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What's your take... offensive/aggressive riding or defensive/reactionary?

Spazz

Spazz

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Feb 22, 2014
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I have been riding for around 30 years now.. ( gosh I'm getting old )... been down 3 times and walked away from each one.... ( glad to say ), but I still ride/drive with an aggressive nature....

I started on cafe` style.... on 500cc all the way up to 1100cc... now on my 2nd Harley. I have always felt that I am aggressive in my style, I feel in control of just about any situation ( give or take ). That being said, defensive driving seems to be reactionary ( waiting for someone else to make a mistake to react to. I am not at all refuting the facts around defensive driving... just stating how I feel my style tends to keep me 'in control'... so to speak.

By no means do I fight for a lane, or think I will 'win' a battle with a cage... the guy with the most lug nuts always wins in just about every case. Just wondering about YOUR style and YOUR take on the controversial topic of OFFENSIVE VS. DEFENSIVE driving/riding....

In no way am I trying to 'push' my style on anyone... or start a heated debate... just wondering if I am the only one...
 
I "play" around a little. I don't get crazy in twisties, but like to lean it abit and get on it. For me to judge another driver on the road is tough. I have no idea about his/ her experience and/or abilities. I guess as long as your spirited riding does not infringe on or increase the risk to another so be it. I think the term defensive driving or offensive driving would have different meanings to different people. I believe there is a place for aggressive driving. In the middle of rush hour traffic or a busy intersection, etc...... would not be one of them. All we can do is to keep a watchful eye on others, whether on bike, truck or car, to see what we think they might do next to preserve our own and maybe our passengers skin.
 
I understand your take on it... but pushing your limits on a nice curvy road is not what I was referring to. Of course I am safe... but some ( of my family ) don't like my style... not braking fast enough... speeding up to change lanes rather than slowing down and impeding traffic..using an on ramp to accelerate to freeway speeds BEFORE I merge.... etc.. just some examples...

Most of my cafe years were spent in SOCAL... so my nature was groomed in congested traffic... on and off freeways. If you leave too much room, you WILL get cut off ( for an example ). I always ride in a lane where I have an 'exit' route for those evasive maneuvers when needed... but I am close to the person in front of me on purpose.. making sure I can see them ( their face/eyes) in their mirror(s). My head and eyes are always on a swivel for sure... It's what I have come accustomed to...
 
I ride very defensively and wear safety gear (full coverage helmet, boots, gloves, riding suit). I bought my 2014 for the safety of the linked braking system. I installed 13" rear shocks to get "standard" ground clearance.

Harley's let you know if you are cornering too hard with a good margin of safety. I buy new foot boards on occasion because they wear away on the road.
 
Spazz, if you are confident in your riding abilities, then do your own thing. Again, as long as your style does not infringe on others rights to the same road way, it's hard for others to judge what you see as being safe.
Good topic.
 
Buckshot... I hear ya... I do my best to stay safe and still have fun without pissin people off.

So how do you characterize your style? out of the two categories...
 
Probably defensive. I'm always trying to imagine if I were the driver of the car at the intersection I'm approaching, the oncoming car, the car I'm behind...... can they see me and I usually get my hands and foot on the controls. With so many more vehicles on the roadway now, I'm somewhat timid. Going to work in the morning at 5:30 am it's very dark and there are a lot of deer around here. I'm usually a little tense by the time I get to work after the 10 mile ride. I hate big city riding, but I'll do it. It doesn't come natural for me to really watch that many vehicles at one time. I relax on country roads or the interstate. Don't get me wrong, any chance to take the bike, I will. I just adapt to what's in front of me at the time. I play around though and do, at times, get pissed at other drivers and become an aggressive rider.
 
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See... that's great.... when you don't have to deal with heavy traffic.. it makes life a bit easier. Deer... oh yeah... we have our share... came close a few times... NOT FUN!!!!
 
Spazz, as you know from the times we have ridden together I also agree with the more aggressive style of riding. I pretty much have that style all the time. Every now and again it is kinda cool to hit a nice country road nice and slow, but that isn't really my style. That being said I would never push my style or someone else's limits to hurt them. I always tell any club member or friend I ride with to ride to their comfort level not mine. So I agree with you on this one.
 
Spazz said:
I have been riding for around 30 years now.. ( gosh I'm getting old )... been down 3 times and walked away from each one.... ( glad to say ), but I still ride/drive with an aggressive nature....

