New to DC

General Discussion about BMW Motorcycles

New to DC

Postby otium » Thu Jun 20, 2019 4:37 pm

Hello everyone. I've been stationed here twice before, but this is the first time as a motorcyclist so I'm hoping for some pointers. In no particular order, any tips on the following questions would be greatly appreciated:

- I've read lane splitting in DC itself isn't expressly illegal, anyone have experience? I'll be traveling from around Alexandria to the Navy Yard and lane splitting on 395 would be a godsend.
- Any group rides meet up regularly besides the Sunday morning rides (Sunday is set aside for the kids)? I am sadly aware I just missed the Square Root Rally.
- Any safety issue peculiar to metro DC I should be aware of? Before this I've ridden in the West and CT mostly but I'm aware that driving here is, um, interesting.
- Anyone recommend some good helmet stores with a large selection? My current helmet has just about reached its safe shelf life.
- Any word on when the next JVB Tech Day is? I've used his videos for years and always wanted to attend the tech days.
- Tips on using HOV and/or EZPass with a motorcycle in VA/MD/DC are greatly appreciated.
- How is motorcycle parking in DC treated by the authorities? Some states I could use sidewalks, others I needed to take a full car space, but no clue about here.

As soon as the family is settled in I'll be looking into joining the club. Thank you in advance for the tips and looking forward to seeing you on the roads.
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Re: New to DC

Postby thanatos1224 » Thu Jun 20, 2019 7:43 pm

otium wrote:Hello everyone. I've been stationed here twice before, but this is the first time as a motorcyclist so I'm hoping for some pointers. In no particular order, any tips on the following questions would be greatly appreciated:

- I've read lane splitting in DC itself isn't expressly illegal, anyone have experience? I'll be traveling from around Alexandria to the Navy Yard and lane splitting on 395 would be a godsend.
- Any group rides meet up regularly besides the Sunday morning rides (Sunday is set aside for the kids)? I am sadly aware I just missed the Square Root Rally.
- Any safety issue peculiar to metro DC I should be aware of? Before this I've ridden in the West and CT mostly but I'm aware that driving here is, um, interesting.
- Anyone recommend some good helmet stores with a large selection? My current helmet has just about reached its safe shelf life.
- Any word on when the next JVB Tech Day is? I've used his videos for years and always wanted to attend the tech days.
- Tips on using HOV and/or EZPass with a motorcycle in VA/MD/DC are greatly appreciated.
- How is motorcycle parking in DC treated by the authorities? Some states I could use sidewalks, others I needed to take a full car space, but no clue about here.

As soon as the family is settled in I'll be looking into joining the club. Thank you in advance for the tips and looking forward to seeing you on the roads.


It is not legal to split lanes in Va.
Check the Rides section they do pop up
Put on some Clearwater Darlas on you bike or P3 interesting is being nice
Bobs BMW in Md, come to a club meeting when it is there, they put a 20% discount ticket under seats sometimes... Or just stalk Revzilla for close out
JVB holds one a year
It is free in Va on the beltway EZPASS Lanes
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Re: New to DC

Postby stevebmw » Fri Jun 21, 2019 12:49 pm

otium wrote:- Anyone recommend some good helmet stores with a large selection? My current helmet has just about reached its safe shelf life.


First, welcome back to the DC area!

We at Morton's BMW have a HUGE selection of helmets, riding gear, and apparel. I don't work in the parts/accessories department, but I believe most of our helmets are discounted every day. Same for tires and many other items. Check us out when you have the time.
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Your HQ for GS fun!
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Re: New to DC

Postby jcabiles » Fri Jun 21, 2019 4:06 pm

One word - “ATGATT”. It will; save your skin and/or your life.

Do not trust the Cagers around DC and the No VA area. I can not over emphasize the following point. Be hyper vigilant and give yourself plenty of space between you and cars. I recently got side swiped and recovering from broken ribs. I was ATGATT.

