First Long Distance Trip: KZ650 & RIDING MANNERS

today I did 218 miles on my 77 KZ650. Its an amazing bike, meant to humiliate the Honda CB 750 which I have (I have a 1972). In my opinion, the Honda 750 FEELS a lot better than the KZ650 - more weight more "substance." But the KZ650....oh my! Today it felt like it had no top end, like it could go and go and GO and MY GOODNESS is it fast. I'll put a pic of it below.

Now for the rant. Have you ever gone riding with someone who HAS to be in front, even though they dont know the way. Someone who blows through lights, leaving you stuck at the light while they "do you a favor" and pull over to the side up ahead.

Thats what my day was like with this person, and after 3 recent rides with the same behavior, I will NEVER ride with him again. A complete idiot. Hes splitting lanes, moving up ahead in Long Island traffic and IM the only one of the 4 of us who knows the way. So I have to risk lane splitting and speeding to catch up with him to tell him the we have to get off at the next exit.

INCREDIBLY ANNOYING. Have you ever been through this?

Yeah, I just let them go. Next you'll need a Z1/KZ 1000. Handles better than the CB with more POWER. 2nd gear is the most used passing gear. When I first grabbed a handfull it felt like the devil grabbed me and launched me forward leaving me holding on with my fingertips. A whole new ball game.:woohoo:
Steve.

That is why I am so particular about who I ride with and why I always try to ride my ride. I would have let him go, lost or not.

Most of the time, I think light and flickable is more fun than absolute acceleration.
A riding buddy of mine, who has ridden just about everything out there, likes to say that it is more fun to ride a slow bike fast, than a fast bike slow.

TexasKZ wrote: That is why I am so particular about who I ride with and why I always try to ride my ride. I would have let him go, lost or not.

Oh I did!
I turned right around and left them. I was ahead of them at one point, stopped to get gas, turned around, saw them coming up the road on the other side.
I waved bye and kept going. They texted me and I was like "ppl who are considerate dont ride 2 miles ahead at 100mph. See ya."

Not only am i not riding with this particular person, but our friendship is over. His selfishness is legendary.

A mayor rule should be that the slowest (less powered driver ) lead the group of bikes or set the speed limit.
Driving high speed without a brain like your suicide death wish ex friend can seduced a group of biker to very dangerous driving style!!!
I would let him go his kind of high speed riding, i want to be live longer to enjoy my future rides and bikes. A live could be so short.........

I'm with ya. I ride with a fast guy but I just let him lead. He's doing 85 in a 45 and leaves me pretty quick. But he's pretty good about waiting at the next turn. Whatever floats your boat. My priorities are: 1) Come back in one piece 2) Have fun. In that order.

Scirocco wrote: A mayor rule should be that the slowest (less powered driver ) lead the group of bikes or set the speed limit.
Driving high speed without a brain like your suicide death wish ex friend can seduced a group of biker to very dangerous driving style!!!
I would let him go his kind of high speed riding, i want to be live longer to enjoy my future rides and bikes. A live could be so short.........

Thats a very smart comment from you! I noticed his kind of driving made me drive more reckless to catch up with him. Our friendship is over, for that reason, and others. Never again

ThatGPzGuy wrote: I'm with ya. I ride with a fast guy but I just let him lead. He's doing 85 in a 45 and leaves me pretty quick. But he's pretty good about waiting at the next turn. Whatever floats your boat. My priorities are: 1) Come back in one piece 2) Have fun. In that order.

My gripe is being so far ahead that me doing 100MPH for 15 minutes isnt enough to catch up. Thats just plain selfish of my ex friend so fuck him. Ruined my day

I like to get up to speed quick then stay there, maybe 5 over. Using the power is good for the soul. :whistle:
Steve

I had a friend who rode his bike nearly the same as I ride mine - sometimes fast / sometimes not fast. We rode our bikes many times on pretty long trips (150 - 250 miles) and never had problems. We always had good rides. Unfortunately, he moved far a way and we lost contact.

I also have ridden in groups or 2 - 6 with others and the experience was the exact opposite. Some of them wanted to stop at every bar on a 150 mile trip (so they did and I kept going); some wanted to ride crazy fast on very bad roads resulting in them dropping or losing control of their bikes; etc. After about 3 experiences with such nitwits I learned to ride alone. I set my own pace. If I feel like riding fast - I do; if I feel like riding slow - I do. There is zero pressure to worry about how the other person is riding, their skill level, mood, etc. I have found riding alone to be much more enjoyable than riding with others, and I have no desire whatsoever to ride with other riders.

So to me your decision not to ride with folks who affect your riding behavior with their antics is a very wise decision. I believe you will find riding much more pleasant if you can set your own pace and not be concerned about the other rider(s)' pace or other decisions. Ed

I ride alone, always have and always will for the most part. Guys say "lets plan a ride soon" then I say ok, but I prefer that never happens. Riding with another bike is not my idea of enjoyment. He may want to go 80 where I want 50, maybe I want 80 and he wants 50. Last buddy I rode with for some reason wanted to ride exactly 1mph less than I rode, and wanted me to lead, so after 1/2 hour he was 1/2 mile behind, after 1 hour 1 mile behind, then on top of that he frequently decided to just quit the ride and go home. Too much drama. Ride alone.