Etiquette in the twisties?

[Timmy Tucker]

I feel make the beast with two backsing ignorant for asking this but it's a completely new scenario for me. I ride a fair bit of twisties, but I'm slow as shit. I have no desire to wick it up until I get better gear and proper healthcare. I also mostly ride alone and in places where I encounter very few other vehicles. I'm generally faster than any cagers around but a retarded monkey on a Burgman could smoke my ass in the twisties.

That said, me and another dude are gonna be riding the Dragon on Fri morning. He's on a Harley, I'm on the monster. It's a safe bet that we will be the 2 slowest dudes out there. What's the safest and most polite way to handle the riotous crowds wanting to get around us? I understand the whole "ride your own ride" thing, but I don't want to be an inconsiderate ass to others.

[zarn02]

I've no idea if there's a "proper way" to handle that.

My own policy is to keep far enough right so that riders who know what they're doing can pass safely.

I suppose the flip-side of that is that it might invite jerkasses in cars to do the same, only much less safely.

[Spidey]

Here's what I do on well-populated roads.  YMMV.



Ride your ride, but make sure you check your six regularly.  Not so much that you're not looking where you are going or are too worried about everyone behind you, but use your mirrors.  

If someone is coming up on you fast or is already on you, indicate that you know they are there.  I throw up a hand to say hi or something like that.  When it's safe, move to the right to let them pass.  You can tell them (with hand guestures) to hold on or to pass.  When there's a good place to pass, wave 'em by.  If they don't take it, do it once more at another time.  If they don't take it the second, then don't worry about them.  Or just pull over the next chance you get if that makes you feel more comfy.  People will either be cool and wait, in which case this will all work perfectly, or they'll be dicks and might even try to pass you before you know they're there.  If they're dicks, you're allowed to kick them off their bike and into opposing traffic.  

When you're not letting someone pass, stay in the middle of the lane.  If you stay to the right, someone will take it upon themselves to pass you.  Remember that it's up to the folks who pass to pass safely.  That said, don't rely on that fact.  Expect someone to scare the shit out of you.

Let me reiterate what I said initially.  Don't spend the entire time thinking about what's going on behind you.  Look forward and ride your ride.  But make sure you check behind you occassionally to let faster (or dumber or both) riders past.  

Edit:  work out some system with your Harley buddy ahead of time so that you each know what you're doing.  Otherwise, it's gonna be a clustermake the beast with two backs as faster riders try to get by both of you at once or get caught up in between the two of you.  

[Artful]

I'm a Gap vet and the answer is easy. If it's a bike pull to the right side of the lane on a straight stretch and wave them past. If it's a car there are multiple (finally) freshly paved pulloffs. You'll get a thank you wave almost every time. Odds are good you'll be shocked, you might think you're slow until you come up behind the guy going so slow you don't know how he keeps the billet barge upright. He wont pull over. Seven years of riding the Gap and I always manage to find that guy...

[iRam]

ride your ride. its the passers responsibility to pass safely. it helps if you have room to give way, but do so without compromising your safety.

[Timmy Tucker]

billet barge

Never heard that one before.

If they're dicks, you're allowed to kick them off their bike and into opposing traffic.

I can see it now... "But officer, some lawyer on the internet said I could!"

[DoubleEagle]

I find this situation... quite different.

I'm the one that's always doing the passing , I just look for an opening and go.

I shouldn't think it much bothers the rider I'm passing...since I'm by in a blink .

I don't tail gate if at all possible .

I'm there....then gone.

Don't worry about it.

Although, that's probably the last place I'd go this weekend to ride in that area.

Way too much traffic.

Dolph     [moto]

.

[Artful]

There IS pretty heavy traffic down there, though this weekend is early enough that it should be comparatively light. That being said, do yourself a favor and hit the Cherohala Skyway and NC 28 as well. They're arguably better roads (the Skyway is my favorite) and traffic is MUCH lighter.

For 28 just make the left at the resort. Great stretch of road and is as long as you feel like riding. Make the right towards Robbinsville and it'll dump back on the NC side of the Tail.

For the Skyway head down past the end of the Tail on 129 and watch for signs on your right (or left if you just followed my directions from 28). Gas up before hitting the Skyway at the new station (Chevron I think? It's red, white, and blue) then at the end of the Skyway make the right to get on 360. Stay on 360 (there are a few turns to make, one is a T that is poorly marked, turn left) until 411, make a right on 411 then another right in about 15-20 miles to get back on 129 and do the Tail again.

And Dolph I'm sure you're a great rider and do your best to respect the road rights of others but passing down there is a stupid endeavor. The turns are incredibly tight and blind, and you don't know the skill level of the person you are passing. Sure you might not even come close to them, but if they don't know you are there and you blast by them without much warning you have to worry about spooking them and making them make mistakes. Especially someone that is already way above their skill level. All it takes is one extra stimuli and they're off the side. Wait until they know you are there, and give them a headlight flash before you just blow by them.

