Who has gone 150 MPH on a Motorcycle?

[Chauncey Gardiner]

today i wanted to see how fast my rebel 300 cc went but i got afraid of geting a ticket but it goes way faster then i need it to.and since it is only 1 cylinder it is easy to fix

Hey raggie man, Good thinking on your part. Remember also, it's not just the cost of the ticket but also the ongoing increase of your insurance after receiving a reckless driving citation.

 

[alpg88]

The difference being the profile and foot print of a motorcycle is substantionally smaller than most automobiles. A motorcyclist can be obscured from one's vision by a pack of gum.

are you driving with a pack of gum in front of your eyes? i'm not, neither should you, my eyes are on the road when i drive, not on pack of gum, phone, or any other object, i have no problem seeing bikes when they ride obeying rules, i also have no problem seeing people, animals, or objects on the road. which are much smaller than bikes.

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

The difference being the profile and foot print of a motorcycle is substantionally smaller than most automobiles. A motorcyclist can be obscured from one's vision by an a pillar.

are you driving with a pack of gum in front of your eyes? i'm not, neither should you, my eyes are on the road when i drive, not on pack of gum, phone, or any other object, i have no problem seeing bikes when they ride obeying rules, i also have no problem seeing people, animals, or objects on the road. which are much smaller than bikes.

Happy now?

 

[Random Dan]

not that easy to see you when you are splitting lines, or come out of nowhere cutting cars off at high speed. those who drive like normal people we see just fine.

While I'm sure that is true for you it is not true for the general population. I always need to be super vigilant when on the intestate because people will try to merge straight into me.

 

[alpg88]

While I'm sure that is true for you it is not true for the general population. I always need to be super vigilant when on the intestate because people will try to merge straight into me.

well thanks god for dashcams, i dive a Honda pilot, pretty hard to miss, but people merge right into me as well. bikes have advantage, they are heard, most of them, i hear them before i see them.

 

[Lumen83]

i have no problem seeing bikes when they ride obeying rules, i also have no problem seeing people, animals, or objects on the road. which are much smaller than bikes.

Some people are just plain not paying attention and get bikers killed. But another part of it is a psychological thing. I remember reading about it. Its sort of subconscious. I forget the details, but basically the brain is conditioned to seeing an object on the road the dimensions of a car with two headlights, etc. The brain kind of goes into an autopilot mode where it is looking to pick up whether there is one of those things coming. Bikes don't fit the bill so the brain dismisses them.

Similarly, the other night I almost got T-boned by a car that had one headlight out. In my mind it appeared like a car would way off in the distance. So far away that the two lights just look like one light. I almost pulled out in front of it but then I realized that it was a car with only one light much closer than I first surmised. Then it dawned on me that motorcylces with only one headlight have the same problem. And I wonder if it has happened where someone thought the same thing and pulled out in front of them.

 

[bykfixer]

I gotta admire ole RED. See, when you're young and have all the time in the world it seems like there's this need to hurry all the time.

When you get old and time is limited you seem to have the urge to ease along everywhere.

At least old RED has it where now that he's old and doesn't have all the time left of a youngster, he hurries from point A to B to squeeze more life from each moment.

I realized at 47 my reaction time has wained enough to warrant slowing down....a lot.
On Christmas Day 2007 I was barreling down a hill on a skateboard and hit a rock that stopped my board. By the time I realized I was falling I'd already hit the pavement and bounced...twice.
Been taking my time ever since.

Now for that chewing gum analogy? A dash mounted go pro can be large enough to miss a motorcycle. It's why so many states have inspection stickers on the driver side windshield now. In my state you are not allowed to have anything in your view above the windshield wipers at rest from the steering wheel to the passenger side. People do it anyway.

I have a smart truck for work. Buttons galore. At times it talks to me because I've pushed some button somewhere. To me that's way more distracting than a medalian hanging from my rear view mirror. I mean, do you keep going down the road while your vehicle keeps shouting "enter telephone number" without trying to turn the dam thing off?...probably not.

I'm not afraid to go 150mph on a motorcycle. I'm afraid the tires won't hold out at that speed. Screw that.

 

[markr6]

Similarly, the other night I almost got T-boned by a car that had one headlight out. In my mind it appeared like a car would way off in the distance. So far away that the two lights just look like one light. I almost pulled out in front of it but then I realized that it was a car with only one light much closer than I first surmised. Then it dawned on me that motorcylces with only one headlight have the same problem. And I wonder if it has happened where someone thought the same thing and pulled out in front of them.

I think it's the opposite. I had a Yamaha R6. It had two headlights but only one ran. Aesthetically it was annoying, and sometimes people would even get out at stops to tell me I have a light out.

I believe they did this for safety. Otherwise, at night my two headlights (only inches apart) could appear like a car 1/4 mile away when in fact I was basically right there.

 

[Lumen83]

I think it's the opposite. I had a Yamaha R6. It had two headlights but only one ran. Aesthetically it was annoying, and sometimes people would even get out at stops to tell me I have a light out.

