Inconsiderate N1 Bikers

[skeptic_SA]

Perhaps we should apply some to the ends of our handlebars and slide between the cars

Nah... People might accuse us of being considerate. Don't want THAT rumor getting out now do we?

 

[skeptic_SA]

yeah.

still think cruisers are better. but I would kill myself on the Rocket.
or on a 1190 KTM
or on a GS1200
or on a tiger
I think I will rather stick to LOUD and slow, and comfrtable.

The 800XC is your friend Baxteen... The epic is strong in that one !

 

[SauRoNZA]

Why then all the anger and mirror smashing, if nothing ever happens to impede your safety?

Why all the concern about blindspots and bikes being "where they should be" when you are legally obliged to check these blindspots and indicate appropriately before taking any action?

I've often found that Taxis are more courteous to me than most other drivers. Pulling up next to a taxi driver a a red light often results in a 30 second conflab about how sweet my ride is. Taxi drivers may drive like complete fa rkers - but most of them SURE have good taste. #TriumphFanBoi

Yeah Taxis are 100% better than normal cars by sheer virtue of the fact that they know exactly what's going on around them at all times and never pull a move that they didn't plan through properly and know they can complete.

Cars just do the action then wonder why it went wrong after the fact.

 

[Geoff.D]

If this happens there will be no upside to commuting with a bike anymore... also, if you ride bike you will understand that it is almost impossible (and very dangerous) to ride in-lane with a motorcycle. Also your bike will probably overheat half way into CPT

I am not a motorcyclist/biker and never will be. I attended too many funerals of young staff that worked for me after fatal bike accidents.

The term "in-lane" is the crux of most of these arguments. Not all bikers and cars interpret it correctly. Just read the AA article and see if you understand what they mean.

 

[SauRoNZA]

(1) Can all agree that taking off someone's mirror is NOT acceptable behaviour no matter what the aggravation is. Agree/do not agree?

Fully agreed.

(2) It is equally unacceptable for drivers to retaliate by deliberately trying to prevent bikers from lane splitting. Agree/not agree?

Agreed.

(3) It IS about tolerance and understanding everyone makes mistakes at times. Agree/not agree?

Agreed, part of that tolerance would be simple acceptance that bikes are allowed to do what they do (lane splitting wise) instead of fighting it.

(4) Then it is about what the law says. We are split here. There are those that believe it is legal because it is not explicitly stated in the rules that lane splitting is illegal and vice versa. I have tried to show the divergent views on the matter in other parts of the World as well within our own country. I hope more understand that there was a time in SA when lane splitting was illegal. I have provided the AA link where the AA starts the article by stating that lane splitting is technically legal and finishes off with the idea that lane splitting is legal provided bikers obey some rules.
I have tried to show what the arrivealive campaign says about the matter I have suggested that all those that use the highway regularly check to see if they (motorcyclists/bikers) are following the guidelines or not and motorists are also behaving accordingly.

I have been riding for 13+ years.

I have never ever had a legal problem with regards to lane splitting and I've had one insurance claim fully covered while in a lane splitting related accident.

Beyond that I have ridden with the cops on bikes in many lane splitting scenarios. They lane split themselves and have never indicated to me that I am not allowed to do so.

Like I explained the law does not make use of an "allow list" as it would be an incredibly long list. Therefore if it's not specifically disallowed it is legal in practise until advised otherwise.

This is the exact reason why it was simply removed from the law as being illegal.

We have some debate about what the term "behave like a car" means. It does not mean staying in the middle of the lane, it actually means staying within your lane .

When lane splitting I choose to hug either side of the middle striped line for this very reason. If I am moving over the line I use an indicator as this is a lane change.

Even if INSIDE the lane I move into the lane proper where I would infringe on the position of a car behind me, I use the indicator as well.

Many riders don't do the above and that's part of the problem.

 

[Bunta]

Car drivers should actually appreciate that there are people using bikes to go to work. If every biker had to use a car can you imagine the extra load you guys will need to bare? Let's say 500 people use bikes between Jo'Burg and Pretoria that's 500 cars each way added to the current load already. You should be thank full they take up the space between the cars and not the space in the lanes to block you guys even further.

Also, when last did a broken down bike cause a massive traffic jam on a highway?

Still catching up in the thread... but this ^^ 1000%

 

[SauRoNZA]

KTM Wannabe? Hmmm... We must talk Sir. The wail of Triumphs Triple motor... Aw man. I'm not religious. But if I were. There's two things I would say thanks for every night:

1. For my SO's awe inspiring form and her incorruptible personality.
2. For brilliant engineers at Triumph that gave us that amazing 3 cylinder motor.

The stepper is the only Achilles heel on that awesome machine. That said... I've never had any drama with mine. I remove my tank once every 6 months and clean out under the "unreachable areas". Special attention to lubrication of the stepper motor.

As with most things in life... A little lube goes a LOOOOOOOOONG way

Sadly not so...my Street Triple just ate itself alive at 34000km.

You also have an STR as I recall? If that oil light flickers for even a second take it back and have them strip it.

Right now the logic is that the oil pressure release valve failed, starving the engine of oil and resulting in the big end bearing slipping/breaking/suiciding and the next one on it's way.

Crank , head , cams all in their chops...34 000km virtually brand new still.

Was 100% bulletproof until then.

 

[Archer]

Was 100% bulletproof until then.

Sooo bulletproof until it ate a bullet?

 

[Baxteen]

wow.

here I am sitting thinking my 19 year old Virago wiht 49 000km on was doing well for its age and had high mileage!

I really need to sort out the battery problem ASAP though. this 4 wheels to work thing is killing me this week...

anyone know where I can get one of those home charging kits you can bolt on to the battery and just plug in when you get home to top up the charge?

 

[skeptic_SA]

Sadly not so...my Street Triple just ate itself alive at 34000km.

You also have an STR as I recall? If that oil light flickers for even a second take it back and have them strip it.

Right now the logic is that the oil pressure release valve failed, starving the engine of oil and resulting in the big end bearing slipping/breaking/suiciding and the next one on it's way.

Crank , head , cams all in their chops...34 000km virtually brand new still.

Was 100% bulletproof until then.

at 34000km? That does sound odd. Sorry to hear that. Im on 40K kilos and I have not had a moments issues. I consider my XC a dirt bike that I occasionally ride on tar. She is as filthy as a Point Road hooker and just as easy to ride.

 

[AfricanTech]

wow.

here I am sitting thinking my 19 year old Virago wiht 49 000km on was doing well for its age and had high mileage!

I really need to sort out the battery problem ASAP though. this 4 wheels to work thing is killing me this week...

anyone know where I can get one of those home charging kits you can bolt on to the battery and just plug in when you get home to top up the charge?

http://www.tecmate.co.za/ENG/index.php

I used the Optimate 3 - works brilliantly

 

[Archer]

wow.

here I am sitting thinking my 19 year old Virago wiht 49 000km on was doing well for its age and had high mileage!

I really need to sort out the battery problem ASAP though. this 4 wheels to work thing is killing me this week...

anyone know where I can get one of those home charging kits you can bolt on to the battery and just plug in when you get home to top up the charge?

High mileage? Ha, my dad puts on 60,000km every two years!
And you're looking for a CTEK charger (there is another make I don't recall right now)

 

[Geoff.D]

Why all the concern about blindspots and bikes being "where they should be" when you are legally obliged to check these blindspots and indicate appropriately before taking any action?

Yes that is so. Cars are normally moving along at very similar speeds, dictated by the levels of traffic on the road. A biker on the other hand, travelling way beyond the allowable 20 km/hr above the traffic speed appears out of "nowhere". So even if you have checked your blind spots , you could still be caught by surprise. Defensive driving tactics says "check, signal, check again, move if safe" ...

Yeah Taxis are 100% better than normal cars by sheer virtue of the fact that they know exactly what's going on around them at all times and never pull a move that they didn't plan through properly and know they can complete.

Cars just do the action then wonder why it went wrong after the fact.

The fancy term is "spatial awareness". Taxi drivers are very aware of what is going around them, so are reps and others that spend lots of time on the road, as well as drivers who enjoy driving for the sake of driving. A spatially aware driver knows where his wheels are, can park in the most impossible of places, and undertake moves other would cringe at. 4x 4 owners who use their vehicles for the intended purpose are equally aware of exactly what is going on around them even if they do not have direct LOS.

The issue with taxis is not the fact they plan their moves ahead, it is the legality of some of the moves they make ...... many of which are in violation of the "rules".

You should not generalise that "cars just do"

 

[Baxteen]

the product I found on youtube was called a battery tender Junior.

but let me rather explain what is going on, maybe someone can give a better product I can get locally.
(yes this should be a different thread, but here we have all the bikers attention already....)

so my bike's battery dies.
I take it out, take it for a charge, and ride, after about a week it dies again and wont start.

no idea what is causing the drain, the bike is old and the wires are old as well. the bike is well looked after, but I know sometimes wires just give up the ghost, so I think that might be the problem.

 

[Geoff.D]

How long does a battery on a bike typically last?
Bikes run hotter than one would think I assume. Insulation gets brittle and even the composition of the wire changes with long exposure to heat. But surely the bigger issue is that batteries no longer fully charge as they age?

 

[Archer]

the product I found on youtube was called a battery tender Junior.

but let me rather explain what is going on, maybe someone can give a better product I can get locally.
(yes this should be a different thread, but here we have all the bikers attention already....)

so my bike's battery dies.
I take it out, take it for a charge, and ride, after about a week it dies again and wont start.

no idea what is causing the drain, the bike is old and the wires are old as well. the bike is well looked after, but I know sometimes wires just give up the ghost, so I think that might be the problem.

Maybe your alternator is giving up on life. Check the voltage on your batteries with the engine running, should be greater than 13V

 

[SykomantiS]

Like I explained the law does not make use of an "allow list" as it would be an incredibly long list. Therefore if it's not specifically disallowed it is legal in practise until advised otherwise.

This is the exact reason why it was simply removed from the law as being illegal.

Yes, and also worth mentioning is guilty until proven innocent- guilty of what, exactly? If it's not stated, it is not illegal.

wow.

here I am sitting thinking my 19 year old Virago wiht 49 000km on was doing well for its age and had high mileage!

I really need to sort out the battery problem ASAP though. this 4 wheels to work thing is killing me this week...

anyone know where I can get one of those home charging kits you can bolt on to the battery and just plug in when you get home to top up the charge?

My dads Blackbird is 19 years old- has 100 000 km on the clock. Buddy of mine has an 18yo ZX-6R wat 90 000 km on it.
My own GSX-R is already 10 years old and is approaching 50 000 km (sitting somewhere north of 48k km).
49 000 km on your bike is nothing

 

[Baxteen]

Maybe your alternator is giving up on life. Check the voltage on your batteries with the engine running, should be greater than 13V

that might be it.

I will charge the battery tonight, Ride it tomorrow after noon, and take it in to be checked out.
I do not have a Voltage meeter at home. or even access to one.
and even if I check myself what am I going to do?

I still think a cable is most likely at fault