Bonneville America Forums Forums General Motorcycle Forums Rides, Rallies, & Events Tips for riding in the US

Hi Guys,

Just booked my holiday to the states, riding round the canyonlands from Vegas, cant wait. I just wanted to ask advice really, and i figured theres no better place to ask than here!

I've never ridden in the states, so i'm a little on edge about it. Are there any tips or things to watch out for??

Stu

Watch out for old people and teenagers. The two most dangerous things on the road. Also,drive on the correct side of the road.

Hiya Stu
Riding /driving in the States is dead easy.
I found it was less fraught than in mainland Europe.
I've been a couple of times and loved it.
Have a good one.

Watchout for large animals like deer, cows, moose, elk, bison, horses and dogs. We have alot of those creatures running around. Especially right after the sun goes down. In the southwest mostly deer and domestic animals but keep a lookout. We also ride on the right side of the road. So take it easy until you get used to the turns and exits ramps. We can go right on red after a stop. You must stop for folks in crosswalks. You must yield to oncoming traffic. Other than that, it's a piece of cake. You'll love riding our wide open roads.

And asume EVERY driver is on the PHONE!

Shoot, those are all wise "Tips for riding in the US", for people "Living in the US"

(this thread might better fit in riding technique?)

jh

tip: don't forget your camera!

Keep handlebars facing forward, when in top gear apply cruise control, wait a few hours for the next turn in the road..

Texas?????????????? no way

And don't forget, most americans have guns!

Don't watch the driver on the side of the road, watch the front tire.
You'll be in some beautiful country, have fun!!!

Make sure you go to the Valley of Fire,Its about an hour outside Vegas. Also go to Mt Charleston and Lake Mead all nice riding.
Head over the border into Arizona and enjoy helmet free riding(if your into that).
What time of year are you going to be here?It gets a little warm in the summer..

We'll be there in the summer! I'm lookin forward to the heat, we dont get too much over here. No doubt, when are trips finished i'll be glad to get back to the cold english summer.

Thanks for the tips. We're staying in Boulder for a night so Lake Mead and the hoover dam or on the agenda

Ok,bring sunscreen drink a lot of water.Summer time expect 100 plus degrees during the day,its sort of like riding in a hair dryer..

What are you going to ride?

gonna ride a Heritage Softail. considered an Electra glide, but will minimal luggage and average daily mileage of only 110/120 miles, its not worth the extra weight of the glide. Plus, the Heritage is a darn sight better looking in my eyes.

Ride on the Right side of the road!

Watch your speed. For the most part, you can get away with being over the limit, but you never know when some hard case of a patrol officer is lurking just beyond the next billboard. Being more than 20 mph over the limit is usually (depending on the state) a more serious offense than being 1-20 over.

If you get stopped, be polite to the police. Traffic stops are one of the more dangerous parts of their job, so they might be a little on edge. Call the officer "Sir" or "Ma'am" (whichever is appropriate). Keep your hands visible, and before you do anything (like, say, going into your pocket for your license), tell the officer what you plan to do. Do not admit to anything illegal. Whatever you say is admissible in court, so if the officer asks you if you know how fast you were going, do not admit to having been over the limit. You can say something non-committal, or you can say nothing at all. Signing and accepting a ticket is not an admission of guilt.

Stay in the right-hand lane, except to pass. In most states, a solid yellow line in the middle of the road means that passing is illegal. If one line is broken, passing is permitted on that side of the road.

If you see a sign that says, "Last gas for X miles," take it seriously. Likewise for signs that say "Private property" and "No Tresspassing".

Chain restaurants offer consistent food, but you're more likely to get a truly memorable meal at a mom-and-pop place.

Don't be afraid to talk to people.

Take lots of pictures and post them here.

Have fun.

Or don't pay it at all, it's another country!

Well Dave, I suppose Stu could do that TOO, but I'm thinkin' that with the way those folks in Washington do business today, the next time Stu might wish to visit our fair country, he might be advised at the Heathrow airport that he's NOW on the U.S. Govt "No Fly List", along with a certain dude who used to go by the name of Cat Stevens!!!

(...but, THAT's just a guess, ya know)

Yeah, but that's only if he decides to come back, and even then only if he goes back to the same state, and only then if he gets pulled over again...

besides, things could be worse than being banned from the U.S.

Best thing to do is be nice, tell them you're from another country and you're trying to get used to the differences in road signs, etc. More than likely, if you're respectful and nice, the cop will just give you a warning and let you go.

I drive rental trucks all the time and my wife used to travel with me on business. One time I got stopped for speeding through a small town late at night. I was friendly and told the cop I wasn't use to driving such a big truck. I'm a little distracted driving the truck that I must have not noticed the speed sign where I'm sure I normally would have. I didn't realize I was speeding and didn't intend to if I did. I'll be home soon and plan to never drive one of these things again. The cop laughed, said be careful, take it easy, etc. and let me go. Attitude is everything.

I'd better start watchin some Hugh Grant films so i can get the accent just right! not that i intend getting pulled over or anything