Forum CEO HispanicSlammer Posted November 23, 2010 Forum CEO Share Posted November 23, 2010 "Don't Push It" - three words I tell myself when I am riding a motorcycle now when I start to do things that are not so smart. Things like passing a car on a double yellow, or going too fast on questionable pavement, riding too far past my comfort zone to keep up with faster riders. These things always seem to produce a reaction in me that cascades into more stupid things, more mistakes, and so I have to pull myself back a bit and think "what am I doing, don't push it, just enjoy the ride man"! I don't push it when I find myself behind a slow set of cars on a double yellow I just wait now and though it may be boring for a while a safer passing zone presents itself and I get by with no problems, sometimes they even move over for me and let me by! Ever since I started telling myself this I have found I have avoided one accident after another. Just when I am about to pass a car for slowing down for example all of a sudden they make a left turn into a driveway with no signal and boy that could have been a world of pain! Twice now I saved myself a ticket on the plains when I wanted to go faster but wasn't sure what was over that next rise, a cop thats what is over that next rise! There are places where it is fun to go fast but not when your scared, gripping the bars too tight, and finding yourself trying to keep up with faster riders, I let it go and just enjoy myself they don't really care cause they are my friends they will wait for me! Most of us vfr riders already do this cause well be have been riding an awful long time, read all the books, know "the pace" but sometimes it helps to tell yourself "don't push it" bro, save it, riding is way better then working! I even made a sticker and put it in the cafe press store let me know if you agree or not, its not to keep you slow just have more fun and enjoy it more, still have a good time railing it but at your own pace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer flavadave Posted November 23, 2010 Member Contributer Share Posted November 23, 2010 :fing02: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Great post, Miguel! :fing02: At times, I have told myself the same thing. "Don't push it - it's not worth it." Could be a risky pass, fast sweepers, riding over my head in tight twisties or even just high speed freeway cruising. Some are dangerous to my health and/or bike - and others risky to my bank account. It's good to listen to that inner voice. Most of the time, anyway! :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veefer800Canuck Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Tyke Posted November 23, 2010 Member Contributer Share Posted November 23, 2010 Amen to that brother :) The hardest part I find is catching myself early, often I do stupid things then rein myself in, I've been trying to work on catching myself "before the stupid" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer gswanson Posted November 23, 2010 Member Contributer Share Posted November 23, 2010 Are we starting to see a mellower side to our fearless leader? I have detected a hint of this in a couple of your other posts. Does the Veefalo have anything to do with this, or are you just getting wiser in your old age? Good points for all of us to remember, Miguel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choco Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Riding solo helps one to find their comfort zone. The more you ride solo the more you settle into your own comfortable rhythm. You make all your own decisions and don't have to worry about anybody else's pace. When you do ride with others, you have your experience of riding solo to help you judge the pace of the group and decide if it's for you or not. Miguel, I like the Ride Safe, Don't Push it VFRD graphic, but was wondering about the form of the guy leaning his bike while he stays straight up. This doesn't look right, have I been doing it wrong all this time? :biggrin: Maybe he's trying to pick the bike up after dropping it. What's going on in the graphic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superfunkomatic Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Great graphic and I totally agree with the sentiment. Having spent some time sliding down the pavement and narrowly avoiding injury, I understand what it means to just relax and have fun. It's too easy to get sucked into the 'push it' and 'find out what the bike will do' mentality. The best trips are ones where you see lots of cool things, hang out with other cool people, and get to tell the story at the end of the day. "Don't push it" - words to live by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Polarbear Posted November 23, 2010 Member Contributer Share Posted November 23, 2010 ... Such as the next on to Nelson next summer!!!! I agree. Good idea HS!! In fact, I find myself riding more and more just to "be in the zone", instead of riding fast. Just to be out there, just