[I Tango]

We recently bought in Fenney and we're planning to have our Triumph Bonneville with sidecar shipped down from PA.

I'm wondering if any motorcyclists have trouble getting the gates to the villages to go up?

Does every entry gate have a red button to push for visitors? If so, this might be a better option than strapping my gate pass around my neck.

On exit do the gates go up by weight of the vehicle, or do they use a sight sensor? A Harley or Goldwing might make a gate go up by weight but I'm not sure my rig is heavy enough. I have trouble getting street lights to switch at intersections because my rig isn't heavy enough.

So I'm looking for some guidance. What do motorcyclists do if the gates don't go up when you approach them?

[AJ32162]

Originally Posted by I Tango

We recently bought in Fenney and we're planning to have our Triumph Bonneville with sidecar shipped down from PA.

I'm wondering if any motorcyclists have trouble getting the gates to the villages to go up?

Does every entry gate have a red button to push for visitors? If so, this might be a better option than strapping my gate pass around my neck.

On exit do the gates go up by weight of the vehicle, or do they use a sight sensor? A Harley or Goldwing might make a gate go up by weight but I'm not sure my rig is heavy enough. I have trouble getting street lights to switch at intersections because my rig isn't heavy enough.

So I'm looking for some guidance. What do motorcyclists do if the gates don't go up when you approach them?

You won't have a problem with the gates. Just push the 'Red' button to enter and the gate will open. It will open automatically when you exit.
Use the 'Visitor' lane to enter through the gates that have an attendant.

[Goldwingnut]

Tango,
I ride a Goldwing and have no issues with the gates, but let me answer you questions as best I can.

Exit Gates:
The gate don't actually work on weight or an optical sensor, they use a magnetic pickup loop embedded in the roadway. I've never had an issue with the exit gates opening for my wing and golf carts have no issues either. Your Bonny should have no issues with the exit gates.

Entry Gates:
All the gates have the entry request button on them that opens the gates, some due to construction work will open just by approaching the gate. If the gate is manned, the attendant will open the gate for you. Don't bother with the card, trying to find it while riding is more headache than it's worth, just use the button or the manned gate.

If there is anything to worry about on a motorcycle here in The Villages it's the traffic circles. Many of the drivers either don't know how to navigate them, don't pay attention, or simply don't care. You will find yourself in one lane and the car next to you will decide to drift over or change lanes without looking. It happens almost every time I'm out riding. Some ascribe to the mantra of "loud pipes save lives", I personally believe in a good loud horn. I never enter a traffic circle without my thumb on the horn button and have absolutely no problem using it in the middle of my escape maneuver when being crowded or cutoff. Of course many drivers tend to respond with non-verbal communications in response to being called out for their own transgressions.

The riding here isn't as scenic as you may have had in PA, but once you get about 5 miles out the area is still quite pleasant, but it is flat.

Welcome to The Villages.

[Ooper]

Originally Posted by I Tango

We recently bought in Fenney and we're planning to have our Triumph Bonneville with sidecar shipped down from PA.

I'm wondering if any motorcyclists have trouble getting the gates to the villages to go up?

Does every entry gate have a red button to push for visitors? If so, this might be a better option than strapping my gate pass around my neck.

On exit do the gates go up by weight of the vehicle, or do they use a sight sensor? A Harley or Goldwing might make a gate go up by weight but I'm not sure my rig is heavy enough. I have trouble getting street lights to switch at intersections because my rig isn't heavy enough.

So I'm looking for some guidance. What do motorcyclists do if the gates don't go up when you approach them?

Weight has nothing to do with the opening and closing of the gates. Generally there are either photo sensors sensing a vehicle is there or an inductive loop laid in the asphalt, or a combination of both. An inductive loop is simply a coil of wire embedded in the road's surface. To install the loop, they lay the asphalt and then come back and cut a groove in the asphalt with a saw. A wire is placed in the groove and sealed with a rubbery compound. A current passes though the wire causing an inductance. When the iron of a vehicle nears the loop, the inductance changes and triggers the system to either open or close the gate or traffic control device.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by Goldwingnut

Tango,
I ride a Goldwing and have no issues with the gates, but let me answer you questions as best I can.

Exit Gates:
The gate don't actually work on weight or an optical sensor, they use a magnetic pickup loop embedded in the roadway. I've never had an issue with the exit gates opening for my wing and golf carts have no issues either. Your Bonny should have no issues with the exit gates.

Entry Gates:
All the gates have the entry request button on them that opens the gates, some due to construction work will open just by approaching the gate. If the gate is manned, the attendant will open the gate for you. Don't bother with the card, trying to find it while riding is more headache than it's worth, just use the button or the manned gate.

If there is anything to worry about on a motorcycle here in The Villages it's the traffic circles. Many of the drivers either don't know how to navigate them, don't pay attention, or simply don't care. You will find yourself in one lane and the car next to you will decide to drift over or change lanes without looking. It happens almost every time I'm out riding. Some ascribe to the mantra of "loud pipes save lives", I personally believe in a good loud horn. I never enter a traffic circle without my thumb on the horn button and have absolutely no problem using it in the middle of my escape maneuver when being crowded or cutoff. Of course many drivers tend to respond with non-verbal communications in response to being called out for their own transgressions.

The riding here isn't as scenic as you may have had in PA, but once you get about 5 miles out the area is still quite pleasant, but it is flat.

Welcome to The Villages.

Motorcycles and bicycles can easily be in the A pillar blind spot on the slanted windshield vehicles. At the right angle even car can be hidden in A pillar blind spot. Now add bushes and shrubs blocking vision as you approach roundabout or intersection and it complicates matters. I don't think people intentionally pull out in from of on coming, they simply don't see. Now for the one that see vehicles in the roundabout and pull out anyway I have no excuse for them. If roundabout has car coming you are breaking the law pulling out into its path.

[alurb]

No trouble with the gates, but the inductive loop traffic lights sometimes needs more mass

[goodtimesintv]

Regarding this advice above..... “If the gate is manned, the attendant will open the gate for you. Don't bother with the card, trying to find it while riding is more headache than it's worth, just use the button or the manned gate”.....

I made the mistake of forgetting that the right lane at 466 on Morse *has no self-entry red button like everywhere else* to use if you can’t change lanes to get over to the left, visitor lane. A certain gate worker screamed like I’d committed a felony crime for asking her to open it with a push of her button.

It was really caustic and degrading,and NOT how Villages employees usually speak and behave. People make mistakes. Very sad.

[shumbapie]

Originally Posted by I Tango

We recently bought in Fenney and we're planning to have our Triumph Bonneville with sidecar shipped down from PA.

I'm wondering if any motorcyclists have trouble getting the gates to the villages to go up?

Does every entry gate have a red button to push for visitors? If so, this might be a better option than strapping my gate pass around my neck.

On exit do the gates go up by weight of the vehicle, or do they use a sight sensor? A Harley or Goldwing might make a gate go up by weight but I'm not sure my rig is heavy enough. I have trouble getting street lights to switch at intersections because my rig isn't heavy enough.

So I'm looking for some guidance. What do motorcyclists do if the gates don't go up when you approach them?

I go through the exit gates on a bicycle and they pop right up. I don't think you will have any problems with your motorcycle.