Bear Mountain/NJ/NY State ride Sunday 7/16

[Onedwn5up]

A little late in getting this up here so I will copy and past stuff from the other boards this is up on already. -Eric

THIS RIDE IS ON SUNDAY 7/16. Meet up will be at 10am at dunkin donuts on rt 23 north in pompton plains. It is right next to a yamaha Kawasaki dealer at the intersection of jackson ave/23.
This is the intersection immediately after Pompton Honda/Suzuki.

I'm putting together a ride for this weekend since I haven't done a street ride in a while. I have been at the track every weekend and will be abck again on the 22nd so this is my only chance to get some street miles in for fun. A bunch of people from the board (TSB & 600rr.net) came out last year and had a good time so hopefully we can do the same again with some new additions.

So here's the deal.

We'll start by going up through some north jersey back roads that cross into ny state and then go through a very nice and scenic lake and forest area. One road is what I call my mini-dragon and this year it is 100% fresh pavement. About 70 turns in a few short miles. Then we will cross into the bear mtn area taking an access road in there that not too many people are aware of. It is an amazing road. We'll go for another loop in the park area then head up to perkins memorial drive for a rest and a view of the hudson. After this we will cross bear mountain bridge and take the famed 301 which is about 20 miles of turns and curves through national forest area. Once we get into the lake mohopac area we will be stopping for the best bbq you will ever experience. Bring your appetite since the $10 pulled pork sandwich will capitalize on it. After that we will continue our loop back to the bear mtn bridge or go back the other way on 301 depending on how everyone is feeling at that point. And I will craft the return route from there as there are multiple options.

The pace is "spirited" and I will provide exacting directions for anyone that thinks they will be following up the rear. But we will have desgnated pacers and also a continual head count to make sure all stay safe and with the group. We're not going to be going balls out but we are not going to be moving at a snails pace either.

Please come properly equipped and don't be a squid. I have no patience for the safety handicapped. As a racer I hang it out enough on the track. I don't need someone else risking my safety needlessly on the street. If you have questions about riding safely in a group setting, please ask. But for the most part, maintain your speed, stay out of peoples blind spots and don't invade someones personal space.

Show up gassed up if possible. There is a gas station immediately before the dunkin donuts. We also be stopping after about the first 30 miles or so at a gas station/convienance store.

Looks like we are up to about 20 or so bikes so far with people from several different forum groups showing up. Should be a lot of fun. Spread the word...repost it elsewhere if you want. I'm looking forward to this.

This ride will be a lot of fun and I hope to see you there.

[IrocRob]

You already know I'll be there.:ride:

[Rev]

sup eric...are u gonna have 2 groups...one "spirited" and one "hmmm don't have much spirit today"

Thanks

[Onedwn5up]

You won't get left behind. We will sort out the running order before we leave and there will be designated people to make sure they keep tabs on various parts of the group for safety reasons. I also take a head count at each start/stop. We didn't have any issues last year.

[shamster]

I am in...so is the wifey!

[Vin]

Major police presence on 301 lately. Watch your speedometer.

[RAC]

I've been riding all this year and have never been on a group ride ( I don't know anyone who rides) Could someone please break it down for me, as far as edicate, and what the theame names of the rides mean (spirated, agressive) and any other terms that are used that might be helpful. Thanks!

[liquiddevil2000]

it means that one group aint drivin like little girls
and the other are for people not tryin to keep up if they dont have too much experience..

but no one will be left uncalled for..(in other words..lol)

[Cakes206]

I've been riding all this year and have never been on a group ride ( I don't know anyone who rides) Could someone please break it down for me, as far as edicate, and what the theame names of the rides mean (spirated, agressive) and any other terms that are used that might be helpful. Thanks!
A "spirited" type ride would be that of not slow, not crazy fast, but somewhere in between. An agressive ride would be just that. Usually a group consisting about 3-5 riders going all out. At any rate, most know their own skill level, faster riders up front, less experienced riders in the back. Stager formation, stay diagonally oposite from the person in front of you along with a few feet of space. In the turns everyone should go single file, then back to stager formation when it straitens out. Never try and keep up with the pack, ride your own ride and enjoy the day, the group will(should) wait for everyone at any point where there would be a turn off. Hope this helps.

Oh...FTM...just another tip...should the person infront of you go down, as hard as it maybe, DO NOT LOOK AT THEM. Keep looking where you want to go, fixate on the downed bike/rider will most likly cause you to wreck as well.

