By Geo on Monday, June 24, 2002 - 06:12 pm:

I've recently spent a week in England, I've gone from London to Wilts, to Bracknell (shudder) back to Wilts, to Warwicks, back to Wilts and from there back to London.
On "b" roads, "c" roads and motorways and streets and I've never seen anyone riding faster than the cars.
One time on an "a" road from Wootten Bassett to Lyneham I was driving my mother in law's car, a 850cc Suzuki with an automatic tranny and I drove almost off the road to let the bike behind me get on with it -and he wouldn't.
When he finally got the courage to pass me on a particularly long straight ( I was driving at 50-55mph with the two left wheels kissing the shoulder) I saw that he was riding a ZX-9R!
Not impressed by your lot!!
Geo  

By Diablo_Mille_R on Monday, June 24, 2002 - 11:24 pm:

You just keep thinking that Geo.......or come out for a ride on a Wed evening and show us how to overtake and go fast.  

By Bonerp on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 12:41 am:

THATS cos I just raced him from Calne to W Bassett and he was of "unstable mind" by the time I finished with him ha ha ha (its my manor, is Wiltshire!).  

By Rca on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 03:02 am:

Geo,

Perhaps you were driving so slow, they thought you were an unmarked police car.

Or if you were driving on the wrong side of the road, they were just being extra cautious.

Regards,

Russell 

By Crmc33 on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 04:44 am:

maybe the biker was going steady cos they were adhereing to the speed limit. For all you know it mite have been Mick Doohan.
The steadiest riders on the road often dont have anything to prove. Theyve already done it on the track.. I always use this excuse 

By Taffrsv on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 05:23 am:

Geo

Unfortunately we live in a small island and the further south you get the more populated it gets and so more traffic, but I'm sure the lads down there can show you a ride or two.

Failing that pop up north next time I can show you roads that will blow your mind. Here is a pic of a local village Chop Gate (pronounced Chop Yat) found in Bilsdale, Bilsdale is a dale running from Stokesley to Hemsley, the road is known locally as the Hemsley TT, it has fast uphill, downhill, jumps, hairpins the lot, most importantly no Gatso's (speed cameras), so if you want some action come North, best not come in the Mother inlaws car though.



Rich see what you are missing.

Taff. 

By Rca on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 05:30 am:

Taff,

With all those natural speed humps (sheep) and chicanes (cows) you don't need gatsos.

Russell  

By Diablo_Mille_R on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 05:32 am:

Taff,

tell me about it.....that road was one of our Racetracks when I lived up there. Also the Moor road from Carlon, across the top to Helmsley, then onto Osmotherley. Pint at the Pied Piper (I used to work there) then back down the speed test of the A174 to Stokesley. I was once going down there at about 130mph in the car when a Sierra cossie went past me like I was going backwards....WTF.

BUT, I do believe it was -20 degrees C when you took that pic, and it was the first time in 4 years it had not rained 

By Crmc33 on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 05:55 am:

At least theres plenty of run off. Important for people like me 

By Taffrsv on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 06:07 am:

Rich

Me and my mate used to chase after 2 girls from Faceby after we finished with them we used to race from Faceby up Carlton Bank to Chop Gate over the jumps and back to Stokesley, we thought it was the dogs bollocks on peds and 250's, I rode it last week on the Mille and shit myself.

As far as the -20 goes I thinks you are telling porkies, if you look closely at the pic you will see a cricket match going on, and we all know that you never play cricket below -15, as for the rain I have no argument that will stand up.

Rca

you have never ridden till you go round a corner and find a sheep right in your path, or have your backend step out going over a nice freshly laid cow pat.

And for all you Yanks don't even bother asking what cricket is, its another sport we invented and are crap at.  

By Diablo_Mille_R on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 06:16 am:

Faceby, that was another call in for a drink stop, until one time we got stuck in the ford there My old man drinks in the pub there every Wed evening, its so long since I've been I've forgotten the name! 

By Taffrsv on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 06:46 am:

Its eluding me as well, I have a feeling its the Plough I'll find out tonight, whats even worse I've forgotten the young ladys name she had a horse and was the sweetest thing you had seen in jodpurs.  

By Scotty on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 09:02 am:

Geo, you just try and keep up with me mate when I'm on my bike! And I take it easy on the road cos I'd like to retain my licence

But thinking about it you're right there are a lot of pansy all talk no action riders here in England.

However there are exceptions to the rule.... Like the guy who videoed himself doing 165mph which the cops used as evidence against him.. he's gone to prison for a year!!!!


You also have to remember that for some riding is a summer weekend kinda thing where as for others of us its a day to day thing. 

By Geo on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 12:26 pm:

Yeah you're all scared to death for your licenses, isn't that the truth!
It would have not required any talent to ride at 80 mph on those roads, plenty of cages were doing it. It really busted my gut to see sportbikes everywhere being overtaken by crappy company cars!!!
BTW we also have all sorts of cops, unmarked patrol cars, helicopters, airplanes, radars and lasers after our butts as well, but it's a rare sight for a sportbike not to be overtaking the general traffic.
Respect the law? Sure that's why you have Hardleys and Goldwing motorcades.
It didn't help my perspective that a week earlier I had been in Paris on the "perif" on my friend's SV650 and the guys on the scooters (scooters!) were running between lanes at 80-90mph just inches from the cars and trucks.
Gentlemen that's how it's done! When it comes to speed, the frogs still got it right.
Gentlemen, mount your bikes and head for the Chunnel and your refresher course ! 

