I am a new rider (only have 800 miles on my bike). I've got to tell you, I am intimidated by ye olde freeway. Well, tonight I went for a ride on the back roads, then headed home on the freeway. I can think of a lot of things I would feel more comfortable doing...like disarming nuclear missiles or something. I know I have to get used to it, so I will continue to make small trips until my confidence level increases. I did pass a semi-truck, and when I was done, I had a two carrot diamond in my shorts. The wind gusts were another thing that made me pucker. Me no likey! It's all part of it, ya?

 

Yea normal traffic is enough for me thus far no freeway....i like your avatar btw

 

the freeway doesnt really bother me as much as getting beaten up by the wind .. other then that i feel pretty comfy on the freeway, more lanes faster pace after a while you might start to enjoy it... its all part of riding

 

OH YA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I still remember my first freeway and first night ride... YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
18r's are most dangerous, when your passing... don't dally. Try to make shure the driver gets a chance to see you... ride the left portion of the lane and flash you highs, before you change lanes to overtake, then accel to pass. I had a 18'r tire shed next to me, while in a cage... freaken 12' clound of 1' pieces of steel belt!!!!!!!!!. Try to overtake only when you can get all the way past w/o ending up ride'n next to them. Wind dynamics can get Wierd !!!!!!!!! grab the tank w/ your knee's... not a death grip on the bars. Usualy a side blast as you pull through the rig's initial wind plow, it can wiggle you some... but is usualy just a sec. Be carefull when passing ,if theres a stong cross wind... you need to take that into consideration, as it will hit you, when you clear the rig. The good thing about rig's are... the drivers, are usualy aware, and apreciate you being respectfull of them and your surroundings. They generaly won't rip a lane change on you... but it is very good to aticapate there need to get around traffic (beginning of hills,esp.) I have found 'em in my rear view, w/ a full head of steam... if you try to bully'em.

I generaly squirt, between cars, rigs, hazzards, maintaining my space(safe place). BUT, watch out for cages, that think your playing, or themselves, comming up fast!!!!! If your in a safe spot, chances are, some one will dive into it too!!!!!!! I usualy move to the right, and don't play... theyr'e buzy w/ kids, phones, makeup, late... and all the things that will save you from. Watch body language... is the driver ahead look'n for a lane???... is he zoned on pink floyd... oblivious to your needs??? I flee, at every oppertunity... maintaining my safe place, whill constantly glancing 360... ride'n in any blind spots,( yours or theres,) can get ya killed. Don't get so caught up in around you, that you don't pay attention forword, as most problems are comming up... I play "meercat" regularly... look over, around, ahead, regularly to see debries, spills, idiots, ect. I do drive w/ not quit agression... but pretty close, controling my placement, and options. I think it came from the late seventies... I had a kit car...0 rear visibility... I would eat acid, and go drive down town Seattle, had to pass evrybody, to see around me... at 4:30PM!!!!!!!...FOR FUN !!!!!!!!, not for the faint of heart !!!!!!!! ( DISCLAIMER... RIPP'N nor any one he knows.. condoans such antics!!!!) Watch out for off and on ramps, Oil abounds. Shreded tires, debries, stuff falling off of darn near any truck. practice, at less than peak hours, preferably some streatch, thats familiar... stop, and talk to one of those goldwingy guys, and ask him fo pointers... also adancaded ride'n courses, are availible. Sport ride'n forums and esp. touring foroums, have a tremendous amount of free info, on staying alive and gaining confidence. glad your all expanding, your sunny horizon's !!!!!!!
Clean and free, Ripp'n

 

Rippn...you're an asskicker, my friend. Thank you for that.

 

i wish i HAD a freeway to get my bike on...but then again...maybe not cuz i'd be scared sh#$less haha...the only freeways ive been on was in Hawaii...in a rented turbo charged impreza....Guams only got potholes and wet slippery coral roads...

 

Yeah my first time on freeway was intimidating, especially with the wind. I just came onto the highway from the on-ramp and BOOM the wind was crazy as hell that first time. It caught me off guard as I went to switch lanes and ended drifting with the wind a couple more lanes over than i wanted to switch to (luckily no cars were around). But after a couple more times you get used to it and it's not bad at all. I would practice after work at night when no1 was around, now I ride the freeway daily to get to work, bout a 25 min ride on the freeway with 1 tunnel to go through for me. I really enjoy the freeway now, moreso in the night than the day as it's less traffic that way I can just gun it sometimes. But yeah, take rippn's advice and be aware of all surroundings, basically do what they taught us in the MSF class, SEE, Search, Evaluate, Execute and you'll be good to go!

 

Just remember that 18r's have HUGE blindspots. Use lane positioning to make sure they see you. If you think that your slip-on can is enough for them to hear you, you may be fatallly wrong. Pass them as quickly as possible, and try to not get blown over by the wind-wake (that's what I call it). Better yet, on a 3 or 4 lane highway try to pass them in the farthest lane. Always try to be on their left though because almost the entire right side of the truck is blind.

 

The superslab shouldn't bother you guys that much. It's just another road with plenty of room for escape options. Truckers should be the least of your worries. Mom driving the kids watching 4 different movies on their DVD players screaming at the top of their little lungs to the soccer game, talking on the mobile phone, putting on lip stick in the mirror all while in an over weighted 4 ton Expedition with temp tags... That's what you run from.

But really, temp tags are a bad thing, the driver isn’t use to the car/truck and the blind spots it has. I have a buddy that has/had the same fear of highways, and bridges with low retainer walls for some reason, but I took him for a trip and showed him how to move through traffic safer and stay away from the packs. Never, never, never ride beside or anywhere near the blind spot of a cage. Always assume they are about to merge or make a turn. Watch their head for movement, not turn signals cause they don’t use them. But they will look to where they want to be.

 

try going out on a freeway -like-early on a sunday morning,when traffic is very light
once you get use to your bike on the highway-everything will fall into place
hope this can help [sm=smiley20.gif]