| Author | Message | ||
     Ratbuell |
I had to work inside the beltway yesterday (DC) - training class. Ugh. Figured 'traffic sucks; motorcycles get to use the HOV lane...I'm riding'. Topped the oil, doublechecked tire pressures (I've been riding it to work, but that's only 17 miles each way), and headed out at 0600. Traffic in sucked, but it wasn't too bad. My Klim jacket has great venting, anything over about 20mph and I've got a great breeze on me. Rolled through the HOV lane, grinning at all the folks stuck in the regular lanes... Did 8 hours of mind-numbing training, and left around 430 to head home. WHAP. More traffic. And, as an added bonus, it was over 95 degrees, full sun, crap air quality (thanks, Canada!), and humid as hell (felt like about 110%). Took me nearly 3 hours to go 90 miles, but the bike (bone stock 2006 with factory muffler and EBR tune, 42k miles) never skipped a beat. I had to drive around some heat-knock by not whacking the throttle when I did get the opportunity to pass someone, but as long as I kept out of the advance curve until it had a chance to get some air around it and cool off? It did GREAT. And, 52mpg round-trip. My ass, on the other hand...is out of shape. Damn I hate old age - sore butt, knees were locking up...I used to do ironbutt days no problem, but 220 miles total yesterday? SUCKED. I was standing on the pegs any chance I got, on the way home. I need to spend more time in the seat! | ||
| Teeps |
Guess you can't filter in your area. Or there was 90 miles of nuts to butts traffic. | ||
| Hughlysses |
I bet you got tired of hearing the fan after that commute. You do have to build up your butt calluses. The seat heat does not help either. | ||
| Ratbuell |
The heat isn't too bad. I have the air diverters as well as the comfort kit ducting and stuff. And, I wear Klim gear over my street clothes, with nice heat shield panels. Bluetooth tunes kept the fan noise in the background. And, I'm a sound guy - I can tune out frequencies at will  And, you couldn't PAY me to split lanes. A) it is illegal, and B) only one person with an attitude has to open their door, just to be a dick...and around DC, that could be ANYONE. No thanks. I'll wait in line. | ||
| Falloutnl |
I split lanes like there's no tomorrow. But I'm in the Netherlands and it's legal / accepted here. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Motorcycles are also TRANSPORTATION there. Here in the USA, we're more a novelty - and people don't have us on their mental radar like they should. | ||
| Ratbuell |
She did piss a ton of oil out the breathers last week. I replaced the PCV's and grommets yesterday (what a pain in the ass THAT was) and cleaned all the schmutz off the rockerboxes and out of the airbox tray. We'll see if all that overflow was from the uber-hot ride last week, or if I have another issue somewhere (compression leaking into the crankcase?). She's running GREAT (of course it helps that it was 68* this morning when I left for work)...but at least I got the S2T service done yesterday as well, so she's ready for the road as a backup if needed. Or primary - I love the S2, but I wanted to ride Big Bird (my Uly) for a couple days to see if that was my only oil leak, or if I have to chase more stuff. 42k miles...it's bound to be leaking SOMEWHERE! | ||
| Falloutnl |
"Motorcycles are also TRANSPORTATION there. Here in the USA, we're more a novelty - and people don't have us on their mental radar like they should." Absolutely. | ||
| Court |
That is dead accurate. When I was in London, for a brief time, I saw what I had been told and expected to see. Motorcycles are used for serious transportation. Ignore the anecdotal tales in the USA about folks who ride "only motorcycles and all the time" (Crusty). Those folks are rare and have honed a separate set of skills. Not so drivers. I have ridden Buells in 44 states and have collected a fairly comprehensive mental file cabinet of experiences. My lane splitting was in Los Angeles after going to pick up a Ducati Monster that I was taking to Willow Springs for 3 days of testing. You May recall me sitting on the Ducati, to the chagrin of the HD PR folks, on the cover of Battle2Win. Texting changed everything. In America we, in the large majority, ride motorcycles for fun. We ride them when it is convenient, when wearing the gear doesn't wrinkle out clothes, when we are out on the weekend with buddies and to/from/at events. It's great and we have a genuine love for the bikes and the sport. But, it is a sport . . a leisure activity . . . not unlike golf. In addition, American drivers are, in the great majority, VERY POOR drivers. We have little/no training other than "don't crash". The concept of lane disciple, religiously observed in Europe, is non-existent. Following someone in the "passing lane" at 50mph is not unusual. Many folks are unaware they have turn signals. I recently drove to Halifax Nova Scotia for a college graduation. Driving in Canada (and I've no clue if this 2 day sample is representative) I found that everyone I encountered on the highway always signaled . . . moved to the fast lane to pass . . . signaled and returned to the driving lane. It was like choreography and made driving fun. Lane splitting in the United States is a fool's errand. There are accounts of angry drivers intentionally opening doors and you can pretty well assume that driver with the AirPods is is peeking down at a phone. I see it everyday from the higher cab of my F-250 Super Duty. They not only don't have any idea you are there or where you are . . . .they don't care. I found lane splitting addictive, not for the efficiency of moving through traffic but the same thrill I'd get on a roller coaster or a high speed sweeper. Until . . . and this ain't gonna happen . . . the USA institutes sweeping changes in the training, enforcement and behavior of drivers you are UNNECESSARILY placing yourself last grave risk. Just one opinion . . . . |