I believe they did this for safety. Otherwise, at night my two headlights (only inches apart) could appear like a car 1/4 mile away when in fact I was basically right there.

The thing is the two headlights on an R6 are so close together that whether one of them or two of them are running, the bike can look like a car at a very far distance. The brain gets used to seeing car headlights that are relatively the same distance apart. And the brain sees this over and over and becomes conditioned to estimating the distance that a vehicle is away based on how far apart the headlights appear. They appear feet apart at close distances, and inches apart or completely together at greater distances.

 

[markr6]

The thing is the two headlights on an R6 are so close together that whether one of them or two of them are running, the bike can look like a car at a very far distance. The brain gets used to seeing car headlights that are relatively the same distance apart. And the brain sees this over and over and becomes conditioned to estimating the distance that a vehicle is away based on how far apart the headlights appear. They appear feet apart at close distances, and inches apart or completely together at greater distances.

That's exactly what I just said. Or at least tried.

 

[RedLED]

UThanks Fixer. I have done these speed round for a long time now, however, I do have tires rated for speed, and I have a guy who balances them for dpeed, and I check the presser, and every inch of the machine, just as if I was going flying.

Motorcycles and aircraft are unforgiving if anything goes wrong. Part of my runs these days includes an entourage of my Dr., attorney, mechanic, ambulance, hearse and tow truck, and an Indian Guru.

 

[bykfixer]

My brain is hoping the hearse is out front but that would mean the hearse, the attorney, the mechanic, the Indian guru etc have to be going 150.
I just thought 'such irony to be run over by that hearse' were a tire to burst. Or some small part comes off the bike, goes flying past the mechanics windsheild and the mechanic says "hope that wasn't important"...

Nah, I've had my fun RED, it's the young peoples turn in my view.

One day I was easing along in the 66 Mustang I'd just put on the road, on the interstate. All happy that things were running smoothly I lit up a number and started puffing away when "nyaaaww, nyaaww" two super bikes passed me on each side. "What-thuh****?!?" But the one that scared me the most was one morning in bumper to bumper traffic these two dudes come flying up behind me. Unable to pass me due to volume they started playing chicken to see which could get closest to my bumper with their front wheel without crashing. Staring ahead hoping the car inches from me doesn't suddenly slow 'cause that'll kill these 2 dudes behind me who looked straight outta some 1970's chain gang movie. (Read mean lookin' sumbeeches.)

It went on for an eternal 5 minutes or so. I believe my heart was racing as fast as either one of those fellows. Trying to only look forward in case of a slow down I was also intrigued by just how close they were to my rear bumper. From my perspective it appeared to be millimeters. Sheesh. Eventually a gap opened up and they went past me. On the back of their sleeveless jean jackets was Hells Angels Greensboro.

Once they had passed they looked at each other with a devilsh grin and zoomed away. They turned off the interstate to an exit that led to a town where another notorious gang was rumored to hail. Being 7 in the morning I knew the biker bar in that town was not open so I wondered if someone was about to be off'd that morning 'cause those two fellows did not look like they were going on a mission of mercy.

 

[RedLED]

Fixer,

That is is quite a story! The cats flying colors scare me.

And, a 66 Mustang! My neighbor across the street had one until recently, he is a bit of a car collector. Very nice man, and he worked as an engineer on the B1, and Apollo 11. A couple of times their garage door was left open, and when I could not wake them up to let them Know, I would stand post all night watching their home so no one tries to get in the open door. He had a Corvette, and a Porsche, among others kept off property. I think he sold most of his collection but, the Mustang was my favorite! Also it was orange! My favorite!

Best,

RL

 

[bykfixer]

Cool cars those Mustangs were. Good lookin' out RED.

I saw a "Bullitt" Mustang in a parking lot one day. As the owner approached I asked "wanna sell it?" expecting a "hell naw" but heard "yeah, 35 grand". I said "thanks anyway". But it was a good looking car.

My 66 was an aqua color Colorado Special that was a coupe that nothing special stock. Mine had a hi-po 289 with rear air shocks so it wouldn't sag, a 23 gallon tank so I could pass everything including a few gas stations, 4 speed tranny, polyester bushings all around, disc brakes all around, power steering and power brakes added, factory air, dual stainless exhaust, factory spoke wheels, factory am/fm 8-track that still worked, and a factory option of backup lights. Speedo said 140 and she'd do every bit of it. It was the only known aqua colored one.

My first Mustang was a no option 66 straight 6 with auto tranny. But that thing was so lightweight and fun to drive in the twisties. Drum brakes on all four corners were not very good but I really enjoyed the feel of the road via the non power steering. It went max speed of 70mph if I was going downhill, but 0-60 was pretty fun.


Yeah those Hell's Angels dudes sure freaked me out that day.

 

[RedLED]

Fixer,

i have Ave never seen on in Aqua, however, it sounds like it would be great. And,hit 150!

Now all the cars are black, white, silver or a dreadful kind of red. Back then cars came in an array of great colors, sometimes, that was the was the most difficult decision in a new car purchase!

Best,

RL

 

[KITROBASKIN]

https://youtu.be/1BOZ6Wm-vPU