Motorcycle safety vs bicycles
 

Often on my early Sunday morning rides through the local hills and twisties near my home, I pass bicyclists in pairs or groups, huffing and puffing their way up the hills. For me, one of the funnest things about riding my Superhawk is to slow down when approaching the bicyclists from behind, loudly down shifting, then scream by as loud and fast as I can, leaving them breathing my dust and exhaust.

Cruel? Oh stop it. Don't be so judgmental. You do the same thing, just admit it.

I understand that statistically riding a bicycle is much safer than riding a motorcycle per million miles on the road, but with my full leathers with built-in armor, boots, gloves and a full-face helmet, I feel MUCH safer riding on a motorcycle with the traffic than I would to be on a bicycle with just a T-shirt, tight black spandex shorts, running shoes and a thin, little helmet for "protection" while 1 1/2 ton vehicles fly by 18" from my elbow.

when i was out in Denver area over the 4th on the VTX this year, they were everywhere...a couple times i thought about stealing a water bottle or power bar out of their little back pocket in the jersey :D

I train 200 miles a week on a bicycle to stay in shape for roadracing my motorcycle. How could you guys be so ignorant of the plight of 2 wheelers on the road when you ARE ONE? Do you despise dirt bikes because they are different? I bet there are some fat smelly truckers on a forum somewhere talking about how they love swerving into motorcyclists in the rain, especially if they are broken down on the side of the road. Nice awareness guys, kind of embarassing to this forum. (and superhawkers, but I guess they will sell them to anyone)

Don't judge all of us by one person who started this thread with his second post, or maybe it was his first.

ya i was a sponsered trials rider, 2 wheels is 2 wheels, respect them on the road

Do you give lessons now? That is some amazing skill.

no i havent been back on a bike since my wreck on my monster. Broke femur, ripped ligaments, so on and so on. After my next surgery i need, to be able to move my leg, I might get back at it.

+1 I train a couple hundred km's a week as well. I understand that cars can be assholes because some people can't drive well enough to give even a bicycle some room. But to intentionally try to f@#k with someones life is just stupid. I have a wife and kids and a job. I don't go out on my bike to have some ass put that in jeopardy for fun. Be a man, slow down cruise by and wave.

That type of behavior is the essence of the attitude commonly known as "squidliness". :squid: Anytime there are slow moving vehicles, pedestrians, or disabled vehicles near the roadway it is wise to SLOW DOWN and cruise by carefully while giving as much room as possible. Besides, some of those bicyclists are hot females... may be worth an extended look.

By the way, welcome to the forum!! Things are worth discussing around here.

+1

Like everyone else said, no need to be a dick to people like that.

I totally agree. I ride plenty of miles on my bicycles on the road and in the dirt. Will ride seven days a week if I can. If it has two wheels I am into it. Riding my bike on the road makes me a better rider and riding my Hawk makes me a better driver. I see the road and what is happening around me better and faster. I am more alert and in tune to my surroundings. Riding a bike and motorcycle on the road makes me more empathatiic to those on the road doing the same. A squid on a bike is most likely a squid in life, whether riding a bicycle or motorcyle. Hopefully the squids can come here and learn a few things.

I actually started out racing mountain bikes and training a lot on the road bike before i ever got a motorcycle. I agree with the "two wheels is two wheels" statement. be nice to the cyclists.

+1 more, if you have ever had someone blaze past you at 100mph when you are on your bike you would understand how mean and rude it is, not to mention dangerous.

Oh and back to the safety issue I ride both on the street and actually I feel that I have more close calls on a bicycle than on my hawk.

I usually will slow down, move over, and pedal my legs as I go by. Kinda poking fun, but still respecting their space on the road.

I agree, it is not only rude but dangerous to fly by bicyclists or joggers on the road, which is why, as I said, I slow down with loud down shifts so they know someone is coming up behind them. Only after I safely pass do I zip away. I think most motorcyclists do the same thing. It's mostly the inconsiderate people in the cars and truck that fly by 18" from the bicyclists' elbows that pose the greatest threat.

even when i'm in my truck, i make it a point to move over for runners/cyclists. i've racked up plenty of miles pedaling and know how unnerving it is to almost be clipped by cars coming up behind you. i think it could be argued that riding a bike on the road is more dangerous than riding a motorcycle is certain cases given you arent moving at the speed of traffic and are more of an obstacle than part of the flow.

My very first job was working at a bike shop and the majority of guys that i worked with now have motorcycles. What non-cyclists need to keep in mind is that a lot of pedalers are moto riders and vice versa. I'm very cautious when passing dog walkers, bikers, and hikers. Share the road!

I think the core question here is about relative safety.
I've ridden road bikes for many years and never been hit by a car. But I have seen many signs of aggression from ignorami behind the wheel.

Overall, I feel more safe on a motorcycle, because nobody is coming up behind me at 3-5times my travel speed on a twisity road.

There are people who secretly would like to wipe a bicyclist off the road. That's dangerous.

