Speeding

[JeffOlson]

I confess, I speed, almost all the time, whether driving or riding a motorcycle. (I won't say how many or how few MPH I travel over the speed limit.) I pass cagers, too, even in double-lane roundabouts.

I can't help it. The roads around here, especially the "freeways," beg for faster travel when traffic is light. Sometimes I speed when traffic eases up because it has just been a nightmare with slow drivers and the bottle-neck has just broken up. Usually, though, I just like to go faster than the man thinks I should...

Corner speed signs are especially fun to challenge. 30 MPH really means 50 MPH, at least when the road is dry and clear of the dirt and "ballbearings" they throw on the road when there is a bit of snow or ice.

How about you? Are you riding slowly into your dotage, or are you giving it some gas, blazing toward the sunset?

[oldbike54]

 What ? Are you trying to make us admit to being scofflaws ? 


 Oh , don't make me laugh , bad head cold , laughing hurts 


 Dusty

[Triple Jim]

I normally go no faster than 5 over the limit, no matter what I'm driving, but there are rare exceptions.  The suggested safe speed signs around here are a different story.  You can normally double those without getting in trouble, and there are a few curves that are posted 15 mph that can be taken at 55 if the road is dry and clean and no cars are around, and I'm willing to hang off the bike.

[JeffOlson]

[Deleted so as not to encourage scofflaws!]

The best part for me is not traveling quickly but accelerating hard. I love the sound and feel of hard acceleration...

[Gliderjohn]

The Norge 8vs just love to run fast. The first 1,000 miles or so that I owned mine I regularly found myself going 85-95 if I didn't pay close attention to the speedo. Living in Kansas of course there are plenty of speeding opportunities. Just all depends but I am way more guilty than I should admit in public.
GliderJohn

[lucydad]

Jeff,

Glooobers  spewing out of my nose and sinuses....hmm.  I average about 5 mph above average speeds here in the Houston areas.  Caught myself doing nearly 70 on a sweeper curve near Brazos Bend park on the Triumph last week:  40 mph limit.  But, I could see the entire curve, and there was no farmer's tractor mud. 

You know what pisses me off though?  Driving on freeway, doing maybe 75 mph, and someone blows by doing 120 or more swerving in and out of lanes.  Damn dangerous, and it happens frequently in Houston.  Even worse:  street racing by kids in their muscle cars. 

[fatbob]

I can't help but speed on the highway, except on my old Harley. I find it best to run at least 5 mph faster than the traffic, keeps me from getting squeezed!  Never speed in town, too many cagers on the phone!

[JeffOlson]

Traveling much faster than the normal flow of traffic and especially weaving in and out of cars can be very dangerous and even reckless. I try to avoid that!

However, traveling a bit faster just seems to make my life a little more enjoyable, especially when I can accelerate hard. I think I feel more alive and engaged when pushing it a little compared to droning along.

[Guzzistajohn]

In traffic it "feels" more safe to me going a little faster than the flow. I feel like I'm seen better. In the Ozarks twisties, if traffic is lite and the roads are smooth and clean, I really don't take the time to look at the speedo. I'm concentrating on the curve and looking ahead for smokies

[lucydad]

Jeff,

The paradox(s) are waiting in my garage.  The interesting think:  I have had my V7R up to indicated 105 mph.  Fastest on the Triumph Street Triple so far is about 90.  But that acceleration of the Triple:  just a wonderful rush.  Better handling makes for much faster and safer cornering too. 

Love the dV/dT

[oldbike54]

In traffic it "feels" more safe to me going a little faster than the flow. I feel like I'm seen better. In the Ozarks twisties, if traffic is lite and the roads are smooth and clean, I really don't take the time to look at the speedo. I'm concentrating on the curve and looking ahead for smokies

 Don't blow my cover , I won't blow your's 

  Dusty

[motorhead748]

I typically run over the limit but I have to be carefull as I have a CDL.  I use a escort 9500 detector and have the waze app running on my phone. Not fool proof but better than nothing.

[Gliderjohn]

LEO's of all type have seemed to give me a lot of slack over the years even when 15-20 over. The only two times I have got a ticket has been years ago on the T-3 in a small town speed trap in the 55 MPH days. I didn't know the 45mph speed limit extended two miles out of town and I was doing 54.
The second was last May about two weeks before my retirement I spaced a school zone two blocks from my office. That one hurt at 12 over (double fines). My own dumb fault there.
GliderJohn

[guzzinka]

In the Chicago area cagers are maniacs on the highways, so I take it easy there.  Too easy too get pushed into grotesquely unsafe situations.  On the regular streets I ride very aggressively because I think that's safer, stay very alert and keep moving quick.  Don't think I would give that advice to a new rider tho. Also, as has been mentioned, it's crazy fun to twist the throttle!

