SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY (march 22nd)

[that dude]

Okay, wow. I am on page seven of this clusterfuck so lets go through page by page. This is going to take me a damn hour..

First off, Jbot, You would not be surprised that i did not "so...passionately" speak up about how the ride went if you were aware of my friends personality. I knew that if I addressed the ride than he would get heated. And i did not want to see my friend get into a fight in front of a church. So that's why I kept my mouth shut until I posted. So some may see that as hiding behind a computer, but i just call it the right thing to do.

And what I meant by the leader is responsible for the safety of others i mean this. When you make a turn (From a red light or a stop sign), it is the leaders responsibility to not advance until he knows that the tail (SWEEP) rider will be able to maintain the group without a Cadillac CTS driving up his asshole.

That dude: sorry. I don't deal with sarcasm all that well. or people being condescending for that matter. No disrespect.

Lost: You are a cool dude. Anyone who will let someone else sit on their ride is good in my book. You know your shit and any real rider can see that a mile away.

Page eight.

Jbot: again, anyone who does not know that Ego's and two wheels do not mix is a jackass. I dont know what I said to give people the perception that I have this "Ego" And like I said before the only reason that we got "stuck behind the car" was because the leader should have waited for that red light to turn green so that the GROUP could proceed as a UNIT. God? Doesn't exist. Its called Science. Calling me a whiner? Is this fourth grade? I am merely stating observations and comparing them to my experience. And when they do not mesh then I know that is not where i belong.

If that was a jogging pace then I do not want to be present when you step it up to running. Riding that fast should be done with groups of 3 or 4 people. With riders whom you are familiar with. Definitely not through residential areas. Think im a pussy but I know i am not the only one that would say riding like that belongs on the track.

Tpoppa:You are correct it is not a contest. I never stated this. I respect you for coming and posting up. That is respect in my book. You sound like you know your shit and I did not get a bad impression from you when we got our helmets off at the church.

I feel very comfortable on my bike and I know when it is right to push my limits. This will be my fourth season and i have ridden about 24,000 ish miles on my bikes. But personally, I enjoy riding with a pillion passenger or being out in the wet or rain more than I enjoy pushing it in the corners. And if you normally ride faster than that, fine by me. I just think that the pace of the ride was definitely a bit much for the group. It seemed like you were going way too fast, but im sure that If i didn't drop back and I was still behind JBot it wouldn't have seemed so light speed. Honestly the only reason I dropped back was because I was more afraid of having whoever was behind me ride up my ass than lowsiding off the side of the road.

Fred: hahaha.....

Cant see what is on page nine.

Fred: ........

Eleven:

Poppa: I am not sure if you were really going as fast as i perceive, but it seemed pretty quick. Again, that may have been just my perception. To be fair, we didn't really have time in the beginning to speak because you came up when we were leaving. I guess what I should have done was led us to the winking lizard and then we could have changed the lead and discussed expectations.

This discussion seems to be adding pages as fast as i can review them.

I did not post because I felt that i was left in the dust, or riding with people who are above my skill set. I do not see riders with more bikes that are more expensive/faster/suspension goodies (Lost ha..).To me what makes a good rider is a safe rider. Many of those turns were blind, and im sure I would feel more comfortable going that fast in the country where you have some sight distance. What makes a good rider is looking out for those you are riding with and observing the skill set of the group and adjusting your pace so that everyone has the best time possible. Not saying that the ability to ride quickly is not an attribute of a skilled rider. It was my opinion that it was too early in the season to be whippin' around like that on cold pavement. Maybe if i had my insurance upped back up from having it down over the winter I would have felt better. The fact that I am probably a few hundred miles overdue for some new rear rubber was in that equation also.

I do enjoy spirited riding, I do not condone "Dumb shit" such as riding wheelies or "stunting" where it does not belong. Do I desire to bring my front wheel off the ground? Yes, until i can beat on this bike hard enough to learn its limits i do not think that i should move to anything faster. The stupidest thing I have done was probably triple digits in the parkway. Now I am not saying that you are dumb for riding as fast as you were. I am saying with the weather and road conditions, that was out of my comfort zone. Honestly, (some of) those were nice roads (the ones that did not have pothole patches in them) and the fastest ive ridden on the parts that i have traveled before. Even with my bald ass rear tire that ride was one of the best i have had in terms of how much I felt i pushed it or learned or whatever.

