Question for California Commuters:

[Old Michael]

JB, do you ever "make contact?" Even a mirror? Doesn't even just touching someone mean pulling over and going through all the crap? Or does one just "proceed down the road" in such instances? The video is great. I find myself leaning side to side in my chair.

 

[James Burleigh]

The video is great. I find myself leaning side to side in my chair.

Thank you. If you liked that one, check out these babies:

Surfing the Freeway Pipeline

Return Home After the Freeway Collapse

JB, do you ever "make contact?" Even a mirror? Doesn't even just touching someone mean pulling over and going through all the crap? Or does one just "proceed down the road" in such instances?

Um, maybe we'd better talk about that in person.... :glare: (Plead the 5th....)

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

I didn't read everyone's reply, but for the most part my rules are like this for the commute:

1) My speed = Traffic +5-10 mph

2) During lane sharing

a. Traffic must be below 30 mph to start sharing

b. my speed is still = traffic +5-10 mph

c. I always check my 6 for riders that like to share faster than I do

d. Sometimes I break my rules

e. In some, rare, but some circumstances I will lane share on the right side as long as traffic is stopped and there is plenty of space in the lane

f. In some, rare, but some circumstances I will lane share at full speed (usually North or Southbound on 99 of 5)

3) I try not to ever crash and fall in front of moving traffic.

 

[Huck Fonda]

JB, I do about 35 miles one way each day. 25 of it is on the 405 and the other 10 on surface streets. I'm pretty much going against the flow for most of it, but as everwhere, when the cages start to get impatient, or play bumper cars, it's every man for him self.

I thought about doing a camera setup, but looked at my ride through moviegoer's eyes, and found it was pretty boring. Like you say, it's subject to varying conditions.

I do get a little buzzy from the freeway portion on the way home, but take a big deep berath when I hit the off ramp. Then it's just picking around slow moving cars with no turn signals (shouldn't they be installd manditorily by the manufacturers? Can you imagine if brake lights were manually activated?), and on down the road.

One end of my ride has surface streets with much narrower lanes, so "filtering" to the front at traffic is a little tougher, the other end is pretty much wide open. People here call me crazy for doing a drive that long, but I love it.

I also have the option to cruise PCH on the way home. Basically from Huntington Beach down toward Dana Point. Sliding by the cars all stacked up in Corona Del Mar is great fun.

 

[Huck Fonda]

Oh yeah, forgot to add:

I won't do wheelies at 75 mph, or ride side saddle or in any other configuration other than intended.

I saw these two GSXR riders playing "who can be the bigger idiot" on the way home on enight in full-on commuter traffic.

Last thing I want to do is be caught in their glow, so I quietly rolled on and put them behind me. That kind of attention we don't need.

 

[Silent]

Okay..I did the pre-read assignment, now ...step one, remove hard bags. Step two, think skinny. Step three, go back and watch the video again. Step 4, go for it. - :assassin: :assassin: :assassin:

Why remove the bags and take all the challenge out of it? I've always split my FJR with bags, and i've only tapped *plead the 5th* times. I split the 205 even with all the construction barriers on the left

 

[James Burleigh]

JB, I do about 35 miles one way each day. 25 of it is on the 405 and the other 10 on surface streets.

10 miles on surface streets! Now THAT'S dangerous! On the freeway at least everyone's moving [mostly ] in the same direction. Only a few miles of my commute is non-freeway, and glad of it.

One end of my ride has surface streets with much narrower lanes, so "filtering" to the front at traffic is a little tougher, the other end is pretty much wide open. People here call me crazy for doing a drive that long, but I love it.

The only time I bump a mirror is when I'm in San Francisco trying to move up between cars in tight lanes to the front. Most of the time it's hopeless.

 

[James Burleigh]

[SIZE=18pt]Rule No. 1: [/SIZE] Try not to ever crash and fall in front of moving traffic.

Fixed it for ya....

 

[twowheelnut]

Why remove the bags and take all the challenge out of it? I've always split my FJR with bags, and i've only tapped *plead the 5th* times. I split the 205 even with all the construction barriers on the left

This is another good point, Silent. My rule is: If the mirrors clear, so will the side cases. Of course, this rule does not apply to the 46" width of my Givi-bagged Wabs. This thing requires a lead, a chase and one of those 'Wide Load' signs! :blink:

 

[FlyingLow]

What won't I do?