to enjoy the sun. I just can't afford the tickets out here anymore, and 40km per hour gets your bike taken from you anyway. If I was any good with photoshop or any graphic software, I would try to come up with a sticker that would promote "being in the zone" with some humor in it? Just saying... That being said, like I said, good idea HS. I may buy on or two if I find a place to put them. Im not big on bumper stickers. Does it fit on the vfr? C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 I do the same thing... Incredibly, I speak to myself quite a bit while i am riding. ...besides commenting on slow drivers, lack of signal notification of other drivers, etc. Like you, Bro, I'm alive to ride again! Good post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monk Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 "choco".... Makes a good point as well about riding solo.... I ride solo 98% of the time, and when I ride with a group, I ride sweep/drag/tailgunner/etc.... and leave 2 / 3 sec. between us...... Riding solo for me is a action vidio game 100%.... Nothing to do with going fast.... Everything to do with concentration and practice/muscle memory/etc. working on "The Pace"(My Pace). I injoy that I don't think of any thing but the safety and control of the bike....... It get's my mind off myself and the world I live in.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer jaimev34 Posted November 23, 2010 Member Contributer Share Posted November 23, 2010 "choco".... Makes a good point as well about riding solo.... I ride solo 98% of the time, and when I ride with a group, I ride sweep/drag/tailgunner/etc.... and leave 2 / 3 sec. between us...... Riding solo for me is a action vidio game 100%.... Nothing to do with going fast.... Everything to do with concentration and practice/muscle memory/etc. working on "The Pace"(My Pace). I injoy that I don't think of any thing but the safety and control of the bike....... It get's my mind off myself and the world I live in.......... +1 for what Slammer, Choco, and Monk have said. I prefer to ride solo. I don't have to ride anyone else's pace. I ride what's comfy for me. I too have slowed down in the last couple of months. I've had a few wrecks, the latest about 3 months ago and completely my fault for riding too fast and aggressively on the twisties, and I know I can't crash again, so I ride within my limits and remember that riding is dangerous; there's no need to make it more dangerous by riding like a jackass. I want to be riding in my seventies and eighties (i'm 30), and riding responsibly and cautiously is how I plan on doing that. I figure riding slower is still riding, and not riding at all because of a serious wreck is not worth it. Thanks, Slammer, for starting this thread. Nice to know others are thinking the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Rice Posted November 23, 2010 Member Contributer Share Posted November 23, 2010 Funny you should mention it. I have been saying the same thing to myself ever since my 2nd accident, which didn't have to be have I not pushed it. These days I look at the amount of time I will save by risking my a$$. It is usually under a minute. Not worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer TexOz Posted November 23, 2010 Member Contributer Share Posted November 23, 2010 Nice one HS - some salient words for all of us. Umm ... is the rider in the sticker supposed to be just about to crash or does he/she just have v'poor cornering technique? :blink: :happy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer MattB Posted November 23, 2010 Member Contributer Share Posted November 23, 2010 Miguel, I like the Ride Safe, Don't Push it VFRD graphic, but was wondering about the form of the guy leaning his bike while he stays straight up. This doesn't look right, have I been doing it wrong all this time? :biggrin: Maybe he's trying to pick the bike up after dropping it. What's going on in the graphic? I was thinking the EXACT same thing Choco. I think HS sentiment is good, but that rider on the graphic should improve his form even if he's not pushing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monk Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Funny you should mention it. I have been saying the same thing to myself ever since my 2nd accident, which didn't have to be have I not pushed it. These days I look at the amount of time I will save by risking my a$$. It is usually under a minute. Not worth it. Your post reminds me of when I was an "Over-The-Road" Semi driver Coast-to-Coast. So when you're talking about time saved by speeding, being a false hope.... I use to pick out a cage, or bike that's moving through traffic and by the time we get to the other end of an area (city/back road)...... It's always amazing how far they didn't get ahead of me..... There are things that can be fun to try, like going through a town without using my brake(without jamming up traffic behind me). Always be the one that signals 3 to 5 clicks "Before" changing lanes or what ever(even in parking lots). Making the rules of the road(Safety and/or Legal) a game and while flowing through traffic, it's done with the letter of the law....With the exception of passing on a double yellow when I know there is no reason for it being there in the 1st place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vfr_steve Posted November 24, 2010 Share Posted November 24, 2010 Just to say a star post HS, I totally agree and thanks for reminding me - it's all too difficult to become complacent :fing02: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum CEO HispanicSlammer Posted November 24, 2010 Author Forum CEO Share Posted November 24, 2010 the graphic is a lowside, dont think a vfr can lean that low, the guys looking the wrong way to be riding it, looking at where hes gonna end up after its done sliding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer yellowvfrider Posted November 24, 2010 Member Contributer Share Posted November 24, 2010 Words to live by Hs...words to live by. Thanks, I nice post! Y Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baileyrock Posted November 24, 2010 Share Posted November 24, 2010 What a bunch of pussies, just Gas It! :laughing6-hehe: I kid, I kid! Nice post HS. I too have dropped it down a notch for the most part and even pulled the radar detector out of my cage and drive a 5 mph over vs the constant 10+ OVER I avg. every day. I want to slow my Pace some on the bike also and have for the most part. The deer thing and just being missed by a cartwheeling Tuano Sunday added to the concern about speed and decisions we make while riding. Again Great, it's always good to question how we go about this enjoying this sport we love so much! :fing02: BR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer MBrane Posted November 24, 2010 Member Contributer Share Posted November 24, 2010 :fing02: My neighbor is more of a track day guy than a tourer/street rider. Not to say he doesn't do that kind of thing, but he only gets really excited about riding when we're going to the track. I ride a lot more on the street (commuting, day rides, and touring) and need to remind myself to behave sometimes too. Lots more at stake. A crash at the track usually means just a rashed up bike, and leathers. The same crash on the road can have much more dire consequences. Thinking of my 10 year old son and/or my GF usually helps. The GF rides a bit slower than I, and I will often follow her for a while to remind me that it's just about being out on the bike enjoying the ride not necessarily railing like a lunatic. A few track days a year is enough to take care of most of my "pushing it" urges, but it never hurts to remind myself. Call it taming the inner squid. :goofy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VFR4Lee Posted November 24, 2010 Share Posted November 24, 2010 Pushing it is for the track. :fing02: Take it a little easy, be safe is for the street and road. I get most excited about a ride when it means a few days on the road away from home. :beer: Short story long, +1. :happy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Oh6PearlVFR Posted November 24, 2010 Member Contributer Share Posted November 24, 2010 Great point and good advice, the VFR can be all too tempting some times to let the grumble out of the cage and kick it up a notch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 24, 2010 Share Posted November 24, 2010 Nice sticker... looks like your pushing it tho! The lean angle is a bit extreme. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer rangemaster Posted November 24, 2010 Member Contributer Share Posted November 24, 2010 I wrote this here about 2 years ago: My dos centavos: I'm 55, been riding off and on for over 35 years and have always ridden "carefully". Full gear, bike in top notch condition, exercising full situational awareness. Want to rip on a really great road? Recon ride first. Can't, then just be satisfied riding a nice 'pace'. I've walked away from more shit in my job than anybody has a right to and believe life is for living. Don't feel like riding? Then don't. Take a break-a day, a week, a month. Great line from an old movie "If there is any doubt, there is no doubt." Your "6th Sense" is no BS, it's what kept our ancestors alive. Do what makes you feel best, no one can argue with your decision. Well, I'm 57 now and if anything I believe this even more now than before. I've got two great kids and want to be around for them for at least a while longer, LOL. They call my '97 'the third child' and when my daughter and I had words recently she called it "my favorite". :laughing6-hehe: It's stuff like that, that keeps me from railing like a (old) maniac. I've ridden with HS (the farther we went the farther back I was) which was/is fine with me-I've always been the 'last out' kind of guy. So if you don't feel like it, don't push it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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