Sorting out speed issues. (kind of a ride report, but not really)

[Stew]

As an introduction, I have had the bike a few weeks now, and every time I go out on it, I end up riding really quickly. Which has been starting to concern me, as I do like having a license, and some of the speeds I have been doing would get me a hefty fine, and seriously affect my licence. I've had faster bikes in the past, but didn't have the same issues, I was able to just plod along when I felt like it, and go nuts when I felt like it.

I've gotten away with a lot of speeding over the years, and I don't need the aggravation, the fine, the insurance cost leap.

It might sound like no big deal, but it has seriously been bothering me, because I was thinking, I need somewhere to ride that I can guarantee no police, so I can really enjoy this bike, or learn how to plod along.
I've been struggling a bit with 30mph limits, and 40mph limits, to keep the bike from feeling like it wants to crack on.

So, I went out this afternoon, determined to once and for all sort this issue out. Since sometimes I enjoy just going out for a wee slow ride, and clearing my head.

I rode around 3 hours, not sure what mileage, but, I kept within the speed limit all the time, except on a 60mph limit, when I was sitting at around 67 or so. I managed this the entire time. (until the end, when I decided I was due a treat.
More than anything I realised that it is more a self-discipline issue than anything else. The bike wants to go quicker, and so do I.

First thing that astonished me was that I ended up slightly obsessing over the wee CRNT FUEL indicator, seeing mad numbers like 70 etc , wheeeee!

I was surprised at how difficult I found it to stay under , or just over, the speed limits. And it is a long time since I had cars coming up behind me, going quicker than me, and the temptation to just blast away was great, but I restrained myself, and a couple of times indicated and slowed down to just let them get past so I could chill out and enjoy the ride.
It was most enjoyable, and I learned a lot. Because everything was so much less frantic, I was able to really work on my positioning for bends, looking through bends for the vanishing point and all that good stuff that I sort of got a bit out of the habit of. And often I found that by going slower I was actually quicker through the bends, and smoother coming out of them.

Now most of the roads I was on are super twisty, absolutely brilliant fun on the bike, flick left flick right flick left flick right sort of thing, and I really really enjoyed myself. 60mph speed limit, which I stuck to, and found I was almost always actually doing 60, whereas before I'd be doing 80+ coming up to a bend, then hammering on the brakes, ending up too slow, and ruining the bend for myself etc. so while it felt a lot slower, I reckon if I timed it, I may have been around the same total time, if not marginally quicker.

I am not a fast rider, if anything I'd say I am a slow rider. I've nothin to prove, if other riders want to go faster than me then great, let them get on with it, I've been there, done that, got the scars and bills to show for it.
I also took time to mess around with the suspension a bit more, while waiting on getting my new shiny bits fitted in early Sept. I was able to get the bike a lot more comfy on bumps and potholes, which again contributed to me sort of being faster while riding within the speed limit.

As for the lower speed limits, I had been struggling with holding 30 or under in a 30mph limit, but realised today that 2nd is the best gear for that, rather than 3rd. Same with 40 limit, 3rd is better than 4th.

I may be preaching to the choir here, but there is something about that triple engine that makes it sound and feel a bit like you are revving it hard , when you actually are not. With my prior experience being vtwins and 4 cyclinders, I'm used to going up through the gearbox a lot sooner.

So, in summary. Sometimes it's good to actually sort of re-engage brain, and start all over again. We all get used to doing things a certain way, and the triple engine doesn't like that   Adapting to it has taken me a while, and I've a ways to go, but , my oh my, it is just such a lovely engine.

And to finish up, I treated myself to a brain out 20 minute thrash around some roads close to home, I mean, it had to be done.

 

Not sure where to put this, so any admin that wants to move it, please do.

Stew

 

[betoney]

1 hour ago, Stew said:

Now most of the roads I was on are super twisty, absolutely brilliant fun on the bike, flick left flick right flick left flick right sort of thing, and I really really enjoyed myself. 60mph speed limit, which I stuck to, and found I was almost always actually doing 60, whereas before I'd be doing 80+ coming up to a bend, then hammering on the brakes, ending up too slow, and ruining the bend for myself etc. so while it felt a lot slower, I reckon if I timed it, I may have been around the same total time, if not marginally quicker.

