High speeds

[little_earl]

I went to Okalahoma City for the National Hog Rally with the local Hog group in June. We averaged 77 mph on the way over and ran 80 on the way back all in upper 90 deg temps. I was not sure how the bike would like running in temps as hot as this was but was very surprised. No problem running 500 miles at 80mph.

 

[Dr. Dolittle]

I must really be getting OLD! I just don't see myself in a scenario like the one you described anymore.....in a group like that, at those speeds, for that distance, mechanical issues would have been my least concern!

Don't mean to be a downer, and it sounds like you had a great time, but the ride you describe is why I ride alone or with MAYBE 2-3 other guys anymore, and even then it has to be fellow bikers I have known for years and have the utmost confidence in their riding skills.

And THEN, being the old man I have become, I insist we maintain a cruising speed no higher than 65MPH. There just ain't NOWHERE I'm in that much of a hurry to go anymore! (Except home to Cat and my sons after work, but that's only a few blocks away!) Speeds in excess of that self-imposed max just take the relaxation out of riding........my white-knuckled hanging on while praying nothing even tiny goes wrong, (because at those speeds, especially with a large group of close-quarter riders some of whom may be slightly inexperienced, a tiny mis-step will almost certainly end in a catastrophic disaster) are OVER for THIS old man!

Please understand....no knock here on your ride.....YOUR choice Bro!

After 40+ years of riding, and for years riding with a large MC, I've seen the consequences of those high-speed close quarter long distance rides end "not well" all too often. Like I said, maybe I'm just getting old, but it's just not for me anymore!

Wow, you're making a lot of assumptions! If they were riding on the interstate, they probably had to maintain those speeds just to keep up with traffic and not become a hazard themselves. He never said they rode in "close quarters" and never mentioned anyone's experience levels. As long as they had a good talk before leaving and stayed spaced out nicely, there's nothing wrong with what they did. I'm with you in that this type of riding is not exactly my "thing" but I try not to rain on someone else's parade if they enjoy doing it.

 

[NEWHD74FAN]

I went to Okalahoma City for the National Hog Rally with the local Hog group in June. We averaged 77 mph on the way over and ran 80 on the way back all in upper 90 deg temps. I was not sure how the bike would like running in temps as hot as this was but was very surprised. No problem running 500 miles at 80mph.

Sounds like you had a good time...glad to know your Avatar was not the result of the experience (first thing I thought about when reading your post). Riding at "--the Pace" means a lot of things to a lot of riders...the key being ride about 7/10's "normal" and 8/10's for "spirited"of what you consider "10/10's" (also known as the "--the tonne..." or your personal limit of your abilitiy...

 

[dpsimcox]

An old biker once told me that it is OK to ride fast, but never ride in a hurry.

 

[Dr. Dolittle]

Not trying to rain on anybody's parade Doc, just voicing an opinion about my own experiences and feelings about this type of outings and high speed runs.

As far as "keeping up with traffic", I gotta tell ya, I just don't buy that, even one tiny little bit. Nobody "has" to ride at 80 miles an hour to "keep up with traffic". That's just rationalizing riding at a speed that is so unforgiving should any hazard present itself that tragedy is virtually a certainty.

And by the way, at those speeds, even unsafe "close quarters" is a LOT further apart than you think, considering how many bike lengths should really be between riders while traveling that fast and with so many in the group. How many times have you seen large groups of riders within an arm's length of each other as they fly down the interstate? Too many, in my recent experience. One mistake, one mis-step, and the "domino effect" can be, as I said, catastrophic. "Good talks" are all too often last words.

Again, guess I came off as a bit of a "downer", and I apologize for that. I'm not critizing anybody...it's a free country, and the guys can ride together anyway they choose! I'm just expressing my concern about their safety, and I think I did that with all due respect.

I may not have been around much lately, but you guys all know how much I respect all our members, from Our Fearless Leader, (that would be YOU, Glider!), to all the hardworking Mods, to even the newest guys on the block!

In fact, I look forward to our comraderie again this Winter, (I know, ANOTHER "downer"! You guys are probably cursing me for even mentioning it!), when instead of spending my time riding a I am now I'll be spending my time TALKING about riding, as we all will! (Except for those lucky warm weather climate members who we all envy!)

For some reason, i was feeling very contrarian when I read your post this morning and submitted mine. I'm a bit mellower now and totally defer to your much greater experience in this area. Sounds like you've seen and/or been involved in some pretty bad deals. I agree that large groups of riders often appear to be WAY too nonchalant and take a safe ride for granted. Big mistake. I cringe when I see folks riding at highway speeds with tires overlapped, looking over at each other and laughing. Like I said, much too "cool" for my tastes.

 

[STEVE07]

Here is my opinion on this,when I am riding in groups we ride staggered about 5 mph. above the speed limit,when I am riding two-up in a non-group situation I ride about 10 mph. above the speed limit.I feel safer running just a bit faster then traffic.When I am running solo anything goes and lots of times I crank it up just to see how far I can push it.

 

[xlcruser]

I must really be getting OLD! I just don't see myself in a scenario like the one you described anymore.....in a group like that, at those speeds, for that distance, mechanical issues would have been my least concern!

Don't mean to be a downer, and it sounds like you had a great time, but the ride you describe is why I ride alone or with MAYBE 2-3 other guys anymore, and even then it has to be fellow bikers I have known for years and have the utmost confidence in their riding skills.

And THEN, being the old man I have become, I insist we maintain a cruising speed no higher than 65MPH. There just ain't NOWHERE I'm in that much of a hurry to go anymore! (Except home to Cat and my sons after work, but that's only a few blocks away!) Speeds in excess of that self-imposed max just take the relaxation out of riding........my white-knuckled hanging on while praying nothing even tiny goes wrong, (because at those speeds, especially with a large group of close-quarter riders some of whom may be slightly inexperienced, a tiny mis-step will almost certainly end in a catastrophic disaster) are OVER for THIS old man!

Please understand....no knock here on your ride.....YOUR choice Bro!

After 40+ years of riding, and for years riding with a large MC, I've seen the consequences of those high-speed close quarter long distance rides end "not well" all too often. Like I said, maybe I'm just getting old, but it's just not for me anymore!

You sir make a lot of sense. I also have been riding for 40+ years, a lot to that time was in a group. The last 10 years or so I'm a bit of a loner. I find it's quieter and a lot more enjoyable that way. I also have been driving truck for years all over the country, and rarely have I seen a group of riders doing 80 mph, 1% clubs excluded, and to be honest rarely did I see them riding that fast either. There are a few that do, that's why I ride mostly solo these days, that and my wife tired of the(EDIT), the kids got old enough to recognize the (EDIT), and me I think I just got tired.

A Friendly Reminder - Harley Davidson Community

 

[little_earl]

I must really be getting OLD! I just don't see myself in a scenario like the one you described anymore.....in a group like that, at those speeds, for that distance, mechanical issues would have been my least concern!

Don't mean to be a downer, and it sounds like you had a great time, but the ride you describe is why I ride alone or with MAYBE 2-3 other guys anymore, and even then it has to be fellow bikers I have known for years and have the utmost confidence in their riding skills.

And THEN, being the old man I have become, I insist we maintain a cruising speed no higher than 65MPH. There just ain't NOWHERE I'm in that much of a hurry to go anymore! (Except home to Cat and my sons after work, but that's only a few blocks away!) Speeds in excess of that self-imposed max just take the relaxation out of riding........my white-knuckled hanging on while praying nothing even tiny goes wrong, (because at those speeds, especially with a large group of close-quarter riders some of whom may be slightly inexperienced, a tiny mis-step will almost certainly end in a catastrophic disaster) are OVER for THIS old man!

Please understand....no knock here on your ride.....YOUR choice Bro!

After 40+ years of riding, and for years riding with a large MC, I've seen the consequences of those high-speed close quarter long distance rides end "not well" all too often. Like I said, maybe I'm just getting old, but it's just not for me anymore!

I didn't mention that I was with the HOG group of 7 bikes. at 40 mph we have about 2 seconds between us in a staggered ride but at 75 and 80 we spaced out pretty good. The traffic was moving fast and we even got past a bunch of times. The least experienced rider has about 20 years on the bike. The only trouble we had was a van that tried to run us over while passing us.

 

[SpringerSteve98]

Ride it like you stole it.

 

[dangerdan]

Traffic permitting, I give her all she's got, but only for short distances. Like me she got alot of milage (136k) .