Who does highway commuting on a motorcycle?
- Thread starter sanjuro
- Start date
Rode my 1986 Kawasaki Concours into work (My house to downtown Seattle = 17 miles) for a couple years (2002-05). Took most of the major freeway arteries at rush hour times...wasn't too bad. Just like my bicycle commute now, gotta pay attention.
Sometimes people don't see a big dude wearing a neon yellow jersey on a bike, sometimes people don't see a big dude on a big motorcycle wearing all sorts of reflective sh*t...just gotta be quicker and smarter than them. At all times, I always have 1 "out" that I can get to.
During my defensive riding course (motorcycle) I took, the instructor told us several very amusing stories...He used to be a school bus driver part-time. And to illustrate that you're the only one looking out for you, he said that he was once broadsided by an SUV that didn't see him. He was like, "I'm driving a 40-foot, bright yellow billboard. How can you "Not see me"??!?!???!"
I've been riding my moto from SF to work in Oakland probably twice a week since December. Nothing too exciting to report. I split lanes and all but for the most part I keep a cool head and ride defensively. I got comfortable with it pretty quick, and I think that is in large part due to my comfort riding bikes in traffic. Getting around is a breeze - front of the line at pretty much every light, etc. - and I can park just about anywhere. I should have pulled the trigger earlier.
That said, my bike (Suzuki DRZ 400 SM) is not built for cruising on the freeway so I don't do it longer than necessary, and because of traffic I'm not usually going super fast. And I wear the gear.
That said, my bike (Suzuki DRZ 400 SM) is not built for cruising on the freeway so I don't do it longer than necessary, and because of traffic I'm not usually going super fast. And I wear the gear.
I do, Gotta say, I feel safer on teh Moto on the freeway than I do a bicycle on the city street.
At teh same time, I belive I am the onmly person repsonsible for my saftey, I am always on the look out for the next person that is going to hit me
At teh same time, I belive I am the onmly person repsonsible for my saftey, I am always on the look out for the next person that is going to hit me
I ride like an asshole in California. Much more aggressive than how I ride here in Oregon. Mostly because NOBODY seems to see me despite my bright yellow moto and jacket and chrome helmet.
"the gear" == jacket, gloves, fullface, boots? jeans? armored pants? i've settled on a full-face, jacket, gloves, boots + jeans or regular pants routine for < 45 mph around-town riding, and adding my armored textile pants if i'm hitting up the freeway. i figure that i ride near 30 mph with no gear besides my styrofoam bike helmet on my e-bike every day, and i wasn't impressed by the perceived protection (or the fit) when i tried out kevlar jeans.
i commute 99% of the time on my e-bike but since getting my 250cc scooter i have ridden quite a bit on the freeways. being able to take the HOV lane as a solo rider is awesome even if we can't lanesplit as in california. i was shocked at how much wind buffeting there is at 60 mph and added a huge windshield, so i can't even imagine what it must be like on the freeway on a supermoto
"the gear" == jacket, gloves, fullface, boots, pants, and back protector.
They have stronger "denim" pants too.
Drag is more on a supermoto/cruiser, but far less on a crotch rocket as your more aero.
I don't worry about cruising on the freeway, its the hoe dunks on back roads that never look before pulling out of their driveway or "their road" that worry me.
They have stronger "denim" pants too.
Drag is more on a supermoto/cruiser, but far less on a crotch rocket as your more aero.
I don't worry about cruising on the freeway, its the hoe dunks on back roads that never look before pulling out of their driveway or "their road" that worry me.
I was commenting that between driving and riding over the bridge, I would take bart before I would car commute into the East Bay.
You might disagree, but the road down 101 is way more dangerous than the bridge.
i used to commute from santa ana to san diego every morning on my R6. it was a heck of a ride but i had a blast. there was one hairy section of I5 south where a bridge joint didn't quite match up with the main road segment and it was in a turn (i think it was around the san onofre exit). at 0500 in the morning that thud of a jolt at 80+mph while leaning pretty hard into the turn was enough to wake me up.
other than that i just had my lower fairing cracked when i changed lanes directly into a piece of truck tire that had blown. it bounced me up pretty good and freaked me out a bit.
i commuted in jeans,boots, padded jacket (back protector/elbow/shoulder pads), full face and cd player strapped to my leg iron eagle style
. my roommate was in flight equipment at our squadron and he rigged my helmet with some internal speakers and a female headphone jack so i could just plug up and ride. tunes made that long ride go by pretty quick....well, that and hauling butt the whole way
other than that i just had my lower fairing cracked when i changed lanes directly into a piece of truck tire that had blown. it bounced me up pretty good and freaked me out a bit.
i commuted in jeans,boots, padded jacket (back protector/elbow/shoulder pads), full face and cd player strapped to my leg iron eagle style
. my roommate was in flight equipment at our squadron and he rigged my helmet with some internal speakers and a female headphone jack so i could just plug up and ride. tunes made that long ride go by pretty quick....well, that and hauling butt the whole way 
the only thing I like about cali is that it is legal to split lanes on a moto, i have a blast
I commute every day in oregon on my dirt bike and find that I am at least 10 minutes faster on the bike than the truck
I commute every day in oregon on my dirt bike and find that I am at least 10 minutes faster on the bike than the truck
Riding the train one day, we heard a loud thunk and the train immediately started to slow down. Looked out the front of the car to see the rest of the train leaving us.* Apparently, some kid, who just got his license, didn't see the train and drove into the side of it.
Luckily, he was in some battle wagon and didn't end up getting hurt.*He hit the train hard enough to decouple us.
Wow...Riding the train one day, we heard a loud thunk and the train immediately started to slow down. Looked out the front of the car to see the rest of the train leaving us.* Apparently, some kid, who just got his license, didn't see the train and drove into the side of it.
*He hit the train hard enough to decouple us.
I don't think you should do it.
This is pretty much exactly what I do. Fully armored leather jacket with a back protector, full face, heavy gloves and heavy leather boots no matter what. If I'm on the freeway I "usually" wear fully armored pants too. (I say "usually" because I gotta be honest and say that once or twice I've done short trips in carharts.) Moto boots and armored pants for longer, more aggressive days, even if not on the freeway.
Sanjuro, I agree that 101 south of SF is more sketchy than 80. Seems like a lot more Fast and Furious wannabe's and just overall worse drivers the closer you get to San Jose.
You have two different problem areas: San Mateo and Palo Alto.
San Mateo has a few road bends, lots of road construction, and no shoulder. Traffic tends to back up badly there.
Palo Alto is classic Silicon Valley bad driving. I get very nervous in the HOV lane driving in a car, and I saw a massive wreck where the road dips under an overpass, which is a regular "step on the brakes for no reason" spot.
When I think of any racist and misogynist driving stereotype, I picture every scenario on 101 thru Palo Alto.
If I was going to commute down, I would do on 280. The most beautiful highway in the Bay Area, and the traffic is not too insane.