booger
Bad
Dibs on first
In my (very fancy) opinion, you want an Antigravity lithium battery. Shouldn’t shit the bed every two years like a lead acid. And it’s smart enough to shut itself off. As in, when there’s just enough juice for a couple more starts, it shuts itself down. Then you try to start it 3 months later or whatever, and get no juice. You push a button on the battery, it turns back on, and now the bike will start. Voila, it “self jump started” or something according to Antigravity.
I’ve only used that feature once, and I happened to be at home, so it wasn’t a major advantage. People claim that if you can’t access the battery button, you can push the bike enough to get it to turn over, and that will also re-engage the battery.
Good luck with your dirt biking adventures!
Great points all around- we'll be revisiting some basic MSF panic stops/ threshold braking and some downshifting in more controlled environments. I do live in a rural enough area there are enough straight, lightly travelled roads to work up speeds outside of parking lot limits, but she has to be willing to do it.Sometimes you gotta go back to the basics. If you aren't already doing it to help her, try going to parking lots and practicing the use of brakes, gradually getting more aggressive with them. Practice downshifting at slower speeds and then increase the speed.
Some people will hit a wall and that will turn into not trying for fear of a penalty. My kids have hit those same types of walls when I take them to new areas on their dirt bikes. They will run 45 mph in our neighborhood if I let them. But take them to a proper riding area and can't get to do more than 15. It becomes a mind fuck for them and myself but then I remember we just need to warm up and then go try some more.
You should post up some of the video as you had on the 'other' site...Chilly trials comp this past weekend.
Look at you all grown up now, being the teacher.Lady friend (hasn't been riding but a few months) wanted to go out for a bit longer ride yesterday. Her previous best distance was 80ish miles in one sitting, this one was a tick over 200 so props to her for making it- she was hurting but wanted to finish the ride. This ride took us from home base down to the Mexico border and back via one of the better and recently repaved stretches of AZ fun roads (to remain unnamed )
I'm doing my best to coach her past some barriers she's having, seems she's hit a bit of a wall (not literally ) on certain things- overall speed, use of brakes (especially the front), downshifting from speed to name a few. Probably need to conquer these before moving on to other things. She's a fighter and doesn't back off from a challenge so I'm confident she'll get there.
Quick stop by the San Xavier Mission on the way out (under restoration)
me: 'ole SV - I agreed to ride naked as to not have an advantage riding a faired/windscreened bike
Right!? Full circle and all... This sport/hobby has brought me alot of rewarding joy so I do feel compelled to share it with others when applicable.Look at you all grown up now, being the teacher.
Seriously, it’s cool you have progressed far enough that you can help others. It’s not easy getting out of ones comfort zone, but if she’s going to enjoy the sport, she’s going to have to get on out there and ride. When I started out, it took me probably a month to get on the freeway and a little bit longer just to ride to work (25 mile trip on the freeway). Once I did it, I got over that fear and went further and further. Its really no different than driving a car; you start off small and easy and work your way up until it’s just natural.
Everyone is different, but you are going to have to find a way to critique her where she will listen and understand. Maybe take the advanced riders course with her or something or give her your “a twist of the wrist” and “total control” books you already have, so she can read them and maybe better understand the physics of riding. You have read those books right?
For me, race season is around the corner and I’m going to try and participate a little more this year. We will see though.
Getting her to listen.. that's going to be a long shot. I really want her to succeed but that's a two way street. As of this week totally up in the air :/Getting her to listen sounds like it’ll be difficult. Total Control does offer a class. It’s a step above advanced rider course and a notch below track time. It’s a very good middle ground. I think you would enjoy it too, I know I did.
I only got to race once last year at NOLA. That was a fun track, but my camera took a shit, so I didn’t get any good footage. I have a new GoPro now, so that’s taken care of. First race this year is local to me at MSRH at the end of February. If the weather is decent, I’m going to go. I need some full on track time.
