Longer trip issues

[Sunrayman]

I have just completed a trip from Chicago, IL to Orlando FL to visit my daughter turning 13 this month. During my trip down south, several thoughts crossed my mind and I am writing to inquire as to whether any of you have any specific answers for the following questions:

 

1) How "catastrophic" would it be to hit a deer bounding into your path single riding at say 85 mph? I saw many dead deer along the sides of the road near the Tennessee mountains outside of Chattanooga, and wondered if a biker would survive.

 

2) I was forced to ride in the evening on strange roads, through Georgia. I kept wondering what would happen if I ran over a good sized pot hole. Anybody ever do that?

 

3) How does a bike behave with a blow out? Front tire? Rear tire? Can a single rider have any warning to try to handle the forces??

 

4) Generally, what speed is acceptable with decent tires in the rain? I had several cars and tractor-trailors rush by me, but it was night, and drizzeling for hours and hours down to Florida.

 

I made it safe and sound, took it relatively easy, but sometimes when it got real dark, and visibility was poor, my mind played lots of tricks on me. I "trusted" the overall road condition, and the statistical improbability of hitting a deer, pot hole, etc.

 

Thank you for your true to life experiences. Sunrayman

[Brake Pad]

The deer wins all the time

[Guest scarylarry]

I made it safe and sound, took it relatively easy, but sometimes when it got real dark,

Living here and riding here the one you learn is don't travel at night away from the city unless you know the area, I for one ride home at night around midnight deer are pentlyful and will get in ur lap fast, sirviving depends on the speed remember they are big and hit hard..

My rule is when I travel I get off teh road at night to much can go wrong to fast and, there was guy that came up missing on his bike for a several days elk hunters found him expired he did have a helmet on...

[aharbi]

I have just completed a trip from Chicago, IL to Orlando FL to visit my daughter turning 13 this month. During my trip down south, several thoughts crossed my mind and I am writing to inquire as to whether any of you have any specific answers for the following questions:

 

1) How "catastrophic" would it be to hit a deer bounding into your path single riding at say 85 mph? I saw many dead deer along the sides of the road near the Tennessee mountains outside of Chattanooga, and wondered if a biker would survive.

 

I doubt if you would survive. The motorcycle community lost two very famous and highly skilled riders this past summer hitting deer. And neither was doing anything close to 85.

 

2) I was forced to ride in the evening on strange roads, through Georgia. I kept wondering what would happen if I ran over a good sized pot hole. Anybody ever do that?

 

I find it poor practice to ride at night. Truck tire treads, boards, just about anything that will fit in the back of a pick-up can be found in the road. I once had to swerve around a sofa, another time around a 1,000lb round hay bale.

 

3) How does a bike behave with a blow out? Front tire? Rear tire? Can a single rider have any warning to try to handle the forces??

 

A rear tire is easier to handle, I've had two go flat on me. The bike gets real squirrelly handling. A front blow out is much worse I hear but never had one. I never run a front tire plugged nor patched. I will however, plug or patch a rear. I always check my tires each and every time I ride and several times a day on long rides.

 

4) Generally, what speed is acceptable with decent tires in the rain? I had several cars and tractor-trailors rush by me, but it was night, and drizzeling for hours and hours down to Florida.

 

In the rain I slow to 60mph. I'm not so much worried about the rain or wet road with good tires as I am with water laying on the road and hydroplaning. And I NEVER ride in the rain at night.

 

I made it safe and sound, took it relatively easy, but sometimes when it got real dark, and visibility was poor, my mind played lots of tricks on me. I "trusted" the overall road condition, and the statistical improbability of hitting a deer, pot hole, etc.

 

When I ride I put all the statistical improbability in my favor. I don't take chances.

[dksmith196958]

nite ridin isnt safe in the rain if your stuck in it you have to deal with it till you can find a spot or your at home.. the deer thing isnt good odds at nite you never see them coming till its too late ,the deer wistles are a good investment , The metal ones work the best and last the longest and you can clean them out.

[distancerider]

Had a rear tire blow out on my Goldwing headed to Charleston from Atlanta. I was on the interstate running 85 mph with cruise control when the rear tire went. Jimminy Cricket !!!The harder I braked the wilder the ride. I had to let it bleed of speed on it's own. Fortunatly there were no vehicles around me. I was able to keep it upright but it was a challenge. Wouldn't want to do it again, but it can be managed.

[Rocket]

1) How "catastrophic" would it be to hit a deer bounding into your path single riding at say 85 mph? I saw many dead deer along the sides of the road near the Tennessee mountains outside of Chattanooga, and wondered if a biker would survive.

 

I doubt if you would survive. The motorcycle community lost two very famous and highly skilled riders this past summer hitting deer. And neither was doing anything close to 85.

 

 

You have a better chance on a 1st gen, than on a 2nd gen. Due to the frame mounted fairing, taking the brunt of the impact..... I am speaking from experience here, as I took out a full sized Mule Doe @ 60 Mph. I was riding the scoot 3 weeks later, after getting a coolant tube. Damage pics are in my gallery.

[Wanderer]

I hit a buck doing about 60. The buck went into the ditch, the bike did some horrific wobbling and twisting, but kept on going.

 

As an Iron Butt rider, you don't have much choice but ride in the dark. This is the time I like to stick to interstates, but if I get on back roads I slow way way down. I also find that I enjoy riding at night if the weather is good. I follow the same rule I do with the cage I slow down and take more care.

 

In the rain I generally won't run over 65, depends on the road, traffic and other conditions.

 

I've been riding off and on for over 40 years and (knock on wood) have never had a blow out or flat while riding. Did wake up one morning and have a flat waiting for me.

