Bet i made a sport bike blink.

Doh!!! I've had it backwards all this time.

Where I come from half the riders I see aren't FROM here. No one's disputing the fact that most riders aren't competent or fast regardless of what they're riding. I rarely see them myself. I've blown by slow ass adv/DS riders as often as I've blown by slow ass sport bike riders. Of course those numbers don't compare at all to how many slow ass cruiser riders I've blown buy, but then they outnumber all the other riders combined 20 to 1.

I'm just stating that I am competent enough to ride a faster machine faster, and that pretty much applies to the small group of sport bike riders that I ride with as well. Just because you can't doesn't mean that no one else can

I tend to agree with the first part of your post. I do believe many "kids" buy sport bikes for looks and "cool" factor (i.e. posers).

However, the fact that you have "passed some sport bikes on 129 on your 150cc scooter with limited cornering clearance" doesn't mean that those riders don't know how to ride. 129 is a public road with extremely limited visibility and crap load of traffic and cops (for a good reason). My first time on the dragon, I was quite nervous (limited viz) and was taking it slow (on my Ducati 848). After two days and few runs, I was able to memorize most of those turns and felt quite comfortable and didn't have a problem riding at a spirited pace.

My point is that you know this road like the back of your hand and know what to expect which gives you a great advantage over someone like me who has never been to the dragon before.

I agree 100%. One time I was riding my scooter on 129 and saw some headlights behind me. I picked up my pace and pulled away. When I got to the Deal's Gap I stopped and along came a rider on an S1000rr. His tires where feathered to the edges from a recent track day. Obviously he could have caught me but chose not to. I have no illusions of being faster than him.

A passed a couple on 600cc sportbikes that had never ridden Deal's Gap before. They appeared to be smooth and competent riders but were smart enough not to push the pace:

On the other hand I have also seen guys riding so slow they wobbled around the corners. Or they go fast on the straights and practically stop in the curves. In those cases it's lack of skill.

BTW, when a faster rider does catch up to me, I slide over and let him by.

Of all that said your missing one valuable point, what about the other guy? To even considering rider skill and the ability to push a bike to its upper limits is absurd on the road. The variables are so much different that there is no comparison

I would like to get in on this thread late, not read anything but the first post, make some derogatory comments, imply my riding skill and situational awareness is higher, suggest a better way of dealing with it, and reprimand the poster for not having a gremlin bell on his bike - how would I go about doing that?

The best way to start is with what kind of oil he uses.

Second-ed.

This needs to be an oil thread.

I would like to subscribe to your newsletter

+1

Faack.. this was an entertaining thread till about 7 pages in, then it got to talking about rider skill and various bikes.

To get this thread back off track...rider ability aside, a good rider on a gs pig with 195lb wife and loaded cases molded from a cinder block, should move over for a lesser rider that's approaching in the mirrors at a much higher speed.

Nobody knows the other rider's ability when you see the headlights quickly approaching... sure in the back of your mind your the best rider, but in this instance, get the fuck out of the way....

Dude? Do not think for one second that common sense/courtesy has any place amongst the daffodils.

Chubby Girl Thread?

Soooo... I've lost track of the conversation. Is Rotella T-6 okay to use on my SV? And should I fill up with premium even though it only calls for 87 octane? I also heard that KTMs are better than BMWs, any truth to that?

"you are" or "you're" (that will re-direct some of the attention... to more important things )

Fixtified!

Only when Motorex is not available.......and KTM is only better when you own one, then when you switch to a GS the GS is the king of adventure, of course.

And octane booster adds at least 10hp.........right?

Good pick up.....it makes so much differecne that you notticed.

Fukcin' Hell, Maggot.

Can't beleive I didn't nottice the differecne the first time 'round.
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So, somehow going from a sportbike to an adventure bike makes one a faster rider on the road....That's freaking brilliant. As someone else mentioned, a sportbike (not a stretched-swingarm 'Busa) does everything faster than an adventure bike. That translates to quicker actions and reactions while underway. Braking times are shorter. Acceleration is far quicker. Speeds are higher.

Yes, absolutely rider skill and cojones play a huge part in who gets through a corner quicker. But unless we're talking about a beat-up piece of pavement that resembles the dark side of the Moon, given equal skill, the sportbike's going to thrash the adventure bike every single time.


Well, unless the adventure bike's got DEI....Then all bets are off.....

Sums up this thread!