Two things that WILL keep you alive!

I occasionally write for a UK Club magazine and I wrote this some time back. Now that I've returned here after a 5-6 year hiatus, I thought that it might help someone. If anyone can avoid something horrific, then it's good that I posted it. Please feel free to Copy & Paste as you choose:

Braking

I will premise this with telling you that I have been riding since the early 70's so yes, I'm old but I sure don't feel it and am surprised at the "old guy" in a picture or video of myself every time! While I have rag-dolled at the track a few times back in the day, I've never had an accident that involved a car. I occasionally get asked by younger guys what they can do to maximize their chances of getting to be an older rider. There is some factor of luck just as there is in anyone’s life but there are two things that YOU can do as a rider that will hugely impact the probability that all other factors being equal, you will survive to be an older rider! One is a skill the other a habit!

My answer is always the same for the first….BRAKING! I believe, and this isn’t up for discussion since it really is my honest opinion, that learning how to brake is thee single most important skill to learn as a rider! Experience be damned, most riders regardless of experience aren’t very good at it! Think about it, it is the only riding skill which can absolutely save your life. We can all twist our wrists and while learning to corner at progressively higher and higher speeds has its fun factor, it won’t often save your life. The only other skill which has actually saved me from disaster was my ability to steer my bike using the rear wheel…..the oft quoted “steer with the rear” but it wasn’t a skill I learned in the first year of my riding career nor was it a skill that I learned while riding on the street. There is however a HABIT I use though and I’ll get to that in a minute.

BRAKING:

Many of us older guys have seen many accidents where the riders lack of skill was evidenced by that single black stripe on the road that led into the woods, into the concrete abutment, into the guard rail, the truck……you get the idea. They froze, locked it up, maybe fell over, maybe not and paid the price. Whenever I see that testament, I just hope the price wasn’t the ultimate price for the guy or gal. Believe it or not many riders even today still do not use their front brakes! Myself, I rarely use my rear brake unless the road conditions warrant it. It makes perfect sense to get comfortable with the front brake since it does something like 70% of the total braking anyway…may as well get really good at using it!

I used to road race many, many years ago. It was nothing much, just a couple years of club racing with a buddy and believe me, I’m not trying to pretend that I was some “Racer X”…because I wasn’t but I did learn a lot of things from riders much better than me and one of those skill was how to brake.

I’ve developed the perfect question when someone tells me that they know how to brake well. I’ll ask them “Does the idea of practicing a panic stop on an empty highway from 70 mph, in the rain frighten you?”

The look on their face when you ask them this question will tell you the truth regardless of what words flow out of their mouths.

That’s right, if practicing a panic stop in the worst type of weather scares you then get to practicing before it becomes a reality that you don’t want to be present for. Now before anyone logs off deciding to wait for a rain storm I should probably add that we all need to start small…..and start SAFE! Don’t “practice” on a public road, go to an empty paved lot. Start with a friend if you need to but go at a comfortable speed for YOU. It might be 20mph stops in that empty parking lot, then evaluate how you did with actual markings. They can be a piece of a stick thrown down to mark your first “stop point” or a friend making a small dot on the pavement. Point is, make it real by making real world marks or locations. Myself, I drop nickels or quarters. They are bright and shiny and if I’m quick, I can drop & step on them before they roll away. You can use whatever you want but just don’t let it be something large enough to upset your braking! Once I’m done, since I dropped them all off my right side, they are all in a straight line so I just hop off and go pick them all up. Go to that lot when it’s raining lightly so the pavement is wet but not flooded to the point where hydroplaning begins. Also keep in mind that your 750-900 lbs of bike & rider will hydroplane at a lower speed than that 12,000 lb tractor trailer that just passed you on Rt 95. Don’t be stupid, but GET BETTER!

Once you’ve committed to getting really good at stopping your bike quickly, increase the speeds, introduce other factors and surfaces. You will be amazed at even with twenty minutes of casual practice, how many feet are between that last marker and the first one you put down.

