Of riding, skills, kilometres and tyres.
Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 9:37 am
Good morning all!
Of late, I have been finding it difficult to get enough time to do the things I want to do. Namely riding my motorcycle!!!! As some of you may be aware, I have for some time, had a mild penchant for loading up the bike, without notice, then heading for wherever, via whatever roads I should find. Frequently over past years, I have even managed to time it with my working life, linking riding to work, utilising my bike to get me wherever it is I need to be for work. Be that Victoria, NSW or on occassion, the land of queens. A normal year of riding for me was between 35,000 and 60,000 klms. Most of those klms racked up interstating it. Some may have read the time sapping reports often posted within this fine machine called KSRC, regaling the near misses, interactions with flora and fauna and even some pictorial demonstrations of said events and places. However, the past two years, since the discovery of the larder being empty, have forced a rather hectic work schedule to be adopted, in order to rectify the empty larder situation. Thus, riding has taken somewhat of a back seat.
However, in the last few weeks since the big present giving day, I have found a few days clear enough workwise and weather wise, to dust off the Rexess and get amongst it. Yesterday, I managed a solo run up into the hills. The "Excuse" (Not that I really need one) being that I had to scrub in the new front tyre I had fitted early that morning. So todays ramblings are on three subjects which I pondered while gliding past the world on my motorcycle.
1. Riding
2. Riding skills
3. Tyres (Bloody hell, not again!!!)
The last tyre change I did, I fitted a Pilot Road II rear and a Metzler Racetech K3 Front. With dryer weather coming up, I figured I didn't need a great deal of wet weather capability (Plus I ride like and absolute whimp in the wet. I get more lean angle putting it on the sidestand than I do leaning it in the wet!!!) and something sticky might be nice. I had run a K3 Racetech on the front of the ZX9 and managed to get 9000klms from it. Mind you, I had the carcass sticking out on the edges of the trye by the time i replaced it. But, still, I did get 9000klms from it. Most likely if I had changed it at the appropriate time, I may have ony got 8000klms from it. But, all in all, as a tyre, the Racetech was a cracking tyre. It steered well and gripped tenaciously. So I thought I might try one on the Rexess.
Unfortunately, my experiment failed to reap the rewards I had hoped for. I'll explain.........
Lately, when out riding, I have not been as confident in the bike/tyres, as I had been previously. At the time, I put it down to a lack of kilometres. To a certain degree, this was actually true. My confidence had slipped as I had done very little riding. I was just a little rusty. I noticed myself tipping in way too early on right handers, making for difficult rapid progress. Of late, most of my riding had been two up also. Which really shouldn't be much different to having my top box and panniers loaded in terms of weight distribution and transfer. However, I found myself slowing markedly in comparison to how I rode previously. The front Metzler, also did nothing to assist in regaining this confidence. It really gripped ok, but was never a good match for the Rex. I am not 100% sure, but my best guess is that the bike was too heavy for the tyre carcass. The front always felt very elastic when pushed hard. I tried varying pressures, from as high as 38psi, to as low as 29psi, in an attempt to see if pressure was to blame. 38 was the most comfortable, but still not right. After about 3000klms, the right edge of the tyre had torn up badly. All the tread grooves (what little they do have) were gone and a certain local police officer took particular interest in it at one point during a ride. Also, due to the odd wear on the right side, the steering had turned to shit, with it feeling like it had knackered head bearings once cranked over in a turn. Not nice! So, I replaced it with a normal Pilot Power. I figured with 3000klms already on the rear of the PR2, it might match well and give me matching tyre life so I can change them as a set again.
Naturally, after fitting the tyre, it was absolutely neccesary to scrub the tyre in on the black and Reefton Spurs.
I rang all my mates to see if they wanted to come riding, but he didn't answer his phone??? 
I departed Pablo's tyres in Mulgrave around 10.15 am and rode down FTG Rd and up into the hills. I went via Olinda, Kallista, Woori Yallock and then across to Healesville for some lunch at the Beechworth bakery. ( I was too hungry to hang out for the Marysville bakery, which bakes nicer stuff in my opinion) The road from Kallista to Woori Yallock is fast in parts and tight on others and by the time I hit Healesville, the tyre was scrubbed. However, I just had to go a little further to gaurantee that my observations had a large enough core sample in order to ascertain an accurate as possible result.
Being new, the tyre obviously steered much nicer and thankfully, that knackered steering head bearings feeling had completely dissappeared. But it was how it felt when cranked on it's side which made me the happiest. The tyre didn't feel like it was rolling around the side of the rim. The Racetech felt like it was collapsing under the force, whereas, the Pilot felt solid and secure, giving excellent information about what was going on underneath me. Much better!!!
