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Riding Skills Series: Countermeasures

9:44 am by digitalmbul in Safety Riding

By Jason Black
Photography: Dean Groover

1. Whether you realize it or not, countersteering is as necessary and vital to your riding as using the brakes. If you’re not familiar with countersteering, it’s a term used to describe the physical action of steering the bar or clip-ons momentarily in the opposite (yes, opposite) direction of the turn in order to initiate a corner.

The actual physics of countersteering are complicated, and while many people think it requires only a simple explanation, panels of physicists have debated exactly why angular momentum, torques and vectors affect your motorcycle. As riders, we don’t need to know the physics, but it is important to have an understanding of how our motorcycle works. We’re not going to tell you why, but here is a quick how.

2. Most new riders who have not taken a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course are under the impression that in order to arc through a corner on a motorcycle, the rider must lean and turn the front wheel in the direction of the corner.

In fact, the opposite is true. At speeds greater than 15-20 mph, the rider must initiate a turn by first turning the front wheel toward the outside of the corner (i.e., push on the left bar to go left, push on the right bar to go right). This is a momentary action that rolls the motorcycle off its axis, leaning it in the direction of the bar/clip-on that is pushed. As the bike reaches the desired lean angle, the tire falls into the arc of the turn.

The arrows in the photo above illustrate, from the rider’s point of view, the motion needed to initiate a corner. Push forward on the left bar to go left; the opposite to go right.

3. Here’s an exercise to practice countersteering. Find an empty stretch of straight road. While riding at steady throttle at a slow speed (35-45 mph), pick a spot on the road ahead and use it as an imaginary obstacle-a point where you’ll want to swerve.

As you approach your target, choose the direction you want to maneuver the bike. For the first pass, begin your turn well back from the point you want to avoid and make sure you don’t target fixate. Apply slight pressure on the desired clip-on to arc the bike around the “obstacle,” then apply pressure on the opposite side to swing back onto your original line. The motion involved in pushing/pulling the clip-ons should be a controlled movement; jerky actions will upset the chassis. As you become more comfortable, advance your initial turn closer to the target. This will require a more forceful action at the clip-ons, but remember to keep your motions smooth. With practice, you can quickly and accurately place the bike using exact countersteering inputs.

4. Remember: At low speeds (less than 15 mph) countersteering doesn’t have any effect on turning the motorcycle, but as speeds rise the force of the input required increases. It takes less effort to steer a motorcycle traveling at 60 mph than it does to steer at 100 mph.

Countersteering can be used in two ways: subconsciously or consciously. Those who use it subconsciously perform the action without knowing it, and therefore have less of an understanding of how their motorcycle works. Those who consciously use countersteering-both racers and street riders alike-are able to place their motorcycles precisely where they want.

Whether you are enjoying your favorite road or find yourself in the middle of an emergency situation, the ability to knowingly countersteer your bike and place it where desired gives you greater control in any situation that arises.

This article was originally published in the December ’99 issue of Sport Rider.

For more riding tips, visit the Ride page.

http://www.sportrider.com/ride/146_9912_motorcycle_counter_steering/

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BALANCING ACT.

9:34 am by digitalmbul in Safety Riding

Let’s return to basics and look at the mechanisms of stability and steering, as they relate to single track vehicles (motorcycles in other words).

BALANCE.

As a single track vehicle, a motorcycle lacks inherent static balance, i.e. it falls over, if left to its own devices when stationary.

Once moving above a certain speed however even the most uncoordinated riders find that the machine seems to support itself. So it is obvious that there are two aspects of the balance process, the low speed case and that in the higher speed ranges. There have always been clever sods who can balance indefinitely on a stationary bike, but for most of us we need a minimum of forward motion before this is possible. However, at these low speeds it is necessary to move the handlebars from side to side to stay upright, and as all trials riders know, it is easier if we stand on the footrests instead of sitting down. Let’s examine why. Fig.1 shows the rear and top views of a bike and rider. Now, if the combined centre of gravity (C.of G.) is vertically above the line joining the front and rear tyre contact patches, then balance is achieved, but this is an unstable situation, any small distubance such as a light breeze will be enough to start a topple over, i.e. the C.of G. moves sideways.

This can be prevented by either of two methods or a combination of both, one is to move the tyre contact patch line to under the new position of the C.of G. If the bike is stationary this can only be done to a limited extent by moving the bars, however once under way we can steer the bike to place the position of the tyre line wherever we need it, and this is why it is easier to balance when moving. The other way to maintain low speed balance is by moving the combined C.of G. of both the rider and machine to above the line joining the tyre contact patches. This is what trials riders are doing when moving their bodies from side to side whilst standing up. The high C.of G. of the rider has more effect on the toppling over moment and also gives more control over the position of the bike’s C.of G. Thus to a great extent the process of low speed balance is dependent on the individual skill of the rider. In addition, some bike parameters can also affect the ease of remaining upright, the main ones being:

1. A low C.of G height helps.
2. A large trail changes the position of the tyre line more for a given handlebar movement.
3. A small rake angle reduces the fall of the steering head when the bars are turned away from the straight ahead position, assisting with the balance process.
The balance mechanism at higher speeds is more complex, but at least is largely automatic and independent of rider ability. To understand the action it is necessary to look at a few properties of gyroscopes, which is another way of describing spinning motorcycle wheels.

