Max Kool
Well-known member
Sharing this, so we can all learn from mistakes and stupid behavior. So my group of riding friends has a "rule" we're never going over 90%.
My buddies and I were out riding the canyons the other day. Very familiar ground, we ride there every weekend, always in Track mode, traction control doesn't like these roads much and makes the throttle feel sluggish. The moment we were about to head down Tuna Canyon, a steep, very twisty downhill one-way road, up to 18% gradient, a few guys one which which known as being a bragger at The Rock Store, zipped past us and -apparently- all bets were off. Helmets/gloves on, and down we went. To "teach them".
(fuking kids we were)
So, while barreling down Tuna right after we passed them, I found myself braking into a left downhill switchback with my toes touching the tarmac and lost the front wheel… the front wheel tucked inside and I though, "well ok, I fucked up..." . Instinctively (?) I let got of the front brake a tad, shifted my weight to the right and pushed the bike down to clear the rock wall that was coming closer on the right. Magically the bike recovered…
We all lived happily ever after and the rest of the day I felt really dialed-in. But that was 101%. On a track I would have been proud to have found the limit and only go over it this much…
Don't do 101%, 90 is enough.
My buddies and I were out riding the canyons the other day. Very familiar ground, we ride there every weekend, always in Track mode, traction control doesn't like these roads much and makes the throttle feel sluggish. The moment we were about to head down Tuna Canyon, a steep, very twisty downhill one-way road, up to 18% gradient, a few guys one which which known as being a bragger at The Rock Store, zipped past us and -apparently- all bets were off. Helmets/gloves on, and down we went. To "teach them".
(fuking kids we were)
So, while barreling down Tuna right after we passed them, I found myself braking into a left downhill switchback with my toes touching the tarmac and lost the front wheel… the front wheel tucked inside and I though, "well ok, I fucked up..." . Instinctively (?) I let got of the front brake a tad, shifted my weight to the right and pushed the bike down to clear the rock wall that was coming closer on the right. Magically the bike recovered…
We all lived happily ever after and the rest of the day I felt really dialed-in. But that was 101%. On a track I would have been proud to have found the limit and only go over it this much…
Don't do 101%, 90 is enough.
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