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Who here DOES NOT ride on the freeway?

It took me about 1000 miles before I rode the freeway. Personally I hate riding on the freeway as my bike is not the best freeway bike. I will say though that after I got earplugs they really helped me mentally from the winds!
 
Kalamari Kid said:
It was on 880
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Kalamari Kid, get the engine cover replaced on your bike. The next time you go down, chances are you'll wear a hole through it. Dirt will end up in your engine, and you'll have a huge (expensive) clean up job to look forward to.

(Voice of experience.)
 
I don't ride on the freeway, as it would violate the restrictions of my permit, but I used to BITD. Never thought of it as a big deal, but at that time & place, freeway traffic was less--I can understand being intimidated by it here!

I don't know if I've had my 650R past 55MPH yet, so I don't know what I'll think of it at freeway speeds, but I expect to like it--especially if I can get the rear suspension dialed in (softer spring?).
 
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i had over 4k miles before i hit the freeway for more than a 10 minute stretch since i was on a permit. maybe 30 freeway miles on the permit. a lot better to get somewhere quicker.
got my m1 and first thing i did was head from woodland to sf on 80. if you're new to the freeway and speeds, be careful of winds. i've been getting blown often 2-4 feet from winds coming at me. i've had the "oh shit" winds come at me out of nowhere and also had to hold a lean for long periods to stay up. you'll get used to it. :ride

if anyone is in the sac area on a permit, jackson highway is a good ride to practice faster speeds. most of the ride is 55 or 65mph depending on the stretch. but going from a 2 lane highway to the freeway is very different with the variables you have to deal with.
 
I have been on the freeway, but I don't need to anymore. I stay in the city almost all the time, only time I leave is to go ride the backroads and I don't have to go on the freeway to get there.
 
Just rode on the freeway for the first time today - after 1k miles of surface street and back road experience. I wasn't really that big of a deal, but the DRZ doesn't like to do much more than 75 so it's tough to pass - plus the wind is pretty intense.

I'll stay off it as much as I can, but now I know it's not such a big deal if I need to.
 
toshiro said:
I had to ride my first bike home on the freeway a few minutes after first getting on it.
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Same for me, from San Rafael to Santa Rosa. I actually felt more comfortable, as at least traffic was all going in one direction!
 
I usually only get on the FWY if I have to kill alot of distance in a short amount of time or if it's absolutely necessary to get to the fun roads.
It is a bit intimidating to a lot of new riders but not a big deal after a few times.
 
Speaking of the freeway being scary on small bikes... when I was 17, I rode my '81 XT250 up 80 over Donner summit with full saddlebags and a tailbag. I had changed the gearing for a higher top speed, but a 250 single can only do so much. Talk about crazy. I was scared, to say the least. That bike was totally NOT suited for that sort of shit.
 
I hate the freeway more than anything :thumbdown

It's too boring.

Maybe it would be better if I had a cruiser or sport touring or even an enduro...
 
The freeway is ok, I'd rather do highways or twisties! hehe. I also rode my bike home on the first day I got it, it was crazy because it was also my first SS bike... Muehe.
 
If there is another route and time permits I don't take the freeways.
Have ridden to Sturgis, South Dakota and back without very getting on a freeway. (Actually done it a couple of times, way more funner!)
 
I think today, I'll just take the backway home. My friday's suck here at work because I get her at 6am, but don't leave until 5-5:30pm, sometimes 6pm!! I've never been in a job until I came here, where I HATE Fridays. :mad Oh well....now having a bike, I can at least look forward to riding it home and if I have to, take an even LONGER way home. :ride :teeth
 
oohh.. I hate to ride on the streets too many signals, people walking, slow traffic, occasional cops signal for him/her to just pass the signal, low gas mileage on streets etc.. then i would probably take a bicycle to ride on streets.

Practice on the freeway, try slow lane splitting and be cautious. If you can ride on the streets you could very well ride on bumper-bumper traffic on freeways.:thumbup
 
i must say MSF helped... after i took that class i bought a yamaha R6,didnt have a helmet so i rode it around the warehouse, first day i got my helmet i took it on the freeway i had my permie at the time but hey wth? lol i was excited to actually go on the freeway maybe cus im stupid? or just overly excited. haha.but its not as bad as people think it is just beware of your surroundings like everyone always mentions and watch out for asn drivers (no offense to anyone) dont stay on the side of them they tend to not look when they hop lanes.. and beware of people pulling onto the freeway they tend to hop lanes without looking to if your in the slow lane.
 
I ride the freeay. I have to, since my house and my office are on opposite sides of the Bay. It's not too bad, though it is boring (generally speaking).

One freeway I do try to avoid is 101 on the peninsula. It's a regular "Road Warrior" type highway, with plenty of idiot cagers, debris, sudden stopped traffic, and chuck-holes, with no run-off room to the side. The only really bad accident I've had on a motorcycle was on 101 in Redwood City in 2007.

I remember from "The Long Way Round" Ewan MacGregor said "I rode that bike through Mongolia, Siberia, and Kazakhstan, and the only place I felt truly in danger of losing my life, was on the highways of North America."

(PS: Matrix quotes FTW)
 
yodaisgod said:
I've been riding since July 12th. I've been riding to work a couple of times a week via the backroads and through town. It's about a 40min ride, and I do enjoy it. Very little traffic at 5:30am and it can be cold.

This morning was the FIRST time I got on the freeway. I decided to give it a shot. 70mph...and I got to work in 20mins. Not too shabby and wasn't as bad as I thought. I didn't really know what I was so worried about when it came to riding on the freeway?! Again, not so much traffic at 5:30am so it worked out nice. At least on the way home, if I do decide to take the freeway, I can get in the commute lane:thumbup I guess I just need to ride on the freeway more to get more comfortable and used to going 60mph+ LOL. Sorry, but as I'm getting used to riding, I'm keeping it at the speed limit to about 5mph over. I have 450miles on my bike and about 470miles of total experience.

As for commuting to work...Friday's are especially nice to ride home. I can take the backroads and get home in about 45mins. But if I took my car home on Fridays...on the freeway...I'd still get home in 45mins. You tell me what you'd rather do.:teeth
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I'd take the backroads route, just more interesting, I know your new to all of this, but you'll see, freeways get pretty boring after a while.

and since your new :deadhorse (I know you already know this but)
a) dress for the crash, not the ride
b) watch the drivers heads in the cars
c) always think that the driver will do the worst, then you wont be surprised when they DO
d) take the MSF course (if you haven't already)
e) 360 degree situational awareness 100% of the time while riding, keeps you among the vertical
f) and most important, enjoy that bad ass v twin you own! :thumbup
 
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you are way safer on the freeway than you are on city streets. At least everyone is going the same direction. To crash on the freeway is an epic fail.
 
I have been on the freeway once in my 500 miles on my 08 250! The speed didn't get to me, the wind did! I was only on 101N for one exit. I am now planning on using the long on/off ramps to get used to it with minimal distractions. After reading this I am going to try earplugs to cut the wind noise and alieviate some mental awareness of the wind noise.
My commute is 15 minutes on 101, but 45 taking el camino. I'm getting really antsy to get comfortable on the superslab!
Any more advise for new freeway goers?
 
toshiro said:
I had to ride my first bike home on the freeway a few minutes after first getting on it.
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+1

I was going so freaking fast. "Holy shit I'm gonna die!"-kinda fast. Then I looked in my mirrors to see cars backed up behind me on the carpool lane. Then I looked down on my speedo to see a whopping 50mph. DOH!
 
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