| Author | Message | ||
     Cyclonecharlie |
Nuts, The aerostich is about 18 yrs.old, but has always been stored in the AC in a closet away from sunlight. They look almost brand new.......Charlie | ||
| Tank_bueller |
Jackie, Although you are left handed, it seems that ALL riders(except me) have a problem with right turns. I have heard it everywhere from the Dragon to the track. It's not unusual. It takes practice, focus, and lots of patience to get into dealing with it. One may never get over it, but practice helps deal with it, and learn that the bike will perform just as well in both directions, as long as the rider learns to respect the bike equally in both directions(lean off the bike with the same "english"). I have a problem with this, but it is less because I know. Dirt is the best place to learn. Because the street is less forgiving. I never told anyone this.... After my first trackday, I was scared, bad, to ride on the street for about a month. Couldn't do it. Had to ease back into it like I never rode a bike before. Very Humbling. | ||
| Cyclonecharlie |
OK Tank, Splain yourself. What could possibly rattle your cage that much. This is got to be a captivating story. Now that you have "chummed" the water, lets hear it. | ||
| Tank_bueller |
There really isn't that much to it. After being on the track with literally NO distractions/obstacles/traffic, I was just scared that everything was going to kill me. Be it soccer moms, or that loose patch of sand in the middle of the next corner, or whatever. It made me super-aware of the dangers of riding street, and changed my riding habits forever. | ||
| Cyclonecharlie |
Tank, I can relate to that. That's not a bad thing.You may have unconsciously saved your own life, by becoming a defensive rider.We all should practice that everyday. When I ride I always try to look for the escape route for a given situation. A lot of times there isn't one and I make my decisions accordingly. I always try to ride a road looking for sand,pot holes etc.before I up the pace or let someone else take the lead and watch for bad situations.After a while you do it without thinking.  Charlie | ||
| Luvthemtorts |
I ran across a saying a few days ago which goes "kiss the mirror". Went out and rode Windy Gap 4 times this evening to try and apply this and the rear brake techniques. The first 2 passes were rode at a leisurely pace to check road conditions. On the next 2 runs I applied the mirror technique and was pleasantly surprised to find that it actually works! I also experimented with the rear brake and was quite pleased with that technique as well. Seems to make it easier to hold your line. On each turn I made an effort to pick the proper entry point, go in with the front end loaded and keep my head looking where I wanted to go. One thing I did which was VERY different than the past was forget about gears and RPM's. I just left it in second and let it whine. I didn't really look at the tach but I imagine at times the RPMs' were up in the 6000 range for short periods of time. Is that bad for the bike or should I go back to shifting up and down between turns? Overall I think I did much better than I have in the past and felt that on several turns I could have went faster. I can't get past the fear of not being able to see what is around the bend so I didn't push it any harder but am much more pleased with my performance. A long ways to go yet until I can confidently ride as well as Nuts and one day, dare I dream, as good as Charlie! | ||
| Tank_bueller |
You are riding a Buell, Brutha. Go with a lower gear(lower rpm) that can pull you through, and use that torque to accelerate out of the corner. That is the "mystique" that is Buell. From about 3K, your bike makes more torque than most Jap bikes...use it to Rip outa' the corner. The motto goes... Slow in, fast out. Be careful dude. Sounds to me like you are playing with a fire that somebody else lit. | ||
| Cyclonecharlie |
Jackie, Sounds like you had a really good day,proud of you.That's a lot to practice in one day.Be careful trying too much riding alone. Six grand on the 9 is really where it works good.To me the 9 is a better motor,but that's another topic.Not having to shift keeps everything smoother and the bike stable. The more you practice, the less you will have to consciously think about technique and allow you more time for decisions, like Bent Mtn. I would say the best line, one that blends a series of turns, not just one. On a road your comfortable with you might be ruffling some of Chicken Hawks feathers before you know it......Charlie | ||
| Luvthemtorts |
