So, Motorcycles

[N8YX]

Modern motorcycle instruments are looking more and more like fighter jet cockpits. Way nice!

I quit riding some years ago, but owned almost every brand of motorcycle known to man. Last one I rode was a KZ1000.

Interesting observation regarding bikes and jets. I've taught a lot of beginning riders over the years, and my counsel has always been "Ride the bike like you're flying a jet". This is particularly true with sport bikes, sport tourers and the like:

• Speed is Life, as maneuverability options decrease along with velocity
• Everything near your space is an existential threat. Prepare and pro-act/react accordingly
• Get in the habit of scanning your road (air) space automatically. Sweep your eyes to the gauges, your horizon, the mirrors and back to the horizon.
• For those with onboard electronics: Ride (aviate), position (navigate) and play with the radios (communicate) in that order.

Many of the ham crowd are flummoxed at the idea of a motorcyclist being able to safely operate two-way gear while underway, yet (as you inferred) a fighter pilot has a far more complex environment in which to operate yet manages to successfully complete missions. The secret? TRAINING and PRACTICE.

With regards to the bolded: I've had KZ- series motorcycles to wet-noodle speeds a number of times. That is, the chassis feels like a collection of wet noodles if the bikes are hammered hard into turns. From 1978-1980, an outfit was retrofitting a Rajay turbocharger to the Z1R series and selling it as a "Z1R-TC". A couple magazine articles reviewed the conversions and remarked on the acceleration.

Fast forward to 2008. On its introduction, the Concours 14 put more horsepower and torque to the rear tire across the entire power band than the 'TC did...and it actually handles and stops well. I've never been able to make either of mine feel "squishy", no matter the speed or lean angles at which I've ridden them.

[K4PIH]

Interesting observation regarding bikes and jets. I've taught a lot of beginning riders over the years, and my counsel has always been "Ride the bike like you're flying a jet". This is particularly true with sport bikes, sport tourers and the like:

• Speed is Life, as maneuverability options decrease along with velocity
• Everything near your space is an existential threat. Prepare and pro-act/react accordingly
• Get in the habit of scanning your road (air) space automatically. Sweep your eyes to the gauges, your horizon, the mirrors and back to the horizon.
• For those with onboard electronics: Ride (aviate), position (navigate) and play with the radios (communicate) in that order.

Many of the ham crowd are flummoxed at the idea of a motorcyclist being able to safely operate two-way gear while underway, yet (as you inferred) a fighter pilot has a far more complex environment in which to operate yet manages to successfully complete missions. The secret? TRAINING and PRACTICE.

With regards to the bolded: I've had KZ- series motorcycles to wet-noodle speeds a number of times. That is, the chassis feels like a collection of wet noodles if the bikes are hammered hard into turns. From 1978-1980, an outfit was retrofitting a Rajay turbocharger to the Z1R series and selling it as a "Z1R-TC". A couple magazine articles reviewed the conversions and remarked on the acceleration.

Fast forward to 2008. On its introduction, the Concours 14 put more horsepower and torque to the rear tire across the entire power band than the 'TC did...and it actually handles and stops well. I've never been able to make either of mine feel "squishy", no matter the speed or lean angles at which I've ridden them.

4 excellent points on motorcycle riding! the KZ I had was gifted to me by a coworker who's father had owned it and then passed due to cancer. It sat for a long time in a storage facility. Rode it for a while after getting it running again but too much real work and $$ to make it a dependable ride. Donated it to a shop that teaches kids how to fix things.