Love my Yamahorse!

[Checkswrecks]

Must be a full moon around here or something. Riding into work the day before yesterday and playing with the heat control for my jacket at a traffic light, suddenly recognized a sound like a hard knocking that I didn't think was from the truck behind me. The dreaded tick suddenly in my 2004? The light turned green and some clown on a R1200C rides the shoulder to get past the truck and ride behind me. A 1200C with open pipes! Weird sound. I guess the C stood for Cloned Harley Glide.

Then yesterday, coming down Canal Road, some fat guy on an expensive looking Hardley custom is suddenly so close he could have reached over and touched my back light. Frigging aardvark! Again, wide open pipes. We got to the really tight right/left onto the Whitehurst Freeway with him in the right lane and me in the left. This is an immediate 90 right then 90 left between tight Jersey barriers and I left the revs up, figuring I'd open up some distance and put a car or two between us. As I leaned left the a**hole suddenly jumps into the right tire track of my lane, gassing it, and I'm already at the left-side wall! Thought he was going to collide form the side! I rolled on hard, the Feejer leaned down, and as my head came near the Jersey barrier the next thing I heard was scraping metal as he ground out. In the mirror, he wobbled across both lanes but somehow did save it. What a jerk!

Love my Yamahorse!

Bob

 

[FJRski]

I always try to have a way out figured in the back of my head.

You can always count on the FJR to come through, lucky you.

Maybe that explains why Harley guys don't like to ride with us.

Frigging aardvarks!

 

[Toecutter]

You guys quit beating up the artards, ya buncha bullies.

Y'all remind me of Kramer in the karate classes with the 12 year-olds.

 

[Big Sky]

A good friend got back into the riding scene last year. Bought a Harley. He at one point asked me my opinion of riding two abreast; side-by-side in one lane. I laughed and said, "Look, you'd never have to worry about me swerving into you, but I'd be worrying all the time about YOU swerving into me!" I went on to say as many times as I've made sudden or radical swerves to avoid road hazards, deer, etc., I would never in hell ride side-by-side with anyone. Period. So what is this with the cruiser crowd riding two abreast? Twice, at highway speeds, I've had them come up from behind (I know, that should NEVER happen, but traffic, etc...) and one of them will pull up and try to ride side-by-side with me in my lane. Once just as I was initiating a passing move this nutjob started pulling up at my left as I was cutting that way. Another time, this idiot was riding about 6 feet off my plate at 75 mph. It's not just the cages that will git ya! It's no wonder conscientious riders will pass these amatuers at the first opportunity and leave them far behind: because they're lousy, unskilled, dangerous riders... and make too much NOISE besides!

 

[DrBunsen]

Everyone rides differently, but when I've been in a situation similar to that I usually just get out of the way and let them pass. Most of my riding is commuting to/from work, and in traffic I'm always more interested getting to work/home safely than in getting there first.

Bunsen

 

[Barabus]

Recently quit riding with a friend (owns both harley and yamaha fz6) because he was always too close. In fact, he crashed because he was riding my tail light and line thru some twisties, came up to a sandy corner entrance and I braked early upon seeing it, he reacted a 0.5 to 1 second later. His front end washed out and he low sided at about 25 mph. Got road rash because he was only wearing jeans. He tried to blame me, but hell he did not even know why we were braking. Other riders would not let that stand. I tried to get him out one month later, expecting that he learned his lesson. Not the case. I think it is gay riding so close. If I want to snuggle on a bike then I would ride 2 up with the wife.

 

[MsLilly]

I never let anyone ride close to me unless it is my husband. We both realize things happen and give each other space to deal with the unknown. We ride with groups of people and I always end up in the rear of the pack. I just prefer riding at my own pace without worrying that some twit is going to take me out! As for strangers riding close, I either pull over and let them go by or leave them in the dust.