Who chases down other riders?

[Far star]

Last week I was riding into Vancouver on the Trans Canada on my Norge, between Hope and Chilliwack, when some bikes appeared in my mirrors. I was in the slower lane, so stayed there to let them catch up to see what they were. About 40 Harleys went by, fast, loud, black and chrome, in tight formation. They were Hells Angels...so I decided it was probably wise not to try and show them what a Guzzi can do. Never seen real Hells Angels before. The riding discipline was rather impressive, actually, although if the first guy screwed up I think the whole lot would be in some trouble.

[Arizona Wayne]

Last week I was riding into Vancouver on the Trans Canada on my Norge, between Hope and Chilliwack, when some bikes appeared in my mirrors. I was in the slower lane, so stayed there to let them catch up to see what they were. About 40 Harleys went by, fast, loud, black and chrome, in tight formation. They were Hells Angels...so I decided it was probably wise not to try and show them what a Guzzi can do. Never seen real Hells Angels before. The riding discipline was rather impressive, actually, although if the first guy screwed up I think the whole lot would be in some trouble.

Did they have any women on the back?

[Far star]

Not that I remember. I saw lots of patches, like every one was an Hells Angels full patch. Do the women wear full colors?

[tiger_one]

The V65 Sabre was great for chasing since it was usually some hotdog that thought V65 meant 650cc and passed me to launch ahead.  The old school 65 cubic inch engine would eat them alive in seconds. From a tiny spot in their mirror no doubt, to a flash that went past them.

Great bike for catching someone for sure.  Mine had a high speed wobble/head shake in sweepers, that caused me to sell it.  Plus I got too many tickets on it, two in one night is what pushed me over the edge to sell.  I was too young and stupid to own that bike!

[charlie b]

If a Harley passes me it's because I let it. 

There are several HD riders around here who put the squids to shame.  Not riding the lowered/chopped bikes.  There are others who are not afraid of running over 100 on the straights either.

And we have the Bandidos around here.  Don't see them very often.

[biking sailor]

I've done it several times as it's more just to check the bikes out.  Usually give them a friendly wave and then either fall back to my pace if they are going faster or pass them up if they are going slower than my desired pace. 

If a faster paced rider comes up from behind, I have no issues letting the by with a wave.  Like many here have said, I'm not looking to develop any relationships on the road.

[blackbuell]

When the weather is nice on the weekends, the twisty roads around here are often clogged with lumbering cruisers. Though I'm hardly a hot-shot rider, I do like to ride at a fair clip through turns on these familiar routes. When I come up on a slow-moving bike, I try to be respectful, but I will take advantage of any opportunity to pass them, even on double yellows. Most seem to have no problem with being passed. Rarely, when I come up on a crawling pod in formation, one or more of the riders will try to block attempts to pass.

A flip-side story: I was once riding one of my old VFR's on the Tail-of-the Dragon, though not pushing it to the max, was moving along pretty well (for me, anyway); in my mirrors saw a LARGE bike creeping up on me. Admittedly, I didn't want to get passed by this barge, so I wicked it up a bit, but to no avail; the guy eventually caught up and passed me; he was on a Goldwing. When I reached the resort at the end of the Dragon, I told a few riders about the experience. They told me the Goldwing rider is a regular who gets his kicks humiliating sport bike riders; he records his conquests.

Jon

[johnr]

Generally not, but on occasion, guilty as charged. A couple of times I've felt "compelled" to respond, mostly when riding my Beeza R3. 

Once when cruising along with a passenger on my way to Christchurch when with a cloud of smoke and a ring-ding-ding we were passed by a Kawasaki Mach3. (then touted as the fastest bike in the world) I wasn't going to take any notice but the guy looked back to see if I was coming. Well... that did it. Caught him like a dose of salts.

A year or 4 later it was another Kawasaki. A Z900 this time, that also ranked mightily in it's adverts. Contented myself with sitting on his tail. Met the guy on the ferry that night in the bar. he was complaining bitterly about the old BSA he couldn't get away from.  (snicker)

[Kev m]

Not that I remember. I saw lots of patches, like every one was an Hells Angels full patch. Do the women wear full colors?

Lol, no...

[Triple Jim]

I work in a shop in my house, and live in a very rural area, so I'm always open to the rare opportunity of meeting a fellow local rider.  I've met a couple really decent guys by getting into conversations with them at stops.  One was a real surprise, because I had worked with him 25 years before, and had gotten together with him back then a few times for a beer or a boat ride.  We had hung out a bit at the 2013 Bull City Rumble, Saturday afternoon, and as I was leaving, he told me his full name, which I recognized.  Funny that 25 years of aging and fading memory had kept us from figuring out we knew each other for most of the afternoon.  We've visited each other and ridden together quite a few times since then.

I'll speed up a little to catch up to a rider in front of me, but not try to pass unless he's going under the speed limit.  If we happen to meet at a traffic light or other stop, I'll say hi.  Usually it's just a casual greeting and departure, but once in a while I meet a new friend.

