go round the outside of this R6 or would have hit him. On the way home he tried to keep up with me. It was dark and I was taking it easy, not easy enough. The guy on the R6 went into a corner, coundn't make it and went through the hedge!

Conclusion:
A bit of counter steering and he would have made it easy but he's one of the new generation of bikers who gets a bike because everyone else has. He has no concept of shifting body weight or counter steering because he has no real interest in bikes.

I think this sums it all up really well.

Iain

Edit for spuling and to add that my mate was on his ZRX - so not exactly a brain out sports bike! (He was always the more sensible one....I was the loon :eek: :rolleyes:)


[Edited by V5 - 11/5/2002 10:17:13 AM]

Oh here we go........... :)

I had a Scooby....means I must be a MaxPower boy
Now a BMW..... so I must drive like a tit
Also a TVR ..... so I'm a posh tosser in a kit car....
An R6 just gone.... middle aged born again...(special comin in summer)
MX'er...... noisy non green hairdryer yob........

:)

Great generalisations...... but in truth its down to the person. I just ignore comments like BMW drivers....... cos its the person.

:)

J

Edted cos me spelling went as well :)

[Edited by ScoobySnack - 11/6/2002 1:29:32 PM]

LOL, shoot em all I say, damn new born bikers ;)

Or is than born again? Heh :)

:D @ SAMH The next one that cuts across me on the Cat & Fiddle when I'm trying to pass him won't be Born Again, he'll be in need of fcuking Resurrection:D

Its just amazing what they think a set of leathers will protects them from :/

and btw this is coming from a biker :)

images/smilies/mad.gif is what they are right enough ;)

Damn, surely this is gonna miss the target audience now, all middle aged bikers (read:motorcyclists) drive cars mainly and would never be seen dead in a 'biker' forum hehe.

IMHO........

Cheers Mice:D

Sam, the other thing that really annoys me about the to55ers, they NEVER acknowledge you when you move over to let them through in traffic, real i,e: brain-free:) bikers always let on with a wave, a little courtesy goes a long way IMO

:D at Sam, It will probably miss the target audience on this forum anyway, most of them drive BMW's, Merc's or people carriers:D

Sam, the other thing that really annoys me about the to55ers, they NEVER acknowledge you when you move over to let them through in traffic, real i,e: brain-free

How many times have I heard this before...YAWN
If I am filtering through traffic and the car to my left pulls over I will always wave, if the car on the right pulls over I do nothing, not because I am ignorant but because my right hand is covering my brake lever and it's not worth the risk because in a fraction of a second one of you cagers may decide to change lanes.

Emmm, I'm only 50 percent cager m8, and I acknowlege any deeds done by car driving types by either raising my left hand or right finger (middle one that is) ;)

What do u class middle aged.

im 36 drove RS & cossies all my days, had diff bikes for 10 yrs

get out of the way yeah right u youg whippers would never get close never mind pass :)

Well I'm 44 and been riding since I was 16. I do about 30K miles a year and I've NEVER been passed by anybody (unless I'm feeling generous). With age comes experience. I would say I'm a much better and faster rider now than I ever was. So being middle aged doesn't always mean slow.

Scunnered,

I think the point was the "born again" 30-40 somethings which get back on a Bike after several decades of layoff who often also now have the spending power to buy the best sports bike and all the matching kit and wobble off down the road, on a fastrack to killing themselves. If you've been riding since you were 16 then you're clearly not in this category which I'm sure would be evident if someone saw you riding.

I also think the problem is down to peolpe who have never riden at all, who are in the same age/earning bracket as the peeps above who do their Direct Access and then jump on a GSXR1000 and promptly go and kill themselves. I think that people who have learnt to drive (fairly) fast cars quite quickly don't realise how much more difficult it is to do the same on a bike in safety and find out the hard way :(

On the filtering front, I always pull over for filtering bikes and hardly ever get a wave of thanks and when I'm riding my bike and filtering, I always wave.....

Matt :)

Ok - you got me - 34 yrs old (not really middle aded though), did Direct Access this summer - can afford whatever bike I want - but bought SV650S to learn on.

Pull out into the middle of corners ? Well only when my advanced training instructor has told me to do so to increase my vision.

Brake sharply - not guilty - try and use engine braking as much as poss, with as much anticipation as possible.

Dont lean over as too scared ? - yeah some truth to this, but then I am learning and getting braver all the time - so where can I learn to do this if not on the roads ?

Fat - I am a bit.

You're gonna have to get used to more bikers in the south - with congestion charging so many people are taking the test now so they can commute without paying the charge.

Scunnered, I mean no offence to the likes of you, when you know what you are looking for it is quite easy to spot the difference.

