The above and from my conversation with the rider that was there, I think, explains why I was doing so well against the them. In road racing, especially mountain roads, you never know what's ahead. But if those riders were afraid to push any harder, then in all practicality, they WERE riding at their limits already. Which means that cars may still have a chance against bikes, but only on the twisty roads.

 

Ummm….no, that’s far from the truth. I used to ride much faster when I was less skilled, but I’ve matured and ride w/ a greater comfort zone. Yes, occasionally I’ll get sucked into a much faster pace, but conditions have to be ideal. It’s not about being afraid, but being smart, considerate of others’ safety, and wanting to ensure that you’ll be doing it again next weekend.

I get enough of an adrenaline rush from the occasional track day to satisfy my intense speed fix. FWIW, I’ve been riding sportbikes 4+ yrs., w/ 0 street crashes, 5 on the track…where you’re always in full safety gear, usually have no fixed objects to worry about hitting, and know there’s EMT’s and ambulances to take care of you should the worst happen.

Also, most bikes don’t have radar detectors, so that’s a limiting factor in more urban areas.