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Richy's Mid Life Crisis, Season 2, Episode 8 "But I Digress..."


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Posted

your listing photos make me lol a bit, its like taking a lamborghini to pak n save,

 

waaaay nicer than the normal scratched lens, finger over the lens, bike not in the middle of the pic, etc

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Posted

Sold the DRZ on the weekend, and went to look at this. I mean I bought it because I'd already sold myself on it, in my mind. Because that's how we emotively buy vehicles.

It's a 2019 350 EXC-F. Big tank, switchable maps/TCS, 136hrs, and.... short guy low suspension (there's a theme here). A few other issues but nothing major, just KTM quality gripes and some cosmetic things to sort.

Overall pretty chuffed. Goes like fuck, revs to the moon, will no doubt cost me a packet and get me into lots of strife off road. Ideal.

Good photos to come. Already ordered a few key accessories and booked in a suspension revalve/spring to suit my heft.

54250151349_7c2db71b7e_h.jpg2019 KTM 350 EXCF Phone (5) by Richard Opie, on Flickr

 

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Posted

For those more experienced in this than me, do the slower riders wreck the experience of the faster guys?

I'm definitely not the speediest fella out there, as my confidence - especially going into corners on gravel - isn't exactly at an all time high, especially post shoulder injury.

This basically leads to me playing catchup, and every 15 to 30 minutes folks need to stop to let me catch up. I'm also a bit shit scared of cars coming around a bend kn my side of the road whilst on narrow gravel roads, which isnt uncommon really, so tend to be pretty cautious (overly cautious?) which of course equates to a bit slow.

I don't feel out of my depth on the bike - I'm not attacking this any different than I was on the DRZ, and if anything the big 690 feels a bit more nimble on its feet. But keeping up is definitely a mission more often than not, and I'm acutely aware that I could well be ruining the experience for anyone unlucky enough to invite me for a ride.

I actually sit here dwelling on this often - to the point I contemplate ditching this altogether and stick to my knitting of not lowering cars enough.

Posted

If I was in your shoes I'd just keep riding how you are comfortable and what feels right to you

Maybe have a yarn with the guys you ride with and see what they say? If they are getting annoyed then find some slower riders to ride with or just go by yourself, or tell them not to wait and catch up at the end of the ride, if they are not dicks they should understand the situation and deal with it appropriately 

It sounds like you have a good sense of self preservation , it would be a shame to get hurt because you're trying to not annoy some other riders

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Posted
40 minutes ago, Snoozin said:

For those more experienced in this than me, do the slower riders wreck the experience of the faster guys?

I'm definitely not the speediest fella out there, as my confidence - especially going into corners on gravel - isn't exactly at an all time high, especially post shoulder injury.

This basically leads to me playing catchup, and every 15 to 30 minutes folks need to stop to let me catch up. I'm also a bit shit scared of cars coming around a bend kn my side of the road whilst on narrow gravel roads, which isnt uncommon really, so tend to be pretty cautious (overly cautious?) which of course equates to a bit slow.

I don't feel out of my depth on the bike - I'm not attacking this any different than I was on the DRZ, and if anything the big 690 feels a bit more nimble on its feet. But keeping up is definitely a mission more often than not, and I'm acutely aware that I could well be ruining the experience for anyone unlucky enough to invite me for a ride.

I actually sit here dwelling on this often - to the point I contemplate ditching this altogether and stick to my knitting of not lowering cars enough.

Depends on who you're riding with. The biggest issue is that you have a super capable bike. I rode on bikes as little as Suzuki RMX 50s with KTM 640s when I was younger. 

I think in Nelson anyway people were just stoked to be out for the day. Provided you don't fuck around being picky about what to have for lunch, it doesn't really matter.

Finally, you take sweet photos, even if you were making the group take 40% longer at each stage. If there's a pretty record of the day out I'd be surprised if there's any shade being thrown your way.

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Posted
42 minutes ago, cletus said:

If I was in your shoes I'd just keep riding how you are comfortable and what feels right to you

Maybe have a yarn with the guys you ride with and see what they say? If they are getting annoyed then find some slower riders to ride with or just go by yourself, or tell them not to wait and catch up at the end of the ride, if they are not dicks they should understand the situation and deal with it appropriately 

It sounds like you have a good sense of self preservation , it would be a shame to get hurt because you're trying to not annoy some other riders

Nah no one's been a dick, I've always tried to shift aside to let people past since I'm bit shit and don't want to hold up any other riders like that, but when you roll up to an intersection and there's a group waiting I feel pretty bad about it.

