New-to-me RT

[Sportrider]

Funny blog about recent RT purchase:

http://ridersrecycle.com/blog/this-a...ads-gold-wing/

[twinsig]

One of my buds at work and I are planning a few north Alabama rides (he's on harley) so I ask him,

"about how fast do you ride?"

"Well, if the speed limit is 55 I do about 55 or 60, and if its 70 I do about 75 maybe 80 if Im gettin boxed-in".

"Huh?" (thinking to myself.)

I honestly do know if I can do it, good guy, good friend, but could be way too boring if I play-nice and just cruise along (in 4th-5th). Usually within seconds I'm at 70+ and in 6th on almost every road then sometimes I "wake-up" and whoa it down looking for the nice Police people. You know with their new motto, to Observe and Collect!

And what is it with the Hardly group rides doing 40 in a 45 zone? I don't get it. When I cant pass I just gear down and try to stay awake.

[jconway607]

For once I am with the Harley rider on this one. If I wanted to ride at 90 mph everywhere I went, I'd buy a crotch rocket and be done with it. 70+ on most roads seems to me to be needlessly dangerous, and pointless to boot. I guess I don't see my riding as a constant race to get somewhere a few minutes sooner. The Harley guy is saying he'd ride at about 5 mph above the speed limit. That's what everyone does, so he stays up with traffic, avoids expensive tickets and points on his license (with attending insurance problems), and enjoys the ride. It doesn't seem unreasonable. But if you are dozing off at 70, you will probably be unhappy riding with him. If speed is the goal, sounds like you need to find a much faster crowd to run with.

I think I am beginning to understand Harley riders better. They are not BMW riders. Harley people are most often not going that far, so it's not a rush thing. Slower speed helps their short mileage rides take longer. They seem to love riding in groups, preferably in areas where there are lots of people. They're a very social bunch.

I constantly deal with people in cars who are racing from one stop light to another, snaking in and out of lanes to gain a second, and generally driving like jerks. If I start doing that on my motorcycle, I figure I'll be dead in a year or two.

[26667]

went for a sunday morning ride to the local breakfast/ MC hangout with two harley guys a couple weeks ago. We were always under the speed limit ...not my usual mode, and I had a ball riding with them. I could hear their tunes at stop lights. We made no effort to time the lights, chatted a little at each stop, admired each others' bikes and la dee da.
It was a nice ride.

Last summer on my three week trip from Chgo to SFO, LA, SFO and back, one reason and another, I was forced onto the slab almost all the way. I saw only a couple BMW riders in three weeks. Harleys out the kazoo, mostly wearing helmets and often blowing past me at something better than 75 mph. Kinda makes me want one.

Ridng downtown Chgo on my R1100RT, even after all these years, makes me feel a little squirrely, and so I ride extra cautiously. The Harley people seem like they belong on Michigan Ave or State Street. Is it because they look like two-wheeled trucks and you couldn't knock one over if you tried?

[Delaware.Dave]

Well, as a rider of both an R1100RT and a full dresser Harley, I feel qualified to post a comment here.

I like both bikes and I'd hate to choose one over the other. They are very different animals. I ride them differently, but I respect them equally. Those riders who think Harleys are slow, short-range bikes are woefully mistaken. I leave the BMW behind if I plan to ride more than a two hundred mile radius from home. Granted, the BMW is light, nimble, and fast, but the Harley is preferable on a multi-day trip of a few thousand miles. The dresser won't carve up the canyon roads like the RT, but then the dresser is appointed with bigger bags, ABS Brembos, 6 gallon tank, cruise control, heated grips, GPS/radio/mp3/CB/intercom/SiriusXM. The 103cu inch engine really launches the bike and a new frame (since 2009) makes it taught and sporty.

The RT, at half the weight, is a great daily rider and fun on the back roads. Also with ABS and heated grips, I'm comfortable riding 12 months of the year.

Since I commute most days on a bike, I have to contend with the ignorant, negligent, and road-raging cagers with a cell phone in one hand and an Egg McMuffin in the other. I generally ride 5 MPH faster than the surrounding traffic, but will keep my distance from the packs of cars, either by putting the spurs to her, or by holding back, depending on the situation.

If a motorcycle owner continues to complain about his ride, I might suspect that it's the rider that didn't select the right mount for his needs. As they say, "There is an ass for every seat."

[martinph]

Dave, that's a very good post. Thank you.