cygnusx1 Posted April 27, 2005 Share Posted April 27, 2005 I was cruising home from work on these beautiful country roads yesterday in my Z when a sport-touring bike started tailgating me. We were all alone and I was cruising a little bit over the speed limit. He decided to cross the double yellow and pass me on the straight. I let him go around me safely and then he gunned the bike as the twisties approached. I let him pull about 5 car lengths and then I floored it. He dove into the turns with a heavy lean. By the third turn I had caught him and I was backing off to keep from plowing him over. I was only at about 80% handling and had no trouble staying with him. He was trying to pull away but he couldn't shake me. All of a sudden, I could tell that there was nothing left in the bike as he was drifting towards a corner exit on the OTHER side of the double yellow. The bike was drifting too far out. A car was coming into the turn from the other direction and he was drifting towards it. I backed off anticipating the worse. Fortunately, the other driver was "awake" and swerved to clear a run-off path for the bike. I backed off and felt a bit guilty for having pushed this biker nearly beyond safe limits. He continued to jam but I just sat back and returned to safe speeds. Thankfully, nobody got hurt and I learned another lesson. I hope he did too. I really need to get back to the track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2126 Posted April 27, 2005 Share Posted April 27, 2005 I wouldn't feel guilty about it....you certainly didn't twist his throttle for him and you didn't cause him to run wide in the corner!!! And if by chance you do have the ability to control things....I'd love to have you use your gift to magically breath more HP into my engine. Sounds like the guy just got in over his head. Live and learn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted April 27, 2005 Share Posted April 27, 2005 Bikes can't pull sustained G's in a turn like a well set up car can. Of course bikes are hard to beat accelerating out of the corners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted April 27, 2005 Share Posted April 27, 2005 There is a misconception among some sport bike riders that because they are riding superior machines that they magically posses those superior skills... I know of a hand full of motorcyclists who can put a knee down safely and execute maximum corner speed without leaving their lane or putting someone else in jeapordy. I won a case of beer on a bet that I couldn't do just this... But most guys (Or gals) simply don't take the time to learn to ride properly, get into a slugfest with someone who can drive a car, and come up on the losing end... That guy will tell that story to his closest friends some time down the road when his ego heals up... Good job on recognizing the red mist and backing off. After my stint in court last week, I sold my bike and track day parts... I'm done motorcycling for now... and done with any form of tagged street legal sport bikes... i'll own a track speicific bike, but never a tagged and legal one again. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2126 Posted April 27, 2005 Share Posted April 27, 2005 Bikes can't pull sustained G's in a turn like a well set up car can. Of course bikes are hard to beat accelerating out of the corners. Have that discussion with Valentino Rossi or Matt Maladin!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_hunt Posted April 28, 2005 Share Posted April 28, 2005 Mike, just admit it.... You are an outlaw, you have a spirit that cannot be held back. Remember it's only illegal if you get caught and it's only legal at the track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted April 28, 2005 Share Posted April 28, 2005 Actually, I was growing more and more concerned that you guys would eventually have someone post my obituary. I got my motorcycle driver's license at 16 and have never been down on a motorcycle... I've been riding on and off for 22 years on the street, have bounced off the rear fender of one truck in a rain storm at 20mph, not falling, Bounced off TWO cows once (Saved by the crashbars on the bike) and bounced off a guardrail, riding it to a stop as I went around the onramp when a rear tire blew out... But in all that, over all that time, I've never hit pavement on a motorcycle... And I've never gotten a ticket on a motorcycle and I've been well over 170mph (Speedo indicated so who knows what the real speed was) on this last demon that I just sold... It simply was a matter of time. I'm spending all my extra money these days on track days and prepping the Z to finish it up, which was making me look harder at HOW I was riding on the street...Mind you, I'm not some squid who does stand up wheelies or stoppies, or in general acts up in congested area... No, I'm getting as far away from civilization as I can when I'd go ride. At 38, I don't think I want to go like that... Not on some motorcycle riding hard on the street... I was suiting up in full leathers, back brace, hard armor, knee sliders, and preparing for battle every time I went out... It was just a matter of time...I wasn't getting on the track on the bike... It was gonna be a bad get off... BIG yardsale/ parts explosion... Glad it's gone... