You just never know.

[Polo]

This morning we took a ride, acting on the quite absent methereologycal knowledge of MarkGoodrich. He thought that today Sunday would be better than yesterday because our also ineffective TV methereologysts had prognosticated snow Friday. At least Mark doesn't make a living at it.

 

Well, he, Bob and I met for a breakfast ride and although it was drizzling and in the 30's off we went. It was my turn to lead. What a waste I can keep up with these two guys, it's Limecreek and SWMckinley that give me problems, but they were at home being warm "gatitos" along with Randy.

 

Unbeknownst to Bob and Mark, I modified my route not to include as many twisties as I had originally planned. I lead thru 1826, to Driftwood, on 150 to Dripping Springs, 12 to Wimberley, and on to 32 to Blanco.

 

Everything was going great, we kept it in control riding quite a bit less aggressive than usual, went thru a few curves, feeling cold and miserable, but in control.

 

As we were about 5-6 miles from our destination on 32, which after the Devil's Back Bone is quite straight my rear end came loose under me.

 

Thanks to the tight vacuum I exercised on the seat, and that I released the throttle just a tad and reengaged smoothly, nothing but a few squiggles happened.

 

Later having breakfast on Mark's tab (thanks) he mentioned that the same had happened to him, and thought that perhaps someone had blown a hose and left some antifreeze on the road.

 

We really have no idea what it was, but that made me think of several people who have described similar situations, riding calmly on a straightaway and just loosing it.

 

I'm just glad I didn't panic, and I trusted my bike. I'm also glad that Mark did the same.

 

Be careful out there.

 

[EddyQ]

Gees, glad it worked out and you two are ok. Did you learn something? You must have done something right.

 

There seems to have been a lot of threads this year with folks doing the high-side thing. I think we all could use all the tips we can get. What do you mean by "tight vacuum I exercised on the seat" and "release the throttle just a tad"?

Let me guess, your rear end became unglued and started to go out so you stay seated and kept the right throttle as to minimize rear wheel forces, yet enough to correct the bike possition. Sorry, I'd just like to learn from your experience.

[tobyzusa]

What do you mean by "tight vacuum I exercised on the seat"

 

It's a shincter thing - advanced moto technique .

[Polo]

Gees, glad it worked out and you two are ok. Did you learn something? You must have done something right.

 

There seems to have been a lot of threads this year with folks doing the high-side thing. I think we all could use all the tips we can get. What do you mean by "tight vacuum I exercised on the seat" and "release the throttle just a tad"?

Let me guess, your rear end became unglued and started to go out so you stay seated and kept the right throttle as to minimize rear wheel forces, yet enough to correct the bike possition. Sorry, I'd just like to learn from your experience.

 

Like tobyzusa says it's a sphincter exercise, mostly involuntary, but it does result in remaining firmly seated.

 

I'm not going to pretend any dexterity or technique. If anything I'll just say that long years of martial arts have resulted in the brain not interfering with what the body knows to do.

 

There was no thought process whatsoever, I felt the tire losing traction, so I released the throttle until I felt the bike kinda stop wiggling, then I applied a little throttle in accordance to what I felt would be the proper gas according to the speed the bike was rolling.

 

NO BRAKE!

 

Someone here posted a link to Youtube of a race bike tearing down a trac, I watched that enough times to convince my brain I guess.

[Polo]

[Bill_Walker]

 

Yes, you obviously learned Kiyonari's trick of holding the bike up with your sphincter! I don't think I've ever seen anybody do it so many times in succession, though, so you couldn't have had a better training video.

[russell_bynum]

 

Yes, you obviously learned Kiyonari's trick of holding the bike up with your sphincter! I don't think I've ever seen anybody do it so many times in succession, though, so you couldn't have had a better training video.

 

That had to be one of the most incredible displays of skill, balls, and luck I've ever seen. I was screaming my head off the entire time. Kiyo is either riding like that and at the front of the pack, or he's nowhere. I hope he can find some consistency.

[Jim Moore]

My favorite parts of the video were the Ten Kate guy looking like he was about to throw up and Bayliss laughing like, "no way I'm going out there!"

[philbytx]

Russell,

 

Yup! Quite a display but I reckon it was mainly technique. I reckon he has commuted to work in the wet quite a bit

Note the technique of keeping the bike as upright as possible and, when coming out of the corner, keeping way off the bike and "pushing the bike upright" as he applies power

 

 

[markgoodrich]

Gees, glad it worked out and you two are ok. Did you learn something? You must have done something right.

 

There seems to have been a lot of threads this year with folks doing the high-side thing. I think we all could use all the tips we can get. What do you mean by "tight vacuum I exercised on the seat" and "release the throttle just a tad"?

Let me guess, your rear end became unglued and started to go out so you stay seated and kept the right throttle as to minimize rear wheel forces, yet enough to correct the bike possition. Sorry, I'd just like to learn from your experience.

 

Eddy, it was just a very momentary loss of traction at the rear wheel. Really no time to react, which was good as reaction of almost any sort could have been bad, if the super-slick area had been any larger.

 

When this sort of thing has happened to me on the track a couple of times, I've (instinctively) eased off the throttle very slightly and the tire has bitten again without an over-reaction (high side). I credit zillions of miles driving a VW on gravel roads with the "ease off" automatic reaction.

[EddyQ]

Thanks all. I think this thread has a lot of good info.

Over a decade ago my rear let loose and I recovered. To this day, I really was never sure I did something right or was lucky. I now think it was a little of the both.

[lvnvbiker]

Thats about how I looked coming home from work in the first rain of the winter on TKCs. Slip slidin' away baby, stops were scary and I got into a few 2 wheel drifts. Good thing I know what the front going feels like or I would been napping.

[AdventurePoser]

I want you guys to know my rear has never let loose. Well, that is not entirely true. I DID have the flu last week....

 

Steve in So Cal