[Vin]

A "spirited" type ride would be that of not slow, not crazy fast, but somewhere in between. An agressive ride would be just that. Usually a group consisting about 3-5 riders going all out. At any rate, most know their own skill level, faster riders up front, less experienced riders in the back. Stager formation, stay diagonally oposite from the person in front of you along with a few feet of space. In the turns everyone should go single file, then back to stager formation when it straitens out. Never try and keep up with the pack, ride your own ride and enjoy the day, the group will(should) wait for everyone at any point where there would be a turn off. Hope this helps.

Oh...FTM...just another tip...should the person infront of you go down, as hard as it maybe, DO NOT LOOK AT THEM. Keep looking where you want to go, fixate on the downed bike/rider will most likly cause you to wreck as well.

+1

Another thing to note is that I'd recommend going on group rides with people you know and trust. Ride with a bunch of people you don't know and chances are you may get left behind if you don't ride their ride.

[RAC]

A "spirited" type ride would be that of not slow, not crazy fast, but somewhere in between. An agressive ride would be just that. Usually a group consisting about 3-5 riders going all out. At any rate, most know their own skill level, faster riders up front, less experienced riders in the back. Stager formation, stay diagonally oposite from the person in front of you along with a few feet of space. In the turns everyone should go single file, then back to stager formation when it straitens out. Never try and keep up with the pack, ride your own ride and enjoy the day, the group will(should) wait for everyone at any point where there would be a turn off. Hope this helps.

Oh...FTM...just another tip...should the person infront of you go down, as hard as it maybe, DO NOT LOOK AT THEM. Keep looking where you want to go, fixate on the downed bike/rider will most likly cause you to wreck as well.

Now this is the type of feedback I wanted THANKS A LOT Cakes!!!!!!!!!!!!

[High_Revs_17]

Lastly, keep the front and rear wheels down at all times. The entire group shouldn't have to get hassled by the cops due to one bonehead's actions. It's much easier for a cop to spot a bike stunting in a group than just a bunch of bikes moving at a increased rate of speed. FYI, dragging a knee (if that's the case) does not apply to this rule being it doesn't constitute careless/wreckless operation.

[Vin]

FYI, dragging a knee (if that's the case) does not apply to this rule being it doesn't constitute careless/wreckless operation.
Yes it does -- maybe not to a cop (who usually don't know any better) but yeah, it does.

[High_Revs_17]

Yes it does -- maybe not to a cop (who usually don't know any better) but yeah, it does.

"maybe not to a cop"

That was my point, on the street that's all that matters.

[GinoE]

i'm guessing perkins around noon - mmm, pork for lunch...
(i'm up in rockland county)

[ImmaSquashYou]

don't wanna spoil anyone's fun, but its suppose to be 95 degrees on sun......sooooo........if ur in full gear.....be careful not to get dehydrated

[Onedwn5up]

A "spirited" type ride would be that of not slow, not crazy fast, but somewhere in between. An agressive ride would be just that. Usually a group consisting about 3-5 riders going all out. At any rate, most know their own skill level, faster riders up front, less experienced riders in the back. Stager formation, stay diagonally oposite from the person in front of you along with a few feet of space. In the turns everyone should go single file, then back to stager formation when it straitens out. Never try and keep up with the pack, ride your own ride and enjoy the day, the group will(should) wait for everyone at any point where there would be a turn off. Hope this helps.

Oh...FTM...just another tip...should the person infront of you go down, as hard as it maybe, DO NOT LOOK AT THEM. Keep looking where you want to go, fixate on the downed bike/rider will most likly cause you to wreck as well.
+1 for all of the above and thanks for taking the time to break it down.

We'll have a riders meeting while we're all drinking our coffee and I'll break it all down. Being cautious on the street is more important than even on the track since other things besides your own actions can get you in trouble. And there are certain responsibilities of riding in a group setting as well. So no need for anyone to worry. It's going to be fun and well organized and no one will get left behind.

[shamster]

Well said above.

I know of several accidents this year already, one of which I was there for. The one I was there for was a result of the guy trying to keep up with the more experienced riders, being a relatively new rider himself. Moral of that is don't push your limit. Another accident is a result of popping a quick and small wheelie before coming to a stop. Moral of that one...don't pop wheelies, especially in a group ride. Not only will you take yourself out, but you risk the safety of other riders. Another accident happened because one rider was trying to follow a more experienced one during a tight twisty and almost bit the dust, but luckily he recovered. The rider behind him almost did the same too as a result of looking at him. And the rider behind that guy ultimately ended up running off the road and crashing into a fence. Lesson from this one...don't target fixate on the rider in front of you...keep looking through the turn as well. Finally, the latest accident happened as a result of one guy pushing his limits, and also trying to overtake another rider on a straight just before a turn. As a result, both riders bit the dust. So what did we learn here? No overtaking during or near turns.

