Copyright 2003, LRTMC

Motorcycling Thoughts (thanks Ralph)

ounter Steering:
 If you push the left bar, the bike goes left. If you push the right bar, the bike goes right. That is, unless you keep pushing the right bar all the way, then you will probably go left while the bike swaps ends.
Crashing:
 Remember riding isn’t inherently dangerous…crashing is.
Fuel:
 The ONLY time you have too much fuel is when you’re on fire.
The Rear Wheel:
 The rear wheel is just a big fan used to keep the rider cool and his arse relaxed. If in doubt… watch. When it locks up or slides out you can actually see the rider start sweating and pucker marks are left on the seat.
Rides:
 A ‘good’ ride is one you can walk away from. A ‘great’ ride is one you can walk away from and use the bike again.
Mistakes:
 Learn from the mistakes of others. You won’t live long enough to make all of them yourself.
Traction:
 When traction is sparse, the probability of survival is inversely proportional to the angle of lean. Large angle of lean, small probability of survival and vice versa.
Your Brain:
  Never let a motorcycle take you somewhere your brain didn’t go five seconds earlier.
Fog:
 Stay out of fog. The single red taillight you think is another rider ahead that you can catch, just might be the red port side light of a docked boat.
 Luck & Experience:
 You start with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before you empty the bag of luck.
Mirrors:
 If all you can see in your mirrors is the direction you were previously travelling intermingled with sparks, and all you can hear is commotion from the passenger riding pillion, then assume that things are not at all as they should be.
 Other Objects:
 In the ongoing battle between objects made of metal, rubber and plastic going dozens of miles per hour, and the ground going zero miles per hour, the ground has yet to lose. Same holds for cars, trucks, walls and most animals. Draws don’t count.
Judgment:
 Good judgment comes from experience. Unfortunately, experience usually comes from bad judgment.
Going Forward:
 It’s always a good idea to keep the headlight end going forward as much as possible.
Looking:
 Keep looking around. There’s always something you’ve missed.
Laws:
 Remember, gravity and centrifugal force are not just good ideas. They’re both laws not subject to repeal.