I gotta say that Nuts is a very good street rider. I have seen him rail corners that had me peeing in my pants. Not just going in crazy but actually being the master of his domain. THAT is what I want to be able to do. Having the bike in second definately made it easier to control and maneuver into and out of corners but I swear it sounds like that poor motor is gonna explode from being over revved. I guess the rev limiter will cut the spark before damage occurs (at least I hope) because the last thing I wanna be doing is taking my eyes off the road to check the needle. Today was a day of learning and cautious experimentation. Pushed my boundaries but not to the point where I felt unsafe. Do you guys ever have visions of deer or other forest critters running out in front of you, tires blowing out, etc.? All these things run through my mind when I ride which makes me somewhat uptight and perhaps over cautious. I rarely exceed the speed limit by more than 10 MPH even on straight aways due to the imagined threats in my head. Where do you draw the line on factoring in the what if's? Tank, Just trying to get better so you and Nuts don't have to wait more than 10 minutes at a time while I catch up  . | ||
| Cyclonecharlie |
Jackie, I really don't think your going to hurt the motor.Your not in it that long.Bent Mtn. is a steep pull,if you start hitting the limiter then go to third. But right now third will probably cause you to over shoot the entrance and you will be out of the throttle too long to keep your exit rev's up where you want them. I think about deer when I'm in the truck, not usually on the bike unless it's getting close to dusk or night time and I never push it then.Tires are really good now, not like the old days.Almost never see a tire let go unless you run over something and you will know it and slow down to check(at least we should)...Charlie | ||
| Luvthemtorts |
I forgot to ask, is there ever a reason to change gears up or down while in an aggressive corner or should gear selection be made before entering and then stick with it through the entire turn? Up until today I was doing it (mostly downshifting while matching revs) but it always seemed akward and mildly unsafe. Over the course of the next few days I am sure there will be plenty more questions so please bear with me and by all means keep the helpful input coming. Thanks guys! | ||
| Nutsosane |
Jackie, this is too much. This compulsion towards excessiveness must wear you out! I like to think about riding in the rain. In the rain you can brake and you can turn: just not at the same time. Same goes when the roads are dry; but you can up the speed more safely. Before a turn: downshift if necessary, brake in a straight line, visualize the exit, push on the bar in the direction you mean to turn, apply steady throttle, look where you want to go and accellerate out. That's it. I learned to ride Bent Mtn following Charlie and Phillip. When I could catch a glimpse of them I sure didn't see any brakelight! Try running a speed that does not require the use of the brakes (except for emegencies); use the motor to slow you down. Smooth is the key here; fast will come along. Next thing you know you'll be..........Fast&Loose. NUTS | ||
| Cyclonecharlie |
Jackie, It's not one set of rules for everybody.Shifting in the corner is not a great idea. It unstables the bike when you lest want that to happen, plus it requires to much of your focus that you could be using for other functions at that moment. Down shifting on approach is the norm, but most race bikes have slipper clutches to keep them stable. In your case, rather than shift up in a corner I would feather the throttle till a better spot coming out. If you encounter something in the corner that is going to cause your rev's to drop too much, then drop a gear at the slowest point of the corner.Usually right before you need to pick up the throttle(pretty much the same as in the dirt).....Charlie | ||
| Cyclonecharlie |
Jackie, Plus what Nuts said,don't obsess, keep it simple.The whole key to this is two things 1- Know the best line.2- Keep it smooth. Everything else will come with practice. Watching road racing will show you great lines,but that's on a track and your on a Mtn. road.Try slightly different lines to find one that works for you( at a slower pace)NEVER charge a corner you can't see thru.(unless somebody is shooting at you) On this deer thing, your not being chased by "Bambi's Ghost" are you ? All those deer trophies staring back at you?   | ||
| Luvthemtorts |
Charlie, I think the deer thing stems back to year before last when me and Nuts had 3 of them killed directly in front of us. I know you probably remember the story but I'll recap. We were coming down Bent Mountain and 4 deer decided to pop out of the woods and try to cross the road. One was struck and killed by an oncoming car that proceeded to cross the line into our lane. The other two were killed by the truck that was directly in front of us. We had cars skidding beside, in front of and behind us that day. Boxed in with nowhere to go. Nuts will tell you it was nothing but the smell coming from his trousers afterwards indicated otherwise . Nuts, I'm just trying to avoid the mistakes you had to learn the hard way. It amazes me that someone who has wrecked as many times as you have can still ride so well and care free. When they say most accidents happen close to home they had no idea you would take it to the next level and go asphalt swimming 100 feet from your house not once but twice  . | ||
