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does anybody enjoy city riding?
I love riding bikes like most other people here do,but getting ready in the morning to travel across 8 miles of london with the good chance of meeting the accident waiting to happen type or the need to see a good doctor type sometimes makes me want to get on the tube!!,which i know is more uncomfortable than piles!
I'm interested to know if anyone gets enjoyment from riding in a busy city?or is it just me? Thanks all Lee |
Yes...but its best on a motard with your brain conveniently disconected from your body.
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well not exactly, but i do know that being able to grip the seat firmly with your butt cheeks will add to the fun and sometimes save you.. i have tried this many times and it usually works..
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I absolutely bloody love it. I had six months off work before leaving for Africa and I used to ride around central London all day for laughs. I particularly enjoyed the Rush Hour Traffic Light Moto GP Grid at about 5.30pm every day. (I'm not being sarcastic). I also quite enjoy riding around African cities, but that might be because that's when the luggage comes off.
Simon |
Sao Paolo rush hour was, errm, intersting.
Fun, probably not, but theres something nice about having THAT MUCH adrenaline in your system. ------------------ Last seen in S.America, missing presumed fed. http://www.smellybiker.com |
I love it....
Sao Paulo was definitely the wildest (non Indian) city ride (awesome fun following the couriers on tiny bikes, lane splitting at max speed), London is ok but bike parking sucks, Paris is insanely fun with some glorious rides along the Seine as well, US cities suck (cars don't see you), Rome and Milan are lots of fun - actually any city in Europe is fun. Central American cities are too crowded but the bike is so superior than the car that you just can't help laughing. Rio is awesome - bikes make their own rules, and it is alway warm. Not much protective gear used though.. Cities to me are where being on a bike puts you at your biggest advantage over cars - you just cruise past them while they are parked in traffic jams, then park your bike on the footpath/pavement outside your destination while cars search for (expensive) car parks. In most cities you have a completely independant "moto" set of rules - you can go the wrong way down streets, on the footpath, in bus lanes, through barricades and even on pedsestrian streets. Of course you do this in a respectable sensible manner, just like the other motorcyclists. The best cities (Rio, SP, Europe) are used to the bikes and expect you to lane split, filter to the front of queues and park anywhere... L |
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The only problem we have here is of the Dust and pollution when you are on the Bike since you are much more exposed to the SOOT from trucks and buses. Red Bull ------------------ Ride far, ride safe , ride often,,,... http://theroyalenfieldbullet.blogspot.com/ http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/hari_iyer_s/my_photos |
Riding around the city is not may favourite.
BUT...living & working in downtown Toronto forces me to enjoy daily adventures while commuting 7 kms. to my office. I look at this as a plus though! The urban/rush hour journey tests/trains my senses (visual, audible and intuitive) by having to deal with trolly (streetcars we call them here) tracks, bicyclists (a species not yet researched by Nat Geo), taxis (the u-turn kings), SUV's, pedestrians, buses, etc. And...all on cell phones!! Many of my riding buddies live outside the city. They are quite nervous when they ride down here. I, on the other hand, deal with it as an every-day occurance. It has it's benefits...to a degree. |
Dublin at any time of the day is like a game of russian roulette. 70% of motorcyclists are on provisional licences which does not restrict you in capacity and about 40% of all car drivers are on provisionals amd driving unaccompanied. Half the drivers don't know the rules and the other half don't care, that's why we have one of the worst road fatality rates in Europe. Rush hour lasts from about 7.00am until 8pm. It is guaranteed to wake you up in the morning.
Oh and I work as a bike instructor in the middle of it all and love it. ------------------ The electric monk always has faith. |
I too love to ride in the city of Tucson, where I live. About a million people and not much hiway. And many snow birds and drivers from mexico. I use my Black Panther Motard. It seperates the riders from the well you get it.... After over 40 years of pretty much non-stop riding I've still never been in an accident with a car or crashed on the pavement. But as I tell my wife a lot, I am the best rider in the world....
Bill |
hmmmm. This afternoon was fun because it was snowing. But other wise... half of the city has a 30km/h speed limit which is enforced to. Getting cought at 60 costs your license. Now, which gear are you driving in at 30?
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yup
id have to agree with simmo about bieng on a supermoto, with disconnected brain, keeping to one wheel or the other.
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I would say it depends on the city. For example, even though I have lots of experience with'em, I hate Italian cities - the scooters keep driving me crazy, at times I wish I had a machinegun (no wait, make that a rocket launcher) mounted to my bike so I could do nature's job and kill a moron that is going to die in a horrible self-inflicted traffic accident some day anyway... that way I might at least save somebody else's life. Actually, there's probably no city I would enjoy driving through. I can deal with it but I wouldn't exactly say I'm enjoying it. On the other hand, as tor1150r has pointed out, it sharpens your senses, both visual and intuitive, therefore I tend to drive through rush hour as often as possible the last few weeks right before I go on tour.
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I loved working as a courier in London. You got a feel for the mood and herd mentality of the traffic. You see the lines and gaps opening and closing; trying to anticipate where it would happen so that you could flick your bike across into that lane to keep your speed. It made me feel extremely alive and only partly because of a fear of not being that way for too long.
I have to say that was over 15 years ago though. The last time I tried to go at dispatch rider speed there it scared the crap out of me. |
When the missus' out with the car I commute with our 650GS. I MUCH prefer this over the highway rides, but it's not my favourite riding. Wouldn't be tempted to just go for a spin, when I can go in the woods instead.
Gets you all alive, with all senses sharp, and I love zigzagging between the angry buggers lining up in the traffic jams. Also, when commuting by car I've to wake up at least half an hour earlier..... One thing I hate is them sorry bastards who can't live with bikes being faster and block the way on purpose. |
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