Things that make you cringe on the highway

[rmorse]

Originally Posted by dirty nasty

Nothing? Except left lane blockers/right lane passers. Everything you guys are listing are minor speed bump obstacles that are fun. Try riding MX sometime where you need to fly through whoops sections that are taller than you are at 40+ MPH. Now THAT'S some real fun.

Get a real MX bike.

[Coolbpf]

Originally Posted by R1Chronicles

State Troopers ...

Oh god.

[lgk]

Originally Posted by adouglas

Check this out. Mythbusters showed what will happen to you if a retread hits you at highway speeed. Gruesome (in a cool way, don't worry, no gore) stuff at about 4:30

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqw4ZooBzLw

wonder how much of a factor distance and aerodynamic drag are with such a big piece of rubber.

maybe 100ft further and you wont get hit as bad

[azimmer11]

Originally Posted by Coolbpf

Drafting. I get behind a tractor trailer or a horse trailer and boy, that pocket feels so nice (saves on gas too) but I just know that at any minute he's gonna slam on his breaks and final fantasy is going to become reality lol. But I always leave an escape route for myself, or get the heck out of there if there isn't one.

[adouglas]

Originally Posted by lgk

wonder how much of a factor distance and aerodynamic drag are with such a big piece of rubber.

maybe 100ft further and you wont get hit as bad

Doesn't matter. If you're traveling 70 and the rubber gets kicked straight up (i.e. it's not moving towards you) you'll still hit it at 70 mph.

[lgk]

Originally Posted by adouglas

Doesn't matter. If you're traveling 70 and the rubber gets kicked straight up (i.e. it's not moving towards you) you'll still hit it at 70 mph.

i was hoping it would fall lower and hit part of the bike.

i'll just stay away from them...

[adouglas]

Originally Posted by Coolbpf

Drafting. I get behind a tractor trailer or a horse trailer and boy, that pocket feels so nice (saves on gas too) but I just know that at any minute he's gonna slam on his breaks and final fantasy is going to become reality lol. But I always leave an escape route for myself, or get the heck out of there if there isn't one.

Something I've noticed is that people always seem to talk about following distance as if the vehicle in front will instantly cease all forward motion if it hits the brakes.

Last I checked the laws of physics were still on the books.

The truck will take longer to slow down than you do. What matters is your reaction time... do you have enough time to hit the brakes before plastering yourself all over his tailgate?

Realistically while just motoring along, the cycle of see-understand-decide-act is IMHO at least two seconds, so that's the gap I tend to leave. If you're focused on the hazard and spring-loaded to act (as you would be if drafting) you can probably react within a second or a second and half.

I have drafted in my car within one car length for extended periods, but ONLY by keeping laser-like focus on the guy's brake lights and keeping my foot over the brake pedal. It was stupid.

[lgk]

Originally Posted by adouglas

I have drafted in my car within one car length for extended periods, but ONLY by keeping laser-like focus on the guy's brake lights and keeping my foot over the brake pedal. It was stupid.

i took a 6 hour ride into NC last week.
following a tractor trailer wasn't all that great... even when tucked the wind would still push me around.

ended up passing them quickly and was much more comfortable afterwards.

[bdavison]

Drafting a semi truck on a motorcycle has to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard a motorcyclist do. First, anyone that has ever been behind a semi on a 250R will know that it is smoother if you were just all by yourself. The buffeting off the back of a semi is ridiculous. In order to get rid of the buffeting, you'd have to get so close, that I don't care what your reaction time is...if he so much as lightly brushes his brake pedal, you are going to taste trailer.

Dont be a moron.

[lgk]

honestly i don't even think you could get close enough to do it, the wind was intense from 40ft back.

my handlebars were shaking badly, from the bike trying to correct itself.
like i said you are much better off being alone.

i passed them and felt so much better.

[Coolbpf]

Originally Posted by bdavison

Drafting a semi truck on a motorcycle has to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard a motorcyclist do. First, anyone that has ever been behind a semi on a 250R will know that it is smoother if you were just all by yourself. The buffeting off the back of a semi is ridiculous. In order to get rid of the buffeting, you'd have to get so close, that I don't care what your reaction time is...if he so much as lightly brushes his brake pedal, you are going to taste trailer.

Dont be a moron.

You obviously have no idea what you're talking about and just want to rant because you're angry.