I have been running my car at autocross and that has been a ton of fun, but the bikes are still me first love.
you looking for a track bike or just insane power toy?
Would you be willing to drop $600 on helping her out a bit? I bought helmet comms for my wife and I. I didn’t expect it to be nearly as useful as it is. My wife is also intelligent, driven, and a bit scared of riding. I knew I couldn’t teach her the basics because I’m unqualified and because it would lead to giant frustrations. So, after MSF taught her the basics, we just ride around together. Chatting over the comms definitely calms her down, and then when I need to tell her to go faster, I can tell her right then. It’s better for both of you because you don’t have to stew on it for 15 minutes, then pull over in a huff to give her a do-better talk. It makes it way easier to be gentle, and since 90% of what you tell her will be “pothole on the right” or “shit, check out this fancy house” or “what a view of this valley”, it will be received much better.Getting her to listen.. that's going to be a long shot. I really want her to succeed but that's a two way street. As of this week totally up in the air :/
Post up some of your go-pro! Sounds awesome. What? and I ended up getting some great go-pro footage of me leaving on him corner after corner on 191/666 I'm not good at editing otherwise I'd post up.
Understood on mixing up of hobbies. As you know I started heavily street car/drag biased and this motorcycling thing has taken over my life. Still have the Mustang but it sits collecting dust while I ride.
Great question in regards to your last point and I don't know the answer yet, hence why I'm struggling to pull the trigger on anything.
I call bullshit, hurry up and post the video to prove me wrong.Getting her to listen.. that's going to be a long shot. I really want her to succeed but that's a two way street. As of this week totally up in the air :/
Post up some of your go-pro! Sounds awesome. What? and I ended up getting some great go-pro footage of me leaving on him corner after corner on 191/666 I'm not good at editing otherwise I'd post up.
Understood on mixing up of hobbies. As you know I started heavily street car/drag biased and this motorcycling thing has taken over my life. Still have the Mustang but it sits collecting dust while I ride.
Great question in regards to your last point and I don't know the answer yet, hence why I'm struggling to pull the trigger on anything.
We both have Sena's - but a great suggestion. We are learning to navigate what is a good amount of info to relay. I'm a talkative/extrovert, her a quiet introvert so there is an overall gap in styles, and this really comes through while riding. I start telling her about my line choice entering a corner, where I'm trailing off the brakes and how much throttle I start adding at what point and she freaks out with info overload :/ ...Would you be willing to drop $600 on helping her out a bit? I bought helmet comms for my wife and I. I didn’t expect it to be nearly as useful as it is. My wife is also intelligent, driven, and a bit scared of riding. I knew I couldn’t teach her the basics because I’m unqualified and because it would lead to giant frustrations. So, after MSF taught her the basics, we just ride around together. Chatting over the comms definitely calms her down, and then when I need to tell her to go faster, I can tell her right then. It’s better for both of you because you don’t have to stew on it for 15 minutes, then pull over in a huff to give her a do-better talk. It makes it way easier to be gentle, and since 90% of what you tell her will be “pothole on the right” or “shit, check out this fancy house” or “what a view of this valley”, it will be received much better.
I can confidently say - I'm most likely beyond that point. Not in a cocky way at all, as I very much realize my limitations and that I'm still slow relatively speaking. I know a truly skilled guy on the same bike will leave me, but I'd like to think I'll be close enough behind to meaningfully follow lines, brake and throttle take up points etc. I really need to get to a trackDon’t get passed by a 300.
When A_G and I did a track day down here a few years ago, I ran my 300 and he was on his FZ8. He wouldn’t let me enter the track behind him because he knew I would pass him and he didn’t want that to happen. And in a race environment, I’m no where near fast.I can confidently say - I'm most likely beyond that point. Not in a cocky way at all, as I very much realize my limitations and that I'm still slow relatively speaking. I know a truly skilled guy on the same bike will leave me, but I'd like to think I'll be close enough behind to meaningfully follow lines, brake and throttle take up points etc. I really need to get to a track