[Kopfjager]

I'm the one that's always doing the passing , I just look for an opening and go.

I shouldn't think it much bothers the rider I'm passing...since I'm by in a blink .

Speed Racer. 

[Spidey]

I shouldn't think it much bothers the rider I'm passing...since I'm by in a blink .

<boo>  <hiss>  I assume you're traveling too quickly to see whether you just caused a new--and skittish--rider to plow into a tree by blowing by him at mach 3.      

Riding like nob is one thing.  make the beast with two backsing with others is an entirely different animal. 

[Privateer]

I'm the one that's always doing the passing , I just look for an opening and go.

I shouldn't think it much bothers the rider I'm passing...since I'm by in a blink .

I'm one of the slow guys you're passing.  I don't mind being passed as long as you don't buzz me like Maverick in Top Gun buzzing the tower.

If you do it in a stupid spot or get way too close to me, it does bother me.  When us slow people are in our groove, riding our pace and someone goes by like a f-18, it can be unnerving.

something to consider.

[Mozella]

A week ago I was coming home on my Monster.  It was dry and sunny for a change so when I hit the 3km dead straight stretch of two lane road, I cranked 'er up to 160kph and held it there.  I was looking ahead for the police, dogs, pot holes, and other dangerous stuff rather than checking my mirrors figuring that nobody would be catching me at that speed.  The limit is marked at 70kph in that area.

I was startled to see a guy on a BMW passing me at what must have been at least 200kph.  That's OK, but he was a little close for my tastes.  This is a wide two lane; wide enough so that the typical low powered car most folks drive here in Italy can easily go three wide so as to cut a little slack to the guy doing the passing.  Of course, in the U.S. this sort of three wide maneuver would cause a 28 car pile up.  But here in Italy everyone just slides over a bit and the guy caught out, just straddles the center line, takes no more room than necessary, and life goes on as usual.  Nobody lifts, slams on the brakes, honks their horn, shoots the bird, or anything else.  It's simply the way things are done.

So, all this is fine with me, but on a nice wide road like this why was it necessary for the guy in the BMW to nearly brush my left ankle with his right-side valve cover?  I guess he thought it was funny to see my little Ducati put-putting along at a measly 160 and wanted to show me how the old Youth Corps still has the right stuff.  Who knows, but it was not funny to me.  Interesting, but not funny.

[DoubleEagle]

There IS pretty heavy traffic down there, though this weekend is early enough that it should be comparatively light. That being said, do yourself a favor and hit the Cherohala Skyway and NC 28 as well. They're arguably better roads (the Skyway is my favorite) and traffic is MUCH lighter.

For 28 just make the left at the resort. Great stretch of road and is as long as you feel like riding. Make the right towards Robbinsville and it'll dump back on the NC side of the Tail.

For the Skyway head down past the end of the Tail on 129 and watch for signs on your right (or left if you just followed my directions from 28). Gas up before hitting the Skyway at the new station (Chevron I think? It's red, white, and blue) then at the end of the Skyway make the right to get on 360. Stay on 360 (there are a few turns to make, one is a T that is poorly marked, turn left) until 411, make a right on 411 then another right in about 15-20 miles to get back on 129 and do the Tail again.

And Dolph I'm sure you're a great rider and do your best to respect the road rights of others but passing down there is a stupid endeavor. The turns are incredibly tight and blind, and you don't know the skill level of the person you are passing. Sure you might not even come close to them, but if they don't know you are there and you blast by them without much warning you have to worry about spooking them and making them make mistakes. Especially someone that is already way above their skill level. All it takes is one extra stimuli and they're off the side. Wait until they know you are there, and give them a headlight flash before you just blow by them.

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that I would ride like that on the " Tail " because I have no desire to ride the " Tail . "

My riding is about finding the roads w, the least amount of traffic so I CAN ride my ride.

The " Tail " is totally not my kind of ride. '' I like the fast and technical roads ...not slow and technical roads ."

Dolph     [moto]

[DoubleEagle]

Speed Racer. 

You rang ?

Dolph   

[DoubleEagle]

<boo>  <hiss>  I assume you're traveling too quickly to see whether you just caused a new--and skittish--rider to plow into a tree by blowing by him at mach 3.      

Riding like nob is one thing.  make the beast with two backsing with others is an entirely different animal. 

I pass on straights ..even if they are very short in length.

They know I'm coming..they can see my lights and I go very wide.

Most riders once they see my lights motion for me to go around .

It's like ...well he wasn't there a second ago , he must be going fast , I think I'll motion him to pass. ( except the H-Ds ).

Dolph