1: A born again biker's rear tyre has a wide, flat central band with two curved edges, as opposed to a biker's tyre which generally has canvas on the outer edges and plenty of tread remaining in the middle:D
2: On the C & F, I could no more catch and pass a hardened nutter on anything bigger than say a 400, than I could pi55 into a headwind and not get wet:)

When I say a 400, I do mean a 4 stroke, 2 stroke riders are an altogether more insane kettle of fish:D

cripsduk

neither could i m8, i will keep up with most but when they really go for it(hardened nutters) best of luck to them, it's to bl@@dy sore when u come off :)

General opinion seems nobody is allowed to learn to bike now - you're only allowed to ride if you got yr licence years ago.

Or is it ok as I am trying to learn on a semi-sports bike ?

The point of my post was to illustrate what I thought was a good description of a lot of motorcyclists, NOT to say that if ya didn't get yer licence in nineteen-squideldy-squix yer not allowed on a bike! These people seem to think that all you need to do is buy a flash sportsbike with matching leathers and go off for a blast. It isn't that easy.

It seems to me that it's an attitude - don't run before walking! Bikes aren't dangerous per se (tis the other n0bbers on the road :D), but an inexperienced rider on a fast bike..... Just because you can drive a fast car doesn't mean you can do the same on a bike. Like with most things, take your time: get training, build up the speed slowly (over time I mean, not acceleration!) and you'll have more fun than is possible in a car!! :D:D

V5 - then I completely agree with you. It's just too easy to walk in with 5 grand and get a balls-out race replica. Training is a must and dont get on something too intimidating or you'll never appreciate it. It's like learning to drive on a 300 bhp Scooby - you'd be dangerous and never appreciate how good it is.

CrisPDuk (does that really say crispy duck?) I would like to make a comment on filtering. When I'm filtering between cars I very seldom acknowledge the drivers that pulls over. There are a couple of reasons for this.
1. If it's at a very slow speed I would need both hands to maintain adequate control of the bike. For example, when they let me get past, I'd probably be accelerating and changing gear. If I'm able to get past at a constant speed though, I will acknowledge the gesture with a wave of my left hand.
2. The other reason is possibly being distracted by cars manouvering in front of me.
I find it amusing really when I have about six feet of room between cars and some kind and considerate driver pulls over a bit for me.

he is the one who moves to the centre of the road on corners

Going into a left hand corner that is the correct line, also on the apex of a right hand corner, traffic permitting.

I have no problem with new bikers, I used to be one - ?? years ago!

I agree some 'born agains' try to drive beyond their capabilities and experience, but at least most of them are mature, the same applies to new drivers, though they can rarely afford such powerful vehicles.

Bladerider, yes it does:D

CT, as it says in my post, it is not just the moving to the centre of the road, it is the fact that they only do it because they've seen other's do it, but then slow right down before the corner, don't lean in to it, then weave like a tw4t on the exit.

When does one become a fully fledged "biker" then... ill put my hand up,im 33,16 and a half stone(fat?) and have had my licence for a year,in that year i have ridden my ZX6R at least once a week in all weathers including ice/sleet/rain to gain experience,but it is to no avail,cos i will never be a proper biker in your eyes!

i passed my car test at 17 ,never had an accident and feel now that i have more roadsence than i did at 17. this hopefully will keep me alive that little bit longer on the bike.

it is unfair to label/look down your nose at born agains,as it its probably down to this type of biker that has led to the fast development of tasty machinery now on sale,and for the more professional approach by dealers looking after them.

i do think that the current test is not enough,i would like to see a more relaxed post-test course where you can be taught more about how not to "wobble on exit" most of this i have gained from rideouts with mates ranging in experience from 0-20 years,and not one has looked down on me for being a novice.

regards
dave

Dave,

I have no issues with "Born Agains" and I have had a few friends who fall into this category and I have encouraged them to get on bikes. The thing that annoys me about many that I have met seems to be the attitude that because they have got themselves a fast(ish) car and have plenty of disposable income, they buy themselves a fast bike and all of a sudden are riding gods.

I've had many discussions with these new bikers where they have relayed stories of sliding this and knee down that when they have less than a single year's experience. Overconfidence seems to be a big problem with a lot of these types of peolpe that I have met.

I welcome all newcommers to bikes and here in London, with congestion charging starting in Feb, I can see many more joining the fray and that can only be (generally) good for biking. It's just a worry that the profile of motorcycling is getting attention for the wrong reasons, those being an increasing number of over 30's killing themselves on high powered bikes :( (traditionally, it was the younger bike riders that were significant in the fatalities stats).

You are a biker when you start riding a bike and I'll only look down my nose at you when I see you riding like a tit, giving the rest of us a bad name. You don't have to be a new biker to fall into that category ;):):D

Stay safe,

Matt :)

Matt - nice last para! :) Spot on.