With practice you will be able to feel the rear wheel lockup and gently release it, all without any danger or fear. Same with the front brake. If you use a modern bike, you may even get the point where the rear becomes unweighted and you are able to lift the rear wheel but be forewarned, that may “look cool” but it actually increases the distance to stop. For the shortest distance, and that is the goal, keep your weight behind the front wheel, low as you can get it and both wheels generating deceleration. Get to know the feel of both of your brakes so intimately that you’ll be able to anticipate the lockup points and remain just under them even as the surface beneath your tires changes. Learning how to brake on a sand blown parking lot is surely better than being forced into a crash course around the next bend when you encounter sand over the road on a weekend ride.

The only thing I do not suggest is practicing on ice or snow…..because you really have so little control that I cannot recommend that anyone try it because I don’t want anyone to get hurt! I’ll issue one other little warning here…..if you find yourself with a locked rear brake and the rear wheel is beginning to be a front wheel, throttle and very deft brake control will probably be the only things that will keep you upright and if that “perfect” question cased you some angst, then do not getting into this position!

I can guarantee each and every one of you that began reading this and thought to yourself “yeah, I can stop my bike as fast as he can” two things.

No, you probably can’t…..but if you practice, you WILL GET BETTER! Guaranteed!

I think most reading this would acknowledge that they would get better….it’s just common sense(and proven science)…we all get better at things that we practice, right? Of course we do…then what exactly are you waiting for?

Wouldn’t it be nice if we all got a text message that read something like:

“Tomorrow after work, you are going to go for a ride. On a busy two lane road with 40mph bumper-to-bumper traffic 2.7 miles from your house the SUV in front of you is going to make an unannounced hard right turn leaving you face to face with the back end of the mail delivery truck taking up the entire lane….”

NO, we don’t get those text messages warning us of impending doom do we? Would be nice but it ain’t happening folks. We need to be prepared…and being able to safely stop in time with 18 inches to spare beats the hell out of smacking into the side of that truck or that car or that tree because the rate of deceleration that YOU were able to generate left you 6 feet into that truck….BTW- that 6 feet from 40mph will probably be the distance between your first and last makers on the first time you go practice….6 feet!

A guy I knew from another forum I belong to died less than 6 weeks ago (7/16)….because he couldn’t stop his bike. The bike easily had the ability….but he didn’t and he’s dead. He probably thought that he would practice “later”…… OK, enough said….please go practice.

The Weave-it’s not just a hairpiece

The second is a HABIT that I’m positive has saved me from disaster countless times is “The WEAVE”. That is the habit of weaving side to side in my lane when EVER I see that a car is either preparing to turn left in front of me or is entering the road FROM EITHER SIDE! I cannot emphasize the importance of this enough….to me, it is as important a riding tool as my braking ability! The principle here is what’s been called “The Dragonfly effect”….by weaving I am breaking up the plane of view for the driver against the background that HE sees because I’m smart enough to know that his brain has been programed since he or her very first day of driving school, to look for a car. THEY AREN’T EVEN LOOKING FOR A BIKE!

Because of that, they will see right through you….even though you would swear that they made direct eye contact! This friends, isn’t conjecture or some conspiracy theory that Jeff thought up while in some paranoid state, it too is science (read the Hurt report published 1981). This report found over and over and over again where the driver who caused the accident tells the police that they never even saw the rider or bike….while the rider in question (same accident) tells the police that he swears the driver made direct eye contact! How scary is that folks? All those times that you made eye contact and felt comfortable because of it….to now find out that many times, the guy didn’t really make that connection with you at all! They even came up with an acronym for it- SMIDESY (sorry mister, I didn’t even see you) it’s right there in the report. WEAVE, it WILL save your life. As my own proof, I ride year round. Yes, it does actually get cold here in MD but as long as there is no apparent ice or snow, I ride in the winter because I enjoy it. I even enjoy riding in the rain (tip- always pack your rain suit last so it’s on top). Since I began “weaving” many years ago now….I have NEVER had a car cut me off by turning in front of me or pulling out in front of me, EVER! Not even once….how cool is that?

