Horrible fear on the freeway

[Tab B.]

Originally Posted by aliefj96

You should always ride within your skill level. It is important to open it up on a wide open straight and push those limits up every now and then so that when you do ride at 65 it doesn't feel intimidating.

Way back when on my first bike I would feel a bit of anxiety riding 70 on the interstate. I worked nights and the way home there were a few straight that I would roll back on the throttle for a bit, check the speed, and then coast back down. I did this once or twice a week for a couple of months until I hit 145. I did it once and never again. I wasn't nervous. I just accomplished what I set out to do; being comfortable at a safe speed. On the down side it ruined amusement parks. Roller Coasters became sleepers.

A ten year absence from riding and I'm back on two wheels. I felt that same anxiety when I rode the bike home for the first time. I think I went ten under the limit the whole way home(60 miles: Tallahasee to Panama City). I live far off an interstate now so I haven't had a chance to build my confidence back up with this bike. I've hit the 90s a few times, but way too brief. I'm not comfortable with the vibration my M50 gets over 52mph. The bike definetely needs a 6th gear.

There is a little bit of twisted logic to this,,, but if you wanted to do this legally, go to your nearest dragstrip. I've drag raced every bike I've owned at the local dragstrip. No, I don't set any records. I'm just a funster. It is a good way to become familiar with your bike's powerband, get used to scenery flying by, and get an official, no BS time slip of what you have done. If you are fortunate enough to have a strip within what you think is a reasonable distance, look into it. I mean a real drag strip, not some place where the local hooligans go. You can have fun, learn your bike, work on anxieties that pertain to that environment, meet some pretty cool people, and certainly some cool and FAST machinery. Oh, and an ambulance is always right there.
{Hmmm, wonder why I appreciate that one?}. Usually the strip will have a website, so you can find out what the basic rules and requirements are.
This might sound extreme, but if you have never been to a strip on a street night, there are lots of everything, from regular folks in econo-boxes, on up to some scary, fast, and expensive riders/drivers/vehicles.

[old codger]

I just wanted to comment that you can get hurt while going the legal speed. I was driving a company vehicle on I 40 this morning when a cycle rider passed me going about 55MPH. Some one hit brakes suddenly in front of him, he locked his rear wheel and went down hard tumbling for about 30 yards. The traffic was able to avoid him but he got some scrapes and will be very sore for awhile. Several of us stopped to assist him and get his bike off the road and out of traffic. The rider was probably 65 years old or so.
The point is it can happen to anyone, luckly he had a full face helmet on, may have saved his life, he had a fabric cycle type jacket and jeans so his scrapes were less than they could have been without the minimum protection.
Oh regarding insurance people have commented about from thime to time, I just got my bill in the mail today, $77.00 for next year (2006 S 50). Progressive.

Old codger

[Ext1jdh]

Originally Posted by old codger

I just wanted to comment that you can get hurt while going the legal speed. I was driving a company vehicle on I 40 this morning when a cycle rider passed me going about 55MPH. Some one hit brakes suddenly in front of him, he locked his rear wheel and went down hard tumbling for about 30 yards. The traffic was able to avoid him but he got some scrapes and will be very sore for awhile. Several of us stopped to assist him and get his bike off the road and out of traffic. The rider was probably 65 years old or so.

Sounds like someone needs to practice their emergency stops and safe riding distance

Glad to hear he's not seriously hurt though.

[Rickster]

Originally Posted by old codger

I was driving a company vehicle on I 40 this morning when a cycle rider passed me going about 55MPH. Some one hit brakes suddenly in front of him, he locked his rear wheel and went down hard tumbling for about 30 yards. The traffic was able to avoid him but he got some scrapes and will be very sore for awhile. Several of us stopped to assist him and get his bike off the road and out of traffic. The rider was probably 65 years old or so.


Old codger

A lot of those older riders learned to ride from people that told them not to use the front brake, because it will make you crash,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and some of them still believe it.

[kay]

Yes, it can happen to anybody.... I posted about a week ago about a bike racer who got killed after slamming into a truck that made an illegal U-turn. He was called a "genius" for his incredible riding skills and was still only 32.

If even a "genius" racer can't avoid a crash, we need to make a mental note that it can happen to us too.