But anyways... I had no wind buffeting. You can't just ride up there like normal and expect to draft. It's all about tuck position... YEAH, TUCK. You have to tuck up and make yourself as streamline as possible... It works, trust me, I did it like 2 hours ago. lol

[Baddog]

Big rattle snakes, deer and bears in PA. That makes me cringe when riding. That and the state trooper sitting just over the crest of one of my favorite mountain hills. lol

[EvilPooMonkey]

other people. honestly if it were just me and the road i'd never feel scared. i feel that the constants are easy to handle, its the variables that make me clinch my poop chute!

[Goom]

Originally Posted by Coolbpf

You obviously have no idea what you're talking about and just want to rant because you're angry.

But anyways... I had no wind buffeting. You can't just ride up there like normal and expect to draft. It's all about tuck position... YEAH, TUCK. You have to tuck up and make yourself as streamline as possible... It works, trust me, I did it like 2 hours ago. lol

^ This guy, for starters.

If you are riding close enough to draft the semi, you are riding too close to see anything in front of you. And if it is the tuck that makes the difference, try tucking without being in the "dirty air" behind the semi. I'm sure I'm just another idiot, so don't worry about what I say.

Also, blown out tires (gators, if you will) suck. I'll never forget the time I hit one while I was merging right before a construction zone in front of a Goldwing with an older couple on it. Luckily, it missed them, but I just about had a heart attack. I felt terrible.

[highpsiguy]

Dogs, deer and flying cigarette butts, spitting/dipping cars/trucks

[EvilPooMonkey]

Originally Posted by Goom

^ This guy, for starters.

If you are riding close enough to draft the semi, you are riding too close to see anything in front of you. And if it is the tuck that makes the difference, try tucking without being in the "dirty air" behind the semi. I'm sure I'm just another idiot, so don't worry about what I say.

Also, blown out tires (gators, if you will) suck. I'll never forget the time I hit one while I was merging right before a construction zone in front of a Goldwing with an older couple on it. Luckily, it missed them, but I just about had a heart attack. I felt terrible.

he no ideeeot. he smart mahn. evin myffbutters say draft truhk two klose. bikey go SMASH

[Alex]

Originally Posted by Coolbpf

Drafting. I get behind a tractor trailer or a horse trailer and boy, that pocket feels so nice (saves on gas too) but I just know that at any minute he's gonna slam on his breaks and final fantasy is going to become reality lol. But I always leave an escape route for myself, or get the heck out of there if there isn't one.

How close are you actually drafting? Whether truck or car, if you can't see far enough in front of your front wheel to avoid the proverbial brick (or ladder) in the road, at some point in your riding career you will almost certainly hit debris in the road that will endanger your life. It's not if, it's when.

Originally Posted by adouglas

Something I've noticed is that people always seem to talk about following distance as if the vehicle in front will instantly cease all forward motion if it hits the brakes.

Last I checked the laws of physics were still on the books.

The truck will take longer to slow down than you do. What matters is your reaction time... do you have enough time to hit the brakes before plastering yourself all over his tailgate?

The problem is that all of the laws of physics aren't accounted for. The brakes on the vehicle immediately in front of you aren't the only items that can slow that vehicle down. If that car or truck hits the car in front of it, suddenly the vehicle in back slows down that much faster. Add another vehicle in the mix, and the last car slows down even faster than that. In a multi-car pileup, the last car stops almost immediately.

Sure, in an ideal situation one can outbrake the vehicle directly in front, assuming perfect reaction time and no additional factors. Those factors are the ones that get us every time, though.

[dirty nasty]

Originally Posted by rmorse

Get a real MX bike.

Says the kid who rides the pig that eats valves. Get a bike you can ride rather than work on.

[rmorse]

Originally Posted by dirty nasty

Says the kid who rides the pig that eats valves. Get a bike you can ride rather than work on.

That's not even funny.

[bdavison]

LOL, yes, that was funny...

What is it with MX motors turning valves into pretzels. You are'nt the only one with that problem.

[xMoises831]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

How about when the car in front of you is smoking so much ganj that you get high off it against your will. Weed just raped your brain and theres nothing you can do about it.

Have you been on highway 1 yet her by watsonville? they were re paving the rode but its so mest up theres this huge bump to get onto the other lane. I hope they fix that before i start riding ! Ill try to find a pic

[alex.s]

other bikers.

