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First time freeway ride experience...

Thateguhate said:
Sounds about right to me. :thumbup

If she sees me pick up the helmet and gear up, she doesn't even ask questions. Its quite nice.
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So this is your first bike, right? If so, what got you in to this crazy sport? LoL
 
cnile97 said:
So this is your first bike, right? If so, what got you in to this crazy sport? LoL
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yeah it is, and really I always wanted a bike.. Back in say 02, 03 I was addicted to the thought of getting a bike after watching torque and bikerboys LOL

Never did a thing about it, but a year ago I purchased a 50cc Honda Ruckus to get to/from work when the gas prices were sky high and eventually I just grew out of it and wanted something larger and sporty.

Wanted something I can take on the freeway :p, or at least have the option. lol..

Quite ironic considering the title of my thread. :teeth:laughing
 
Thateguhate said:
But as you said. I'll wait a little longer, and nextime I'll go with other riders.
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My first time over a bridge was with a few riders as well. Its always good to have some group support so you don't feel all alone on the freeway :)
 
Thateguhate said:
yeah it is, and really I always wanted a bike.. Back in say 02, 03 I was addicted to the thought of getting a bike after watching torque and bikerboys LOL

Never did a thing about it, but a year ago I purchased a 50cc Honda Ruckus to get to/from work when the gas prices were sky high and eventually I just grew out of it and wanted something larger and sporty.

Wanted something I can take on the freeway :p, or at least have the option. lol..

Quite ironic considering the title of my thread. :teeth:laughing
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Yeah that's why I asked. Well hope you keep on enjoying the experience bro. Feel free to send me a line if you want to go ride one day. We'll head up on the hills over 100 mph.....J/K! But let me know though.
 
cnile97 said:
Yeah that's why I asked. Well hope you keep on enjoying the experience bro. Feel free to send me a line if you want to go ride one day. We'll head up on the hills over 100 mph.....J/K! But let me know though.
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lol for sure man.. Right on :thumbup
 
Thateguhate said:
I've logged roughly 100 miles or so on it since about 3 or 4 weeks ago.
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Dave, if you had asked me for advice before your interstate experience, I've begged you to log 1,000+ good miles in secondary roads before trying an interstate.

Please stick to the smaller roads until you learned from 100 oh-shit moments. Then take interstates by small segments, 2-3 exits at a time.

My 2 cents. Be safe!

Marc.
 
Ok so rather than starting a new thread I thought I'd bring this one back.. Since I last started this thread I've gotten on the freeway alot lately, although I do have a few questions..

The only issues I still seem to have is adjusting to the wind and being thrown around every so often and also trying to train my body to work with the bike when turning at freeway speeds. Anything up to 45mph I've been pretty good but since I was never really able to do more than that on the street.. I haven't gained a world of confidence at freeway speeds yet, although I'm alot more capable now more so than before.

So far all I've gathered is that I should keep my arms loose and hug the tank with my legs all while trying to keep my upper torso aside from my arms as stiff as possible. I was told that if I allow the wind to push me around IT WILL. I just don't wanna fight the wind off but tense my body up all at the same time. I'll continue to ride on the freeway and get that seat time in, but I was wondering if this is something I needed to figure out on my own by experience?? Or something I can fix by a mere correction??

Also I've only put a few hundred miles since the lastime I posted this so all in all I only have put about 400 miles on this bike, but I'm itching for a hell of a lot more now with spring coming up. :ride


And I'd like to add that I did watch Keith Code's DVD.. It helped me a buttload with my riding. I just wish they discussed the freeway, Twisties and hard turns were discussed more than anything.
 
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Thateguhate said:
So far all I've gathered is that I should keep my arms loose and hug the tank with my legs all while trying to keep my upper torso aside from my arms as stiff as possible. I was told that if I allow the wind to push me around IT WILL. I just don't wanna fight the wind off but tense my body up all at the same time.
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You should use your core muscles (back, stomach) to support your upper body, and allow the arms to be loose/relaxed, and the hands to float over the grips except for steering input. If headwind is bothering you, lean forward against it, and tuck-in / duck behind the windscreen. If gusty crosswind is bothering you, imagine your upper body is mounted on springs; it's ok to let the wind blow your torso around a bit, just isolate the arms/hands from the body movement, and keep the arms/hands steady and loose.
 