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen them begin to pull out then see the weave and stop dead in their tracks but never in my path. Is it just plain luck, could be I suppose but I’ve “read” the recognition on too many faces to simply chalk it up to luck….it makes a big difference. Did I feel kind of goofy weaving all over the road at first, yup I won’t deny that at first I did…not anymore though and what’s really interesting is that I’ve noticed more and more riders around where I live now weaving! Oh, in case you are wondering, I’ve never been pulled over by the cops for weaving. It appears that either they understand what I’m doing or when they see that’s its only when cars are pulling into traffic that I do weave, they must figure it out but I’ve never been stopped for it.


Stay safe and enjoy!

Jeff Kushner

 

Great Article. Thank you for taking the time to write this.
I'm going to repost in my riding club facebook page.

 

Good stuff. Bought my XJ in 1985 and cannot emphasize safety enough. When I went to buy insurance, the salesman told me that the statistic show it isn't "if" but "when" you will have an accident for a lifetime rider.

in over 30 years, I've had a few close ones, that I have been able to either stop, or maneuver out of. The only thing I ever actually hit was a cow, but our relative speeds were low as he was "trotting" down the lane when I came around a bend.

Always, always, assume the other guy didn't see you!

 

I'm going to weave a basket and then brake it. Twice. For the practice.

Just kidding. I recently took the MSF course. You'd be amazed at how much you forget in a couple of decades, and the habits you pick up! Anyhow, several of the exercises were about panic stopping, including stopping in a straight line, in a curve, and a simulated lane change and stop. If you have pylons, it is a good idea to practice your reactions in these situations.

Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

 

Great advice, ex UK bike courier...15 years, but I say you can ALWAYS learn something new, on a Bike.....and yes, old, bad riding habits can sometimes be hard to 're learn'.....

 

I've only been riding about 3-4 months and can say I'm AMAZED at how people can look right at me but not see me... and I wear a hi viz jacket.

Had a guy look right at me, pull out into the roadway and miss my back wheel by a foot only because I gunned it to get around him.... these things scare me the most.

 

Don't rely on Hi Viz, or Daytime running lights, these things can BLEND right in, especially in a brightly lit 'City' environment......the swerve, as outlined above is a good start!!

 

Good stuff! May I also add:

Read "A Twist of the Wrist" by Keith Code. His discussion on traction and how it is used is fantastic. The same goes for his exercises on seeing what is ahead and around you while also keeping your eyes on the road.

Next, read all the old "Stayin' Safe" articles written by Lawrence (Larry) Grodsky. He helped develop the MSF course, and his defensive riding concepts are brilliant.

Finally, have your non-motorcycle riding (even non-car driving) children read and practice all of the stuff above. SIPDE is a great way to maintain situational awareness and situational preparedness, even when you're not out riding!

 

If you are in the UK, RoSPA and a Police Roadcraft course, can be very informative!

 

Good advice - I've been doing the Weave for a long time - I once had someone ask if I was trying to warm up my tires like in Formula 1 !!!

High viz is is all well and good but for the most part it really only just helps your non-riding loved ones feel better about you riding -- worst case it can give the rider a false sense of security and becomes couner productive. The biggest things you can actively do are; road positioning... keep your distance, dominate your lane and put yourself in peoples mirrors, don't sit in blind spots; be courteous and assertive - thank people for letting past; avoid "boy-racers" - you know the 17 year old guy in the supped up Honda civic with the neon rims who wants to race you - just let them win.

All this said, the only way to ride is to understand that every single motorbike comes with a cloaking device that you can't turn off. You are invisible like a Klingon battleship, expect that to be the case no matter what... unless you see a cop that is.... it's a shame the Enterprise didn't have LIDAR really.

