What is your definition of "Twisties"

[jazzpaintball]

I went on a ride today with some locals via another forum. Everything started alright, the leader promising to do some strait "boring" riding and then some heavy twisties on the way back :thumbup:.

I trudged away with these 5 people, 3 of them doing wheelies (HIGHLY illegal here in Washington State). I rolled my eyes and kept with it, wanting to learn some new awesome twisty road. 90 minutes later we get to the start of this awesome road and everyone stopped to top off their fuel and stretch.

Happy as ever I wait for 15 minutes for them to each smoke at least 5 cigarettes each (no problem with smoking, just hate waiting) and get everything ready. We get on the road and they take off, and I mean take off. I try to keep up and then looking down at my gauge I see: 105MPH

Again, I have no problem with speed, but there is a difference between 'spirited riding' and blatant speeding. I hung back for I know these liter bikes would not be able to keep their speed through the heavy turns ahead. Well, I was wrong. Not that they could keep their speed through heavy turns, but that this awesome road of twisties was nothing more than smooth swaying roads back and forth. Going 80 (speed limit 60) I didn't even have to lean with my bike to make these corners. Out of the 25 miles of road, I had to brake coming into a turn less than a dozen times.

After about half way, I see them on the side of the road waiting for me. They then complained that I was dragging them back and that I need to be more aggressive with the cager traffic on the road. One even telling me "You need to pass when you can, even if that means on the inside of a car in a corner." WTF....

Anyway, I dont want to rant, but what do you think a good "twisty" road is?

Something like what they had in mind: A road that goes left to right, but you have to go triple digits to make it somewhat challenging?

Or something like a road that you have to brake before each turn, set up, and then accelerate out with some sort of precision to do it right?

Travis Walthall

 

[lonesoldier84]

If you live far from corners, go to a racetrack.

If you don't agree with their riding habits, don't ride with them.

A twisty bit of road is a twisty bit of road. Some local guys here stretch that term for all it is worth too. But there is no sense getting worked up about. Ride your ride and let them ride theirs.

 

[jazzpaintball]

I don't plan on riding with them again, there is no point.

I just wanted to know from people if they consider a good 'twisty' road as something you can go triple digits in, or something tighter that requires more finesse.


Travis Walthall

 

[Andz]

Because I ride a 600 and am mostly 2 up I prefer tighter roads with less straights if I want to go scratching. My wife is the perfect pillion and I don't even know she is there so I can corner with confidence.

Round here there isn't much that fits the bill but every year when I go to Cape Town on holiday there are some wonderful roads with a combination of long sweeps and tighter bends that are great fun. If I can stay in 2nd 3rd 4th that is perfect.

 

[Ransom]

Twisties are Twisties

there are all kinds as Lone said, but for me I would say I prefer the second choice "Or something like a road that you have to brake before each turn, set up, and then accelerate out with some sort of precision to do it right?"

I am glad you decided not to ride with them anymore. Other riders should never be telling someone else what pace to ride. When I read where you said they were doing wheelies I rolled my eyes too and assumed the rest.

Glad you rode at your pace:thumbup:

 

[Taku]

This is what counts as a twisty up here near the arctic circle.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt4gORohLO8]YouTube - Mutkateitä Osa1.MOV[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxOKKaKBP_E]YouTube - Mutkateitä Osa 2.MOV[/ame]

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

We had a rider down here, that rides in a group on the weekends for some high speed twisties (middle of the state) (same as your guys but W/O the wheelies).

They do the same route all the time, +80 MPH and ride this road at max speed possible.

Unfortuantaly, one rider on a BMW GT1300, VERY EXPERIANCED, caught some sand on the familiar roadway and lost it. He died....

Ride your limits and expect the unexpected.......

BTW, I prefer twisties (like the Dragon in NC) that you drag foot pegs, slow down, accelerate, negative gravity (coming off an upgrade quickly). Speeds as slow as 10 in a super tight corner, max speed for me there was about 100 and NO SIDE STREETS... dealsgap.com, Deals Gap, NC information. The Dragon, US129, Great Smoky Mountains. The Dragon at Deals Gap.

 

[jazzpaintball]

BTW, I prefer twisties (like the Dragon in NC) that you drag foot pegs, slow down, accelerate, negative gravity (coming off an upgrade quickly). Speeds as slow as 10 in a super tight corner, max speed for me there was about 100 and NO SIDE STREETS... dealsgap.com, Deals Gap, NC information. The Dragon, US129, Great Smoky Mountains. The Dragon at Deals Gap.

That is one road I need to ride before I die.

