I was talking with a rider today who had followed me up Bear Mountain. He said he couldn't keep up with me because he doesn't ride hard on the street "only 80%". I smiled to myself because I wasn't pushing hard at all, maybe 6/10ths of the speed I've done on that road before. He told me I was crazy for pushing so hard on the street and that it's impossible to take the road any quicker then I was without falling over. I just laughed and listened to him talk about how much quicker he will be on his 06' R6. People love to talk about themselves.

As I tuned his chatter out I got to thinking, I wonder if he has any idea of his bikes true potential? Then I was thinking about if I have any idea about mine. Then I wondered how hard people actually think they ride there bikes.

When your riding your hardest, how much of your bikes potential are you using?

 

I put 81-90% and I still think it's a pretty good choice although a bit high by others standards and votes. Maybe 71-80% is better. There was no smoke weed every day choice and I got flustered because that's all I can relate to my situations.

That is saying that on my motorcycle Rossi could run a lap time of 1m40s and that I would come past 10-19s after him on average. The question seemed to me to ask : On a good day with your **** smelling like roses could you do that?

100% would be sliding the **** out of her into a decreasing radius turn the whole time wanting to stick my leg out and to work it to the far edge.

There is no way I reach that on any... any public road, track days, or anywhere.

As to what I think I could, and what I feel is intelligent, comfortable riding around in relative to my motorcycles ability, I'm sure I don't pass 51-60% very often

I'M NOT A BAD ***.

Edits in bold.



Modified by UTCiv at 12:14 PM 9/25/2005

 

There was an interesting article on this in a mag a month or two ago. At any rate I normally don't go above the speed limit

 

On the street, with an ideal situation, and perfect conditions... given the true potential of a bike is exactly 100% and NOT 110%... I would say between 70%-75% is humming along at a really good pace.

However, this whole potential question is weighted because every rider is different, and 100% on a 600rr for one pilot is different than another riders 100% on that same 600rr... a completely smooth rider will not only look less impressive, but be more boring to observe... while a rider with a different style will appear to have more control by "Wringing the neck" of a machine, only to actually be slower over a measured distance.

The fact remains that smooth is the key to any fast pilots technique... measured applications of throttle, brake and body english

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MSchu &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> On the street, with an ideal situation, and perfect conditions... given the true potential of a bike is exactly 100% and NOT 110%... I would say between 70%-75% is humming along at a really good pace.

However, this whole potential question is weighted because every rider is different, and 100% on a 600rr for one pilot is different than another riders 100% on that same 600rr... a completely smooth rider will not only look less impressive, but be more boring to observe... while a rider with a different style will appear to have more control by "Wringing the neck" of a machine, only to actually be slower over a measured distance.

The fact remains that smooth is the key to any fast pilots technique... measured applications of throttle, brake and body english </TD></TR></TABLE>

That's why the question wasn't about riders potential schuey

No matter who is riding it, that 600RR has a limit as to how fast it can go on that road. How close do you get to that limit?

 

your not understanding what I am saying though... I did answer the question, this has less to do with a robot riding the bike at perfect lean angles over a given closed course, to me that is a... moot point. The rider has plenty to do with the equation, much more than the original question asked.

I know what your driving at, its just that the question you asked, is much more complicated than you have given it credit...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MSchu &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I know what your driving at, its just that the question you asked, is much more complicated than you have given it credit... </TD></TR></TABLE>

I wanted to keep it as simple as possible, I already know what the results are going to be and I think they will clearly show that the average rider has no idea what the limits of their bikes are. I'm curious to know if it's due to lack of knowledge or just ignorant overconfidence.

 

makes sense that hes talking about the machine, and not the meat thats making it stay upright.

Anyway, i put 60% - 70%.

I havent been riding all that long on the street. I have a ton to learn on my bike. I get on her good, and can get her down in the corners pretty good, but im no where near knee dragging, etc..

 

I put 61 to 70% for my current bike when I am out with another guy I ride with.

On my last bike, a 600rr, I would have gone up to 71-80 but I didn't get rid of it because I out rode it, I got rid of it because the only "legal" way to race within 5 hours of me is on the drag strip and a 600 just isn't cut out for it. I would still prefer the 600 over the 1000 except I love to compete and it's just not the right platform.

 

Considering the following:

- Have yet to learn how to slide the bike
- Still haven't reached bike's full braking capabilities
- Don't really trailbrake
- Stock suspension not yet adjusted for me
- Still running street tires
- Running 4-6 seconds off of novice race pace
- Lack good corner speed
- Don't know how to launch a bike
- Don't know how to wheelie
- Don't know how to do a stoppie

I voted 51-60%.

 

On the street riding to your bikes 100% potential would in insanity...

