Kern County Streetmasters Final Exam ride

[eeksnake]

Did somebody ask for pictures?

[SIZE=8pt](All images are linked to their humongous originals... Click at your own risk.)[/SIZE]

worldbound4now somewhere North of Barstow



Tehachapi Hwy scenic pullout. Last Chance entertaining us with some tap dancing "Shuffle ball change..."



The group admiring the view. worldbound4now saying "Mmm, yeah... Ready to hit some more of those tasty turns?"



Tehachapi Hwy Landmark



Tehachapi Loop Landmark



Lake Isabella where worldbound4now & I had to part ways from the group.



Sorry, I was too busy negotiating the turns to actually take pictures of them.

Like MojaveFJR said, Before you can say "Wow! What a view!", you've already missed your turn!" mg2:

 

[SacramentoMike]

Hey, just found this thread, and I wanted to add my voice to the praise for the roads, the group, the weather, the pictures, the works. Wendell, thanks another million for taking us on some the the best roads anywhere, and ones I'd never have seen without your lead. TWN was right about that bitumen, btw. We stopped for maybe 15 minutes overlooking the Tehachapi Loop and when we got back to the bikes our kickstands were all well buried in it. All on the lowside of a fairly steeply graded parking area. Another five minutes and we'd have heard the soft musical sound of eight FJR's hitting the bitumen! Wish we could have ridden that kind of road all day, but unfortunately our route had us back on good old 99 north for waaaay too long. Great meeting and/or riding with ALL of you!

 

[madmike2]

Wish we could have ridden that kind of road all day, but unfortunately our route had us back on good old 99 north for waaaay too long.

Yebbutt.....we did shorten the "time" if not the distance! :yahoo:

 

[RenoJohn]

Well it sure looks like you guys (and gals) had some good fun.

So, I know this (streetmasters) was a repeat for some of you .....was it worth doing it again(?)

And not meaning to hijacking this thread ....I'm real curious about the Tehachapi Loop.

Looks like some good riding and while I've passed through the Town of Tehachapi many times (kinda the generic route for me to lowCA) I've never been on it ...or for that matter know where it is. Maybe someone could give me a hint on where to look on a map.

 

[Hit the Road Jack]

The first exit off of the 58 west of Tehachapi, little 'town' of Keene, is the easiest way to find the Woodford-Tehachapi Rd. There are Tehachapi Loop historic marker signs for the exit on the freeway. Woodford-Tehachapi Rd. winds its way up to Tehachapi. The loop is about midway.

Here's a Google Map Link.

 

[madmike2]

Its a waaaayyyyy fun road, John. IMO, worth turning around at the bottom and riding to the top to turn around....well, you get the idea! :yahoo:

Re: Retaking Streetmasters

It was worth it for me but it may not be worth it for everyone, plus I had great company and a wonderful ride on Sunday. I was able to measure my good habits and evaluate the bad habits that have crept into my riding style. For instance:

I sometimes still turn in too early (though during our Sunday ride, when faced with actual blind corners, I found that I did wait).

I'm not turning my head enough (though I'm still hindered with less than full rotation to the left).

I was able to work on those habits on our ride Sunday, but as with all good lessons, the proof is in the "constant" application. Now I know what I must consciously apply (self-talk, think and decide, force myself) until I make the good techniques into riding habits. I think I only missed 2 or 3 turns that in my mind I should have taken differently. All-in-all, not a bad graduation ride.

 

[RenoJohn]

The first exit off of the 58 west of Tehachapi, little 'town' of Keene, is the easiest way to find the Woodford-Tehachapi Rd. There are Tehachapi Loop historic marker signs for the exit on the freeway. Woodford-Tehachapi Rd. winds its way up to Tehachapi. The loop is about midway.
Here's a Google Map Link.

Its a waaaayyyyy fun road, John. IMO, worth turning around at the bottom and riding to the top to turn around....well, you get the idea! :yahoo:
Re: Retaking Streetmasters

It was worth it for me but it may not be worth it for everyone, plus I had great company and a wonderful ride on Sunday. I was able to measure my good habits and evaluate the bad habits that have crept into my riding style. For instance:

I sometimes still turn in too early (though during our Sunday ride, when faced with actual blind corners, I found that I did wait).

I'm not turning my head enough (though I'm still hindered with less than full rotation to the left).

I was able to work on those habits on our ride Sunday, but as with all good lessons, the proof is in the "constant" application. Now I know what I must consciously apply (self-talk, think and decide, force myself) until I make the good techniques into riding habits. I think I only missed 2 or 3 turns that in my mind I should have taken differently. All-in-all, not a bad graduation ride.

Ah!!, got it. Thanks much ..will definately check it out!
Good to hear Streetmaster's is good. Seems it focuses on street riding (hence the name duh) instead of race guys coaching on a track. Me thinks that is likely a good thing.

 

[madmike2]

Good to hear Streetmaster's is good. Seems it focuses on street riding (hence the name duh) instead of race guys coaching on a track. Me thinks that is likely a good thing.

Yes, John, they are heavily slanted to the "safest" street riding (regarding curves and corners) rather than the "quickest" line through a corner. BUT, there are some "racy" guys involved:

Walt Fulton is one of the owners of Streetmasters

Walt Fulton III is a recognized name in motorcycling. A former three-time winner at Daytona and team racer for both Harley-Davidson and Kawasaki, he was a featured rider in the documentary "On Any Sunday." He is a BMW Legends racer, a professional motorcycle accident reconstruction expert, motorcycle journalist and a private riding instructor.

Dennis Pegelow is one of the coaches/instructors (in fact, I had him as my instructor both times).

They "champion" the late entry/delayed apex style of cornering, to give street riders a better "view" of a corner before turning in and committing to a line, and they also coach "smooth" transitions from brake to throttle/throttle to brake. That's what the "pad" exercises are for,

I've noticed that I wasn't as smooth as before the injury, so the challenge to improve my technique was overdue. NOW I need to continually apply what my head knows! Walt Fulton III is a recognized name in motorcycling. A former three-time winner at Daytona and team racer for both Harley-Davidson and Kawasaki, he was a featured rider in the documentary "On Any Sunday." He is a BMW Legends racer, a professional motorcycle accident reconstruction expert, motorcycle journalist and a private riding instructor.

 

[SacramentoMike]

Mike, that Walt Fulton is a downright amazing guy, to have done all that and been born in 1918! And to think he died in 1999, too. I'm not sure that was the link to OUR Walt Fulton. But ours was pretty damn good too.

 

[SacramentoMike]

Sorry about being such a smartass. Here's a link to a bio of Walt Fulton III

 

[madmike2]

Mike, that Walt Fulton is a downright amazing guy, to have done all that and been born in 1918! And to think he died in 1999, too. I'm not sure that was the link to OUR Walt Fulton. But ours was pretty damn good too.

Yep, I didn't read it through or I would have known that was OUR Walt Fulton's papa. I put a bio in quotes in my post.