So yeah. the reason that I did not bring up anything at the church is because I knew my friend was heated. I know how he is. And when I crested that hill and saw him run off into the grass because he didn't see where everyone else went and couldn't make the turn safely in time, I knew that was the end of the ride for us. Not to mention the fact I knew he was already pissed and wanted to pull mr Cadillac out of his vehicle. So I think thats all I have to say. This shit is like a fucking book....

it seems like you got a little over excited..come out next time, dont let it discourage you, next time we will go over details at lunch..let it go, and i expect to see you on the next ride

[Mc_spirited]

I dont know. It doesnt make me a safe rider, but sometimes i just wanna smoke a joint, drink a Guinness and enjoy the wind.

[that dude]

sometimes i wanna snort a line and drink a budweiser, and enjoy some hookers

[Disclaimer]

I just want to say to JRMMiii --- I miss my SV1000S (silver) ... fun.. little heavy through tight switch backs... but definitely a competent bike with the right setup...

It's my hooligan bike - I lurve it. Just bought new shoes for it and threw on frame sliders. I still need to get it "setup" for me though - I'm not very educated when it comes to that.

[skrewloose]

It's my hooligan bike - I lurve it. Just bought new shoes for it and threw on frame sliders. I still need to get it "setup" for me though - I'm not very educated when it comes to that.

wanna meet on a CORE ride and we can work it out ...

I started with the suspension list on sportriders. http://www.sportrider.com/suspension_settings/146_suggested_suspension_settings/index.html

have to keep in mind weight, etc.... I had the front dropped 10mm on mine and set it up from there... gotta feel comfortable with it... also have to understand, set it up for spirited, it will feel harsh on the daily commute...

I like x-mas ale ... guiness is too thick for me ... drinking a winter warmer a few friends and I brewed while reading this crap... getting hard to read this crap ...

[Lost1888]

I dont know. It doesnt make me a safe rider, but sometimes i just wanna smoke a joint, drink a Guinness and enjoy the wind.

The wind is much more interesting on LSD and orange juice!!

[Lost1888]

The wind is much more interesting on LSD and orange juice!!

Just so you know my SV is a budget bike all the way. Even with my $100 shock swap.

[skrewloose]

Just so you know my SV is a budget bike all the way. Even with my $100 shock swap.

I had the yellow S ... 2004 ... all stock suspension except the 636 rear shock .... rode the "F" out of that thing...

IP will attest to it ...

[Lost1888]

I had the yellow S ... 2004 ... all stock suspension except the 636 rear shock .... rode the "F" out of that thing...

IP will attest to it ...

I went with the 07 ZX10. Hell of an upgrade over stock. I would imagine nowhere near a Penske or Elka. It's a good budget bike but nothing special. That is all.

[jreese86]

Jreese, please don't take any offense at what I said... I don't think you've said anything other than clearly and un-asshole-y stating that you weren't comfortable with the pace. I understand, and I apologize if you were uncomfortable. Please don't let this 1 ride keep you from coming on other rides even if I will be involved. I hope we have no hard feelings. Plus, just think, when it's warmer, more competent people will be arranging rides! YESHHH

Ah don't worry man, it's not like that. Honestly I think it's just a matter of style difference. I bought my FZ6 because I wanted a comfortable bike to cruise on, because I don't quite feel at home on a Harley. My lack of experience aside, I'll never be the type to enjoy "aggressive" riding. I very rarely exceed the speed limit by more than 5-10mph and never for extended periods of time, just short bursts. I'm not in a position to be getting a ticket. I already have my deductible pumped up to $1000 to reduce my insurance premium, and I'd have a hard time justifying the cost if I ended up getting a serious speeding ticket or two. Not to mention I don't want to do anything to increase the chance of me wrecking my bike and getting hurt. If I wanted to ride aggressively I would have bought a R6.

