Whoosh (longish)

No, not something someone didn't comprehend...

....just the sound of me flying around EC today stuck to the back of a Honda
factory rider on one of their new 'Blades. FAAAAAARRRRKKKK

The day began with a pillion session (me riding) - relatively s-l-o-w
compared to my ride a little later (me pillioning) - but nonetheless it was
cool to take the XX (a large dark coloured marshmallow compared to the
'Blade) out on the track. Clearly the suspension isn't really 'race ready'
but the big old girl hauled some ass around the place (as did the bike...
boom tish smack) and I think we nudged 220 down the straight - not bad
considering my 'Blade ride maxed at 240. It's just that the Blade didn't
need to go much slower than that anywhere else! For the record, a naughty
mate of mine loves to confess to hitting 280+ on my bike while I was OS...
(you know who you are).

About 20 mins later and I was told to strap up again and get ready for the
next pillion session if I wanted to be a passenger. Do I love life? How is
my insurance?? What would mum say? These questions barely got through the
fog before I was told to jump on the back. My first impression was of the
high perch (I've never sat on the back of the XX but it looks much less
'exposed') and then the awesome brakes on this thing as we hit turn 2 for
the first time.

We did 2 'warm-up' laps, not terrifying - more stupendously awesome, but a
non-rider would have had a myocardial infarction for sure. On lap 3 he
turned and shouted something at me as we exited turn 2, I just returned a
thumbs up - reluctant to let go, and then he kicked it up a few considerably
frightening notches.

Well... it felt like I was being ravaged by a frenzied herd of bison. I
couldn't help wondering (between struggles to keep from merging with him,
and hanging on with every bit of strength as we powered out of corners) just
how it was that a tiny strip of rubber could take such phenomenal forces.
As we rounded turn after turn I had thoughts of what it must feel like when
the grip finally gives out and your curved arc becomes a violent and bumpy
straight line. Would this happen to us? Surely we can't go any faster!!
We did.

I've nailed the XX a few times (OK - a few thousand times) and it is
awesome. However, being driven ferociously out of corners while your ear is
still almost scraping the ground while puckered to a postage stamp behind a
suicidal individual wringing the neck of an overpowered beast is a whole new
experience for me. It's incredible how these things launch so hard from
such low angles, and then cast you violently forward as they brake for the
next corner. (Perhaps this is ho hum for most of you but for me this was
pretty damned cool - can you tell?).

After about 7 or 8 laps we retired and a few photos later I jumped on the XX
and rode home, armed with a whole new respect for such skilled people and
the amazing bikes they ride.

I'm looking forward to (and keeping fingers crossed for) the next such event
at PI coming up...

Cheers,
Dave E ZZR600 => ST2 (stolen) => '03 XX
~ Nice to be home in 1 piece (with bike still in 1 piece down in the
garage...)

 

<snipped>
Great post. How does one go about getting a go?
Also, I've never really been a pillion, what are the recommended
instructions? I imagine if you did the wrong thing while trying to keep your
ears off the ground mid corner you could end up quite easily arse over
breakfast.

 

Instructions for pillion:

(1) Hang On

2) See (1)

 

..au:

[... story snipped...]

Bitch!


GB

 

I seem to find myself adding:

3) Stop fuckin' wrigglin' about so much

at the first set of lights after taking a newbie on board.


GB

 

Thanks UB,

it was pretty amazing I must say. These guys are smooooth riders despite
the violent forces involved.

As for being a pillion - from a rider's perspective (in my experience at
least) - to relax is the best bit of advice IMHO. As much as I love a pair
of boosies in my back, leaning on me especially under brakes will kill the
wrists very quickly. I always tell pillions to just try to follow me and
flow with the bike - no fighting corners - most importantly, relax. Another
thing is to try to avoid helmet collisions - pretty common with newbies. On
many occasions I've had pillions asleep at decent speeds. [1]

From the other side, I'd love a dollar every time I've heard "I've pillioned
once but never again. The guy was a lunatic". I've seen so many blokes try
to impress a friend with unrestrained throttle activity, such that any
future ride is out of the question, the friend turned off for life. Not
smart and not good for our profile - which struggles enough as it is.
Usually getting on a bike the first time is a big step for people - there
are a lot of preconceptions around the place - often rightfully so. Sitting
high on a postage stamp, knees around your ears feeling like you'll fall off
the back all adds to the initial shock - so easy tiger, give them some
confidence and let them call the speed shots - intercom is great for this.

