Are motorcycles faster?

I recall reading the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's explanation of why motorcycles seem to be speeding. It boiled down to the fact that because motorcycles are smaller than cars, the frame of reference is changed; they aren't really going as fast as they seem. This strikes me as disingenuous since anyone who has been passed by a motorcycle owns a speedometer and has a rough idea how fast they are going. At least they have a baseline for the cyclist's speed.

Let's be honest. Most people who drive motorcycles travel faster than most people who drive cars. As someone who doesn't drive a car but drives a motorcycle on the lowest end of power distribution, I would like to be honest about why. The MSF is correct about the size factor and it works in two contradictory ways to make cyclists both more reckless and more cautious while going faster than the posted speed limit.

Firstly, a car takes up a lot of space. On city streets, the car driver feels hemmed in by the parked cars at either side. The usual speed is 20, maybe 25 mph. This irritates the motorcyclist, who takes up much less room. On a crowded, one-way street, I'm comfortable going at least 10mph faster...at least...usually more. In the middle of the road, a motorcycle has ample clearance in any direction for clear sailing.

From behind, I see that a car also has ample clearance, so much so that I could scare the bejeezus out of that driver by passing on either side with a quick downshift and pull on the throttle. I don't though. Being able to do something doesn't make it right, especially when it would scare the bejeezus out of someone and cause them to swerve into some property damage and possible personal injury. This is why I seem so impatient behind you, Mr. Auto. We could be going faster and be just as safe.

From where I perch, atop my trusty Ninja 250R, I can see over your roof and let me tell you, there aren't any obstacles ahead. This is why I trundle bored behind you, hand on my hip, or tapping the gas tank, or with no hands at all. Nothing is happening and nothing is going to happen except that we are going to get to the end of the street more slowly than we need to. I can pass you in a second if I choose, but I can't trust you to let me do it without endangering me, yourself and everything around you.

Secondly, being small and relatively unprotected, a motorcyclist knows that death or dismemberment is waiting on the corner. This fact sharpens up the senses. When a motorcyclist mounts his or her means of propulsion, their mind enters a different state, one that is defensively reflexive and ready for anything. This is true in urban and rural settings, but cities tend to accentuate the zen adrenaline. So, set with a hair trigger to react to mishap, moving along in third gear at 25mph is frustrating. The skills demand exercise now that are ready to be put into play.

Going fast isn't really reckless on a motorcycle. It is what is meant to happen. The bike is designed to rev and speed. Any driver worth his or her salt is trained and prepared to handle the bike. To think of them as two-wheeled cars is foolish and to expect them to be bound by the same constraints is patronizing. The people who write the traffic laws and set the speed limits don't usually drive motorcycles. It shows. Anyone who has ridden a motorcycle knows it is a different experience, it is like comparing lying in a coffin to soaring to Heaven.

Yes, motorcycles speed and rightly so. I'm not recommending motorcyclists be scofflaws. I am recommending each drive according to his or her abilities without endangering or scaring anyone else. A monkey can travel 110mph in a straight line. On the curves, a monkey might not know to slow down. A good cyclist will. With so much power under the seat, it's important not to abuse it. We all know where inexperienced cyclists end up: in Heaven.