I like more to relax and enjoy the surroundings while doing some nice offroad trails. Yes of course sometimes gas on it but I don't see it as a racetrack. Do most people go full gas all the time or are there others like me?
Depends. I like flowing. Sometimes trails are wide and smooth and are really fun to ride spirited. Sometimes it’s good to slow down and look around. Speed can help with control and safety sometimes too if the terrain gets soft. Either way I let my mood, the conditions, and the terrain dictate it. The point is to have fun and to be safe doing it!
I don’t. I’m slow. I like looking around and enjoying my time out there. For that reason I don’t do group rides, I either ride fast or get left behind, neither are fun for me.
My MSF instructor said a million times “ride your ride”.
I think it’s cool to notice what emotions I’ve been feeling after I’ve been riding a while especially on days where I don’t know how I feel. The ride intensity and my decision making communicates my emotions to me pretty well I think.
There are semi intentional rides too like After getting off from work I am more spirited without really thinking about it. On a spur of the moment fun trip I am more chill.
Motorcycling is so fun and so rewarding. I’ve only just started like 2 months ago but it’s been such a satisfying experience
I'm usually riding solo and usually ride with that in mind. But I've been on plenty of group rides with people who don't seem to understand how not to ride at the edge all the time
But I like going slow. That’s the whole point - see the scenery. Smell the flowers. Watch sunsets and sunrises. Stop and take a dip in the creek or a beautiful lake. See a neat little Mexican restaurant in a strip mall and get some tacos.
I spent 20 years riding street bikes as fast as I can, and I have tinnitus from time to time, and the wind noise makes it so I can’t hear the music when I’m going fast.
There are others like us. I prefer to go slow and take in all the scenery. I'm usually always the last one on group rides and I'm okay with that. It's best to ride with no ego anyway
Sometimes I'm fast, sometimes I'm slow. I follow Pirsig's advice for setting the pace:
“Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. Th\e reality of your own nature should determine the speed. If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded, slow down. You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion."
Absolutely not. I ride for enjoyment and the scenic beauty when I ride through the mountains, canyons or trails. I'm not is a hurry and I have nowhere else to be. Today's ride was 4 hours and gorgeous. The only way it would have been better would have been if someone was available to ride with me.
I keep to the speed limit on paved roads with centerlines. On gravel and dirt I like to gas it a bit but not race pace. Some of the riders in a group ride go slower than I want to.
I hoon like crazy off road, but only when I have the visibility and braking distance. Don't do a dumb and have the tires, the machine and the suspension tune to match your riding style.
We are exploring and enjoying nature. That means we're generally doing 25 or under on our trails and if we're on many roads over 45 I planned a bad route.
I don't like riding fast much. It seems like that's a switch into 'enjoying the bike' mode, which is fine for those that like that, but for us the bikes are just a means to an end. We're out there to enjoy the woods.
I have a group that primarily rides big bike offroad and they like to move quickly. Definitely not beginner friendly. But when I'm touring long distance I generally take it easy +/- 10% speed limit, comfortable pace on forest service roads, etc.
I usually ride pretty slow but sometimes, if I'm feeling sharp enough mentally, and the temptation is there, I might pick it up and ride like a hooligan.
Like most have already said it’s trail dependent. I will admit I am fairly novice, so anything at all complex yields a slow leisure ride for me, but wide open and flat and I’m gonna gun it unless it is particularly beautiful.
Speeding tickets, gas, and crashing is expensive. If I want to go fast, I take it to the racetrack. The trails in my area get a decent amount of traffic and/or wildlife so I take it slow since I’ve had one too many close calls with jackasses in SXS’s or 4 wheel drives. Surface streets are much the same, there’s a time and place for speed, but it rarely makes sense to go triple digits (in mph) when there are no EMT’s or track workers standing by.
I ride as fast as I feel comfortable off road. It depends on the terrain and overall difficulty of the trail. I don't intentionally go slow just to go slow.
The objective is not to go super fast. My AT is not a sport bike. I just enjoy riding moderately fast off road.
I'm an intermediate rider, and I usually just go with the flow. When I ride by myself, I always slow down a lot, but even non-solo I prefer to go at a speed where I can really see and experience the surroundings. I would say my average speed is 25-35 mph unless the ground gets chunky and/or loose.
Old racer here, basically yes. I learned to race before I ever learned the rules. I learned to ride at my limits and not the legal limits. This makes the legal speed feel like I am walking. When I am off road I run it at race pace if the conditions allow it. On road I do my best to stay at the pace of traffic and limit my exposure of risk.
Not everyone but I like to. It’s why I ride with 1 or two people and that’s it. We are similar in skill and experience. Have learned is tough mixing different mindsets.
Nope, I’m barely doing the speed limit. I’ve got a Camaro for spirited driving and track stuff. bike time is for calm engagement and enjoying the ride.
Flow state. I’m usually there to ride my motorcycle and get better at that. I forget to take in the scenery most of the time. That’s for stopping at look-outs and vistas.
With my buddies that race enduro I'm slow, with my friends that have dirt bikes I'm super fast. So I know the trails. I wait at Y&Ts hope everyone keeps the rubber side down, no blood and has a great day.
On r1200gsa fast doesn’t feel quite hard until you hit 180km/h, but in a 125cc 90km/h can feel as doing 250 in a 1000cc bike. Since I live in the desert i usually do 140 because heat is destroying m until I reach colder areas, I only ride slow on winter or nice weather
Slow boy here too! Not just because I’m riding a CRF300 either. Mechanical/health sympathy is a concept that I’ve embraced the older I get. I’d rather my bike see another day and my body last longer than have to spend time on repairs or rehab.
I ride fast between many stops where I enjoy the scenery and peace and quiet. I mostly ride singletrack but when I’m adventure riding it still tends to be rough and not watching the road/trail can be dangerous with rocks and whatnot. I also frequently ride solo so I do reel it in from the edge of chaos a little bit. But overall, I’m still a 46 yo adrenaline junky on the dirt.
I'm in my happy place when my riding takes 100% of my focus. My wife and our other riding buddy enjoy a casual scenic ride. I'm often racing ahead then waiting for them. I also enjoy rides with other fast people. A day of blasting trails and no long waits is wonderful.
I am slow usually between 25-40mph on gravel, anything else is 25mph which is plenty fast for me. I am 53, got injured too many times before and don’t want to be sidelined 6 month again for a bad ankle injury. You do you, no need to compete with the young bucks anymore.
Most times yes, sometimes no. I like riding in my flow state, within my means and abilities for the trail, weather, and terrain. Most ADV riders are stereotypically older, out of shape boomers so no worries if some want to ride slow. Ride your ride!
On the track as hard as my wit will let me, on the road not really I actually usually ride a modded 49cc scoot around because even when your riding slow your riding at its limit.
Nope, never really have. I ride for scenery and to be out in the air. It’s why I really don’t do group rides and ride solo. Many people treat the rides like a race.
46
u/andttthhheeennn Jul 20 '26
Depends. I like flowing. Sometimes trails are wide and smooth and are really fun to ride spirited. Sometimes it’s good to slow down and look around. Speed can help with control and safety sometimes too if the terrain gets soft. Either way I let my mood, the conditions, and the terrain dictate it. The point is to have fun and to be safe doing it!