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First time on motorway coming up. Any tips?

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Chuffin Nora
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Joined: 02 Sep 2013
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PostPosted: 16:02 - 24 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Holdawayt wrote:
It's a dual carriageway with an extra lane. I take it you're ok riding on them? If so a motorway is no different.
Tut Tut

You're implying that a dual carriageway is any road with two lanes 'in your direction' and two lanes oncoming, with a central reservation between.
Yes, "a motorway is no different" by dint of the fact that it is also a dual carriageway.
When 'in your direction' there's but one lane and one lane oncoming with yet as little as a swathe of sward acting as a central reservation, that is also a dual carriageway.
'Dual' in this instance does not mean two lanes this-way-and-that with a central reservation, but merely a central reservation with as many lanes either side as required.
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Alpineandy
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PostPosted: 16:10 - 24 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
pudder wrote:
Hawkeye1250FA wrote:
On that long a journey you don't need to speed there at 90-100, you can take your time and STILL be there hours before a car that left at the same time as you. 👍

Hows that work then?
Riding at 70 on a bike is faster than 70 in a car?

I'd guess he's referring to a cars inability to filter in heavy traffic, which is usually part of any journey.
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M.C
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Joined: 29 Sep 2015
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PostPosted: 17:13 - 24 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
chickenstrip wrote:
Don't forget to max the bike out in top when you get the chance - it's the whole point of motorways Twisted Evil

That's why I liked the MT-03, 99 mph top speed on paper Laughing

Ok I got to 105
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pudder
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Joined: 04 Nov 2016
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PostPosted: 17:20 - 24 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Alpineandy wrote:
I'd guess he's referring to a cars inability to filter in heavy traffic, which is usually part of any journey.


I reckon that's what he means, but hours faster.. doubtful.

Unless there's a crash that closes the motorway, or its a bank holiday weekend, then I don't see a massive improvement for bike over car.
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Evil Hans
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PostPosted: 17:22 - 24 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Chuffin Nora wrote:

'Dual' in this instance does not mean two lanes this-way-and-that with a central reservation, but merely a central reservation with as many lanes either side as required.


Absolutely. As you implied, it's possible to have a dual carriageway with one lane each way.
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M.C
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PostPosted: 17:30 - 24 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Evil Hans wrote:
Chuffin Nora wrote:

'Dual' in this instance does not mean two lanes this-way-and-that with a central reservation, but merely a central reservation with as many lanes either side as required.


Absolutely. As you implied, it's possible to have a dual carriageway with one lane each way.

70 mph Dance!
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 22:06 - 24 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
M.C wrote:
chickenstrip wrote:
Don't forget to max the bike out in top when you get the chance - it's the whole point of motorways Twisted Evil

That's why I liked the MT-03, 99 mph top speed on paper Laughing

Ok I got to 105


You should have tried it on the road instead then Razz
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Ayup_Mi-Duck
Renault 5 Driver



Joined: 25 Jan 2017
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PostPosted: 09:44 - 25 Jul 2017    Post subject: the best motorway advice Ive had Reply with quote
Im new to motorways too. the BEST advice from these guys has deffo been EAR PLUGS!!

it makes you feel less like you are screaming down a gravity well on a death rocket Smile

and it also makes your ear happy.
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Holdawayt
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Joined: 27 Jul 2015
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PostPosted: 11:00 - 25 Jul 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Chuffin Nora wrote:
Holdawayt wrote:
It's a dual carriageway with an extra lane. I take it you're ok riding on them? If so a motorway is no different.
Tut Tut

You're implying that a dual carriageway is any road with two lanes 'in your direction' and two lanes oncoming, with a central reservation between.
Yes, "a motorway is no different" by dint of the fact that it is also a dual carriageway.
When 'in your direction' there's but one lane and one lane oncoming with yet as little as a swathe of sward acting as a central reservation, that is also a dual carriageway.
'Dual' in this instance does not mean two lanes this-way-and-that with a central reservation, but merely a central reservation with as many lanes either side as required.


Remind me to never have a sit down meal with you. I'm not implying anything, it was a very relaxed way of describing how I ride on a motorway. I treat it the same way that I would a dual carriageway.

Christ on a motorcycle.
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Hawkeye1250FA
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Joined: 14 Oct 2016
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PostPosted: 08:33 - 04 Aug 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
pudder wrote:
Alpineandy wrote:
I'd guess he's referring to a cars inability to filter in heavy traffic, which is usually part of any journey.


I reckon that's what he means, but hours faster.. doubtful.

Unless there's a crash that closes the motorway, or its a bank holiday weekend, then I don't see a massive improvement for bike over car.


It depends on the length of journey surely?

But yes thats exactly what I meant Thumbs Up

I did Stoke - Cornwall on the bike and left at the same time as the wife in the car. I stopped more often than her and got there 4 hours before her.
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doggone
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PostPosted: 08:55 - 04 Aug 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Usually what happens is you pass some distinctive vehicle, trying quite hard to keep progress up by filtering whenever the phantom jams slow cars down.
You stop for fuel and by the time you are joining again that same vehicle chugs by as you are easing out.

