And now for something completely reckless...

I was wondering if I'm alone on this one. Whenever I have a nice windy but not too windy (and certainly not a windy) back road I like to just put my hands at my sides and steer my bike with my body alone. It just feels really awesome and almost magical to go through the turns hands free as if the bike were just steering itself or rather that you and the bike were one. I know it's far from the safest things to do, but If I really wanted safe I'd ride in a car. Still, I've never had any close calls and if the wind picks up or a curves too steep I can always grab a hold of the bars, as needed. So, any one else do this?

 

rolling into town i do it, but i keep atleast one hand on the throttle, do you have a throttle lock or something?

 

Something like that. When I replaced my handlebar, I put the throttle grip snug to the housing so it would stick somewhat. It's not enough to impede normal function but enough to keep my speed where I want it for a good while. What some call a bug... I call a feature.

 

No, but sometimes I like to hit 30-06 cartridges with a hammer.

 

Ive fallen off my bike... parked ... twice. Such a daredevil.

 

I do it on the highway all the time, occationally on roads with turns. The 1100 is a little difficult to turn like that. Its a great feeling.

 

Ahh... now I want to go hit a bullet.

 

This is a great thread that I have debated on the BMWLT forum over the months. Here is the setup. My bike weighs nearly 900 lbs with just gas and oil, it has automotive cruise control, it's as steady as a rock as long as it isn't at a dead stop with my foot planted on the ground. Someone posted this question and I responded with basically I ride with both hands off the bars any time I feel like it. Sometimes it's nice to hang your arms at your sides for a while. I'm talking a minute or less. No big deal.

Well to say the least things really heated up! Some moron in the Seattle area painted this written picture of the following scenarios:

Take your hands off the bars and the front tire blows and you are immediately involved in a crash that apparently wipes out the rider, passenger, and all persons and domesticated animals within a 3 mile range. (OK, I made up the part about the animals) Let's see, I ride 16-20K miles per year, with probably about 10 of them no hands on the handlebars. If I could get those odds in Vegas I'd makes us all rich!

The other scenario is that the bike suddenly veers into oncoming traffic and kills all life forms within a certain radius. See example above.

Here's the thread if you want a laugh. I do need to mention a couple things at this point. The guys on the forum are absolutely great folks. But most of them wouldn't think twice about dropping $1500 for the latest GPS when the one they currently have works great. BMW changed the steering geometry in '05 to improve low speed handling. Helped the handling but apparently the changes lead to tank slap.

I joined the fray at post 48 which is just about where the gloves come off! I personally can't tolerate hysteria in a man. http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/showthread. ... =tank+slap

Is riding without hands the safest thing (or even the 2nd or 3rd safest thing?). Absolutely not! Is it grossly irresponsible? Possibly so, but only in the same way riding a motorcycle instead of being strapped down inside a steel cage is irresponsible.

Read on.

Loren

 

cool, i like to roll up to red lights at busy intersections with my eyes closed and see how close i can stop to the crosswalk lines

 

be carefull all it takes is a rock to put you in the ditch especially with a sticky throttle spend 20 bucks get yourself a cruise control for it before it gets you in trouble

 

i prefer to get really drunk, then get on the interstate and get up to 80, then cut the lights off. blows your mind.

 

Yup - - guilty, but only when traffic and the road allows.
And you need a VistaCruise; that sticky throttle could cause a problem some day.

 

You too? Sometimes I black out my visor with electrical tape and pretend I'm a blind motorcycle rider! Fun to ride with audible sensory input only

Polock, you rowdy!

BTW Don't try this at home! I don't really do this!

Loren

 

wamaxim, your wasting too much tape, just put your helmet on backwards

 

Anyone who rides without his hands on the bars & his a@@@ on the seat is certifiable.

 

i was just going to mention standing up with no hands, you can take sharper corners if you use your hands like ailerons

 

not a bike thing, but when I was in college I lost a brake line on my 78 Honda Accord fastback. I drove all the way to PA, about a 1.5 hour trip w/o brakes so I could have it fixed at the only shop I knew that did good work. I downshifted well in advance of toll plazas and stops, clutch in to roll, then slow e-brake. I lost the clutch about 10 mi from home so had to do some creative grinding for a bit. I did have it stall once at a stop that I couldn't roll through because of traffic. fortunately it was in the middle of the night and I was able to get going again.....put the car in 2nd, turned the key and chugged a few yards til ignition fired w/ a good jerk, and I was able to go the last couple mi slowly in 2nd gear.

Clutch master cylinder must have overheated for some reason. The next day it was fine, and worked til the day I took it to the scrapyard 2 years later.

dave

 

The responses to this topic have been reassuring... it's good to know that a) I'm not the only one that does this b) there are those with more sense than me and c) I can expect a post like to be met with an appropriate amount of sarcasm

 

I was riding with my daughter and lifted my hands off and high for about 5 seconds just to see her reaction. that was fun

 

I do not have any kind of cruise control, be it the real thing or a sticky throttle so I don't "ride" with no hands. I have certainly taken both hands of the bars to shake out tight shoulders or get the circulation back in my hands on many occasions and will do it on many more.

It is absolutely true that a small rock or some other debris could be the end of things, but I did not say that I close my eyes and ignore the world while I do this! Some jerk could change lanes or pull out of side street (or a deer could bolt across the freeway) at any time too. Hands or not.

SA is the life saver.

 

can't you shake out your shoulders one at a time?

 

Where's the fun in that... beside how am I supposed to shave in the morning with both hands on the bars... I need one to hold my mug and the other my blade.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGNzI0wl ... re=related

Standing no handed is a bit harder. He needs more practice.

 

guilty on occaison. Hey..how about that Indian Larry? Used to stand on the seat. Guess what. Paid Paul