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I was out for a ride yesterday morning on the Bandit12S on one of my favorite
twisty, two lane, blacktop back roads. The road winds through foothills with a lot of blind up hill and down hill sharp curves. I'm approaching one section where the road crests a hill with a left curve centered on the top of the hill. The first half of the curve is uphill, 2nd half down hill. As the road leaves the curve going down hill, it is about 300 feet to the 2nd curve which is the same, but turning right. Between the two curves is a ravine in the transition from down hill to up hill. As one reaches the bottom, there is a dip deep enough that a car in the dip is invisible for a second to oncoming traffic. As I complete and exit the first left turn and start down hill, coming into view on the next curve are three vehicles, bumper to bumper. 1st is a white Taurus, followed by a black F250 dualie and then a gold Toyota. A second later, I pass into the dip and loose sight of the oncoming traffic. On emerging from the dip and reacquiring my targets, I'm instantantly confronted with the F250 being alongside the white Taurus in mid pass even though the whole section is double yellow lines. The treeline is dense and there is no shoulder. The truck is approaching at about 75 mph and I'm travelling about 55mph. The confrontation begins with about 100 feet of space between us and a closure rate of aprox 130 mph. Stopping for either of us is impossible. Going offroad would be like trying to weave through dock pilings as the woods are thick and nearly to the road edge. Its an easy decision as there is only one option and half a second to consider it. I flick the bike left onto the centerline. Luck is with me, its a good flick and the bike centers on the line like a monorail. I slip between the side by side Taurus and F250 with a couple of inches to spare on both my mirrors.
Some may think, too scary, and stop riding because its too dangerous.
I look at it as the opposite. If I had been in my truck, it would not have been possible to avoid a head on. Once again, being on a motorcycle has been a blessing.
Earl
twisty, two lane, blacktop back roads. The road winds through foothills with a lot of blind up hill and down hill sharp curves. I'm approaching one section where the road crests a hill with a left curve centered on the top of the hill. The first half of the curve is uphill, 2nd half down hill. As the road leaves the curve going down hill, it is about 300 feet to the 2nd curve which is the same, but turning right. Between the two curves is a ravine in the transition from down hill to up hill. As one reaches the bottom, there is a dip deep enough that a car in the dip is invisible for a second to oncoming traffic. As I complete and exit the first left turn and start down hill, coming into view on the next curve are three vehicles, bumper to bumper. 1st is a white Taurus, followed by a black F250 dualie and then a gold Toyota. A second later, I pass into the dip and loose sight of the oncoming traffic. On emerging from the dip and reacquiring my targets, I'm instantantly confronted with the F250 being alongside the white Taurus in mid pass even though the whole section is double yellow lines. The treeline is dense and there is no shoulder. The truck is approaching at about 75 mph and I'm travelling about 55mph. The confrontation begins with about 100 feet of space between us and a closure rate of aprox 130 mph. Stopping for either of us is impossible. Going offroad would be like trying to weave through dock pilings as the woods are thick and nearly to the road edge. Its an easy decision as there is only one option and half a second to consider it. I flick the bike left onto the centerline. Luck is with me, its a good flick and the bike centers on the line like a monorail. I slip between the side by side Taurus and F250 with a couple of inches to spare on both my mirrors.
Some may think, too scary, and stop riding because its too dangerous.
I look at it as the opposite. If I had been in my truck, it would not have been possible to avoid a head on. Once again, being on a motorcycle has been a blessing.
Earl
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