Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Just talking:
All the off road days I've done, the first thing that is taught is to off road braking. On road bikes the logic is mainly front, while off road is mainly rear. The usual circular loop to get through to people that front brake means falling over especially while leaning.

Off road bike also have smaller front discs, calipers and master cylinder. So when you supermoto a bike, from off road to on road the front brake disc is replaced for bigger disc, bigger caliper (well greater pad area) and matching master cylinder.

Also found that front brakes were marginal at best. But then I only had small two strokers (no engine braking) or 250-400 stroker so quite a lot of engine braking.

EDIT: The riding comment was a joke, hopefully the self appointed made the joke.

EDIT2: What I found from off roading, is that there isn't much around centralish London and riding out and back can be a real pain. As the off roading is quite tiring hence lobbing bikes in the back of a van. Then weekends away. But then that is boring on your own.

Is that a big Vanvan?

Quite fancy the big tyre front and back vanvan

If you get to do the BMW off road days, if they have the tele lever front end it handles differently to a normal bike.

Yeah dirt bike brakes are definitely marginal with street tyres.

The only surfaces I've ridden on that you have to be a bit cautious with the front are dusty / gravelly hard pack and at the other end of the spectrum, deep sand as you can go over the bars. Not ridden any of the muddy, gloopy stuff that you lot have to deal with....

I'd say I normally brake 70/30 front to rear. You obviously need to be going straight and upright.

Jokes aside, I just wanted to make clear that the ‘don’t use the front brake’ is a myth at best, and dangerous advice at worst.

Correct to the situation, correct application of the brakes is what any rider needs. Rear controls speed, front stops.

So, I use front brake with engine braking on downhills, I hold the bike in place with the rear when stopped uphill. On mud, gooey chalk, loose surfaces, anything, I will use the front to trail brake. So long as the bike is upright, there is a lot that the front is capable of.

More often than not, using the rear on green lanes will just skid the tyre - if you don’t have good rimlocks you might rip a valve too. Skidding looks cool, and can be useful, but it does not get you stopped and out the way of the horse that’s spooked.

My rear knobbly isn’t destroyed from skidding to a stop because on or off road, low or high pressure, I load the front when I want to.

My off road riding was when I was small with a vespa 50 special!!!! the a few malaguttis. That were summer entertainment in southern Italy so similar to what you had with added ploughed fields.

Then road bikes and going back to off roading to improve my road riding control. Did off road days at tracks and bought and sold a few bikes. But was never fit enough for a whole days riding. Off road tyres for muddy clagy soil don't last long on the road

Not sure if I got off road riding as i was always trying to be in the right gear at the right speed and rarely going straight.

Correct to the situation, correct application of the brakes is what any rider needs

That is correct for all riding situations. ;)

That is the thing, I was rarely up right...and I was taught that locking a wheel is bad as you loose control. So the idea is to keep the wheel turning so you have grip. Have had fronts tubes valves rip out by catch a rock or something hard.

Two strokes have no engine braking ;)

What advice I would give, is do off road days on am MX track (while you still can) then the off roading weekends like the BMW day and learn for yourself.

Who here is old enough to remember kick start?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It2NvOnchkA

I wanted that level of control

Leaning or upright, on or off tarmac, you can modulate braking effort without locking a wheel.

People can may be I can't ;)

Riding demi god then ;)

What advice I would give, is do off road days on am MX track (while you still can)

This is something I'm excited to explore once the weather improves and the tracks open.

I remember it well. I’m just old.

When in doubt, open the throttle. That's the only thing I remember about off roading.

Hola,

To all, do an MX track before they close due to people complaining about noise and pollution and other shite

My advice:
Do a school, go with mates, use the schools bikes. take your gear but use their boots, and get a cheap helmet and decent comfortable goggles.
Be fit as it can really take it out of you, stay hydrated and have fun.

Yeah, doesn't feel like that long ago.

Everytime I watched it I became the history Douggie Lampkin....in my head.

Especially if there are people viewing or recording.

The be fit bit. Fuck me, MX turns me in to drooling gibbering Jello in a couple of laps.

Really take it very steady on the jumps. I got too confident, too quick a couple of years ago and knocked myself silly and badly sprained an ankle casing a double.

It's a wicked, scary laugh though. Cheap thrills.

I agree, seems recent to me too. Sure it’s only a few years ago (35+). I think you lose track of time as you get older.

There are jumps and it's more enduro track where I'll be riding my own bike so always good to be reminded to take it easy! Have always ridden to track days so interesting how this will work with refuelling and the CRF's small tank. Starting to see how having a van would be useful.

To all, do an MX track before they close due to people complaining about noise and pollution and other shite

E-MX though... loads of people building E-Motocross bikes and they look like a lot of fun!

Shrug.gif

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Was going to suggest that, but possibly bigger.

I almost bought something similar for my 125cc as the fuel warning light didn't work (common Piaggio group issue apparently) and ran out of petrol a couple of times. Both times at the bottom of a hill from a petrol station.

#scooterlife

Would love to have had the space and cash to keep it and do a bit of a cafe/Street fighter mod to it.

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Good shout, just wish winter would sod off now though.