Highway riding

[Jet-Fighter7700]

So we don't have outlaws on bikes in SA? No guys with baseball/cricket bats looking to start some mayhem and anarchy?

Or is that the 60-60 bike guys?

For a 1% bad guys, here in SA you sure are tame. Was expecting some protection rackets, exclusive biker clubs,

Maybe the bikes cost too much compared to the states,

Or maybe I watch too many movies, or drive a cage for too long.

 

[Heisenborg]

So we don't have outlaws on bikes in SA? No guys with baseball/cricket bats looking to start some mayhem and anarchy?

Or is that the 60-60 bike guys?

For a 1% bad guys, here in SA you sure are tame. Was expecting some protection rackets, exclusive biker clubs,

Maybe the bikes cost too much compared to the states,

Or maybe I watch too many movies, or drive a cage for too long.

Or maybe you should stop posting

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

Or maybe you should stop posting

Knew quite a few bikers, always wondered about them,

Do they have gangs? Is there crime involved?

Never asked, but I imagine like anywhere else in the world, if enough people do it, crime will follow.

 

[HAL 9000]

Maybe this would have been a better option until you felt more confident on a bigger bike...

 

[Leitmotif]

So we don't have outlaws on bikes in SA? No guys with baseball/cricket bats looking to start some mayhem and anarchy?

There are 1% MCs, but they're even fewer and further between than in the US. We didn't have the same culture of biker gangs after coming back from WW2 that sparked the MCs of the US. Our violence is more out in the open, it's not hard to find. Our crime is near-omnipresent. We don't need to segregate it to a subculture. What few we have are pale imitations patterned after the American trailblazers.

For all the jokes about 60Sixty being the biggest biker gang, they are actually out there working a legit job. And sadly they've increasingly been falling victim to actual criminals, who find it pretty easy to jack someone who's waiting in a driveway.

 

[epah]

View attachment 1798817

That is beautiful! Love the blue accents too!

 

[Mirai]

Good day to all the lovely people.

I have recently acquired my own motorcycle, the sense of freedom is amazing.

 

[SauRoNZA]

In my 20+ years of riding this has literally never happened even once so I don’t think you need to worry about the etiquette.

Rather worry about how do you get past idiots who never look in their mirrors.

 

[Y'all Qaeda]

Good day to all the lovely people.

I have recently acquired my own motorcycle, the sense of freedom is amazing.

Something that I have been thinking about,

If you travel on a highway or major road, as a "lone ranger" and you see a group of riders, Patch or no patch, (I am not in any clubs) may you join the group or not? And if so, what is good etiquette or code of practice, to join a group?

If stopping at a robot is a "wee" bit of an issue as you are travelling about 150 km/h on the highway, are there any hand gestures to ask?

I have noticed that the majority of local bikers are friendly and almost always politely greet other riders.

By the way, what are some general "unspoken" rules between riders that are very useful to know when you start riding, as I'm still quite a new rider myself?

I mean this in the nicest way possible, slow down. Just cause the bike can go 150km/h doesn't mean you can.

Maybe try going to some track days to get your skill level up, make some mates there and then join a group that invites you from the beginning.

 

[SauRoNZA]

I mean this in the nicest way possible, slow down. Just cause the bike can go 150km/h doesn't mean you can.

Maybe try going to some track days to get your skill level up, make some mates there and then join a group that invites you from the beginning.

Besides the speed I’m more confused about the statement that there are robots on highways.

If you are going 150km/h anywhere near robots you’re already ****ed up royally.

This is exactly the mentality which makes people like @Smiggles call motorcycles coffins on wheels.

And it’s hundred percent true here if you are worried about hand signs and other weird **** instead of riding properly and paying attention to what you are doing.

 

[SauRoNZA]

If stopping at a robot is a "wee" bit of an issue as you are travelling about 150 km/h on the highway, are there any hand gestures to ask?

I have noticed that the majority of local bikers are friendly and almost always politely greet other riders.

By the way, what are some general "unspoken" rules between riders that are very useful to know when you start riding, as I'm still quite a new rider myself?

