Cdogman
Bad Boy
I just wrote this trying to describe to someone why I like to ride. I wanted to share it here.
[SIZE=12pt]I do not consider my self a good rider, or a bad one.... such musings are meaningless. I do know why I ride.. , Why I respect them, and why I study them. The day I think I have it figured out and no longer respect them they will kill me. Understanding that makes me pay attention. I do not ride in a casual mental state. [/SIZE]
What motorcycle riding does for me is make me focus, the world does not exist for me when I have my head in the game. There are no customers, no cell phones, no bills needing to be paid, nothing. It is me and my bike and we are going dancing in the hills away from all the people that want something from me. There have been many times when I have left the driveway and gone a few miles, then come back and put the bike up because I could not get my "head" into the bike.
[SIZE=12pt]It is something I take serious! When I hit a canyon I do not run up to triple digits and rail through it, I used to, but not anymore... Actually most cars are waiting for me on the straights between curves because the straight roads hold no romance. I am not a speed junkie.... I am a corner junkie. So a corner is coming up. Lets you and I go through this one together. Join me wont you. I promise we will not crash… Relax.. Just a tasty 30MPH right hander coming up[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]I have no one in front of me because I have been going slow. (now the real reason comes forth for the slow in the straights)My eyes automatically scan every square inch of the roadway for debris and the edges for deer, rocks, gravel, and other sudden hazards. I hit the zone. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Nothing exists but this moment in time. I hear my bike. I can feel her attitude and every single movement she makes as we prepare, her exhaust note tells if she is ok and ready for the dance. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt][/SIZE]
I look as far into the corner as I can, I read the road, look for skid marks telling me there is something that has caught others by surprise, or not.
[SIZE=14pt][/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt][/SIZE]Then smooth is the word. No Sudden movements. No upsetting the bike. She is ready and trusting me to take good care of her as she prepares to bite the roadway and load on the G-Forces. We each have our separate jobs to do and we must allow each other and not be a distraction to each other
[SIZE=14pt][/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt][/SIZE]Slowly and gently I lift my body with my legs and position my body off the side of the bike, no sliding the ***. Sliding the *** makes her suspension move. She is getting ready and does not need any distractions from my being careless
[SIZE=14pt][/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt][/SIZE]In one slow fluid motion I move my upper torso to the inside of the turn, well before the bike tips in giving her suspension time to resettle and the her time to readjust her geometry for the upcoming event.
[SIZE=14pt]Let it drift to the outside of the corner, still looking as deep into the corner as I can, as far down the road as I can see. The mantra of riding "The bike goes where you look" and I need to see as far as I can because I will be there very very soon. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Searching for hazards, gravel, rocks, deer, other cars. Not committing the bike yet, searching for the perfect line that allows me the perfect delayed apex. The longer I wait the further I can see. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]I let the bike stay outside as I drop my entry speed to what would be considered by hotdog street riders as way too slow. Another riding mantra, "Slow in Fast Out" [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Then I have made my decision, picked my line, my hands a wrists are completely relaxed, I am holding my body weight with my back and thigh muscles, legs clamped on the tank for stability. My hands are like feathers on the controls. Waiting, body in position [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]When the exact spot I have chosen for entry passes under my tire I shove on the bar hard and pull on the side of the tank with me knee and weight the inside foot peg. The bike falls over like a sapling hit by a speeding train, but only to the perfect lean angle, we have heard this song before, she and I. We know the dance well as partners. She responds to my wishes and knows I have left nothing to chance. Nothing exists for me right now but this very instant in time. My hands float moving ever so slowly. Another racing manta flows through my head "Slow hands.... fast bike" [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]She does her job and bites the pavement like a she devil, the G-forces mount and I am ever so lightly and slowly coming off the trail braking and bringing her off idle and adding a slight amount of maintenance throttle. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]I let her settle under the load. I can feel the tires. I can tell if they are near their limit by the vibrations coming through the seat and foot pegs. I know how much more she can take, I know how much more I need. I had just planned this entire dance ¾ of a second ago. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]As I pull her down further with me and I am aiming for the exact spot I chose before the tip in. That sweet spot on the inside of the corner where I have decided I want to ease my turn and start accelerating… It is not random, it was chosen before we ever entered the turn. She knows we have a goal and comes down further with me. And bites the road harder, her suspension loading up and flexing as we call on and fight even more g-forces. Her tires now emit a slow frequency growl that can only be felt. Telling me it is biting and little balls of rubber are forming and rolling off the side of the tire. Like someone trying to pull Velcro apart sideways…. perfect and we are near the limit of her traction but still have enough margin for error, No sudden moves allowed. smooootttthhh. Or my baby will slip.. now she is dancing and I must not upset her… She is talking to me and I am listening… controls light as a feather… smooothh [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Then I see it… I see the corner exit. I make several decisions in my head, I want to end up on the inside of the turn as much as possible. It is my margin. It is my escape route should something go awry, I ease my leg off the tank and let her stand back up slooooowly in a fluid motion and ever so slowly roll on the fuel and she responds. She is a powerful dancing partner despite her nimble appearance. She only needs a hint of throttle to surge ahead. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]She starts to stand back up and the g-forces begin to abate The taller she stands the more throttle I roll on. The back tire is talking to me and I feel it bite. I can feel how much more it has left to give before I overpower it and it washes out leaving me in the trees.. My baby and I do not like trees so she is trusting me not to over power her tires with sudden movements [/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Then, as fast as it happened its over… 3.5 seconds from planning my entry to now…. pulled into an eternity of Zen…. I slow down and look in my review mirror as I gently reposition my body for the straight away and reduce my speed. The cars are far behind. I suppose I should let them catch up to make sure no cars are in front of me again for the next ballad. We are both dreaming of the sharp lefthander we can see 800 yards in the distance and we start our scan again. Ever so slowly shifting our attitude and making our plans for another dance to the unknown music this turn wants to play for us[/SIZE]
Thank you for joining me. I hope to dance again soon.
[SIZE=12pt]Anyone can go fast in a straight line.. So why bother. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]I do not consider my self a good rider, or a bad one.... such musings are meaningless. I do know why I ride.. , Why I respect them, and why I study them. The day I think I have it figured out and no longer respect them they will kill me. Understanding that makes me pay attention. I do not ride in a casual mental state. [/SIZE]
What motorcycle riding does for me is make me focus, the world does not exist for me when I have my head in the game. There are no customers, no cell phones, no bills needing to be paid, nothing. It is me and my bike and we are going dancing in the hills away from all the people that want something from me. There have been many times when I have left the driveway and gone a few miles, then come back and put the bike up because I could not get my "head" into the bike.
[SIZE=12pt]It is something I take serious! When I hit a canyon I do not run up to triple digits and rail through it, I used to, but not anymore... Actually most cars are waiting for me on the straights between curves because the straight roads hold no romance. I am not a speed junkie.... I am a corner junkie. So a corner is coming up. Lets you and I go through this one together. Join me wont you. I promise we will not crash… Relax.. Just a tasty 30MPH right hander coming up[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]I have no one in front of me because I have been going slow. (now the real reason comes forth for the slow in the straights)My eyes automatically scan every square inch of the roadway for debris and the edges for deer, rocks, gravel, and other sudden hazards. I hit the zone. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Nothing exists but this moment in time. I hear my bike. I can feel her attitude and every single movement she makes as we prepare, her exhaust note tells if she is ok and ready for the dance. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt][/SIZE]
I look as far into the corner as I can, I read the road, look for skid marks telling me there is something that has caught others by surprise, or not.
[SIZE=14pt][/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt][/SIZE]Then smooth is the word. No Sudden movements. No upsetting the bike. She is ready and trusting me to take good care of her as she prepares to bite the roadway and load on the G-Forces. We each have our separate jobs to do and we must allow each other and not be a distraction to each other
[SIZE=14pt][/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt][/SIZE]Slowly and gently I lift my body with my legs and position my body off the side of the bike, no sliding the ***. Sliding the *** makes her suspension move. She is getting ready and does not need any distractions from my being careless
[SIZE=14pt][/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt][/SIZE]In one slow fluid motion I move my upper torso to the inside of the turn, well before the bike tips in giving her suspension time to resettle and the her time to readjust her geometry for the upcoming event.