My big problem is with bicycles is that when a vehicle or motorcycle approachs, most of them do not give the right of way. They think they have just as much right to ride in the middle of the lane as someone who is in a car or on a motorcycle. MY feelings, if you want to ride your bike like that, then you should have to register it with the freaking dmv like the rest of have to. So until that happens, 80 mph flybys on these bozos will still get a smile out of me.

OK, so squids 2, intelligent bikers 12. Plus one repentant squid after peer pressure. Its our job to edumacate our brothers. What goes around comes around.

I don't think that flying by is the right answer.

I do have this gripe. As I understand it, if they are riding on the road, they have to obey all the laws of said road. To include; obeying traffic signals and using hand signals to name a few.

Rarely, if ever, do I see bicyclists use hand signlas. More often than not, I see bicyclists blow through stop signs, just because they don't want unclip from their pedals.

So I have mixed feelings. I won't intentionally endanger them, but they piss me off by flagrantly breaking laws.

Joe, after doing that :lame: move why not wait on the cyclist at the next stop sign and ask him what he thought about you doing that. My money is on the cyclist to whip your a$$!

I ride both road bikes and MTBs and would love to see just one moron stop after pulling something like that...don't get me started!
:protest:

I do not know the laws of your state(consult your Rules of the Road booklet) but in Texas cyclists do have a legal right to be on the road. It is the legal responsibility of the driver to safely pass the rider and give the rider a half lane of cushion. The cyclists is allowed as much lane as deemed safe while remaining as far to the right as possible. I won't ride with people who disregard the laws whether on bicycles or motorcycles, Or with anyone who thinks they can be a squid just because they can.

am i one of the 2 squids for wanting that power bar? :evillaugh:

Dude, you can pull up beside me in a nice mannor any day and I'll give you a powerbar, but don't ask for my BANANA!
:woo:

Hawkrider, this goes back to my complaint then.

They want their cake and to eat it too. They want the privileges of being on the road, but they aren't observing the most basic of laws.

Which "most basic of laws" are you referring to? All you mention is that they are riding on the road, which they are allowed to do. Now if they are blowing stopsigns and such, that is different. But there are motorcyclists that do the same thing, not all motorcyclists, so do we comdemn all motorcyclists? Now you are getting in the company of the cagers who hate all motorcyclists because of the squids who wheelie on city streets and run 120 down city highways.

I reread your post and I replied too hastily. Blowing stopsigns so as not to unclip is unacceptable, if there are cars present. When I approach an intersection, if there are no cars, I slow down make sure it is clear and I will roll it. Not because I like blowing stopsigns but to get throught the intersection as soon/fast as possible. Being in the middle of an intersection as short a time as possible is the safest thing for me. If there are cars anywhere close I stop and proceed when it is safe. I am in a no win situation when it comes to a car/bike collison. Where I ride I know all the roads, intersections and most of the drivers/cars by sight. I signal for my own safety most of the time. I don't want to surprise anyone because in the end the surprise will be on me. The drivers where I ride are nothing but courteous and nice, but at the same time I am the same. Even the cops watch me roll through stop signs or red lights. Red lights are a little different. I know the sequences and when it is safe to cross when I have a red, but again I want to get through the intersection as fast and safely as possible. I have logged over 150,000 miles on my road bikes over the years and not one incident/contact with a vehicle. I can not even begin to guess how many miles I have logged on my motorcycles over the years but again not one incident/collision with a vehicle. And only been down once and that was by choice when a vehicle pulled out and I went down to avoid on coming traffic.(I took evasive action to avoid the vehicle but the median was full of marbles and braking was not an option). Blowing by cyclists at speed just gives us a bad name and when that cyclist gets in his car, he is going to be a little more unforgiving when he sees the next motorcyclist on the road.

+1
When there are no cars at a stop sign, I will roll through. Not because I don't think the law pertains to me, but because when I have both feet clipped in to the pedals I am in the best position, by far, to control my bike. I can push with one leg and pull with the other and maximize my acceleration and get the heck out of the intersection. This is the safest way to get across.

If I do have to stop, I have to make a lame push on the ground with slippery soles, then get teh pedal flipped up and clipped in, then I can put some power to the pedals. Not the best system for riding in traffic. But if I'm riding in traffic, it's only long enough to get out of traffic and get a workout.

A large part of my life and priorities center around bicycles, as they have for 25 years. Hoping for 25 more. Sorry if you rednecks can't relate. How's your blood pressure? The docs are always amazed at how low mine is.

I have been an avid cyclist since late 80's, the cycling skills learned from being a bike messenger in SF CA and SEA WA had saved me numerous times while riding a motorcycle. I have clear understanding of legality of cyclists on public roads and following the traffic laws. I understand that there are cyclist who behave badly on public roads and project bad image for the rest of cycling community.

All public road users should consider, when you are operating a motorized vehicle it should be common curtecy to yeild or offer way for human powered vehicle for the simple reason that they peddling, more than likely have no or less protection from weather conditions and physically preoccupied rather than sitting in air conditioning/heat or twisting a wrist to propel forward.

Cyclists who run stop signs do so at their own risks, just as motorists who cross double yellow lines to pass slower traffic, I do both and always considered my environment prior to execution.