Is motorcycling allowed?

[patches]

It's amazing how often it's just one thing, but that one thing is a life saver.  For me, in the UK, it was 'make eye contact with anyone who has the potential to flatten you' - i.e. at an intersection, any car that will turn in your path.

 

The reasoning being, that if you've made eye contact, they've 'seen' you.  If you can't make eye contact, assume they have not seen you, and act accordingly.

 

The number of times I've made eye contact and the driver has visibly reacted shows how often they just don't see you until you make yourself obvious - by the eye contact thing.

 

It's not a staring competition or anything, just enough so that you know they've seen you.

 

Works for cycling too.

 

Oh yeah, that's a great bit of advice. I recall someone telling me that a few years ago when riding bicycles in SA.

 

In general I find the Kiwi drivers pretty mindful of motorcyclists. So I do feel reasonably safe on the roads,

 

I would like SH1 to be like the N1 with decent sized emergency lanes which bikers use (even if they aren't supposed to).

 

As for one the previous topic of discussion, ie. "Lane Splitting", ias far as I am aware it's legal in NZ, and there are conditions as to how exactly it should be done etc. It seems relatively complicated.

 

But yeah, I do it in traffic if the cars are going half the posted speed limit or less. Otherwise I just sit in my lane like everyone else.

 

The one thing I'm not too sure about is standing up and riding.

 

Long distance adventure rides can be killer on the legs and butt. So when I see those 50KPH speed limit signs as I approach a town I pass through, I stand up and stretch.

 

I have read articles from Aus where cops pull bikers over for standing or even taking their feet off the pegs while seated as they "are not in full control of the vehicle".

 

NZ cops are way friendlier and I feel are less likely to pull one over just just to be difficult. But I would prefer not to chance it.

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Snipped.....

 

Some of the reasons being:

• Riders are more visible to cars at side-roads on left.
• When riders are behind cars they are more visible to oncoming traffic (less chance of an oncoming car overtaking the car in front of them once they pass the car in front of you).
• Riders have more visibility of what's down the road.
• Riders have more space to move over when passing large oncoming trucks etc.
• Cars will not try overtake you in your own lane

If that was all I learnt that day, it was priceless.

 

I bet there's a taxi driver or boertjie in a Wildtrack Ford who would take you up on that.............

Here in SA anyway

[Allrounder]

Oh yeah, that's a great bit of advice. I recall someone telling me that a few years ago when riding bicycles in SA.

 

In general I find the Kiwi drivers pretty mindful of motorcyclists. So I do feel reasonably safe on the roads,

 

I would like SH1 to be like the N1 with decent sized emergency lanes which bikers use (even if they aren't supposed to).

 

As for one the previous topic of discussion, ie. "Lane Splitting", ias far as I am aware it's legal in NZ, and there are conditions as to how exactly it should be done etc. It seems relatively complicated.

 

But yeah, I do it in traffic if the cars are going half the posted speed limit or less. Otherwise I just sit in my lane like everyone else.

 

The one thing I'm not too sure about is standing up and riding.

 

Long distance adventure rides can be killer on the legs and butt. So when I see those 50KPH speed limit signs as I approach a town I pass through, I stand up and stretch.

 

I have read articles from Aus where cops pull bikers over for standing or even taking their feet off the pegs while seated as they "are not in full control of the vehicle".

 

NZ cops are way friendlier and I feel are less likely to pull one over just just to be difficult. But I would prefer not to chance it.

 

Stop at one of the Coppers, take out 2 beers from your backpack and chat with them about the do's and don'ts. 

[davetapson]

Stop at one of the Coppers, take out 2 beers from your backpack and chat with them about the do's and don'ts. 

 

Driving down the south coast 100 years ago when I was a student at PMB - couple of buddies and I are quaffing a few beers on the road.  Cop van pulls up next to us, motions for us to wind down the window, passes us a six-pack, takes off.

 

True story.

Edited October 16, 2019 by davetapson

[IceCreamMan]

Interesting article bout Marquez’s airbag suit he was wearing in tgat Thailand crash. Article in MCN.

