oldrascal
Registered user
Fellow Tossers (or Tossers-To-Be), bear with me on this one as I try and demonstrate why buying a GS could be one of the wisest moves ever from a safety point of view.
I think that we all accept that entering the world of 'Adventure' bike riding generally and GS ownership particularly brings a lot of unexpected benefits. This thread is not going to repeat the reasons 'why-to-buy' as other forumites have done it better already.
No, this is just a theory which I want to evaluate and discuss with you to see if it has general merit.
Coming from a lifetime of sports bikes ranging from Ducatis through Triumphs and ZZRs of varying size to the latest Hayabusa, I have always found that it takes a lot of effort, an iron will and requires a fair bit of discomfort.
What am I talking about.
Lifesavers, that's what - that critical last glance over your shoulder when pulling out or overtaking to make sure that something was not hidden in your mirror's blindspot.
It didn't seem to matter what helmet I wore, it was always a bugger and sometimes on a long ride I found myself just going through the motions of a Lifesaver without really looking.
So why was this?
On a sports bike, you are bent foward into a semi-crouch with your knees cranked up underneath you. There is a lot of weight on the wrists and the whole of the neck and upper shoulder region is in tension. You don't notice it much at speed because the wind pressure tends to support some of your weight.
But try and look around to the right to perform a safety check, and it becomes a pretty unnatural position best carried out by lithe and supple, albeit spotty,
youths - not old codgers like yours truly.
If you travel much on the continent, you will have noticed that glancing around to the left is much easier because you can let go of the left handlebar which frees up the upper body a bit.
Now stay awake there at the back of the class, this could save your life.
The first time I rode a GSA, I was amazed at how easy it was to look around generally and give a lifesaver in particular. Because you are seated in a much more natural position with the wide bars fed back to you, your upper back and neck are much more mobile. I have a very stiff back but I find that I can comfortably twist around to see the car behind - no problem at all.
This means that you will be much more aware of what going on around you and the position of other vehicles - as a result, you will ride more confidently and with less stress and strain and finish your ride elated and wanting more.
I have to say that every time I rode one of the hypersports bikes, I returned to base breathing a sigh of relief. Now I want to go straight out again.
So that's Quod Erat Demonstrandum for you Latin scholars and How's That Grab You for those more cranially challenged.
A serious point though and your views and experiences on this very critical safety issue would be interesting to read.
I think that we all accept that entering the world of 'Adventure' bike riding generally and GS ownership particularly brings a lot of unexpected benefits. This thread is not going to repeat the reasons 'why-to-buy' as other forumites have done it better already.
No, this is just a theory which I want to evaluate and discuss with you to see if it has general merit.
Coming from a lifetime of sports bikes ranging from Ducatis through Triumphs and ZZRs of varying size to the latest Hayabusa, I have always found that it takes a lot of effort, an iron will and requires a fair bit of discomfort.
What am I talking about.
Lifesavers, that's what - that critical last glance over your shoulder when pulling out or overtaking to make sure that something was not hidden in your mirror's blindspot.
It didn't seem to matter what helmet I wore, it was always a bugger and sometimes on a long ride I found myself just going through the motions of a Lifesaver without really looking.
So why was this?
On a sports bike, you are bent foward into a semi-crouch with your knees cranked up underneath you. There is a lot of weight on the wrists and the whole of the neck and upper shoulder region is in tension. You don't notice it much at speed because the wind pressure tends to support some of your weight.
But try and look around to the right to perform a safety check, and it becomes a pretty unnatural position best carried out by lithe and supple, albeit spotty,
youths - not old codgers like yours truly.If you travel much on the continent, you will have noticed that glancing around to the left is much easier because you can let go of the left handlebar which frees up the upper body a bit.
Now stay awake there at the back of the class, this could save your life.
The first time I rode a GSA, I was amazed at how easy it was to look around generally and give a lifesaver in particular. Because you are seated in a much more natural position with the wide bars fed back to you, your upper back and neck are much more mobile. I have a very stiff back but I find that I can comfortably twist around to see the car behind - no problem at all.
This means that you will be much more aware of what going on around you and the position of other vehicles - as a result, you will ride more confidently and with less stress and strain and finish your ride elated and wanting more.
I have to say that every time I rode one of the hypersports bikes, I returned to base breathing a sigh of relief. Now I want to go straight out again.
So that's Quod Erat Demonstrandum for you Latin scholars and How's That Grab You for those more cranially challenged.
A serious point though and your views and experiences on this very critical safety issue would be interesting to read.
