moving on up....

[Blackwidow]

I want to announce my greatest accomplishment for this year. After buying my bike last year in August...I finally got on the freeway this past week for the first time. I'm so proud of myself.

[alex.s]

omg yay! congratulations paulette! now you can come hang out with us! might be a bit of a leap adding rain to the mix but you should come to tech day this saturday

[Blackwidow]

baby steps Alex. lol no way will i ride in the rain right now.

[Honko]

Awesome! It's pretty nerve wracking.

[Blackwidow]

yes it is. Though i did slightly mess up though. I wanted to change my lane cuz the car in front of me kept braking for no reason. So rather then first looking then starting to merge, I started to merge as i looked at the same time. I almost hit the car next to me, but i kept my composure and leaned the bike to the right to get back on my lane. Thank goodness the motorcycle has a lot of space to move around. lesson learned! first look then make your move...duh. lol

[Alex]

/moved to general (definitely motorcycle-related)

[austexjg]

One more step in the right direction - you'll be a track star in no time.

[Liist]

The interstates are something else with the 250. I try to avoid going long routes on interstates if I can.

Have you tried lane splitting yet? It's the only state that allows it, right?

[akima]

Congrats! I only ride on the high-speed interstate-style-roads for practical purposes. I don't find them very enjoyable. Lots of wind and lots of straight lines. Lane splitting is the one exception: that's amazing fun, especially when other riders are doing it with you: I feel some camaraderie! When lane splitting near London on the motorway I usually have to pull over to let the other lane splitters over-take me: they ride pretty fast!

Originally Posted by Blackwidow

yes it is. Though i did slightly mess up though. I wanted to change my lane cuz the car in front of me kept braking for no reason. So rather then first looking then starting to merge, I started to merge as i looked at the same time. I almost hit the car next to me, but i kept my composure and leaned the bike to the right to get back on my lane. Thank goodness the motorcycle has a lot of space to move around. lesson learned! first look then make your move...duh. lol

My motorcycle instructors completely hammered it into my head that before any manoeuvre you must do OSPLM:
Observation: mirror checks
Signal: indicator lights (if needed)
Position: adjust your position to either the left, centre or right part of your lane, based on which is the most sensible position
Life-saver: turn your head 45 degrees to look over your shoulder for dangers in your blind spot
Manoeuvre: actually move the bike (in your case that would be changing lanes).

[DarC]

Congrats, keep on rockin!

[Trailerboy531]

excluding the rain part I'm with Alex, time to come riding with us!

[backinthesaddleagain]

Nice!

[Yasko]

Very nice. I love late weeknight rides. You can have all lanes to yourself.


I notice when I wear my hi-viv vest, cars give me a lot more space.

[heylookitsfranco]

congrats Paulette! I found that once you get more comfortable with checking the mirrors and head-checking your blind spots, highway riding can even be relaxing (at least to me... someone's gotta take me to the track to change my mind...)

soon, you'll be draggin' knee at on an off ramps! lol

[gfloyd2002]

Originally Posted by akima

My motorcycle instructors completely hammered it into my head that before any manoeuvre you must do OSPLM:
Observation: mirror checks
Signal: indicator lights (if needed)
Position: adjust your position to either the left, centre or right part of your lane, based on which is the most sensible position
Life-saver: turn your head 45 degrees to look over your shoulder for dangers in your blind spot
Manoeuvre: actually move the bike (in your case that would be changing lanes).

OSPLM is the best acronym they could come up with? How do you even pronounce that? What, are these guys Czech or something? Cuz' they certainly aren't teachers! How about:

COUPLE
Check your mirror.
Observe the world around you.
Use your signal. (S)
Position yourself in the lane.
Look over your shoulder to check your blind spots.
Exit your lane.

Or even this one, which, while totally offensive, is therefore very easy to remember.

Check your mirror
Use your blinkers/signals
Nudge one way or the other in your lane to get a better view
Turn your head and double check it is clear
Start your lane change

[akima]

Originally Posted by gfloyd2002

Check your mirror
Use your blinkers/signals
Nudge one way or the other in your lane to get a better view
Turn your head and double check it is clear
Start your lane change

how wude!!

some of the acronyms they use were memorial. For pre-ride checks we use BEST COPS

Breaks
Electrical (lights & horn etc)
Suspension
Tires

Coolant
Oil
Petrol
Steering

I think that's what the letters mean anyway.

[coondog]

Originally Posted by Blackwidow

yes it is. Though i did slightly mess up though. I wanted to change my lane cuz the car in front of me kept braking for no reason. So rather then first looking then starting to merge, I started to merge as i looked at the same time. I almost hit the car next to me, but i kept my composure and leaned the bike to the right to get back on my lane. Thank goodness the motorcycle has a lot of space to move around. lesson learned! first look then make your move...duh. lol

I thought you had much more experience as you offer so much knowledge. Let the close call go, just on this post all of us but 2 have had our hearts in our throats on numerous occasions. You know your pace, not the clown in town (with the circus freak show).

[akima]

Town, clown whata what?

[coondog]

message was in no way referring or meant for you, that's why the confusion. Apologies, peace out.