As this was about my third ride in as many weeks, my confidence was coming back and the new trye added greatly to this. By the time I had dispensed with the tin tops on the early part of the Black, my turn points had returned to normal and my lean angles where back into the "faaark, it's gotta scrape something soon" area. Happy daze!
I concentrated on being smooth, flowing from turn to turn and using as little brake as I could, or "the pace" as some like to call it. It's a nice way to ride. It doesn't tax you physically and encourages more and more turn speed. By the time I hit the bottom of Lake mountain just out of Marysville, I was back in form. Lines, lean angles and turn speed were back to normal and I was feeling way more comfortable with what was going on.
The Reefton was covered in what seemed like a blink of an eye!! One minute I was on the almost never ending sweepers up the top, the next I am throttling off as I cross the bridge over the Yarra River at the bottom. Noice!!!! The gravel which has been ever present, really didn;t cause even a blip on the heartbeat monitor. I generally stayed in one of the wheel tracks to get as much swept tarmac as I could. On occasions however, road litter and other obstructions forced me to cross that line in between the wheel tracks. the bike just gave a little wiggle once front and back and continued on without drama. By the time I reached the clean tarmac, I was already well and truly into it. Enjoying the turns with a little....err......gusto!
The last little stretch, from the bottom of the Reefton down to Warburton, was just awesome. Those constant radius looooooooooooong sweepers just after the bottom are some of my favourite corners ever!! They just seem to go forever with one steer point the whole way!! Smooth arcs!!! I got some odd looks from oncoming drivers as they eyeballed a silver Rexess cranked way over coming towards them!!!
So, amongst all the other things I thought about while riding, klms, rusty skills and tyres are sometimes linked! A new front tyre can revitalise your confidence and lead to a far more pleasurable riding experience. Race tryes are great, but they won't work on everything!! Especially a 250kg behemoth that is the Rexess. Riding solo is much more fun. Even though I love having my girl with me, it's hard work carrying a pillion at any sort of pace. I solved this issue though, by having the girl drive up to Warburton to meet me for afternoon tea!!! We sat on the banks of the Yarra River in the shade of the trees on lush greeen grass and caught some sunshine while we embibed! Lastly, Klms, Klms and more Klms!! It's the only way to keep the skills honed!
Of late, I have been finding it difficult to get enough time to do the things I want to do. Namely riding my motorcycle!!!! As some of you may be aware, I have for some time, had a mild penchant for loading up the bike, without notice, then heading for wherever, via whatever roads I should find. Frequently over past years, I have even managed to time it with my working life, linking riding to work, utilising my bike to get me wherever it is I need to be for work. Be that Victoria, NSW or on occassion, the land of queens. A normal year of riding for me was between 35,000 and 60,000 klms. Most of those klms racked up interstating it. Some may have read the time sapping reports often posted within this fine machine called KSRC, regaling the near misses, interactions with flora and fauna and even some pictorial demonstrations of said events and places. However, the past two years, since the discovery of the larder being empty, have forced a rather hectic work schedule to be adopted, in order to rectify the empty larder situation. Thus, riding has taken somewhat of a back seat.
However, in the last few weeks since the big present giving day, I have found a few days clear enough workwise and weather wise, to dust off the Rexess and get amongst it. Yesterday, I managed a solo run up into the hills. The "Excuse" (Not that I really need one) being that I had to scrub in the new front tyre I had fitted early that morning. So todays ramblings are on three subjects which I pondered while gliding past the world on my motorcycle.
1. Riding
2. Riding skills
3. Tyres (Bloody hell, not again!!!)
The last tyre change I did, I fitted a Pilot Road II rear and a Metzler Racetech K3 Front. With dryer weather coming up, I figured I didn't need a great deal of wet weather capability (Plus I ride like and absolute whimp in the wet. I get more lean angle putting it on the sidestand than I do leaning it in the wet!!!) and something sticky might be nice. I had run a K3 Racetech on the front of the ZX9 and managed to get 9000klms from it. Mind you, I had the carcass sticking out on the edges of the trye by the time i replaced it. But, still, I did get 9000klms from it. Most likely if I had changed it at the appropriate time, I may have ony got 8000klms from it. But, all in all, as a tyre, the Racetech was a cracking tyre. It steered well and gripped tenaciously. So I thought I might try one on the Rexess.
Unfortunately, my experiment failed to reap the rewards I had hoped for. I'll explain.........
Lately, when out riding, I have not been as confident in the bike/tyres, as I had been previously. At the time, I put it down to a lack of kilometres. To a certain degree, this was actually true. My confidence had slipped as I had done very little riding. I was just a little rusty. I noticed myself tipping in way too early on right handers, making for difficult rapid progress. Of late, most of my riding had been two up also. Which really shouldn't be much different to having my top box and panniers loaded in terms of weight distribution and transfer. However, I found myself slowing markedly in comparison to how I rode previously. The front Metzler, also did nothing to assist in regaining this confidence. It really gripped ok, but was never a good match for the Rex. I am not 100% sure, but my best guess is that the bike was too heavy for the tyre carcass. The front always felt very elastic when pushed hard. I tried varying pressures, from as high as 38psi, to as low as 29psi, in an attempt to see if pressure was to blame. 38 was the most comfortable, but still not right. After about 3000klms, the right edge of the tyre had torn up badly. All the tread grooves (what little they do have) were gone and a certain local police officer took particular interest in it at one point during a ride. Also, due to the odd wear on the right side, the steering had turned to shit, with it feeling like it had knackered head bearings once cranked over in a turn. Not nice! So, I replaced it with a normal Pilot Power. I figured with 3000klms already on the rear of the PR2, it might match well and give me matching tyre life so I can change them as a set again.
Naturally, after fitting the tyre, it was absolutely neccesary to scrub the tyre in on the black and Reefton Spurs.
I rang all my mates to see if they wanted to come riding, but he didn't answer his phone??? I departed Pablo's tyres in Mulgrave around 10.15 am and rode down FTG Rd and up into the hills. I went via Olinda, Kallista, Woori Yallock and then across to Healesville for some lunch at the Beechworth bakery. ( I was too hungry to hang out for the Marysville bakery, which bakes nicer stuff in my opinion) The road from Kallista to Woori Yallock is fast in parts and tight on others and by the time I hit Healesville, the tyre was scrubbed. However, I just had to go a little further to gaurantee that my observations had a large enough core sample in order to ascertain an accurate as possible result. Being new, the tyre obviously steered much nicer and thankfully, that knackered steering head bearings feeling had completely dissappeared. But it was how it felt when cranked on it's side which made me the happiest. The tyre didn't feel like it was rolling around the side of the rim. The Racetech felt like it was collapsing under the force, whereas, the Pilot felt solid and secure, giving excellent information about what was going on underneath me. Much better!!!
As this was about my third ride in as many weeks, my confidence was coming back and the new trye added greatly to this. By the time I had dispensed with the tin tops on the early part of the Black, my turn points had returned to normal and my lean angles where back into the "faaark, it's gotta scrape something soon" area. Happy daze!
I concentrated on being smooth, flowing from turn to turn and using as little brake as I could, or "the pace" as some like to call it. It's a nice way to ride. It doesn't tax you physically and encourages more and more turn speed. By the time I hit the bottom of Lake mountain just out of Marysville, I was back in form. Lines, lean angles and turn speed were back to normal and I was feeling way more comfortable with what was going on.
The Reefton was covered in what seemed like a blink of an eye!! One minute I was on the almost never ending sweepers up the top, the next I am throttling off as I cross the bridge over the Yarra River at the bottom. Noice!!!! The gravel which has been ever present, really didn;t cause even a blip on the heartbeat monitor. I generally stayed in one of the wheel tracks to get as much swept tarmac as I could. On occasions however, road litter and other obstructions forced me to cross that line in between the wheel tracks. the bike just gave a little wiggle once front and back and continued on without drama. By the time I reached the clean tarmac, I was already well and truly into it. Enjoying the turns with a little....err......gusto!
The last little stretch, from the bottom of the Reefton down to Warburton, was just awesome. Those constant radius looooooooooooong sweepers just after the bottom are some of my favourite corners ever!! They just seem to go forever with one steer point the whole way!! Smooth arcs!!! I got some odd looks from oncoming drivers as they eyeballed a silver Rexess cranked way over coming towards them!!!
So, amongst all the other things I thought about while riding, klms, rusty skills and tyres are sometimes linked! A new front tyre can revitalise your confidence and lead to a far more pleasurable riding experience. Race tryes are great, but they won't work on everything!! Especially a 250kg behemoth that is the Rexess. Riding solo is much more fun. Even though I love having my girl with me, it's hard work carrying a pillion at any sort of pace. I solved this issue though, by having the girl drive up to Warburton to meet me for afternoon tea!!! We sat on the banks of the Yarra River in the shade of the trees on lush greeen grass and caught some sunshine while we embibed! Lastly, Klms, Klms and more Klms!! It's the only way to keep the skills honed!