Check the BMWBMW Facebook page and also our MeetUP site for ride information.
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Re: New to DC

Postby mlytle » Sat Jun 22, 2019 1:08 pm

otium wrote:Hello everyone. I've been stationed here twice before, but this is the first time as a motorcyclist so I'm hoping for some pointers. In no particular order, any tips on the following questions would be greatly appreciated:

- I've read lane splitting in DC itself isn't expressly illegal, anyone have experience? I'll be traveling from around Alexandria to the Navy Yard and lane splitting on 395 would be a godsend.
- Any group rides meet up regularly besides the Sunday morning rides (Sunday is set aside for the kids)? I am sadly aware I just missed the Square Root Rally.
- Any safety issue peculiar to metro DC I should be aware of? Before this I've ridden in the West and CT mostly but I'm aware that driving here is, um, interesting.
- Anyone recommend some good helmet stores with a large selection? My current helmet has just about reached its safe shelf life.
- Any word on when the next JVB Tech Day is? I've used his videos for years and always wanted to attend the tech days.
- Tips on using HOV and/or EZPass with a motorcycle in VA/MD/DC are greatly appreciated.
- How is motorcycle parking in DC treated by the authorities? Some states I could use sidewalks, others I needed to take a full car space, but no clue about here.

As soon as the family is settled in I'll be looking into joining the club. Thank you in advance for the tips and looking forward to seeing you on the roads.


welcome! you Navy? i am recently retired USCG.

-lane splitting not legal
-no regular ones besides sundays. others pop up sometimes. unfortunately around here sunday mornings are the best time to ride. too many crazy's on the roads around here and you have to ride 30-45min in the looney bin to get out of alexandria to the good ride areas.
-the safety issue around here is...the crazy drivers mon-friday. i would not and don't ride during weekday rush hours. operation risk analysis of doing that is on the wrong side of safe. i know too many riders who have been hurt commuting around here.
-mortons, bobs and revzilla are my gear sources
-hov and hot lanes are free for MC's.
-once a year in april
-i bet if you park anywhere but in a designated parking spot you will get ticketed. no parking for you inside the navy yard?

since you are in alex, FT Belvoir has a separate marked lot that has the MSF course exercises painted on it. it is open all the time unless a class is being held. i go there regularly to practice.
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Re: New to DC

Postby otium » Sun Nov 03, 2019 8:50 pm

mlytle wrote:
otium wrote:Hello everyone. I've been stationed here twice before, but this is the first time as a motorcyclist so I'm hoping for some pointers. In no particular order, any tips on the following questions would be greatly appreciated:

- I've read lane splitting in DC itself isn't expressly illegal, anyone have experience? I'll be traveling from around Alexandria to the Navy Yard and lane splitting on 395 would be a godsend.
- Any group rides meet up regularly besides the Sunday morning rides (Sunday is set aside for the kids)? I am sadly aware I just missed the Square Root Rally.
- Any safety issue peculiar to metro DC I should be aware of? Before this I've ridden in the West and CT mostly but I'm aware that driving here is, um, interesting.
- Anyone recommend some good helmet stores with a large selection? My current helmet has just about reached its safe shelf life.
- Any word on when the next JVB Tech Day is? I've used his videos for years and always wanted to attend the tech days.
- Tips on using HOV and/or EZPass with a motorcycle in VA/MD/DC are greatly appreciated.
- How is motorcycle parking in DC treated by the authorities? Some states I could use sidewalks, others I needed to take a full car space, but no clue about here.

As soon as the family is settled in I'll be looking into joining the club. Thank you in advance for the tips and looking forward to seeing you on the roads.


welcome! you Navy? i am recently retired USCG.

-lane splitting not legal
-no regular ones besides sundays. others pop up sometimes. unfortunately around here sunday mornings are the best time to ride. too many crazy's on the roads around here and you have to ride 30-45min in the looney bin to get out of alexandria to the good ride areas.
-the safety issue around here is...the crazy drivers mon-friday. i would not and don't ride during weekday rush hours. operation risk analysis of doing that is on the wrong side of safe. i know too many riders who have been hurt commuting around here.
-mortons, bobs and revzilla are my gear sources
-hov and hot lanes are free for MC's.
-once a year in april
-i bet if you park anywhere but in a designated parking spot you will get ticketed. no parking for you inside the navy yard?

since you are in alex, FT Belvoir has a separate marked lot that has the MSF course exercises painted on it. it is open all the time unless a class is being held. i go there regularly to practice.


Active duty navy and living on Belvoir so I’ll have to try to find the lot where they practice. Unfortunately Sunday rides won’t work for me as I make sure to set aside that day for the kiddos. Morton’s is on the list, I foresee a new helmet for my Christmas present.

