The Little Things of Riding...

[Zenmervolt]

So far this summer I've only driven about 500 miles in my car, choosing to ride the motorcycles most of the time and I've had a fun time. But there are all kinds of little things that you experience when riding a motorcycle that you just don't get in a car. I'll list a few of my own and would love to see other riders add to it.

Let's avoid ranting about other drivers though since that's too obvious and too easy to get sidetracked on.

The Little Things of Riding:

1) Sneezing in a full-face helmet. Bad idea.
2) Even with the shield down, if the vents are open, bugs can get into the helmet.
3) Stones kicked up by traffic will always find that soft spot on your knee.
4) There are few things quite as embarrassing as shifting "up" into neutral when pulling away from a stop light; there's no way to pull it off as an "I meant to do that" moment.
5) There will come a time when something gets into your eye despite the face shield. It will be on the freeway with no place to pull off to the side. It will also be about once every other week.

ZV

 

[satyajitmenon]

4) There are few things quite as embarrassing as shifting "up" into neutral when pulling away from a stop light; there's no way to pull it off as an "I meant to do that" moment.

6) Getting windshield (over)spray from the car in front. You know, that car which comes factory equipped with that gallon-a-minute spray pump. Wiping your helmet shield, only to have the driver spray again.

 

[JulesMaximus]

6) Getting windshield (over)spray from the car in front. You know, that car which comes factory equipped with that gallon-a-minute spray pump. Wiping your helmet shield, only to have the driver spray again.

Plus you can smell every little thing on your ride, including the wiper spray (assuming it isn't filled with plain water). Flowers blooming, orange and lemon groves, the BBQ restaurant on your way home, the garbage dump smell that is Escondido, CA.

Another is feeling the minor temperature variations between hills and valleys. I pass through some areas on my commute where the temp can drop 6-8 degrees in less than a mile. During the winter in SoCal that can mean the difference between being relatively comfortable and downright cold.

You also learn that when you get spray or a bug smashed on your shield that it is best to resist the urge to try to wipe it away because it will just smear and make it worse.

Riding through a swarm of bees is always a fun time too. I tuck my chin down to my chest and try to make myself as small a target as possible. Cleaning smashed bees off your gear and bike is fun too. They seem to get into every little nook and crevice. One of the many advantages of wearing full gear is that bees generally can't penetrate it so your neck is really your only vulnerable spot.

 

[Zenmervolt]

6) Getting windshield (over)spray from the car in front. You know, that car which comes factory equipped with that gallon-a-minute spray pump. Wiping your helmet shield, only to have the driver spray again.

The worst is riding behind a cattle truck and realizing that it's not windshield fluid... D:

(This was a friend, not me; I now give livestock trailers a very wide berth...)

ZV

 

[Occ]

7.) Getting a hair in your mouth and being unable to do anything about it due to the helmet and gloves.

 

[JulesMaximus]

8) Getting an itch on your nose or the top of your head when riding along at freeway speeds.
9) You can't turn the A/C on if you get too hot, you can't turn the heat on if you get too cold.
10) You can't drink coffee or talk on the phone.
11) You can't turn on the wipers if it starts to rain.
12) You can expect to get soaking wet though if you aren't wearing rain gear.
13) You also can't turn on the defroster when your visor fogs up.

 

[soccerballtux]

#5 & 6, 10 +1

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

8) Getting an itch on your nose or the top of your head when riding along at freeway speeds.
9) You can't turn the A/C on if you get too hot, you can't turn the heat on if you get too cold.
10) You can't drink coffee or talk on the phone.
11) You can't turn on the wipers if it starts to rain.
12) You can expect to get soaking wet though if you aren't wearing rain gear.
13) You also can't turn on the defroster when your visor fogs up.

Now, if you rode civilized touring bike you could.

 

[hdfxst]

who says you can't drink coffee?i can light my cigar at 70 mph.i hit a downpour with jeans and t-shirt at 55- 60 and just got wet from my knees down

 

[Fenixgoon]

So far this summer I've only driven about 500 miles in my car, choosing to ride the motorcycles most of the time and I've had a fun time. But there are all kinds of little things that you experience when riding a motorcycle that you just don't get in a car. I'll list a few of my own and would love to see other riders add to it.

Let's avoid ranting about other drivers though since that's too obvious and too easy to get sidetracked on.