[erbarry88]

Originally Posted by alex.s

other bikers.

Please explain.

[Racer x]

I got one today. Some cool dude on a Harly chopper was riding down the road. Weaving through traffic. With ape hangers two feet above the triple tree. And he had both feet gliding along the road . Like sixty mph rubbing his feet on the highway. One bump would spin his foot around backelwards.

[lgk]

Originally Posted by Racer x

Like sixty mph rubbing his feet on the highway. One bump would spin his foot around backelwards.

why

[erbarry88]

Originally Posted by Racer x

I got one today. Some cool dude on a Harly chopper was riding down the road. Weaving through traffic. With ape hangers two feet above the triple tree. And he had both feet gliding along the road . Like sixty mph rubbing his feet on the highway. One bump would spin his foot around backelwards.

That dont sound to smart. So far every other biker I bump into will tag along til his exit/turn and I dont do more then 5mph of the posted limit even though the cagers are doing 15+ . Had 4 Hells Angels tag along one day til they exited and they waved goodbye

[ai4px]

Originally Posted by bdavison

Drafting a semi truck on a motorcycle has to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard a motorcyclist do. First, anyone that has ever been behind a semi on a 250R will know that it is smoother if you were just all by yourself. The buffeting off the back of a semi is ridiculous. In order to get rid of the buffeting, you'd have to get so close, that I don't care what your reaction time is...if he so much as lightly brushes his brake pedal, you are going to taste trailer.

Dont be a moron.

Whole heartedly agree. My dad was a trucker. When I was in college, I drafted him one night all the way to Atlanta from Charleston SC. We were talking on the radio with each other... he could tell me if we were to slow down, no problem ,right? He blew a tire on the tractor. I heard it thru the radio first, then I heard it thru the windshield of my car (milliseconds difference). Then 1/2 a second later a lot of orange sparks and smoke, then POW the gatorback hit the front of my car. If I had been on a bike, I guarantee I'd be dead. There is NO WAY on earth I could have taken the blow my car did and stayed up. No friggin way. The tire gave no warning at all.. but I have seen some that do. You can't count on a tire and the risk is just too high. Do what you need to do to get away from trucks... it if means speeding up 10mph to get from beside them, do it.

Don't be a moron.

[Malicious Logic]

Definitely cracks in the road, as mentioned before. Around here, a lot of the highways large cracks in the middle of the road or even worse, gaps in between the concrete slabs that make up lanes. This terrifies me and I usually end up getting trapped in one lane for a few miles because I dare not cross over the gap and risk my tire falling in.

[Motofool]

Cars or trucks loosing control close or in front of me (not that they had much control before loosing it).

I have had some interesting moments when those have hydroplaned in the rain and turned perpendicular to the direction of traffic.

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by erbarry88

Please explain.

cars, however stupid, are predictable. they are large and slow and are obvious when they are going to do something. trucks even more so. animals are never predictable so you can count on them to be that way.

squids on the other hand. squids dont know what they are doing. they are completely unpredictable. they float around a single car lane as if they dont know it divides into 3 lanes for motorcycles. they randomly change speed because they have a new bike and they just learned when you twist the throttle back all the way, the front wheel goes in the air. they dont know how to turn. they dont know how to brake. they basically just throw their bike at you. riding near new riders is like being around a drunk driver.


and yeah, ive had to avoid bikes thrown at me by squids on the highway before. they usually rear end someone then slide their bike at me... its like they aim for me every damn time.

[Motofool]

The Floridian squids also love passing you at 2" and at 50 mph above your speed,.........and without any previous warning.

It seems that they try to state something like "I don't need wearing all that crazy protection that you wear even to go much faster and unpredictably".

I don't have a problem with a rider being more macho than me; I do have a problem with going down by an idiot on two wheels.

[jman511115]

Had a soccer ball roll in front of me while surrounded by traffic the other day... Managed to get around it okay.

[dirty nasty]

Originally Posted by bdavison

LOL, yes, that was funny...

What is it with MX motors turning valves into pretzels. You are'nt the only one with that problem.

It's because everyone except for Yamaha for a long time was using a crap ass design. Along with the belief that 4 strokes are "maintenance free", which is crap, you have to maintain them as much, if not more than a 2 stroke. I ride the 1998 YZ400F. The bike that put 4-stroke MX on the map. Mine has been around since brand new and not once has it needed a valve adjustment. I check them once a season. They're still set the same as when it rolled off the show room floor 14 years ago. The YZ400F engine is bullet proof. If this bike wasn't so trouble free I would NEVER ride a 4 stroke. It's just too expensive otherwise.

