Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival thread

Also don't forget YOU -

YOU need to drive for the weather conditions
YOU need to keep this guy :twisted: on your shoulder, telling you to go faster, in check
YOU need to wear the proper gear that will save you in a motorcycle accident. Only expose skin you don't mind losing 8O

I drive defensive as heck, never trusting any cagers. But 2 weeks ago I went down, because I was driving too fast on a freshly wetted road, and lost traction braking before an off-ramp, distracted because I was trying to beat the thunderstorm home.

Full Gear saved me from rash and serious injuries. And I'm learning from my mistakes. I got distracted, and missed the obvious dangers that were right in front of my face

 

Don't forget you have a horn - Use it!

I was driving up Interstate 95 on my way home last night in the far left lane. The guy in the car next to me, without warning, proceeds to change lanes in my direction; on top of me.

I try and make sure I'm aware of my surroundings at all times and I spotted him right away. A quick blast of my horn and he 'woke up' and re-positioned himself.

-Otter

 

I have to second this one. Additionally, there's a reason there are videos/purchasing guides, to choose the right size of gear. Focusing on the road should be paramount, not how tight your helmet is, or how loose your gloves are.

 

I always ride with a full face helmet, leather boots/gloves, jeans and a textile armored jacket.

I will never ride with less.

Dress for the slide not the ride!

 

When coming up to a cage on a side road your passing, watch his front tires, if they're moving slow down, if they're stationary procede cautiously. You may look the driver in the eye, but I gauante he didn't "see" you.

 

Began teaching my wife to ride early this year and my first lesson to her was "if it has more than 2 wheels or 2 cylinders....it's on the road to kill you"

Its not just cagers you have to watch for. I got cut-off by another bike going into a curve at 60mph. Short stretch of hwy where 2 lanes merge into 1 and then goes into a curve, other bike comes up on my right, lanes merge, he passes me in the single lane, brakes and cuts across just in front of me to start the turn.

 

This thread is fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. So thanks, Fitz, for starting it, thanks, all, for pitching in! The more you post, the more I'll read, so keep it coming!

 

I think ALL potential bike riders should have to take a mandatory training course. At least you learn some self defense/preservation moves before you hop on that bike and charge head long into a world where the cagers are out to get you. Its better than hopping on a bike and hopping for the best

 

A few months ago I nearly got squashed at a stop light. Before that, I always left a nice cushion between myself and the car in front of me. On this occasion, the stop light was at the bottom of a hill, around a blind bend. The driver behind me was smart enough to leave a decent gap between us. The car behind him failed to stop. As I watched for the light to turn, I heard the the crash. The car 2 spots back rear-ended the guy directly behind me! Thankfully, the guy behind me didn't come forward any. Scariest thing I've ever heard on the bike!

Since then, I have mad it a habit to leave a good 10-15 feet between myself and the leading car at a stop light/sign. I feel this leaves me enough distance for evasive maneuvers, if need be. Once I have my separation in front, I keep a steady watch in the mirror to be sure that the car behind me is not coming in hot.

Give it a try, it might alarm you how fast the car behind you approaches...

 

In today's world that is certainly true.

Back when I started riding there simply was no such thing; but the roads were a heck of a lot less crowded in the late '60s.

I know a few alumni of the current MSF courses taught at the local community college; and it does produce good skilled riders without any of the bad habits that someone like myself might have accumulated over the years.

 

Used to be in Oregon, to get your mc endorsement, you just got on and rode until you felt you could pass the test. Now the only way to get an endorsement is to take the training course offered at most community colleges. There is also a medium and advanced course offered, I think. Was considering taking a class to stay fresh. I have been riding since '76 and know that there is always room for improvement.
You can't decide how the other guy in his 2000+ pound automobile will behave on the road, but avoiding his bad decisions gives some options to staying alive.

 

Here in PA, you can apply for your permit at any time. The license test can be taken the normal through-the-DMV way, or you have the option of taking a free safety course that, should you pass, grants you your license post-course. I can't see why folks skip out on the class; it's a no-brainer, as far as I'm concerned.

 

The other "Guy dying by my house" thread reminded me of something that happened to a coworker recently.

Novice rider. Brand-spanking-new Suzuki 600cc crotch rocket (mistake #1 as far as I'm concerned, although he'd ridden a friend's Ninja apparently without incident). Don't remember the exact details, but he was trying to make a turn into heavy traffic. There was a depression where the road he was turning from sloped downward and met the cross street, and apparently he was having trouble getting a smooth start.

