he had a pillion

1. makes your bike a lot slower (especially a 600)
2. makes it much harder to corner well - and thats assuming your piillion is familiar with bikes
3. you quite literally have somone else life in your hands.

i've often seen bikers ride like idiots but very rarely seen bikers carrying a pillion riding in the same manner

 

Like Nottm_S2, I'm a biking novice and I similarly prefer to push my car harder than my bike (but, to be honest, I leave it for the track these days).

 

I used to play with bikers quite often.

But then having a bit more poke and an unsilenced race can used to attract attention.

I remember one day driving round Henley and leaving it in 1st (42mph on the limiter). I had a group of bikers make positive comments about the sound.

I then "had a play" on the country roads out of town, they only caught up when I hit traffic in the next town.

 

Ok, back OT chaps or we know where it goes.

Ben - you have PM.

 

I find this happens to me quite a bit. Even though i make sure i stay well behind a car and show no intention to overtake some drivers very kindly pull over to the left to let the bike pass. Thats mostly appreciated but sometimes its wet and the cats eyes are slippery or im just plain tired and want to sit there and chill and not have to keep pulling out to pass cars. I usually try to acknowledge the move and thank them because at least theyve had the road sense to see me.

 

Yep i've done this too, I always pull to one side for a biker but if they don't take the offer I tend to think they don't want to pass.

Lucky, can you see a driver noticing you in the side mirror? I tend to give a long look in the mirror and pull to one side so they can see it's deliberate.

 

Yeah for sure, you can pick out easily when a driver is looking at you in the mirror and one who has blatantly not spotted you even though you've got lights on and your dressed like a power ranger 20 foot behind them.

Always try and give a thumbs up for drivers who pull over and let me pass

 

I'll often give a quick left indicator flash to let the bikers know I've seen them, as well as positioning the car to the lef to make it easier.

If they don't look like wanting to go after a short while, I'll move slowly back out safe in the knowledge that they know I'm aware of them, as well as knwing that they can whizz by any time they want to without fear of me obstructing them. I'll usually move over slightly when I see them beginning their overtake.

It would often help "aware" motorists if bikers could drop back a bit if they are just chilling, not least because of the often "not very dipped" nature of their headlights.

 

When you are a regular biker you are all the more appreciative of preceived good driving, which can include all of proper indicating, distancing, lane discipline and other 'boring things' as well as controlled spirited driving where skills are shown. That isn't because bikers are automatically better at road craft (lord knows plenty are unskilled buffoons) but because as a more vulnerable road user you knowingly benefit from good, predictable car drivers.

Personally, I always acknowledge car drivers who move over to allow me to filter or who don't drive obstructively - I think it encourages such behaviour and is unusual enough to merit a wave or thumbs up.

As for the OP's scenario, carrying a pillion on slightly wet roads is bound to slow a bike down - principally for reason of not wishing to endanger another person's life (I always used to get punched in the kidneys by my girlfriend when she thought I was taking the p!ss). As others have said, he may also have simply not wished to overtake as it can be more fun riding quickly but with the security of a vehicle in front.

jm

 

The majority of bikers I notice either pass me quickly with a little wave so I barely notice them, or act like a fu**wit and cut me up, overtake on a corner or pull out on a roundabout when it’s not their right of way.
This means most the bikers I spend more than 5 seconds with on the road are pr**ks.

It was just interesting to spend time travelling with a biker who wasn’t.