A spinning wheel has a very stable axis of rotation, i.e. a strong tendency to maintain its plane of rotation. In other words, while it can easily be moved laterally along the axis of spin, it resists tilting about any other axis, and more importantly, when it is tilted it automatically causes a strong twisting moment about an axis at 90 degrees to that of the original tilt. This twisting effect increases as the speed of the wheel rises, this is known as gyroscopic precession. When you have finished reading this, I expect you to go and remove the front wheel from your brother’s mountain-bike, if you then obey the following intructions you will get a graphic practical demonstration of the strength of these precessional forces, which are so vital to the balance and steering of any bike. Firstly hold the wheel upright, as in fig.2, get your young brother (well he won’t be out riding, will he?) to spin it so that the top of the wheel is moving away from you, as if it were the front wheel of a machine you were riding. If you then try to tilt the spindle to the LEFT (equivalent to banking your machine) you will find that the wheel _turns instantly and strongly to the LEFT, as if steered by an invisible hand. In other words, your attempt to tilt the wheel about its fore-and-aft axis has produced a torque swivelling it about its vertical axis. Now start again but this time turn the wheel to the LEFT about a vertical axis, just as sharply and strongly it will bank to the RIGHT. Try both these manoeuvres again, but do it at different wheel speeds and tilting speeds, you will see that the precessional forces depend strongly on these factors. Note particularly, the directions in which these forces operate as this is important for the automatic retention of balance. Let us now see how these forces keep the machine balanced and on a relatively straight path without assistance from the rider. Suppose the bike, whilst travelling along at a normal speed, starts to fall to the left under the action of some extraneous influence. As we have just seen, gyroscopic precession of the front wheel immediately turns it to the left. This sets the machine on a curved path (to the left), so creating a centrifugal force (to the right), which counters the lean and tends to restore the machine to the vertical, the precessional forces are thus reversed tending to restore the steering to the straight ahead position. In practice, that which we regard as riding in a straight line, is really a series of balance correcting wobbles, if we could look at the actual paths taken by the centre-lines of the wheels, we should see that the front wheel path continually crosses that of the rear. In the explanation above, I have only described the effects on the front wheel, precessional forces are at work on the rear also, but it is much harder to steer the rear wheel independently, as the whole bike must yaw, rather than just the wheel and forks, as on the front. Hence, only a small contribution is made to the auto-balance mechanism by the rear. We have now considered balance in a straight line, but as we lean when cornering, there must be other factors at work to maintain equilibrium under these conditions.

STEERING (CORNERING).

To analyse this, we can divide it into two phases;-

1. Initiating the turn,

2. Maintaining the turn.

Since the second phase is easier to analyse, let’s look at it first. It is not feasible to steer a motorcycle through a corner in a substantially upright position, as in a car or side-car outfit, because the centrifugal force generated would cause it to fall outward. Hence we must bank the bike inward so that this tendency is counteracted by the machines weight tending to make it fall inward. See fig.3.

Equilibrium is achieved when the angle of lean is such as to balance the two opposing moments, the one due to centrifugal force acting outward, and the other to gravitational force acting downward (both acting through the C.of G.). The actual angle, which depends on the radius of the turn and the speed of the machine, is that at which the resultant of the two forces passes through a line joining the front and rear tyre contact patches. This is the steady-state roll axis. But how do we actually initiate the turn – do we lean or do we steer first? Let’s see what happens with each method. If we turn the handle-bar in the direction in which we want to go, both centrifugal force and the front wheel precession would cause the bike to topple outward, and that leads to gravel rash. But if we momentarily try to turn the bar quickly in the opposite direction, (sometimes known as counter steering) then these two forces will combine to bank the machine to the correct side. Gravity will then augment the banking effect and this, in turn, will give rise to gyroscopic forces helping to steer the front wheel into the curve, whereupon the processes for maintaining balance as described above take over and keep the bike on our chosen path. This is all very well, I hear you say, but if this is the way to corner, how come we can steer a bike no-hands. Well, it certainly is possible to do so, but only with a lot more difficulty. Precise control and tight turns are difficult to accomplish without handle-bar manipulation. Just try it! Let’s consider the no-hands situation. As we saw earlier, simply banking the bike steers the front wheel in the correct direction automatically, through precession. But how do we make the bike lean in the first place, what do we have to push against? There is nothing solid to push against and so the only way to apply bank (without the facility of steering), is to push against the machine with the inertia of our own body. This means in practice, that in order to lean the bike to the right, we must initially move our body to the left. So now we have two possible methods of initiating a turn, and it is interesting to note that in both of them (banking and reverse handle-bar torque) our physical effort is in the opposite sense to that which might be thought natural, but when learning we adapt quickly and the required action becomes subconsciously automatic. It is these reverse actions that require us to learn to ride in the first place, when learning most of us wobble about out of control until our brain latches on to the fact that counter-steering and counter-leaning is the way to do it. Once the brain has switched into reverse gear, it becomes instinctive and is usually with us for life, and we could return to riding after a long layoff with no need to relearn the art of balancing or steering. So which of these two possible methods of initiating a turn do we use in practice? We probably subconsciously combine both methods, and the pressure on the inner handgrip is partly forward (counter-steering) and partly downward (banking). Remember though, that the actual counter-steering movement is very small, since gyroscopic precession depends for its strength on the speed of movement not on the amount of movement. If you still don’t believe that steering to the opposite side works, then next time you are out riding, try jerking the bars quickly to one side, and see what happens. Leave yourself plenty of road if your reactions are a bit on the slow side. Do this at about 40 mph., and don’t blame me if you fall off. The relative proportions with which we combine the two methods depend partly on riding style but also on speed and machine characteristics. For example, a heavy machine with light wheels at low speeds demands a different technique from that applicable to a light weight machine with heavy wheels at high speeds, and hence the two machines will have a different feel. But humans adapt quickly and the correct technique soon becomes second nature. It may seem strange that in the above discussion no mention has been made of such important parameters as, steering geometry, wheel and tyre size, wheelbase, frame stiffness and so on. This is simply because, balance and the ability to start and maintain a turn can be achieved within a wide range of these parameters. That is not to say that these factors are unimportant. We shall now look a little more closely at one of the more important parameters that come under the heading of steering geometry, i.e. TRAIL. Consider first fig.4, which shows the basics of steering geometry.

TRAIL.

The primary function of this, it is often said, is to build in a certain amount of straight line stability, in addition to that obtained by precessional effects as described above. But trail also introduces other effects which are vital to the feel and handling of the motorcycle.

Fig.4 shows that both the front and rear wheels contact the road behind the point at which the steering axis meets intersects the ground, this gives rise to a self-centering effect on both wheels, rather like the castors on a super-market trolley. The measurement of this castor is called the trail. The mechanism by which trail produces a self-centering force can be understood by reference to fig.5,

If the wheel gets displaced from the straight ahead position, i.e. the wheel is at an angle to the direction of travel (slip angle is the technical term), a force at right angles to the tyre is generated. Since the contact patch is behind the steering axis (positive trail) then this force acts on a lever arm (approximately equal to the trail) to provide a correcting torque to the angled wheel. That is to say, if the steering is deflected by some cause e.g. uneven road surface, then positive trail automatically counter-acts the displacement and gives a measure of directional stability. However, as shown earlier, we cannot just consider any steering effect in isolation, gyroscopic forces must be considered also, suffice to say, at this stage, that in this case trail and precession work in harmony to keep us on the straight and narrow.