There is a few roads around here that are as close as possible to closed circuit..heh..by that i mean they are chained off for summer (ski hills) and cars cannot get on them, bikes however can squeeze through.

I voted 71-80%. When in fact I don't exactly know how much more the bike has. On my good days on these closed roads, I can nearly scrap my footpegs through quite a few of the corners (which would be stock maximum lean angle), i brake as late as possible comming into the corners, if possible i accelerate all the way through the corner (depends on if i chose the right gear). I lean, I countersteer, I taildrag, normally I can hold my lines all the way through the corner with my footpegs maybe a couple inches off the road, if i had pucks i could be scraping them im sure. I have kicked out the back end quite a few times on the shitty stock tires, but with my pilots i could not break the rear tire free exiting corners...

Now thats riding my hardest. On a day to day basis...Id say I use maybe 40-50% of the bike potential and thats probably close to 40 than 50

 

51-60% for me. but then again i'm still a noob rider, and riding my bike to its full potential scares the hell out of me.

 

91-100% I'm sure... if I pushed it any harder I'd crash from having no traction on the tire.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hybridreams &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Considering the following:

- Have yet to learn how to slide the bike
- Still haven't reached bike's full braking capabilities
- Don't really trailbrake
- Stock suspension not yet adjusted for me
- Still running street tires
- Running 4-6 seconds off of novice race pace
- Lack good corner speed
- Don't know how to launch a bike
- Don't know how to wheelie
- Don't know how to do a stoppie
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I can do all those

 

low siding(or taking the to the point of lowsiding) from lack of traction is not riding the bike to 100% of it's potential

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MSchu &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> On the street, with an ideal situation, and perfect conditions... given the true potential of a bike is exactly 100% </TD></TR></TABLE>

I think thats the biggest load of crap I have ever read.

Potential of anything is 100%, there is no bike on the street that is used to 100% IMO and as the capacity gets bigger the ratio of use gets smaller.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hybridreams &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Considering the following:

- Have yet to learn how to slide the bike
- Still haven't reached bike's full braking capabilities
- Don't really trailbrake
- Stock suspension not yet adjusted for me
- Still running street tires
- Running 4-6 seconds off of novice race pace
- Lack good corner speed
- Don't know how to launch a bike
- Don't know how to wheelie
- Don't know how to do a stoppie

I voted 51-60%.</TD></TR></TABLE>

^ I agree w/ hybriddreams. I haven't even touched the last 3k rpms on my bike yet.. still scares me. Have yet to attempt to knee drag, even though I know my bike is capable of leaning more than I want it to.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by XxDJCyberLoverxX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

^ I agree w/ hybriddreams. I haven't even touched the last 3k rpms on my bike yet.. still scares me. Have yet to attempt to knee drag, even though I know my bike is capable of leaning more than I want it to. </TD></TR></TABLE>

how the hell havent you touched the last 3k rpms of yourbike? Its a 600 not a 6000. Did you just buy it 2 days ago? Im not hating, just seems odd you stay that far off.

I have an 05 R6 and its seen red on a few occasions, and gets close to red on a daily basis.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Scribes &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">how the hell havent you touched the last 3k rpms of yourbike? Its a 600 not a 6000. Did you just buy it 2 days ago? Im not hating, just seems odd you stay that far off.

I have an 05 R6 and its seen red on a few occasions, and gets close to red on a daily basis.</TD></TR></TABLE>


I am similiar to Djcyberlove. although I have pushed red too. I am not sure your gearing but I am sure red on a 05 r6 is already speeding so maybe he is saving that for the track.

 

i think I honestly can say I doubt I will EVER ride my bike to it's fullest potential.

But I will ride to the full FUN potential for myself

 

How do you rate full potential if nobody is perfect?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by .Ash &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">How do you rate full potential if nobody is perfect?</TD></TR></TABLE>

What the hell are you talking about? Are you going to go into prayer now?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Gixxerfiend &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I make absolutely zero sense!!!!!! </TD></TR></TABLE>

Oh well, it happens.

 

Hmm... if Rossi got his hands on my bike and took 100 laps around Laguna to set a baseline for me, I'd have something to shoot for. Then I'd divide his best lap time into equal 100ths and use the fractional seconds as a single percent. Then I'd try my best within a given 100 laps and come to the conclusion that I ride my bike 6.7% to it's full potential. Assuming that I didn't crash ofcourse.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EkEli &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I am not sure your gearing but I am sure red on a 05 r6 is already speeding </TD></TR></TABLE>

Top of 2nd gear on an R6 is somewhere between 90 and 100 mph.

 

Question is biased based on perception.

I bet the n00b that stuffed his Evo into the pit wall at Summit Saturday thought he was at 90% when in reality he was probably at 30%.

I voted 30-40% only because I know the difference between what I thought I knew about driving when I started my on-track experience and what I know now after 5 years of racing.