K11 Owners Group

jpberens1994K1100RS · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:33 am Post subject: When to pass?

This morning on the way to work, wet road but not raining. 2 lane road plus about a 36" wide after the edge line wide road.

A cool looking Harley signalled a left turn. Speed limit is 35 MPH. Really caught my eye because his gauages were a bright blue light.

Anyway's he's in the left wheel track slowing with signal on. I brake very slightly, down shift and move to the far right of the lane right on the line.

He starts SCREAMING at me NOT TO PASS ON THE RIGHT @$$ HOLE!!!
As he moves out of the left wheel track and starts crowding the lane big time.
I had SLOWED DOWN to a safe lane split difference between us in speed.
Remeber I downshifted? Not really needed on the K1100, but I was JICing it and I THOUGHT being safe. Throttle out of there before he could get closer or cut me off completely. Maybe I should not have done that part, because now he's decided not to turn and is tail gating me. Curvy 2 lane that is wet, I hold a 50 MPH indicated, which is more like 44 on my K per the GPS. He hangs for a bit then pulss right & brakes suddenly and turns around. I thought he would follow till an intersection & start something, guess not.
Was I wrong to slow & pass on the right? Until he moved over to the right wheel track when he saw me coming there was planty of room.
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1993 K1100RS that I'd rather be riding FAST!
2014 Moto Guzzi Norge

Mystic Red · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 10:57 am Post subject:

Sounds like if he didn't want you to pass him in his lane he should have controlled it better in the beginning not after you made your move. That being said, for safety sake, I would have slowed with him at a safe following distance until he came to a complete stop and then went by.
I was passed in my lane by a Harley once immediately after passing a car. I passed the car and heard the Harley, which was behind me, coming too. When I got around the car I took the left hand portion of the lane and he cut behind me and passed on the right at about 80mph! That pissed me off! That would not have been just a little fender bender but probably two fatalities.
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Scott Hespelt, '94 K11LT
K11 OG #466

Flying Duck · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 11:07 am Post subject:

My .02:

The rider in front owns the entire lane unless he/she acknowledges your presence and waves you by. Period. And I probably would never pass someone on the right in the same lane. So I'm siding with the HD guy on this one.

Another issue is that unless it's a riding buddy, neither you nor he has any idea of what each other's level of riding skill is so IMO passing a stranger in the same lane probably isn't a good idea. And you never know if that person "sets up" for a left by making a slight swerve to the right so there's that added risk as well.

It also may or may not be legal in your state to pass in the same lane and it's probably less likely to be legal to pass them on the right in the same lane.

Some, not all, but some, HD/cruiser riders are just plain pricks. I've had some of them try to come after me after passing them in a legal passing zone in the oncoming lane. I have no idea why. Must be that I'm a bad-ass biker guy thing.

But at least on our bikes we can easily outride the vast majority of them. Very Happy

_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
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jpberens1994K1100RS · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 11:23 am Post subject: When to pass

Good feed back!
Thanks guys!

Please remeber, he was BARELY rolling waiting to turn left, and I had down shifted & slowed to about 20 MPH.
NO WAY it could have been interpreted as a BUZZ em' type pass or he would never had time to crowd me.

If it made the other rider uncomfortable, I should not do it when we are that close.

Will remember that.
_________________
1993 K1100RS that I'd rather be riding FAST!
2014 Moto Guzzi Norge

mnb · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 12:33 pm Post subject:

The guy's a ahole. He was turning left. You had plenty of room. Although it's probably technically illegal in your state since most states don't allow lanesharing.

Traffic rules differ from state to state, but what you did is perfectly fine and legal in CA.

While there is a law about an unsafe pass on the right, it's extremely common for a motorcyclist to pass on the right, usually when lanesharing. It's also common in situations like you menioned or when a car is going straight and you're making a right turn and traffic is stopped at a sign or light.