One may be forgiven for initially thinking, that because the rear wheel trail is much greater than that of the front, the rear wheel is the more important in this respect. The reverse is actually the case for several reasons. See fig.6.

Imagine that the contact patch of each wheel is, in turn, displaced sideways by the same amount (say ½ inch.). The front wheel will then be turned by approximately 7-10 degrees (depending on the value of trail) about the steering axis, this gives rise to a slip angle of the same amount and generates a sideways force that has only the relatively small inertia of the front wheel and forks to accelerate back to the straight-ahead position. But the slip angle of the displaced rear wheel will be much less (about ½ degree) and so the restoring force will be reduced accordingly, but this also has to act on the inertia of a major proportion of the machine and rider, hence the response is much slower than is the case with the front wheel. From this, we can see that increasing the trail as a means of increasing the restoring tendency on the wheels is subject to the law of diminishing returns. It must also be emphasized that the distubance to a machine’s direction of travel, due to a sideways displacement of the tyre contact patch, is less from the rear wheel than the front because of the much smaller angle to the direction of travel that the displacement causes. To summerize, while the large trail of the rear wheel has a relatively small restoring effect, the effect of rear wheel displacement on directional stability is also small, and hence compensates. As mentioned before, trail has effects other than directional stability, let’s look at a couple of the more important ones.

STEERING EFFECT.

If we lean a stationary machine to one side and then turn the handlebars, we find that the steering head rises and falls depending on the position of the steering. In motion, the effective weight of the bike and rider supported by the steering head, is reacted to the ground through the tyre contact patch. This force tends to turn the steering to the position where the steering head is lowest (i.e. the position of minimum potential energy). For a given amount of trail, this steering angle is affected by rake angle and wheel diameter, one reason why different size wheels feel different, if all else remains the same. As long as we have positive trail, as is normal, then this turning effect is into the corner. Thus the amount of front wheel trail affects the amount of steering torque that the rider must apply (hence the feel of the steering) to maintain the correct steering angle consistant with the radius of the turn and the bike’s speed. Some bikes seem to need to be held down into a corner, whilst others need the opposite approach. This is also influenced heavily by tyre characteristics, but that will have to wait for another occasion.

STRAIGHT LINE FEEL.

As we all know, even when we are riding straight ahead the steering feels lighter on wet and slippery roads than on dry. This is because as we have seen, our seemingly straight line is actually a series of balance correcting curves, with the handlebars turning minutely from side to side all the time. Also as we have seen, a small steering displacement produces a slip angle, which causes a restoring torque. For a given slip angle, this torque depends on tyre properties, surface adhesion and trail. On slippery surfaces the correcting torque is less, thus through the handlebars, we get a feedback (dependent on trail) for the amount of grip available. A bike with only a small trail value may give too much of a sense of slipperiness in the wet, and give the rider a certain degree of apprehension, whereas on the other hand, a large trail, under these conditions, may give out a feeling of security, which can easily engender overconfidence with predictable results.

http://www.tonyfoale.com/Articles/Balance/BALANCE.htm

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Ride Within Your Abilities

3:45 am by digitalmbul in Safety Riding

This manual cannot teach you how to control direction, speed, or balance. That’s something you can learn only through practice. But control begins with knowing your abilities and riding within them, along with knowing and obeying the rules of the road.

BODY POSITION
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To control a motorcycle well:

Posture — Sit so you can use your arms to steer the motorcycle rather than to hold yourself up.

Seat — Sit far enough forward so that arms are slightly bent when you hold the handlegrips. Bending your arms permits you to press on the handlebars without having to stretch.

Hands — Hold the handlegrips firmly to keep your grip over rough surfaces. Start with your right wrist flat. This will help you keep from accidentally using too much throttle. Also, adjust the handlebars so your hands are even with or below your elbows. This permits you to use the proper muscles for precision steering.

Knees — Keep your knees against the gas tank to help you keep your balance as the motorcycle turns.

Feet — Keep your feet firmly on the footpegs to maintain balance. Do not drag your feet. If your foot catches on something, you can be injured and it could affect your control of the motorcycle. Keep your feet near the controls so you can get to them fast if needed. Also, do not let your toes point downward – they may get caught between the road and the footpegs.

SHIFTING GEARS
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There is more to shifting gears than simply getting the motorcycle to pick up speed smoothly. Learning to use the gears when downshifting, turning, or starting on hills is important for safe motorcycle operation.

Shift down through the gears with the clutch as you slow or stop. Remain in first gear while you are stopped so that you can move out quickly if you need to.

Make certain you are riding slowly enough when you shift into a lower gear. If not, the motorcycle will lurch, and the rear wheel may skid. When riding downhill or shifting into first gear you may need to use the brakes to slow enough before downshifting safely. Work towards a smooth, even clutch release, especially when downshifting.

It is best to change gears before entering a turn. However, sometimes shifting while in the turn is necessary. If so, remember to do so smoothly.

A sudden change in power to the rear wheel can cause a skid.

BRAKING
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Your motorcycle has two brakes: one each for the front and rear wheel. Use both of them at the same time. The front brake is more powerful and can provide at least three-quarters of your total stopping power. The front brake is safe to use if you use it properly.

Remember:

Use both brakes every time you slow or stop. Using both brakes for even “normal” stops will permit you to develop the proper habit or skill of using both brakes properly in an emergency.

Squeeze the front brake and press down on the rear. Grabbing at the front brake or jamming down on the rear can cause the brakes to lock, resulting in control problems.

TURNING
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Riders often try to take curves or turns too fast. When they cannot hold the turn, they end up crossing into another lane of traffic or going off the road. Or, they overreact and brake too hard, causing a skid and loss of control. Approach turns and curves with caution.

Use four steps for better control:

SLOW

LOOK

LEAN

ROLL

SLOW — Reduce speed before the turn by closing the throttle and, if necessary, applying both brakes.

LOOK — Look through the turn to where you want to go. Turn just your head, not your shoulders, and keep your eyes level with the horizon.

LEAN — To turn, the motorcycle must lean. To lean the motorcycle, press on the handgrip in the direction of the turn. Press left — lean left — go left. Press right — lean right — go right. Higher speeds and/or tighter turns require the motorcycle to lean more.

ROLL — Roll on the throttle through the turn to stabilize suspension. Maintain steady speed or accelerate gradually through the turn. This will help keep the motorcycle stable.

In normal turns, the rider and the motorcycle should lean together at the same angle.

In slow tight turns, counterbalance by leaning the motorcycle only and keeping your body straight.

KEEPING YOUR DISTANCE
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The best protection you can have is distance — a “cushion of space” — all around your motorcycle. If someone else makes a mistake, distance permits you:

Time to react.

Space to maneuver.

LANE POSITIONS
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In some ways the size of the motorcycle can work to your advantage. Each traffic lane gives a motorcycle three paths of travel, as indicated in the illustration. Your lane position should:

Increase your ability to see and be seen.

Avoid others’ blind spots.

Avoid surface hazards.

Protect your lane from other drivers.

Communicate your intentions.

Avoid wind blast from other vehicles.

Provide an escape route.

Select the appropriate path to maximize your space cushion and make yourself more easily seen by others on the road.

In general, there is no single best position for riders to be seen and to maintain a space cushion around the motorcycle. No portion of the lane need be avoided — including the center.

Position yourself in the portion of the lane where you are most likely to be seen and you can maintain a space cushion around you. Change position as traffic situations change. Ride in path 2 or 3 it vehicles and other potential problems are on your left only. Remain in path 1 or 2 if hazards are on your right only. If vehicles are being operated on both sides of you, the center of the lane, path 2, is usually your best option.

The oily strip in the center portion that collects drippings from cars is usually no more than two feet wide. Unless the road is wet, the average center strip permits adequate traction to ride on safely. You can operate to the left or right of the grease strip and still be within the center portion of the traffic lane. Avoid riding on big buildups of oil and grease usually found at busy intersections or toll booths.

3 TEST YOURSELF
When riding you should:

Turn your head and shoulders to look though turns.
Keep your arms straight.
Keep your knees away from the gas tank.
Turn just your head and eyes to look where you are going.
Answer

FOLLOWING ANOTHER VEHICLE
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“Following too closely” is a major factor in crashes involving motorcyclists. In traffic, motorcycles need as much distance to stop as cars. Normally, a minimum of two seconds distance should be maintained behind the vehicle ahead.

To gauge your following distance:

Pick out a marker, such as a pavement marking or lamppost, on or near the road ahead.

When the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead passes the marker, count off the seconds: “one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two.”

If you reach the marker before you reach “two,” you are following too closely.

A two-second following distance leaves a minimum amount of space to stop or swerve if the driver ahead suddenly stops. It also permits a better view of potholes and other hazards in the road.

A larger cushion of space is needed if your motorcycle will take longer than normal to stop. If the pavement is slippery, if you cannot see through the vehicle ahead, or if traffic is heavy and someone may squeeze in front of you, open up a three second or more following distance.

Keep well behind the vehicle ahead even when you are stopped. This will make it easier to get out of the way if someone bears down on you from behind. It will also give you a cushion of space if the vehicle ahead starts to back up for some reason.

When behind a car, ride where the driver can see you in the rearview mirror. Riding in the center portion of the lane should put your image in the middle of the rearview mirror – where a driver is most likely to see you.

Riding at the far side of a lane may permit a driver to see you in a sideview mirror. But remember that most drivers do not look at their sideview mirrors nearly as often as they check the rearview mirror. If the traffic situation allows, the center portion of the lane is usually the best place for you to be seen by the drivers ahead and to prevent lane sharing by others.

BEING FOLLOWED
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Speeding up to lose someone following too closely only ends up with someone tailgating you at a higher speed.

A better way to handle tailgaters is to get them in front of you. When someone is following too closely, change lanes and let them pass. If you cannot do this, slow down and open up extra space ahead of you to allow room for both you and the tailgater to stop. This will also encourage them to pass. If they do not pass, you will have given yourself and the tailgater more time and space to react in case an emergency does develop ahead.

PASSING AND BEING PASSED
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Passing and being passed by another vehicle is not much different than with a car. However, visibility is more critical. Be sure other drivers see you, and that you see potential hazards.

PASSING
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1 Ride in the left portion of the lane at a safe following distance to increase your line of sight and make you more visible. Signal and check for oncoming traffic. Use your mirrors and turn your head to look for traffic behind.

2 When safe, move into the left lane and accelerate. Select a lane position that does not crowd the car you are passing and provides space to avoid hazards in your lane.

3 Ride through the blind spot as quickly as possible.

4 Signal again, and complete mirror and headchecks before returning to your original lane and then cancel signal.

Remember, passes must be completed within posted speed limits, and only where permitted. Know your signs and road markings!

BEING PASSED
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When you are being passed from behind or by an oncoming vehicle, stay in the center portion of your lane. Riding any closer to them could put you in a hazardous situation.

Avoid being hit by:

The other vehicle. A slight mistake by you or the passing driver could cause a sideswipe.

Extended mirrors — Some drivers forget that their mirrors hang out farther than their fenders.

Objects thrown from windows — Even if the driver knows you’re there a passenger may not see you and might toss something on you or the road ahead of you.

Blasts of wind from larger vehicles can affect your control. You have more room for error if you are in the middle portion when hit by this blast than if you are on either side of the lane.

Do not move into the portion of the lane farthest from the passing vehicle. It might invite the other driver to cut back into your lane too early.

LANE SHARING
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Cars and motorcycles cannot share a lane safely. Lane sharing is permitted only for two motorcycles.

Riding between rows of stopped or moving cars in the same lane can leave you vulnerable to the unexpected. A hand could come out of a window; a door could open; a car could turn suddenly. Discourage lane sharing by others. Keep a center-portion position whenever drivers might be tempted to squeeze by you. Drivers are most tempted to do this:

In heavy, bumper-to-bumper traffic.

When they want to pass you.

When you are preparing to turn at an intersection.

When you are getting in an exit lane or leaving a highway.

