Biking, is it a death wish?

[lightning]

I did my bike test along with Dr John Hinds in '99. We both bought our first bikes together from redline motorcycles and got a discount lol. I lasted one summer. That was enough for me. Nothing bad happened, but there was too many times something could have e.g. people almost pulling out but stopping last second.

I don't regret it as it's made me a better and more aware car driver, and the buzz is unrepeatable no mater what car you have, but will never have a bike again, too many friends been seriously injured or killed, John obviously being one of them.

 

[wes]

Balance Bikes » Kids' Bikes » Toys R Us lol

I would absolutely love a bike but even getting on a pit bike terrifies me how do you get over the fear of falling off?

 

[gixermark]

There ya go Pete.... Get yourself a balance bike.... I'd come down to watch ya push yourself along on it! Lol

 

[fabiostar]

big lad.. think of it like this. a gun can kill you but only if you pull the trigger. a bike is a machine and should be respected not used as a toy.. more people die fishing in the world than bikes but people still fish!
do all the courses you can. expect every car/van driver to be half blind and, theres a time and a place to have fun...

do it, go and treat yourself.

 

[StephenMcC]

Had myself a 125 before I passed the test for the car, Best thing i'd ever done, after using it I was noticing a lot more things happening around me (even while doing my car lessons)

I got over my fear of falling off when the front wheel locked up and slid out under me at 30mph, I went sliding up the road, tore up my leg a bit, only damage to the bike was bent bars and a cracked mirror, just got back on and went straight to Hursts for a new set of bars...

 

[warren]

I got my first bike when I was 18, I'm 25 now, have covered about 50k miles on 3 motorbikes in that time, 1 off due to a woman not being able to operate a roundabout. Cant say it deterred me at all though, rode the bike home after!

I think the vast majority of it is self control, I have an R1 now which is just out of this world fast, but unless I'm on a clear road with a surface I trust I won't even try. They are death traps if you try to ride them that way, with a bit of common sense, a good understanding of the bikes limits and good observation I see no reason why you'd ever be scared of going on one.

And I do believe that everyone should experience a 1000cc superbike at some point in their life, I've had the R1 over a year and I'm still in disbelief that any random person is allowed to walk into a dealer and buy one of these. Its like riding a bolt of lightning down the road, its just so inappropriately fast for any road situation, and I absolutely love it. No feeling like it.

 

[wes]

I'll call round if that's an offer warren lol

 

[mike150]

On the Hillsborough Oyster Festival Supercar thread I laughingly offered to take my GSXR1000 down ad guaranteed that it would be the fastest thing there. The events over now and it would have been.

I got a slagging that a GSXR1000 is fast but not that fast, none of these guys have bikes. A 300cc ktm will out accelerate a Civic type R.

Watch a good race on youtube of a bmw s1000 against a Veyron to see what a 1000cc bike does. My bike is down geared, has an exhaust and the cat removed.

 

[scoobyman]

On the Hillsborough Oyster Festival Supercar thread I laughingly offered to take my GSXR1000 down ad guaranteed that it would be the fastest thing there. The events over now and it would have been. I seen a gtr pulling away from a gsxr

I got a slagging that a GSXR1000 is fast but not that fast, none of these guys have bikes. A 300cc ktm will out accelerate a Civic type R.

Watch a good race on youtube of a bmw s1000 against a Veyron to see what a 1000cc bike does. My bike is down geared, has an exhaust and the cat removed.

gsxr was down there and got smoked by a gtr

 

[Dave..]

gsxr was down there and got smoked by a gtr

I am amazed by this, I would have thought the GSXR would have cleaned it in a straight line.

 

[wes]

Probably depends alot on the rider etc

 

[mike150]

My best ever 1/4 mile is 10.47

 

[scoobyman]

My best ever 1/4 mile is 10.47

Where did you do that

 

[mike150]

Bishopscourt drag day a few months back.
The fastest car was OMA's 900hp Granda with 11.9
The second fastest time all day was a ZZR1400 with 10.49

4wd always gets a good launch, i think OMA's Subaru Legacy car do 10 seconds flat.