If you go faster it's more tiring and you use a bit more fuel so stop an extra time or two.
On longer runs you mostly seem to average about 50mph door to door regardless of intent, unless you go mad.
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pudder
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PostPosted: 09:20 - 04 Aug 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hawkeye1250FA wrote:

It depends on the length of journey surely?

But yes thats exactly what I meant Thumbs Up

I did Stoke - Cornwall on the bike and left at the same time as the wife in the car. I stopped more often than her and got there 4 hours before her.


Google maps gives Stoke to Cornwall as 285 miles, taking 4hrs 41mins. Avg 62mph.

Lets say you followed your own recommendation, and got an average speed of 70mph, you'd take a little over 4 hours.

Your wife therefore takes twice as long, 8 hours, with an average speed of only 35mph.
Unless you are driving at peak times (bank holiday weekend etc), or there are major traffic incidents, I don't see how 35mph can be your wife's average speed on the motorway. Yes our motorways can be slow in places, and bike can make some extra progress, but for the most part the motorways keep moving.

If traffic is heavy enough to reduce her average speed to 35mph, then riding through at 70mph is unrealistic anyway unless you are mental.

Obviously this is ignoring any stops, so it could be that you stopped more times but she stopped for quite a while longer?
I'm not saying bikes are slower or anything, but on an average long motorway journey I don't see there being multiple hours of time to be saved on 2 wheels. Thinking
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MahatmaAndhi
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Joined: 10 Jun 2015
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PostPosted: 15:00 - 04 Aug 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Jesus, dude. It was a hyperbole. Let it go.
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thx1138
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Joined: 06 Oct 2005
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PostPosted: 18:03 - 04 Aug 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Holdawayt wrote:
It's a dual carriageway with an extra lane. I take it you're ok riding on them? If so a motorway is no different.

Enjoy.


Yeah, I told my friends I didn't do motorways many years ago, so they took me down a 3 lane A road Laughing and then we went on a motorway a bit later on. Thumbs Up
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Mark_UK
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Joined: 25 Jun 2017
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PostPosted: 11:19 - 06 Aug 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
So I went to BCF BBQ on Friday, M6 most of the way, and it was limited to 50mph most of the way too. I really enjoyed it.

Came back on Saturday and the M6 down that way was closed due to a crash, so Google maps sent me down the A41 through Chester, and I found myself praying for a motorway Shocked

Quick question re motorways and the weather. I hit a massive storm on the way back on the motorway, and to be honest I was crapping myself. Everyone slowed down to 50-55mph, but it still seemed way to fast for me. If it starts hailing and is totally unsafe, is it permissible to stop on the hard shoulder on a bike until it stops, or do you just have to keep going? If only someone would invent a little windscreen wiper for the visor Wink

Edit - Definitely +100 to ear plugs. Cheers for that.
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UncleFester
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PostPosted: 11:29 - 06 Aug 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
For the visor, if you turn your head ever so slightly left or right, the airflow clears the visor nicely.
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TaffyTDM
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PostPosted: 20:22 - 06 Aug 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
Mark_UK wrote:
So I went to BCF BBQ on Friday, M6 most of the way, and it was limited to 50mph most of the way too. I really enjoyed it.

Came back on Saturday and the M6 down that way was closed due to a crash, so Google maps sent me down the A41 through Chester, and I found myself praying for a motorway Shocked

Quick question re motorways and the weather. I hit a massive storm on the way back on the motorway, and to be honest I was crapping myself. Everyone slowed down to 50-55mph, but it still seemed way to fast for me. If it starts hailing and is totally unsafe, is it permissible to stop on the hard shoulder on a bike until it stops, or do you just have to keep going? If only someone would invent a little windscreen wiper for the visor Wink

Edit - Definitely +100 to ear plugs. Cheers for that.


I've been in some proper torrentials on the mway. Don't forget you are more vunerable to a lightning strike on the bike in the wet.

Personally if it gets bad I will always try and tough it out to the next services to sit it out/dry off. Second best option is under an overbridge. You shouldn't stop on the hard shoulder unless you are broken down / "broken down" but if you think you are in more danger riding on them follow your instinct. Although it's a good idea to get over the crash barrier away from the bike.
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thx1138
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PostPosted: 21:22 - 06 Aug 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
I get off at the next exit or services whichever is closer, but if it was truly terrible I'd stop on the hard shoulder - not happened yet.
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M.C
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PostPosted: 21:32 - 06 Aug 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
I personally wouldn't, people do weird things like drive slowly down the hard shoulder with their hazard lights on. Leave the motorway IMO.
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 09:10 - 07 Aug 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
pudder wrote:


If traffic is heavy enough to reduce her average speed to 35mph, then riding through at 70mph is unrealistic anyway unless you are mental.



BCF.
Therefore, mental.
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Tracer1234
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PostPosted: 12:34 - 07 Aug 2017    Post subject: Reply with quote
UncleBFester wrote:
For the visor, if you turn your head ever so slightly left or right, the airflow clears the visor nicely.


Your right, but a little wiper though, how amazing would that be!!! We can dream.
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