MERGING CARS
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Drivers on an entrance ramp may not see you on the highway. Give them plenty of room. Change to another lane if one is open. If there is no room for a lane change, adjust speed to open up space for the merging driver.

CARS ALONGSIDE
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Do not ride next to cars or trucks in other lanes if you do not have to. You might be in the blind spot of a car in the next lane, which could switch into your lane without warning. Cars in the next lane also block your escape if you come upon danger in your own lane. Speed up or drop back to find a place clear of traffic on both sides.

SEE
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Good experienced riders remain aware of what is going on around them. They improve their riding strategy by using SEE, a three-step process used to make appropriate judgments, and apply them correctly in different traffic situations:

Search
Evaluate
Execute
Let’s examine each of these steps.

SEARCH
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Search aggressively ahead, to the sides and behind to avoid potential hazards even before they arise. How assertively you search, and how much time and space you have, can eliminate or reduce harm. Focus even more on finding potential escape routes in or around intersections, shopping areas, school and construction zones.

Search for factors such as:

Oncoming traffic that may turn left in front of you.

Traffic coming from the left and right.

Traffic approaching from behind.

Hazardous road conditions.

Be especially alert in areas with limited visibility. Visually “busy” surroundings could hide you and your motorcycle from others.

EVALUATE
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Think about how hazards can interact to create risks for you. Anticipate potential problems and have a plan to reduce risks.

Stationary objects — potholes, guard rails, bridges, telephone poles, and trees won’t move into your path but may influence your riding strategy.

Traffic control devices — Look for traffic signals, including regulatory signs, warning signs, and pavement markings, to help you evaluate circumstances ahead.

Other vehicles, pedestrians and animals — may suddenly move into your path and increase the likelihood of a crash.

Think about your time and space requirements in order to maintain a margin of safety. You must leave yourself time to react if an emergency arises.

EXECUTE
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Carry out your decision.

To create more space and minimize harm from any hazard:

Communicate your presence with lights and/or horn.

Adjust your speed by accelerating, stopping or slowing.

Adjust your position and/or direction.

Apply the old adage “one step at a time” to handle two or more hazards. Adjust speed to permit two hazards to separate. Then deal with them one at a time as single hazards. Decision making becomes more complex with three or more hazards. Weigh consequences of each and give equal distance to the hazards.

In potential high risk areas, such as intersections, shopping areas, school and construction zones, cover the clutch and both brakes to reduce the time you need to react.

INTERSECTIONS
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The greatest potential for conflict between you and other traffic is at intersections. An intersection can be in the middle of an urban area or at a driveway on a residential street — anywhere traffic may cross your path of travel. Over one half of motorcycle/car crashes are caused by drivers entering a rider’s right-of-way. Cars that turn left in front of you, including cars turning left from the lane to your right, and cars on side streets that pull into your lane, are the biggest dangers. Your use of SEE at intersections is critical.

There are no guarantees that others see you. Never count on “eye contact” as a sign that a driver will yield. Too often, a driver looks right at a motorcyclist and still fails to “see” him. The only eyes that you can count on are your own. If a car can enter your path, assume that it will. Good riders are always “looking for trouble” — not to get into it, but to stay out of it.

Increase your chances of being seen at intersections. Ride with your headlight on in a lane position that provides the best view of oncoming traffic. Provide a space cushion around the motorcycle that permits you to take evasive action.

As you approach the intersection, select a lane position to increase your visibility to the driver. Cover the clutch and both brakes to reduce reaction time.

Reduce your speed as you approach an intersection. After you have entered the intersection, move away from vehicles preparing to turn.

Do not radically change speed or position. The driver might think that you are preparing to turn.

BLIND INTERSECTIONS
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If you approach a blind intersection, move to the portion of the lane that will bring you into another driver’s field of vision at the earliest possible moment. In this picture, the rider has moved to the left portion of the lane — away from the parked car — so the driver on the cross street can see him as soon as possible.

Remember, the key is to see as much as possible and remain visible to others while protecting your space.

If you have a stop sign or stop line, stop there first. Then edge forward and stop again, just short of where the cross-traffic lane meets your lane. From that position, lean your body forward and look around buildings, parked cars, or bushes to see if anything is coming. Just make sure your front wheel stays out of the cross lane of travel while you’re looking.

PASSING PARKED CARS
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When passing parked cars, stay toward the left of your lane. You can avoid problems caused by doors opening, drivers getting out of cars, or people stepping from between cars. If oncoming traffic is present, it is usually best to remain in the center-lane position to maximize your space cushion.

A bigger problem can occur if the driver pulls away from the curb without checking for traffic behind. Even if he does look, he may fail to see you.

In either event, the driver might cut into your path. Slow down or change lanes to make room for someone cutting in.

Cars making a sudden U-turn are the most dangerous. They may cut you off entirely, blocking the whole roadway and leaving you with no place to go. Since you cannot tell what a driver will do, slow down and get the driver’s attention. Sound your horn and continue with caution.

PARKING AT THE ROADSIDE
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Park at a 90° angle to the curb with your rear wheel touching the curb.

INCREASING CONSPICUITY
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In crashes with motorcyclists, drivers often say they never saw the motorcycle. From ahead or behind, a motorcycle’s outline is much smaller than a car’s. Also, it is hard to see something you are not looking for, and most drivers are not looking for motorcycles. More likely, they are looking through the skinny, two-wheeled silhouette in search of cars that may pose a problem to them.

Even if a driver does see you coming, you are not necessarily safe. Smaller vehicles appear farther away, and seem to be traveling slower than they actually are. it is common for drivers to pull out in front of motorcyclists, thinking they have plenty of time. Too often, they are wrong.

However, you can do many things to make it easier for others to recognize you and your motorcycle.

CLOTHING
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Most crashes occur in broad daylight. Wear bright colored clothing to increase your chances of being seen. Remember, your body is half of the visible surface area of the rider/motorcycle unit.

Bright orange, red, yellow or green jackets or vests are your best bets for being seen. Your helmet can do more than protect you in a crash. Brightly colored helmets can also help others see you.

Any bright color is better than drab or dark colors. Reflective, bright colored clothing (helmet and jacket or vest) is best.

Reflective material on a vest and on the sides of the helmet will help drivers coming from the side spot you.

