Is it just me, but when you see another biker ahead of you....

[Skippernick]

home turf and 27 years of using this road,

That's the key, isn't it? Loads of people can pass me on roads I don't know, cos I'm not willing to risk the "what's around the next corner" scenario. But if I know the road well, I know I can be pretty quick. Trouble is, since moving here to Oxfordshire, my rides have been taking me all over the place, so I haven't really been doing any routes regularly enough to learn them that well.
But you have to be careful not to get over confident like I did, too easy to treat your favourite road as your own private race track -  even the most familiar road can produce a surprise once in a while.

True that!!!

[slimwilly]

Once i was out on my sissy 1100 Virago,, i caught up a gang of about 8 bikes, firebades,R1s and the like all riding at a good pace, not racing though, i had to get through them one at a time, i did it though and fooked off into the distance.


I could make that bike go,when i felt brave

[reddeviljp]

Unfortunately, because I was often riding a YBR125 before my Fazer I would spend my time being ultra critical of faster bikes and their riders: 'look at him, he's not riding that properly'; 'fuck sake, why's he going to slow/fast?' 'Didn't he notice the white line and box for cycles? What a twat!'. Jealousy of a faster bike is a very sad state of affairs 

[bri h]

The sad fact is im old and fat now so i try to ride within my own comfort zone. Of course this changes from day to day, good days and bad days, i think its all about confidence cos in most cases you will make that bend with a little nudge on the inside bar

[pitternator]

there has to be some sort of etiquette ....
my thoughts are, if I am coming up behind another rider, hence  I am quicker , generally   most do nothing when I pass. Some tag on, few ever pass though (  ).
I think if someone passes me and I am riding at the pace I want , I let them go.
You never quite know who they might be either !
 
I have encountered a few knobbers in my time though , idiots who let you pass, then want to race , even though you dont want to. It happened to me years ago  when I had my son on pillion in a tight twisty area of wales. Thought at the time , you pair of cretins. Sad locals who will do anything to try and improve their low self esteem. To me they aint bikers at all.
 
Overtaking is always best done on a straight simply because you never know what an inexperienced rider can do in a corner.I generally look for a cleaner exit from the corner and take them there if sheer speed alone isnt possible on the straight..