the interstate

fs8gbe · Post by **fs8gbe** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 9:43 pm

so, riding home from work last week i decided to get on the interstate for a few exits. i normally take highways and backroads home, and if i get off at one particular point onto the interstate it saves me a good 5-10 mins.

i realized that in a smaller context, this is a really good interstate driver. ofcourse i stayed in the right hand lane and didn't venture over to the HOV lane (2 wheeled vehicles welcome) but i was surprised at just how comfortable i felt being on the interstate on the blur.

any of you regularly get on the interstate?

blurblaine · Post by **blurblaine** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 11:22 pm

I also typically buzz around on back roads to and from work ... but on occasions have driven on 4-lane State Routes around Cincinnati and have found the Blur to be smooth and steady in this environment. I've stayed off of actual interstates, though most around here are still only 4 lanes with 60 or 65 as the posted limit, because big trucks and wind cause stability issues plus I just figure my mighty Blur will have a longer life if I don't cruise at max speed for prolonged stretches.

I'm sure you'll here from some of the Chicago-land folks and others that do drive Interstates regularly...

To me, if the speed limit is 55 or less I will take the Blur on it and do like the way it feels. If needing to go faster or going to be on the highway, I have purchased a Sym 250 for such duty ...

Lostmycage · Post by **Lostmycage** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 2:40 am

The interstate by my house is only 55. I won't touch it on the Blur for three reasons, though. First, no one does the speed limit along there. Second, there's a really nasty interchange by my house (the logical entrance/exit for the interstate for me) that merges 3 different interstates at once.
Third, it looks like it's been heavily mortared (like with artillery!) - I don't even like taking my truck on that mess! 4" deep potholes the size of manholes litter that first 2 miles!

If the interstate were a little tamer, sure I'd do it. Actually, one of those is a minor interstate (er... is that a term?) that I take regularly (it heads away from the "funnel") to get to the inner part of the city from my house. 55mph speed limits with speeding traffic and the Blur does just fine on that one. The hill on that one brings me back to the speed limit, but the other side of it shows 80+ on the speedo.

I think it mainly depends on your area and whatnot. But the Blur is perfectly capably. It however does not have the escape acceleration at those speeds, which I guess is between the lines of my reasons for not taking it on those roads.

fs8gbe · Post by **fs8gbe** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 3:02 am

Lostmycage wrote:The interstate by my house is only 55. I won't touch it on the Blur for three reasons, though. First, no one does the speed limit along there. Second, there's a really nasty interchange by my house (the logical entrance/exit for the interstate for me) that merges 3 different interstates at once.
Third, it looks like it's been heavily mortared (like with artillery!) - I don't even like taking my truck on that mess! 4" deep potholes the size of manholes litter that first 2 miles!

If the interstate were a little tamer, sure I'd do it. Actually, one of those is a minor interstate (er... is that a term?) that I take regularly (it heads away from the "funnel") to get to the inner part of the city from my house. 55mph speed limits with speeding traffic and the Blur does just fine on that one. The hill on that one brings me back to the speed limit, but the other side of it shows 80+ on the speedo.

I think it mainly depends on your area and whatnot. But the Blur is perfectly capably. It however does not have the escape acceleration at those speeds, which I guess is between the lines of my reasons for not taking it on those roads.

yeah the interstate by my house is 55. and the acceleration issue is why i would have a harder time justifying it going to work, because where it dumps off close by is another interstae, and i would have to practically merge all the way over with traffic. i'm not feeling that brave or lucky. but coming home is about 5 miles worth of interstate, mostly mellow traffic, and no merging. i just stay in the right hand lane. it's great.

btw, potholes on an interstate? ewww, i'd be raising hell about that one! if it is one thing we have in atlanta georgia, it's excellent interstates (just too much damn traffic)

Lostmycage · Post by **Lostmycage** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 3:12 am

Hehe, VDOT is pretty much bust on it's budget. My wife worked for them earlier this year... before the first round of budget cuts (she got a better job, but it still sucked). That and I think they don't want to shut down that corridor until they absolutely have to. The idiots around here would complain nonstop about it, not realizing the end result. F***ing sheep!

BeachBuzz · Post by **BeachBuzz** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 11:54 am

I've ventured out onto I95 on my commute home from downtown Wilmington a few times. I only go 2 exits, and the first off ramp starts just as my on ramp ends. It is probably only 4-5 miles and I've only done it during off peak travel times (like when I leave early to get home and switch over to the Burgman and head to the beach for the weekend).
I have travelled parts of Rt13, 113 and other roads with 55mph speed limits (and much more conjestion, traffic and intersections) lots of times and would rather do the short I95 run in many cases. My daily commute on the Blur is primarily secondary roads and city streets but it can certainly handle the short runs when I need to get there a little quicker.