Gary856 said:
You should use your core muscles (back, stomach) to support your upper body, and allow the arms to be loose/relaxed, and the hands to float over the grips except for steering input. If headwind is bothering you, lean forward against it, and tuck-in / duck behind the windscreen. If gusty crosswind is bothering you, imagine your upper body is mounted on springs; it's ok to let the wind blow your torso around a bit, just isolate the arms/hands from the body movement, and keep them steady and loose.
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That does seem to make more sense. Today was my first day on 280 as opposed to 101. The directions the wind comes in is different to me, maybe because of it being higher than 101. I did tuck in but that only seemed to help with the headwind, and when doing that I felt myself getting blown from sides more.

Trial and error I guess, Time to start working them abs.:thumbup
 
There's no need to tuck at all for normal freeway speeds - it might even make you more 'attractive' to cops.

It really is just an experiential learning process - instead of miles, how many days have you been on the freeway? My first day on the bike I hopped on 580 with no particular problems (but perhaps because everything was new), but the next time on the slab I definitely did get the disconcerting feeling of wind and rain groove vibration. That stayed with me for a couple weeks until I gradually accepted it as part of the package.

I think what you really need to hear is just: yes, it feels weird at first and takes some getting used to, but after a short time you'll forget it was even there.
 
It's funny, the wind used to trip me out before too. Now I don't even notice it even at oh shit speeds. :laughing

You don't have to do a full race tuck, just putting your ass back a bit, using your knees to hold the tank, and a slight lean forward to get your forearms paralell to the ground is more than enough.

With time it'll become second nature to keep steady against the wind, you'll learn to push forward a bit as needed and relax as needed as well. The same thing happens with regards to the g forces you get accelerating and decelerating. They're surprising at first but before you know it your body will become accustomed to it and compensate as necessary.
 
we've all been there in varying degrees...count on it. Few months or another couple thousand miles you'll look back on this with fondness, might make you laugh a bit. yet, not for having been silly - this is the also the time you learn to respect the very thing that makes you nervous or fearful now. and if you DON'T forget that part or the 'respect', you're on your way to doing fine.

ride. jest ride....cheers newbie! see you out there!
 
Are you using earplugs? If not, do. Not only to preserve your hearing, but also you will be more relaxed on the freeway without all that wind noise.
 
+1000 on earplugs. Get the right kind of earplugs and not just the foam ones. "Hearing your surroundings" is not an issue. I use these, and they're great:

http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/almonasomoea.html

Part of your fear is the sensation of speed being amplified by the wind and engine noise - dampen it out with earplugs and it will help. I think I read that originally here on BARF, and in a book on street riding technique. It also does a fine job of protecting your hearing - how many of you older long-time riders have tinnitus? I know of a few.

When I first started riding freeway, the wind and the speed at 60mph on 85 made it seem like I would fly off the back of the bike. The noise is a big factor in that sensation of speed. Beyond that, keep a loose grip on the bars, grip the tank with your knees, and you'll get used to it.
 
Has anybody suggested rotating your chest 90 degreees to the left? does wonders to reduce wind resistance.
 
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Goodstuff guys right on. Wish I had the time to ride today but I'll probably commute on it most of the week anyways.

For whatever reason I never felt like like noise bothered me. I even drive my car with the windows down 99% of the time. I guess when I going a bit faster the noise might pose a problem for me but going 65-70 It hasn't really bothered me.
 
Wind noise doesn't actually bother you at first, because you take it as part of the new experience. Then, when you finally get around to using earplugs, it'll sound eerily quiet... almost like you could fall asleep on your commute. Then one day you'll forget them and feel like the hounds of hell are shouting in your ears... :laughing


Seriously though use earplugs or enjoy your tinnitus :|
 
Tense == stiff arms == bad cornering.

You just have to relax.

Adjust your seating position so your arms are not as tight on the bars. Tighter they are, the more the wind will create unintended control inputs, and the more you tense up as a result, the worse it gets.
 
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