And today's commuting highlight is...
Discussion
This mornings low highlight was stalling the RT as I cut between some cars approaching traffic lights. I'd cut in to my left, then swung right to go down between the two rows, so the bike was slightly leant over when I stalled it. B*GGER ME, that's a heavy old lump to catch when it's in slow freefall. And I have the strained side muscles to prove it.
PS: I never stall bikes. Well, except when I stall them.
PS: I never stall bikes. Well, except when I stall them.
Oh and the other one. Chappie on a newish sportsbike. Full leathers, and, er, trainers. Ordinary low trainers. WTF?
It didn't stop there. We're on the M20, everyone's doing M20 motorway speeds (which are not 70mph
), but matey boy is SOOOO cool & clever that he not only needs to weave in and out of the traffic at +30mph, but just to emphasise how cool and clever he is, he's doing this with his left hand nonchalantly resting on his leg.
Very big. Very clever.
It didn't stop there. We're on the M20, everyone's doing M20 motorway speeds (which are not 70mph
), but matey boy is SOOOO cool & clever that he not only needs to weave in and out of the traffic at +30mph, but just to emphasise how cool and clever he is, he's doing this with his left hand nonchalantly resting on his leg.Very big. Very clever.
Mine pretty normal apart from the half asleep drivers being dicks and not paying attention. I think school is back in and the traffic has increased to the point where everyone is getting back into the swing of things.
Commuting wasn't that fun this morning. Although I still love my M7RR tyres.
Commuting wasn't that fun this morning. Although I still love my M7RR tyres.
CAPP0 said:
Oh and the other one. Chappie on a newish sportsbike. Full leathers, and, er, trainers. Ordinary low trainers. WTF?
It didn't stop there. We're on the M20, everyone's doing M20 motorway speeds (which are not 70mph ), but matey boy is SOOOO cool & clever that he not only needs to weave in and out of the traffic at +30mph, but just to emphasise how cool and clever he is, he's doing this with his left hand nonchalantly resting on his leg.
Very big. Very clever.
What's your problem cant you appreciate the talent he has? Also the no boots full leathers look is 'in' and enables this kind of dynamic riding. It didn't stop there. We're on the M20, everyone's doing M20 motorway speeds (which are not 70mph
), but matey boy is SOOOO cool & clever that he not only needs to weave in and out of the traffic at +30mph, but just to emphasise how cool and clever he is, he's doing this with his left hand nonchalantly resting on his leg.Very big. Very clever.
CAPP0 said:
This mornings low highlight was stalling the RT as I cut between some cars approaching traffic lights. I'd cut in to my left, then swung right to go down between the two rows, so the bike was slightly leant over when I stalled it. B*GGER ME, that's a heavy old lump to catch when it's in slow freefall. And I have the strained side muscles to prove it.
PS: I never stall bikes. Well, except when I stall them.
PS: I never stall bikes. Well, except when I stall them.
One thing they don't tell you about that engine (though I did, on here a while back) is its fantastic propensity to stall for no good reason. The dealers cant fix it and BMW refuse to acknowledge there is an issue. To the best that I can find out, to meet emissions regs and so on the engine runs *very* lean. So you may notice it idles rough or if you're coasting to a stop with a clutch in, it will almost cut out or back fire into the airbox if you get back on the power. There is a guy Milton Keynes way I think who claims to remap the issue out of them (though his results are somewhat controversial) but there is also a selection of plug-in widgets available that claim to solve it by simply increasing the fueling across the range by 6%. I've managed to dial the stall out of my riding but its taken ages. I have a to have 1700-2000 rpm always dialed up at the lights, if getting back on the power after coasting I have to blip the throttle first before letting the clutch out to ensure a stall doesn't catch me out and so on.
If it was a Ducati it would be called character. In a BMW its unforgivable but not surprising and they don't give a f
k. Thankfully the new LC engine is much better. 308mate said:
One thing they don't tell you about that engine (though I did, on here a while back) is its fantastic propensity to stall for no good reason. The dealers cant fix it and BMW refuse to acknowledge there is an issue. To the best that I can find out, to meet emissions regs and so on the engine runs *very* lean. So you may notice it idles rough or if you're coasting to a stop with a clutch in, it will almost cut out or back fire into the airbox if you get back on the power. There is a guy Milton Keynes way I think who claims to remap the issue out of them (though his results are somewhat controversial) but there is also a selection of plug-in widgets available that claim to solve it by simply increasing the fueling across the range by 6%. I've managed to dial the stall out of my riding but its taken ages. I have a to have 1700-2000 rpm always dialed up at the lights, if getting back on the power after coasting I have to blip the throttle first before letting the clutch out to ensure a stall doesn't catch me out and so on.
If it was a Ducati it would be called character. In a BMW its unforgivable but not surprising and they don't give a f
k. Thankfully the new LC engine is much better. http://www.sol2.be/Performance/ENG/Theory/page.htm...
The lean cruise in closed loop will also have your bike lurching when riding with no hand on the throttle when using cruise control. Weirdly, disconnecting the lambdas from the headers (to effectively disable closed loop) doesn't stop the effect. Someone needs to crack the ECU to allow the fuel tables to be enriched.