I started on cafe` style.... on 500cc all the way up to 1100cc... now on my 2nd Harley. I have always felt that I am aggressive in my style, I feel in control of just about any situation ( give or take ). That being said, defensive driving seems to be reactionary ( waiting for someone else to make a mistake to react to. I am not at all refuting the facts around defensive driving... just stating how I feel my style tends to keep me 'in control'... so to speak.

By no means do I fight for a lane, or think I will 'win' a battle with a cage... the guy with the most lug nuts always wins in just about every case. Just wondering about YOUR style and YOUR take on the controversial topic of OFFENSIVE VS. DEFENSIVE driving/riding....

In no way am I trying to 'push' my style on anyone... or start a heated debate... just wondering if I am the only one...
Click to expand...

Great question!

I have been riding since I was 17. I turned 48 last month. My first bike was a 500cc crotch rocket type. My mother once told me that a friend of mine told her in private that I was the only person he witnessed (he never rode a MC) who would speed up for a curve in the road and then level out the speed on the straightaways. I ride aggressively because I enjoy it and I feel that I have to. I too look in peoples side view mirrors to see where there eyes are, if they know I am there, and once I see that they see me, I am usually gone. I don't hang in anyone's blind-spots. I don't like following anyone and don't like anyone following me in a 4-wheeled vehicle. I will pass on the right because most drivers consider the middle or left lane of a 3 lane highway the safe lanes. I call it "the get in and switch off the braing lanes". If someone wants to go as fast or faster than me, I get out of there way. I, knock on wood truly, that I have never gone down on pavement, and hope I and you never do!!!! I am sure I piss people off, but I am not going to wait for mistakes to be made while on my bike. I did not learn to ride to follow cars, trucks, buses, and all the other big monsters out there that can thump over you and not even feel a thing.
 
Well it sounds like the 3 of us need to go on a good ride threw the foothills here in NorCal so let us know when you are gonna get here FLHX14 lol peas of a pod it sounds.
 
Offensive for me. I'd rather be the aggressor rather than reacting to others. JMO


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Baggerjay said:
Well it sounds like the 3 of us need to go on a good ride threw the foothills here in NorCal so let us know when you are gonna get here FLHX14 lol peas of a pod it sounds.
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Oh man... that would be too much fun....

49 south !!! 49 south!!!
 
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Baggerjay said:
Well it sounds like the 3 of us need to go on a good ride threw the foothills here in NorCal so let us know when you are gonna get here FLHX14 lol peas of a pod it sounds.
Click to expand...
That would be AWESOME!!! Thank you very much for the invitation. I have a friend that I occasionally ride with and he says we perform motorcycle ballet in traffic. I must get from the east coast to the entire western coast on a ride! I would really love to meet up someday. Thanks again.
 
I do know that feeling as well nothing like riding with your riding partner and working traffic. I love that feeling


2014 SGS charcoal pearl
Blacked out
Some motor work
 
I'm right there with ya Spazz. Ride the same way and always will.

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I have always liked riding fast in the curves and love to ride in the Mountains for that reason. In the last 12 months though I have had 3 people go down while trying to keep up. I was leading a group and the ones that want to ride fast get up front with me and the others stay back in the group. While in the mountains I stop often and let everyone catch up and then we take off again. It is a system that allows us to each ride at their own speed. But like I said, had 3 go down in 12 months. Some of the guys are jokingly saying stuff like "thinning the herd", which is bull crap. I know they are joking but still, even though you tell them do not ride faster than they are comfortable with, they feel they have to try and keep up. Normal I suppose. So, now days I have slowed it down some and I enjoy it more now because I don't feel like anyone is going to get hurt. None of the 3 got hurt by the way, not much. One guy still has not ridden with me since then... my own brother too! He says that him laying it down in the curve is part of the reason. I am not pressing him, trying to understand. I don't ever get aggressive with cages though. I try to stay away from them and will speed up or slow down to do just that. They want to come into my lane, I will let them have it. Only lost my temper once so far and it was a doozy... another day for that story. Here is a picture from last week while we were on the Dragon. 15069333387_2ea6a6d447_o.jpg
 
Baggerjay said:
I do know that feeling as well nothing like riding with your riding partner and working traffic. I love that feeling
Click to expand...

I prefer not to ride in traffic, especially these days with most drivers distracted by a cell phone or some other gizmo.

For me its the open road feeling, no other traffic in sight is the best.
 
Hulkss that is a dream where I live in Florida. But your right just open road and nobody in sight is a great feeling

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