[rmorse]

Originally Posted by bdavison

LOL, yes, that was funny...

What is it with MX motors turning valves into pretzels. You are'nt the only one with that problem.

Lol, yea. I think it's because they are trying to squeeze so much hp out of these engines that there is little to no room for movement. Plus, mx bikes have always required being rebuilt after every couple races.

That being said, the older CRF's eat way more valves than normal. They fixed it, or at least made it much much better in 06 and up. Unfortunately, I have an 05 lol.

[Bassman]

1) Chunks of semi retreads flying at my head.
2) Bags of flour dropping off the flat bed semi in front of me (man that freaked me out).
3) Semi's full of dirt and a loosely fitting cover spraying me with it's cargo.
4) Work truck ladders tumbling down the highway in front of me.

[bdavison]

Originally Posted by dirty nasty

It's because everyone except for Yamaha for a long time was using a crap ass design. Along with the belief that 4 strokes are "maintenance free", which is crap, you have to maintain them as much, if not more than a 2 stroke. I ride the 1998 YZ400F. The bike that put 4-stroke MX on the map. Mine has been around since brand new and not once has it needed a valve adjustment. I check them once a season. They're still set the same as when it rolled off the show room floor 14 years ago. The YZ400F engine is bullet proof. If this bike wasn't so trouble free I would NEVER ride a 4 stroke. It's just too expensive otherwise.

Thing that gets me is they should be able to make a non-interference head for these things that prevents the valves from turning into slinky toys.

I really miss the 2 strokes sometimes. Not only in dirtbikes, but street bikes as well. The Aprilia RS125 was such a beautiful bike. With the 2 strokers, really the only problems we ever had was the reeds and maybe a burnt piston every once in a while.

[areifel]

Myself.

[dirty nasty]

Originally Posted by rmorse

Lol, yea. I think it's because they are trying to squeeze so much hp out of these engines that there is little to no room for movement. Plus, mx bikes have always required being rebuilt after every couple races.

That being said, the older CRF's eat way more valves than normal. They fixed it, or at least made it much much better in 06 and up. Unfortunately, I have an 05 lol.

The problem with the CRFs is something to do with the head studs and them not being strong enough and actually stretching as time goes on. My YZF has never needed a rebuild. Like I said, it has never needed a valve adjustment since it rolled off the show room floor. If it's a 2-stroke, yes, it will eventually need a rebuild. For your average racer on a 4-stroke I say keep riding it, but checking on scheduled maintenance until something because obviously wrong. We're not Justin Barcia, we won't be trashing on these engines like the best of 'em.

Originally Posted by bdavison

Thing that gets me is they should be able to make a non-interference head for these things that prevents the valves from turning into slinky toys.

I really miss the 2 strokes sometimes. Not only in dirtbikes, but street bikes as well. The Aprilia RS125 was such a beautiful bike. With the 2 strokers, really the only problems we ever had was the reeds and maybe a burnt piston every once in a while.

The problem is stupid owners. When the 4 strokes hit the market they were hailed as "maintenance free". They were not maintenance free, but also required a good deal of patience and understanding to work on properly. Your average buyer was a brainless kid (just for the same reasons squids buy super sports and trash them for a while) who did no preventative maintenance to the machine. That's why you see so many blown up. But especially older Honda CRFs. They were just problematic. Many other manufacturers had bad years too. I remember the '06 YZ250F had a recall for broken valves.

[rmorse]

Originally Posted by dirty nasty

The problem is stupid owners. When the 4 strokes hit the market they were hailed as "maintenance free". They were not maintenance free, but also required a good deal of patience and understanding to work on properly. Your average buyer was a brainless kid (just for the same reasons squids buy super sports and trash them for a while) who did no preventative maintenance to the machine. That's why you see so many blown up. But especially older Honda CRFs. They were just problematic. Many other manufacturers had bad years too. I remember the '06 YZ250F had a recall for broken valves.

Yea. The big thing was there were older 4-strokes that were arguably "maintenance free." The XR's are bulletproof. And then people just assumed that a full-blown race bike would be just as reliable as a trail bike.

[Kevin2109]

The tire marks on the road that go directly into the side walls