• There has been a recent cluster of spammers accessing BARFer accounts and posting spam. To safeguard your account, please consider changing your password. It would be even better to take the additional step of enabling 2 Factor Authentication (2FA) on your BARF account. Read more here.

Rider Longevity

mean dad said:
The Road King has a different switch layout than the standard Japanese configuration, and I frequently honk at people when attempting to turn left. :facepalm :laughing
Click to expand...

My new Honda is the same ... :grrrr Embarrassing learning curve. :laughing
 
I used to race a Norton with right hand shift and a Honda with left hand shift in back to back races, :laughing. I did have one incident.
 
I used to race a Bultaco 360 Astro, right hand shift, right hand rear brake, ride a Triumph Bonneville, right hand shift, and various japanese dirt and streetbikes all in the same day/week/whatever. I can switch back and forth fairly comfortably, although it's been several years since I rode a right hand shift bike (maybe I can't anymore), but emergency situations (or doing things in a big hurry) weren't always real smooth or fast. Had to think about the shift or braking.
 
corndog67 said:
I used to race a Bultaco 360 Astro, right hand shift, right hand rear brake, ride a Triumph Bonneville, right hand shift, and various japanese dirt and streetbikes all in the same day/week/whatever. I can switch back and forth fairly comfortably, although it's been several years since I rode a right hand shift bike (maybe I can't anymore), but emergency situations (or doing things in a big hurry) weren't always real smooth or fast. Had to think about the shift or braking.
Click to expand...

I've been riding in the UK each year for a while. Riding on the wrong side of the road brings up some of these issues too, but I think your examples would be more confusing.
 
flying_hun said:
I've been riding in the UK each year for a while. Riding on the wrong side of the road brings up some of these issues too, but I think your examples would be more confusing.
Click to expand...

The Bultaco had the shifter and brake on the right hand side. The Bonneville had the brake on the left. That threw me off. The Bul, when the gearing was right, was a short track bike and you didn't have to shift normally. Almost like a left hand shift bike.

I've driven driven on the left side of the road. I'm sure it would mess with me in a large way.
 
corndog67 said:
I've driven driven on the left side of the road. I'm sure it would mess with me in a large way.
Click to expand...

Like so many things, easy once you're used to it.
 
littlebeast said:
when i first started riding, my SO spent a lot of time talking to me about anticipation, describing the body language of cars, and drawing diagrams of road configurations and vehicle/obstacle/hazard placement - and then quizzing me on all of the possibilities. when we rode together, he would critique my riding afterwards (sometimes during - pulling up next to me and yelling 'WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT!!!! lol). when i rode by myself, after i got home, he'd make me describe the entire ride - mostly to see how much attention i was paying. i found it very helpful. i kinda miss our little 'chats'.

with regard to horns (someone mentioned never using them) - i didn't realize until i started riding that i have a small dyslexic tendency. to this day, i occasionally hit my horn when attempting to turn off my turn signal. i have found it much less embarrassing to avoid using them (i usually point to where i'm going if anyone but me needs to know :laughing).
Click to expand...

Very cool. I like that and I am sure you learned a lot. Props to you both.
 
Briefly touched upon :
Do what you can to get your head right before you ride...
Do what you can to get your bike right before you ride...
Do what you can to get your body right before ride...
Now give all of yourself you can to your ride...
Play, listen and learn ..ride..ride some more :ride:party
DT
 
littlebeast said:
with regard to horns (someone mentioned never using them) - i didn't realize until i started riding that i have a small dyslexic tendency. to this day, i occasionally hit my horn when attempting to turn off my turn signal. i have found it much less embarrassing to avoid using them (i usually point to where i'm going if anyone but me needs to know :laughing).
Click to expand...

I had many quads for years before I ever had a bike with an electric start. On a quad the start button is where the horn button is on a street bike. Still to this day if I'm in a big hurry, or worse yet, stall it at a stoplight, I slap the key on and honk the horn.:laughing
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top