Quote:

Our bikes are slow pokes but they are not unsafe. They are just slow. If you don't have the ponies to pass a truck at high speed, don't. (sorry Eddie) I know it was scary but not the bikes fault. The truck should have slowed for you. He was a moron.



The circumstances are a little more complicated than what you may have assumed.

I initiated the overtake with no oncoming traffic at the time (on my BMW RT1100 90hp).

Eddy followed suit on the Speedy.

Out of nowhere, an oncoming car came at us like a bat out of ****** (still quite far ahead of us).
I reckon he was doing over 100 mph.
By this time I was way ahead of the truck and Eddy was about half-way past.

The oncoming driver saw us and kept up his speed, not budging at all even though I sat in the middle and played chicken with him (seeing in my mirror that Eddy was still half-way) until the very last second, hoping he would move over as he had more than ample space.

He didn't budge an inch (I am more than sure on purpose).

I tucked in after feeling his hand on my trouser leg and looked in the mirror for Eddy.
He managed to slip past the truck just when the oncoming car was within kissing distance.

So no, we didn't attempt a dumb move as you may have assumed ("If you don't have the ponies to pass a truck at high speed, don't.").

A little more "oomph" would have gone a long way , given the circumstances (and since we are comparing, as do the Yamaha TDM 900cc and the BMW F800 ST 800cc - both parralel twins, both over 80 hp).

BTW 1 - The oncoming car driver was the moron, not the truck driver per se, although I agree he could have helped the situation.

BTW 2 - We both shat ourselves.

I have several bikes in my stable but I bought the Speedy to pop down to my watering holes, just 2 miles from where I live.
I love it.

I have taken the Speedy to 25 or 26 countries in the last 20 months (and for this I owe it a lot).

I will NOT be doing that again.

Bedouin. Blessed are those eyes that have seen more roads than any man! (Homer).