If everyone rides their own ride and respects the safety of other riders, we should all have a good time.

I'll let Eric cover the safety details that day, but just thought I'd share my experiences from the group rides I've been on in the past year.

I'm sure none of us here are squids, but please remind anyone else you invite to not skimp out on proper gear just cause it will be hot that day.

[Qetesh]

If you're draggin' your knee on the street, then it's time to take it to the track. There is NO race line on the street!!! :banghead:

I wish people would stop being "asphalt, county road cowboys" and realize that there is a SAFE place and time to "push" your limits... and it AIN'T CR-23, or anywhere else that isn't being associated with a track or race day organization!!!

Oh, and put me in for a maybe. Gotta talk to my sweetie and see if he's interested!

BTW, what is "Stands up" time???

[ffejtable]

Lastly, keep the front and rear wheels down at all times. The entire group shouldn't have to get hassled by the cops due to one bonehead's actions. It's much easier for a cop to spot a bike stunting in a group than just a bunch of bikes moving at a increased rate of speed. FYI, dragging a knee (if that's the case) does not apply to this rule being it doesn't constitute careless/wreckless operation.

Huh? +1 to what Jen said.... (except for the race line part, thats what the yellow lines are for, arent they?) The street is not the place to be dragging a knee... If you are riding hard enough and you are touching a knee thats borderline wreckless... Add in the fact its a group ride and with people you arent that familiar with I think pushes it over the top. Riding this aggressively is just as likely to get noticed by the cop you just flew by than the idiot doing wheelies mid-pack.

Oh BTW I do hope to make it out for this one.. I REALLY want to take the new bike out, but for the first 500 miles I really want to keep it below 5k RPMs for the most part and I doubt I will have that many in 2 days. :(

[opinion914]

id like to join in, perhaps meet up somewhere near the ny/nj border near port jervis if possible. if its a headache dont sweat it but if someone could gimme a heads up on the route....

Kevin

[Ant]

Huh? +1 to what Jen said.... (except for the race line part, thats what the yellow lines are for, arent they?) The street is not the place to be dragging a knee... If you are riding hard enough and you are touching a knee thats borderline wreckless... Add in the fact its a group ride and with people you arent that familiar with I think pushes it over the top. Riding this aggressively is just as likely to get noticed by the cop you just flew by than the idiot doing wheelies mid-pack.

Oh BTW I do hope to make it out for this one.. I REALLY want to take the new bike out, but for the first 500 miles I really want to keep it below 5k RPMs for the most part and I doubt I will have that many in 2 days. :(

Man, you would have hated riding with me....

[tommymac]

+1

Another thing to note is that I'd recommend going on group rides with people you know and trust. Ride with a bunch of people you don't know and chances are you may get left behind if you don't ride their ride.


Unfortunatley you know that from experience:(

Tom

[Gear Dog]

This sucks I'll be in E-town on sunday for the VW Waterfest.

[Onedwn5up]

You don't need to drag your knee to go fast. Knee draggin is a natural thing that happens when speed and lean angle come together. Intentionally going out with the mission to drag your knee is a sure way to crash yourself. AND on top of that, none of these roads allow you to go fast enough safely to get your knee down. I have worn my race suit through bear mountain a few times since I was lending someone else my jacket. And I put my knee down a couple of times and it was horrible since the road surface is anything but perfect. Then you hit a bump and it jolts up through your knee and upsets the whole bike mid-turn. So not something that is desirable. You can go plenty fast and have plenty of fun without ever getting your knee near the pavement. I know people on the race track that don't put their knee down much and still make the podium.

[Onedwn5up]

Seems like closer to 30 or so riders now. But we'll see how many actually show up.

I will have handouts for directions at Dunkin D and expect to have fun and learn something useful as well while we're at it.

And if anyone wants me to inspect their bike, let me know. I do tech inspection at all our trackdays.