In the future I'll just make sure that I come to rides that have a few other people that share my riding style. All of the drama aside I did learn quite a bit from Sunday, which was my first group ride. Mainly that pre-ride communication is key. Secondly, and most importantly, I got a serious lesson on staying in my comfort zone. No one saw it, but I came in hot on the last corner in front of the church. I had to stand the bike up and lay on the brakes to avoid the huge black truck approaching the stop sign. It wasn't CLOSE but enough to put some sense into my head and remind me not to be an idiot.

[MadMax33]

Wow, just wow. I just want to learn as much as I can to become a better rider so I'll ride with someone who can dust me in the curves, until I learn how to keep up. My bike was built for speed and turning. Doing the posted speed limit in the corners, at least the yellow posted limit, is not my cup of tea. Most 25mph turns can be done at 60 or so, which has been my experience so far. That's what I enjoy and it is dangerous, but I know I can die on any ride I am on, so fuck it. I have been the lead on a few rides yet I don't know all of the hand signals. I think a middle finger raised means "Fuck you"... I think...

[Tpoppa]

Ah don't worry man, it's not like that. Honestly I think it's just a matter of style difference. I bought my FZ6 because I wanted a comfortable bike to cruise on, because I don't quite feel at home on a Harley. My lack of experience aside, I'll never be the type to enjoy "aggressive" riding. I very rarely exceed the speed limit by more than 5-10mph and never for extended periods of time, just short bursts. I'm not in a position to be getting a ticket. I already have my deductible pumped up to $1000 to reduce my insurance premium, and I'd have a hard time justifying the cost if I ended up getting a serious speeding ticket or two. Not to mention I don't want to do anything to increase the chance of me wrecking my bike and getting hurt. If I wanted to ride aggressively I would have bought a R6.

In the future I'll just make sure that I come to rides that have a few other people that share my riding style. All of the drama aside I did learn quite a bit from Sunday, which was my first group ride. Mainly that pre-ride communication is key. Secondly, and most importantly, I got a serious lesson on staying in my comfort zone. No one saw it, but I came in hot on the last corner in front of the church. I had to stand the bike up and lay on the brakes to avoid the huge black truck approaching the stop sign. It wasn't CLOSE but enough to put some sense into my head and remind me not to be an idiot.

Jresse,

Didn't get much of a chance to talk with you. An FZ6 is a capable machine and a solid all arround bike (sporty, commuter, sport tourer, etc). When riding in the corners (especially blind corners) there are some easy things you can do to increase your comfort zone. 1. Point your head and shoulders in the direction of the corner, 2. Look as far through the corner as possible, just by doing this you'll be surprised how much more time you'll have should you encounter an obstacle mid-corner.

Simple things like that will make you a smoother, safer and quicker (if that's what you wish) rider.

[jreese86]

Jresse,

Didn't get much of a chance to talk with you. An FZ6 is a capable machine and a solid all arround bike (sporty, commuter, sport tourer, etc). When riding in the corners (especially blind corners) there are some easy things you can do to increase your comfort zone. 1. Point your head and shoulders in the direction of the corner, 2. Look as far through the corner as possible, just by doing this you'll be surprised how much more time you'll have should you encounter an obstacle mid-corner.

Simple things like that will make you a smoother, safer and quicker (if that's what you wish) rider.

Thanks for the tips, but I did take the MSF course. I know these things, and yes, they do help a TON.

[CleaveTheGreat]

I find that riding with people that are faster and more experienced than you helps a lot. Those are the best people to ask questions and following someone with good form is invaluable. As long as you stay in your comfort zone group rides with 'fast' riders can actually be very helpful.

On a side note stay away from Isaac's Papa because he will molest you. He can't keep his hands off of me every time I see him.

[CleaveTheGreat]

Booty' date=' booty, booty booty, booty everywhere!!![/quote']

The ghey never ends with you

[Mc_spirited]

Going into a blind curve for the first time is a bad way to judge the turn. To really be comfortable you need to know what the other side of the corner looks like. It could open up and youll have to roll on the throttle or it may tighten up and you have to learn to trust the bike. You'll get into a corner too hot and think you cant make it. Sure, sometimes that is the case but more than likely just push on the bar and the bike will take it tighter. It feels weird at first, but the more times you see the bike takes the bumps or the tighter than expected turns, the more confident you become with your machine.