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted April 28, 2005 Share Posted April 28, 2005 prepairing for battle That's a good way to put it mike. I always loved riding, mostly cruzers, but after being on the receiving end of road rage from some BAMF in his car while on my bike, it had to go. He was upset because I was riding the SPEED LIMIT in a construction zone and then continued to ride my *** w/in 1-2ft for the next 3 miles. Couln't get away w/ all the traffic, I had never felt THAT helpless and vulnerable before, and it really just killed the whole riding thing for me. I miss it but like you say, it's just a matter of time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olie05 Posted April 28, 2005 Share Posted April 28, 2005 That's a good way to put it mike. I always loved riding, mostly cruzers, but after being on the receiving end of road rage from some BAMF in his car while on my bike, it had to go. He was upset because I was riding the SPEED LIMIT in a construction zone and then continued to ride my *** w/in 1-2ft for the next 3 miles. Couln't get away w/ all the traffic, I had never felt THAT helpless and vulnerable before, and it really just killed the whole riding thing for me. I miss it but like you say, it's just a matter of time... That happens to me everyday with SUV drivers, but i'm not on a motorcycle. For some reason they think that z's don't exist because they are so small and they tend to look right over my car. For a while i considered putting my rear bumper back on. I'm actually considering getting a motorcycle for nice days to commute to school next year. maybe save some money on gas, and have fun while i'm at it. I want to start on a 250cc bike and learn how to handle it well. Hopefully it won't get me into too much trouble. -Oliver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted April 28, 2005 Share Posted April 28, 2005 Have that discussion with Valentino Rossi or Matt Maladin!!! Sure. Doesn't really matter who the rider is. More an issue of physics. http://www.msgroup.org/forums/mtt/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=73 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2126 Posted April 28, 2005 Share Posted April 28, 2005 Sure. Doesn't really matter who the rider is. More an issue of physics. http://www.msgroup.org/forums/mtt/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=73 You are absolutely correct about the physics of it all.......I guess you didn't see the humor in my comment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 I wasn't particularly impressed with Rossi up until he left honda and went with Yamaha... That was when the mastery of his style and capabilities came to light for me... I always thought that he was getting the best gear over Max and other Honda support riders, until he left and went to an underpowered, underfunded team... And cleaned HOUSE! Rossi is Quite possibly the most talented rider of our time. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jersey Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 You probably did him a favor cygn. He probably sh*t his pants and hopefully realized afterword that he was way in over his head at that moment and will remember it the next time. I sold my cbr900rr last year, basically for the same reason Mike did. I've ridden motorcycles since i was 5 and this RR was just set up so perfectly for me. This was my 6th sportbike, but felt like an extention of my body it was so nice. Each day i had the bike out i'd take this one of ramp that had a nice long rolling curve that was pitched just right. Each and every time i'd push it just a little more it seemed. Felt like i was going to scrape the tank sometimes. One day while pushing it, and myself, real hard around that turn, the thought of "i wonder what would happen in this turn when that front washes or if the rear breaks loose really far?" Well, i came out of it fine, went home parked the bike in the garage for a week and was freaked out about that thought. Never did i think like that. A week later, i took the bike out on a perfect sunny day, came to that same turn, laying into it and that damn thought came right back. Went home, parked the bike out front and put a "for sale" sign on it. That was it. I knew if i was thinking that way, it was bound to happen sooner or later. I'm not sure why it happened, maybe because my wife was pregnant with our 3rd or, just hitting that age (37) but, i'm glad it did because i'm still here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_hunt Posted April 29, 2005 Share Posted April 29, 2005 I've ridden bikes, had a Suzuki GS750, KZ900Z1 back in '76, Yamaha YZ490, and a CR250R. Had alot of friends that didn't make it for some stupid reason. Did my fair share of being stupid, just didn't get caught by fate in my stupid moments. Bikes are great, they have their place, in an amongst cars is not one of them, you'll loose a confrontation with a vehicle everytime. Counting now, I've lost 9 friends to bike accidents, 5 were the fault of other drivers, 4 involved excessive speed. Of the 5 that were other drivers faults, all got basically run over from the side or behind by other vehicles. They just aren't as safe as a vehicle that has steel wrapped around you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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