Brisbane Ulysses Branch in East Brisbane, Queensland | Community organisation

Brisbane Ulysses Branch

Locality: East Brisbane, Queensland

Address: Lord Stanley Hotel, 994 Stanley St East 4169 East Brisbane, QLD, Australia

Website: http://brisbane.ulyssesclub.org

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24.01.2022 Beware the skid demon

23.01.2022 Will you use the MotoCAP safety rating system when buying #motorcycle clothing? Check out which gear rates best and how it is tested. #roadsafety #motorcycles #crash #accident

22.01.2022 *** SKILLS ON SATURDAY *** Masterclass Five: On the throttle 2 Whilst braking is probably the most important control skill you need to learn on a bike, with ste...ering a very close second, throttle control is vital when it comes to getting a motorcycle to feel settled whilst cornering on the road. My own approach to cornering and throttle use is based closely on Keith Code's writings in his book "A Twist of the Wrist II". Although it's far from an easy read, there are some absolute diamonds in that book and if you're prepared to put the time in to read and re-read it, then try it out on the road, you'll see what I mean. Much of what he says I agree with, mostly because what he talks about works WITH, not against, the physics of riding a bike. One of the most important observations Code makes is that as the throttle is the most-used control on the motorcycle, it should be used well! Code talks about getting the throttle open right at the beginning of the turn and his approach to throttle control is Lesson 1, Level 1 at his California (and European) Superbike School. Here's what he says: "Once [the throttle] is opened during a turn, it should be continuously rolled on through the rest of the turn." As I said last week, Code notes that this avoiding loading the front tyre with deceleration forces and helps the bike turn sweetly. It also makes the most of the iffy grip levels on the average road. It is possible to lose the front end simply by shutting the throttle. I know, because it's happened to me. But how should we apply that advice to a road rather than a track? The answer is "cautiously". The first issue is that racers - after the first few laps - know where they are going. They learn lines and they aim to repeat them accurately over and over. And that's what allows racers to deal with blind corners. For example, the apex to Paddock Hill bend at Brands Hatch is over a blind crest, but you quickly learn the trackside reference points that allow you to line up for the bend you can't yet see, then accelerate through it even if you can't see the way out of the corner. On the road we simply don't have that luxury. Even on a road we know well, we really must treat each blind bend as a new experience. As a West Midlands BikeSafe video says tongue-in-cheek, as the camera zooms in on a policeman holding a speed gun, "you never know just what lies around a corner". So based on Code and the West Midlands warning, I have two pieces of advice. The first is that when we roll on the throttle on the way into a corner, we're not on the limit in terms of speed, and so have got plenty of lean angle in hand. That way we can keep the throttle "rolled on" and deal with minor changes of radius by changing lean angle rather than speed. That was essentially what I was discussing last week. The second is that we treat the instruction to 'roll on' the throttle equally cautiously. Rather than try to open the throttle progressively harder - and thus accelerate through the bend - we keep a steady throttle setting so that we are maintaining speed. Why don't we want to accelerate through a corner, track-style? The simple answer is that we're laying a trap for ourselves. If we take the instruction to 'roll on' the throttle as meaning that we should be gaining speed... ...it should be obvious that if the bend doesn't start opening out, we're going to need more LEAN ANGLE to make it round the bend. And that should lead us to two more conclusions: :: if the bend tightens up out of sight, we're now accelerating into a decreasing radius corner :: if the bend's surface isn't consistent we could run out of grip Many riders never give the first problem a thought, but unlike a track, the lane we're operating within in usually three or four metres wide. It's easy to pick up speed and then if we don't adjust our lean angle quickly the bike starts running wide. As soon as we run wide, there's no trackside run-off - it's either off the road into a hedge or into oncoming traffic. That latter crash is a big killer on rural roads. What if we manage to stay on the road by adding more lean angle? Then we need more grip, and very quickly as lean angle goes up, we need a LOT MORE GRIP because the bike is not only using grip to lean, it's using the rear tyre's grip to accelerate too. And that leads us directly to another big difference between track and road. Tracks have pretty predictable surfaces. Chris Walker was talking about the bumps that caused him to back off on his superbike, but on a road bike with around 90 hp, I can't find them! But a road surface can go from great to appalling and back again in a couple of metres. Throw in the fact that we can rarely see the road surface all that far ahead, and we're riding blind. Whilst more and more bikes have traction control, it's better not to need it by avoiding accelerating until we can genuinely see our way out of the corner. And my final point for today. Monitoring how we're using the throttle actually tells us a lot about how we judged the approach to a bend. If we're shutting the throttle on the way into a corner, then we probably mis-timed or misjudged our deceleration. If we're shutting the throttle mid-corner, then we probably turned-in to the corner too soon before we knew where we were going, or we misjudged the line of the bend and it may have tightened up. Put it all together, and that's why the Survival Skills approach is to separate acceleration (where we GAIN speed, as opposed to MAINTAIN speed) from the corner itself. It's almost - but not quite - the Level 1 Superbike School exercise.

