Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: taxed2death

Fascinating. I'm glued to this thread.

How quickly can you decelerate from 160 and how much reaction time do you get in that situation? Is there a muscle memory mechanism in place for the increased steering resistance from slowing down?


210 posted on 11/30/2006 2:22:50 PM PST by IslandJeff (FR mail me to be added to the Type I Diabetes ping list)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 209 | View Replies ]


To: IslandJeff
I do *not* condone riding like this. Having said that I frequently ride with a trusted bunch of guys WAYYYYYYYY into the boonies (farmland) in New York State. This is where I "speed" well away from traffic, guardrails, Armco, people etc....most often we can see clearly 2 or 3 turns ahead of us so it is entirely possible to ride at 150+ mph for stretches lasting ten or so minutes. The older I get the more "track days" I do...as that is the proper place for this kind of riding.

Back to your question:

"How quickly can you decelerate from 160 and how much reaction time do you get in that situation?

While I have not been in this situation in a few years (above reasons)it's like this:

"Anticipation" is everything."

You have to anticipate what the auto driver will do. You're watching the road and also paying VERY close attention to his head movements. I can slow my bike down from 160 to 80 mph in probably less than 4 seconds safely without straining. Fast enough that it takes every bit of upper body strength to hold my arms out straight against the handlebars. At 80 (after riding at 150+) you actually feel like you're doing 40 or so.

I used to screw around on an exit ramp where I used to live... I would regularly go about 150+ and brake extremely hard....doing this over and over a few times a week I would constantly astound myself at the shorter and shorter stopping distances I could achieve. This was a short exit and I would be on the throttle as I passed the exit sign in the medium and still always manage to stop 50+ feet from the bottom. Some day I'll go back and actually measure it....LOL
Changing directions QUICKLY back and fourth, left to right becomes harder ex potentially the faster you go. Watch a GP or WSB race sometime on speed vision and see how it is NOT that easy to weave in and out above 150+ miles an hour (trying to break the draft of the rider who is up your ass). You're fighting either acceleration or deceleration and when weaving about at high speeds your really flexing the frame of your motorcycle. Modern sport bikes have a degree of "flex" built into them as it actually aids in handling (to a certain degree). Cagiva experimented with a "no flex" carbon fiber frame in their GP bike at one time and it was an unmitigated disaster.

"Is there a muscle memory mechanism in place for the increased steering resistance from slowing down?"


Not sure what you mean by that but one of the first things I do when I get a new sport bike is to REALLY... and I do mean REALLY find the absolute limits of it's braking. I do this in parking lots from speeds 60 mph and down..... and on deserted roads for higher speeds. Once you learn the limits.... you can actually grab a handful (two fingers actually) of front brake and get the front tire howling and ride the bike down from 150+ miles an hour exactly on the point of breaking front tire adhesion, remember, your contact patch is smaller than a pack of cigarettes! Learning what your bike can do in regards to breaking is an absolute life saver in crowded urban settings... say going down a 4 lane busy street with traffic lights and shopping centers...

One of the techniques I taught was how to SAFELY stop your bike from 40 mph and move it either left or right (out of or in to a lane) while doing so in the space of three parked cars. It ain't pretty but it is damned useful to know.
224 posted on 11/30/2006 2:58:17 PM PST by taxed2death (A few billion here, a few trillion there...we're all friends right?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 210 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson