I use to race cars too. Don't laugh but my first car was an 88 GT Mustang bought off the floor when I was 24, my first car ever. I thought it was the fastest thing known to man, and at that time it was quick. Then the new cylinder heads, the paxton ball drive blower (POS), the exhaust, and on and on. Yes it was faster but it was more a maintenance issue due to blow head gaskets and etc. Now during my short time with this car I did go to a race track and get instruction in road racing and paid a few visists to the strip. Thought I had all the basics down after all of that instruction.
Flash forward 20 years and now I want a motorcyle haha. I bought a Vstrom dl650 and this bike freaked me out for the first couple of thousand miles. I just couldn't believe there was a reason under heaven or earth for going faster, but that misconspection soon wore off
I can handle the bike about average or better in parking lot figure 8's and what not, but on the highway at speed it is kinda scetchy times for me. Plus the lack of 80 mph plus accelleration is not that good. It's plenty to squirt around trucks and what not, but not commanded in terms of peformance, I enjoy riding I know I have the power to accellerate away from any problem without effert.
All though with that comes danger, accellerate fast you end up going really really fast. Probably faster than you realize until you have to slow down. People sometimes scoff at comparing car experiences with motocycle experiences and the are right for the most part, but if you have ever driven a truely fast car for any length of time, you do understand how hard it is to get slowed down, and you do have some experience with the speeds involved. Some of that may help, but from my owne experiece, on a motorcyle you have to learn it all over again.
All of your senses are being stimulated differently and as such you will react differently. This is why regardless of your past experience it is important to take a class regardless of how stupid you my think it is. I bet you will learn something.
And then cut some tennis balls in halve and place them in a parking lot and practice. It sounds stupid but it does give you skills and convidence like no other.
Anyway, this is what I try to do (when I have time off). Just practice and more practice. This includes slow speed figure 8's, really slow maneuvering, swerving to avoid hazards, and full tilt emergency braking - again, and again, and again, and gain, ......
Riding on the street is easy if you know how to react to bad situations, and by reacting correctly you don't even have to think about it. That is the clue. It becomes natural.
Well, I guess I'll get off of my soap box now and say good night all.
Steve