ScootVet · Post by **ScootVet** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 3:21 pm

fs8gdb...

I'm in Atlanta as well. I've taken the Blur on 78 to Athens, P'tree Industrial and Ga 400 to Dalonega and some 4-lane to Ceadartown. Wide ass open all the way:-) Its done a good job and only is a brief problem with an extended long up-hill. My ass does tickle for awhile after an hour of this "full throttle" riding from all the inherent vibration! For those of you not in Atl., these are not interstates, but they are multi lane hwy's with speed limits of 55 & 65.

All that said, I would like to do the whole big bore kit, cam, etc to get that extra 5-10 mph to make this a little less worrisome, but its done a pretty good job as is so far.

fs8gbe · Post by **fs8gbe** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 7:00 pm

ScootVet wrote:fs8gdb...

I'm in Atlanta as well. I've taken the Blur on 78 to Athens, P'tree Industrial and Ga 400 to Dalonega and some 4-lane to Ceadartown. Wide ass open all the way:-) Its done a good job and only is a brief problem with an extended long up-hill. My ass does tickle for awhile after an hour of this "full throttle" riding from all the inherent vibration! For those of you not in Atl., these are not interstates, but they are multi lane hwy's with speed limits of 55 & 65.

All that said, I would like to do the whole big bore kit, cam, etc to get that extra 5-10 mph to make this a little less worrisome, but its done a pretty good job as is so far.

i'm fine with top speed. ok, well maybe a couple more mph, but i could easily lose some weight off my fat ass.

but i want more accel. i feel like if i had more accel through the mid range i'd be doing fine.

fs8gbe · Post by **fs8gbe** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 7:02 pm

ScootVet wrote:fs8gdb...

I'm in Atlanta as well. I've taken the Blur on 78 to Athens, P'tree Industrial and Ga 400 to Dalonega and some 4-lane to Ceadartown. Wide ass open all the way:-) Its done a good job and only is a brief problem with an extended long up-hill. My ass does tickle for awhile after an hour of this "full throttle" riding from all the inherent vibration! For those of you not in Atl., these are not interstates, but they are multi lane hwy's with speed limits of 55 & 65.

All that said, I would like to do the whole big bore kit, cam, etc to get that extra 5-10 mph to make this a little less worrisome, but its done a pretty good job as is so far.

oh and btw, i am on the southside, off of tara blvd (5 mins from the atlanta motor speedway) and so the stretch of road i took was getting off of 75 around the airport, and going a few exits to get back on to 1941, if you are familiar with that area at all.

jmkjr72 · Post by **jmkjr72** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 10:12 pm

well i saw a blurr that was taken on the interstate the other day and guess what it came into the shop on a wrecker
what happend the plug was smashed by the piston

fs8gbe · Post by **fs8gbe** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 4:06 am

jmkjr72 wrote:well i saw a blurr that was taken on the interstate the other day and guess what it came into the shop on a wrecker
what happend the plug was smashed by the piston

...ok...
did the interstate somehow cause this?

Lostmycage · Post by **Lostmycage** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 4:17 am

fs8gbe wrote:...ok...
did the interstate somehow cause this?

Aye, lad. Dragons be thar!

jmkjr72 · Post by **jmkjr72** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 12:21 am

well lets see riding 2 up wot for a long period of time on the intersate im sure it had something to do with it being it died on the interstate on him

Lostmycage · Post by **Lostmycage** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 12:32 am

jmkjr72 wrote:well lets see riding 2 up wot for a long period of time on the intersate im sure it had something to do with it being it died on the interstate on him

Like I said, Dragons.

pajeanka · Post by **pajeanka** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 6:12 pm

Okay, aside from the snow & ice interfering with scooter season here in Fargo you guys gave me something to be grateful for here in Fargo/Moorhead. We have both a N/S and an E/W interstate through our area. Most of it is two lane with just a few short sections of 3 lane with a posted speed limit of 55 (average traffic flow is 60-63 mph). I had ridden my Buddy St. Tropez 150 a couple of times on the interstate for the first time this summer and it seemed a little dicey. Wind is always an issue here so traveling at those speeds felt uncertain with cross winds. Add to that a semi truck blowing by you that didn't slow down coming through our area and it seemed like shaky and risky business.
But the first week I was on the Blur in August I decided to take it on the interstate "just to see". There is an on/off ramp close to our home and it really cuts time across town to a major shopping area if I can go on the interstate verses through town. I am glad to report that on the Blur I feel completely at home on the interstate. No problem staying in the flow of traffic, passing when need to, exit & on ramps, etc. Oh, and the crosswinds and back flow from trucks is a non issue. The Blur just rides solid through all of it. So I'm grateful to be on a scooter that truly can handle any normal around town driving for our area (at least when there is not snow on the roads).