[Penderic]

Had to give up my racing career cause of all the new squirts kept catching up and passing me! Its so embarassing. 

 

[lucydad]

Interesting topic, just back from a funeral and need some distraction.

Yep done the caught up more than once.  Sometimes intentional, sometimes not.  If someone wants to pass me, go ahead.  I have had a few sport bikes playing Moto GP on our FTM roads pass me on sweeper curves.  I was doing 60, they were over 100:  insane given the side traffic into these locations.

Been passed by the various patch wearing clubs here especially on the way down to Galveston.  I keep my distance and they tend to ride in excellent formation, but very fast. 

[SteveAZ]

As far as public roads go, I like riding alone and don't chase people down on purpose these days. If I come up on a slow rider I'll pass but that's about it. I wasn't always of this mindset. A few years back I started getting brief thoughts of my kids when I'd be leaned over in a corner and it changed my mindset about riding. I'm no saftey weenie, if you want to have a run at somone, by all means go for it and I think we all see speed limit signs as a suggestion at times. Hell, we ride motorcycles, there's a lot of risk just getting out there in text crazy modern society. I think of things I did in my younger years sometimes and wince.....I got very luck a number of times.

I think a lot of people assume that if you catch and pass somone, the person you passed was trying to maintain their speed at peak ability. Ive come to belive that usually they're just riding , see you coming and wave as you pass. That's what I do. I've been passed by folks I know I could re catch and put distance on but the urge just left me a while back. I love a smooth solo ride in the twisties when the shifts are coming just right, the lines are smooth and a good solid clip is being maintained. I will say this though, I've been itching to build a track bike and go play on closed circuits, not because I think I'm fast but because I'd love to go as fast as I can without worrying about all the standard road hazards. The chase urge is still there for me, just not on the road.

On the 1%ers, I used to get passed by small groups of Mongols on the I-405 at times on my commute to and from LA back when I was still working up that way. Didnt see them often but those guys roll tight and fast, much more so than the SoCal squid clubs you see doing mile long wheelies on the freeway and basically stunting their way down the road. I give all groups a wide berth. One guy messes up and I don't want to be just another domino.

I definitely have the catch 'em instinct, I'm just holding it down these days. I think I need to start doing track days.

[Kentktk]

Guilty more often than not (another reason for preferring slower bikes).

I have to admit that I especially enjoy it when it is a sportbike or something sporty from JAPanInc. and I'm on the Harley.

Have gotten my share of friendly waves after I've caught up, or occasionally even passed them with the Sporty.

One time on the Duc I caught and easily passed a JAPanInc. bike who was bombing the straights at maybe 80 but slowing WAY too much in the twisties (maybe down to 50-60 on curves the Sporty could even take at 70+). I tried to be polite and stayed in the throttle before pulling back in a maybe 20-30 over what he was doing when I passed (and that meant nearly triple-digit when I pulled in), but a few seconds later he passed me in my lane on my right (dick) at a good 40+ more than he'd been doing when I was catching up to him in the first place.

Oh well, guess he couldn't stand being passed by a wee-Italian bike. Actually, it would have been really funny to pull up to him and point out that it was only a 696 he'd been passed by in the first place, but after that he kept it in triple-digits on the straights so I didn't bother trying to stay with him or catch him again. I figured he was going to do something stupid.

A couple of times I noticed I was being chased and I wicked it up to stay ahead of them. One time on my wife's previous Harley (883) and a couple of JAPanInc. sportbikes fell back on that run. I stopped at the end of it and they both gave a friendly wave when they went by.

And best of all, the second day I owned the V7... chased by a BMW whom I pulled away from for a while, then waited for at a stop sign. He commented how much fun I was having and asked me how "old" the V7 was... I laughed and said "2 days".

Wow, your abilities to pass Sportbikes with riders of unknown skill is so impressive you should start a MotoGP career!

[brenwin]

 

 I am compelled by nature to leave no Harley unpassed 

  Dusty

Hahaha , love your thinking Dusty , me too ! 

[Penderic]

When you pass 'em, do you get to say "EAT MY DUST! "? 

[Kev m]

Wow, your abilities to pass Sportbikes with riders of unknown skill is so impressive you should start a MotoGP career!

Nice to know some things never change... I.E. you're still a jerk to people for no reason.

OBVIOUSLY it's a simple case of the riders not being as capable as their bikes.

I've made no secret on this board that I've been handily out ridden by less capable machines too. Like Lauri on an overloaded Quota disappearing from my Breva on tight WV mountain switchbacks.

My point was, probably always has been, that on the street it's usually the rider and not the bike. But I'm not under any illusion that I'll ever be a racer. Other than playing within the bounds I find reasonable, I have no interest in it.

Still the average street bike rider is generally unimpressive.

[oldbike54]

Still the average street bike rider is generally unimpressive.

 Yep , it's not that I am fast , everyone else is just so slow 

  Dusty

[Penderic]

I am not fast.