Another part of the cornering is knowing when you want the apex to be. You cant really get the right line on a corner you have no knowledge of. That is why they teach you to delay your apex. It allows you to see more of the corner before you run into trouble.

Before I took the MSF class I had already read a handfull of books on riding. Some of the things they teach you in the class go against what you learn from veteran riders. MSF says dont cover the front brake, but i bet that most riders do. I should re-read them all myself but I wouldnt have a problem lending them out.

Being smooth is the most important part. After you learn to be smooth than youll find the speed comes easier. At the beginning of the season i am just so excited to be riding that i mash the throttle and dont care so much about how smooth I am shifting. As time goes on you get into the groove and it makes me feel better personally when I am riding smooth.

That is another reason why I like the rain and having a passenger. To me, just daily riding seems too easy. Having the extra weight or poor road conditions forces you to adapt to them. when you can be comfortable with extra weight or poor conditions then when you have the good conditions or you are alone you know that you can push it way more. The more miles you ride the more comfortable you become. The more times you have "Oh shit" moments, the more experience you gain from it.

Riding a bike is about having the skill to operate the machine, having complete trust in your abilities as well as the grip of your tires. No matter how far you think you come close the edges of its performance, just know that only comes from your mind telling you that. You would be suprised to see what is possible.

[Tpoppa]

Going into a blind curve for the first time is a bad way to judge the turn. To really be comfortable you need to know what the other side of the corner looks like. It could open up and youll have to roll on the throttle or it may tighten up and you have to learn to trust the bike. You'll get into a corner too hot and think you cant make it. Sure, sometimes that is the case but more than likely just push on the bar and the bike will take it tighter. It feels weird at first, but the more times you see the bike takes the bumps or the tighter than expected turns, the more confident you become with your machine.

Another part of the cornering is knowing when you want the apex to be. You cant really get the right line on a corner you have no knowledge of. That is why they teach you to delay your apex. It allows you to see more of the corner before you run into trouble.

Before I took the MSF class I had already read a handfull of books on riding. Some of the things they teach you in the class go against what you learn from veteran riders. MSF says dont cover the front brake, but i bet that most riders do. I should re-read them all myself but I wouldnt have a problem lending them out.

Being smooth is the most important part. After you learn to be smooth than youll find the speed comes easier. At the beginning of the season i am just so excited to be riding that i mash the throttle and dont care so much about how smooth I am shifting. As time goes on you get into the groove and it makes me feel better personally when I am riding smooth.

That is another reason why I like the rain and having a passenger. To me, just daily riding seems too easy. Having the extra weight or poor road conditions forces you to adapt to them. when you can be comfortable with extra weight or poor conditions then when you have the good conditions or you are alone you know that you can push it way more. The more miles you ride the more comfortable you become. The more times you have "Oh shit" moments, the more experience you gain from it.

Riding a bike is about having the skill to operate the machine, having complete trust in your abilities as well as the grip of your tires. No matter how far you think you come close the edges of its performance, just know that only comes from your mind telling you that. You would be suprised to see what is possible.

MC,

I don't get it Before you accused me of being reckless. But in this post it sounds like you understand the basics of riding at a quick pace and performance limits.

I understand that my pace was quicker than you expected, so be it, but I was a good 30 mph inside of MY comfort zone.

Did you see me do anything other than ride smoothly? Did I break check going into corners? Did I have to change lines because I entered a corner too hot? Did I lose grip and slip on a tar snake? Did I do any crazy passes?

I do 6-8,000 miles a year on group rides, most at a significantly faster pace than yesterday. I don't take chances. I have zero points on my license and haven't had an 'oh shit' moment in years.

If you showed up to a full gear ride with Skrew, Jbot, and I and came with an open mind...you would probably finish the day a smoother, safer rider than when you started.

I don't have any angst. As always, I'll ride my ride.