Reflective material can also be a big help for drivers coming toward you or from behind.

HEADLIGHT
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The best way to help others see your motorcycle is to keep the headlight on – at all times (motorcycles sold in the U.S. since 1978 have the headlights on automatically when running.) Studies show that, during the day, a motorcycle with its light on is twice as likely to be noticed. Use of the high beam during the day increases the likelihood that oncoming drivers will see you. Use the low beam at night and in cloudy weather.

SIGNALS
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The signals on a motorcycle are similar to those on a car, They tell others what you plan to do. However, due to a rider’s added vulnerability, signals are even more important. Use them anytime you plan to change lanes or turn. Use them even when you think no one else is around. It’s the car you do not see that is going to give you the most trouble. Your signal lights also make you easier to spot. That is why it is a good idea to use your turn signals even when what you plan to do is obvious.

When you enter onto a freeway, drivers approaching from behind are more likely to see your signal blinking and make room for you.

Turning your signal light on before each turn reduces confusion and frustration for the traffic around you. Once you turn, make sure your signal is off or a driver may pull directly into your path, thinking you plan to turn again. Use your signals at every turn so drivers can react accordingly. Do not make them guess what you intend to do.

BRAKE LIGHT
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Your motorcycle’s brake light is usually not as noticeable as the brake lights on a car — particularly when your taillight is on. (It goes on with the headlight.) If the situation will permit, help others notice you by flashing your brake light before you slow down. It is especially important to flash your brake light before:

You slow more quickly than others might expect (turning off a high-speed highway).

You slow where others may not expect it (in the middle of a block or at an alley).

If you are being followed closely, it is a good idea to flash your brake light before you slow. The tailgater may be watching you and not see something ahead that will make you slow down. This will hopefully discourage them from tailgating and warn them of hazards ahead they may not see.

USING YOUR MIRRORS
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While it is most important to keep track of what is happening ahead, you cannot afford to ignore situations behind. Traffic conditions change quickly. Knowing what is going on behind is essential for you to make a safe decision about how to handle trouble ahead.

Frequent mirror checks should be part of your normal scanning routine. Make a special point of using your mirrors:

When you are stopped at an intersection. Watch cars coming up from behind. If the driver is not paying attention, he could be on top of you before he sees you.

Before you change lanes. Make sure no one is about to pass you.

Before you slow down. The driver behind may not expect you to slow, or may be unsure about where you will slow. For example, you signal a turn and the driver thinks you plan to turn at a distant intersection, rather than at a nearer driveway.

Some motorcycles have rounded (convex) mirrors. These provide a wider view of the road behind than do flat mirrors. They also make cars seem farther away than they really are. If you are not used to convex mirrors, get familiar with them. (While you are stopped, pick out a parked car in your mirror. Form a mental image of how far away it is. Then, turn around and look at it to see how close you came.) Practice with your mirrors until you become a good judge of distance. Even then, allow extra distance before you change lanes.

HEAD CHECKS
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Checking your mirrors is not enough. Motorcycles have “blind spots” like cars. Before you change lanes, turn your head, and look to the side for other vehicles.

On a road with several lanes, check the far lane and the one next to you. A driver in the distant lane may head for the same space you plan to take. Frequent head checks should be your normal scanning routine, also. Know what is happening all around you.

HORN
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Be ready to use your horn to get someone’s attention quickly.

It is a good idea to give a quick beep before passing anyone that may move into your lane.

Here are some situations:

A driver in the lane next to you is driving too closely to the vehicle ahead and may want to pass.

A parked car has someone in the driver’s seat.

Someone is in the street, riding a bicycle or walking.

In an emergency, press the horn button loud and long. Be ready to stop or swerve away from the danger.

Keep in mind that a motorcycle’s horn is not as loud as a car’s, therefore, use it, but do not rely on it. Other strategies may be appropriate along with the horn.

RIDING AT NIGHT
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At night it is harder for you to see and be seen. Picking your headlight or taillight out of the car lights around you is not easy for other drivers. To compensate, you should:

Reduce Your Speed — Ride even slower than you would during the day — particularly on roads you don’t know well. This will increase your chances of avoiding a hazard.

Increase Distance — Distances are harder to judge at night than during the day. Your eyes rely upon shadows and light contrasts to determine how far away an object is and how fast it is coming. These contrasts are missing or distorted under artificial lights at night. Open up a three-second following distance or more. And allow more distance to pass and be passed.

Use the Car Ahead — The headlights of the car ahead can give you a better view of the road than even your high beam can. Its taillights bouncing up and down can alert you to bumps or rough pavement.

Use Your High Beam — Get all the light you can. Use your high beam whenever you are not following or meeting a car. Be visible, wear reflective materials when riding at night.

Be Flexible About Lane Position. Change to whatever portion of the lane is best able to help you see, be seen, and keep an adequate space cushion.

CRASH AVOIDANCE
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No matter how careful you are, there will be times when you find yourself in a tight spot. Your chances of getting out safely depend on your ability to react quickly and properly. Often, a crash occurs because a rider is not prepared or skilled in crash-avoidance maneuvers.

Know when and how to stop or swerve, two skills critical to avoiding a crash. It is not always desirable or possible to stop quickly to avoid an obstacle. Riders must also be able to swerve around an obstacle. Determining the skill necessary for the situation is important as well.

Studies show that most riders involved in crashes:

Underbrake the front tire and overbrake the rear.

Did not separate braking from swerving or did not choose swerving when it was appropriate.

The following information offers some good advice.

QUICK STOPS
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To stop quickly, apply both brakes at the same time. Do not be shy about using the front brake, but do not “grab” it, either. Squeeze the brake lever firmly and progressively. If the front wheel locks, release the front brake immediately then reapply it firmly. At the same time, press down on the rear brake. If you accidentally lock the rear brake on a good traction surface, keep it locked until you have completely stopped. Even with a locked rear wheel, you can control the motorcycle on a straightaway if it is upright and going in a straight line.

Always use both brakes at the same time to stop. The front brake can provide 70% or more of the potential stopping power.

If you must stop quickly while turning or riding a curve, the best technique is to straighten the bike upright first and then brake. However, it may not always be possible to straighten the motorcycle and then stop. If you must brake while leaning, apply light brakes and reduce the throttle. As you slow, you can reduce your lean angle and apply more brake pressure until the motorcycle is straight and maximum brake pressure is possible. You should “straighten” the handlebars in the last few feet of stopping, the motorcycle should then be straight up and in balance.

