For the motorcyclists among us, the Safebike is a fantastic opportunity to sharpen the senses and reflexes for the road madness again. Normally in early summer, but unfortunately the various lockdowns and restrictions have prevented that from happening until the end of August.
Although motorcycling would be a brilliant alternative for many a questionable traffic concept, little to no consideration is given to us in corresponding city and traffic planning. (more about this perhaps at the end)
And, with a few exceptions, driving school gives us just the bare minimum of tools for daily “survival”.
All the more fantastic, therefore, is an institution like Safebike, which, with its ingenious selection of trainers, has made it its business to find the right notes.
It is the wonderfully unorthodox way in which necessary skills are packaged. The trainers always manage to incorporate new challenges into the program with unexpected announcements 🙂
Some may despair here, but in fact we grow with the challenge.
Of course, only if we are willing to accept and face them.
We are of course provided, because the Safebike is free, but definitely not for free.
Excited about what Furios Carl has come up with this year, we make our way to Pachfurth on the three days (Fri, Sat and Sun), eager to see what awaits us this year.
Yes, WIMA-Austria has grown a lot in the last year, we could fill half a course by now. But we don’t want to do that to the other participants, although it would be tempting to have the whole area to let off steam 😉
The weather forecast is mixed, everything is possible, a classic day where you are never really dressed.
Eh clear, that at least this forecast is 100% true.
We travel in small groups, or even solo. From all points of the compass we come together to be there.
Karl Katoch speaks the initiating words, Moses the releasing words (compare: Exodus 17,4) 😉
And so we start the event where we are divided into 5 groups and the station rotation begins.
We start with the braking technique, a good exercise to warm up ourselves and our tires. It is still relatively fresh, but at the end of the exercises the first of us start peeling out of the many layers we had put on.
The tires are smoking, the ABS is sputtering, but with time each of us finds the right pressure point to make a stop quickly and efficiently.
Mission accomplished!
The next station is the so-called Autobahn curve. Here it is a matter of using eye technique and posture to ride through fast passages well and have fun at the same time.
Unfortunately, rain sets in shortly after the start, we break off and, after a short observation break, retreat to an early lunch.
The food: In short, not the highlight of the day, but a good opportunity to network, distribute folders and philosophize with the trainers.
BILD zu OTS – Werbeaktivitt Motorradreporter.com
The next item on the agenda is the circular track.
Basically nothing dramatic and always a good invitation to insult the nipples on the footrests a little. However, Pachfurth has added a little special feature. A sector in the circular track reacts to the rear wheel and pulls it outwards by about 35cm! This is to simulate a temporary slipping away of the rear wheel in the curve. Just because they can.
The respect is great, but with time we all get used to it and the necessary composure sets in to simply accept the short swerve in the motorcycle.
Important! The line of sight must be right, then the whole thing works without much fuss.
The next station brings a lot of momentum again, it is the “mountain section” and because this hill basically offers little challenge, the trainer comes up with a few additional exercises that makes some of us doubt the trainer’s sanity and their own ability a little.
But here, too, practice makes perfect and even these hurdles are solved brilliantly.
We return to the plain and, like a small river, we meander through the traffic cones that describe a slalom in front of us. This becomes narrower and narrower as we go along. The challenge increases and so do the temperatures.
Many give up little by little, only Astrid coolly drives on and on.
After this was our last stop, there are a few parting words from Karl Katoch in front of the assembled audience and we are released to free ride.
The only negative things about today:
2 remarks on the part of male motorcyclists who have elicited a frown from us.
No. 1: Why are you here? … Hmm, maybe for the same reason as you?
No. 2: It is actually a waste to give the safebike places to women…. (without words…, actually only a slap would have fit here – but with helmet, difficult 😉 )
After the training, our group disbands again and we set off back home individually or in small groups.
This would summarize the Safebike day well, but the reference to the brake fluid still needs to be explained.
Petra had a trial training today and will participate in the Safebike tomorrow, as a stop in Vienna she has chosen a hotel near the Schnitzelwirt.
After an odyssey between bike stands, street gardens of vegetarian restaurants, loading zones, encounter zones, cab stands, public transport stops, etc…. There was finally, just 100m away from the restaurant, a gap that was neither cab stand, nor public transport station and actually allowed parking with motorcycle or scooter! (Was also extensively used with such).
Truly a sensation in a green district!
Obviously, the person responsible for traffic in the district has made a mistake, otherwise we can not imagine how this could happen. A parking space for individual traffic, actually ONE in about 300m radius, that is definitely too much for the 7th district which is known to be sparsely populated. 😉
We are in favor that the person responsible for this is immediately removed from traffic planning.
Best with an eTraktor….. 😉
But back to more enjoyable ones.
The schnitzels? Gigantic!
The atmosphere? Fantastic!
The brake fluid? Not without after-effect! 🙂
And so the Safebike final day came to an end.
Any comments? please feel free to do so.