I couldn't agree more, smoother is definitely more enjoyable and can actually be faster if you carry speed.  I find I slowly rotate my wrist, open and close, not whack it open and chop it fully closed, in fact a lot of time I don't fully close the throttle or use the brakes in corners, just slowly 'roll' it open a bit and then smoothly 'roll' off a bit though always having some maintenance throttle applied.  Kind of like a stereo volume knob.

[Stew]

Just now, betoney said:

I couldn't agree more, smoother is definitely more enjoyable and can actually be faster if you carry speed.  I find I slowly rotate my wrist, open and close, not whack it open and chop it fully closed, in fact a lot of time I don't fully close the throttle or use the brakes in corners, just slowly 'roll' it open a bit and then smoothly 'roll' off a bit though always having some maintenance throttle applied.  Kind of like a stereo volume knob.

Aye. Thats a good description of how I was using the throttle today. It really was one of the best bike rides I've had in a long long time.
Thing is, I used to know all this, and do all this.
But that triple engine bewitched me for a wee while there

 

[phpaul]

I can relate as well.  The engine in these things is intoxicating.  

I'm nearly 70 and this bike brings out the 19 year old hooligan in me like nothing I've ever owned.  It's purely dumb luck that I haven't had a major ticket because I just can't resist the urge to dip into triple digits every time I ride the bike.  And I probably shouldn't even talk about my passing technique...

[Stew]

7 minutes ago, phpaul said:

I can relate as well.  The engine in these things is intoxicating.  

I'm nearly 70 and this bike brings out the 19 year old hooligan in my like nothing I've ever owned.  It's purely dumb luck that I haven't had a major ticket because I just can't resist the urge to dip into triple digits every time I ride the bike.  And I probably shouldn't even talk about my passing technique...

I hear that. The nearest I can think of is when you hit the powerband on a 350lc 2 stroke back in the day. Totally addictive.
Oh, and I timed my well behaved run today perfectly, as when I came across traffic police I was doing 2mph under the speed limit.  I nearly waved to them
I'm just a youngster at 61 going on 20

 

[GTO MIKE]

On 8/3/2020 at 7:34 PM, phpaul said:

I can relate as well.  The engine in these things is intoxicating.  

I'm nearly 70 and this bike brings out the 19 year old hooligan in my like nothing I've ever owned.  It's purely dumb luck that I haven't had a major ticket because I just can't resist the urge to dip into triple digits every time I ride the bike.  And I probably shouldn't even talk about my passing technique...

Cant agree with you more , This bike was My retirement reward for myself . It brings back the fun in riding and that motor is a true beast. Feels like an on road dirt bike to me with the light weight and quickness but with enough civility to make it an all around great bike !

MIKE   2020 tracer 900 GT

Edited August 5, 2020 by GTO MIKE

[BBB]

I think you’ve described the cycle that riders can go through really well @Stew. It’s almost exactly the same cycle with your health: a feeling of invulnerability where you eat and drink as you feel, then a major health scare, perhaps in a close friend, and a big rethink.

I used to ride at high speed everywhere and just hope I wouldn’t be caught. I’d try to beat my commute time to work and do crazy manoeuvres in traffic. It was only when I had a near-death incident with a driver on the wrong side of the road that I did my advanced rider course. Even immediately after the course I would ride in “advanced” mode on some rides and then bat-shit crazy mode on other rides, convincing myself that I “deserved “ a reward and heck, I’m a better rider now anyway 🤪.

It took being caught speeding in the car, only 37 in a 30, and a speed awareness course for me to really get the message.

Riding is actually much more enjoyable now. If the speed limit feels slow then I relax and look around. If the limit is challenging enough then I ride as precisely as I can (like @betoney said, corners without braking, perfect road positioning, overtaking cars when they are slow out of bends instead of straight-line powering past etc). The focus on skilled riding replaces the speed rush.