I'm a fairly new rider are there any tips and what was your first experience like on the highway?
Need advice for highway riding
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sid_for_speed
Well-known member
I went up north on Mccowan all the way to stouffville today at 80+ kmph just to get a taste of highway riding...it gets windy...very very windy...I dunno how the guys in SS manage to stay upright...at 95 kmph I was forced to tuck in...when I did ,it was calm( it's amazing that countersteering still works at those speeds
)
I tried touching 100kmph and as I neared it...it became almost impossible to do a shoulder check because the winds were so strong....again,tucking in helped.
Guess we will get used to it...
)I tried touching 100kmph and as I neared it...it became almost impossible to do a shoulder check because the winds were so strong....again,tucking in helped.
Guess we will get used to it...
El Cockblock
Well-known member
+1 if you need to swerve quickly, you need all the space you can get.
Counter steering -always- works, regardless if you're going at 25+ or 290 km/h (not that I've ever gone that fast)
Try to always be on either the leftmost or rightmost lane, to be able to have a blocking position; the middle lane is not really good for staying safe.
My 1+1 cents.
I went up north on Mccowan all the way to stouffville today at 80+ kmph just to get a taste of highway riding...it gets windy...very very windy...I dunno how the guys in SS manage to stay upright...at 95 kmph I was forced to tuck in...when I did ,it was calm( it's amazing that countersteering still works at those speeds
I tried touching 100kmph and as I neared it...it became almost impossible to do a shoulder check because the winds were so strong....again,tucking in helped.
Guess we will get used to it...
Wait til you get a bigger bike. Then you will understand.
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Instead of attempting to go on the highway and half would through realizing it was a bad idea, go on a road such as hwy 27, or any country road where the speed limit is 80km/h. Work your way up to 80/90/100 (just dont get caught) and when you are comfortable with the speed then go hit some of the highways when they are not busy and get used to it.
When i started riding i did the exact opposite, jumped on bike, barely figured out how to shift and jumped on the highway. Not being used to the speed i kept looking down on the pavement thinking "that **** is gonna shred me to pieces if i fall" :lmao:
Don't sit behind things that you can't see past. You want to see as far ahead as possible, in case traffic comes to an abrupt stop.
Also, some may not like this, but when there's a lot of traffic (rush hour) on curves I'll take the inside portion of the lane and disregard blocking position. I find pretty often traffic can come to an abrupt slowdown and sometimes the person in front decides to brake more than they need to, or I can "control" the braking of the car behind me. It's nice to see this coming. If the highway is curving left, and I'm in the left lane (maintaining blocking position in the right tire track), my vision of the road ahead isn't so great.
Aand, practice your emergency braking at faster speeds.
Though I'm still in my first season, that's my 2 cents.
Also, some may not like this, but when there's a lot of traffic (rush hour) on curves I'll take the inside portion of the lane and disregard blocking position. I find pretty often traffic can come to an abrupt slowdown and sometimes the person in front decides to brake more than they need to, or I can "control" the braking of the car behind me. It's nice to see this coming. If the highway is curving left, and I'm in the left lane (maintaining blocking position in the right tire track), my vision of the road ahead isn't so great.
Aand, practice your emergency braking at faster speeds.
Though I'm still in my first season, that's my 2 cents.
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StunnaV
Well-known member
When riding in the rightmost lane, keep an eye on cars entering the highway from on-ramp. Make sure you stay out of their blind spots by either speeding up or slowing down to let them enter. I lost count of the times a car merged onto the highway while almost taking me out in the process. If speed is your main concern then do as Paul1000RR mentioned and try it out on country roads where there is less traffic to worry about.
PLau
Well-known member
I went up north on Mccowan all the way to stouffville today at 80+ kmph just to get a taste of highway riding...it gets windy...very very windy...I dunno how the guys in SS manage to stay upright...at 95 kmph I was forced to tuck in...when I did ,it was calm( it's amazing that countersteering still works at those speeds
I tried touching 100kmph and as I neared it...it became almost impossible to do a shoulder check because the winds were so strong....again,tucking in helped.
Guess we will get used to it...
I think it just takes some getting used to. I've never had any trouble sitting up at 120. As for checking your blind spot, just be prepared for the wind and you'll be fine.
I usually only tuck when there are headwinds or an uphill slowing me down or if its raining.
I ride a CBR125 btw w/ probably 4k kms on the highway.
I was also under the impression that you've been riding for at least a year.
As for OP, make sure you're not in the passing lane if you're not passing and be careful of people merging in if you're on the right lane.