 

Article reckons when he hit the deck the g forces recorded were 26.14.

[patches]

I bet there's a taxi driver or boertjie in a Wildtrack Ford who would take you up on that.............

Here in SA anyway

 

A while back I watched a ton of those Angry, Crazy, Stupid People vs Bikers vids on the Moto Madness youtube channel.

 

It scared the life outta me what motorists can and will do on the road. The bikers aren't always blameless either.

 

Occasionally one sees clips from SA, invariably involving a taxi, hahaha!

 

I must say that as scary as those vids are, they can help one become more skeptical, observant, and analytical of what may happen on the roads.

[mazambaan]

A while back I watched a ton of those Angry, Crazy, Stupid People vs Bikers vids on the Moto Madness youtube channel.

 

It scared the life outta me what motorists can and will do on the road. The bikers aren't always blameless either.

 

Occasionally one sees clips from SA, invariably involving a taxi, hahaha!

 

I must say that as scary as those vids are, they can help one become more skeptical, observant, and analytical of what may happen on the roads.

 

There is a similar one for Dirt bikers that I find very funny. Maybe it is because I have inadvertently participated in similar events.

[RocknRolla]

A while back I watched a ton of those Angry, Crazy, Stupid People vs Bikers vids on the Moto Madness youtube channel.

 

It scared the life outta me what motorists can and will do on the road. The bikers aren't always blameless either.

 

Occasionally one sees clips from SA, invariably involving a taxi, hahaha!

 

I must say that as scary as those vids are, they can help one become more skeptical, observant, and analytical of what may happen on the roads.

 

This, so much.

[the nerd]

Got a flat on the bike last night going home, first time ive experienced this.. 

 

super *** feeling! 

[sawystertrance]

Got a flat on the bike last night going home, first time ive experienced this.. 

 

super *** feeling! 

 

Tubeless? No plug kit?

[Andymann]

I remember back in 1991 when I went to University in Durban - no car, barely been out of Newcastle where I grew up, riding around on my DT175 with a map in my backpack trying to negotiate Durban traffic and some guy pulled out in front of me going down the road past Durban Tech- I braked so hard that the tube moved on the front rim and tore the valve.  Instant flat tyre in a strange town with no way of getting home.  I rode the bike slowly down to Perry Yamaha (they were still in City center then), bought a tube and some tyre levers and repaired the wheel on their pavement!

 

I still have those levers - proper 40cm ones - a real mans tyre lever ;-)

[V12man]

I remember back in 1991 when I went to University in Durban - no car, barely been out of Newcastle where I grew up, riding around on my DT175 with a map in my backpack trying to negotiate Durban traffic and some guy pulled out in front of me going down the road past Durban Tech- I braked so hard that the tube moved on the front rim and tore the valve.  Instant flat tyre in a strange town with no way of getting home.  I rode the bike slowly down to Perry Yamaha (they were still in City center then), bought a tube and some tyre levers and repaired the wheel on their pavement!

 

I still have those levers - proper 40cm ones - a real mans tyre lever ;-)

Having spent last night changing 3 rear tires - I agree - 400mm levers are the ones to have...... and lots of them

[Andymann]

Having spent last night changing 3 rear tires - I agree - 400mm levers are the ones to have...... and lots of them

And lube.  

 

And you'll only ever change a rear tyre once with the sprocket on top and the brake below....

[V12man]

And lube.  

 

And you'll only ever change a rear tyre once with the sprocket on top and the brake below....

Mousse lube is marvelously spreadable stuff..... gets f...ing EVERYWHERE...

 

I built a stand with a spindle that clamps into a Triton workstand - so no pressure on the brake disk. but even taping the disc up is needed because they are super sharp - knuckle skin removers of note

[mazambaan]

I battle enough with a Dunlop D6060, warmed in the sun and a heavy duty tube. Half day affair (no tyre changer though) and definitely gloves needed.  Still impressed with the ISDE boys; 2 new tyres and mousse's, air filter and maybe oil change in 15 minutes at the end of a day's enduro.

[IceCreamMan]

Where all Motörhead fans go.

Edited October 19, 2019 by IceCreamMan