Never Cross that Line.

[swampduc]

Jerry the owner, temporarily distracted by all that gear he was finally compelled to wear, makes an unfortunate mental mistake...

May have been better off with the flip-flops.

[ducpainter]

This...

is funny.

I don't care who you are.        

[jasaretta]

Ewwwwwwwwww
Ewwwwwwwwww
Ewwwwwwwwww

I don't get it 

[Slide Panda]

I don't get it 

That's BobsPapa photoshoped on there

[the_Journeyman]

Linky?  I'd like to see what a witness to the events has to say since we are all really just guessing

I looked.  The photog took the pic posts on EastTNRiders, and there was an entire post on there analyzing it.  It's a small forum, and inactive threads get automatically deleted if they're inactive for 30 days and the discussion is gone now.  The photog said it looked like the rider got startled by the vehicle and target fixated, and the rider wasn't going very fast and seemed inexperienced with really technical roads.  I can't see Gixxer.com at work, so I have no idea what they're saying.

JM

[DLSGAP]

It's not enough to know the information, it has to be instinctive. 

I agree with this for the most part. There are of course those exceptions that can pick it all up from reading a book, but reaction times and good decisions often require instincts to take over where the brain may have a bit of a hiccup.

As long as I've been riding... its kinda funny. I'll read something in a book and it wont make any sense to me... then I'll watch a video of my riding or have a track instructor following me... And I'll figure out that I'm doing everything the book says, it just doesnt make sense to me when i read it...

[Grampa]

FTR..... my boobies are more better

[DLSGAP]

FTR..... my boobies are more better

fixed it

[LA]

I'm from NW South Carolina and have been riding pretty much daily for over 35 years.  We have a bunch of friends from a neighboring state that are some of the nicest people and best riders I/We have ever seen.  Many of them have been or still racers and/or do frequent track days.  These guys will "cut the corner", that is, if the road ahead is visible for a couple of turns or more, they will go into the oncoming lane to shorten the corner.   Like I said these guys are some of the best technical riders I ever seen and always wear full gear, but they pretty much are all given to this practice. 

Guys I ride with that I grew up with and that are from here, who likewise come from a racing background and are very good technical riders, will NOT EVER take the other side of the road, no matter how far ahead we can see clear road.  We treat the yellow line or middle of the road on unlined pavement as if it were a cliff that is sudden death to drive over - even if it's clear way ahead. 

Just seems like a bad habit to us.

LA

[DLSGAP]

alot of that can depend on where they grew up riding, and the conditions as well...

I do have a racing background and consider myself to be a decent rider when it comes to matters of a technical nature. And I admit... in some instances I have crossed it (yellow line)and in others I've refused to.

Growing up at Deals Gap for example... I learned that in the fall or spring, when the temps dropped a little at night... often in the summer too... when I'd go to make a few runs on the Gap, the yellow line would be VERY slippery because of condensation. Just like wet leaves. once it warmed up and the dew evaporated, it wasn't a big deal as long as the road was clear ahead.

I admit that in this photo(Deals Gap, Oct.12.08), I was about to cross the yellow line.

I waited until i could see though the exit of the corner and then made the move more to the inside. Had it not been clear, just a little more throttle to widen my line some and the line wouldn't have been compromised.

Here in TX... the roads are so choppy, I don't bother trying to add in the potential for slippery yellow lines. My suspension is usually working hard enough to keep the tires in contact with the pavement as it is... dont need to add slick conditions into it when i'm out having fun.

[Monster Dave]

You know though, riding hard like that is ultimatly best suited for the track.

Saves lives, saves bikes, saves you from the law 

[DLSGAP]

You know though, riding hard like that is ultimatly best suited for the track.

Saves lives, saves bikes, saves you from the law 

I agree 100%... thats why I've already logged twice as many track miles this year as street miles.

[Monster Dave]

I didn't mean anything directed at your comment; just making a general comment about safe riding.

Kudos to you on your track days so far this year though! That's awesome! 

[Spidey]

@SaltLick - The Proficient Motorcycling books by David Hough are excellent and highly recommended for riders of all skill levels.   The books are basically compilations of Hough's regular columns in Motorcycle Consumer News magazine.  IMO, these books are 'required reading' textbooks and they occupy a prominent place on my reference shelf.  Total Control (by Parks) and Twist of the Wrist (by Code) are also very good.

As a follow-up to the discussion earlier in this thread about David Hough and other reading materials re motorcycle riding,  Scott Nelson just posted a bunch of really good David Hough articles over in the Riding Technqiues forum.

Check 'em out:  http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=20506.0