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How to handle Sudden Gridlock traffic during HOT weather

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Old Jul 21, 2019 | 06:39 PM
  #21  
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Carry lots of water; soak towels, bananas and the like - even your T-shirt. If need be, pull over, sit in the shade, read a book - whatever. It's not good for the bike or the rider to roast in stop and go. If there's an exit, take it, find a place; explore, get lost, make new friends and stay moving and cool.

BTW: VA traffic on 95, especially in that Stafford area always seems ot be bad - don't matter what time of day or night!
 
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Old Jul 21, 2019 | 08:04 PM
  #22  
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Originally Posted by JustDave13
The rider will give out long before our air cooled engines will.
They overheat and cook oil. Been there, done that many years ago.
Some liquid cooled bikes can idle in hot traffic all day long and never break a sweat; I've owned a couple.
 
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Old Jul 21, 2019 | 08:22 PM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by upflying
Encourage legislation that permits legal lane splitting.
Riding or passing traffic on the shoulder will get you a ticket in Ca.
Not to mention the shoulder is full of stuff waiting to puncture your tires.
This stuff should be taught in high school driver ed- understanding/ looking out for motorcycles 😩
 
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Old Jul 22, 2019 | 05:38 AM
  #24  
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Originally Posted by Jehu
Carry lots of water; soak towels, bananas and the like - even your T-shirt. If need be, pull over, sit in the shade, read a book - whatever. It's not good for the bike or the rider to roast in stop and go. If there's an exit, take it, find a place; explore, get lost, make new friends and stay moving and cool.

BTW: VA traffic on 95, especially in that Stafford area always seems ot be bad - don't matter what time of day or night!
Primary reason I moved from Stafford Co 5 years ago. That traffic became brutal and nonsensical! Glad to be gone!
 
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Old Jul 22, 2019 | 08:34 AM
  #25  
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There's not much for heavy traffic where I live however I have been trapped in a few traffic jams with the '13 Glide while on a few trips. Even though I usually avoid interstate highways I hit 2 mph traffic going through Salt Lake City in 100+ temps while fully leathered up a few years ago, not fun. I have found I can stay cooler wearing my vented leather jacket as the sweat and air flow work together, till you stop... I always keep a water bottle in one of the saddlebag guard holders and a spare in the saddle bag. Between the new 2019 Ultra Limited's Twin Cooled engine and the addition of the Cool Flow Fan I'm hoping it will help keep me a little cooler in those conditions. Even though the Cool Flow Fan is mainly for rider comfort pulling the hot air away from the engine should help it out a little too.
 
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Old Jul 22, 2019 | 09:03 AM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by nevada72
Had that happen in Chicago last year. It's illegal but I lane split. No way I was going to sit there and cook. Nobody messed with me believe it or not. I actually think they were sympathetic to my situation from the comfort of their air conditioning.

I figured if I did get pulled over, I would at least get to cool off in the patrol car.
Yupp. I did that two weeks ago going home from work. I kept looking down the gap/split in the lanes. It was huge and we were not moving. They had construction at the bridge we cross about 8 miles down the road. I finally ballsed up. I was only doing about 5mph, splitting lanes and shifting from gap to gap. It was 98 degrees.
 
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Old Jul 22, 2019 | 09:56 AM
  #27  
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Hell, I'll ride my bagger through a field before I sit in that. Done it before.
 
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Old Jul 22, 2019 | 10:08 AM
  #28  
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Thankfully I live in the sticks n never run into this crap. Love being away from the mess.
 
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Old Jul 22, 2019 | 10:22 AM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by Circa58
... riding to Sturgis... leaving Saturday
Thank you for riding there! Have a safe and enjoyable trip!
 
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Old Jul 22, 2019 | 10:24 AM
  #30  
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Three options, sit there and burn up, shut the bike off, break the law by splitting lanes or riding on the shoulder.

I usually do all three in that order.
 
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