Didn't think being on a bigger bike increased amount of wind hitting you. Unless you're suggesting going even higher speeds like 150km/h+.
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sid_for_speed
Well-known member
I assume SS offer more wind buffeting features because of their fairing designs?
No, this is my very first season...
sonyminidiscman
Well-known member
you will get use to it. very soon you will feel like 100 is too slow.
about the SS guys question, the seating position on a SS, neutralizes the wind force you take. At least it does for me, I'm a bigger guy. If you have a clean line of air, it is actually quite nice, the wind force and gravity force of the forward pitch are equal at about 110+ kph, so there is no weight on your arms.
personally, when the left lane is going 5 km-10km/h faster than the right lane, I wait for the car in front of me to clear the car in the right lane. Its not as smooth as constant throttle, but you really want to minimize your time in a cars blind spot whenever possible. A loud pipe isn't required, but with a silent pipe, a car might not realize you are beside them. Consider something in between.
This is just personal opinion, but I like having a bit more HP than required when highway riding (ok you don't need 160, but it has come in handy from time to time). There are the occasional times on any highway where it doesn't matter who is right, it's about who is bigger or who has more to lose if someone makes a stupid manoever. Some will argue to always slow down, I say sure its an option, but also have some horsepower to give you an alternate option to get out of there. Brakes are not always the answer. I'm never worried about me braking in time, I'm worried about what the guy behind me is doing when I am 100% on the brakes.
personally, when the left lane is going 5 km-10km/h faster than the right lane, I wait for the car in front of me to clear the car in the right lane. Its not as smooth as constant throttle, but you really want to minimize your time in a cars blind spot whenever possible. A loud pipe isn't required, but with a silent pipe, a car might not realize you are beside them. Consider something in between.
This is just personal opinion, but I like having a bit more HP than required when highway riding (ok you don't need 160, but it has come in handy from time to time). There are the occasional times on any highway where it doesn't matter who is right, it's about who is bigger or who has more to lose if someone makes a stupid manoever. Some will argue to always slow down, I say sure its an option, but also have some horsepower to give you an alternate option to get out of there. Brakes are not always the answer. I'm never worried about me braking in time, I'm worried about what the guy behind me is doing when I am 100% on the brakes.
Noobierider
Well-known member
Highway riding is one thing but getting used to ramps ie the dvp into gardiner or gardiner onto the 427 are hard to get used to when you start. My first time I went into the ramp too fast, learned pretty quick though. Always be weary of the right lane due to merging traffic, assume they can't see you and adjust accordingly.
Lots of good advice above.
I am in my first two months of riding a motorcycle, though am used to sub-60km traffic having riden a Vespa for eight years.
I found the main barrier to highway riding has been due to a combination of confidence and getting over a psychological barrier. In my case I worked out a progressive plan and increased challenges over a 3 week period. I started by riding up and down the Bayview extension several times over a week (60-70km legal). Then one Sunday morning I left the house (I live downtown) at 6am and took the DVP north to Newmarket and back. Traffic was surprisingly busy but not so much as to be scary or intimidating. I managed 80-90-100km as appropriate, with not too much pressure from any other drivers. This was a big confidence booster.
Then one Saturday night I took Bayview all the way from downtown to mulock drive - headed east to highway 48 - then south to the 401- west to the DVP and home via the Bloor street exit. This route involved just about every riding situation/condition ( including rain and night riding) as you can normally expect. This was a great experience and I felt really satisfied.
Last week I went for distance and headed out at 6:30 am Sunday up the DVP and east on the 401 to Belleville and back. A completely different experience. Traffic was far more aggressive. Cross- winds were a definite challenge and holy crap there are a lot of transport trucks on the road! It was all good though. Most cars were happy to speed along in the left lanes. I stayed to the right at 100-110km adjusting speed at on/off ramps. There were a few jerks but mostly drivers were considerate and I had no big problems.
My advice - take it slow but add progressive challenges to push your limits. Ride so you are alert but also relaxed. Pick a preferred lane and try to stick with it long enough to master the techniques necessary to ride safely in it. All lanes have their risks and you need different strategies to be safe, depending on which one you are working with. Never be in a rush and do not let the impatience of other drivers push you beyond where you are in control. Leave them space so they can pass you and forget about them.
Good luck
I am in my first two months of riding a motorcycle, though am used to sub-60km traffic having riden a Vespa for eight years.
