Backroad Riding: Motorcycle/Motorcycle Passing Concepts

[Gary J]

- Question: When out riding your bike on the local backroad twisties, what kind of vehicle presents the most challenging “passing” situations?

- Answer (based upon actual on-road observations): Fellow motorcyclists


-------------------------------------------------------------

Food-For-Thought Discussion:

Courteous passing/facilitating passing ideas

First off let’s acknowledge that as public roads, the backroads in the mountains are not anyone’s private playground …. whether their personal preference in riding is a scenic-tour cruise pace, enjoying the turns at semi-spirited pace, or somewhere in between.

As public roads, the key word is “sharing”. The ideal win-win situation being one where everyone can travel the twisty backroads in a manner that suits their own personal choice, while allowing other road users to simultaneously do the same.

Mindsets that are obstacles to achieving the above objective:

• - “I’m riding a motorcycle, and all motorcycles really move along well on the backroads, so I don’t need to look in my mirrors for anyone being behind me”
  
  - “No one on the road should be going faster than me, so I never offer anyone a chance to pass me”
  
  - “I’m on a “Group Ride” where we follow each other, so I don’t need to look in my mirrors behind me during the ride”
  
  - “Everyone that’s riding slower than me should stay off these backroads”

-----------------------------------------------------

“Passer” ideas:

• 1) Slow when approaching each slower-traveling rider, and allow them plenty of opportunity to become aware of your presence
  
  2) Allow the slower-traveling rider ample opportunity to recognize your presence, a situation to develop to allow for offering a safe passing opportunity (a section of straight, etc), and for that opportunity to be offered.
  
  3) Pass when it is deemed a quick/effective/safe action, and to not impact the passee
  
  4) Acknowledge the Passee rider (polite “wave”) for their cooperation in providing the win-win passing situation.
  
  5) Recognize that when approaching a “Group”, the passing will generally need to be viewed as discrete passing events for each rider encountered, following all the above guidelines.

“Passee” ideas:

• 1) Ride at a pace where you have more then enough consciousness in reserve to devote some alternating attention to your mirrors, for a cyclic spot-check to be aware of what’s going on behind you
  
  2) Become skilled at maintaining a 360 degree awareness of your riding environment at all times, by including your mirrors as an essential “tool”
  
  3) Recognize that if another rider had not been behind you moments before, and is there now, they are likely riding at a pace that is faster then you have elected to ride the same road that day.
  
  4) Upon recognizing this situation, look for opportunities to make small adjustments (slight movement to the right in the lane) that would enable a win-win safe passing opportunity.
  
  5) Provide some indication to the following rider(s) of the intended passing opportunity being consciously provided.
  
  6) Recognize that when riding in a “Group” (especially a very chill-pace group), there may be other riders (that are not part of your ride) that are sharing the roads, and may approach from the rear due to wishing to ride at a pace different then your group’s.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ideally, passing and allowing passing should be a non-competitive, low-stress situation amongst fellow motorcyclists on the local backroads. Everyone can "have a good day"

Some increased awareness (through discussions of the above ideas), by both Passers and Passees, and adopting of such an approach while out on the road, can make for win-win situations for everyone.

 

[CuriousMike]

No.

 

[xgambit]

i figure there's at least a lane's worth of space over on the other side of the yellow and since the apex is over there, i might as well pass at that curve too. so no harm no foul.

 

[Junkie]

I took a trip up the coast to MotoGP on friday, on 1 (from Cambria north). I was taking it slow, especially on the straights (sticking to the speed limit), but watched my mirror pretty closely. I waved people past as soon as I thought it was safe to pass, and stayed reasonably far to the right.

One guy decided that even though it was a legal passing zone with no oncoming traffic, it was best to be within a foot of me at a ~15mph delta

 

[xgambit]

One guy decided that even though it was a legal passing zone with no oncoming traffic, it was best to be within a foot of me at a ~15mph delta

and people complain that riders dont wave to each other anymore.

 

[Kwang]

I'm very curteous to other vehicles and will come up them slowly, not tailgate and give them time to use turnouts but if they don't, I'll only pass when its safe.
I'm most apprehensive about passing erratic riders, especially the ones that go into the opposite lanes around corners. I don't want to startle them and cause them to lose control where they'll crash or even worse, crash into me. I'll stay behind those riders until I'm positive they see me and there is a very safe passing opportunity.

 

[flying_hun]

Good stuff, Gary!

Apologies to Metrorollah, but in my experience HOG chapter rides have got to be the worst overtaking experiences.