Long story short, (I guess) he gave it too much gas, drove into oncoming traffic, plowed into the front of a Mercedes and cartwheeled over the car. Cops showed up expecting to find a corpse, only to find him standing on the side of the road nursing his shattered wrist.

When the tow truck arrived to pick up what was left of the bike, they tried to pick it up... and came away with part of it. The brand-new $9000 bike was broken in half.

Don't think he'll be riding again for a while.

 

First - thanks for this thread, its very important.

I am a newbie (2 years riding) and took the MSF class at a community college (high school w/ ashtrays as my wife likes to say) prior to getting my XJ.

One thing the instructor told us that stuck in my head as he handed out our certificates - "Here ya go, you are now certified to drive 15mph in a parking lot - be safe"

I wear a day-glo construction vest over my black leather. People at work call me the 'crossing guard'. I tell them (truthfully) that even being lit up like a x-mas tree I still have people that don't see me.

I have never heard a cager say after an accident "I never heard him".
Loud pipes are bogus - stay out of blind spots and BE SEEN!!!

 

This is my second season riding street as well. I too took the safety class and enjoyed it very much. I do believe that some of their tips have helped me out of harry situations a time or two!

"high school w/ ashtrays" although quite funny, its really quite ignorant as well. I go to class at Comunity College of Beaver County for Air Traffic Control. CCBC is the #1 program for ATC in the country!

For those who don't know, ATC is the guys directing plains in the air, not the guys on the taxi ways with lights and flags. I might also add that its a 6 figure salary!

I'm fairly certain your comment was meant for nothing but humor. I mean no harm feeling either but I have heard far to many discrediting remarks towards community colleges, that is all.

 

schmuckaholic, you described exactly the trickyist part of getting used to my recently acquired suzuki sv1000, a low speed 90 with uneven pavement, with the clip-on bars the bump in the road jerks your wrist/throttle and it wants to straighten up and not turn, all you can do is feather the clutch. hope that guy's all right

 

Here's another summertime fun time hazard:

MANHOLE COVERS.

SLIPPERY When HOT!!! Manhole covers, sitting getting superheated in the summer sunshine, get HOT. Hot enough to drastically affect traction, even when dry. They get downright slippery when they get that hot.

Add to that the fact that in some intersections, there may be multiple covers, positioned at very inconvenient locations if you happen to be cranked over trying to turn the corner. High pucker factor.

Stay vigilant and as always, Be The Bunny! Ride Safe.--- Fitz

 

To add to fitz thought:
Railroad tracks as well! I was driving through Brantford back a couple years ago on the 400, and almost lost it at that one intersection with all the tracks crossing and bending in the lanes.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

my suggestion would be to practice panic stops.....ever so gently increasing the level of "panic" so that you are comfortable with what the bike does during such a stop. I'm not saying go 90 mph and lock everything up, I'm saying find a nice flat open paved area and gradually increase your comfort zone with panic stops because you may need to do it for real some day. Motocross riders have a distinct advantage in this regard, they are always locking up the back brake and "controlling" the slide and instinctively know how their bike reacts during such maneuvers. During regular stops with street bikes, the front brake is really the key stopper and the back is more of an "assist". BUT if you have to stop fast - then you need to use both, learning how much force to each brake and knowing how control the bike during that stop in my opinion is the key to a panic stop. I know someone is going to say that riding a street bike is totally different and you should never lock up your brakes but I would rather do that than have my face hit the back of some truck (assuming of course there is not a viable escape route).

Ideally I would practice this on a dirt bike where the ground is sooo much more forgiving, and of course you will be properly dressed from head to toe during such riding. I for one am grateful that I have been dirt bike riding since my first Honda CT50 (then to YZ80 etc..). when I was younger I pressed the edge. I no longer do that because for some reason I now feel "mortal" lol. I sure think it helps me today though. Somebody who has never ridden and buys a 1000cc performance street bike is a scary thing to me. my advice, get dressed properly......practice some light panic stops on your street bike and go dirt biking if you can. On top of all that, always remember.....IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE YOUR FAULT. Always be thinking and keenly aware while riding on a street with bigger & heavier vehicles than yours.

Oh yeah.....my number ONE rule when riding a street bike......It's my opinion that the best way to die on a street bike is to be going 60 mph and following the car in front of you too closely, cars have GREAT brakes, your reaction time will not be fast enough, you will probably die.... so here it is

***NEVER FOLLOW THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU TOO CLOSELY***......I can't believe how many riders I see doing this!!

 

another hazard I found this past weekend while the wife and I were out on the bike - that black goop they put on the road to fill cracks!

It's quite slick when it's 95 degrees and sunny out!

We got a little sketchy through a turn but stayed up. Just one more thing to look out for.