I found the main barrier to highway riding has been due to a combination of confidence and getting over a psychological barrier. In my case I worked out a progressive plan and increased challenges over a 3 week period. I started by riding up and down the Bayview extension several times over a week (60-70km legal). Then one Sunday morning I left the house (I live downtown) at 6am and took the DVP north to Newmarket and back. Traffic was surprisingly busy but not so much as to be scary or intimidating. I managed 80-90-100km as appropriate, with not too much pressure from any other drivers. This was a big confidence booster.
Then one Saturday night I took Bayview all the way from downtown to mulock drive - headed east to highway 48 - then south to the 401- west to the DVP and home via the Bloor street exit. This route involved just about every riding situation/condition ( including rain and night riding) as you can normally expect. This was a great experience and I felt really satisfied.
Last week I went for distance and headed out at 6:30 am Sunday up the DVP and east on the 401 to Belleville and back. A completely different experience. Traffic was far more aggressive. Cross- winds were a definite challenge and holy crap there are a lot of transport trucks on the road! It was all good though. Most cars were happy to speed along in the left lanes. I stayed to the right at 100-110km adjusting speed at on/off ramps. There were a few jerks but mostly drivers were considerate and I had no big problems.
My advice - take it slow but add progressive challenges to push your limits. Ride so you are alert but also relaxed. Pick a preferred lane and try to stick with it long enough to master the techniques necessary to ride safely in it. All lanes have their risks and you need different strategies to be safe, depending on which one you are working with. Never be in a rush and do not let the impatience of other drivers push you beyond where you are in control. Leave them space so they can pass you and forget about them.
Good luck
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All things being equal statistically speaking the highway is the safest place to ride,no intersecting traffic,fewer stationary roadside objects to run into,relative cruising speeds and better road surface with larger lanes.
Say away from exploding truck tires(trucks),dont over run your buffer zones and keep a clear view so you can see retreads on the road.Nothing ruins a highway cruise like a car running over truck tire shrapnel throwing it out the back and in your face or coming up on tire shrapnel and not seeing it in time.Not riding in a the pack of other vehicles mitigates the above issues greatly .
Say away from exploding truck tires(trucks),dont over run your buffer zones and keep a clear view so you can see retreads on the road.Nothing ruins a highway cruise like a car running over truck tire shrapnel throwing it out the back and in your face or coming up on tire shrapnel and not seeing it in time.Not riding in a the pack of other vehicles mitigates the above issues greatly .
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+1 on smaller highways and sideroads. Get used to going fast before going fast in dangerous traffic.
And a bigger bike is just that, bigger. When I went from a CBR 125 to a Ninja 250, the difference in how much the wind pushed me around was minimal. When I went up to an FZ6R, the difference was huge. With wider tires and larger fairings, it feels like I sit inside the bike now instead of being a huge wind sail on a tiny machine. Even with a big action packer rubbermaid box bolted on to the back, it just feels more stable in windy conditions. I still prefer the 125 in the city though. I miss that thing.
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And a bigger bike is just that, bigger. When I went from a CBR 125 to a Ninja 250, the difference in how much the wind pushed me around was minimal. When I went up to an FZ6R, the difference was huge. With wider tires and larger fairings, it feels like I sit inside the bike now instead of being a huge wind sail on a tiny machine. Even with a big action packer rubbermaid box bolted on to the back, it just feels more stable in windy conditions. I still prefer the 125 in the city though. I miss that thing.
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be comfortable going at least 100 first before going on highway
because once your on highway, you should go with the flow of traffic, dont stick to 100 if everyone is going 120, because everyone will be passing you and cutting you off or tail gating you, which can be quite dangerous
because once your on highway, you should go with the flow of traffic, dont stick to 100 if everyone is going 120, because everyone will be passing you and cutting you off or tail gating you, which can be quite dangerous
My biggest tip is don't fight the wind. If you are constantly tense to try to keep yourself perfectly straight, you're going to have a very sore neck and shoulders.
My first times on the highway i felt like i was in the middle of a tornado and a 10 minute ride at 100kmh was exhausting. Overnight i thought about not being so tense, to just let the wind beat me up a bit. My next highway run was 100x better and felt like i could do it much longer.
With time and experience you get so used to it that you feel like you'll be able to read a book at 120kmh (average flow of traffic). You still have to pay attention though because a crosswind coming from a lake or valley will surprise you once in a while.
My first times on the highway i felt like i was in the middle of a tornado and a 10 minute ride at 100kmh was exhausting. Overnight i thought about not being so tense, to just let the wind beat me up a bit. My next highway run was 100x better and felt like i could do it much longer.
With time and experience you get so used to it that you feel like you'll be able to read a book at 120kmh (average flow of traffic). You still have to pay attention though because a crosswind coming from a lake or valley will surprise you once in a while.
