Slowin' Down

[blowndodge]

The more I ponder why I ride and how I ride I've been coming to the conclusion that I ride all wrong! Since my trucks been in repair I've had to ride the Nomad to work the last 2 weeks; not far, only 12 miles each way on the freeway.

This really opened my eyes as people seem to be in a hurry to go nowhere quickly! Is it just me that allows enough time to get to work so as not to rush like some idiot cager??? I had probably 4 close calls in just 2 weeks!

The last couple of days I took the highway instead of the freeway. Way slower but far more enjoyable because I wasn't flying at 75mph down the highway

This morning I took a 55 miler on the freeway but stayed in the slow lane with the speedo slightly above 65. It's close enough in accuracy as you all know I have a truck tire on the back. Anyway, I found riding at 65-67 FAR more enjoyable than 75-80 like the insane cagers drive at! Even if alone on the interstate, 75-80 still wears me out far faster than 65-70 which I can ride 8 hours at easily.

Far less noise, motor just loafing along, can hear my thoughts more clearly and see the surrounding environment with more clarity as well. I guess what I'm saying is if I need to cruise at 80 plus all day long I should get a Gold Wing or ZX1400. I need to slow down and take it easy.

Anybody else have this same "why am I riding so fast for" epiphany?

[Top Cat]

See what happens when you are FORCED to ride. http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif
I have always ridden slower, well, the speed limit or a couple miles above. You see more scenery, have more time to react when the cager tries to kill you and are less stressed when you arrive at your destination. The only draw back I can see is you have to watch the rear view mirror alot so you don't get run down by phone talkin', fingernail paintin', text messaging etc. drivers.
Now that you know how enjoyable riding can be BD, you might put some miles on that thing after all.

[Cajunrider]

I wear out from buffeting at speeds over 70 - 75 mph. If I keep it at 70 or below, I get much more enjoyment out of the ride without all of the head shaking when I have to keep up with the insane flow of traffic on the slabs. I guess that's why I avoid Interstate highways as much as possible.

[dogdoc]

+1 TC, I always ride slower than the pack. Seems everybody is in a big rush to get no place. A friggin rat race IMO.

[MarkG]

I have found that my Nomad likes 67 mph indicated. I can loaf along all day without getting overly tired and stay relaxed. The 75 - 80 mph is tiring because of the extra effort and concentration, it's not fun. Besides at the slower speeds I have the time to look at the scenery or turn off to explore something different.

Had I wanted a sport bike I would have bought one. I wanted to escape, relax, take my time, actually look at the scenery and smell the flowers so to speak. So far, the rides have been really enjoyable.

The old adage, young riders pick a destination. (Often means they have to get there by a certain time.) Older riders pick a direction.

One benefit to the slower riding. A 200 mile semi-planned day, often works out closer to a 350 or 400 mile run. Signs and other things that you have never seen before keep popping up and there is time for the unplanned side trips. For me, this is much more fun than trying to get someplace by a particular time.

Enjoy the slower riding, it will give you a whole new perspective.

[cactusjack]

I went on a ride this morning "just 'cuz". I just got on the bike and headed towards Phoenix. Since I live so far south, I-10 is 75 MPH for a few miles before it slows to 65 as you near the metro area. It's a 2 lane highway until you hit Chandler, then it widens out to 5 or 6. Anyway, if I were to slow to 65 where the speed limit changes, I would get run over. Plain and simple. I wait for the lanes to widen and I hit the HOV lane at 75 indicated, or about 66-67 mph. I'm getting passed like I was standing still. I hit several construction zones on my route, with big signs "WORK AREA - FINES DOUBLED". I want to slow down to 55 or 45 (whatever is posted) but if everyone else is still doing 65-70, what can you do? The only place cagers do the posted limit is where they have speed cameras on the freeway. Everywhere else, it's every man for himself.

I prefer traveling around 65 because my gas mileage is really good, but when you're pushing 80-85 on the speedo, it just drains the gas like crazy.

[bobhamlin]

I heartily agree.

Commuting on the slabs: In any type of accordian-type traffic, the fast lane is USUALLY not the fastest and definitely not the safest. Generally, all the turf wars and serious tailgating are taking place in the fast lane.