The Little Things of Riding:

1) Sneezing in a full-face helmet. Bad idea.
2) Even with the shield down, if the vents are open, bugs can get into the helmet.
3) Stones kicked up by traffic will always find that soft spot on your knee.
4) There are few things quite as embarrassing as shifting "up" into neutral when pulling away from a stop light; there's no way to pull it off as an "I meant to do that" moment.
5) There will come a time when something gets into your eye despite the face shield. It will be on the freeway with no place to pull off to the side. It will also be about once every other week.

ZV

1) done that. it's nasty
2) haven't had that problem yet. they do get stuck int he vents though.
3) riding pants ftw. knees are reinforced with CE-rated padding shins on the other hand :\
4) it's even worse when you are climbing towards 11.5k rpm
5) haven't had that one.....yet

 

[Kroze]

I sneezed with the helmet on once and it was a big wet one. LOL man that was such a terrible experience.

 

[Zenmervolt]

The other fun thing:

When you don't realize there's a spider in the helmet until about a mile down the road in the morning. That one will wake you up.

ZV

 

[WackyDan]

8) Getting an itch on your nose or the top of your head when riding along at freeway speeds.
9) You can't turn the A/C on if you get too hot, you can't turn the heat on if you get too cold.
10) You can't drink coffee or talk on the phone.
11) You can't turn on the wipers if it starts to rain.
12) You can expect to get soaking wet though if you aren't wearing rain gear.
13) You also can't turn on the defroster when your visor fogs up.

#10.... I talk on the phone when needed via my Sena bluetooth setup in my helmet... and people can't even tell I'm on the bike.

 

[JulesMaximus]

#10.... I talk on the phone when needed via my Sena bluetooth setup in my helmet... and people can't even tell I'm on the bike.

I'm trying to figure out why you'd want to.

 

[arrfep]

1) Sneezing in a full-face helmet. Bad idea.

ZV

When I first started riding, I almost made the mistake of trying to spit phlegm "out the window," then realized I was wearing a full-face helmet.

 

[angry hampster]

1.) Feeling/hearing a bug crawl into your ear and start flapping its wings. Most terrifying moment of my life. I thought it was burrowing into my brain. Of course I couldn't do anything about it riding in town through traffic wearing a full-face bucket.

 

[waggy]

The other fun thing:

When you don't realize there's a spider in the helmet until about a mile down the road in the morning. That one will wake you up.

ZV

I was paranoid about that when i rode. i would always search my helmet before i put it on. just thinking of one being in the helmet gives me the chills.


the sneezing i have done once. it was a nasty one with chunks. i almost wrecked pulling over. it was gross.

riding around IL you come near hog farms or when they spray the fields with fertilizer. the whole area stinks.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

<snip>


Another is feeling the minor temperature variations between hills and valleys. I pass through some areas on my commute where the temp can drop 6-8 degrees in less than a mile. During the winter in SoCal that can mean the difference between being relatively comfortable and downright cold.

<snip>

This is one of the things I miss very most about riding.. Particularly up in the mountains where it will go from 80-90f in the sun, and literally within 10 seconds it's 50f or less but only for a few moments.

Another one.. That light summer rain... Where it's 90-100f outside, you're wearing mesh gear and everything is waterproof, and you get quick bursts of rain. It almost feels like air conditioning when your jacket and stuff is drying out.

I miss being unable to be interrupted. Riding pretty much guarantees "you" time, since you can't answer the phone or whatever.

 

[z1ggy]

For a sport bike rider, nothing beats that feeling of hanging off your bike going through a twisty turn and feeling that steep angle you are on. You'll never ever get that feeling in a car

 

[pauldun170]

6) Getting windshield (over)spray from the car in front. You know, that car which comes factory equipped with that gallon-a-minute spray pump. Wiping your helmet shield, only to have the driver spray again.

I do that to all tail gaiters.

 

[Zenmervolt]

I do that to all tail gaiters.

I view it as free windshield cleaning.

That said, it stays up in the air for a long time, you don't need to be tailgaiting to be hit with it. I've been hit with spray when I was in the next lane over from the car doing it.

Another one for the list:
- Getting a new pair of boots to finally replace your 15-year-old Timberlands and having to completely re-learn shifting because the new boots are slightly thicker.