 

"avoid "boy-racers" - you know the 17 year old guy in the supped up Honda civic with the neon rims who wants to race you - just let them win."
So very true Ribo! The best race I never ran was in '81 and I was riding my heavily modified H1 Kaw triple to work and a guy pulled up on a blue '76 XS650 wanting to race....The light turned and I just let him go which was VERY unlike me, especially since I knew I could wipe the road with him on my triple. The road crested a hill before going a 1/2 mile to the next light.......when I got there, he had been struck by a car turning left in front of him and was barely alive. I stayed with him until the medics showed up but saw that he died on the 5PM News that evening.........

jeff

 

I can't really "like" that ^^^ that must have been a difficult situation to go through.
But it is a good example and fitting for this thread to listen to your gut. You really have to pay attention but if your gut tells you "I'm not racing him" or "I should probably slow down" for no valid reason - you just hear those thoughts - LISTEN TO THEM.

In the past I had a close call with doing bodily damage because I listened to my head instead of my gut (which spoke loud and clear to me prior to the 'misstep').

 

your brain and a helmet are two other things that will help you survive.
I know this well.

 

[QUOTE=".......
But it is a good example and fitting for this thread to listen to your gut. [/QUOTE]

Amen brother!!! I really relate to this - I've have 2 none bike things recently where I knew before hand, just had this nagging feeling that something was going to happen a certain way and I did nothing and what do you know - I got screwed. Well actually in one case i didn't which was the problem After so many years, riding really does become a "feel" thing and your gut sometimes is your body reacting to cues that your conscious mind isn't even aware of but it's due to experience situational awareness.... then again it's also just sometimes voodoo..

 

RB's 3 golden rules of riding.
Back in the day I saw hundreds of customers ride away on new bikes.

1. Trust no one not even your mother
(Have a story for that one)

2. Anyone you can or can't see will run you over.

3. Refer to rules 1 and 2.

 

I can't possibly reply......ex motorcycle courier (15 years) quite a few accidents, close calls, a few due to my own stupidity......rush of blood, but also quite a few that even.....Kenny Roberts probably couldn't have avoided!!....I know this, no matter how long you've been riding, you are ALWAYS learning how to survive!!

When you ride a motorcycle.....any motorcycle....any protective gear, you become invisible, cloak of invisibility........!!!

 

I wonder, however, if we don't frequently create that cloak. It goes something like this:

When someone sees a motorcycle, given the vehicle's size, it is quite difficult to determine its speed (try it sometime). So cage driver "Fred" is sitting waiting to make a left turn across your lane. He sees you, and given the road, his brain does a bit of mental math determining he can safely get across before you show up. The trouble is, instead of the 40 mph he thought you were traveling at, you're actually going 65 mph. He goes, and you slam into him. When questioned, he says he never saw you, because you couldn't possibly be the vehicle he saw, you got there way too quickly.

I fully admit, I could be wrong, but experiments on my own, slowing down when I am the only vehicle visible to the turning driver, seem to corroborate this idea. Just something to think about.

 

This a great post @JeffK . Helpful for both the experienced, and the new rider such as myself. I plan to incorporate these tips into my riding practice; that is once I get my bike on the road.

 

you are correct about the profile that a rider presents to other motorists including motorcycles. the car/truck driver sees a form coming towards him and his brain thinks it is another automobile giving him time to pull out based on his perception of the profile.
that is why we have to present ourselves as a larger object and expect every car/truck to run us off the road. swerving back and forth is a good way to do that, trying to time the swerve to leave you on the proper side of the lane so you can have that evasive move around the car if needed. of course braking, yielding the "right of way" or expecting to is the best defense to the situation. ALWAYS leave yourself an out.

 

Everyone on the road is going to make the worst move possible at the worst possible time. If you expect this, you can be prepared for it. I practice this in the car too. Look at all the vehicles and try to predict what they will do.

 

I'm really glad to hear this being accepted, especially by the newer guys! Once you realize that despite what you might think, that car drivers brain is just not seeing and registering you even though you swear that he's looking right at you......you will understand the real NEED for you to break the plane of the background to draw attention to yourself. Don't, at your own peril.....

jeff

 

I also find that there is a sequence when you approach the car, to maximize your potential for survival given the timing of when a car decides to roll forward.