A slow lane that lets you slip in behind a couple small 4-wheelers that are keeping up with traffic is great. You can see over and around them for brakelights.

At the worst, I arrive a couple minutes later over 25 miles. Many times, the slow lane plods consistently along and beats the fast lane.

The ride IS much more enjoyable without having to address the increased risk of fast, hectic driving.

However BD, even though you DO look a bit young-ish in your sig pic, you might just be getting to that phase where the "You know you're getting old when . . ." jokes are not only funny, but you begin to recognize the kernels of truth.

[fish]

I like to look around and see the scenery and enjoy myself. I'm always at work 10-15 minutes early so I don't have to rush. Now my other job I'm on somewhat of a time schedule and can't look around because I'm busy dodging the traffic.

[Top Cat]

Well Brad, from the above posts it looks like you were the only one who didn't know how to enjoy the riding expierience ;)
Now that you know how to have fun on the bike, go put some miles on it http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

[fakebikerdude59]

I almost never ride above 70 mph indicated and usually peg it at about 66 indicated. I cruise in the slow lane and enjoy the scenery and I'm too cheap to pay the gas. Most of the texters, etc are fighting over the fast lane anyway. Only time it gets dicey is when they're merging on you...

[blowndodge]

two jabs in one thread! TC ya alls on a roll!!!! http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

Glad to see I have company thinking on slowin' down. Thanks for the compliment Bob! With my ironed shirts and young face I know I'm the bomb! LOL! I'm 52 so I'm feelin' it nowadays! http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

[nomad561]

I grew up riding sport and sport touring bikes but when I firgured out it more about the journey than the destination I decided to start riding cruisers.
I still see things riding my Nomad that I never noticed driving my truck.

[superduty]

I hate to say it, but I've almost quit riding to work just because I feel like I'm getting "pushed" down the interstate. Its about a 20 mile ride each way, and within the last 4 or so months I can really tell that people are getting crazier on that stretch of road. I see lots of rear-enders from people following too close.
It's become more stress than it's worth. When I do ride, I am fortunate to have a nice secondary route that more or less parallels the interstate, but it takes almost double the time. If I can't leave early so I can take my time, I find I'm just driving instead.

[dantama]

I also love to ride slow and take it easy. I'm in no hurry and like to stop and smell the roses.

I almost didn't buy a bike at all. I was swayed by a bicycle type of trike with a basket on the front, and another bigger one on the back. It would be great for grocery shopping and running all of my errands in town.

I have found that by plodding along in the slow lane, I don't get my pulse rate up. I'm able to get to where I'm going and be ready for whatever I need to do, even if it's only taking a nap.

I like to look at other nice cars when I'm riding too. I've noticed that when riding in the slow lane, I can see perhaps 500 cars go whizzing by on the left. It makes it so that you can see far more cars on any given ride. When I was traveling a little faster than all the cars, I didn't see nearly as many.

About the only drawback is losing the face to face time conversing with cops.

Low and slow, that's my motto.

[Top Cat]

two jabs in one thread! TC ya alls on a roll!!!! http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

Thanks Brad, I like to contribute to the threads when ever I have pertinent information to share. ;)

[wheelie]

I ride to work every day I can 22 miles one way mostly rural interstate. It's still fun because I'm riding. When the LW rides with me we do the two lanes and take breaks in small towns. When she asks me what time it is? I always answer,"Don't know, I ain't on a time schedule. I'm on a motorcycle."

[jonsamson]

Well again, I learned something new to try from this forum. Drive slow, hadn't done that one yet. I guess I need to go for a ride and see what it would be like to drive the speed limit not passing the cagers.

[skeeter]

Nope, straightening up curves and ignoring the danger. I go slow in the truck. Plenty of open road with little traffic and some nice challenges.

[bobhamlin]

I also love to ride slow and take it easy. I'm in no hurry and like to stop and smell the roses.

I almost didn't buy a bike at all. I was swayed by a bicycle type of trike with a basket on the front, and another bigger one on the back. It would be great for grocery shopping and running all of my errands in town.