22.01.2022 https://www.facebook.com/550059566/posts/10154934241424567/

21.01.2022 Share this advice with your friends and keep a copy in your phone or print it out and keep it in your motorcycle jacket pocket in case the police want to fine y...ou for a non-compliant helmet! #police #motorcycle #motorcyclehelmet #helmet #trafficoffence #helmetlaws Australian Motorcycle Council Motorcycle Council of NSW Inc-MCCNSW-#lookoutformotorcycles Motorcycle Riders Association Queensland Motorcycle Riders Association - ACT https://motorbikewriter.com/remove-helmet-sticker/ See more

21.01.2022 Something to consider...

20.01.2022 https://www.facebook.com/694409683/posts/10156886792134684/

19.01.2022 Is your dream #motorbike too tall for you? Check out these tips that may help you safely ride a bike you thought was too tall! #roadsafety #ridingtips #motorycles https://motorbikewriter.com/top-10-tips-short-motorcyclists/

19.01.2022 Public service announcement Click on the video and you can share it from the lower right.

17.01.2022 The Aldi Motorcycle gear sale is on again next Saturday 18th. On sale will be jackets, jeans, helmets, gloves plus other gear. Here are a couple of images from the catalogue

16.01.2022 Check out our upcoming rides at https://www.meetup.com/meetup-group-yzDDcleP/

16.01.2022 I'm working on a vintage Italian motorcycle wiring loom this week. This wiring diagram has come in very handy. Via The always excellent xkcd

15.01.2022 https://newatlas.com/2019-suzuki-250-v-strom/56228/

14.01.2022 We'll worth the read!

14.01.2022 1955 Duofront Dr. Ing. Wolfgang Trautwein

14.01.2022 Our film 'Why Not Now' should provide you with some serious Monday motivation! Mardelle Peck (71) proves that no matter your age, it's never too late to make a change. Director: James Lovick

12.01.2022 Are you planning a #motorcycle tour in Europe? Check out these tips on road rules, costs, traps and more! Do you have any tips to share? #motorcycles #motorcycletravel #travel https://motorbikewriter.com/tips-motorcycle-riding-europe/

10.01.2022 https://www.facebook.com/steve.hatherell//10216617113639743

10.01.2022 This tiny aftermarket headlight globe replacement turns your motorcycle headlight into a self-leveling projector beam.

09.01.2022 Incredibly exciting on-board footage of Chris Fillmore flying up Pikes Peak.

08.01.2022 Well worth the time to read this: http://www.hornsby.nsw.gov.au//road-/motorcycle-crash-card

08.01.2022 Received just now from anonymous I have it on good authority that there have been several complaints to the local minister about noisy motorcycles in the Tamborine and Canungra areas. The minister then fronted the State Minister who funded the purchase of noise AND emissions testing equipment for the police. They are now going to stop every motorcycle for the purpose of testing, for noise and exhaust gases... So get the word out covertly that over the weekend of the 19th & ...20th, you can expect to be pulled up. If your bike is found to be non-compliant, then you will have to make the necessary adjustment to ensure that it complies to local and federal laws. I expect this testing will start in Canungra and Tamborine, but probably also Mt. Mee, Glorious etc... if your bike does have after-market pipes, and/or the ECU has been flashed, you and your bike could expect some issues. If your bike is found to be non compliant, then you will have to take your bike to local testing stations, and you could be fined $75 for the inconvenience. Not only that, but if you change your bike back once compliant, and you get caught within the next 12 months, your bike will be confiscated for a month and you could also expect a fine... Probably an idea to pass this word on to anybody you know that rides, and probably an idea to stay away from the Canungra area not this coming weekend, but the following...