CAPP0 said:
This mornings low highlight was stalling the RT as I cut between some cars approaching traffic lights. I'd cut in to my left, then swung right to go down between the two rows, so the bike was slightly leant over when I stalled it. B*GGER ME, that's a heavy old lump to catch when it's in slow freefall. And I have the strained side muscles to prove it.
PS: I never stall bikes. Well, except when I stall them.
I used to have an XT660X - did exactly the same. Upping the idle speed helped a bit, but I guess the Beemer's ride by wire (??) or a pig to adjust, & it didn't help with the surging. Modding the fuelling is about the only real cure - as mentioned, they are set up lean for emissions...PS: I never stall bikes. Well, except when I stall them.
My commuting highlight was on the way home yesterday. Came up to a set of traffic lights, dual carriageway with 2 lines of cars waiting at a red. Started filtering between the stationary cars when the lights changed to green. Stopped filtering when the next car in front started moving, however the car that I had passed kept up with the one in front and didn't leave me enough room to pull back in. This then left me in an awkward situation sandwiched between this car and a coach to my left! I had to let the car pass me before pulling in behind it. Beeped my horn and flashed before finding a gap past the coach so that I could pull up alongside and have a good look at the driver. Rather surprisingly it was a female who wouldn't even look at me. Got past her and made a point of waving my finger in disapproval before riding off.
Some people really don't like bikers filtering it seems, trouble is in their attempts to stop us they risk having an accident, or in my case nearly forcing me under a large vehicle!
Some people really don't like bikers filtering it seems, trouble is in their attempts to stop us they risk having an accident, or in my case nearly forcing me under a large vehicle!
I tried a different route home last night due to the stty filtering through the roadworks near Richmond. So M4 and M25 it was.
I was riding along in the inside lane at about J14 on the M25 at about the speed limit (at about 7.15pm last night) and a van came slicing through from the off-ramp, just missed the concrete barrier, cut just in front of me and then proceeded to carve his way across multiple lanes, back and forth. Proper shat me up.
So if you see a silver Mercedes Sprinter with high viz striping all across the back (no other markings) with a reg starting HX16 (I've got the rest if anyone's interested) then I'd give it plenty of room as I have no idea what he was on or what he was trying to prove but that's an accident waiting to happen.
tty filtering through the roadworks near Richmond. So M4 and M25 it was.I was riding along in the inside lane at about J14 on the M25 at about the speed limit (at about 7.15pm last night) and a van came slicing through from the off-ramp, just missed the concrete barrier, cut just in front of me and then proceeded to carve his way across multiple lanes, back and forth. Proper shat me up.
So if you see a silver Mercedes Sprinter with high viz striping all across the back (no other markings) with a reg starting HX16 (I've got the rest if anyone's interested) then I'd give it plenty of room as I have no idea what he was on or what he was trying to prove but that's an accident waiting to happen.
Still here after 1h20m of waiting for recovery. Also took BMW assist people 15 mins to answer the phone 
Filtering through the traffic at the bottom of the M11 this morning and I came up behind a rider wearing a white helmet and a high-vis jacket with Battenberg blue checks around the edges. He was on a white CBF1000 and filtering slowly between the two lanes of traffic.
After almost a mile he’d still not seen me behind him when a gap in the traffic allowed me to safely overtake him. It certainly took him by surprise as he noticeably jumped as I went passed. This was at almost exactly the same time as I my mirrors caught the first glimpse of his two additional (very bright) LED lights and full beam HID headlight! My eyes fried almost instantly.
I don’t like filtering without a good view in my mirrors but all I could see on either side of my fairing was a blinding brilliant white light. I lasted about 3 cars before I pulled into the traffic and let "Mr HID High Beam" catch me up. I think he understood from my hand signals that his lights were making it very difficult for other road users to make safe progress and, to his credit, he did then dip them!
It did, however, take a fair while until the multi-coloured floating patches in my vision cleared completely. I will never understand the thinking process of a biker who feels that reducing the vision of drivers of vehicles in front by shining an ultra-bright light in their mirrors is going to make progress safer. It certainly did not make progress for me, as a vehicle in front, safer.
After almost a mile he’d still not seen me behind him when a gap in the traffic allowed me to safely overtake him. It certainly took him by surprise as he noticeably jumped as I went passed. This was at almost exactly the same time as I my mirrors caught the first glimpse of his two additional (very bright) LED lights and full beam HID headlight! My eyes fried almost instantly.
I don’t like filtering without a good view in my mirrors but all I could see on either side of my fairing was a blinding brilliant white light. I lasted about 3 cars before I pulled into the traffic and let "Mr HID High Beam" catch me up. I think he understood from my hand signals that his lights were making it very difficult for other road users to make safe progress and, to his credit, he did then dip them!
It did, however, take a fair while until the multi-coloured floating patches in my vision cleared completely. I will never understand the thinking process of a biker who feels that reducing the vision of drivers of vehicles in front by shining an ultra-bright light in their mirrors is going to make progress safer. It certainly did not make progress for me, as a vehicle in front, safer.
