I have been watching some on board Ilse of Mann videos and particularly one on a little 600 cc reaching speeds of 185 mph and in general eye watering stuff. I mean really impressive.
I did race moto cross but it is at slow speeds such that rarely would you go over sixty miles per hour.
My most exciting ride was when I was able to ride a short circuit bike on a short circuit track just for a few laps. A short circuit bike (only 500cc) is similar to a speedway bike in appearance with much the same motor but the short circuit bike has brakes and gears, never the less you ride with a similar style going through the "speedway corner" with the bike completely sideways at full throttle...I found it very exciting.
You can only do a few laps because the oil system is a total loss being circulated once through the motor then discharged onto the track.
But I will never forget that first time coming flat out into that speedway corner and sort of stepping off and having the bike completely sideways at full throttle and yet under full control...still not fast maybe 60 or 70 mph I expect.
I did not ride very much on public roads so never got going very fast, once to 170 kph down the expressway only to be passed by a sports car like I was stationary...but I wonder if any folk here ever rode bikes at high speeds and would be prepared to share their most exciting experience....I guess high speed in a car would be fun also.
Alex
Oh Alex, where to start. I had a young life full of speed, both cars[racing]and bikes,[and aircraft] and have a leadfoot to this day, so I'll just submit one shortish anecdote. I was super fortunate to have a number of very quick machines at a time when outside of the town limit the roads were unlimited.
The buses from London to Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool etc: used to
cruise up the M1 motorway at 160kph. The Intercity 200kph trains arrived
in 1964 and the buses went out of business.
To begin the anecdote. I used to go out late at night to have a blast free of traffic. One night I was cruising at around 220kph [which was very fast back then] in my 3.8 Mk2 Jag which had a 3/4 race blueprinted engine, and I passed a parked Police S Type Jag. I saw in my mirror that it was coming after me, so I slowed right down. It came by and waved me down. I stopped[don't want to upset the Bill, not that it had a hope of catching me].
He leant into my window and said " You were moving out chum, you should
slow down a bit, it's a bit misty". Then he said "what the f--- have you got
under the bonnet"? so I said I would show him. Opened the bonnet, and
the three of us admired my gleaming engine with the three shiny Webers
for the duration of two cigarettes. Those were the days. Not an exciting event, but it is still fresh in my mind.
raymo
It is 6-30 am and I can hear a motor bike on the main road in the distance down on the flat and remember that on the few occassions I rode on the road just how cold it was on a bike, particularly once after riding back to Hornsby having fallen in a puddle on a trail ride at Wisemans Ferry, I had to be lifted off the bike as I think I was frozen solid...never ever so cold..bikes as a romantic form of transport left my thoughts forever after.
Alex
Alex
My best one and my last was in New Guinea a long time ago when me and my mate working on one of the missionary stations in the Highlands had a few to many and decided it would be a good idea to do laps of the local Church, whilst in service on Postie Bikes.
However I, whilst undertaking this exciting venture ran straight into a deep culvert and went straight over the handle bars.
My mate told me later it was such a graceful flight through the air, however due to the fact that I was half cut no serious injuries occurred
My dad put me on a motor bike as a teenager. I promptly rode it into the fence. Tried again and rode it into the other fence. Gave up motorbikes after that, Pushbike was okay.
I've had some good ones and I'm still going. I regularly camp off my bike, traveling for two to three weeks at a time. Did a run through the Flinders to Cameron Corner a few years ago (5 maybe), did a lovely two week stint through NSW and the Blue Mountains about 3 years ago. Did a trip up to Oodnadatta a couple of months ago including Coober Pedy and COVID has scuppered my plans two years in a row now to do a trip to Cairns and back. Some of that has been proudly with my son.
My dad put me on a motor bike as a teenager. I promptly rode it into the fence. Tried again and rode it into the other fence. Gave up motorbikes after that, Pushbike was okay.
It's one of those things. Riding motorbikes is "in your blood".
My most exiting ride was when I had my license again after an accident.
Due to my right arm and hand no longer being functional after a bike accident, I thought I had to give it up.
However after 5 years I was riding again on a modified Yamaha YZF600 Thundercat. All the controls were on the left: throttle, front brake where normally the clutch is and the clutch on the inside operated by my thumb.
We went to Germany on the Autobahn and did 210+.
It was great to be back on a bike.
Riding in a thunderstorm during peak hour then as the rain petered out I rode through a bee swarm that took off after the rain stopped in some of the most humid conditions Melbourne had ever thrown at me, thankfully didnt get stung. It was exciting and terrifying at the same time.
I enjoy distances and one trip home to Victoria involved Brisbane to Forbes (1100 + klms) in torrential rain, quality gear and wonderful service at the now gone Albion Hotel made the difference. Greg. P.S. Bike BMW R100R.
Way back in 1986 I rode an R80 around Australia for 5 months. It was a great adventure. Then in 1989 I rode the same bike over the Nullarbor again to see the 500cc GP in Phillip Island. That was the year Wayne Gardner won.
In the early 90's I was working in Europe. I had a Ducati 900 and went to the Isle of Man to watch the TT races. I got to see Joey Dunlop racing. Such an incredible event to see. It is just phenomenal how fast the top riders lap the circuit. I did ride a few laps myself while I was there but at much more relaxed pace.
My last bike was a 1973 R75/5, after the kids came along it wasn't getting used so I Iet it go. Oh well, many happy memories!
As a late teenager I thoroughly enjoyed my 1st registered vehicle, a Kwaka KR-1S. Just like their cousins, the NSR, RGV, TZR, etc, they did not appreciate being ridden slow.
Having changed the sprockets from 15:41 to 14:48, it definitely liked to scream. Had it up to 210 km/h (not bad for a 250cc) on my way home one afternoon, @10,000rpm for about 2mins.... "pop, GGGRRRRRrrrrr"... melted the rings
Serves me right for feeding it $8/litre 2stroke oil (meant for mowers), rather than the good stuff... On a $100/week income at Woollies, that was a lesson in many things.
It is 6-30 am and I can hear a motor bike on the main road in the distance down on the flat and remember that on the few occassions I rode on the road just how cold it was on a bike, particularly once after riding back to Hornsby having fallen in a puddle on a trail ride at Wisemans Ferry, I had to be lifted off the bike as I think I was frozen solid...never ever so cold..bikes as a romantic form of transport left my thoughts forever after.
Alex
Alex
Peeled similarly in 2000 from an XS650 twin @ Goolmah pub, hugging the verandah posts couldnt put my feet down (literally) after a run from Cobar to Mudgee. I wanted to bale at Narromine and get the bus.
Alex. An endless slide ! Never was I that young - or silly.
In fact, that was my worry. Going off the side of the Mountain, resulting in an 'endless slide' - to the bottom.