You seem to be very much concerned about all the wrong things, instead of upskilling yourself and learning to ride properly.

You seem to be chasing the “looking cool” factor more than riding bikes and more importantly staying safe.

Go do a track school and stop thinking about all this kak.

You sound 100% on your way to being a statistic and I hope it’s a minor one that teaches your something rather than kills you.

But to answer your question the unspoken rules I can think of…

Don’t ride on someone’s ass and if you aren’t lane splitting put yourself in their mirrors where they can see you. If you can see their face in their mirror they can see you, if not you are invisible.

Don’t ride up right next to someone where you are close enough to fall over and knock them. Unless you are entirely your own lane stagger behind them where they see you rather than squeeze in next to them.

Don’t park other bikes in like a twat. Consider how they would need to manoeuvre to get out and park accordingly.

Other than than that the rules of the brotherhood are pretty much nodding your head to acknowledge another motorcyclist and calling it a day. You aren’t making new friends with other bikes while in traffic, nobody has time for that.

 

[Leitmotif]

Besides the speed I’m more confused about the statement that there are robots on highways.

Eh, that one's on me... I mentioned he might try greeting at a robot (traffic light, not T-800) when joining a group. He pointed out that most freeways don't feature convenient robots for introductions, and that's where he's seeing groups.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Eh, that one's on me... I mentioned he might try greeting at a robot (traffic light, not T-800) when joining a group. He pointed out that most freeways don't feature convenient robots for introductions, and that's where he's seeing groups.

Oh right, it was a very confusing statement.

The only place you “meet” anyone is at the start, the destination or a stop in between when joining a organised ride.

The rest of the time you give everyone their space and do your own thing going generally in the same direction.

Here and there maybe you pick up some friendly competition and then you still give them plenty of space so you don’t **** take up…or get ****ed up by them.

 

[Y'all Qaeda]

I hear the satellite road in JHB is a good place to met other riders whilst going 150km/h.

/terrible, terrible joke.

 

[Ϲhristopher]

Yes 2014 MT-09. That I can confirm, the throttle is hella sensitive. 1st day on the bike I probably stalled 20+ times, 3 weeks later and it still happens on the odd occasion.

That’s quite a powerful bike for a newer rider. It’s so much easier to develop essential riding skills on a slower, lighter, more agile, and less intimidating bike.

 

[The_MAC]

This thread has so much potential

 

[Rickster]

My dad's friends decided as a joke they would make their "own" club as a joke, they got their custom leather jackets with a logo,

They once went to a biker bar and one of the okes from a real club came up to them and asked them who they are and what this new club is, they explained it was a friendly joke among their friends.

Oke told them to take it off and never put it on again else they will get fked up, so yeah, don't do that.

Also I will never own a crotch rocket, its the easiest way to get killed on the roads.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Also I will never own a crotch rocket, its the easiest way to get killed on the roads.

No less or more so than any other bike, the problem is that you wouldn't learn to drive in an Enzo Ferrari...yet people don't consider the average super bike is exactly that on two wheels for far less money.

Once you can actually ride properly the bike really doesn't matter.

The real reason not to own one is because they are hellishly uncomfortable for little real world benefit. My old man Sport Tourer will happily keep up with most of them on real roads.

 

[thestaggy]

My dad's friends decided as a joke they would make their "own" club as a joke, they got their custom leather jackets with a logo,

They once went to a biker bar and one of the okes from a real club came up to them and asked them who they are and what this new club is, they explained it was a friendly joke among their friends.

Oke told them to take it off and never put it on again else they will get fked up, so yeah, don't do that.

Also I will never own a crotch rocket, its the easiest way to get killed on the roads.

I think the mistake was going to a biker bar, as these often tend to function as the clubhouse, or preferred watering hole, of the main MC in the area. Your dad's buddies probably p*ssed of the resident MC.

 

[Y'all Qaeda]

I think the mistake was going to a biker bar, as these often tend to function as the clubhouse, or preferred watering hole, of the main MC in the area. Your dad's buddies probably p*ssed of the resident MC.

Their biggest mistake was not punching the guy in the throat and telling him that they are moving into the area.