Forced to improvise...

[yamahonkawazuki]

Why 35 mph ? I'm betting on them being drunk. Sorry all you normally sober cruiser types, but allot of your brethren like to booze it up and then ride slow as tar. I've seen it, it's scary.

Why 35 mph version 2 ? Because they can't ride for shaZam! ? Can't take a turn, can't lean it over without falling ? Got me.

Why 35 mph version 3 ? Because they're just plain jerks. Simple as that.

Occasionally I'll happen upon some cruisers out for a day of sun n fun on their V-noises. Most of them see you in their mirror (if they HAVE a functioning mirror) and eventually realize that the twisties are where you get closer, and allow you to pass. Some even wave. Most just appear to swear at you as you pass for whatever reason. Guess they own the road or something.

ive seen drunk sportbike riders do the same thing. others were DUMB enough to try and be a stunna' while inebriated. hell one tried to do a stoppie at a police roadblock. LOL he failed . dropped it like a bad habit

[bettingpython]

70MPH in 1st?  You upgrade to a Busa?

If your that new as riders then not blowing off the hardleys was probably the better decision, listening to me can get you in trouble.

Blech.....

Far too stable a platform for my liking. CBR954RR handles like a 600 power like a liter. Actually 70 is a stretch in first rev limiter is at 75.

Work on those hand signals.

One of the best articles I have ever read about riding in groups on the street and street riding for motorcycles. You 2 be safe and wear your gear

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/flashback/122_0911_the_pace_nick_ienatsch/index.html

[Fry]

In all my years of riding I have found one thing to be especially true, call it stereotyping or what not but multiple examples proves it out to be true in my experiences.

Most H.D. Riders have a better than thou attitude and thus ride the road like they own it, heck the act like HD ownership gives an automatic right to ride like an outlaw or H.A.

Many Many Years ago, being young and stupid I decided to call out this behavior, it didn't necessarily go all that well.

1 day while riding with my brother who at that time rode a VTX1800, we came upon 2 Billy Bad Ass's on HD's who were riding side by side at a bit more than idle. The speed limit on the road was 45MPH, road conditions were excellent, light traffic, wide lanes, desolate area. As soon as they HD Pukes saw a Jap Cruiser and Rice Rocket (GSXR750SRAD) behind them they took on a defensive, and even slower pace? Sure we pushed them a bit, rode there back tire, even signaling for them to move to the right so we could pass and maintain the speed limit, all to no avail.

Being young, dumb and full of a Come Get Me attitude, I decided to wick it up a bit. Being that the Gixxer was like riding a 2 stroke dirt bike I made the foolish mistake to lift up a wheelie at around 45MPH and split these 2 riders down the middle while my front tire was pointing to the sky, under hard acceleration. Though I didn't get to see their faces at that moment I soon would. After wheeling through them I rocketed off down the road noticing my brother crossed the double yellows when he could and was catching up to me, cool I thought. Well about 10 miles up the road I got caught behind a RV and then at a set of lights, low and behold the HD riders had upped their pace and pulled in right behind us, yelling, gesturing and out for blood. Once underway again the slow traffic allowed for them to get real close and they started kicking at our bikes and trying to run us off the road, my brother having a hot head gestured for them to pull of, and so it began, all 4 of us pull into a empty parking lot. Before I knew it my brother was off his bike and had the bigger of the 2 by the throat before he could even get his kickstand down, screaming something about if you feel frogy Jump. By this time I too was off the bike and ready to rock but now all of a sudden #2 HD rider was back talking trying to diffuse the situation, seems like HD ownership didn't give him a spine once the bike was shut down. I laid into them about blocking the road and purposefully blocking our paths and their general holier than thou attitude. I apologized for the wheelie but explained that they goaded me into it and I would do the same all over again. With the very real prospect of a beating neither of these guys were disagreeing with anything we said.

Yes I was wrong, and now I know better but these 2 squids just had that ATTITUDE, like I paid way way to much for this, I have the patch and HD jacket so be dammed to all those that challenge my HD God like status and at that moment, on that day, I wasn't going to stand for it.

It could have gone a lot worse, but it didn't....Heck I'm good friends with a few Hells Angels and have even rode a bit with them to some parties and they don't ride like tools. Sure they have their own unique attitudes but the group I rode with were completely safe and abide by the rules of the road without causing issues or riding like they own the earth. So maybe not all HD riders ride like dicks, the majority do.

[b_long_1]

Thanks for the advice and the stories guys. We always wear our gear. I probably wouldn't have in my younger wilder days. I work in a hospital and have seen the outcome of not wearing gear. No thanks! Back to the guys on cruisers, I could see the situation escalating in my mind to a situation similar to that of Fry's. The fact is I had to go to work and didn't have the time to waste on stupid people.

[DoD#i]

Jerks will be jerks. Avoiding them is good policy. The one time I had a similar situation was in a cage - and as I pulled in from finally passing the jackass that had been blocking me for 20 miles, Mr. State Trooper comes along the other way and clocks me. Didn't give a rat's ass about the behavior of the idiot that was going 30 in a 55 except anytime when I tried to pass. Gave me a nice fat ticket. Turn around and go a different way...

Most of the HD folks around here don't fit the "rice-hating drooling idiot" stereotype. Get a few non-wavers, but heck, sometimes I'm busy and don't manage a wave, either. Mostly I do, and they do, and we get along just fine. Had one on either side in the inspection station this spring - both perfectly nice guys.

[Fry]

I never got the Wave thing myself?

I understand the common bond, but when I'm out on the bike I could give a flying F*** about any other person or the mode of transportation or enjoyment they partake in, but hey thats just me. Plus you get that Icky feeling when you bust out a half assed wave, and get none in return....

[DoD#i]

I think waving falls in the "If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand..." category.

(the original, rather than the co-opting as a marketing slogan).

[Fry]

Hair in the wind, the bonding with the machine, feelling in tune with each and every curve in the road, sharing a right of passage that only some try, yeah I get that part, but generally speaking I'm not a joyous person.

[b_long_1]

I got into a similar situation in a cage one time. I did the same thing just got past an idiot doing 30 in a 55 and waiting was a cop. He wasn't a state patrol but a town cop. He busted me for 70. I was just passing through and thought I'll never be in this town again so I decided not to pay the ticket or appear in their little court. I later decided to pay when they sent me a notice in the mail that a warrant had been issued for my arrest.