SWERVING OR TURNING QUICKLY
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Sometimes you may not have enough room to stop, even if you use both brakes properly. An object might appear suddenly in your path. Or the car ahead might squeal to a stop. The only way to avoid a crash may be to turn quickly, or swerve around it.

A swerve is any sudden change in direction. It can be two quick turns, or a rapid shift to the side. Apply a small amount of hand pressure to the handgrip located on the side of your intended direction of escape. This will cause the motorcycle to lean quickly.

The sharper the turn(s), the more the motorcycle must lean.

Keep your body upright and allow the motorcycle to lean in the direction of the turn while keeping your knees against the tank and your feet solidly on the foot rests. Let the motorcycle move underneath you. Make your escape route the target of your vision. Press on the opposite handgrip once you clear the obstacle to return you to your original direction of travel. To swerve to the left, press the left handgrip, then press the right to recover. To swerve to the right, press right, then left.

IF BRAKING IS REQUIRED, SEPARATE IT FROM SWERVING.

Brake before or after – never while swerving.

RIDING A CURVE
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A primary cause of single-vehicle crashes is motorcyclists running wide in a curve or turn and colliding with the roadway or a fixed object.

Every curve is different. Be alert to whether a curve remains constant, gradually widens, gets tighter, or involves multiple turns.

Ride within your skill level and posted speed limits.

Your best path may not always follow the curve of the road. Change lane position depending on traffic, road conditions and curve of the road. If no traffic is present, start at the outside of a curve to increase your line of sight and the effective radius of the turn. As you turn, move toward the inside of the curve, and as you pass the center, move to the outside to exit.

Another alternative is to move to the center of your lane before entering a curve — and stay there until you exit. This permits you to spot approaching traffic as soon as possible. You can also adjust for traffic “crowding” the center line, or debris blocking part of your lane.

HANDLING DANGEROUS SURFACES
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Your chance of falling or being involved in a crash increases whenever you ride across:

Uneven surfaces or obstacles.

Slippery surfaces.

Railroad tracks.

Grooves and gratings.

UNEVEN SURFACES AND OBSTACLES
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Watch for uneven surfaces such as bumps, broken pavement, potholes, or small pieces of highway trash.

Try to avoid obstacles by slowing or going around them. If you must go over the obstacle, first, determine if it is possible. Approach it at as close to a 90º angle as possible. Look where you want to go to control your path of travel. If you have to ride over the obstacle, you should:

Slow down as much as possible before contact.

Make sure the motorcycle is straight.

Rise slightly off the seat with your weight on the footpegs to absorb the shock with your knees and elbows, and avoid being thrown off the motorcycle.

Just before contact, roll on the throttle slightly to lighten the front end.

If you ride over an object on the street, pull off the road and check your tires and rims for damage before riding any farther.

SLIPPERY SURFACES
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Motorcycles handle better when ridden on surfaces that permit good traction. Surfaces that provide poor traction include:

Wet pavement, particularly just after it starts to rain and before surface oil washes to the side of the road.

Gravel roads, or where sand and gravel collect.

Mud, snow, and ice.

Lane markings, steel plates and manhole covers, especially when wet.

To ride safely on slippery surfaces:

Reduce Speed — Slow down before you get to a slippery surface to lessen your chances of skidding. Your motorcycle needs more distance to stop. And, it is particularly important to reduce speed before entering wet curves.

Avoid Sudden Moves — Any sudden change in speed or direction can cause a skid. Be as smooth as possible when you speed up, shift gears, turn or brake.

Use Both Brakes — The front brake is still effective, even on a slippery surface. Squeeze the brake lever gradually to avoid locking the front wheel. Remember, gentle pressure on the rear brake.

The center of a lane can be hazardous when wet. When it starts to rain, ride in the tire tracks left by cars. Often, the left tire track will be the best position, depending on traffic and other road conditions as well.

Rain dries and snow melts faster on some sections of a road than on others. Patches of ice tend to crop up in low or shaded areas and on bridges and overpasses. Wet surfaces or wet leaves are just as slippery. Ride on the least slippery portion of the lane and reduce speed.

Cautious riders steer clear of roads covered with ice or snow. If you cannot avoid a slippery surface, keep your motorcycle straight up and proceed as slowly as possible. If you encounter a large surface so slippery that you must coast, or travel at a walking pace, consider letting your feet skim along the surface. If the motorcycle starts to fall, you can catch yourself. Be sure to keep off the brakes. If possible, squeeze the clutch and coast. Attempting this maneuver at anything other than the slowest of speeds could prove hazardous.

RAILROAD TRACKS, TROLLEY TRACKS AND PAVEMENT SEAMS
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Usually it is safer to ride straight within your lane to cross tracks. Turning to take tracks head-on (at a 90° angle) can be more dangerous – your path may carry you into another lane of traffic.

For track and road seams that run parallel to your course, move far enough away from tracks, ruts, or pavement seams to cross at an angle of at least 45°. Then, make a quick, sharp turn. Edging across could catch your tires and throw you off balance.

GROOVES AND GRATINGS
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Riding over rain grooves or bridge gratings may cause a motorcycle to weave. The uneasy, wandering feeling generally is not hazardous. Relax, maintain a steady speed and ride straight across. Crossing at an angle forces riders to zigzag to stay in the lane. The zigzag is far more hazardous than the wandering feeling

MECHANICAL PROBLEMS

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You can find yourself in an emergency the moment something goes wrong with your motorcycle. In dealing with any mechanical problem, take into account the road and traffic conditions you face. Here are some guidelines that can help you handle mechanical problems safely.

TIRE FAILURE
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You will seldom hear a tire go flat. If the motorcycle starts handling differently, it may be a tire failure. This can be dangerous. You must be able to tell from the way the motorcycle reacts. If one of your tires suddenly loses air, react quickly to keep your balance. Pull off and check the tires.

If the front tire goes flat, the steering will feel “heavy.” A front-wheel flat is particularly hazardous because it affects your steering. You have to steer well to keep your balance.