[jbot]

we can all hug kiss and make up nao plz k thx

[NinjaNick]

Man, jbot, screwloose, and someone else I think would fit great on our Dayton twisty rides. Our rides are pretty fast paced most of the time, but we do it safely. And yes lots of us have our tires scrubbed in to the wall, but that just happens, we don't thrive on it. If you feel a group is too fast for you then ride your own pace and relax, they will wait for you. Your safety on YOUR bike is directly linked to your right throttle hand. How fast the bike goes is in your hands, not the leaders or anyone elses.

Be safe and have fun in your own way, nobody elses.

Sorry, this is my 1st time reading all this and I wanted to spill my opinion.

[Mc_spirited]

I do understand riding pretty well. Like I said, at the moment I do not really have any insurance above the minimums and a horrible rear tire. It just didn't seem right to me. I don't know. Maybe with more ride time my opinion will change. I rarely go out and hit twisties that hard. Something just didn't feel right to me.

Specifically what happened to rub me wrong was the turn that put that car in the middle of our group. Also how you were cutting the corners on intersections. I remember the one turn (intersection) I had kid on the R6 (sorry, don't remember names) cut act across my line. I will get on it in twisty parts of a road, but I save that for when I am on the road, not when I am turning onto a new road. Maybe I was too close and if i would have been further back and that wouldn't have bugged me. I usually ride point and I stay on the inside of the lane and I expect who I am riding with to stay on the outside while turning so we don't get too close.

In the end it think it was my situation with the bike as stated before, and my unease with the road and weather conditions. Also I thought that the group was too large. Maybe on a more open road, but those last few turns were so tight it was hard for everyone to stay on the same page. I saw that Jreese was holding back and everyone had differing levels of experience. So with more coordination and having things set up such as a route, meeting places, and pre-planned stops it could be better for us all. along with having two groups when there are less experienced or timid riders.

Edited March 24, 2009 by Mc_spirited

[Turbo810]

So Spirited you're mad at someone else because you have minimal insurance and they went faster then you are comfortable at? The way you went off you acted like they pushed you off the road.

I think you have some issues to work out with yourself. I'm not trying to be a dick. It's just an observation. Nobody here wants you to go above the level you are comforable with.

Every group ride I have been on there has been several levels of riders. And there have been many. Just be calm and enjoy the ride. The lead group will wait.

I am an agressive rider. Not the fastest but agressive. On the one group rride I went on last year I ended up hanging back with the cuiser that was with us. Nobody got left behind, the leaders would wait at certain points and we all had fun.

Hopefully this didn't discurage you from riding with this group.

Edited March 24, 2009 by Turbo810

[InyaAzz]

On the one group rride I went on last year I ended up hanging back with the cuiser that was with us. Nobody got left behind, the leaders would wait at certain points and we all had fun.

It was all fun and gmaes until he whipped his big black cow out.

[InyaAzz]

We're all beating a dead horse. I think we can do a group hug and learn from this. If it's not a ride that everyone is familiar with or there are new folks involved, HASH OUT THE DETAILS BEFORE HAND. Make the people in the back feel comfortable that they won't get left behind. I think this goes a long way in keeping people from riding above their ability (they don't want to get left/lost, so they try to play catch up). The communication ALSO lets the faster riders up front enjoy their ride without having to back track aimlessly looking for the tail end.

COMMUNICATION people! Oh yeah, and:penis:

[Mc_spirited]

Haha. Yes quite a bit of drama. I am not mad at anyone. Who doesn't have issues that they need to work on? Personally, I would never meet up with some riders who's skill level I am not aware of and expect them to ride like we were. I don't know why it seemed so fast to me, I never felt like I was over my head. I never felt like I was close to my limits or my bikes.

There's nothing that I can say that I havnt already. The insurance is the way it is because I am switching companes and I knew I would have my bike taken apart for a week. No sense in upping my insurance if. Wasn't going to ride it bike. Yes I have rode about 700 some miles so far this year with my insurance under par. That's my choice and I never put myself in a position in traffic where I feel I am not seen or in danger. Riding is about risk managment. We all set our own pace and comfort zone. That day I was not in my own zone. Atleast for a begnnng of the season ride.

[Lost1888]

So lets let this die!

Where and when is the next ride and who's going to be the leader? The only day I'm out for sure is Saturday. Corn beef and Cabbage at my parents house! Not going to miss it, even for riding!