 

[rsrider]

Good stuff, Gary!

Apologies to Metrorollah, but in my experience HOG chapter rides have got to be the worst overtaking experiences.

The only way to get around a pack of those oinks is to slide into their group after passing as many possible, then repeat until done. If I think I can make a pass, I go.

 

[scout]

Put yourself in the cager's shoes. Usually in this area cagers signal you to pass. Some tourists are a little anxious, so have to occasionally geek it behind them awhile; some are demented old guys that are so unhappy with life that they could care less about some young guy behind them, they just want their beer/drugs. So I just geek it, even on the straights as these guys always speed up to about 60, forcing squid speeds to pass, which I don't like on rural roads.

Treat each ride different, even if the road/route is the same. What I mean is don't compare THIS ride with that MOST EXCELLENT ride yesterday, as this causes that lack of a most excellent peak experience, as some rider posted somewhere a couple weeks ago.

 

[mnb]

The only way to get around a pack of those oinks is to slide into their group after passing as many possible, then repeat until done. If I think I can make a pass, I go.

Cagers have a problem getting around a group of sport bikes on the freeway, too. It seems group rides seem to feel it's paramount that they ride in a clump instead of allowing breathing room for cars to merge on and off the freeway.

It's not that important to hold formation! Let traffic flow, that's more important. As long as the group's in sight, you're fine. Stop panicking and let the cars share the road, too!

 

[scout]

^^^ Yeah, if motos break the flow, well, that's counter-moto. Flow, fluid, powerful, thoughtful, respectful, smooth, all adds up to good riding.

 

[Cheyenne]

I'm starting to think I'm not supposed to always use the little passing lane in between the yellow lines. I wondered why not many others were using it, but it's right where it needs to be to get past the slow cars when there is oncoming traffic.

On a related note, people's eyes get really big when they're surprised.

 

[scout]

I'm starting to think I'm not supposed to always use the little passing lane in between the yellow lines. I wondered why not many others were using it, but it's right where it needs to be to get past the slow cars when there is oncoming traffic.

On a related note, people's eyes get really big when they're surprised.

,

 

[Blacknblue]

Answer: LEO.
Well written and thought out. I would like to add that instead of passing on the straights, sometimes I just slow down considerably, "smell the flowers," and let the vehicle advance so that in the next series of turns I can take them at a more "spirited" pace. It works really well on 1 North on weekends because cars tend to caravan behind the slow driver, leaving large gaps between. I have yet to be passed by another motorcyclist in an unsafe manner and I don't ride that fast, but I do try to get out earlier and watch for other motorcycles and local cagers that seem to know the roads much better than I.

 

[socal_sumo_78]

easy answer is not "other riders" it's plainly harleys. they move for no one and are at least 2x as wide as a sportbike + the rider fat hanging over the sides

 

[tuxumino]

Normally I try to be aware of what's behind me,if a rider "suddenly" appears in my mirrors I try to make room for them to pass, and I appreciate when they pass without crowding me.
when I've come upon slower riders, I've found they generally move to allow passing, even harleys and so0me cagers.
If I get stuck behind a cage that isn't going to allow a pass I pull over and wait for a while then proceed at my pace: I read about that technique in a book, I think it was called sprotbiling the real world by gjohny or sumpin like that

 

[budbandit]

easy answer is not "other riders" it's plainly harleys. they move for no one and are at least 2x as wide as a sportbike + the rider fat hanging over the sides

I guess things are different in NV. Here sportbike riders often suck, either lacking mirrors or not using the ones they have. The Harley crowd, in contrast, seems to not only use mirrors but be more than happy to heave to the side and wave a man by. Once something is discovered in the mirrors, sportbike riders will often turn the straights into a drag strip, hoodie flapping in the wind under the field armor, while still parking in the corners.

 

[Gary J]

I read about that technique in a book, I think it was called sprotbiling the real world by gjohny or sumpin like that

I'm pretty familiar with the book you're referring to, that introduced the "pull over and create your own personal riding gap" concept Tuxumino.

Why the familiarity? I'm the book's ("Sportbiking The Real World - The Advanced Riders Handbook") author.

Glad to hear that the concept stuck with you from your reading.

Gary J

 

[tuxumino]

996 FTW
next you'll tell me I should ride in the rain

 

[Karbon]

I'm starting to think I'm not supposed to always use the little passing lane in between the yellow lines. I wondered why not many others were using it, but it's right where it needs to be to get past the slow cars when there is oncoming traffic.

On a related note, people's eyes get really big when they're surprised.