A fast bike is hard to launch well as my bike will wheelie off the throttle in 2nd gear, first gear full thottle is unusable and it does 105mph in 1st, 126mph in 2nd so its only 3rd on you don't have to try to keep the front down.

Here is my worst run from that day as I forgot about keeping the front down!!!!

 

[warren]

gsxr was down there and got smoked by a gtr

This is probably due to to the rider, its near impossible to give a 1000cc bike the beans on a normal road lol

Autocar did a GTR vs 1098s a few years back, the bike passes the GTR on the straight like its not moving. Would link you but I'm in work and cant get onto youtube to find it!

 

[Hel]

Road bikes, depends. I gave it up and stuck to the racing as I felt it safer - medics on hand and you know the surface, layout and whats ahead.

Commuted for several years to Belfast and found a few interesting things;

• School run mum will pull out without looking. See that car at the side of the road? She either doesnt give a flying fk or is unable to look at the road thanks to the rockets in the car. Either way, she cant be trusted.
• Taxi, Bus and lorry drivers are 99% very bike aware and courteous. They will see you most of the time if not all.
• Loud cans save lives. People dont like loud bikes but guess what, they cant turn their ears off when theyre texting, blasting music or chatting.
  
• Do trackdays. I had a SMIDSY doing the speed limit on a B road where an elderly lady pulled out where there was oncoming traffic and decided to stop in the middle of the road. If it wasnt for kirki hairpin braking I would never have learnt to stop as quick as I could and I would have hit the car twice as fast, or locked the front and slid under it.
• Do trackdays, the amount of road riders ive gone with who said I was going too quick on the roads and totally ignore their riding is shocking. Watching people using the front brake mid corner, let off the throttle and unsettle the suspension load or have really weird, unsafe body positioning. Its the price of a speeding ticket and it lets you become a much better rider, much safer rider and much more in control of your bike.
• Nisssan Qashqai's are unpredictable and should avoided at all costs
• Good kit is worth it
• A little maintenance goes a long way

 

[scoobyman]

This is probably due to to the rider, its near impossible to give a 1000cc bike the beans on a normal road lol

Autocar did a GTR vs 1098s a few years back, the bike passes the GTR on the straight like its not moving. Would link you but I'm in work and cant get onto youtube to find it!

Ive a bike to its a straight road lol

 

[ilovequo]

Good Video by Harris

A car obviously gains the advantage through corners, over rough surfaces and on a wet road...

Slightly ridiculous though that a c.£4k sportsbike will see you outrun nearly any car on the road!!!

Even that Ducati looks a bargain next to the Porsche

 

[gixermark]

I've no idea what the situation was at sprucefield... But how do we know the rider was giving it full beans? Or the GTR for that matter..
The reason I didn't take the M3 down was a fear of the plod, or a random idiot trying to 'race' you with other people/cars about... So for sure I wouldn't have done a 100% speed run if I'd have gone straight road or not.

I'm with mike on this.. A 1000cc superbike Is awesome & insane in a good way.. I've ridden & raced them, and no feeling comes close... The Jedi is close.. But that's cos it has a gsxr 1000 engine in it!

 

[NickR]

I had a 50cc moped when I was young (don't laugh). I loved the handiness and feeling of being on two wheels however the amount of people that either don't see you or charge on anyway despite seeing you really made me think. I had more than one close call, that being said I'm now looking into getting my bike test and treating myself next summer.

 

[fabiostar]

if a GTR smoked a gixer thou the rider needs to take up knitting ffs

 

[Hel]

if a GTR smoked a gixer thou the rider needs to take up knitting ffs

Dont underestimate a GTR! Rapid rapid cars in the right hands. T who raced the BMW with me had one and said it would smoke a bike

 

[banksy6118]

Dont underestimate a GTR! Rapid rapid cars in the right hands. T who raced the BMW with me had one and said it would smoke a bike

On a drag strip or a strait road my nan could jockey a gtr at a decent rate.

 

[Hel]

Fun mobiles! 1000hp there

 

[Lappintyre]

Heading for my 1st track day next Friday. Well Woolsey coulter ART day. Try to get up close and personal with the blade. Maybe even get the knee down (all weather depending!)

Wish me luck!