[SIZE=14pt]Let it drift to the outside of the corner, still looking as deep into the corner as I can, as far down the road as I can see. The mantra of riding "The bike goes where you look" and I need to see as far as I can because I will be there very very soon. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Searching for hazards, gravel, rocks, deer, other cars. Not committing the bike yet, searching for the perfect line that allows me the perfect delayed apex. The longer I wait the further I can see. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]I let the bike stay outside as I drop my entry speed to what would be considered by hotdog street riders as way too slow. Another riding mantra, "Slow in Fast Out" [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Then I have made my decision, picked my line, my hands a wrists are completely relaxed, I am holding my body weight with my back and thigh muscles, legs clamped on the tank for stability. My hands are like feathers on the controls. Waiting, body in position [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]When the exact spot I have chosen for entry passes under my tire I shove on the bar hard and pull on the side of the tank with me knee and weight the inside foot peg. The bike falls over like a sapling hit by a speeding train, but only to the perfect lean angle, we have heard this song before, she and I. We know the dance well as partners. She responds to my wishes and knows I have left nothing to chance. Nothing exists for me right now but this very instant in time. My hands float moving ever so slowly. Another racing manta flows through my head "Slow hands.... fast bike" [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]She does her job and bites the pavement like a she devil, the G-forces mount and I am ever so lightly and slowly coming off the trail braking and bringing her off idle and adding a slight amount of maintenance throttle. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]I let her settle under the load. I can feel the tires. I can tell if they are near their limit by the vibrations coming through the seat and foot pegs. I know how much more she can take, I know how much more I need. I had just planned this entire dance ¾ of a second ago. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]As I pull her down further with me and I am aiming for the exact spot I chose before the tip in. That sweet spot on the inside of the corner where I have decided I want to ease my turn and start accelerating… It is not random, it was chosen before we ever entered the turn. She knows we have a goal and comes down further with me. And bites the road harder, her suspension loading up and flexing as we call on and fight even more g-forces. Her tires now emit a slow frequency growl that can only be felt. Telling me it is biting and little balls of rubber are forming and rolling off the side of the tire. Like someone trying to pull Velcro apart sideways…. perfect and we are near the limit of her traction but still have enough margin for error, No sudden moves allowed. smooootttthhh. Or my baby will slip.. now she is dancing and I must not upset her… She is talking to me and I am listening… controls light as a feather… smooothh [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Then I see it… I see the corner exit. I make several decisions in my head, I want to end up on the inside of the turn as much as possible. It is my margin. It is my escape route should something go awry, I ease my leg off the tank and let her stand back up slooooowly in a fluid motion and ever so slowly roll on the fuel and she responds. She is a powerful dancing partner despite her nimble appearance. She only needs a hint of throttle to surge ahead. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]She starts to stand back up and the g-forces begin to abate The taller she stands the more throttle I roll on. The back tire is talking to me and I feel it bite. I can feel how much more it has left to give before I overpower it and it washes out leaving me in the trees.. My baby and I do not like trees so she is trusting me not to over power her tires with sudden movements [/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Then, as fast as it happened its over… 3.5 seconds from planning my entry to now…. pulled into an eternity of Zen…. I slow down and look in my review mirror as I gently reposition my body for the straight away and reduce my speed. The cars are far behind. I suppose I should let them catch up to make sure no cars are in front of me again for the next ballad. We are both dreaming of the sharp lefthander we can see 800 yards in the distance and we start our scan again. Ever so slowly shifting our attitude and making our plans for another dance to the unknown music this turn wants to play for us[/SIZE]
Thank you for joining me. I hope to dance again soon.
[SIZE=12pt]Anyone can go fast in a straight line.. So why bother. [/SIZE]
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