By Diablo_Mille_R on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 12:35 pm:

The frogs on the perifique also end up brown bread, and as far as I am concerned I've got too much living to do yet.....

Taff,
I see what I'm missing, but have a check of what I'm going to:

Rush hour on the main road between our local 2 towns in France

And

The view from our own half mile long lane

Hmmmm, north east England, or france....I know where I'm off 

By Brianr on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 12:56 pm:

Taff
I go up north (live in Southampton) Just to do that road..............fantastic  

By Geo on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 01:36 pm:

C:\My Documents:road to Ely.JPEG 

By Geo on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 01:52 pm:

I got the pix in but lost the text?
It figures.
I'm stuck in South Fla but come summer this is where I'd like to be : Minnesota.
If there is car (big if) and you're on a bike they'll pull right off the road to wave you through -here in Miami the try to run you off just to stop you from passing them. 

By Taffrsv on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 02:39 pm:

Rich

nice pic's but correct me if I'm wrong but the first one is that not a STRAIGHT BIT OF ROAD, the second is lovely scenery but would you be as kind to tell the farmer he is leaving the corn out to long, he will have to be carefull about dry rot, you lucky lucky bastid.

Brianr

13 of us have been out tonight finished on the Hemsley TT god it was mental, but thats why I ride bikes.

Geo

again nice pic, but over here and up North roads that wide are called motorways.

Taff.  

By Geo on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 03:07 pm:

Wide? that's the wide angle, the 2 lanes are exactly 10ft wide each -you may call it a motorway anyway.
That's a straight, in the tighter bits you can't stop and nothing shows in the camera anyway.
If their winters weren't 11 months long I'd consider spending more time there.
In August the temps drop to low 40's at night.
Geo  

By Diablo_Mille_R on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 - 11:55 pm:

Hehe Taff, but every racetrack has a straight right.....? That one is one mile dead flat and straight, and I reckon a 140mph exit from the previous bend.....can't wait to get the Mille there!  

By Crmc33 on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 - 12:36 am:

DMR,
that first road piccy reminds me of the roads around here apart from they have 200 year old trees along the edge of the road and cobbled road surface
Its especially nice when the gaps in the cobbles fill up with ice in the Winter. Keeps you on your toes (or should I say face) I can tell you!
Those trees are very hard when you hit them at 120mph! Oof! 

By Scotty on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 - 01:12 am:

Geo as I said there's sticking closely to the speed limit when needed and not giving a flying f*ck. I ride between the two!!

If there is no posted limit i.e. National A roads and Motorways then within reason I choose the best speed to tackle them at!

Now how would I describe just how easy riding is now when I'm not in London and also how much I enjoy it......

BTW in case you didn't know I commute across London almost every working day year round! For the last 1.5 years this has been done on a Falco. I have no car therefore I ride out of London to where I need to go even in the winter! 

By Rca on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 - 02:16 am:

Minnesota:

Where Curling is a SPORT.

Where the four seasons are fall, winter, spring, and road repair.

Where people have more fishing poles than teeth.  

By Geo on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 - 05:02 am:

Scotty:
A long, long time ago in a different galaxy (NYC) I used to commute 50 weeks per year on my bike -usually there was 2 weeks of snow, ice and slush.
Ah to be young and poor again......nah.

RCA:
the other sports are ice fishing and ballroom dancing (?), the state official past time is trailering. They trailer everything, even old junk when they have nothing of value. Don't have to have a truck either bikes and motorbikes trailer too.
The 4 seasons are winter, winter, spring and winter and you're right about road repairs, I was following a friend that lives there and the roads would mysteriously disapear overnight to be replaced by mud and ruts trails.  

By Crmc33 on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 - 06:04 am:

Pah! Thats nothing! This is the road I take to work in the morning on my hardtail Z1300....

 

By Crmc33 on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 - 06:07 am:

...and thats known as an autobahn round here!
More like auto barn methinks 

By Scotty on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 - 06:41 am:

Definately not poor mate just not stupid enough to own a car in London - there is no point! You'd understand if you lived here.
In fact come next year I'm positively welcoming the central london congestion charging (if it ever happens) cos I get to cross central london for free on a bike.

NYC's busy yes but not quite in the same way...
Manhatten is build on the grid, London clearly isn't being just that little bit older.
I have to say the old grid makes navigating so simple, in London even us locals need to have a map at certain times.

Still don't think you got a 100% representation of how people ride here in the UK... you sure that there wasn't a football match on when you were on the road??

Keep the responses coming mate I'm enjoying em!  

By Geo on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 - 09:24 am:

Beam me up..........
In NY, Paris or London I'd be on two wheels 99%of the time as well, but I'd live IN the city.
In NY I was always 15min fron anywhere so I just rode in street clothes, I don't like bundling up for a polar expedition every morning! Here I need my cage for work quite often so I alternate. The RSV is not too brilliant as a commuter when it's 30 miles of traffic each way and you're an old git like me.
Well, maybe if I traded it in for an old man's bike like the Falco then....?

I don't know about any football matches that last a whole week. I've only seen maybe 2 dozen riders over 3 counties (and the weather was excellent!) only one guy was just a little aggressive, then again it was late and he was showing off leaving the pub......

I was a little disapointed at your lot at first but it worked fine for me.
Wifey is from Wilts and she'd like us to move there, I've been showing her the "scare" articles on MCnews (gatsos, fines, jail times) and pointed out at how slow everyone rode by and accusing her:
"look how scared these guys are, you want me to get castrated like them?!!..."