Typically, in commute or heavy traffic, if I'm lanesharing, I'll take the right side of the left most lane and cruise through that channel. There are a ton of reasons this is the best place to be:

1) cars leave more space there.
2) I can blip over into the other lane if need be
3) I can't get squeezed into a wall or off the road.
4) It's easier to start getting over to get off the highway from there
5) I'm to the left because of speed, but there's less merging in and out the further left you go.
_________________
M N B
1997 BMW K1100LT ABS Special Edition
2003 Husqvarna TE610e
2007 Harley Davidson Road King
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2011 Husqvarna TE310
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owrstrich · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 2:41 pm Post subject:

a motobrick being overtaken in the right tire track is dispicable unless the motobrick rider waved the overtaking motounit around...

a courteous motobrick rider should move to the right tire track and wave the overtaking rider by in the left tire track...

no wave by... no overtaking... period...

lane sharing while overtaking a car or truck is risky enough... lane sharing while overtaking a motobrick or other motounit with out a wave by... toooooooooooooooooooo risky...

donate now... donate often... the messiah slayer... johnny owrstrich 2012
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Klinker · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 3:08 pm Post subject: Re: When to pass?

jpberens1994K1100RS · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 3:38 pm Post subject: passing

Yeah, I would never buzz pass some one unless I HAD to get the flock outta there in a hurry, then I still would exhaust any other options. It was a slow pass.

There WAS plenty of room, and I clearly remeber what a cool looking billet mirror, also with a blue light outline to the rear that matched teh instrument cluster, and how pointy and sharp it looked!
I REALLY could have had the fore sight to think that perhaps he drives a big rig when not on the HD and needed to swing right to turn left? My grand pa was a bus driver for years & ALWAYS did that.
Either way, I left plenty of room even after being crowded to the right or I would have jumped hard on the brakes.
Instead I just wiggled hard right, then left & hard on the throttle, bye bye.

Must have been an HD kinda day for me. On the way home, HD dresser got a line & the lead on me. I stayed 2 seconds back. Hit a stop light in a 45 MPH zone 4 lane divided, us staggered in the rigth lane, me 2 bikes length back. He has the lead, 1st one up at the light. Light turns green, he stalls it. This is RUSH hour traffic. Sweet lady in a Lexus amost taps me. He turns it over & it pops but no run, two more tries, no go. Soon as he stalled I flipped on the flashers, I move up a bit while he pushes it while siting on it over to the side of the road. I ask him if he's OK? Need Help? " Nope " he says, I say okie dokie & exit stage left.

Much better encounter than the AM one.
_________________
1993 K1100RS that I'd rather be riding FAST!
2014 Moto Guzzi Norge

Off the grid · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 3:47 pm Post subject:

For the record I have noticed a vast increase of aggressive dickhead and just plain angry drivers as of late.

Discretion is always the better part of valor.
_________________
Bane of your existence since July 2006
2007 Triumph Tiger ABS. "Sabertooth"
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jpberens1994K1100RS · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 3:55 pm Post subject: Discretion / Valor

That's what my Dad always says too!

Good words to live with & by.

The K1100RS brings out the hooligan in me, but he's a fun go fast kinda hooligan that intends no harm to a fellow motorcyclist either by action or result of same actions.

Not a mean I'll run you over or off the road sort of holligan, and the world is all mine.

I share & play well with others.

Yes, I may still RUN with the scissors, but I'll make darn certain I don;t hurt you when I fall.
_________________
1993 K1100RS that I'd rather be riding FAST!
2014 Moto Guzzi Norge

CheapJapCopy · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 7:10 pm Post subject:

I sense it would be nervous breakdowns all round if any of you rode in England, especially London. If someone is indicating to turn, you pass them. For that matter, you pass them any old way you like and be done with it.

Ooh your blood would boil.
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1992 K1100RS - Red and gold.

Flying Duck · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 7:38 pm Post subject:

If you're in Boston you get as close as posible, pass them and then flip them off. Laughing

_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

jpberens1994K1100RS · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 7:53 pm Post subject: Pass on

I liked the Boston thing, tough city, sidewalks are open road there.
Could apply to Chi-town just to the South of me too. I've had rough shakes there round Rush street area many moon ago.

Maybe I should just try that, bang on it & be over it. Pass & no ask, road way is road way, and I want it my way.
Like we say in WI " Buck em Bucky" We don't really say it that way, some may know how, some may guess.

No nervous breakdowns Euro man, promise. I drove late model stocks, in the dirt Saturday nights for a few summers. If I ain't trading paint, I don't get too excited. Well I get excited, but not angry.
The hooligan WANTED me to do something stupid, but I am a restrained civalized citizen. When I feel I cannot, I'll use the RS to speak.
I am still amazed at the subtle power & speed they pocess and what can be accomplished in skilled hands.
_________________
1993 K1100RS that I'd rather be riding FAST!
2014 Moto Guzzi Norge