Interesting attitude. So when a sniper expends 1.2 rounds per enemy kill and a GI something like 11,500 me thinks training has some input on the result. Any training delivers a better result, but only if one is open to it I suppose...
Yep, we don't know what we don't know. Will readily admit I thought I couldn't improve much (like that Berries chap above) but then I asked myself what if? What if I can improve? Turns out I learned more than I might wish to admit
They have completely different jobs and shoot their guns for totally different purposes. I imagine they both train just as much as each other but on different aspects. Not the best comparison.
My problem is that I know what I should be doing to give me that extra margin of safety but some of the time I just don't bother because, well, that's why I ride.
pressed the wrong button
Last edited by Berries; 21st November 2018 at 06:14. Reason: Am too old to use a computer as well
Maybe not, Berries, yet not that bad either (referring to your previous post). A good friend was a career sergeant in the Army, including leading squads in Korea and Vietnam, and a lot more time Stateside training the new meat. He once said that, instead of the semi-auto M-1s used in Korea, and the fully-automatic M-16s used in Vietnam, he wished his troopies had been issued old bolt-action rifles, his idea being that the boys could be encouraged to make more careful shots, and wouldn't have to carry, and waste, so much ammo. Yeah, the comparison is a stretch, but maybe having spent early years riding old spaghetti-framed bikes is a useful background even for riding modern sportbikes that handle so much better. I toss that in for what it's worth, Berries (i.e., not much, oh well).
Some of us are aware of the problems of riding in our dotage and a year or three ago there was a sensible thread about it. As mentioned elsewhere I recently received an invitation to renew my licence. That requires an eye test and probably a note from the Doc to confirm I still have most of my marbles.
I still mostly cruise around at the same illegal speed I have since the 70s. The odd excursions to warp speed are less frequent these days though.
I’ve been banging on about a smaller bike for ages but since I’ve got an expensive service coming up that’ll likely be put off yet again.
One does not forget one is aging, the arthritis is a constant reminder.
There is a grey blur, and a green blur. I try to stay on the grey one. - Joey Dunlop
Really - I have no idea - I bought both my Bandits past 50 years old .. and they are the fastest things I have ever owned.
I think my riding is way better than it was when I was 30 ... the bikes handle better - I've got more control of them ... No, I am not as strong and fit - I don't need to be on these bikes - counter-steering and balancing on the throttle doesn't need strength.
I can still ride from Whakatane to Wellington stopping only for cigs and gas ...
I ride year round - I don't park the bikes in winter ..
I think I'm just a lucky hoon ..
Yeah - I did consider that - as I dropped in behind the last bike in the snake it looked like a young woman on a harley 500 .. she freaked and wobbled - did not seem happy for me to be behind her ... So then I wasn't ..
Yeah - chances are they did not see me before I passed them ... (the last one certainly did .. ) Yes - I've have bikes pass that I didn't even see coming ... as long as they don't hit me all good .. the only ones who rattle me are way too close .. others .. (Well, I tend to open the throttle and chase them .. but never too hard - I won't push anyone who doesn't look confident - and I won't chase competent riders on real sports bikes - I know what I can and can't do .. if they are really moving I let them go - but it's funny to watch guys on high speed sports bike who can't lose a 650 bandit ...) .. I was really wide on the corner - almost on the right side white line ..
In the end - such things happen on the road - and they need to get used to traffic .. If they had been at 100klicks I would not have done it .. they was only doing 80ks ... (I had a thought there - but it's gone ... ) ... Oh yeah - they didn't see me coming - and I was GONE before they could react ..
I really watch the road - no letting the attention wander off .. unless I'm cruising .. I watch cars, their body language, driver's heads - anything looks even slightly suspect I back off ...On another thought, again out of genuine curiosity. How are you gauging your reaction times? Dave Moss the suspension tuner says something interesting. He talks about the incredible ability of humans to adapt to sub-optimal circumstances and begin to treat that as normal. Of course his particular context is accepting sub-optimal suspension performance from our bikes and as a consequence not getting the most from them and therefore not having them under control as well we might and therefore not being as safe as we might. I hope you can see the parallels we can draw to other aspects of how we might evaluate performance? Sometimes I find the most objective way to baseline where I am at is to seek outside input and measurement or critique. Why? Well my perception of what is acceptable might simply be an adaptation to something which is sub-optimal from the beginning. Maybe its just me
So often I'm reacting BEFORE anything actually happens ...
I suppose you'd call that experience ..
"So if you meet me, have some sympathy, have some courtesy, have some taste ..."
Hahahaha - ditto for all you've said Ron My licence comes up for renewal in 2022.
Next year sometime, I'm looking at a smaller bike too, specifically much lighter and perhaps a tad lower. Going back to a Street Triple has strong appeal but coming from left field, the KTM Duke 790 seems to tick most technical boxes and has a certain emotional appeal too! I have a bit of arthritis in the knees and fitted pegs which were 20mm lower on both the Blackbird and current bike. Made a massive difference and quite happy to do the same to any future bike which has high pegs.
Had a Street Triple from 2009 - 2015 and absolutely loved it, that's why I'm hooked on them. The only drop was entirely my fault, The early ones had a fairly restricted lock and flicking it round on a narrow country road, it was very late in the piece and leaned right over that I needed another few centimetres of road to complete the turn . Had to step off it. Cracked an indicator lens and damaged my ego. The only thing about Street Triples is that they cause immoderate behaviour without a certain degree of self-control. That's part of the problem
Hahahaha re your second post
Told the wife I had to downsize so went from an SV1000 to a GSXR750 a couple of years back. Engine capacity went down, power, speed, handling, grin factor and general hooliganism went up. She's happy I am on a smaller bike, I am happy because she doesn't know the rest.
Not sure how I am going to justify going back up in capacity to her next time. Might just have to get some 500cc stickers made to cover up the numbers.
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