Nothing exciting today. Just a guy on a ZZR1400 who refused to let anyone filter faster than him despite checking his mirrors a fair bit, and then didn't thank any of the cars/vans that pulled over so that he could wobble and tip toe on through. Really isn't difficult and when you're already going so fking slow it's not gonna hold you up much.
king slow it's not gonna hold you up much.black-k1 said:
Filtering through the traffic at the bottom of the M11 this morning and I came up behind a rider wearing a white helmet and a high-vis jacket with Battenberg blue checks around the edges. He was on a white CBF1000 and filtering slowly between the two lanes of traffic.
After almost a mile he’d still not seen me behind him when a gap in the traffic allowed me to safely overtake him. It certainly took him by surprise as he noticeably jumped as I went passed. This was at almost exactly the same time as I my mirrors caught the first glimpse of his two additional (very bright) LED lights and full beam HID headlight! My eyes fried almost instantly.
I don’t like filtering without a good view in my mirrors but all I could see on either side of my fairing was a blinding brilliant white light. I lasted about 3 cars before I pulled into the traffic and let "Mr HID High Beam" catch me up. I think he understood from my hand signals that his lights were making it very difficult for other road users to make safe progress and, to his credit, he did then dip them!
It did, however, take a fair while until the multi-coloured floating patches in my vision cleared completely. I will never understand the thinking process of a biker who feels that reducing the vision of drivers of vehicles in front by shining an ultra-bright light in their mirrors is going to make progress safer. It certainly did not make progress for me, as a vehicle in front, safer.
I don't have HIDs or LEDs or owt but I confess that if I'm in a tight filter with no other bikes in front, I do use main beam. It does seem to work, drivers noticeably move aside. I always drop the lights again though if I catch another biker up, or stop filtering.After almost a mile he’d still not seen me behind him when a gap in the traffic allowed me to safely overtake him. It certainly took him by surprise as he noticeably jumped as I went passed. This was at almost exactly the same time as I my mirrors caught the first glimpse of his two additional (very bright) LED lights and full beam HID headlight! My eyes fried almost instantly.
I don’t like filtering without a good view in my mirrors but all I could see on either side of my fairing was a blinding brilliant white light. I lasted about 3 cars before I pulled into the traffic and let "Mr HID High Beam" catch me up. I think he understood from my hand signals that his lights were making it very difficult for other road users to make safe progress and, to his credit, he did then dip them!
It did, however, take a fair while until the multi-coloured floating patches in my vision cleared completely. I will never understand the thinking process of a biker who feels that reducing the vision of drivers of vehicles in front by shining an ultra-bright light in their mirrors is going to make progress safer. It certainly did not make progress for me, as a vehicle in front, safer.
I know it's a contentious issue, it's been mentioned before, but I'd rather get a "look at that nob with his full beam on" reaction that a "what nob? Didn't see him" (lack of) reaction.
I've decided not to let other road users on my route get to me.
That includes
I'm a changed man
That includes
- the KNK van drivers who constantly run red lights while using their phone
- the two cyclists who consistently gesticulate when I follow them down the middle of Trinity Road
- the settlers in Tooting who have no road sense at all (probably due to a lack of licences?)
- the drivers who use the white line to guide them, a bit like scalextrik
- anyone riding one of those hideous 3 wheel bikes. Utter wkers that they are
- the plastic police that also ride the 3 wheelers. Jeez they really hold the traffic up
I'm a changed man
CAPP0 said:
I don't have HIDs or LEDs or owt but I confess that if I'm in a tight filter with no other bikes in front, I do use main beam. It does seem to work, drivers noticeably move aside. I always drop the lights again though if I catch another biker up, or stop filtering.
I know it's a contentious issue, it's been mentioned before, but I'd rather get a "look at that nob with his full beam on" reaction that a "what nob? Didn't see him" (lack of) reaction.
Agreed - I do the same thing if filtering on Motorways, though not in town where you're more likely to dazzle incoming traffic. I know it's a contentious issue, it's been mentioned before, but I'd rather get a "look at that nob with his full beam on" reaction that a "what nob? Didn't see him" (lack of) reaction.
Renn Sport said:
CAPP0 said:
Oh and the other one. Chappie on a newish sportsbike. Full leathers, and, er, trainers. Ordinary low trainers. WTF?
It didn't stop there. We're on the M20, everyone's doing M20 motorway speeds (which are not 70mph ), but matey boy is SOOOO cool & clever that he not only needs to weave in and out of the traffic at +30mph, but just to emphasise how cool and clever he is, he's doing this with his left hand nonchalantly resting on his leg.
Very big. Very clever.
What's your problem cant you appreciate the talent he has? Also the no boots full leathers look is 'in' and enables this kind of dynamic riding. It didn't stop there. We're on the M20, everyone's doing M20 motorway speeds (which are not 70mph
), but matey boy is SOOOO cool & clever that he not only needs to weave in and out of the traffic at +30mph, but just to emphasise how cool and clever he is, he's doing this with his left hand nonchalantly resting on his leg.Very big. Very clever.
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