Very little, but here's one: I won't yellow-line it in the a.m. commute. In the dark, as it were. Combination of late forties eyesight, and those yellow painted lines, besides being slippery in the early morning dew, are actually raised a noticeable amount. Going up and rolling off those lines causes a rather disconcerting slight wobble and loss of road feel, kinda like the first stages of getting a flat.

So I don't do it in the dark.

 

[Midlifefjr]

Okay..I did the pre-read assignment, now ...step one, remove hard bags. Step two, think skinny. Step three, go back and watch the video again. Step 4, go for it. - :assassin: :assassin: :assassin:

Why remove the bags and take all the challenge out of it? I've always split my FJR with bags, and i've only tapped *plead the 5th* times. I split the 205 even with all the construction barriers on the left

I know the mirrors are as wide as my bikes ass but I feel a lot bolder when I leave the bags at home.

 

[Silver Penguin]

I know the mirrors are as wide as my bikes ass but I feel a lot bolder when I leave the bags at home.

I wondered about this, so I measured my bike. Stock bags on an '03 are about 1.5" wider on each side than stock mirrors.

That being said, I'm a wuss about lane sharing. If the gap is down to that kind of tolerance, I'm not taking it. That's what I have a little Ninja for!

Jill

 

[Silent]

I know the mirrors are as wide as my bikes ass but I feel a lot bolder when I leave the bags at home.

I wondered about this, so I measured my bike. Stock bags on an '03 are about 1.5" wider on each side than stock mirrors.

That being said, I'm a wuss about lane sharing. If the gap is down to that kind of tolerance, I'm not taking it. That's what I have a little Ninja for!

Jill

When you're between cars, the distance between your bags and the car is alot less than the distance between your mirror and the car. Car's tend to bow out about the height of the bags :blink: but with enough practice, it's easy to master the dance.

 

[madmike2]

Whatever you do, don't follow my example. I haven't had to commute since Aug 18th.

 

[Silver Penguin]

Whatever you do, don't follow my example. I haven't had to commute since Aug 18th.

July 10th was my last commute. I rode my Ninja at a 'fair' pace, in the carpool lane, and didn't want to be holding anyone up. Without that nice big FJR screen, I got well buffeted which set the seal on my sore neck getting worse.

The ride home, after 12hrs at work was interesting. I had little use of my left arm/hand, but was able to rest it on the tank and get me home somehow or other.

Jill

 

[sonicspeed]

pappy always told me them there folks in californy were crazy

 

[James Burleigh]

When you're between cars, the distance between your bags and the car is alot less than the distance between your mirror and the car. Car's tend to bow out about the height of the bags :blink: but with enough practice, it's easy to master the dance.

Yep, the bags are wider than the mirrors, no question. But you're right--the bags are down where the cars are fat, while the mirrors are up where the car gets narrow(er). Occasionally I have to wear a bag or two because I have to change at the bike and not walk into a client site or recruiting event or some such looking like a Power Ranger. But they make me nervous and sometimes tentative. Usually everything goes in my trunk and no bags. Silent, do you actually carry **** day to day in your bags, or are you just being a daredevil?

Jb

 

[tcfjr]

I'm up for almost anything during a commute, but on surface streets I won't share to the left of the left-most lane or to the right of the right-most lane, and I won't share to the left of the lane next to a left-turn lane. I've seen other bikes do it, but it seems to freak the normally placid cagers when they do.

When I get onto the freeway after work, the on-ramp has two lanes, both controlled by metering lights. I split down the middle, then go third behind the two cars once the lights turn green.

On a lot of SoCal freeways, the lines on the right side of the HOV lane has been painted so many times that riding on them makes you think you're getting a flat tire. I normally like to ride in the right-hand third of the HOV lane, for better visibility and ease of passing.

 

[Silent]

Silent, do you actually carry **** day to day in your bags, or are you just being a daredevil?
Jb

I'm just being a daredevel. Most of the stuff I carry day to day is in the back box for easy access. However it is nice to be able to stuff my 'stitch into one of the bags if I feel the need when I get where I'm going. That and I actually think the bike looks better with the side bags

 

[James Burleigh]

That and I actually think the bike looks better with the side bags

Hmmm.... Did someone put a spell on you and you think fat is beautiful? Shall I call you "Shallow Hal Silent"?