That's true in this neck o' the woods. The speedo error saves me the price of a radar detector.
Avoiding the "pack" mentality riding the interstate... What would you do??
- Thread starter skidlid1300
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- Dec 21, 2004
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- Ledgewood, NJ 07852
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- 03&04 ST1300
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- 5079
Well as far as riding with a pack I think it depends on the pack I have ridden with several packs of ST riders and never had an issue drop and sweep sees to that but as far as packs of cruisers get around them as fast as possible or let them get way ahead wether its a 2 lane or an interstate. Most of those packs run at or below the speed limit. Although on the way to a recent RTE I slabbed it to save some time and ran into a pack of Harleys I thought to myself here we go slow pack in the left lane within a few minutes a car pulled out of the left lane into the right and those 8 Harleys were gone I don't think they went under 90 they made a great rabbit.
Kevin_56
Site Supporter
So did he. I have done the 2 lane to "SEE" America. If I have miles to make, then divided hiways will be faster in my area of the country. Nothing better than off the beaten path if you have the time. But if you have or want to make 500+ miles, divided is going to be measurably quicker. Enjoy your travels as that is the important part. How you get there and how long it takes, really does not matter to anyone else.
I think I will take the scenic route to MNSTOC this afternoon with Mondo. See some of you there.
Number 1... I like to avoid the interstate highways as much as possible. There is just more to enjoy traveling the two/four lane rural routes. I enjoy checking out the "small" towns... The large towns I will try to go around or through fast by jumping on the interstates just to get through them... don't enjoy endless traffic signals! When on the larger roads and encounter the "packs" of bikes or cars... it's usually because I am traveling a little faster and catch up to them. I will work to get around them as soon as possible and continue my pace. If I pass one and he feels the need to pace me fairly close... then I do a Patten and accelerate at a rate indicating I wish to be alone! That usually works.
On interstate highways... there really is not much relief from rolling road blocks or packs... if you travel a little faster than most, you usually catchup with another... pretty soon you are a victim of your own "speed creep"... getting a little faster and a little faster.
One thing that does work for me... at my age, my bladder has a very limited range and I drink coffee, so when the going gets tough, I take a pee and coffee break to reset the scenery.
On interstate highways... there really is not much relief from rolling road blocks or packs... if you travel a little faster than most, you usually catchup with another... pretty soon you are a victim of your own "speed creep"... getting a little faster and a little faster.
One thing that does work for me... at my age, my bladder has a very limited range and I drink coffee, so when the going gets tough, I take a pee and coffee break to reset the scenery.
Styles
2000 Non-ABS
Sturgis lies on Interstate 90, and if they necessarily include STs in their spellings, they don't really in their proceedings. That seems quite sufficient reason to avoid them unless by necessity you're forced to stay the course somewhere else. 
Styles
Styles
I do not mind riding in a group formation, as long as it is riders I know. Occasionally we will get a rider not known to us joining the group , we usually move over and flag him out of the group or forward. One time we had a great ride going and a couple of racers raced up from behind and weaved into the group on a 4 lane freeway. We know this was to hide from the chp, no other reason. Took a few miles to get them out of the group.
schlep1967
Bill
I use the kiss method (keep it simple stupid). When safe to do so.....wave them around.
Don-STOC237
STealer
Phil is correct - if you've got a lot of miles to cover in a day, there is no substitute for an 80 mph interstate.
Having said that, and done a bit of that last week in SD and WY, I have to say that the hours spent going 80 or 85 mph on a freeway are the most miserable time one (at least for me) can spend on a motorcycle. If you're going around trucks and cars, and waiting for that 65 mph truck to pass that 64 mph truck on that 80 mph freeway, it's just a PITA and it happens frequently. On my 4000+ mile trip to MN and back from NV earlier this month, I spent about 250 miles total on interstates, mostly on I-90 in 80 mph zones. The only places I was held up by traffic were on the freeways and in the Twin Cities metro area. Construction zones on the two lanes held me up a half-dozen times on the two-lanes, for a maximum of about 10 minutes - most were shorter. The mostly-deserted two-lane roads out in the middle of nowhere make passing the occasional truck or motorhome easy, most times you don't even need to slow down. And since most of the LEO's are patrolling the freeways, you can go at a reasonable rate and make good time between towns. The towns make a nice break, as well.
Even just a few days after Sturgis, most of the two-lane highways are a joy to ride. I had the pleasure of once again riding Hwy 16 from Buffalo to Tensleep WY, and a bunch of other mostly-deserted backroads. The experience between those and the interstates are a stark constrast.
