Total Motorcycle Community Forums

The Dork Zone is a pretty safe place to be, much safer than the Complacent Zone or the Idiot Zone.

My vehicles' Indicated vs GPS:

Suzuki Jinmy (car) - 60mph speedo = 56 mph GPS

Suzuki RV125 - 50mph indicated = 47mph GPS

BMW F650GS - 60mph Indicated = 57mph GPS

Very distressing to read, nevermind actually witnessing it. As well as stopping a good distance from the vehicle in front, in gear ready to go, it's sometimes worth positioning the bike at the edge of the lane/road if you stop somewhere with good potential for being shunted. Not the proper position ...

If it's an 800cc Harley the only issue you're likely to have is the weight when you push it around the drive etc.

There are differences. I have more peripheral vision in my My Shoei Raid II than in my BMW System V. However the BMW is a flip-up so it's probably the difference design requiring thicker side parts or something.

Sounds like you did very well. You knew he was there in good time because you were making rear observations and thinking ahead, and when it shook you up you stopped to calm down. It's easy to get angry but I guess it helps to think of such drivers as just stupid, rather than deliberately 'out to get...

Even on my 125 I think it's much safer out of town on the open road. Having said that, I never make it into the fast lane for obvious reasons and If I had a more powerful bike I suspect 80mph on the motorway in the fast lane, where the worst drivers are to be found, would be quite scary.

Tanks are vented to atmosphere and will leak on any bike if you tip them over. If you crash there's gas everywhere. So I figure the risk of a jerrycan breaking is basically irrelevant. Jerrycans, at least all the ones I've seen, are sealed. That's why they have the characteristic pattern on the sid...

On reflection you are right, I think a 5L plastic petrol can would be tough enough to hold together except in a serious accident. I had visions of a 20L Jerry can bouncing around on the luggage rack.

There's a risk of it baking in the sun, and obviously a serious risk if you crash. However 'adventure motorcyclists' do it all the time and I haven't heard of many explosions. In their case (crossing Africa etc.) there's not really any alternative, but on everyday roads I think the risks would outwe...