As for parking, I’ve only commuted by motorcycle since arriving because of the hov lanes and awesome parking on the Yard for bikes. Riding season is definitely better here than up in CT where I just came from.
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Re: New to DC

Postby phil.ager » Mon Nov 04, 2019 4:00 pm

Usually, when a meeting is held at one of the local BMW dealerships, they'll offer immediate discounts. I'd suggest you get some kind of heated clothing in order to extend the riding season {except when snow is in the forecast, of course). You don't say what you're riding, but make sure you have a functioning accessory plug that is properly wired for heated clothing. HSV-Karen's new F650GS came with a plug wired to the CAN-Bus, but was incapable of actually powering her heated gear. Get it sorted out whilst the temps are not yet Frigid! My 2 cents; worth every penny...
Ciao! HSV-Phil { formerly of the Metro DC area :-) }
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Re: New to DC

Postby JimVonBaden » Mon Nov 04, 2019 4:25 pm

otium wrote:Hello everyone. I've been stationed here twice before, but this is the first time as a motorcyclist so I'm hoping for some pointers. In no particular order, any tips on the following questions would be greatly appreciated:

- I've read lane splitting in DC itself isn't expressly illegal, anyone have experience? I'll be traveling from around Alexandria to the Navy Yard and lane splitting on 395 would be a godsend. Take the HOV and exit towards the Pentagon. No need for an EZ Pass
- Any group rides meet up regularly besides the Sunday morning rides (Sunday is set aside for the kids)? I am sadly aware I just missed the Square Root Rally.
- Any safety issue peculiar to metro DC I should be aware of? Before this I've ridden in the West and CT mostly but I'm aware that driving here is, um, interesting.Not too bad, just pay attention. I commute into DC year round. Not terribly dangerous to me. My wife rides into DC as well.
- Anyone recommend some good helmet stores with a large selection? My current helmet has just about reached its safe shelf life. Tough one. I suggest Morton's for high end, or Colemans for mid line.
- Any word on when the next JVB Tech Day is? I've used his videos for years and always wanted to attend the tech days. Usually the third week in April.
- Tips on using HOV and/or EZPass with a motorcycle in VA/MD/DC are greatly appreciated. No EZ Pass needed for the HOV or Hot Lanes on a bike. You will need it for 267, the Greenway.
- How is motorcycle parking in DC treated by the authorities? Some states I could use sidewalks, others I needed to take a full car space, but no clue about here.There is a fair amount of MC parking in DC, and locations are easy to find by Google. Parking is usually $.25 an hour. Park on the sidewalk and you will get a ticket, possibly towed.

As soon as the family is settled in I'll be looking into joining the club. Thank you in advance for the tips and looking forward to seeing you on the roads.

Welcome back to the DC area!

Jim :cool:
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Re: New to DC

Postby mlytle » Tue Nov 05, 2019 8:02 pm

otium wrote:
mlytle wrote:
otium wrote:Hello everyone. I've been stationed here twice before, but this is the first time as a motorcyclist so I'm hoping for some pointers. In no particular order, any tips on the following questions would be greatly appreciated:

- I've read lane splitting in DC itself isn't expressly illegal, anyone have experience? I'll be traveling from around Alexandria to the Navy Yard and lane splitting on 395 would be a godsend.
- Any group rides meet up regularly besides the Sunday morning rides (Sunday is set aside for the kids)? I am sadly aware I just missed the Square Root Rally.
- Any safety issue peculiar to metro DC I should be aware of? Before this I've ridden in the West and CT mostly but I'm aware that driving here is, um, interesting.
- Anyone recommend some good helmet stores with a large selection? My current helmet has just about reached its safe shelf life.
- Any word on when the next JVB Tech Day is? I've used his videos for years and always wanted to attend the tech days.
- Tips on using HOV and/or EZPass with a motorcycle in VA/MD/DC are greatly appreciated.
- How is motorcycle parking in DC treated by the authorities? Some states I could use sidewalks, others I needed to take a full car space, but no clue about here.

As soon as the family is settled in I'll be looking into joining the club. Thank you in advance for the tips and looking forward to seeing you on the roads.


welcome! you Navy? i am recently retired USCG.

-lane splitting not legal
-no regular ones besides sundays. others pop up sometimes. unfortunately around here sunday mornings are the best time to ride. too many crazy's on the roads around here and you have to ride 30-45min in the looney bin to get out of alexandria to the good ride areas.
-the safety issue around here is...the crazy drivers mon-friday. i would not and don't ride during weekday rush hours. operation risk analysis of doing that is on the wrong side of safe. i know too many riders who have been hurt commuting around here.
-mortons, bobs and revzilla are my gear sources
-hov and hot lanes are free for MC's.
-once a year in april
-i bet if you park anywhere but in a designated parking spot you will get ticketed. no parking for you inside the navy yard?

since you are in alex, FT Belvoir has a separate marked lot that has the MSF course exercises painted on it. it is open all the time unless a class is being held. i go there regularly to practice.