I have found that by plodding along in the slow lane, I don't get my pulse rate up. I'm able to get to where I'm going and be ready for whatever I need to do, even if it's only taking a nap.

I like to look at other nice cars when I'm riding too. I've noticed that when riding in the slow lane, I can see perhaps 500 cars go whizzing by on the left. It makes it so that you can see far more cars on any given ride. When I was traveling a little faster than all the cars, I didn't see nearly as many.

About the only drawback is losing the face to face time conversing with cops.

Low and slow, that's my motto.
Uh. Had to go back and look at the contributor. Did we forget to use one of the emoticons? The sarcasm smiley face?
???

[cyclecat]

We do not have 'freeways' in Southern Alberta; the largest highway is the #2 headed to Calgary and it's only 2 lanes on each side. The posted speed on #2 is 110 kph or 68 mph and we very rarely even do that speed on the 4 lane. Brian and I have always enjoyed riding the Nomads; we travel at or below the posted speed limit, which is 100 kph or 62 mph and only go faster on rare occasions. We know several riders that think an enjoyable week-end ride is going 1500 miles in 2 days at 80 mph and then brag about how far they can go in 2 days. My question has always been "What did you see?" We consistently get around 45 miles to the gallon, or better, and our tires last longer than anyone we know.

The whole point to riding a 'cruiser' is to cruise; enjoy the scenery, enjoy the ride and enjoy the company your with.

[wanderer]

I've rode wilth Dan before, and he doesn't always ride fast. He also likes to take side trips to check out points of interest.

[fakebikerdude59]

The whole point to riding a 'cruiser' is to cruise; enjoy the scenery, enjoy the ride and enjoy the company your with.



Amen!

[poppy]

I commute daily 54 miles round trip and here in South Florida the safest place on I-95 during rush hour is in the HOV lane. It is away from the constant knuckleheads merging onto the road. The speed limit varies between 55 to 65mph, depending on the construction areas. Of course most cages don't do the limit, they go faster.

[Todd]

Really depends on my mood and where I am going and if I want to get there at a certain time...BUT, I did go out today and thought a bunch about this thread.....basically it was one of those just take off and see where you end up kinda Sunday rides........tuned in the exhaust note to about 60-65 indicated and cruised through country roads and eventually some mountain roads......240 miles later, I was back home.......Thanks for the reminder Brad! .. but I can't promise that I won't crank it up next time...those of you on the Devil's Tower Run at the National Rally know I dont mind opening it up now and then. ;)

[blowndodge]

I was there! I remember you speeding relentlessly!! http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

[dantama]

I also love to ride slow and take it easy. I'm in no hurry and like to stop and smell the roses.

I almost didn't buy a bike at all. I was swayed by a bicycle type of trike with a basket on the front, and another bigger one on the back. It would be great for grocery shopping and running all of my errands in town.

I have found that by plodding along in the slow lane, I don't get my pulse rate up. I'm able to get to where I'm going and be ready for whatever I need to do, even if it's only taking a nap.

I like to look at other nice cars when I'm riding too. I've noticed that when riding in the slow lane, I can see perhaps 500 cars go whizzing by on the left. It makes it so that you can see far more cars on any given ride. When I was traveling a little faster than all the cars, I didn't see nearly as many.

About the only drawback is losing the face to face time conversing with cops.

Low and slow, that's my motto.
Uh. Had to go back and look at the contributor. Did we forget to use one of the emoticons? The sarcasm smiley face?
???

Nope, I'm Mr. stop and smell the roses now ;)

We'll know if I'm serious or playing you all if I come back and cause a ruckus with a speeding ticket again :)

[waterman]

Have to agree with everyone here that taking your time is more enjoyable. However, when you have to go through western Kansas, the faster the better. ;) The longest days that I have done were close to 700 miles. Had a short time to get there and I knew the territory (flat and flatter). The worst time was getting back from ES this year. They changed the weather forecast from extremely nice to high of 40 with rain. When we saw this change on Saturday, it was a flat out race to make it back. Didn't quite make it back home to beat the storm but it was close.

Slow is more enjoyable but it is nice to know what you can do when you really have to. Just don't want to do it too often.

