Madness?

[Grip Fast]

The new Ducati Panigale has the ultimate distraction...

In race mode, there is a real-time lean angle indicator on the dash. How many (what's fontana's derogatory term? - oh yes) weekend warriors are going to wrap themselves round a tree, and the last thing they will be aware of is, "I've hit 40 degrees of lea... Shit, where's the road gone?"

I remember reading years ago, some guy (maybe a police officer) was amazed at how many riders who crash on bends know how how fast they were going. Why are they looking at the speedo, and not what the bend is doing, he wondered.

This seems much worse to me. The journalist, test riding the Panigale, said he couldn't not look at the lean angle indicator and had to switch out of race mode so he could concentrate on riding the road.

[fontana]

The new Ducati Panigale has the ultimate distraction...

In race mode, there is a real-time lean angle indicator on the dash. How many (what's fontana's derogatory term? - oh yes) weekend warriors are going to wrap themselves round a tree, and the last thing they will be aware of is, "I've hit 40 degrees of lea... Shit, where's the road gone?.

Actually, I have never once used that expression.

[milleplod]

The new Ducati Panigale has the ultimate distraction...

In race mode, there is a real-time lean angle indicator on the dash. How many (what's fontana's derogatory term? - oh yes) weekend warriors are going to wrap themselves round a tree, and the last thing they will be aware of is, "I've hit 40 degrees of lea... Shit, where's the road gone?.

Actually, I have never once used that expression.

But you have, fontana, back on March 9th in your rant about the non-existence of any 'biking brotherhood' - you referred to 'weekend warriors wobbling about on their state of the art crotch rockets believing they are superior to everyone else'.



Pete

[Grip Fast]

The new Ducati Panigale has the ultimate distraction...

In race mode, there is a real-time lean angle indicator on the dash. How many (what's fontana's derogatory term? - oh yes) weekend warriors are going to wrap themselves round a tree, and the last thing they will be aware of is, "I've hit 40 degrees of lea... Shit, where's the road gone?.

Actually, I have never once used that expression.

I found two occurrences where you used the term, "weekend warriors ", and I thought it was rather good and worth repeating.

[fontana]

I found two occurrences where you used the term, "weekend warriors ", and I thought it was rather good and worth repeating.

My apologies.
I don't usually use that expression because I tend to use my bikes mainly at weekends.

Back to your post, I am extremely sad that computerised distractions are finding their way from cars to bikes.
Even more sad is that it was BMW are at the forefront of these so called developments.
Maybe it's because todays riders are predominantly car drivers with no real history on bikes.
They expect to have the same gadgets on their bikes as they do their cars.
I mean really.
Lean angle calculator

[Herb]

I am not convinced the bike buying public are actually asking for these features.

They are actually a by-product of the complicated traction control and ABS systems high end sports bikes are fitted with. Once you have the gyros and sensors, it's easy to include the data on screen for real time or later viewing.

In my view these enhanced features don't really add to the riding experience.

[milleplod]

I am not convinced the bike buying public are actually asking for these features.

They are actually a by-product of the complicated traction control and ABS systems high end sports bikes are fitted with. Once you have the gyros and sensors, it's easy to include the data on screen for real time or later viewing.

In my view these enhanced features don't really add to the riding experience.

Agreed. If its there to look at, you'll look at it.....especially when you're cranked over! What were the tech guys thinking of, I wonder? I suspect it will have been marketing-led.

Pete

[Grip Fast]

I found two occurrences where you used the term, "weekend warriors ", and I thought it was rather good and worth repeating.

My apologies.
I don't usually use that expression because I tend to use my bikes mainly at weekends.

Back to your post, I am extremely sad that computerised distractions are finding their way from cars to bikes.
Even more sad is that it was BMW are at the forefront of these so called developments.
Maybe it's because todays riders are predominantly car drivers with no real history on bikes.
They expect to have the same gadgets on their bikes as they do their cars.
I mean really.
Lean angle calculator

No need to apologise.

My car synchs into my phone whenever I get in the car - I was persuaded to go with the feature because it calls the emergency services automatically in the event of a crash (dunno how I made it this far without that - especially when I crashed my moggy 1000 in 1969). However, two days ago I heard my phone beep to indicate a text arrival, and next a message flashed up on the dashboard that I had a new text, AND there's a button to allow me to display and read the text WHILE I'M DRIVING! NOOOOOOO!

No wonder you see so many vehicles wandering off track these days.

[slparry]

I am not convinced the bike buying public are actually asking for these features.

They are actually a by-product of the complicated traction control and ABS systems high end sports bikes are fitted with. Once you have the gyros and sensors, it's easy to include the data on screen for real time or later viewing.

In my view these enhanced features don't really add to the riding experience.

Agreed. If its there to look at, you'll look at it.....especially when you're cranked over! What were the tech guys thinking of, I wonder? I suspect it will have been marketing-led.

Pete

Agreed, marketing led

[fontana]

I heard about a kit you can by for Harelys that replaces the conventional stand.
Basically, when you have stopped, you press a button and with the magic of hydraulics the whole bike lowers itself onto it's belly.
You can then get off and the bike stays securely upright.
That's the sort of tech I like.
Why can't we have more of that

[Herb]

I heard about a kit you can by for Harelys that replaces the conventional stand.
Basically, when you have stopped, you press a button and with the magic of hydraulics the whole bike lowers itself onto it's belly.
You can then get off and the bike stays securely upright.
That's the sort of tech I like.
Why can't we have more of that

Because it's expensive and serves no purpose other than to make you look a bit flash at your local meet.

Personally, the developments I have been most impressed with over the past few years have been packaging and fuel economy developments found on the likes of the Honda NC. I seem to be on my own though!

[fontana]

I heard about a kit you can by for Harelys that replaces the conventional stand.
Basically, when you have stopped, you press a button and with the magic of hydraulics the whole bike lowers itself onto it's belly.
You can then get off and the bike stays securely upright.
That's the sort of tech I like.
Why can't we have more of that

Because it's expensive and serves no purpose other than to make you look a bit flash at your local meet.
!

Er, I was actually joking when I said I like it.
Sorry,
Bit subtle for you