Etiquette in the twisties?

[DoubleEagle]

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.

I only strafe the H-D riders since they never wave me to pass.

So I drop it down a couple of cogs and one time I hit a stretch of about 1/2 mile of broken yellow line and passed 10-12 of them in one pass..must have been going 135 mph when I passed the last one and didn't slow down much below 85 mph for the next 10 miles so I never saw them again.

Besides I turned on another road and they probably stayed on the HWY still going 55 mph.

They ride in groups , sometimes as many as 20 or more and they can hold up the whole works.

Fine , but I'm not riding 55 mph all day ...I'm on a Mission from ..God !

I love to strafe them H-Ds....

Good thing we have conceal carry , lest I break and along they come and want to start shit....

Dolph     

[Drjones]

It is the responsibility of the faster vehicle to make a safe pass.  The thing you need to do is hold your line so the overtaker doesn't have to guess where you're going.  Only move to the right and wave them by on straights and if you're comfortable with the situation.

[The Bearded Duc]

Good thing we have conceal carry , lest I break and along they come and want to start shit....

Dolph     

I guess that's one way to look at it.    

You pass, scare the shit out of someone and assuming they don't crash they find you at the next stop to let you know and you threaten them with a gun. A sure fire way to keep up that stupid motorcycle camaraderie we have.


To the OP, what Spidey said is probably both the safest and smartest way to handle yourself on just about any road! Above all else, remember to have fun!

Ride safe.

[DoubleEagle]

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.

I understand what you're saying.

Let me try one more time to give you a picture of what it's like where I ride for the most part.

Unlike many of you I get as far away from civilization as I can. I always ride alone.

I live minutes from hills, valleys, ridges and most importantly ...forests.

If I go riding during the early part of the week , chances are I might not see in 150-175 miles ,  10 other motorcycles going in either direction.

May be 1 -2 or no Police cars  ( except when I have to go to a small town for gas ).

What I do see are Logging trucks , just a few, Coal trucks, just a few, may be some Deer or a wild Turkey or 2..

During the height of Tourist season I ride through many State Parks and there is traffic , RVs, and the Parks Rangers.

I take it easy inside the Parks.

Due to the Parks , and B & Bs , there is a good amount of Tourism , therefore the roads in the surrounding areas are very good pavement wise.

Several of the Parks are in National Forests.

There I can ride my ride.

I encounter very little traffic and can ride fast without scaring others but myself.

Every time I go out to ride , I go out with the intent to better myself from the last time I rode.

I have a series of roads that I can ride in combonations that I have ridden many times so I have them memorized and practice my lines and over the last 3 years have been able to increase my speed in the corners from practicing and watching DVDS and reading up on techniques and then going out and practicing more.

I pretty much know my limits on each of my bikes and keep them in tip top shape.

I wear ATTGATT for what that's worth.

Saved a lot of skin in the past but not broken bones.

I hope I've learned from some aweful painful mistakes once 3 years ago in the Spring w, my 1st Ducati , and then again it the Fall of 2009.

I'm not anywhere near a perfect rider ..nor the fastest rider but I think I do alright for what it is I like to do.

I'm sure there are those who have never seen me ride that would debate my skills.

I see so very few begining riders out in the forest where I spend my time.

I can usually tell.

If someone is going slow and brakes on the slightest down grade , then I know they don't feel comfortable w, their bike yet.

I hardly ever use the brake except to stop.

I let the engine brake for me.

Gonig down hills , I'm usually gunning it no matter the steepness of the grade.

When I 1st got my Monster S4Rs , I was scared to go down steep hills..now I relish them, what easier way to pick up speed easier on the gas !

Don't ride as I do.

I am the exception, not the rule.

It's the way I've lived my whole life !

My way .

Dolph      [moto]

[Slide Panda]

As mentioned, there's a lot of pull off areas in that, erm, area. If someone seems liek they want by, just avail yourself of the next one that's reasonable.

And of course, if it's a bike your can pull right and wave them on in a section that's safe (straightish) to do so. Though if you're in the twisty part of the dragon, there's really no place for that - just the pull offs

[duc996]

Ride your ride and let the fast guys go fast

[pennyrobber]

Simple is better. Hold your line in corners, concentrate and be safe. If you notice someone behind you, they can wait. On straits, move to the right and wave them by.

[Buckethead]

Simple is better. Hold your line in corners, concentrate and be safe. If you notice someone behind you, they can wait. On straits, move to the right and wave them by.

Yut! 

[bikepilot]

I agree, be safe in the corners but make it easy for another to pass you safely on the straights.  From the perspective of a sorta-fast guy the absolute worst is being stuck behind someone who parks it in the corners then blasts down the straights.  Hard to pass someone like that in a friendly/safe manner, but boring as heck being stuck behind...

I'd say the same goes for cages too.  If you get a fast cage behind you on the dragon they'll usually make a pass, how clean the pass is just depends on how easy you make it on them.  I've found that many cages return the favor and move over to let you pass if you catch them.

I generally only ride the dragon in bad weather - that weeds out the noobs and there usually aren't cops. Otherwise its too crowded.

If you see a local-looking guy on a white 848 tuck in behind him and learn - he's darn good and knows that road extremely well.

[Monster Dave]

It's a public road...not a race track. Treat it as such and have a nice ride.

[CairnsDuc]

I always thought with H-D riders, they never wave you past for the simple reason that for the Majority of H-D riders if they
remove a hand from the Bars, even for a split second, they will Crash. or... Is that BMW Riders? 

[Artful]

I always thought with H-D riders, they never wave you past for the simple reason that for the Majority of H-D riders if they
remove a hand from the Bars, even for a split second, they will Crash. or... Is that BMW Riders? 

Unlike Ducati riders, we're practiced at riding one handed. How else are we supposed to hold our Starbucks?

[DoubleEagle]

I always thought with H-D riders, they never wave you past for the simple reason that for the Majority of H-D riders if they
remove a hand from the Bars, even for a split second, they will Crash. or... Is that BMW Riders? 

I see a lot of H-D riders w, their left hand on their left thigh.   

Dolph     

[DoubleEagle]

I guess that's one way to look at it.    

You pass, scare the shit out of someone and assuming they don't crash they find you at the next stop to let you know and you threaten them with a gun. A sure fire way to keep up that stupid motorcycle camaraderie we have.

I think I was misunderstood .

I believe I said that if my bike broke after I had strafed a group of H-D riders and they stopped and STARTED something I would be glad I was carrying.

Meaning self defense...not ME threatening ANYBODY .

Dolph

[LA]

Like Artful said, there are better roads to ride in that area.  Cherohala and the rest of 28 below the Dragon is great.  I live on 28 down in South Carolina and from where I live all the way to the Dragon is some of the best highway in the country.  Too many crazy people who are gunning to be the fastest on the Dragon to suit me.  Hell all the highways in that area are great riding.

Like many have said ride your own ride and don't worry so much about who's behind, but do check out the mirrors once and a while.

Google the roads in the area. This is like the Garden of Eden, most of it temperate rain forest, with a racetrack running through it. Mind you now, I'm not condoning exceeding the speed limit. 

LA

http://www.cherohala.com/