[macmac]

I hated riding in Cal, and St. Louis Missourri, near the city.

I don't ride like that here at all, and if i did a Moose would get me sooner or later.

There is no interstate with in a hours ride of me either, and they are all boring. When I have no choice but to ride the interstate i ride in the slow lane going slow, with an eye in the mirror.

Cagers there do anything but drive..

About the only times I go fast are short spurts where I might touch 100, and ease off once I caught up with any traffic.

Around here any road is like a channel in a river, and just because you went that way earier in the day, don't mean it will be that way later.

Might be it rained hard in a place and sand washed over the road, or maybe no rain, but logging trucks brought out a silt clay which is like talcum powder.

No can guess when the nexr Moose, deer, or bear will pop out, and the fast riders tend to find them the wrong way.

At night I thought I had it right, not passing a lead car on what amounts to be a NH Highway, but I got a lesson this past Aug..

I give myself a little more distance now.

[schoeney]

I agree the best riding is slower and relaxed...not all tensed up and on the lookout for the idiots.

The thing that amazes me about interstates (in a car or on a bike) is how everyone has forgotten the tailgaiting law.....it used to be the golden rule was leave a car length between you the car ahead of you for every 10 mph you are going...so if I am going 70 I should leave 7 car lengths in front of me....if I do that today I will get 3 cars moving into that empty space!

These idiots fill this space, get right on the bumper ahead of them even though the freeway is jam packed ahead of them....so it is not like they are going anywhere after they fill the"void".

Traffic would move better,people would get there alot sooner, and there were would be less accidents if we would all leave the "buffer".

I know I am living a pipe dream...but it is my dream...let me live it!

Now on the flip side you have the idiots that get in the fast lane and go slow and don't let anyone by them.

There is a time and place to "open it up" and ride faster (think Montana) but that is when no one is around, you are in the middle of nowhere, and the road is inviting you to get up and go.

The bottom line is proper driving is a skill and a low percentage of drivers have the skill.

[dogdoc]

+1 Schoeney: you hit the nail, alot of riders dont have the skill. Its lets ride full throttle all the time. :-)

[dank]

Sometimes I ride aggressively in spurts, but largely I enjoy 2-lane roads and rural freeways and then just flowing down the road and enjoying the ride rather than focusing on setting up each corner to go for maximum speed or racing along the freeway and perpetually looking for police. As BD indicated, I actually cover more miles that way in a day, and I end up relaxed and wanting to go again.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

On my 862 mile trip to Texas I pretty much ran 70 to 75 but there were probably 25 times more cars passed me than I passed. I bet on the trip I didn't pass more than 40 or 50 cars on the entire trip.

There was a time I wanted to be first. Whether it was a car leading a pack up or down the interstate or on one of my bikes I had to be first. I found out that troopers more than likely would always stop that first vehicle and very seldom stop one of the later ones. Now when I am driving I try to find me a rabbit to bring out the beagle (troopers) and when they are pulled over I continue on and then find me another rabbit to follow. That rocking chair position now seems to fit me about right.

One thing I will say and I haven't put on nearly as many miles on my bikes as some of you have but I have never been stopped for speeding on a bike. That is with 6000 plus miles on my current bike, The Nomad, 30000 plus on my '83 Goldwing, 11100plus on my '07 Honda VTX1300R. Can't recal how many I put on the Honda 360T or the Honda 650. Let me knock on wood and hope to continue the trend.

As age has slipped up on me I still enjoy a fast drive or ride but believe you me, I have slowed down now that I am in my second or is it third retirement.

Safe riding guys and girls. Keep the shiny side up and the dirty side down.

Gene

[dandantmm]

I just got back from a 1200 miler with 800 of that being on the interstate. Normally, I would be doing 5 over the speed limit, and I go by GPS speed, so it's accurate. This time I kept it between 65 and 68 mph...2 mph below the speed limit. Wow! Much more enjoyable, and a lot less fatigue. I have the stock lowers and my full face helmet starts to buffet around 70 mph. That's a huge leap for me because normally I'm very anal about going at least the posted speed limit, and really 5 mph over that.