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California differences
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 660
Likes: 2
From: Schaumburg, IL, near Elgin, IL
RE: California differences
They looked like commuters. Straight and fast - about 10 MPH faster than traffic.
I have no problem with it. It is just so different from my corner of the world. If I had to pick, I think would pick California.
I have no problem with it. It is just so different from my corner of the world. If I had to pick, I think would pick California.
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
From:
RE: California differences
We were out in CA last month and saw several bikes lane splitting. We took a trip to LA from Concord and took hwy 5. It sure is scary to see a bike come between you and the 18 wheeler as you are passing it. It was mainly sportbike riders doing the lane splitting on the freeway. In city traffic was saw both sport bikes and cruisers splitting lanes. I have never done it at highway speeds but I think I could do it if it were to get me out of a traffic jamb!!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,395
Likes: 25
From: St George, UT
RE: California differences
As a former California rider, it isn't really as scary as it looks. If you are moving just 10 mph faster than traffic, it would be same if you were passing parked cars at 10 mph. Reaction times still the same. The biggest worry you would have is if a cage has to make an emergency lane change while you're alongside. A heads up rider will see the problem coming at the cage before they do, and you can take preventitive action. California commuter traffic is a living breathing animal, complete with predictability and consistency. Once you know the animal, you can pretty much control it.
When bikes get in trouble is when the traffic opens up a bit, lane changing becomes more doable for the cars, and the bikes go way too fast for conditions. Most riders will ride between the far left lane and the next one over. Cars expect to see motorcycles there. Most will leave enough room for a bike to get by. The sport bike guys are the real nuts. Cruiser riders and touring riders are more cautious.[:-]
When bikes get in trouble is when the traffic opens up a bit, lane changing becomes more doable for the cars, and the bikes go way too fast for conditions. Most riders will ride between the far left lane and the next one over. Cars expect to see motorcycles there. Most will leave enough room for a bike to get by. The sport bike guys are the real nuts. Cruiser riders and touring riders are more cautious.[:-]
Guest
Posts: n/a
RE: California differences
CA isnot as bad as folks make it out to be.
Personally I can't do the 70 mph splitting...but if the traffic is dead I'll be splitting at 15-25. Saw a guy doing about 100 ( 1 was doing 80+ and he was passing me fast) split cars and it looks too scary for me!
Do see a lot of daily riders wearing leathers...I do unless its 85+degrees. I firmly believe commuting is the most dangerous riding I do.
As for quiet pipes....it must have been a lot of rice rockets or something.Hubby's honda pipes are louder then mine. Emmission laws have nothing to do with pipes or mufflers as long as they don't have 02 sensors or catalitic converters. No idea why they would have been more quiet then anywhere else.
Personally I can't do the 70 mph splitting...but if the traffic is dead I'll be splitting at 15-25. Saw a guy doing about 100 ( 1 was doing 80+ and he was passing me fast) split cars and it looks too scary for me!
Do see a lot of daily riders wearing leathers...I do unless its 85+degrees. I firmly believe commuting is the most dangerous riding I do.
As for quiet pipes....it must have been a lot of rice rockets or something.Hubby's honda pipes are louder then mine. Emmission laws have nothing to do with pipes or mufflers as long as they don't have 02 sensors or catalitic converters. No idea why they would have been more quiet then anywhere else.
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 660
Likes: 2
From: Schaumburg, IL, near Elgin, IL
RE: California differences
ORIGINAL: Bluerose
As for quiet pipes....it must have been a lot of rice rockets or something.Hubby's honda pipes are louder then mine. Emmission laws have nothing to do with pipes or mufflers as long as they don't have 02 sensors or catalitic converters. No idea why they would have been more quiet then anywhere else.
As for quiet pipes....it must have been a lot of rice rockets or something.Hubby's honda pipes are louder then mine. Emmission laws have nothing to do with pipes or mufflers as long as they don't have 02 sensors or catalitic converters. No idea why they would have been more quiet then anywhere else.
Maybe it was just the number of cars and trucks out, drowning out the bikes.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 3,116
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From: Glendale, AZ.
RE: California differences
ORIGINAL: Elginator
I just came back from spending a few days in California. No time to ride, but I did get to watch a lot of otherswhiz by. I saw a lot of differences there.
[ol][*]Lane splitting. I had read about it, but actually seeing bikes ride the doted lines in heavy70 mile per hour traffic was chilling. They may wear helmets there, but a lot of them ride with a death wish.[*]Quiet pipes. I saw hundreds of bikes, but most, including the Harleys, were quiet. I guess it's the California emissions laws.[*]Leathers. Here in Illinois, riders wear leathers when it gets cold or on long trips. It looked like almost half of all riders wore leather in California.[*]Riding to work.In Californiathe rush hour had many more bikes, all solo riders going to work.[/ol]
It is definitely a different world out there. Wonder why so many differences.
I just came back from spending a few days in California. No time to ride, but I did get to watch a lot of otherswhiz by. I saw a lot of differences there.
[ol][*]Lane splitting. I had read about it, but actually seeing bikes ride the doted lines in heavy70 mile per hour traffic was chilling. They may wear helmets there, but a lot of them ride with a death wish.[*]Quiet pipes. I saw hundreds of bikes, but most, including the Harleys, were quiet. I guess it's the California emissions laws.[*]Leathers. Here in Illinois, riders wear leathers when it gets cold or on long trips. It looked like almost half of all riders wore leather in California.[*]Riding to work.In Californiathe rush hour had many more bikes, all solo riders going to work.[/ol]
It is definitely a different world out there. Wonder why so many differences.
[sm=joke.gif]