For instance, if a car is on your right looking to pull out and turn left crossing your lane, you need to first move from your current lane position towards the car as you approach. If the car was to start moving and not see you completing his lane change, the more likely location to be open would be behind it and by braking you give it the maximum time to leave you a space.

As you get closer, there will be a "point of no return" where your best option is to speed up and pass in front of it (this is a very small space, dependant on your minimum braking distance). Shifting to the left side of the road sets you up for this contingency. It also accomplishes the weave, since you'll be moving side-to-side to set it up, and execute.

Finally, how can you tell if a car is moving? Look at it's wheels. It is easier for YOUR eyes to detect a very small change in angular position of a wheel, than to detect the body of the car moving forward (your visual processing has it's limitations too). If you see wheel movement, then you immediately implement the bail out plan you were planning before. If you couldn't effectively plan a bail out, then SLOW DOWN! You need to give yourself the most possibilities for survival and enough time to plan and react.

If you find it difficult to plan this, consider taking a break. It's a lot of mental work to ride a motorcycle, and giving yourself a break could be the difference between life or death. Also, expending the mental effort shows that you have the mental capacity to react. If you are day dreaming, you may feel fine but your brain is taking the same shortcuts as the cagers!

 

-----------------------------

Jeff, I've taken the liberty of removing the middle section of this article in this quote simply for brevity in replying. Excellent thoughts on two critical subjects to us two-wheelers. Your braking commentary is very cogent and it's a well-documented fact that far too many riders lack even basic knowledge of how to use motorcycle brakes properly.

What struck me about the section dealing with 'weaving' is that what was implied but unstated here is that a moving target is more likely to be noticed, as opposed to a still or steady one. This concept is underscored by the manner in which small prey such as 'snow-hares' in the Canadian north employ 'motionlessness' as very effective camouflage to avoid being detected by predators, despite the fact that they are in the open, exposed and otherwise unprotected. A moving hare, regardless of whether blending into the white backdrop of snow or not, is easily picked up by a hungry wolf, whereas one that is out in the open (against a snow background) may be entirely missed if it is motionless (as long as it is downwind of the predator). There is an apt analogue here for cyclists: a cyclist presenting a moving image to a motorist stands a markedly improved chance of being spotted at an intersection, as opposed to one that is moving slowly to an even stop. The 'weaving' motion you recommend augments any motion that a motorist may possibly pick up on, thereby exponentially increasing the odds of being seen.

Tricks like that are invaluable if one wants to avoid ending up stuffed into the grill of a distracted motorist and many times they are not obvious to the average cyclist unless brought to his attention by an experienced cyclist such as yourself.

In aviation we have a phrase that supports this wiser advice: "See and be seen". Motion increases the chance of being seed. Good on yah for offering up this nugget if wise motorcycling!

One last thing: I spent many years in high-speed ADC jet fighter operations (with Convair F-106A/B 'Delta Darts'), often reaching beyond Mach 2.0 and 60,000 feet. Accordingly, at age 73, I've literally 'been there and done that', in terms of speed and extremes of travel. I know from those experiences that speed is greatly overrated and that once the youthful male hormones that promote needless preoccupations with speed (and fast maneuvering) have been worked through, one comes to an awareness that it is far more important, not to mention more pleasing and satisfying, to slow down and enjoy the ride. 'Stop to smell the flowers' is not just an old chestnut of archaic wisdom; it actually has substantial benefits. Case in point, my most formidable current machine is a Kawa Ninja that is rated at about 0-60 in 2.5 or so seconds. My previous 'suicycle' was a Yammy FZR1000 that had similarly insane capabilities. Despite this ability to meet God in less than 3 seconds flat, I am perfectly content to ride moderately and value person safety (for myself and others) far more than the ability to exceed Warp Factor 7.

