Rolling races!

Strika · Post by **Strika** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:44 pm

Perhaps it's no longer politically correct to do such things, but a bunch of guys I used to ride with held a roll race once a year. Usually Mt Donna Buang was the chosen venue. We would all ride up to where the dirt section starts, turn around, kill the engines and roll to the bottom.

It sounded pretty silly to me the first time I heard of it. I thought, where's the fun in not being able to get on the gas!! However, nothing could be further from the truth. You soon learn after a corner or two, what the loss of momentum does as you brake for a turn. it encourages good corner speed and a smooth riding style.

What sounded at first like a really crappy Idea turned into something that I looked forward to each year. And often, when coming down a mountain road now, I kill the motor, and just use gravity to propel me down the hill. It also enables you to hear the weirdest sounds from the bush!

Maybe I can encourage a few keener souls into one tomorrow when we go past Donna Buang!

rocketrod · Post by **rocketrod** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 8:05 pm

Sorry i just read this after repling to the pace article.
Yes it certainly is fun.I remember doing this a few years back with a couple of mates who were on 250s and just got their licences.
They had running engines while i rolled..........and still beat them down.

Strika · Post by **Strika** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 8:15 pm

rocketrod wrote:Sorry i just read this after repling to the pace article.
Yes it certainly is fun.I remember doing this a few years back with a couple of mates who were on 250s and just got their licences.
They had running engines while i rolled..........and still beat them down.

Yeah Rod, I had a laugh!! I thought ....."Jinx"

It does encourage you to carry speed though, and help you understand what a bastard thing an engine is when it has it's throttle chopped mid turn. That was probably the greatest revelation to me. That you can actually carry loads more turn speed when you don't have the engine to deal with!!!!

javaman · Post by **javaman** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:20 pm

Anything that saves fuel I'm interested !

Sounds like fun.

FrogZ · Post by **FrogZ** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 6:26 am

javaman wrote:Anything that saves fuel I'm interested !

Lose your licence, does wonders for fuel economy

Check your front tyre out after the "race" Strika, scalloped from "pushing" the front ??

mrmina · Post by **mrmina** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 9:55 am

well it does sound crappy.

maybe i might have to give it a go.

so what noises do u hear

r u sure it noises and not the voices in ur head mate

mike-s · Post by **mike-s** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 10:05 am

i've done similar before, all i can say is tyres make a hell of a lot of road noise!!

Post by **icebreaker** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 11:32 am

frogzx12r wrote:
javaman wrote:Anything that saves fuel I'm interested !
Lose your licence, does wonders for fuel economy

Check your front tyre out after the "race" Strika, scalloped from "pushing" the front ??

It would take more than 10 k's of road to scallop your tyres or put noticable wear on them IMO.

Neka79 · Post by **Neka79** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 5:58 pm

why not just suit up in ur leathers & take a pushy up there...??

FrogZ · Post by **FrogZ** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:06 am

Dan wrote:
frogzx12r wrote:Check your front tyre out after the "race" Strika, scalloped from "pushing" the front ??
It would take more than 10 k's of road to scallop your tyres or put noticable wear on them IMO.

Its more to do with heat isnt it ? Rolling down the mountain should do it.
You can see the different wear on my tyres on Mtn in Rocky and it is only 5km.

FrogZ · Post by **FrogZ** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:07 am

frogzx12r wrote:
Dan wrote:
frogzx12r wrote:Check your front tyre out after the "race" Strika, scalloped from "pushing" the front ??
It would take more than 10 k's of road to scallop your tyres or put noticable wear on them IMO.

Its more to do with heat isnt it ? Rolling down the mountain should do it.
You can see the different wear on my tyres on Mtn in Rocky and it is only 5km.

Oh yeah AND I am in Qld

plane · Post by **plane** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:07 am

I remember viewing a few "roll downs" at Arthurs Seat a few years back! Even had a memeber of the Vic motorcycle police join us once. He showed us how to maintain corner speed.
Cheers,
Pete

Stereo · Post by **Stereo** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:46 am

One thing I do on a semi regular basis is not use the brakes........

Ride throught the twisties without using any brakes at all.... only using your engine to brake....

its fun

mrmina · Post by **mrmina** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 5:07 pm

Stereo wrote:One thing I do on a semi regular basis is not use the brakes........

Ride throught the twisties without using any brakes at all.... only using your engine to brake....

its fun

i did that last time i was at reefton.

it is fun but sometimes can get scary, i think i went around a few corners with my eyes closed

Gosling1 · Post by **Gosling1** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 6:14 pm

Stereo wrote:One thing I do on a semi regular basis is not use the brakes........

Ride throught the twisties without using any brakes at all.... only using your engine to brake....

its fun

it is definitely a good way to increase your corner speed !

Bucket racers know a lot about this..........

First piece of advice given to me at my first race meeting was " ...you wanna know how to go fast mate ?? Well see that thing ( crusty racer points at front brake lever.) - well, DON'T touch the bastard !!"

good advice.