I can't ride fast on the road anymore

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I should probably add a bit more information, I'm getting more enjoyment from riding a motorcycle now than I have in the last 20 years, it's just that my cornering speed is way down on what it used to be, I'm not brave enough to charge into corners at 100+ mph anymore, there's a corner I used to use on test rides, and I can remember riding an R6 round it at about 130 and not buying the R6 because it ran wide through this corner, I bought a GSXR750K2 instead because it would go round this corner at over 130, I now go round the corner at about 90 maximum, and 80 is more likely (the speed limit on this corner is 60 btw)

I feel like I should be trying harder, but I've no real desire to ride any faster, I'm enjoying riding at a steady pace, it's got so bad that if a bike comes past me I don't try to race it anymore, I just let it go.

[Dickyboy]

Where’s the point in doing a blast past and cut in if there’s another 15 cars in front of you?

But but but, that's the fun part, I get a million percent more fun from carving up traffic than going balls out fast

Yup, if you're sitting traffic you might as well be in a car in my book, not sure that I'd say I get more fun from carving up lots of traffic than enjoyment from a fast* open road though.

* Fast being a relative term as I've never raced, barely done any track days & never owned a race rep.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I should probably add a bit more information, I'm getting more enjoyment from riding a motorcycle now than I have in the last 20 years, it's just that my cornering speed is way down on what it used to be, I'm not brave enough to charge into corners at 100+ mph anymore, there's a corner I used to use on test rides, and I can remember riding an R6 round it at about 130 and not buying the R6 because it ran wide through this corner, I bought a GSXR750K2 instead because it would go round this corner at over 130, I now go round the corner at about 90 maximum, and 80 is more likely (the speed limit on this corner is 60 btw)

I feel like I should be trying harder, but I've no real desire to ride any faster, I'm enjoying riding at a steady pace, it's got so bad that if a bike comes past me I don't try to race it anymore, I just let it go.

Well in that case, Ricey pretty much nailed it!

[MyLittleStudPony]

Give it plenty of throttle then gan it reet over.

[Yorick]

Where’s the point in doing a blast past and cut in if there’s another 15 cars in front of you?

But but but, that's the fun part, I get a million percent more fun from carving up traffic than going balls out fast

On mine I can do 5 or 6 in a breath. 200 gee gees shoves you forward fairly quickly

[gremlin]

Ah, you're ready for an adventure bike. It comes to us all eventually..

Big, comfy, built-in smell of wee. Why not.

I'm lovin' the Tiger.

[wull]

I’ve toned it down to this now, getting old these days, it’s not so easy like it was 10 years ago.

[Skub]

[KungFooBob]

I’ve toned it down to this now, getting old these days, it’s not so easy like it was 10 years ago.

Try 20 years ago when we had to film everything with a potato.

[Taipan]

Lost a couple of friends who crashed whilst speeding. The fall out from that slowed me down. But it was probably a bit easier for me as I was never fast anyway. My first experience of motorised transport (that I was in control of) was a motorbike. It was amazing not having to pedal to get somewhere. I've never lost that allure and just enjoy pootling about on a bike.

[wull]

I had the same potato 10 years ago

[Tricky]

Ah, you're ready for a Harley or a GS. I live in hope that it doesn't come to all of us eventually..

EFA

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I never could. At least you can remember being a hooligan.

[ZRX61]

ZX11 saw 130+ on Sunday & there was about 15 miles of 100-110mph cruising

[Yorick]

I'm not slowing down. First pics from last weekend.

IMG-20230718-WA0005.jpg (114.6 KiB) Viewed 266 times

IMG-20230718-WA0002.jpg (149.05 KiB) Viewed 266 times

IMG-20230718-WA0006.jpg (172.99 KiB) Viewed 266 times

[Yorick]

IMG-20230718-WA0004.jpg (144.86 KiB) Viewed 266 times

[MyLittleStudPony]

IMG-20230718-WA0004.jpg

You need to give it plenty of throttle then gan it reet over.

[ZRX61]

I’ve slowed down a lot in the past few years, even my wife has noticed it. The GS really exacerbated it and getting the R has speeded me back up slightly.

Not so much A roads or motorways, I’ll still sit at 80-90 but it’s the overtakes I can’t be bothered with.

Where’s the point in doing a blast past and cut in if there’s another 15 cars in front of you? So I find myself just dawdling along in a queue of traffic doing 20mph slower than I would be normally.

The difference is being held up & dawdling along.. or riding at a speed you're comfortable with. I tend to drive/ride at a speed I'm comfortable with at least 95% of the time, it's most often a bit faster than what's on the signs. Oddly enough I was doing just that last week in the ST & looked down to see I was driving right at the speed limit. Most bizarre.
CHP policy is "motorcyclists are safer when they travel a bit faster than other road users".. of course they don't like that being mentioned when it's just taken Ofc Dibble 4 miles to get you to notice the christmas lights..

[Supermofo]

I’ve toned it down to this now, getting old these days, it’s not so easy like it was 10 years ago.

See whilst I was never as fast as you, I did used to ride with fair abandon all the time. Houses etc on country roads would get the same 100+mph as anywhere else, but I've just got old (mentally at least, I'm only 46) I think. Now I think, Nah, I'd get right pissed off if someone was doing 120 passed my house so I knock my speed down passed houses etc. And that's a knock down from the sub 100mph speeds I do anyway cos I'm too paranoid about losing my license.

Don't think it helps that the last time I upped my pace on the GSXS on a nice flowing A road my spidey sense started tingling and I knocked it off about half a mile before I come across 3 coppers with a stopped group of very sheepish looking bikers. Couldn't help thinking I'd had a lucky escape.

I ride down roads I used to do 130- 150 mph on and think yeech. But that's only for me. In the main I go on the basis I did it so if other still do fair one.

Having said that, I think a bit like @Le_Fromage_Grande it's not impacted my enjoyment at all. I've embraced my current pace and really enjoy it. I have Rahhhhhhh moments in brief bursts but generally like riding 'well' as opposed to fast. It's all relative though compared to the cars Sunday I was a rocketship

[v8-powered]

I think since I gave up trackdays I've slowed down massively on the road, maybe because I don't really do many miles either?

Just went to the garage and checked the max recorded speed on my bike, probably last 18 months since a new battery

20230719_094713.jpg (255.21 KiB) Viewed 216 times