 

My philosphy is if I worried about the rain, the cold, the dark, the flats, and the deer I wouldn't ride too much. So I don't worry about that. If your numbers up, it's up, even on a perfect sun shiny day.

[CMIKE]

I have not been riding as long as many of you have here but...

My rules for riding...

1. Try not to ride at night at all. Leave early in the morning...and find a room or the destination before dark. Probably getting tired after a full day of riding anyway and you start making mistakes if you are tired. Way too many deer, coons, amadillas, possums and other stuff that can get in your path very quickly at night. I have worked away from home close to 29 years and travel a lot in a cage to work (300 plus miles from home). I have dodged and run over a number of things on the road that was a surprize to me and I do not believe I could have survived on a bike. :whistling:Tanker hoses...a 1/2 dozen steel car wheels once...6x6 4x4 timbers...ladders...pallets....ice boxes...boat motor...chains and binders...trailer axles...cars upside down in the road...and many many truck tires, peices and some with wheels still in them. Good headlights help but what can happen will happen. We are all getting older...You really got to be alert at night due to limited visiblity and over driving your headlights. If I take the bike to work...I spend an extra night to make sure I travel in daylight.

 

2. Try not to ride in the rain unless I have no choice. Never ever ride at night in the rain. My risk tolerance is not that high. Reduce speed and try to get on 2 lane roads if I must ride in the rain in daylight. Do not like interstate highways in the rain. Traffic travels faster than I want to go and could get run over traveling below posted speed limits. Bad visiblity for the cages in rain...they may not see you.

 

3. Always keep good rubber on the road. I never run tires to their wear indicators...change tires often before they get worn below what I consider safe limits. I do the same for my cage tires...I pull tires off way before they are completely worn out...Heck some of my buddies take my used truck tires and put them on their trucks to run them a year or so locally. You can tell when they just do not seem to have the traction they once had. Some call me crazy but as long as I can afford it...I am gonna have good rubber. Always check tires and pressure before and during trips. I am anal about the condition and pressure of tires. I hope and pray I never have a blowout on either wheel of a bike. Chances are it will happen one day.

 

We all have different levels of risk tolerance. We all take risk just getting on a bike. Traffic, road conditions, the other guy trying to run over you at every intersection and lane change... these are risk we are willing to take. Anywhere we can eliminate just a little of that risk is always a good thing. I guess I do take a little more risk riding one up that with my wife on the back. I try not to scare the women or children.

 

Too bad the guy let his trial membership expire to get answers to his questions... I just hope he comes back full time.

[eazyduzzit]

My wife and I rode to Daytona last month. It was about 5 PM when we left Knoxville. By the time we got in the mountains around Asheville it was getting dark and started raining. It was also cold (high 30s).

 

It was no fun at all and if I had it to do over again, I would have waited and left Saturday morning. It was pretty hairy through the gorge in the dark with trucks passing us throwing spray all over us.

[mm482]

Pray before and during all rides.

 

Earl

[99silver]

Pray before and during all rides.

 

Earl

 

What Earl said.

[Marcarl]

During our MC training, one thing kept coming to the foreground, it was repeated time and time again: THE THROTTLE IS YOUR FRIEND.

I've personally never have hit a deer or have to ride over a sofa, but the more I think of that statement, the more sense it makes to me. If you hit a deer with the brakes on, your out of control already and your bike will 'stop' on impact but you'll keep going. If you add throttle thrust to the moment of impact (not saying this is easy or even possible) it would change the dynamics somewhat, just how would depend on a lot of issues entailed with deer hitting.

If it's a hole in the road, hunk of wood etc, hit the throttle as hard as you can, you'll go over it, maybe a bit bumpy but you'll make it, hit the brakes and you're going down.

On a blow out, can even happen with good tires, you should do the same as you would in a cage. First get control, then slow down, not always possible, but it's something to think about and become brain ready.

Riding in the rain is never as enjoyable as sunshine, but we all will have to it so might as well get gooder at it when you have the chance to learn. Slow down to a comfortable speed, even it if means 30mph. Go slow enough and someone will push you from behind, go too fast and you'll be finding a rear bumper that appeared from nowhere, or go around a curve and find out that it's slicker than snot. Keep in mind that the first 15 to 30 minutes after rain starts that the roads are slick and oily from oil droppings and tire rubber. Best to take a break when it starts raining and have something to eat or drink, who knows, by the time you have consumed the rain maybe over.

Just my thoughts from training days.

Carl

[Brake Pad]

when I travel, I use as much daylight as possible, I may leave at O' dark 30 (5 am)

but I'll ride into the dusk hours, at a nice speed of 65-70-ish (never in a rush)

[bryan52577]

Another thing to think about is day or night here in Iowa the farmers are out hot and heavy trying to get the crops in. When going around curves if you are going to hit them hard you may just slide across the road.

 

This past weekend Lisa & I were out getting some "last of the season" riding in. When I came to a corner (I always look for "bad things" in the curve, gravel, animals, turtles, what ever). Anyway we came to a curve and I saw something strange so I hit the brakes hard before I got to the curve. Evidently the one just before me into the curve was a "over full" wagon full of soy beans. A bunch of the beans went over the top of the wagon or he had a leak and was loosing some. I had to go clear over in the far lane and stay up right with feet down at 1 mph just to get through the 30 to 40 feet of tiny "marbles" he left in the road. I would not have seen it at night I don't think?

And those little beans can sure hold a lot of weight and still roll!

 

So, I say always look ahead and be prepared for ANYTHING! If it looks odd, brake!

 

Bryan