Having lived for a lot of riding years where I had to ride a couple thousand miles to get to the "good riding," I learned after awhile that the good riding is everywhere. For instance, going across Nebraska can be a real chore on I-80, but take the two-lane roads farther south and you'll be treated to a lot of fun through the Nebraska Sand Hills.
I'll use the interstate occasionally as a connector road, or to finish a long day with a place as a goal, but in all truth I'd much rather spend the extra couple days and have fun riding rather than subject myself to a lot of interstate riding.
I guess it depends on your goals though, there are those that are "destination" riders, and those that go for the ride, with the destination being a secondary goal. I guess I'm the latter type. For instance, when coming home from Utah, I'd far rather travel an extra 50 or 60 miles running down to US50 to get home than going the shorter and faster way on I-80. IMO, 4 days of 600 miles on backroads are a lot more fun than 3 800 mile days on the slab.
Having said that, and done a bit of that last week in SD and WY, I have to say that the hours spent going 80 or 85 mph on a freeway are the most miserable time one (at least for me) can spend on a motorcycle. If you're going around trucks and cars, and waiting for that 65 mph truck to pass that 64 mph truck on that 80 mph freeway, it's just a PITA and it happens frequently. On my 4000+ mile trip to MN and back from NV earlier this month, I spent about 250 miles total on interstates, mostly on I-90 in 80 mph zones. The only places I was held up by traffic were on the freeways and in the Twin Cities metro area. Construction zones on the two lanes held me up a half-dozen times on the two-lanes, for a maximum of about 10 minutes - most were shorter. The mostly-deserted two-lane roads out in the middle of nowhere make passing the occasional truck or motorhome easy, most times you don't even need to slow down. And since most of the LEO's are patrolling the freeways, you can go at a reasonable rate and make good time between towns. The towns make a nice break, as well.
Even just a few days after Sturgis, most of the two-lane highways are a joy to ride. I had the pleasure of once again riding Hwy 16 from Buffalo to Tensleep WY, and a bunch of other mostly-deserted backroads. The experience between those and the interstates are a stark constrast.
Having lived for a lot of riding years where I had to ride a couple thousand miles to get to the "good riding," I learned after awhile that the good riding is everywhere. For instance, going across Nebraska can be a real chore on I-80, but take the two-lane roads farther south and you'll be treated to a lot of fun through the Nebraska Sand Hills.
I'll use the interstate occasionally as a connector road, or to finish a long day with a place as a goal, but in all truth I'd much rather spend the extra couple days and have fun riding rather than subject myself to a lot of interstate riding.
I guess it depends on your goals though, there are those that are "destination" riders, and those that go for the ride, with the destination being a secondary goal. I guess I'm the latter type. For instance, when coming home from Utah, I'd far rather travel an extra 50 or 60 miles running down to US50 to get home than going the shorter and faster way on I-80. IMO, 4 days of 600 miles on backroads are a lot more fun than 3 800 mile days on the slab.
Uncle Phil
Site Supporter
Don - I agreed completely, but unfortunately I don't usually have the 'extra' vacation days to take the 'preferred' route. Like going to LobsterSToc, I had much rather have ridden across Virginia on two lane (I happen to know some really killer roads), took the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel, then the Water Gap road and followed two lanes into Maine. But that would have added 2 days coming and going which is 4 days more than I had. I had much rather take US 50 all the way across the US (and plan to do it again one day soon) than blast across I40 to get to California. But as I said, my choice is simple - do what has to be done to get to the ultimate destination or sit at home and wish. ;-) So I make my STs as comfortable as possible to remove as much 'slab' discomfort as I can and look forward to the day of retirement when I travel on my own schedule! It will be hard for me to imagine a time when I don't have time constraints on my travel - but I think I will be able to deal with it! BTW, I hope your lovely Missus and those two precious puppy dogs are doing fine!
BTW, I hope your lovely Missus and those two precious puppy dogs are doing fine!
Styles
2000 Non-ABS
Don-STOC237
STealer
Phil, ya old pharte - about time you retired and got serious about riding!
I do my best to stay away from the "pack". Normally they roll up on me then pass me which is fine. I ride with one or two of my buds and we have agreed to ride in a very loose formation instead of a tight one. That leaves lots of room around us for cagers or bikes wanting to move faster. If some cager starts to ride our bumpers i normally fall back and " ask" them politely to move on.
Uncle Phil
Site Supporter
Don - Unfortunately I've grown quite fond of eating regular and living indoors...Phil, ya old pharte - about time you retired and got serious about riding!