A California Monday in Feb. Sumo Style

SRAD97750

Moderator
Staff member
Not just any Ducati... I believe it's quite wizard.:prof:

I have not been riding with other people since christmas eve 2007.
My buddy and I went to Malcolm Smith to buy him a proper sportbike. (He had some cash apparently) Went riding maybe 100+ miles. I led so he could watch me and pace the corners properly. Every 20 miles or so we stopped and had a safety/technique re-enforcing conversation. He was doing great!
Anyways, headed back to home. Turn North on Las Sierra Blvd from Cajalco. (At lake matthews) I let him lead this stretch back into town.
Very first corner, too fast... panic brake instead of lean.... End over end over end over end over end over end...

That day I learned why leathers are so important. He walked away with a nice rash on his back and a completely totaled bike. (he had insured it while signing paperwork:thumb:)

Ever since I have been having real anxiety issues when riding with other people. It's crippling to the point of being dangerous for me! I need some other people to ride with to help me break this cycle... -BIG DAN
 
Not just any Ducati... I believe it's quite wizard.:prof:

I have not been riding with other people since christmas eve 2007.
My buddy and I went to Malcolm Smith to buy him a proper sportbike. (He had some cash apparently) Went riding maybe 100+ miles. I led so he could watch me and pace the corners properly. Every 20 miles or so we stopped and had a safety/technique re-enforcing conversation. He was doing great!
Anyways, headed back to home. Turn North on Las Sierra Blvd from Cajalco. (At lake matthews) I let him lead this stretch back into town.
Very first corner, too fast... panic brake instead of lean.... End over end over end over end over end over end...

That day I learned why leathers are so important. He walked away with a nice rash on his back and a completely totaled bike. (he had insured it while signing paperwork:thumb:)

Ever since I have been having real anxiety issues when riding with other people. It's crippling to the point of being dangerous for me! I need some other people to ride with to help me break this cycle... -BIG DAN

Oh boy, that sucks Dan. Does he still ride?
Well I dont like large groups myself. And usually I ride alone or with one other person. One time I went on a ride that was posted on Supermotojunkie.com. I thought I'd drop in on a group ride. I didnt know anyone with a Motard at the time and wanted to meet a few others. Well....26 riders met up at a home in Topanga Cyn.. I figured I would intercept the group at the top of the Snake and sort of tag along and blend in. I didnt want to show up at the house AKA Sausage fest being the only girl. I didnt know ANY of these guys. I waited for the group and finally a stream of SM bikes blew past me. I jumped on mine and tried to catch up. Well at the bottom of this twistie section heading up the hill a sumo goes down in front of me, and I notice there were others behind him. As it turns out they were going up and down a few times. I finally met them at the lookout and found out that right off the start the group got split up into 3 groups because nobody was paying attention. By the time I had intercepted them there had been 3 accidents already in two different groups, and a few were left behind in the dust, including the guy who planned the ride!! After some chit chat we rode to lunch. I then realized I will die if I continue to ride with these guys. They are ALL PUMPED UP and young. No offense to the young bucks (Dan:P) but that testosterone and competitive nature kicks in and suddenly it's ON and somewhat out of control. I lived through the experience and proved to them and myself I can ride but also knew I shouldnt ride with them again. I chimed in on their next ride thread after that. They were planning another ride two weeks later. I said they should take that style riding to the track. Have a track day. A few of them (the ones I hadnt met) acted like I didnt know shit and should STFU more or less. Well..they are right:prof:I dont know shit but I know the obvious. I said someone is going to die riding like that. So two weeks later I check back to see how their "big" ride went. And sure enough...a father and son drive down from I believe it was Bakersfield and join the group. The father and son over shot a turn in the canyon trying to keep up with the local riders ahead of them. They went head on into a suburban. Father lost his leg and 23 year old son died:cry: It was horrible!! It was exactly what I thought would happen. So they start posting comments about the ride and how horrible it was. But not one of them acknowledges how it happened. As in...they were from out of the area and just trying to:foul: keep up. One guy even wrote "next time we need a A group and a B grounp. WTF! Next time take it to the track you moron! They pulled the thread. Seeing as I was in the middle of it calling out exactly what was going to happen. Since then I dont ride in large groups or go to SMJ.com. AND I try to remember it is not about riding fast or being competitive. It's about having fun and getting home safely. I dont have leathers yet. I need to be careful out there:thumb:
Our ride will be a cruise. If you want to hammer we will park and kick back at the snake and anyone who wants to can do a hammer session by themselves.:ride: Im hungry! I worked up an appetitie typing all this :blah::blah::blah:

Sunday is the most popular day at the Rock Store and Snake. It seems everyone is out on "Sun"days because it IM SO GOOD:smirk:
 
Not just any Ducati... I believe it's quite wizard.:prof:

I have not been riding with other people since christmas eve 2007.
My buddy and I went to Malcolm Smith to buy him a proper sportbike. (He had some cash apparently) Went riding maybe 100+ miles. I led so he could watch me and pace the corners properly. Every 20 miles or so we stopped and had a safety/technique re-enforcing conversation. He was doing great!
Anyways, headed back to home. Turn North on Las Sierra Blvd from Cajalco. (At lake matthews) I let him lead this stretch back into town.
Very first corner, too fast... panic brake instead of lean.... End over end over end over end over end over end...

That day I learned why leathers are so important. He walked away with a nice rash on his back and a completely totaled bike. (he had insured it while signing paperwork:thumb:)

Ever since I have been having real anxiety issues when riding with other people. It's crippling to the point of being dangerous for me! I need some other people to ride with to help me break this cycle... -BIG DAN

:shocked:.............:smirk:,,,OH, and one last thing..............be careful out there! :prof:
 

SRAD97750

Moderator
Staff member
Oh boy, that sucks Dan. Does he still ride?
They are ALL PUMPED UP and young. No offense to the young bucks (Dan:P) but that testosterone and competitive nature kicks in and suddenly it's ON and somewhat out of control.
Yes, He does ride. He is pretty good.

I was teaching him that day. We were going slow and just getting the feel for the bike. As soon as my taillight wasn't there to guide him, he panicked on a turn he could have made if he would have leaned. I guess I have just been to freaked out to ride with anyone else since.

A group ride is 2 riders... :P
-BIG DAN
 
Yes, He does ride. He is pretty good.

I was teaching him that day. We were going slow and just getting the feel for the bike. As soon as my taillight wasn't there to guide him, he panicked on a turn he could have made if he would have leaned. I guess I have just been to freaked out to ride with anyone else since.

A group ride is 2 riders... :P
-BIG DAN


Well there is a lot to be said for following someone elses lines. Very helpful. Glad he is still on the bike and it turned out ok.

Ya I know 2 or more makes a group:P At this point I see maybe You, Cleonard, Palmer, CDA and myself unless we can get others. We shall see. Im not planning the plan just yet:lol:
 
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