My Friend Bought Kawasaki Ninja H2

Question

Saturday I “died”. (Not really) I went riding with some sportbike riders. I had stopped riding with them a few weeks ago because of their recklessness. Let me take a minute to say, I LOVE MY VULCAN S (non ABS). It has taken GREAT care of me. Over the weekend one of the boys had bought a brand new 2016 Kawasaki H2. As you can imagine, that set the tone for the ride. I wouldn’t be able to keep up but I was under pressure to try by pushing the limit of my abilities. I’m going 88 mph in a 30 mph zone and the very first turn was a 90 degree curve. I wanted to close the gap between me and them but I was going in too hot! It was too late to break. I had to commit or go flying into the side of a house at speed! I let off the break. My heart was in my stomach. A car was coming. Startled more heart was now in my throat. I held the throttle in place to keep my rear wheel gripping and I PUSHED this baby down hard. My foot was no longer on the right peg. It was on the ground. My bike, Tango, didn’t fret. She leaned so low with grace and handled so well. I felt the rear wheel lose grip for just a second before grabbing the road again. I was saved. The rest of the ride I just let them go. I was numb. I was not going to participate any further. I resolved that I had died. 4 months after receiving my motorcycle endorsement. “Dead”. That’s what the newspaper would read and the group wouldn’t have noticed me missing for another 15 minutes nor would they have known where I went missing. God’s grace and mercy kept me from the consequence of my foolishness especially given my inexperience. The bike I’m blessed with delivered me from death. That group can have all of the glory that is to be had for the kind of riding they do. They’ll have it without me. 4 deaths this year, 8 more wrecked bikes and injured riders. They can make pretend I’m death #5 because I’m done. Back to solo riding I go.

Warren 6 years 18 Answers 1668 views 0

Answers ( 18 )

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    Ride your own ride man! While they are fun to throw around in the corners, the sad truth being that these bikes just won’t keep up with a sport bike assuming they have a decent rider unless it was a 250. Always ride within your own skill level. Practice practice practice and keep yourself safe to ride another day man. Glad you managed to handle the bike would’ve loved to see footage of that turn

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    I’m glad your experience turned out so well. It sounds like you learned a lesson that will stay with you as long as you ride. Many riders don’t get the chance to learn from their poor decisions. It also sounds like that as you gain experience and are riding at a higher level; you will have the confidence knowing that your motorcycle can handle whatever you need it to do. Ride safe, ride smart. You got a second chance. Use it well.

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    Coming from a ’13 ZX6R (and prior too that, two ’13 Ninja 300’s) to my Vulcan…had a lot of ‘fun’ on that bike but always within limits. It’s hard to do, I know, in the moment…but: WHEN IT DOUBT, POWER OUT/WHEN IN DOUBT, THROTTLE OUT. Don’t panic brake (especially the front), you will go straight no matter what you do. Front brake will stand up the bike and make it go straight. Don’t panic brake the rear because you will slide the end out…but if you’re good/experienced you can trail brake just a wee bit to help you through the corner. Look where you want to go and shoot for it…if you focus on something (like the car or the house) YOU WILL HIT IT. Keep it safe and shiny side up. I too avoid riding with sport bikes, even when I had my own sport bike…just too much nonsense. I prefer to ride alone or with my wife 2up.

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    The Vulcan S is a surprisingly agile and responsive platform. The main thing is to get to know your bike first and its abilities and limitations. Practice and apply your training as often as possible so that should you ever run into a situation you will be able to respond appropriately and safely. This is especially true if you are travelling on unfamiliar roads. I know many of us have run into surprises on unfamiliar roads and thankfully with good training and practice we can handle the majority of them.

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    Thanks God your safe, thanks a lot for sharing.. you did well

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    thank you all. I’m so grateful to still be here. The experience was quite the lesson. Hopefully that skill shows itself again especially in situations that are not my own doing.

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    Thank God you are ok Brother. Stay safe just enjoy your ride no need to keep up with anyone

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    Use counter stearing which is pushing handlebar down left to take a left and push down right for a right hand corner.The bike just drops into corner and always be incontrol of your throttle powering gently round corners as you dont know whats round the bend and this will help to control your machine.Try it on a few safe corners first b4 doing it on faster bends.Gets you out the shit a lot if you hit corner too fast.Hope this helps

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    Amazing story and experience. Glad you are okay.

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    been there dun that let them go slow down enjoy the ride

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    I’d say no god had anything to do with this. You saved yourself by making the right choice after a series of bad decisions. You managed to keep a cold mind and solve the situation. Well done, you learnt a lot.

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      Hey thanks. You put your faith in ability. I put my faith in things beyond my ability. That can be where we disagree. It doesn’t change my belief or yours and it doesn’t change the outcome and that is that I did come out. Blindly or skillfully.

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    Honestly, as an avid biker, the H2, H2R, R1m, S1000RR and any other hyper sport bike don’t have a place being tagged for street use.

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      Those all have so much power. I don’t see why anyone would want them for the street.

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      H2R isn’t even allowed for street use ?. They’re very impractical for road use at all but so are 700hp cars being readily available to the public (ahem looking at you dodge)

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    Ride safe and ride with brains. But our Vulcan can handle the corners too as it’s a Kawasaki. Engine just tuned down but still a racer anytime.

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    88 in a 35? I get the need to push it and see what this baby can do, but your right to not ride with them. There are safer places to open up and let it rip. A 35 mph speed limit area is definitely not one of them.

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    Yavaş aq

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