Active duty navy and living on Belvoir so I’ll have to try to find the lot where they practice. Unfortunately Sunday rides won’t work for me as I make sure to set aside that day for the kiddos. Morton’s is on the list, I foresee a new helmet for my Christmas present.

As for parking, I’ve only commuted by motorcycle since arriving because of the hov lanes and awesome parking on the Yard for bikes. Riding season is definitely better here than up in CT where I just came from.


hmmm....belvoir to navy yard? why aren't you riding up the GW parkway, then either across the 14th st bridge or over the river and up 295? much nicer ride...

ft belvoir MSF lot is here. https://goo.gl/maps/HT6hXnArRnDwtiav5
you can see it in the satellite view.

last in CT? Groton? i used to live in Stonington, Groton Long Point and Glastonbury.
Marshall
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Re: New to DC

Postby otium » Tue Nov 19, 2019 8:57 pm

mlytle wrote:
otium wrote:
mlytle wrote:
otium wrote:Hello everyone. I've been stationed here twice before, but this is the first time as a motorcyclist so I'm hoping for some pointers. In no particular order, any tips on the following questions would be greatly appreciated:

- I've read lane splitting in DC itself isn't expressly illegal, anyone have experience? I'll be traveling from around Alexandria to the Navy Yard and lane splitting on 395 would be a godsend.
- Any group rides meet up regularly besides the Sunday morning rides (Sunday is set aside for the kids)? I am sadly aware I just missed the Square Root Rally.
- Any safety issue peculiar to metro DC I should be aware of? Before this I've ridden in the West and CT mostly but I'm aware that driving here is, um, interesting.
- Anyone recommend some good helmet stores with a large selection? My current helmet has just about reached its safe shelf life.
- Any word on when the next JVB Tech Day is? I've used his videos for years and always wanted to attend the tech days.
- Tips on using HOV and/or EZPass with a motorcycle in VA/MD/DC are greatly appreciated.
- How is motorcycle parking in DC treated by the authorities? Some states I could use sidewalks, others I needed to take a full car space, but no clue about here.

As soon as the family is settled in I'll be looking into joining the club. Thank you in advance for the tips and looking forward to seeing you on the roads.


welcome! you Navy? i am recently retired USCG.

-lane splitting not legal
-no regular ones besides sundays. others pop up sometimes. unfortunately around here sunday mornings are the best time to ride. too many crazy's on the roads around here and you have to ride 30-45min in the looney bin to get out of alexandria to the good ride areas.
-the safety issue around here is...the crazy drivers mon-friday. i would not and don't ride during weekday rush hours. operation risk analysis of doing that is on the wrong side of safe. i know too many riders who have been hurt commuting around here.
-mortons, bobs and revzilla are my gear sources
-hov and hot lanes are free for MC's.
-once a year in april
-i bet if you park anywhere but in a designated parking spot you will get ticketed. no parking for you inside the navy yard?

since you are in alex, FT Belvoir has a separate marked lot that has the MSF course exercises painted on it. it is open all the time unless a class is being held. i go there regularly to practice.


Active duty navy and living on Belvoir so I’ll have to try to find the lot where they practice. Unfortunately Sunday rides won’t work for me as I make sure to set aside that day for the kiddos. Morton’s is on the list, I foresee a new helmet for my Christmas present.

As for parking, I’ve only commuted by motorcycle since arriving because of the hov lanes and awesome parking on the Yard for bikes. Riding season is definitely better here than up in CT where I just came from.


hmmm....belvoir to navy yard? why aren't you riding up the GW parkway, then either across the 14th st bridge or over the river and up 295? much nicer ride...

ft belvoir MSF lot is here. https://goo.gl/maps/HT6hXnArRnDwtiav5
you can see it in the satellite view.

last in CT? Groton? i used to live in Stonington, Groton Long Point and Glastonbury.


That is the exact route I usually take. GW parkway is a godsend for motorcycle commuting.

Good to know on MSF lot, I hadn't found it and wanted to practice. The only one I'd seen on JBAB was fenced off when not in use.

Groton it was. Like the people I worked with, not a fan of CT.
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Re: New to DC

Postby mlytle » Wed Nov 20, 2019 12:22 pm

GW parkway is nice. be very aware of the DEER danger. they are all over along the parkway. there is a family of a half dozen or so that live about 3 miles north of MT Vernon on the west side of the road.
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