| Tank_bueller |
Jackie, You're still Drummmin, aren't ya? Not to contradict Charlie, but if your bike likes the Drummer the same way mine does, the midrange is the sweet spot. 3.5k-6.5k(roughly) is where mine is "snappiest". The drummer didn't really add much up top, but it improved the low-mid greatly. I like to try to be in the 3.5-4k range when I crack the throttle mide-corner. It doesn't seem to upset the bike as much as cracking it open at say 5k, when it's near peak torque. I totally agree that you should have very little to do during the turn. It should almost be boring. If one sets up properly before turn entry, the only things that need to be done mid corner are: 1.stay on the intended line, and 2. EASE into the throttle as soon as you can(which will help with #1). I could add trail braking in there, but that is a whole different chapter. Tank, Just trying to get better so you and Nuts don't have to wait more than 10 minutes at a time while I catch up No problem there, good time for a smoke break.  | ||
| Luvthemtorts |
Yeah but once you get done with your smoke you then have to sit there another 20 minutes whilst me and the Nutster have a pinch o' snuff! Its a no win situation for you Mr. | ||
| Cyclonecharlie |
Tank, When you see Bent Mtn., you will understand what I'm telling him. And I agree about the "Drummer", I had one of the first and loved it.Your accessment for rpm range is accurate, but Bent Mtn. going up is different.Plus right now Jackie needs the rpm cushion to come out of the corner around 4K..........Charlie | ||
| Nutsosane |
Why do I find myself looking at 2008 Uly's late at night?  NUTS | ||
| Luvthemtorts |
Cause they have something the Hawk doesn't. A SOUL  . I think you outta' get a BMW K1200R or Aprilia Mille so your good buddy can try it out. | ||
| Nutsosane |
I AM CONSUMED! nuts again | ||
| Cyclonecharlie |
Nuts, Once you have had a little Taste of Lolita, a Mildred just won't do. ..Charlie | ||
| Jlnance |
The g/f and I have decided to ride up to Roanoke today. If you see a Red Uly, wave at me. | ||
| Tank_bueller |
03' belt guards still suck... But I can do a rear wheel/belt swap without the service manual(only checking torque specs) in about 30min. The yellow beast is ready for the track, once again. New Corsa III's, fresh fluids, safety wire, and a "fair" once-over everything(which I'll do again before I load her in the trailer) The Stein got the rear yanked for the new tire to go to yeller', and a decent corsa put on with gearing closer to stock(easiest way out, til later). The DR got a stock sidestand(ebay), and is about 3/4" longer, but still leans waaay over due to the different bend. I think the frame bracket is bent??? A lowered bike with a stock sidestand should not lean that far. Sooooo, Nuts.. What color you gettin'? I kinda like the blue. | ||
| Luvthemtorts |
Well our good friend Foghorn Leghorn is gone! Let me be the first to introduce you guys to Ole' Nuts newest friend. What can we say about Nuts other than, well, he's NUTS !!    Jim, We rode around looking for where we thought you might be but obviously we failed miserably. You weren't hiding on the BRP or 220 so where were you at? Tank, I am really looking forward to your visit! We have everything planned to hopefully keep you occupied for your entire stay. | ||
| Cyclonecharlie |
Nuts, Now that is definetly you,your gonna have to bring the "Ole Red Boots" back out of retirement. I've heard of trading when the ashtray gets full. I guess you trade when the tires wear out. We will be waiting for a performance report and a name for the new stead.......Charlie | ||
| Tank_bueller |
Well Now... That is News... Leave it to Nuts to buy the bikes that are not on anyones "list". Looks like a fine Suzi. I don't have to ask if she carves. Nice bike? My drooling becomes less controllable every day for the R . I have "stuff" to sell to welcome her into the stable.  | ||
| Tank_bueller |
Jackie, I'm looking forward to the whole "Torts-N-Nuts Show" myself. I just hope I can add something less constructive?  I have a picture in my head.... Ya'll clapping in unison, when I finally get Angie started.(yes she's blue on the outside, but she's a redhead at heart)  | ||
| Luvthemtorts |
Guys, I am hurt! Both of ya'll responded without even saying how AWESOME the Yellow Jacket looks. A few tasteful mods and it ranks right up there with one of the most striking bikes on the road. I even had a dude sitting beside his Aprilia Mille lustin' after her  . Tank, Don't worry man I'll be there to take a picture of each failed attempt to get Angie started, dusting yourself off after a dismount, picking her up, etc. . | ||
| Tank_bueller |
Jackie, Your bike needs no words, other than the mention of that other bike sitting next to it. ...dusting off.../...dismount... What shame you speak of.... Angie won't let go of me unless I've been really, reeeaaaally bad.(or something breaks) I have been hesitant to say her name, but she is a redhead. p.s. so what is the plan?? (Message edited by Tank_Bueller on August 25, 2007) |
