Motorway riding

[Dirty32]

Hey i have had my bike for a couple of weeks now and have been on the motorway a couple of times, i get quite nervous sometimes lol, anyway i have a lot of motorway driving to do north shore to airport each day, how long do you think it will take before i am confident? is it just one of those things that 1 day after you have done it a few times its easy??

any tips??

Thanks

[Blackshear]

Hey i have had my bike for a couple of weeks now and have been on the motorway a couple of times, i get quite nervous sometimes lol, anyway i have a lot of motorway driving to do north shore to airport each day, how long do you think it will take before i am confident? is it just one of those things that 1 day after you have done it a few times its easy??

any tips??

Thanks
You're on the motorway?!
Tisk tisk!
:headbang:
Only been a motorway twice. Stay the goddamn hell away from SUV's and shoody holden commodores :sweatdrop

[vindy500]

i go on the motorway regularly, it was scary the first time for about 5 minutes, then i got used to it

[Jantar]

It will slowly get easier, and over a very short time you will get confidence. This is when it gets dangerous. Once you get confident, but haven't learnt to identify the hazards, you are at risk from those cage drivers.

But so far it sounds like you are being careful and doing everything right, so keep it up. :2thumbsup

[awayatc]

Be patient little grasshopper....be patient

:scooter:

[BadCompany]

Grow a pair and go full fuckin' tit.

[PrincessBandit]

A lot probably depends on what time of day you're travelling. If you are a shift worker out at the airport you may find that traffic is a lot lighter which is a good way to start initially. If you travel in peak time then there may be a lot more low-speed riding which has it's own challenges. The main thing is to keep those eyes and ears open, use your mirrors and watch following speeds - not a lot of manuevering space in dense traffic. Good luck.

[nodrog]

..... how long do you think it will take before i am confident?.....

6 days, 9 hours, and 47 minutes.

[Griffin]

Personally I believe that 'having confidence' on any motorway is just offering the rider a false sense of security. Dont ever allow yourself to feel 'confident' because that is when the shit will hit the fan - always ride with your wits about you, trust no other vehicle on the road and expect sudden indicationless lane changes even from those who have no obvious reason to lane change.

If you always approach motorway riding as you do currently (like a noob with minimal experience) you will increase your chances of survival... a little bit :)

[firefighter]

6 days, 9 hours, and 47 minutes.

and 33 seconds

[CB ARGH]

Grow a pair and go full fuckin' tit.

But if he does that he may make your injuries worse, you don't want somebody to crash into you once you've just hit a truck, do you, do you? :pinch:

[Guided_monkey]

As with everything in life, the more experience you have the more confident you'll become.

As stated before:

1. Watch for the non-indicating late lane changing noobs..... tend to drive BMW's.

2. It seems that everyone wants to talk on there cell and drive...... escpecially through the Central junction.

3. Learn to look over the vehicles in front and into the distance..... when you spot a hazard you can then predict what the cagers (monkeys) might do next..... normally slam on the anchors or change lanes dramatically.

4. On/off ramps can be fun...... people trying to jump the queue.

Don't forget to enjoy the scenery...... relax.

:calm:

[Insanity_rules]

Group rides at night tend to be a good time to get used to the motorway. When I came back to riding I was a little nervous too but riding with a group of people who understood that went a long way.

If you have a KB cruisy ride up your way join in on that, get yourself a buddy and you'll find that you'll pick up confidence quite quickly.

OH my god this is a record, the first time in hundreds I've posted serious advice and haven't mentioned nudity, drinking or sarcasm. Is this going to be a trend?

[Griffin]

OH my god this is a record, the first time in hundreds I've posted serious advice and haven't mentioned nudity, drinking or sarcasm. Is this going to be a trend?

ummm... you 'mentioned' all three - I think your going to be ok - we wouldnt expect anything less :)

[Insanity_rules]

ummm... you 'mentioned' all three - I think your going to be ok - we wouldnt expect anything less :)

Thanks I was worried.

Boobs!

[Griffin]

Thanks I was worried.

Boobs!

Geez - I like you more and more each day (in a totally straight and non gay kinda way)

TITS!

[fizbin]

I ride on the motorway everyday, it is just a case of taking it at you own pace. if you are uncomfoterble traveling a speed dont... just make sure you stay in the left lane. once you are comfy then travel at the pace all the traffic is moving at. once you get you head around that depending on the time of day you travel at you can start to play dodgems with the cars (Splitting):whistle:. best advice would be practice heaps should only take a couple of weeks or so you start to feel alright about it.
Best advice get you self to westgate on a wednesday night and come along to the NASS
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=77111&page=8
it helps alot
steve

[90s]

Another boring post - you can get more comfortable on the motorway, but if you are splitting best keep a little frightened and nervous and not too complacent.

[peasea]

Hey i have had my bike for a couple of weeks now and have been on the motorway a couple of times, i get quite nervous sometimes lol, anyway i have a lot of motorway driving to do north shore to airport each day, how long do you think it will take before i am confident? is it just one of those things that 1 day after you have done it a few times its easy??

any tips??

