Post by floog on May 15, 2006 21:15:11 GMT
It's Mid-August in England. Half way to Godstone, at 0730 in the morning, I exit a small village near Toy's hill, having meticulously observed the speed limits there The road opens out as the morning sun rises and my fully warmed tyres cry out to be unleashed Through a series of sweetly tightening bends, everything falls into place.....the perfect balance of Banana Man and ZRX, a harmonic meeting of precision gear change and throttle control.....bliss
Speaking personally, one of the many pleasures of riding a motorbike is the feeling of freedom, of being at one with nature :sheep: I'm out there smelling the pastures, keen in my observations and my brain contemplating road conditions, weather, traffic, obstacles, revs, gear selection :hmm:
There is a new breed on the horizon. I am a little concerned. The Gilera Ferro 850 is looming. With Kliktronic automatic gear selection that changes within 40 milliseconds-10% of the time it takes me to change gear on my trusty Rex. Is that what I want? Be honest, how many of us sneer at scooters, because we somehow don't view them as 'real' bikes.....and yet many of our own breed are now heading down the scooter path
Honda and BMW have tauted Anti-lock braking systems for many years. Honda have persevered with their CBS linked braking system and now offer air bags on the Goldwing (something several manufacturers are looking closely into)
There are traction control devices coming straight from Moto GP to the high street. Slipper clutches, once the preserve of race bikes, can now be found on the base model Ducati 620 Multistrada. When I worked as a BMW salesman a few years ago, the tourers had ice warning devices!!
The Yamaha FJR tourer now comes with the option of a semi automatic gearbox, and soon Honda will unleash their 650 DN-01 scooter/bike auto thingy on us.
It's just my own opinion, but all those devices just water down the raw purity of riding Isn't biking about all of our senses coming together in unison?? Touch, smell, sound and sight. I want to occasionally miss a gear get the wrong one going into a corner and have to correct, sit the bike up and curse and learn from that mistake...... I want to decide exactly when I change gear and hang on to the revs into the red zone on occasions. I want to use skill and judgement in balancing the clutch, and I want to use my own skills for braking.
I have never owned a bike with ABS, a slipper clutch, traction control, semi or fully automatic gearbox. I have ridden many that have some or all. My Rex has 5 gears, a clutch, and the way it's ridden is down to the input of the rider, with no help from gizmos. Novice friendly.....I grew up with real bikes, and I believe I am a better rider for it, not relying on computers or gizmo's to help me.
What will the future of biking really be, and, crucially....are we actually right now amidst the real GOLDEN ERA OF BIKING, without maybe realizing it? :hmm:
Soon, emissions and noise regulations could turn all bikes into silent creatures....possibly silent scooter type creatures as sales figures for sports bikes are dropping year on year....... with ABS, airbags for rider and any pedestrian they hit, traction control, CBS, auto gearboxes, ice buckets, picnic hampers and a complete lack of character or excitement....
Just a thought all that..........
Speaking personally, one of the many pleasures of riding a motorbike is the feeling of freedom, of being at one with nature :sheep: I'm out there smelling the pastures, keen in my observations and my brain contemplating road conditions, weather, traffic, obstacles, revs, gear selection :hmm:
There is a new breed on the horizon. I am a little concerned. The Gilera Ferro 850 is looming. With Kliktronic automatic gear selection that changes within 40 milliseconds-10% of the time it takes me to change gear on my trusty Rex. Is that what I want? Be honest, how many of us sneer at scooters, because we somehow don't view them as 'real' bikes.....and yet many of our own breed are now heading down the scooter path
Honda and BMW have tauted Anti-lock braking systems for many years. Honda have persevered with their CBS linked braking system and now offer air bags on the Goldwing (something several manufacturers are looking closely into)
There are traction control devices coming straight from Moto GP to the high street. Slipper clutches, once the preserve of race bikes, can now be found on the base model Ducati 620 Multistrada. When I worked as a BMW salesman a few years ago, the tourers had ice warning devices!!
The Yamaha FJR tourer now comes with the option of a semi automatic gearbox, and soon Honda will unleash their 650 DN-01 scooter/bike auto thingy on us.
It's just my own opinion, but all those devices just water down the raw purity of riding Isn't biking about all of our senses coming together in unison?? Touch, smell, sound and sight. I want to occasionally miss a gear get the wrong one going into a corner and have to correct, sit the bike up and curse and learn from that mistake...... I want to decide exactly when I change gear and hang on to the revs into the red zone on occasions. I want to use skill and judgement in balancing the clutch, and I want to use my own skills for braking.
I have never owned a bike with ABS, a slipper clutch, traction control, semi or fully automatic gearbox. I have ridden many that have some or all. My Rex has 5 gears, a clutch, and the way it's ridden is down to the input of the rider, with no help from gizmos. Novice friendly.....I grew up with real bikes, and I believe I am a better rider for it, not relying on computers or gizmo's to help me.
What will the future of biking really be, and, crucially....are we actually right now amidst the real GOLDEN ERA OF BIKING, without maybe realizing it? :hmm:
Soon, emissions and noise regulations could turn all bikes into silent creatures....possibly silent scooter type creatures as sales figures for sports bikes are dropping year on year....... with ABS, airbags for rider and any pedestrian they hit, traction control, CBS, auto gearboxes, ice buckets, picnic hampers and a complete lack of character or excitement....
Just a thought all that..........