First time on Highway 401 today | GTAMotorcycle.com

First time on Highway 401 today

BrownBrady

BrownBrady

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I got my M2 on Saturday in the Port Union Drive Test Centre. I wanted to the the 401 back to Oshawa, but a friend of mine with more experience suggested that I take my first ride on the 401 with an experience rider riding behind me, so I didn't. But this morning, I took the 401 to work.

The first test I got was on the first acceleration ramp, and behind me was large truck getting bigger in my rear view! I gunned it and solved that. I stayed in the slow lane and just went with the flow of traffic. My fastest cruising speed was 114 km/h (125 km/h on the speedo). Within 10 mins, I gained my confidence back, and relaxed my whole body, and eased on the death grip.

Riding on the 401 wasn't that bad because it was mostly straight. But my experience on the streets did pay off. I made sure that I was patient and courteous, my spacing was correct, and that I had at least 1 escape route. I would like to believe that the reason why no one cut me off today was because of my spacing, but it's more likely luck.

Anyway, just thought of posting my first experience on the 401. Cheers!!!
 
Congrats the first ride on a 400 series can be nerve wracking. Just remember to maintain the spacing you did today every day. Also be hyper vigilant and you'll be riding it for the next 50 years..lol
 
Just a reminder you still have to follow the requirements of the M1 for a total of 60 days. So although you passed your M2 you may still be under the M1 rules depending on your timing.
 
250R-ICE said:
Just a reminder you still have to follow the requirements of the M1 for a total of 60 days. So although you passed your M2 you may still be under the M1 rules depending on your timing.
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@hedo2002: Thanks, and I do hope to live for another 50 years!

@250R-ICE: It has already been 65 days since I got my M1 and my temporary license reads "GM2*". I didn't know that I may still be under M1 rules. Can you please elaborate?
 
BrownBrady said:
@hedo2002: Thanks, and I do hope to live for another 50 years!

@250R-ICE: It has already been 65 days since I got my M1 and my temporary license reads "GM2*". I didn't know that I may still be under M1 rules. Can you please elaborate?
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You're set, nothing to worry about. The 60 days refers to how long, at a minimum, you must maintain your M1 status before progressing to M2. There is the option to take a rider training course and receive your M2 certification prior to the 60 days, at which point you would need to wait for the 60 days to pass before the MTO will acknowledge it. I believe that is what is being referred to here, but you should be good to go based on what you've mentioned (65 days).
 
when i had first taken the 401, i was gripping my handle bars very tight as well. but now that i have ridden it more than a handful of times, i have learned to be easy on the grips and handle bars.

i don't think i can ever "take it easy" on a 400 series. i have to always keep myself aware and talk to myself inside the helmet to keep my senses up.
 
Have you had your rims/tires changed from the OEM specs?
 
My CBR250RA read 10% high as well. I haven't really tested the CBR650F, but it seems to be a lot closer to reality (maybe 2-5% off).
 
250R-ICE said:
Just a reminder you still have to follow the requirements of the M1 for a total of 60 days. So although you passed your M2 you may still be under the M1 rules depending on your timing.
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He went to an MTO test centre. You can't take the test there until your 60 days have passed.
 
Just wanted to post an update. I took the 401 again on the way home from Scarborough to Oshawa and it was the complete opposite of my experience. It was horrible!

It was too damn windy (a storm was moving in) that I felt the bike being buffeted by the wind. I already had a very light grip of the handle bar to reduce unnecessary inputs. Whenever a large truck overtook me, I was getting pushed aside, and sucked back in as it passed. At 100 km/h, the wind was so strong that I had to hide my helmet behind the windscreen to maintain my speed. A rider on a dual-sport blew by me and was awfully close it seemed like he was in my lane. I wish I had my helmet cam on at the time.

By the time I reached Ajax, my legs were getting tired from constantly squeezing the tank. There was a stretch of the highway that was grooved due to re-paving and as I rode over it, it felt like I had lost 50% of my traction! When the express lanes ended, I found myself in the middle of the highway with cars merging from both lanes, and a car tailgating my *** to stop anyone from getting in front of him. Good thing that the traffic was so slow. Through Whitby and Oshawa, I was at cruising speed, but noticed a vibration on the handlebar. I finally reached home after an hour feeling stressed, legs tired, back aching, and my hands feeling numb. Awful. :(
 
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BrownBrady said:
Just wanted to post an update. I took the 401 again on the way home from Scarborough to Oshawa and it was the complete opposite of my experience. It was horrible!
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Welcome to the jungle.. In all the years of riding I hate the 401. A Reason I hate riding the west end as well. Riding with another rider may help a bit, but cars will try and still merge between you etc.

Wait until you start meeting the people who will want to"race" you.. and its not young guys but the farker in the minivan or the soccer dad/mum in the SUV.

All this comes with the territory unfortunately.
 
BrownBrady said:
@kiwi: I think I will ride with a more experience rider next, or avoid the 401 during rush hour.
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yeah good idea.. and cant be fun heading east to pickering.. I hate driving out there in my Car on the 401. Lots of stop-start. I usually wait until after 7pm if I need to head out that way.. and unfortunately back street suck in Durham.. Balley and Kingston Rd get rammed.
 
My commute is mostly highway and I normally don't notice the wind gusts but today you can really feel it -- even on non highway riding.....
 
OP you have a 250 now right? I had one for 2 years and used the 401 lots...maybe you were gripping it too hard/being too tense. Wind blasts from the side were always interesting, but I typically found the bike would just lean into the wind and track straight if you did nothing. If you tried to fight it or alter things then the bike would behave differently.

As for wind blasts from trucks...I can't say I ever had a problem with that, and I'm not a heavyweight either (only around 165 lbs, maybe 175-180 with all my gear on).
 
@conondrum: Yeah I have a 250 but maybe I was too tense. I thought I was very mindful of not over-gripping because I wanted my arms to be nudged by the wind without affecting the handlebar input. I even remember just using 3 fingers on the left handlebar to keep it light. My alterations were just light touches of counter-steering, but with a firm grip of the tank with my knees. I will just avoid the 401 on windy days. :D
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