Just a reminder to everyone check your tire pressures. Pressures swing wth the change of ambient air temps. For street use on mostly all brands of tires including Dunlop, Pirelli, Metzler and Michelin I run 33 psi front and 33 psi rear. Under-inflated tires are culprit to many crashes as the tire carcass can not properly support the weight of the bike and rider(s) while under load. Sluggish and un-responsive steering are also tell-tale symptoms of an under-inflated front tire. The rear end of the bike will feel sketchy or like it wants to go out on you if you try to lean on it.

Tires have a target pressure that you're trying to reach once you get the tires up to operating temperature. Heat=pressure increase. Mostly all tires and race D.O.T. tires are most happy between 34-35 psi hot. For the track on a warm day we will start with 30-31 psi front and 28-29 rear psi. We then check them as soon as we get off the track to see if they are now in the 34-35 psi range front and rear. And we adjust from there. The street doesn't allow for the same consistent friction and heat build up that the track environment provides from turn to turn, so we go with slightly higher starting pressures but still look to achieve that same targeting operating pressure of 34-35 psi front and rear.

Manufacturer specs are a bit higher since they look at it from daily street use and tire longevity. Higher pressures give the rider less feel while extending tire life. It is also a liabilty play on their part as well. But anyone that goes to the track knows that this is where optimal grip and feel is, in the lower pressure range of 33/33.

[akomplis]

Have a fun and safe ride peeps....

Oh and one thing I didnt see here which is just as important but always assumed...make sure you have all your papers straight and valid.

[High_Revs_17]

Of course everyone here has to jump to extremes regarding my comment. You all know that one doesn't have to hit a turn at top speeds and lean angle to touch a knee, it can be done at much lower speeds in a controlled manner just for fun, and if that's the case then there's nothing wrong with that.

But this has gotten way off topic...have a safe ride guys, and enjoy!

[SPRHK]

Wow, this really sucks. Sounds like an awesome ride and i'll be heading to VIR Sunday morning! Any other rides like this one planned for the near future?

[SAXON117]

Damn I would have loved to go on this ride, but heading down to VIR with SPRHK. Hope you guys have an awsome ride and plan another one soon I'll be there :nod2:

[Onedwn5up]

Have fun at VIR. I'm sure you will. The north course is my favorite track yet.

I will try to do another one of these in the fall. This is the 2nd year I have done this ride so hopefully I'll keep it going for next year as well.

[SPRHK]

Have fun at VIR. I'm sure you will. The north course is my favorite track yet.

I will try to do another one of these in the fall. This is the 2nd year I have done this ride so hopefully I'll keep it going for next year as well.
We're going down for the full course with cornerspeed. We'll also be going down in Nov. for the grand course, which is my ultimate favorite track anywhere!:ride: :ride: :ride:

[Onedwn5up]

The grand course is ridiculous. During a 20 minute session you get 4, maybe 5 laps in. LOL. But riding the north course for the first time is what made me say some day I will qualify for an AMA event here and its provided me some pretty good motivation since.

[Cakes206]

Hope you all have a great day...thread for pics:

http://sportbikeaddicts.com/forums/showthread.php?p=39267&posted=1#post39267

[Onedwn5up]

Aside from a few people gettng in over their heads right off the bat, it was a pretty good day. 3 guys went down one after the other when they all packed it in too tight into a downhill left hand turn that is just way tighter than it looks. And those guys got real lucky as it was all just cosmetic stuff, nothing major at all. Target fixation and not putting enough space between you and other riders on roads you dont know is a recipe for disaster. One guy made a mistake and they all suffered. But they were all ok and thats the important part.

I had a great time and I'm glad to hear everyone did as well. And I hope you go back and explore those roads on your own time at your own pace. I'm going to maybe put together something else in the fall. Next time though I'll make sure I'm on time for my own ride. ;-)

[akomplis]

And I hope you go back and explore those roads on your own time at your own pace.

Dang...that sucks...as you stated what's more important is that every is ok.

Hey you mind mapping and/or posting the routes you took, I would like to hit them up when I get back on two....thanks.

[shamster]

Thank to Eric for planning things out and leading. Even with the few mishaps, it was a good day. Some of us didn't make it up to the BBQ, but we definitely do plan to one day.

[Onedwn5up]

You're welcome. Thanks for coming. The idea was to just bring a bunch of people together and show everyone some new roads and have some fun. Except for the guys who took the gravel sample I think everyone did have fun.

[High_Revs_17]

"3 guys went down one after the other" :moocow:

I think your group ride holds the official new record...glad to hear everyone's okay.

[SAXON117]

sounds like a good ride minus the spills, I'll be looking for you to post up for the next one.