That's weird, I was on Tapatalk and must have responded to something way back (at the doctors waiting), but someone said something about not being a real biker till you've been down on a bike. I think a minor going down is an inevitability, but as far as not being a "real biker" because you've never had a bad scare at high speed I say BS!
I like fast, a lot of us on bikes do; here's my deal, on a long legal pass (you can speed to pass in Washington), 20mph over the limit, but get right back down to no more than 5MPH over preferably after the pass. If the flow on the Freeway is 75, do 80 if you like, but generally I always stick to 5, or maximum in optimal conditions 10MPH over on back country roads and such and accelerating quickly, and cornering. I try and ride the right side of the center oil slick, unless coming to a corner for visibility, it's almost always better to go around someone on the right than the left, and following too close is a NO NO! If they are slow enough to annoy you like that, find a passing zone and have some balls and pass them. If they are driving a land Yacht, find a safe place to pass. When riding with other bikes in formation, don't follow too close and use a stagger formation, one to the right of the center slick, the next to the left and so on.
I've got a lot of experience and like to push things a bit, but it's about fun and safety and I NEVER push anything until I know my machine intimately. There is no reason to get hurt unless it's someone else's mistake and you can't avoid it or a freak thing like a deer or turtle. I have an uncanny ability to spot deer but I am kind of a freak for reasons too complicated to explain here, but ALWAYS scan for movement and never be staring at scenery. That's what the kickstand is for, looking at scenery.
