Something that just might keep you and your friends alive out there.
I've known some riders in the past who seem to have the attitude that, if you can't/don't ride hard, you're not truly a rider. That riding on the streets the same way you'd ride on the track is an acceptable way to ride -- fast, hard, and pushing your limits every way possible. That if you're not comfortable/crazy enough to ride in such a way on the streets, you're not a good rider. Even this "well-known fact" that, as a rider, it's not IF you crash, it's WHEN.
While I respect each individual's choice in the matter of how they wish to ride, I think listening to such advice as above is completely moronic. We as riders may be part of a "unique club" so to speak, but that does not mean any single rider or group thereof has the right to dictate how we should ride, ESPECIALLY with a load of crap like that above. While certain track-learned skills would certainly help street riding, it doesn't mean you should always look at the streets as a track for you to race around on. And I'd like to hope that if/when I crash, it's because somebody else did something stupid and I couldn't avoid it -- not because I did.
Don't get me wrong. I have my moments, but those are my moments, not anyone else's -- I'd want my fellow riders, my friends, to ride how they feel comfortable, and nothing less. I wouldn't pressure someone I cared about to "just go a little faster" or "take that corner a little harder", lest someday I end up having to attend that friend's funeral because they took my advice to heart.
If there's one good piece of advice I've been hearing these past 3 years, it's "RIDE YOUR OWN RIDE." Often it's our own egos that get us and push us to do stupid things, take risks we know better than to take, just to show off to fellow riders. Too many riders get hurt or killed as a result.
Some think that having 1,000km, 10,000km, 25,000km etc under their belt makes them an experienced rider. I have almost 50,000km and I still know I have a lot to learn. I'd be willing to bet even those who've ridden hundreds of thousands of KM, still don't think they're the perfect rider.
If you're riding with people you trust, and who respect each other, you should never feel as though you're being pressured to ride beyond your limits. You should never feel as though you're not good enough to be part of that group. You should all be watching out for one another and enjoying the ride, not focusing on trying to take that sharp turn at 5x the suggested speed limit without crashing and dying.
I'm rambling. But what I'm getting at here is, there is only one person who can decide whether your riding style is right for you: You. If you spend every minute of a ride with your friends wondering if you're going to make it home in one piece, you're probably not enjoying yourself, and you're probably riding with the wrong people. Just because many of our bikes are built for racing, doesn't mean we have to do it all the time.
As much as a thrill as it can be for all of us, there's a time & place to ride hard, and a time & place to ride respectfully. There's a difference between riding to improve yourself, and riding to impress your friends. But if you value your life, and your own beliefs, please consider the difference. It just might save your life some day.
Have fun, ride safe, and keep the shiny side up.
I've known some riders in the past who seem to have the attitude that, if you can't/don't ride hard, you're not truly a rider. That riding on the streets the same way you'd ride on the track is an acceptable way to ride -- fast, hard, and pushing your limits every way possible. That if you're not comfortable/crazy enough to ride in such a way on the streets, you're not a good rider. Even this "well-known fact" that, as a rider, it's not IF you crash, it's WHEN.
While I respect each individual's choice in the matter of how they wish to ride, I think listening to such advice as above is completely moronic. We as riders may be part of a "unique club" so to speak, but that does not mean any single rider or group thereof has the right to dictate how we should ride, ESPECIALLY with a load of crap like that above. While certain track-learned skills would certainly help street riding, it doesn't mean you should always look at the streets as a track for you to race around on. And I'd like to hope that if/when I crash, it's because somebody else did something stupid and I couldn't avoid it -- not because I did.
Don't get me wrong. I have my moments, but those are my moments, not anyone else's -- I'd want my fellow riders, my friends, to ride how they feel comfortable, and nothing less. I wouldn't pressure someone I cared about to "just go a little faster" or "take that corner a little harder", lest someday I end up having to attend that friend's funeral because they took my advice to heart.
If there's one good piece of advice I've been hearing these past 3 years, it's "RIDE YOUR OWN RIDE." Often it's our own egos that get us and push us to do stupid things, take risks we know better than to take, just to show off to fellow riders. Too many riders get hurt or killed as a result.
Some think that having 1,000km, 10,000km, 25,000km etc under their belt makes them an experienced rider. I have almost 50,000km and I still know I have a lot to learn. I'd be willing to bet even those who've ridden hundreds of thousands of KM, still don't think they're the perfect rider.
If you're riding with people you trust, and who respect each other, you should never feel as though you're being pressured to ride beyond your limits. You should never feel as though you're not good enough to be part of that group. You should all be watching out for one another and enjoying the ride, not focusing on trying to take that sharp turn at 5x the suggested speed limit without crashing and dying.
I'm rambling. But what I'm getting at here is, there is only one person who can decide whether your riding style is right for you: You. If you spend every minute of a ride with your friends wondering if you're going to make it home in one piece, you're probably not enjoying yourself, and you're probably riding with the wrong people. Just because many of our bikes are built for racing, doesn't mean we have to do it all the time.
As much as a thrill as it can be for all of us, there's a time & place to ride hard, and a time & place to ride respectfully. There's a difference between riding to improve yourself, and riding to impress your friends. But if you value your life, and your own beliefs, please consider the difference. It just might save your life some day.
Have fun, ride safe, and keep the shiny side up.