[Triple Jim]

On the regular streets I ride very aggressively because I think that's safer, stay very alert and keep moving quick.

I may be wrong, but I find defensive driving safer than aggressive driving, and on a motorcycle it's very defensive driving.

[azguzzirep]

I drive faster now at 56 years than I did before because two things:
First I have a better bike than I ever had before
Secondly  in Europe one can and does drive fast. But only on the Autobahn. On other secondary roads I plod along like I was on an Eldo. Sure I get passed alot
But I enjoy the scenery here.

Tom😎

[canuguzzi]

On distance rides, I ride decently fast, 80 but I also find pleasure in slower riding and more sonmore often.

On any other roads I ride slower, the idea is to get there.

In any case, in traffic I ride with traffic as the speedo is very optimistic (at 75 actual is about 68-69)

[guzzinka]

I may be wrong, but I find defensive driving safer than aggressive driving, and on a motorcycle it's very defensive driving.

I guess to me aggressive = (defensive+fast).   When people find out that I ride, frequently the first question is "are you one of 'those'  riders?"  After much thought, I'm sure most of us could answer "yep"!

[drlapo]

Now that I'm retired I seldom speed
I'm in no hurry and enjoy the ride
Yeah I'm that old guy doing the speed limit

[travelingbyguzzi]

In traffic, I go with the flow, plus a bit more, if possible. Outside of traffic, I go with what "feels right' depending on many factors. Often, when traveling, I an sightseeing, and not speeding much. Other times the destination requires a 700 mile day and I am hauling the freight.
So the answer is:..........'Maybe..'

Bill Lovelady          IS
Eskimo Spy

[Triple Jim]

I guess to me aggressive = (defensive+fast).

With the understanding that definitions of "defensive" can vary, my definition makes "fast" and "defensive" mutually exclusive.

[drw916]

When there is traffic, I run slightly faster.  On the back roads all bets are off.  I have found that my backroad speeds haven't changed much over the years.  The increased abilities of the new bikes have at least offset my sills.(mostly vision related)

[Kiwi_Roy]

Corner speed signs are especially fun to challenge. 30 MPH really means 50 MPH, at least when the road is dry and clear of the dirt and "ballbearings" they throw on the road when there is a bit of snow or ice.

Just be careful if ever you come North of the border, the corner signs are in KPH, hitting a 30 KPH corner at 50 MPH doesn't work as my riding buddy found out after our trip to California.

[cruzziguzzi]

I look at this question the way that I do some queries on other forums to which I belong - most notably - firearms versions.

I figure that next time I'm "under the lights", having particular responses to this come to light after prosecutorial data mining could only chomp my rump.

And livin' as I feel livin' right to be... oh yeah, there will be further "interviews".


Todd.

[Testarossa]

Yes, I go faster than I should, always have. But only when solo. Two-up I'm quite conservative.

I will say that as I grow older, "faster than I should" is growing slower . . .

Some decades back I made a conscious decision to get rid of the sport bikes (the Honda and Laverda). One of them was eventually going to kill me.

[omega1987]

I'm forcing myself to slow down.  I commute at oh dark thirty and traffic on the slab is fast.  I'll get passed when I'm doing 90mph.  I've started thinking about the 90mph and wondering why I'm in such a hurry to get to work.  I hate that place.  I'm slowing down and letting more and more people pass me (I'm still going a little over the post speed limit).  Dotage, it seems, is setting in.

Snap! The only part of my work day I enjoy is the commute, why rush.

[Tom]

I have no idea what you're talking about.

[Rough Edge racing]

  It's still a thrill to use all the performance at times. ..In built up areas I go with the flow...And always defensive, cars, trucks, other bikes ,deer and loose dogs are potential problems.

[Kentktk]

I confess, I speed, almost all the time, whether driving or riding a motorcycle. (I won't say how many or how few MPH I travel over the speed limit.)

Why?

[Vagrant]

a new riding friend taught me a lesson a few years back. " It's stupid to get a ticket while not having fun. like regular boring roads and interstates. now on twisty back roads at least your' having fun if you get stopped so it doesn't feel so bad."