08.01.2022 https://www.msgroup.org/Tip.aspx?Num=004&Set=

08.01.2022 This is one of the easiest ways to carry extra fuel with you on a motorcycle, and it can be rolled up when empty for easy storage.

07.01.2022 If you need minimal luggage, this is a great idea! https://newatlas.com/bivypack-tent-backpack/53601/

07.01.2022 Useful info for European riding!

07.01.2022 What are you doing for Queensland's Motorcycle Awareness Month of May? Put this MRAQ Ride Day in your calendar and share the word on safety with other road user...s! Motorcycle Riders Association Queensland #roadsafety RACQ #motorcycles https://motorbikewriter.com/may-is-motorcycle-awareness-mo/ See more

05.01.2022 The 1954 MV Augusta 60cc Monowheel Superleggera was an actual thing. Crazy.

03.01.2022 Did you know you could be #fined if your #motorcycle startles a horse? If you're heading #outback to spend your money in drought-stricken communities this week...end then good on you! But you should check the #roadsafety #rules regarding #animals and #livestock. #roadrules #motorcycles ABCD Drought Drive - Sunday 12th August ABC Brisbane https://motorbikewriter.com/motorcyclists-watch-horses/ See more

03.01.2022 What are your tips for staying warm in this current cold blast from the south? #motorcycles #roadsafety #winter

03.01.2022 Going out on your motorbike in shorts, t-shirt and flip flops seem like a good idea in this lovely weather? #WRONG Imagine what would happen if you come off - l...ife changing injuries at Best. It may be hot, but its not worth the risk. Our staff reported far too many riders putting themselves at risk yesterday. As @wmasJoyHughes tweeted earlier: dress for the slide, not the ride. #wisewords See more

02.01.2022 Spread this around

01.01.2022 http://www.mcnews.com.au/alpinestars-tech-air-air-bag-syst/

01.01.2022 Could this be the answer?

01.01.2022 *** SOBS *** Your headlight makes you visible, right? Have a look at the dashcam still below. Can you spot the bike? How long did it take you? The answer - alm...ost certainly - was far too long. There are lots of other things going on in that scene that would be drawing my attention, not least of which is the green traffic light just ahead - and we know what green traffic lights become. Whether the rider has his bike's light on main beam or it's just a very badly adjusted dip (my guess is it's on main) the effect of the dazzling white light and a white fairing is not conspicuity but camouflage. As Chris Taylor, who sent me the clip says: "The camera reduces the dazzle that I saw, approaching the light, I thought the Range Rover had high beam on and one headlight out, it wasnt until I got quite close that I could see the bike and it occurred to me that a badly adjusted light is worse than none at all." The bike simply vanishes against the car behind. So think about this. Firstly, dazzling lights might appear effective when you and your mates stand in front of your own bike and look at it parked up in front of your house, but when you put them into the road environment, they may have another effect altogether. The military discovered this in WW2 - do a google on Yehudi lights. Secondly, you might be thinking that the relative movement of the vehicles will reveal the motorcycle, and indeed if you watch the video that does happen... eventually. The problem is that we're scanning around our whole environment, not just fixing our attention in one place. So we have to make sense of what we see in half a second or so, because in a cluttered visual environment like a busy street we simply don't have time to fixate our gaze in one area for long. So if we don't see something almost immediately, it's simply not going to gain our attention. Conclusion? Don't EXPECT to be seen! Anticipate that whatever steps you've taken to make yourself more conspicuous you will NOT be seen. Here's the full video: https://youtu.be/rN9L-043K9E