 

[FinalImpact]

I rode 120 miles yesterday and the longest straight section with no user input was likely less than 1/4 of a mile. 10% of the turns are reversed banked, posted corner speeds vary from 10, 15, 20, 25, 35 mph. I had it down in low gear on a couple of switch backs and start to finish was a 2 hour ride with a pee stop and a quick chat. I followed the same path back which 50% of was along three different rivers so it was well twisted! :thumbup: The arial maps make the trip out having straight sections, but I beg to differ.
I am far from peg dragger but to define twisties in these parts; making multiple transitions (L - R - L - R - L - R) in succession whereby the bike rolls through a straight up position just long enough to setup the next corner. . . .

I unexpectedly caught up with a group of five others and followed them for about 20miles. We stopped and talked but sadly only one was friendly enough to really say anything so I left.

 

[ozzieboy]

I like the tight stuff. You don't have to speed (or at least not excessively to have a ball) and if you do come off, you don't slide and tumble down the road for a day or two.

Also on one particular section of high speed sweepers about 50km long, I can (after riding down there - about 80km of twisties- so my tire is sizzling by the time I get there) destroy a BT016 rear in less than an hour. Naked bikes aren't even slightly aerodynamic, so the rear is spinning up at 240km/h + on the straights , and sliding through turns at nothing less than 200km/h the whole time.:spank:

Nope...give me the tight stuff any time.:thumbup:

 

[CCHOUSEKY]

BTW, I prefer twisties (like the Dragon in NC) that you drag foot pegs, slow down, accelerate, negative gravity (coming off an upgrade quickly). Speeds as slow as 10 in a super tight corner, max speed for me there was about 100 and NO SIDE STREETS... dealsgap.com, Deals Gap, NC information. The Dragon, US129, Great Smoky Mountains. The Dragon at Deals Gap.

That is one road I need to ride before I die.

Ahhh...Deal's Gap...The Dragon...2 weeks from today I'll be down there again and I can't wait!!! This will be my 3rd trip and I think I'm more excited about this one than the first two (because I'm actually starting to learn the road and feel much more comfortable and less apprehensive when I'm on it).

I'm lucky...I live about 3.5-4 hours from The Gap. But for those of you that don't (jazzpaintball, I'm looking at you ), I can't tell you how much fun you'll have down there. And it's not just The Dragon...the Crossroads (the small resort at the base of The Dragon on the NC side) is just minutes from some other AMAZING roads. One of them being the Cherahola Skyway. I rode that for the first time last year and, though I got soaking wet on the way back to the Crossroads, it's definitely worth the trip. BTW, the Cherahola climbs to some pretty good elevation, so if you get wet like I did, even in the middle of summer, it gets COLD!

As far as the OP's question...tight, technical stuff is what I consider "twisties". What you described sounds like high-speed sweepers, although if you need THAT much speed, I don't really consider them that. I like "twisties" that make me work on my riding...make me get off the seat and move around.

And it's a great move on your part not to ride with these "squids" anymore. Frankly, the wheelies would've been enough to end the ride for me...but once someone starts complaining that you're "holding them up", then they've crossed a line when it comes to group riding. Good on ya for not going back out with those guys! :thumbup:

 

[joshfz6.2008]

do a google search and read "riding the pace" completely changed how I ride and found I have more fun.

 

[DownrangeFuture]

Those don't even sound like high speed sweepers. If you're pushing 100+ to push the bike, that just sounds like interstate to me.

I like the onramps here. Hey, it's all we've got here. 30-50 and you're scraping peg, dragging knee, and then you're on the freeway.

To me, if you're going faster than 50mph to push the limit, then it's not a tight or fun turn. I have more fun in the MSF range on base, than anything over 50.

The decreasing radius 24'/18'/11' turn is my favorite. It's like a spiral, three 180 degree turns with those radii. You straighten up after each 180 just long enough to pick a line, brake, and turn back in.

Speaking of... I need to go... place.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Yep, Cherohola is an excellent ride too. Even if you don't get wet it drops approx 15-20 degrees F from the altitude.. Rode both on te FJR, old goldwing, not the FZ6 yet. I suspect that would /will be the most fun on either road as its more flickable/revable than the FJR...

Pay attention on the Dragon, it is NOT DIFFICULT to go off the road if losing the slightest bit of attention, saw many wrecks there.

Fortunatly, I don't have any parts on the "tree of shame"...

 

[greg]

twisties:
Google Maps
(cat and fiddle)

 

[AngelFZ]

We had a rider down here, that rides in a group on the weekends for some high speed twisties (middle of the state).

?
I was going to write something like:
Twisties: roads that you won't find in Florida!!!!

I'm sorry to read about the person you refer here.

BTW, I prefer twisties (like the Dragon in NC) that you drag foot pegs, slow down, accelerate, negative gravity (coming off an upgrade quickly). Speeds as slow as 10 in a super tight corner, max speed for me there was about 100 and NO SIDE STREETS... dealsgap.com, Deals Gap, NC information. The Dragon, US129, Great Smoky Mountains. The Dragon at Deals Gap.

+1 on the Dragon.
I've not been there yet, but eventually I will.

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