To the BMW IndexMy problem is that I have just got back to serious motor bike riding and consequently will struggle to convince you all of my pet hobby horse. However I’m alarmed at the riders I meet that struggle with or who have no knowledge of riding safely through corners (twisties) correctly.My credentials are in Motor Racing and after 35 years I have moved on to more leisure pursuits. However the dynamics and physics behind cornering are no different between cars and bikes. During my twenties I worked for Bruce McClaren Can-Am, Bruce McClaren was light years ahead of his peers and many a long night was spent discussing the theories behind the forces developed during cornering. I completed an engineering degree and studied on this very subject. The passion is still very active and hence when I see bikers, who! Incidentally believe that they have it worked out are actually struggling I wished I could help.So instead of thinking it “I have decided to test the waters”One of the saddest sights, are those crosses marking fatal accidents that happen around corners and if you look at where they are positioned and have a little knowledge of the entry and exit of a corner, most did not need to happen. It would be so good for every driver, especially the young, be motorbike or car to attend some driver instruction on a racetrack or just driver instruction. Last week I went on two rides through some nice twisty stuff, on one of these rides I stopped at a Tavern for some liquid and joined up with a bunch of Motor Guzzi riders. They told me that my BMW was a Guzzi with flat tits. Nice bike but boring. They were good folk and very keen on the wonderful attributes of cornering through the twisties. A week before this meeting I had meet, at the same tavern another group of riders and decided to hang around and ride home with them, back across the summit road to Christchurch, a good example of twisting hill top road. My flat tited BMEER and I were a little annoyed and so from the start of our ride home I was happy to sit in behind and watch. (Its called age and wisdom) After three good corners I was alarmed to see the very poor basic understanding of riding a corner. Unwittingly every rider was closing down his options should the unexpected happen. For those that read this please don't think I'm encouraging break neck cornering speed, that’s not my intention for a second but if you know what is happening between you and the road and what causes it then there is never a need to say " my bike is just to heavy and it is to much work for twisty roads".By the time we reached the Dyers pass intersection my flat titted R1200RT had successfully manoeuvred its way past the 4 bikes. There was little effort required and at no point was I or oncoming traffic ever in any danger. After the meeting with the Guzzi Riders my partner Zoe suggested that there motors have Erectile Penis Dysfunction. I'm fortunanat to have a beautifull partner who loves to ride and may, I'm hoping purchase here own bike in the not to distance future. Pity BMW dont have a 250cc for Zoe only has a learners license. I stopped at the Lay by hoping that these guys would stop and acknowledge my flat tited BMW!. They all rode on bye. Maybe my grey hairs and 58 years were a little intimidating.My point is that having the knowledge is all that is required, experience comes on the back of doing it correctly, these guys had never been taught and so all they do is encourage there bad habits in the believe that they have it mastered. It was fun talking with them, they obviously loved there bikes and I encourage all those Club members to take there bikes to a track day, but first find somebody who is trained or has the knowledge and knows how to pass it on. Dave the Yank may be happy to give up some time or have a contact that could help the North Island Guys. Do it on a track, every thing is going the same way and loads of room for run off. Don't get your kicks on the open road, too much can go wrong. You don’t need to ride fast, slow is good, it’s about the techniques and feedback is easier to feel at slow speeds. Please don’t say “I don’t trust myself on a race track, I would hate to crash. Or my bikes to big and heavy for that stuff.Its about feeling the differences that upper body movement makes to cornering, not speed, I promise you that a little instruction will make that bad corner, (I’m sure you all have a corner on your favourite ride that you struggle with) into a breeze and a joy to ride. Have you ever felt your bike want to fall down in a corner and told yourself that my bike is to heavy, or maybe that your bike is better suited for highway stuff. It’s not your bike, It’s your technique. Never mind what size or weight of your bike, would you like to experience the weightless feeling of rolling your bike from one apex to another, understand the science of weight transfer, moving your upper body through each corner so that the bike follows you and not the over way round, knowing that what ever the corner throws at you will be controlled by you and not the bike in a safe and joyful manner.Then go on contact me, we can spend some time on a white board, expand the physics of transferring weight and forces into grip and if enough are interested I can organise some time on the track. (Ruapuna) Or take you for a ride, you can come as pillion, maybe we can talk through helmet intercom. (Blue Tooth). Who knows?Nothing to loose.Don’t say my bike is more for off road and riding the dirty stuff, the same techniques apply, and as a point of interest the techniques apply to riding a mountain bike, a road bike, BMX, water skiing, snow skiing, Motor Cross and with some understanding Motor Racing and just driving your every day motor vehicle. Its Simply weight Transfer. RegardsLeigh. I would love to pass on a little knowledge.I'm often in Auckland and would be glad to spend an evening answering questions.
You can't beat training, but then it's practice and more practice.Post count: 2134Post count: 305Post count: 305
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