Thanks

Here's a tip for ya.
Keep a fist sized rock in your r/h breast pocket. If some twat tries to kill you just haul out the rock with your left hand, insert it in their windscreen while you grab a handful with your right hand.

Register your bike to a ficticious address.

[Swoop]

Listen to your spidey senses.

The cagers ARE out to kill you.

[BadCompany]

Here's a tip for ya.
Keep a fist sized rock in your r/h breast pocket. If some twat tries to kill you just haul out the rock with your left hand, insert it in their windscreen while you grab a handful with your right hand.

Register your bike to a ficticious address.

I love it. Ten points.

[Oakie]

Confidence is the ideal and you'll get there eventually.

Lack of confidence will make you think and worry before you do anything and probably keep you fairly safe even though you won't have much fun.

Over-confidence will kill you.

Do not knock a lack of confidence if living is high on your list of priorities.

[Cruisin' Craig]

Hey i have had my bike for a couple of weeks now and have been on the motorway a couple of times, i get quite nervous sometimes lol, anyway i have a lot of motorway driving to do north shore to airport each day, how long do you think it will take before i am confident? is it just one of those things that 1 day after you have done it a few times its easy??

any tips??

Thanks

I know just where you're coming from. I think that I was actually quite a nervous rider when I started. Not that I'm saying you are. It could just be that you're riding a wobbly little bike with a full fairing that catches lots of wind on a very windy motorway.

I can't tell you how long it will take for you to feel confident on the motorway, because different people are very different in this respect. I have known several people who got their first bike and seemed really comfortable in all conditions within a few weeks.

On the other hand, I didn't feel like a confident rider in adverse conditions (heavy traffic, bad weather, busy motorway etc) until I had been riding for knocking on two years. Some of the more cavalier gentlemen around here may scoff at that; but screw em. I'm as good as most riders now, and I didn't trash a dozen bikes getting here.

The biggest piece of advice from me is; don't get disillusioned or feel bad because you lack confidence. Even if you turn out to be slow to build confidence like me, it doesn't make you in any way a bad rider. Personally, I feel that my slow and measured approach to pinpointing the limits of myself and my motorcycle has helped make me a better rider in the long run. Keep with it, persevere, and enjoy the knowledge that every day you go out on the bike you're a little better than you were the day before.

[duckonin]

At no time take your eyes off the car directly in front of you for that is the one you will hit if he makes a dumb move, watch closely those in the other lanes, changing lanes with no indication Is what they will do, most of all own your piece of road but yield if you really have to, watch your following distance and if an idjet jumps in front of you smile and drop back a mite...Ride to survive!!!

[Kiwi Graham]

Move out west!!!!! I'd be nervous commuting over that bloody bridge every day. Everyone knows west is best, the sun always shines and the cage drivers are extra observant for bikers!!
Seriously.... expect the unexpected, ride covering your brakes and look well ahead. :eek:

[jamiey]

Move out west!!!!! I'd be nervous commuting over that bloody bridge every day. Everyone knows west is best, the sun always shines and the cage drivers are extra observant for bikers!!
Seriously.... expect the unexpected, ride covering your brakes and look well ahead. :eek:

Mate, the bridge everyday is a small price to pay, rather than live out west Akl, can't think of nothing worse than Bro's in pimped out Subarus trying to race me or knock me off my bike (if it hasn't already been stolen):rofl:

On serious note appropriate to this thread, think ahead, keep your wits about you and assume you are invisible to anyone in a car, especially women doing their lippy, truckies having a smoko and coffee and Bro's in WRX's. You'll be sweet there is no substitute for sticking at it and getting the experience

[Drum]

Escape route. Always have one. Know where you're going to go if that guy in front of you gets cut off and slams the anchors on. It's almost always to late to decide when it happens.

Assume they don't know you're there - because 95% of the time they don't.

[Insanity_rules]

Geez - I like you more and more each day (in a totally straight and non gay kinda way)

TITS!

Me and my turrets are happy to entertain. Glad its in a non-gay way cause its not true what they say about honda riders, onlyh half of us are gay!

[Skyryder]

Just keep ya finger close to the horn button. If some fucker does something at a bad time it might just be the only and last line of defence you have. Saved me couple of times in my riding life. I also tend to ride with my lights on full and if it's safe occasionly drift across the rear of the car in front. I don't make a habit of this but it's a trick I employ when I think it's warrented. A full beam will alert the driver from his rear view mirrors taht there is a bike behind. The other thing is you should be reading the traffic that is up ahead of you. Look for any erratic driving. But that Auckland motor way is a scary place but at the same time it can be a ball to ride on. Just stay sharp and enjoy the breeze.


Skyryder

[BadCompany]

Mate, the bridge everyday is a small price to pay, rather than live out west Akl, can't think of nothing worse than Bro's in pimped out Subarus trying to race me or knock me off my bike (if it hasn't already been stolen):rofl:

On serious note appropriate to this thread, think ahead, keep your wits about you and assume you are invisible to anyone in a car, especially women doing their lippy, truckies having a smoko and coffee and Bro's in WRX's. You'll be sweet there is no substitute for sticking at it and getting the experience

Mate, you have clearly mistaken West Auckland for that shit hole south of the City Center.