Thanks for taking the safety of your fellow cyclists as seriously as you do! I wish we had far more people like you on two-wheels! Again, paraphrasing another apt aviation aphorism: "There are old bikers and bold bikers, but few old, bold bikers".

 

Yes my father who was a Police officer used to say learn how the Police motorcyclists stay alive. A short course is run by the Fire Service free in the UK is Biker Down for accident management etc.

 

it's better to be down here, wishing you were up there, than to be up there, wishing you were down here

 

Ill probaly be down there wishing I was up here

 

I don’t do a wide weave, but I do move around a fair bit. I was in a ride one time, and was compliment on how straight of I line I ride for the whole trip. Not long after, someone else commented on how with a rick-solid straight line, a motorcycle disappears into the background. THAT SCARED ME and stuck with me. Now, I INTENTIONALLY constantly drift from one side of the lane to the other in an irregular rhythm/pattern whenever other cars, trucks, OR bikes are are around. I WANT THEM TO BE WARY and unsure of me. THAT way they stay well away.
I had guy ask why I can’t keep a straight line.... I told him that it’s not that I can’t— I most certainly can.....it’s that in traffic I WONT, to keep other drivers wary and alert to ME. That goes for bikes too.... I detest the lane-splitting/lane-sharing thing. It’s MY lane, so I can be in it wherever I dang well feel like being in it. A bike beside me is only gonna arrive a second or few ahead of when they’d arrive if the just stay back a bit. I do NOT ride “in formation” on ride I hang back a bit to keep some cushion of space. I don’t care if that annoys someone. SAFETY first for me. Sometimes people gun past me — really.... I’m totally unimpressed that you can hit the throttle and make a lot of noise, then you hafta hit the brakes and slow down to the same speed you were already going. See, I may be hanging back a bit, but I’m not going slower.im moving the saammmeee speed as everyone else. I just have a little maneuvering room in my escape route.

 

I couldn't EVER ride without 'filtering' or lane splitting, as you lot call it.....it was drilled into us....by our instructors, by the Police even, that a motorcycle is pretty much USELESS unless its moving.....siting in traffic jams...in the rain/winter..no heater, no radio....what are you even riding the thing for, lol, if NOT to make more progress than the tin boxes around you!

I do it to this day...even though it's 'illegal' in most of the States I ride in

I can't group ride, it strikes me as one of the most dangerous rides ever...and as for 'buddy' riding, side by side, who EVER thought that was safe??...if one of the riders needs to weave to avoid.....anything, well, he's taking his mate next door with him!! We were taught staggered formation, when line riding, to view as much of the road ahead of the rider in front of you as possible !

I'm with you on the lane weave though.... anything that gets the drivers attention to us, is worth it, but lights on, daytime are just as useless as 'dayglo' vests, these days

In the late 80's, neon lit London/Manchester etc, I did an experiment, while couriering, for a whole 6? months, I eschewed my orange/white lid, blue and white courier bib, lights on ( we could still turn them off, UK in those days) I matt blacked my old 900R Kawasaki, I had a LOUD but NOT obnoxious exhaust, I rode , for the most part aggressively, maintaining my part of the road, making myself loud, blacked out and obvious..........do you know, I 'unofficially' recorded less people 'pulling out' on me, then almost ever before...I THINK my silhouette, amongst the brightly coloured signs, road furniture, grass, cars even stood out as unusual.....and THATS what caused drivers to think once think twice......what IS that?...Oh blimey, its a big bike, better keep the brakes on 'till he's passed..........Of course, at night I had my lights on, and may have blended in even more, but certainly during daylight hours......it was somewhat eye opening .....and certainly saved me from more evasive maneuvers, and possible hospital visits !!

 

I guess we all have our comfort range when it comes to riding in a lane. I chose to crowed the center line so that it makes on coming traffic feel intimidated as to how close I am to crossing. I can tell when they start to drift away from the line a bit they see me. With more and more cell phone use this has become a concern for me and I am extra wary when I ride. Used to be a joy all the time but those coffins with wheels and phones to distract me are starting to take their toll on my joy of riding. I see the point of moving in your lane, but in my area I don't want to give our hard working police officers any more reason to be pulling me over. I can see them have me on camera for erratic driving and pull me over to check if I have been drinking. I know it is not that much swaying but I just don't want add to suspicion of braking the law.

