If you know where to look, there are signs that tell you may be pushing your luck too far. Today, I didn't have to look very far to see the sign and subsequently was reminded of one of the first rules of motorcycling, which is, always make sure you have enough space to stop. Today I got away with it. Just.
The car park in Central London that is the home for my bike for forty hours each week, has a cobbled entrance, not ideal when dry, potentially lethal when wet. Today was dry. I'd finished another uninspiring day in the office and I was riding out of the car park, where some workmen had pretty much blocked off the entire entrance/exit. It really annoys me when people do stuff like that. They don't seem to realise, or more to the point, care just how much disruption they cause. Anyway, a car was already stuck as they'd left about three feet of room, so I popped past the car, but was a little keen with the throttle heading up out of the car park. I was confronted by a massive black 4x4 coming down the slope (on the wrong side of the road too) and I just grabbed a big handful of front brake. The Pilot Road Three lost traction almost immediately and I could feel the front sliding alomg the cobbles. I though that I was either going to slide into the front of the 4x4 or drop the bike. Thankfully a third option presented itself and I stopped a few feet short of the bonnet, still upright. I was an idiot. I was going too fast knowing that the ground conditions were not ideal and I couldn't see far enough around the corner. I rode slowly around the side of the 4x4 and carried on my journey home, evaluating what had happened. Basically I got careless and when riding a motorbike, especially in London, that can be deadly.
I had an important phone call booked it at 16:30, one that if it went well, would have changed my life, so in the few hours I had spare after arriving home, I cleaned the Ninja in preparation for the ride to Birmingham tomorrow and I fitted those new Progrips onto the Ducati. Grip cement is nasty stuff. Its basically uber yellow modelling cement and I still have some stuck to my left hand to prove it. The grips look good thou, so it was worth it. Oh that phone call? sadly it didn't change my life, it was just another huge disappointment, but I was told some nice things and given some good advise. Once you fall down, you have to make sure you get straight back up again.
The car park in Central London that is the home for my bike for forty hours each week, has a cobbled entrance, not ideal when dry, potentially lethal when wet. Today was dry. I'd finished another uninspiring day in the office and I was riding out of the car park, where some workmen had pretty much blocked off the entire entrance/exit. It really annoys me when people do stuff like that. They don't seem to realise, or more to the point, care just how much disruption they cause. Anyway, a car was already stuck as they'd left about three feet of room, so I popped past the car, but was a little keen with the throttle heading up out of the car park. I was confronted by a massive black 4x4 coming down the slope (on the wrong side of the road too) and I just grabbed a big handful of front brake. The Pilot Road Three lost traction almost immediately and I could feel the front sliding alomg the cobbles. I though that I was either going to slide into the front of the 4x4 or drop the bike. Thankfully a third option presented itself and I stopped a few feet short of the bonnet, still upright. I was an idiot. I was going too fast knowing that the ground conditions were not ideal and I couldn't see far enough around the corner. I rode slowly around the side of the 4x4 and carried on my journey home, evaluating what had happened. Basically I got careless and when riding a motorbike, especially in London, that can be deadly.
I had an important phone call booked it at 16:30, one that if it went well, would have changed my life, so in the few hours I had spare after arriving home, I cleaned the Ninja in preparation for the ride to Birmingham tomorrow and I fitted those new Progrips onto the Ducati. Grip cement is nasty stuff. Its basically uber yellow modelling cement and I still have some stuck to my left hand to prove it. The grips look good thou, so it was worth it. Oh that phone call? sadly it didn't change my life, it was just another huge disappointment, but I was told some nice things and given some good advise. Once you fall down, you have to make sure you get straight back up again.
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