Heads up — This’ll be a much more informal and ‘bloggy’ post than usual because I actually have stuff to talk about for once.

Passed my motorcycle theory test this morning, though I’m not sure how. If I hadn’t had one of the craziest rides of my life on the way there, I might have failed Hazard Perception what from still being asleep!

My body clock is totally out of whack now from a 6am start. That might not sound early to you, but as someone used to 10am get ups… its really thrown me off. It’s almost like jet lag!

Anyway… The ride. Mostly on National Limit back roads, which for those of you not English, means a roughly one and a half (!) car wide road full of twists and turns. With a 60 mile an hour speed limit.

Since people often treat speed limits more as speed targets, that makes these kind of roads kind of insane as a new rider getting used to the finer points of cornering. (I.E. finding the balls to realDks5Rw_5uXWJweT4a12nPQly lean over)

These roads are mad enough in perfect conditions. The darkness, fog and drizzle this morning doesn’t qualify as perfect!

Drizzle is a real pain in the arse as a motorcyclist, since we don’t have windscreen wipers for visors! Doubly worse for me since I wear glasses under my helmet, so opening the visor means they get wet and I get blind.

Dazzle from light diffused by the water is a serious problem… But I’d rather be dazzled than not see the vehicle at all! As soon as it got light, even though it was still drizzling and misty… some people switched off their lights. Making them almost invisible from my point of view.

Just because you can see doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have your headlights on! They also help others see you. It’s the same logic that means I ride with dipped headlights at all times. Every little helps with idiots on the roads. Idiots that apparently want to be invisible…

Anyway, rant over. One of the reasons cornering is such a black art on a motorcycle is you have to fight instinct every step of the way to do it properly. Leaning over being the prime example, but also that you should never close the throttle in a corner. Which is something I’ve done instinctually several times.

Even if you’re going wide you should only lean harder and if you must… touch the rear brake. Speed and stability are directly connected on a bike. And when you’re leaning hard…. Stability is quite important!

I know the theory, as I just demonstrated. But applying it is quite different. Particularly since it is so against instinct.

God does taking a perfect line through a corner feel great though.

Thought for the day:

Antoine Predock - The connection to place…the visceral experience of motion, of moving through time on some amazing machine