Vstrom + Oil Slick = Vstrom Down

[TravellingStrom]

Originally Posted by Ayedoc

As one who's been to India, Thailand, etc. I would have to agree. Because the typical on-road conditions are what many of us would consider insane, I have never driven/ridden there. What you saw in the video is certainly not out of the ordinary, and you would probably be more of a target if you tried to take your western sensibilties with you there.

Thank you

Sanity rules

For those detractors who have never ridden over here, belt up and go watch one of my movies called Cambodia something. It goes for 6 minutes and covers from my hotel in Siam Reap though 3km of nightmare traffic before I am out of the towns bustle.

Watch that, then come here and do it yourself

30 years riding in the US is NO comparison to riding SEA and I never got to ride Vietnam, apparently more chaotic

Cheers
TS

[TravellingStrom]

Originally Posted by Vankaye

30 years on the road without an accident qualifies me to say the riding represented in all of those videos is downright risky, aggressive riding.

"HAD to ride this way through quite a few countries. Especially Cambodia where I had just come from. If you don't you probably won't get anywhere"

I can assure you sir, if you keep riding that way, you probably won't get anywhere... ever.

Come here and ride, see how you go then make a comment on my riding skills

[Vankaye]

Originally Posted by TravellingStrom

Come here and ride, see how you go then make a comment on my riding skills

What skills?!! You ride and crash like you're playing a video game. Doesn't matter where I ride, I would ride a lot more carefully than you do. You seem to equate speed, risk and brass balls with skill. I think you have quite a bit to learn yet...

I watched several of your videos. I saw you pass every single vehicle that came into your view and not one vehicle passed you. Are you in a race?

[crofrog]

Originally Posted by TravellingStrom

Cheers m8, I assumed most of the knockers have not been and done what I have, so I guess I take all their comments with a grain of salt ;)

In fact I received a comment back from somebody on a different forum, when I mentioned all the ADVRider negative feedback, he said:

"I wouldn't take seriously advrider -- publishing a story there same as publishing it in a daily fun club."

Allot of people on this forum don't know how to ride aggressively (or at all), they're older getting on a bike for the first time in their life and scared the entire time they're on it. Just look at all the high-viz...

Saw Charlie and Ewan do their trip and went oh that looks like a good time.

[total_n00b]

Originally Posted by crofrog

Allot of people on this forum don't know how to ride aggressively (or at all), they're older getting on a bike for the first time in their life and scared the entire time they're on it. Just look at all the high-viz...

Saw Charlie and Ewan do their trip and went oh that looks like a good time.

Meh, I dunno.. I wear hiviz and still manage to ride like an irresponsible asshole from time-time ;)

[Rick's KLR]

I think this guy is either really stupid or has a death wish. I'm surprised he's lasted this long really.

Originally Posted by livo

Excerpts from the youtube channel - didn't have to dig very hard to find these


Oops, not paying attention
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GnoM...Yj_Diw&index=3


Truck passing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJb_a...Yj_Diw&index=7


Road Works, Not So Squeezy Trucks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Whhrb...j_Diw&index=10

[Rick's KLR]

Originally Posted by TravellingStrom

Come here and ride, see how you go then make a comment on my riding skills

Personally, if I had to ride like you because of where you're at, I think I'd ride the bus.

[TravellingStrom]

Originally Posted by Rick's KLR

Personally, if I had to ride like you because of where you're at, I think I'd ride the bus.

They do have buses here, so you are more than welcome to leave your own country and try somewhere else for a change ;)

[total_n00b]

Originally Posted by TravellingStrom

They do have buses here, so you are more than welcome to leave your own country and try somewhere else for a change ;)

How dare you imply we leave our glass house!

This thread is making me sad... Where' the "ride your own ride" attitude? How many of you smoke cigarettes, do drugs, overeat, etc? All of those things are way more likely to kill you. Sometimes I just don't get it.

Perhaps a different point of view is not always wrong? If you don't like the way he rides, then don't ride like him.

[Robert_W]

Yeah, the number of people busting this guys balls surprises me too.

I can't remember the amount of times I've slammed the throttle in between or going around rigs just to get the hell out of their way. Damn straight I wouldn't do it if I knew there was an oil slick on the road but shit happens. This guy didn't know that was there. I'd be fine riding the same way.

Come ride in Montana some time. Not even a thought as to passing at warp speed.

[TravellingStrom]

Originally Posted by Robert_W

Come ride in Montana some time. Not even a thought as to passing at warp speed.

I rode the state with the big sky a few years back. Nice.

I also ride the east coast which was dangerous on the interstates IMHO. Most traffic was doing 80-90mph and if you don't keep up you get turnover from behind. That was not nice. I left and went back west where it was less hectic :)

Cheers from Singapore
TS

[TravellingStrom]

Originally Posted by total_n00b

How dare you imply we leave our glass house!

This thread is making me sad... Where' the "ride your own ride" attitude? How many of you smoke cigarettes, do drugs, overeat, etc? All of those things are way more likely to kill you. Sometimes I just don't get it.

Perhaps a different point of view is not always wrong? If you don't like the way he rides, then don't ride like him.

Thank you

[TravellingStrom]

Originally Posted by total_n00b

How dare you imply we leave our glass house!

This thread is making me sad... Where' the "ride your own ride" attitude? How many of you smoke cigarettes, do drugs, overeat, etc? All of those things are way more likely to kill you. Sometimes I just don't get it.

Perhaps a different point of view is not always wrong? If you don't like the way he rides, then don't ride like him.

Thanks

[Pecha72]

What is not apparently understood by some posters is the fact, that Southeast Asian traffic is very, very different from what you might encounter back home in the States, for example.

I´m not saying TS didn´t make a mistake, he did, and I believe he fully admits it, too. Not noticing the oil slick was the error, that could very easily have been a fatal one, but luckily wasn´t.

But, and this is a very big BUT: you do end up overtaking those Asian truck drivers on a bike a lot, for the simple reason, that if you don´t pass them, you´ll be stuck behing them for the rest of the day. The very same thing happens on roads like that in Iran, Pakistan, India, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and Indonesia (of the Asian countries, that I´ve visited on a bike). If the truck drivers think the ´normal´ lane is a bit bumpy, for example, then they´ll just move on to the ´passing´ lane, and stay there. Other road users will just have to find a way to go around them, simple as that.

US State troopers might have given him a ticket for that kind of pass, sure. In Asia, that is just something that happens every day, all the time. Don´t believe it, you´re free to go over there and see for yourself. Traffic is really quite bad all over Asia.

[dilrod]

I found the initial responses to your video unbelievable. They must have been written by a bunch of very old men or women. To ride hard is the essence of the pastime--I've been riding that style (your style) for 48 years and am still in one piece--It's the best (only) way to stay sharp and alert. Your video did make an impression on me, though, (the dreaded oil slick). No matter what style one rides, a diesel spill, hydraulic oil or engine spill can put a motorcyclist down at any time. I try not to think of it too much because if I did, I'd start squaring corners and riding gingerly like the little old ladies who first responded to your video. If that ever became the case, I'd quit altogether and just drive my boring truck from point A to point B.