[ironglory]

Enjoy the ride Paulette. Listen to your Jiminy Cricket. Its more than the destination and the motorcycles just notch up the fun to getting there.

[Blackwidow]

Originally Posted by Liist

The interstates are something else with the 250. I try to avoid going long routes on interstates if I can.

Have you tried lane splitting yet? It's the only state that allows it, right?

heck no...i'm too chicken! i'm trying to get comfortable with the high speeds first before i try to do anything else.

I did go next to a truck though. it does feel like its trying to suck you in. but i kept my control.

[Blackwidow]

Originally Posted by akima

My motorcycle instructors completely hammered it into my head that before any manoeuvre you must do OSPLM:
Observation: mirror checks
Signal: indicator lights (if needed)
Position: adjust your position to either the left, centre or right part of your lane, based on which is the most sensible position
Life-saver: turn your head 45 degrees to look over your shoulder for dangers in your blind spot
Manoeuvre: actually move the bike (in your case that would be changing lanes).

Thank you...i'll keep this in mind.

[Blackwidow]

Originally Posted by Trailerboy531

excluding the rain part I'm with Alex, time to come riding with us!

soon! need at least another 100-200 miles on the freeway to be more comfortable on it.

[Blackwidow]

Originally Posted by Yasko

Very nice. I love late weeknight rides. You can have all lanes to yourself.


I notice when I wear my hi-viv vest, cars give me a lot more space.

lol maybe cuz you're burning their eyeballs with your luminating vest? LOL better them then you, i say!

[Blackwidow]

Originally Posted by coondog

I thought you had much more experience as you offer so much knowledge. Let the close call go, just on this post all of us but 2 have had our hearts in our throats on numerous occasions. You know your pace, not the clown in town (with the circus freak show).

i have lots and lots of experiance on the street. lol i can manuever myself out of tough spots (so i'd like to think), i wanted to "perfect" my riding skills on surface street before attempting the high speeds and the crazy LA drivers on the freeway. i'm in no rush...so took my time. but now i'm sort of rushing cuz in a few months i won't be riding anymore

[Blackwidow]

Originally Posted by gfloyd2002

Check your mirror
Use your blinkers/signals
Nudge one way or the other in your lane to get a better view
Turn your head and double check it is clear
Start your lane change

[Honko]

Originally Posted by heylookitsfranco

congrats Paulette! I found that once you get more comfortable with checking the mirrors and head-checking your blind spots, highway riding can even be relaxing (at least to me... someone's gotta take me to the track to change my mind...)

soon, you'll be draggin' knee at on an off ramps! lol

How can you find highway riding to be relaxing with all the ****** drivers around this area

Now if the highway is pretty free and clear in front of you, then yes, it is very relaxing. It definitely helps to have a helmet with a rear wing/spoiler. When I was using my EXO-700, every ride on the highway felt like my head was being pulled off but since I got the Vector 2, that feeling has pretty much completely gone away.

[Trailerboy531]

Originally Posted by Blackwidow

soon! need at least another 100-200 miles on the freeway to be more comfortable on it.

That won't take long

we can do that for you in a day!

[Yasko]

Originally Posted by Blackwidow

but now i'm sort of rushing cuz in a few months i won't be riding anymore

????

[gfloyd2002]

Originally Posted by Yasko

????

[Sailariel]

Paulette,
Nice to see you back. I have been away for some time as well. I am very busy running our local Soup Kitchen. So far I have only logged 4000 miles on the bike.

[JOHNWJ]

Interstates may actually be safer than regular streets. You don't have to worry as much about people pulling out in front of you or cutting you off as much. However I've always kind of been a lead foot/ham hand and I like to pull out in front coming off the on ramps. On the 250 you will have to give way a good percentage of the time simply because you can't accelerate that fast sometimes (with the majority of folks already speeding). Also always turn your head to verify when merging/changing lanes, mirrors leave too many blind spots. I've had cars pull out in front of me and almost pull out into me, car side pillars can leave big blind spots. Accelerating or braking are usually your best bet in accident avoidance. The saying that load pipes save lives is true (cause other cars hear you and know your there) also using your horn may help but most likely that may already be to late. I'd sure hate to change lanes because some fool is merging into me only to get run over by another car. As a last ditch effort I would probably boot kick a door or side panel. To let them know I was there.

[akima]

Originally Posted by JOHNWJ

The saying that load pipes save lives is true (cause other cars hear you and know your there) also using your horn may help but most likely that may already be to late. I'd sure hate to change lanes because some fool is merging into me only to get run over by another car. As a last ditch effort I would probably boot kick a door or side panel. To let them know I was there.

I hadn't thought of the "boot kick a door" idea. It could be useful. I suspect it's best to find a more self-reliant method of surviving that kind of situation though. If you kick the door you are still relying on the driver reacting accordingly. You're relying on a driver who has already demonstrated that they are incompetent (lack of awareness of the traffic around them). Still: it might be your only option in some situations and I'm glad you brought that option to light. Bet it would feel good too!

Motorcycle horns are great until you hit normal motorway speeds. At those speeds you can barely hear them.