04
I Can Drive 55
Filed Under (Trip Journals) by Anthony StClair on 04-03-2008
First Day at 55 mph. Or 88.5 kph. Whatever you want to call it
Bordering our neighborhood is the Northwest Expressway, a somewhat out-of-the-way, not-too-trafficked 2-lane 55mph highway. In other words, the perfect road for me to start working on my highway-speed chops.
On Sunday afternoon, I did some warm-up riding around the neighborhood, then ventured to an on-ramp. My goal was just to wait for a very clear stretch of road, so no traffic would be behind me. Then I’d get on the expressway, accelerate to highway speed and take the first exit, not far up the road.
I did this twice (then came home so Jodie and I could take our first ride with Ella). Here are some observations:
- That’s a lot of wind smacking into your torso. Will take some getting used to. Also need to start pricing fairings.
- Acceleration takes longer. The only vehicle I’m used to on highways is our Hyundai Elantra, and that has some decent get-up-and-go. With the Ural, it takes longer to get up to speed.
- It’s not easy to shift smoothly at higher speeds. Especially when you’re nervous and still working out the kinks of moving at a faster speed while also trying to get up to and maintain that highway speed. Shifting was rough, and I swerved myself a little. That’ll smooth out over time.
It was a good exercise. I got on a highway, I got the Ural up to 55mph, and I made it through in one piece. This weekend I’ll be trying again, and should also be getting farther up the road too.
Good for you! Stay safe out there - and always watch out for the OTHER guy.
Thank you for this blog, I check it every few days!
I am a first time motorcyclist (very similar to you and your situation) looking to get a Ural Patrol or Gear Up within the next few months. I enjoy reading about your experiences its making me very eager to purchase one.
@Andy - Thanks man, I so hear you. Going through a parking lot yesterday, a guy nearly backed into me. Guess that would now be the second bout of lots of swearing into the helmet.
@Robert - glad it’s helpful, man, and welcome aboard! I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how well my first 3 weeks on the Ural have gone. Being my first motorcycle, I thought I might’ve needed a longer time to adjust, but this has gone very smoothly. Today I was riding around in rush-hour traffic, no big deal.
If you follow any of the Ural message boards, you’ve seen this same advice - just bite the bullet and get a Ural. If you have a course nearby, take a sidecar course first - it makes all the difference in the world.
How’s it coming along deciding whether you want the Patrol or Gear-Up?
I’m saving up for a few more months before pulling the trigger. I can’t decide between the two. The main reason I’m considering the Gear Up is because it would be easy to paint dull like the Ural Raven, but I like the look of the Patrol, too. I need to take a roadtrip to the closest dealer to have a closer look at each.
I see where that’d be a tough choice. Chrome has been a deciding factor for some Uralists - the Patrol has a bit of chrome, but I don’t think the GU has as much. Mainly the exhaust. The GU also comes with a spotlight on the hack, which a lot of people like for blinding pedestrians, impersonating cars, etc.
What dealer is near you?