I once took a mate - 6'7" and 130 kg for a spin on the XX. We had intercom
and I was very aware of him being a father of 3 young ones so we took it
easy. The 'bird handled his mass easily but cornering required some
adaptation on my part. After about 15 mins of taking it fairly easy, he
asked if I was ever going to give it a go. I confirmed that this was what
he *really* wanted and told him to get ready. A left turn onto a long
straight and I wound it out in 1st, 2nd and into 3rd - front wheel up -
until about 190 or so before the big guy finally said "OKOKOK". Being so
much bigger than me he acted as something of a sail and I couldn't keep the
front down! He got off with a big smile but the important thing is he asked
for it - if I'd done that up front I'm sure he would've nailed me. Note:
[1] below didn't apply.

As for getting a ride like yesterday - I have to admit it's not what you
know but who you know.

Cheers,
Dave E ZZR600 => ST2 (stolen) => '03 XX

[1] As a sidenote, while this didn't apply yesterday (!!), a relaxing BJ at
the end of the ride is often seen as an appropriate gesture of thanks.

 

Beer mate?

Dave

 

A guy told me once he crashed with a pillion because the pillion counter
leaned (which is a natural reaction for a first timer) into a corner and the
bike stopped turning.
I imagine that at the extremes a track rider would be performing, the
pillion would have some active part to play to ensure everything stays on
track.

 

I still reckon a World Superpillion Championship would be huge...

 

..au:

Thought you'd never ask!!!

(Where the hell have you been, anyway? Dunno if you've noticed, but
they've destroyed our pub "for renovations". It's supposed to be
back online soon, but I'm not holding my breath. If they've cleaned
the blood out of the carpet and stopped the teenagers from getting
in, they'll have destroyed it's spirit!!!)


GB

 

..au:
[...]

Mate, you keep talking like that, and I'm gonna look at getting
you work on the speaking circuit. I'm pretty much reaching gutfull
point with some of our peers: older, more experienced and should-
have-more-clue folks "reminding" the newbies that they should
"ride your own race", "don't try to keep up", etc, etc - carefully
distancing themselves from any responsibility for the example they
set on group rides... Some of them in the business of selling bikes for a
living too.

(I hasten to add that I'm not talking about any ausmotians here.
I can't remember *ever* taking issue with an ausmotian (except on
matters of usenet bullshit, of course!!!))

You're not bloody wrong! I've lost count of the number of "I'll
never get on a bike again"'s that I've carefully converted to
"Gee, you're a good rider, I enjoyed that"!

(I'm not a 'good' rider, I'm a fuckin' noob in long pants!
sheesh!)

Mate, you said you'd keep our little secret a secret! Sheesh!


GB, beer mate?

 

You're a lot more accommodating than me Dave; I just tell my pillion to go
have a wank if he think he needs "thanking"!!

 

Not in my case. This guy was at my house before he went for a ride, and came
back with a bent bike and a few bruises, not to mention one upset pillion

 

In aus.motorcycles on Thu, 25 May 2006 22:45:48 +1000

IT does feel worrying, but if you aren't near any limits and you are
relaxed and in control, then it's sphincter puckering but not deadly.

Well wasn't when either of them happened to me!

One was a novice pillion who recalled I told them to lean but couldn't
recall which way (I now tell pillions "pick a shoulder to look over
and keep your body aligned with mine") and the other was a bod who swore
he knew all about it and had done a lot of riding in the day. He was
terrible pillion, not leaning then remembering and throwing his body
weight about.

The second time I was ready for it....


Zebee

 

Mate, I didn't organise to have my teeth removable all those years ago for
nothing.

)

Cheers,
Dave

Love your work (or as they say in Chatswoo... "love your wok).

 

Hey GB,

mate, how the hell are ya? In the last few mths I've been in China, India,
Thailand and working a lot in sunny northern Qld or in Vic. Tomorrow I'm
off to the jungles of PNG for a week, living with a village that hasn't yet
experienced the 'white guy'... (I should perhaps rephrase that). I told a
mate that I was documenting cannibalism of whites and he asked if the
article would be called "The Inside Scoop"... boom boom Actually I'm going
there as a photographer to cover some amazing aid activities over there.

Those bvstards in Chatswoo sure know how to bugger up a pub. Must've
learned that from their Paddo friends. I'll be back on the 4th - how about
a cheap steak night at the Gt Nthrn (Mon to Thu)? A spin to Rod Worriers
could be the go as well!

Cheers,
Dave

 

'ello Ello! Piss (and not on a BMW) off Dave, you skiter!

Beer mate? Some of us will be having a netpissup next week. Too bad you'll
be off getting fungus in your zoom!

 

Maaate - have a few for me won't ya? I'll look forward to a spin when I get
back from the wild land. Almost finished packing now and there's still a
whole 6 hours before I have to be at the hairyport!

Cheers,
Dave