36 minutes ago, Willdat? said:

Depends on who you're riding with. The biggest issue is that you have a super capable bike. I rode on bikes as little as Suzuki RMX 50s with KTM 640s when I was younger. 

I think in Nelson anyway people were just stoked to be out for the day. Provided you don't fuck around being picky about what to have for lunch, it doesn't really matter.

Finally, you take sweet photos, even if you were making the group take 40% longer at each stage. If there's a pretty record of the day out I'd be surprised if there's any shade being thrown your way.

I don't have any interest in riding small bikes though, I routinely set off and just do a 4-500km day for shits and giggles and a little bike just ain't ever gonna cut it. Even sitting at 110kmh on the DRZ felt like it wasn't being particularly kind to it. But everyone I have ever ridden with is very experienced and can generally really pedal a bike well! 

I've never taken a camera though either. Cameras and doing work with them have stripped most of the joy of cars now for me, I'd like to avoid making this feel like work!

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Posted
8 minutes ago, Snoozin said:

Nah no one's been a dick, I've always tried to shift aside to let people past since I'm bit shit and don't want to hold up any other riders like that, but when you roll up to an intersection and there's a group waiting I feel pretty bad about it.

I don't have any interest in riding small bikes though, I routinely set off and just do a 4-500km day for shits and giggles and a little bike just ain't ever gonna cut it. Even sitting at 110kmh on the DRZ felt like it wasn't being particularly kind to it. But everyone I have ever ridden with is very experienced and can generally really pedal a bike well! 

I've never taken a camera though either. Cameras and doing work with them have stripped most of the joy of cars now for me, I'd like to avoid making this feel like work!

Wasn't really a small bike promo - more an illustration of how speed differences with bikes don't matter too much at the end of the day. People are always pretty good at getting you forgotten off the guest list if your company isn't worth the wait...

Posted

I am acutely aware of the whole 80% rider 20% bike thing and trust me I'm not changing bikes because I think it'll make me a good rider - although I'm sure it's the butt of many jokes all the same!

I hope I'm self aware enough to know I'm dogshit at this though, however much I practice I just can't seem to figure it out.

Posted

I'm sure they'd rather wait 10 mins for you to turn up at your own pace, over waiting 30 mins, go looking, and find you in a ditch. 

I find it impossible not to get carried away just about at times.

I'm jealous that you're getting out so often!

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Posted

It's all about the self preservation, or lack of.

Sometimes I just think fuck it and go flat out, then my mate passes me like I'm Sunday driving 

Posted

Jeez, I think you are worrying too much.

My only experience is mountain-biking. We used to do group rides every Saturday. For the first couple of years I was all about wanting to speed through it, cover as much ground as possible, and leave the slower people behind. I saw my rec time as being precious, and I wanted to improve my fitness.

Now I am embarrassed about those days. I had joined a group ride, but I was still thinking of myself.

So I think you find out what the purpose of the ride is. Is it a group ride, or is there some other goal. e.g training for an event, setting a new record, or visiting some place and being home before dark. If it's a group riding together for fun, I'm sure the fast guys are enjoying the chat time just as much as the ride time.

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Posted
On 31/12/2024 at 18:17, Positive Ape said:

Jeez, I think you are worrying too much.

My only experience is mountain-biking. We used to do group rides every Saturday. For the first couple of years I was all about wanting to speed through it, cover as much ground as possible, and leave the slower people behind. I saw my rec time as being precious, and I wanted to improve my fitness.

Now I am embarrassed about those days. I had joined a group ride, but I was still thinking of myself.

So I think you find out what the purpose of the ride is. Is it a group ride, or is there some other goal. e.g training for an event, setting a new record, or visiting some place and being home before dark. If it's a group riding together for fun, I'm sure the fast guys are enjoying the chat time just as much as the ride time.

I'm doing the opposite to your initial scenario - I am the slow bloke being left behind and I'm concerned it'll be wrecking other folks ride!

 

Posted
12 hours ago, Snoozin said:

I'm doing the opposite to your initial scenario - I am the slow bloke being left behind and I'm concerned it'll be wrecking other folks ride!

 

From where I stand as a past participant, now observer, your biggest worry isn't that you're wrecking others rides, it's that you'll be forgotten. When living in Diamond Harbour - a spot frequently a destination for rides - three times in 5 years i had to pick up crashed riders who'd been forgotten by the group. Take them to the district nurse in the village then go to the cafe to wind up/abuse shit out of the group about their missing rider.

Make sure you're not forgotten about. And ride at your own pace.

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