Just half-fast most of the time.

[lucydad]

Me neither.

Not fast, and just don't care to race on the streets.

Got all of that out of my system when I was a teenager.  Miracle I survived.
 
But I beat Bobby Unser Jr. in Chama, NM, 1971, on the oval on the Blizzard 797.  He was pissed.

[Kentktk]

Nice to know some things never change... I.E. you're still a jerk to people for no reason.

OBVIOUSLY it's a simple case of the riders not being as capable as their bikes.

I've made no secret on this board that I've been handily out ridden by less capable machines too. Like Lauri on an overloaded Quota disappearing from my Breva on tight WV mountain switchbacks.

My point was, probably always has been, that on the street it's usually the rider and not the bike. But I'm not under any illusion that I'll ever be a racer. Other than playing within the bounds I find reasonable, I have no interest in it.

Still the average street bike rider is generally unimpressive.

It's only obvious now that it was called out. Anyone reading it would see it as bravado as in ( see how great a rider I am) because I am faster than these Sportbikes. I do agree with your last two paragraphs.

[Kev m]

Sorry, I assumed I was talking primarily to friends whom I've known on this board for about a decade. They've likely heard half of the stories, including the one about Lauri and the Quota.

So I didn't feel the need to walk em through the "on the street I generally feel it's the rider, not the bike" and "there are tons of inexperienced riders" mantras before recounting some of the times I recall chasing or being chased as I think we've covered that ground again and again.

Not to mention I'm the guy who always says it's more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow, and feels he just doesn't need 100-200 hp bikes in the stable because he doesn't need to ride that fast.

So I'm sorry if I assumed anyone who ever read my posts (and come, I know you have many times over the years) would find it clear I don't think I'm a racer or have any desire to be.

But that doesn't mean I don't enjoy picking off the low hanging fruit.

[drums4money]

I'm usually riding alone or with another friend- never had the pack mindset.
I like a somewhat spirited clip, so I'll get on around someone if my pace is higher. 

I'm happy to wave thru anyone who's feeling the need to join my ride.  If they're close enough to follow, then I'll make it easy for them to lead. 

[O]

It's only obvious now that it was called out. Anyone reading it would see it as bravado as in ( see how great a rider I am) because I am faster than these Sportbikes. I do agree with your last two paragraphs.

Whats obvious is that you're a trolling douche, and someone that adds nothing to this discussion board but negativity.  For no reason, you're once again pissing on someone that actually regularly contributes constructive content.  Stay classy. 

[Guzzistajohn]

If I catch up with someone riding slower than I am, damn right I'm passing them as long as I can do it in a safe manner. Nothing personal. I expect the same from anyone who catches me. Uhhhh......that's just driving. No different than a 4 wheeler. It's a little im-mature to get pissed about traffic flow isn't it?

[drums4money]

If I catch up with someone riding slower than I am, damn right I'm passing them as long as I can do it in a safe manner. Nothing personal. I expect the same from anyone who catches me. Uhhhh......that's just driving. No different than a 4 wheeler. It's a little im-mature to get pissed about traffic flow isn't it?

exactly - occasionally there's someone that wants to play cat & mouse.  I don't have any interest.  Likewise in a car- someone comes hauling ass out of the background only to get on your bumper.  Take the lead for crying out loud - nobody needs you to be their proctologist. Or maybe they're just born to follow.

[Yukonica]

 :1: :1:

 Got passed by a 17 year old Texan at Oak Hill raceway in Henderson TX . In fact , he passed me and everyone else several times during practice , dang punk kid , making us all look slow , sliding both ends of a GS Suzuki , all elbows , knees, and huevos . Seems like his name was Bob , or Joe ,or oh ... yeah ... Kevin , that was his name . Kind of a goofy looking kid , kinky hair , lop sided grin . Nice young fella though , probably ended up doing well 

  Dusty

:1:

[LowRyter]

 Got passed by a 17 year old Texan at Oak Hill raceway in Henderson TX . In fact , he passed me and everyone else several times during practice , dang punk kid , making us all look slow , sliding both ends of a GS Suzuki , all elbows , knees, and huevos . Seems like his name was Bob , or Joe ,or oh ... yeah ... Kevin , that was his name . Kind of a goofy looking kid , kinky hair , lop sided grin . Nice young fella though , probably ended up doing well 

  Dusty

sure, next you'll be saying you're on the track with a gonna-be world champ.....I am on to your stories.

[LowRyter]

oh, you were on the same track but not racing him.   

[kenebar]

A MARGINALLY RELEVANT CAUTIONARY TALE

Recently I was heading north bagged and loaded through the Mary Valley to avoid the slab.

I was drifting through some fast sweepers sitting on the speed limit (100kph) when I glimpsed another bike behind me and gaining.  HOW DARE HE!!!
 
My initial impulse was to strangle the throttle but I then thought, I have a long day ahead so best take it easy.

The motorcycle cop waved to me as he passed.