As for lane splitting I get it, some states have it and as long as I am used to it and trust my driving, let them pass me or what ever. Driving in big groups I only do for a cause, Holiday, fund raiser type riding. I have been on the DC loop a few times, you really have to keep your head moving as those cross cars always want to brake into the loop. This is even with lights on police escorts and (brake down) trucks mingled in among the riders.

I as a rider will not have one beer and ride. If I plan on riding there is no drinking that day or night before. This is just me, I am not as fast in my reflexes as I used to be when I was in my 20's. With me slowing down and other drivers not paying attention to their driving, just need to take that risk factor out of the equation.

This is just MHO

 

Yep, and it's a lie, but a believable lie so they use it to cover the own butt. I've been hit three times. once one my BMW (pick-up left turn) and twice on bicycles, plenty of flight time on all three.
Drivers go by the code; "The survival of the biggest"
That is, if they are wanting to make the infamous left turn in front of traffic, the brain automatically does a computation, is my vehicle bigger than the one coming at me? If it's a motorcycle, it's a go, if it's a small car probably a go if it's a big assed semi truck, it's "I'll wait."
Cheers, 50gary

 

if you are in a 40mph zone going 65 mph maybe you should accept some responsibility for a crash as you discribed.
I'm no saint when it comes to my rate of speed but I do know where I can roll on the throttle and where I should not .
I make myself visible wearing a floresent green sweat shirt over my gear. lane position changes with whats in front of me combined with what is coming at me.
had my share of being cut off,started wearing the sweat shirt last season with my new color not a single incendant
the swerve is also in my tool box when in areas where I may blend in and with lots of cross roads.e
end of day I do not want to be laying in the ground saying I had the right of way.
being right and dead is no victory.

edit: I did have one cut off last season 2 motorcycles came ripping out of a gas station. wtf

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...BMAF6BAgKEAc&usg=AOvVaw3l1R-gI6tgUp5nQpWHCU0i

 

Jeffk, Thank you for this thread. I've been riding on and off for over 30 years and honestly never heard of the Weave. I have never taken a course and I'm in my 50's and consider taking one. My wife just got her permit last year and we both practice in empty parking lots almost every time we ride. She took the course and dumped the bike twice before the second day and was failed out. I've been told that wasn't right and i agree,(what the @#$#@ is the course for if not to correct her mistakes??) also no refund. I will be looking for another course this spring/summer that we both can take. Again thanks for the great advise Jeff i will employ the weave in my travels.

 

dumping the bike is reason to be failed in the course. what was the manuver she was attempting that caused her to dump the bike?

did they supply the motorcycle or did she for the course? What bike was used?


check out this guy on youtube
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mcrider

 

Guy you refer too gives good advice on youtube XJ 550. Here is an advert from the 1970's.

 

excellent ad for the auto driver. it also drives home the point for motorcyclists

 

l am more wary now, when l was young l was lucky a few times. Slightly too fast into corners and lucky enough to stop once when a driver pulled out in front of me. My father used to take me out on his bike so to some extent l had an understanding of potential dangers.

 

I didn't go with her, but from what i understand they were teaching braking into a corner. I have talked with others who have taken the course and as long as it was not dumped during the test on the second day they were allowed to continue but maybe its different from course/teacher. They supplied the bike. Was a small 250. May have been a rebel like what we bought for her but not sure.

 

My son took a course to get his license last year. I had no idea there was such a thing. They used little 250's also.

 

most courses use the small bikes. and suggest not going wild on size on your first bike then upgrade after a year

 

look slow and roll i think they call it

 

Slow, look, roll, press. I teach the BRS class in Ohio and that is our curriculum.

 

yup that sounds better