Motorway riding..

[A100man]

HI All

Had cause to ride up the M1/M6 recently for 200 odd miles and it was sheer misery.

Smart motorway messages saying obstacles/debris where there is nothing, closed lanes for no reason, reduced speed limits (which were catch people on those yellow SPECS cameras on the opposite carriageway, dared not exceed teh speed liit.. etc.. etc..

So what's the generally accepted strategy here..? Hit indicated 80 and sit there (like some I saw) or abide by all the rules and suffer a longer than necessary miserable ride..

My FZ750 has a flat post at 5K in top /70mph which made matters even worse as it burbled and stumbled.
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[Easy-X]

My strategy for motorways? Avoid wherever possible
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[MarJay]

These days? Follow the rules. That's why a lot of new bikes have cruise control now. I got flashed by speed cameras in the car twice a few weeks ago. I was just about over the limit but not by much and I think I got away with it on that basis. But it shows you how sensitive those SPECS cameras are.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[A100man]

[doggone]

You could have not noticed a very dirty number plate.

[MarJay]

[A100man]

[stinkwheel]

I was on the M6 in my van at the weekend and that smart motorway is fucking retarded. It was like a bastard car-park. There were three incidents with a stationary vehicle in an active lane. They closed two lanes for a good 5 miles on the approach to each one and had rolling reducing speed limits on the run up to those basically turning everything between Manchester and the M5 split into a stop-start fuckery.

From the look of them when I passed, they were all breakdowns which I'm nearly certain would have managed to limp/roll into the hard shoulder (or have been shoved in there by a helpful bystander) had there been one.

With regard to the bike. On smart motorway, you get an eye in for which towers have cameras and spend the whole time yo-yoing between whatever the sign says and 90mph. In average speed zones it's either comply or totally ignore depending which way the camera is facing.

Given the weekends performance however, being done for speeding isn't a thing on the M6 any more. I never made it up to the limits shown on the signs, never mind breaking it.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Feasty]

I use the M1 for 4 junctions every time I commute, half of it is 60 limit due to 'air quality' - but if I do 120 and spend half the time on that section I'd be polluting a lot less surely!
I'd be more annoyed if I was travelling in an electric car though .

But now they've introduced roadworks with a 50 limit and average cameras it's become proper miserable. And we all know how long roadworks go on for without anything actually happening or ever see anyone there!
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Previous: Aprilia Habana Retro 50cc (beauty), Yamaha SR125 (fell apart), Honda XR125 (nippy little commuter), Honda SLR650 (Geewhizz), Yamaha Diversion 900S (Smoooooth) written off courtesy of a stupid escaped horse.
(7 year gap), BMW F650 (Relaxing ride). Aprilia Caponord ETV1000 (Big and bold). Yamaha FZS600 (got me in trouble too quick!).
Current: Yamaha TDM 900 (Comfy, light but big, power when needed).

[A100man]

[Nobby the Bastard]

[pinkyfloyd]

With most motorways now "smart" of covered with enough cameras to be smart motorways without the official title, its not worth speeding. Stick some tunes on with headphones and just try not to fall asleep from boredom
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illuminateTHEmind wrote: I am just more evolved than most of you guys... this allows me to pick of things quickly which would have normally taken the common man years to master
Hockeystorm65:.well there are childish arguments...there are very childish arguments.....there are really stupid childish arguments and now there are......Pinkfloyd arguments!
Teflon-Mike:I think I agree with just about all Pinky has said.

[stinkwheel]

My understanding is that static speed cameras are not allowed on motorways unless there is a non NSL in place. So unless there is a specific speed limit in force, the cameras are off.

Or they should be, but what the regs say and what actually happens are often two different things.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[pinkyfloyd]

[stinkwheel]

[xX-Alex-Xx]

I never risk the fixed cameras in the variable limit areas when there’s no speed limit shown on the signs. I doubt going to court and say ‘but the signs weren’t on so I caned it’ will hold up somehow if they decided to turn em on. Everywhere else I sit at 90 though, just make sure to keep an eye on every bridge as it comes into view for parked vans…
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DILLIGAF

[stinkwheel]

[A100man]

[Easy-X]

So today I went on the M25 - walk a mile in another man's shoes and all that - horrible! And that was just going from Jct8 to 9
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Tierbirdy]

[dn38416]

[dn38416]

The other thing I can't really work out, but I expect you lot know -

On a smart motorway, say there are no variable signs displayed and it's NSL by default, are these enforced by average speed cameras or overhead ones that take a reading as you go under?

The stretch of M4 I use doesn't have any signs referring to average speed, and usually don't they have to say if it's average or not?

[grr666]

Certain parts of the M4 are my racetrack, certain parts aren't.
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[Pete.]

[dave001]