h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Excellent advice,
a little bit of input on the braking advice, most supersports into a bend at speed are best left unbraked..................! they will carry through if your acceleration and line is good, if a brake must be pulled always the back and lightly does it, if it is an obstacle in the bend the best option is hit it hard and power through if you can see your back wheel is going to hit it and you are leaned over do not brake, (unless your powerslides are good enough to slide round the obstacle whilst braking), just apply power and push on through, avoidance at that point is not an option!
The last bit of advice is never buy cheap gear when you should get the best you can afford, armour and a good helmet have saved many a life, never buy a second hand helmet and get good reputable gloves, boots are a good investment with armour (I have Alpinestar GP2's, they are comfy excellent quality but expensive, race and crash tested though!)
Oh and always wear your gear, that quick trip to the shop for some milk, in your jeans and T-shirt could end you up in a 6 month traction harness with a written off bike.
Remember there are no heroes on the road, if you have a flicker of doubt in your mind about a particular bend and the speed you are going into it, you are too late your ass is grass, you need a sixth sense and that is no joke, in the words of the "Outlaw Josey Wales" and I quote:
"a man has got to know his limitations.........."
END.

Good advice, and I agree. I wear my leather jacket and jeans, boots and gloves even in Summer. I was hit by a taxi recently (B*****D!) and did a bit of roadsurfing, and judging by the grazing my jacket got I would have lost more than a pound of flesh!

Taxi's are the bain of society, I would have lost the bottom left of my cheek and chin if not for a high collar leather I had on during a bout of tarmac kissing 2 years ago, I don't know, sometimes when I am banging along at tonne+ I get a little pang of fear in my stomach for 1 or 2 seconds when I happen to glance at the road screaming past, but what makes me fear less is the knowledge that my Furygan leathers and my Lid and Boots will make it hurt a little less, who knows, if I don't hit any stationary objects or cars coming in the other direction I may walk away..................!
I must admit after my "getoff" I took 5 days to get on a bike and my first real blast on the open road took a lot of guts, but the best remedy is always get back on a bike asap and have a good hard fast ride on a route you know well or a good A road with plenty of overtakes.
After all to ride some of the bikes nowadays you have either got to be:
A- Meeeennnntttttaaaaalllll.
or
B- a skilled and confident Motorcyclist prepared to challenge the limitations both physically and mentally of your Machine and your Body, but always remembering that only you are in this world of adrenalin and speed and everyone else is in their own world.

I myself am a B (slipping into an A when the road is long and straight and the Bike is screaming for more with the sun beating on my back telling me to go faster...........................)

What type be you BadZen...?

Both...although my GSX770F (750 with a wiseco piston kit and a bit of boring) is hardly a superbike. Still, nothing like a good fang, particularly through fast sweeping corners. I'm not the fastest rider, not by a long shot, but hey I'm not racing anyone or anything except my own fear. That balance between fear and fun is a fine line!

Roger, That...!

Yo, BZ are you in UK or Stateside?

I am Australian, and live near some of the best motorcycling roads in the country just out of Brisbane in Queensland. Mind you, there's lots of bloody good riding roads in Australia, but I'm biased.....