General Cycling Discussion - Relations with Motorcyclists

I am curious if you all get along with motorcyclists? Here in Nashville, it's about 50/50. Half of them are kind, curtious, and will actually talk, and the other half are ah's. Usually the ah's are the ones riding the crotch-rockets.

Ignore is usually the way around here, which is fine by me.

i live in a place that almost everyone has a motorcycle(scooters, dirtbikes, roadbikes, touring, etc).. and all the cyclists i know has one..

When in the highway, i occassionally draft them.. the smaller ones (70-110cc)

i would think that there would be a kin-ship there because we both fight to be seen and both have stories about auto's, etc.
we fight the same weather conditions, etc....but i find them to not nod or acknowledge you. strange? maybe.

There seem to be two types of motorcyclists I run across. When I see packs of "joy riders" they almost always wave and talk at convenience stores.

The other pack - commuters / primary transportation seem to treat us the same way as cagers.

I guess it has to do with the joy riders are out there for fun like us, whereas the others are just people driving a 2 wheeled car.

I always get a smile from motorcyclists when I revv my handlebars. :)

i would think that there would be a kin-ship there because we both fight to be seen and both have stories about auto's, etc.
we fight the same weather conditions, etc....but i find them to not nod or acknowledge you. strange? maybe.

I agree! You would think that wouldn't you?

I always get a smile from motorcyclists when I revv my handlebars. :)

:D Conversely, I always smile when they act like they are pedaling. :D

There seem to be two types of motorcyclists I run across. When I see packs of "joy riders" they almost always wave and talk at convenience stores.

The other pack - commuters / primary transportation seem to treat us the same way as cagers.

I guess it has to do with the joy riders are out there for fun like us, whereas the others are just people driving a 2 wheeled car.


I get the same treatment as pcsanity1.

I try to keep my bikes from having relations with motorcycles -- I'm just not sure whether the bikes or boys or girls and I don't want any little motorbikes in my basement.

What Joe said

I'm always amazed at how many guys on Harleys give me that "low wave" down by their knee.... (I'm assuming they don't want it confused with a turn signal)

see a lot of motorcyclists on the natchez trace parkway

never had a real problem ....

the "crotch rockets" seem to appeal to younger and often more reckless riders... they can cut it a bit close at times AND i cant hear them if there is any significant wind noise ... making for an unpleasent suprise as they zip by at 70mph

honda gold wings are ideal...loud enough to hear but not as deafening as a harley...both seem to be ridden by more mature riders . they will often wave

I've had mixed results with motorcyclists. Some of the (fat, dumb) local Harley riders think it's funny to slow down when they come alongside, and then open the throttle as they pass me. Why they have to have such loud engines, and why they aren't illegal, is beyond me.

On the other hand, when I was in Colorado a couple of years ago for the Bicycle Tour of Colorado (http://www.bicycletourcolorado.com) ( pictures here (http://www.shastasoftware.com/BTC2002/BTC2002_1.htm)), we found ourselves sharing the road with a bunch of Hell's Angels that were having a convention in Gunnison. For the most part, the Angel's were OK. I even had several of them pull over to let me pass on downhills - those big Harleys can't corner for sh*t :p.

I really like sharing the road with motorcyclists. Some of them are friendly, some distant and standoffish, a few get a kick out of being intentionally loud and obnoxious...but almost without exception, and utterly unlike folks in cars, they are ALERT! Combine this with the fact that they don't equate "two wheels" with "invisible non-entity", and they've got a permanent hold on the coveted status of Motor Vehicle I Least Despise.

- Paul

Motorcyclists seem like a nice group of people in general. I just watched "Orange Country Choppers" on the disco channel, pretty cool bikes. I don't understand why HDs have to be so F'ing loud though. :mad:

I don't understand why HDs have to be so F'ing loud though. :mad:

To draw attention!

Our support crew on the STP is the local Gullwings club they are active in many of our events.

I know motorcyclists come in all varieties..Maybe I have lived long enough.? But, the motorcyclists I have had casual contacts with about here, they seem either friendly or else, indifferent to cyclists.
We do share some traits..They like to experience the outdoors on Two wheels. Some of us like speed as do they.
Differences...They seem less concerned about Dunlop disease. "Belly dunlopped over the belt." Drink more beer.
The motorcyclists I see about here. Sort of retired hippies who harbor less anger towards the rest of the world, than does the rest of the general population..That is my experience.. Most often I expect Motorcyclists to either give we cyclists, a friendly wave, as I have expereinced or ignore us...I think we have something in common. More so, than the general population... Not that I would consider their choice of two wheeled transportation. But, so far I think I respect them.
They do not seem to hang out in the same spots as do cyclists- coffee shops, etc.- So my contacts are pretty casual.
Get cyclists into hanging out at bars, during break, then we might have closer contacts.
As to hostile actions by them towards us- far less than the general population...that is my experience...

I've been riding bikes since I was 10 or 12 and riding motorcycles since I was 16. And all in all I'd say that I really get along quite well myself.

...all in all I'd say that I really get along quite well myself.

Agreed.