If the rear tire goes flat, the back of the motorcycle may jerk or sway from side to side.

If either tire goes flat while riding:

Hold handlegrips firmly, ease off the throttle, and keep a straight course.

If braking is required, however, gradually apply the brake of the tire that is not flat, if you are sure which one it is.

When the motorcycle slows, edge to the side of the road, squeeze the clutch and stop.

STUCK THROTTLE
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Twist the throttle back and forth several times. If the throttle cable is stuck, this may free it. If the throttle stays stuck immediately operate the engine cut-off switch and pull in the clutch at the same time. This will remove power from the rear wheel, though engine noise may not immediately decline. Once the motorcycle is “under control,” pull off and stop.

After you have stopped, check the throttle cable carefully to find the source of the trouble. Make certain the throttle works freely before you start to ride again.

WOBBLE
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A “wobble” occurs when the front wheel and handlebars start to shake suddenly from side to side at any speed. Most wobbles can be traced to improper loading, unsuitable accessories, or incorrect tire pressure. If you are carrying a heavy load, lighten it. If you cannot, shift it. Center the weight lower and farther forward on the motorcycle. Make sure tire pressure, spring pre-load, air shocks, and dampers are at the settings recommended for that much weight. Make sure windshields and fairings are mounted property.

Check for poorly adjusted steering; worn steering parts; a front wheel that is bent, misaligned, or out of balance; loose wheel bearings or spokes; and swingarm bearings. If none of these are determined to be the cause, have the motorcycle checked out thoroughly by a qualified professional.

Trying to “accelerate out of a wobble” will only make the motorcycle more unstable. Instead:

Grip the handlebars firmly, but do not fight the wobble.

Close the throttle gradually to slow down. Do not apply the brakes; braking could make the wobble worse.

Move your weight as far forward and down as possible.

Pull off the road as soon as you can to fix the problem.

CHAIN PROBLEMS
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A chain that slips or breaks while you are riding could lock the rear wheel and cause your cycle to skid. Chain slippage or breakage can be avoided by proper maintenance.

Slippage — If the chain slips when you try to speed up quickly or ride uphill, pull off the road. Check the chain and sprockets. Tightening the chain may help. If the problem is a worn or stretched chain or worn or bent sprockets, replace the chain, the sprockets, or both before riding again.

Breakage — You will notice an instant loss of power to the rear wheel. Close the throttle and brake to a stop.

ENGINE SEIZURE
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When the engine “locks” or “freezes” it is usually low on oil. The engine’s moving parts cannot move smoothly against each other, and the engine overheats. The first sign may be a loss of engine power or a change in the engine’s sound. Squeeze the clutch lever to disengage the engine from the rear wheel. Pull off the road and stop. Check the oil. If needed, oil should be added as soon as possible or the engine will seize. When this happens, the effect is the same as a locked rear wheel. Let the engine cool before restarting.

ANIMALS
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Naturally, you should do everything you safely can to avoid hitting an animal. If you are in traffic, however, remain in your lane. Hitting something small is less dangerous to you than hitting something big — like a car.

Motorcycles seem to attract dogs. If you are chased, downshift and approach the animal slowly. As you approach it, accelerate away and leave the animal behind. Do not kick at an animal. Keep control of your motorcycle, and look to where you want to go.

For larger animals (deer, elk, cattle) brake and prepare to stop, they are unpredictable.

FLYING OBJECTS
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From time to time riders are struck by insects, cigarettes thrown from cars, or pebbles kicked up by the tires of the vehicle ahead. If you are wearing face protection, it might get smeared or cracked, making it difficult to see. Without face protection, an object could hit you in the eye, face, or mouth. Whatever happens, keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the handlebars. When safe, pull off the road and repair the damage.

GETTING OFF THE ROAD
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If you need to leave the road to check the motorcycle (or just to rest for a while), be sure you:

Check the roadside — Make sure the surface of the roadside is firm enough to ride on. If it is soft grass, loose sand, or if you are just not sure about it, slow way down before you turn onto it.

Signal — Drivers behind might not expect you to slow down. Give a clear signal that you will be slowing down and changing direction. Check your mirror and make a head check before you take any action.

Pull off the road — Get as far off the road as you can. It can be very hard to spot a motorcycle by the side of the road. You do not want someone else pulling off at the same place you are.

Park carefully — Loose and sloped shoulders can make setting the side or center stand difficult.

CARRYING PASSENGERS AND CARGO
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Only experienced riders should carry passengers or large loads. The extra weight changes the way the motorcycle handles, balances, turns, speeds up, and slows down. Before taking a passenger or heavy load on the street, practice away from traffic.

EQUIPMENT
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To carry passengers safely:

Equip and adjust your motorcycle to carry passengers.

Instruct the passenger before you start.

Adjust your riding technique for the added weight.

Equipment should include:

A proper seat — large enough to hold both of you without crowding. You should not sit any farther forward than you usually do.

Foot rests — for the passenger. Firm footing prevents your passenger from falling off and pulling you off, too.

Protective equipment — the same protective gear recommended for operators.

Adjust the suspension to handle the additional weight. You will probably need to add a few pounds of pressure to the tires if you carry a passenger. (Check your owner’s manual for appropriate settings.) While your passenger sits on the seat with you, adjust the mirror and headlight according to the change in the motorcycle’s angle.

INSTRUCTING PASSENGERS
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Even if your passenger is a motorcycle rider, provide complete instructions before you start. Tell your passenger to:

Get on the motorcycle only after you have started the engine.

Sit as far forward as possible without crowding you.

Hold firmly to your waist, hips, or belt.

Keep both feet on the pegs, even when stopped.

Keep legs away from the muffler(s), chains or moving parts.

Stay directly behind you, leaning as you lean.

Avoid unnecessary talk or motion.

Also, tell your passenger to tighten his or her hold when you:

Approach surface problems.
Are about to start from a stop.
Warn that you will make a sudden move.

More…

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Beginner’s Guide to Motorcycling

3:19 am by digitalmbul in Safety Riding

One of the most important new skills a rider learns is how to Counter Steer or Push Steer correctly with confidence. Some have problems with the technique, some are timid and others just were never taught properly.

I like using the work “Push Steering” rather than “Counter Steering” because it is easier to visualize and imagine.

Push Steering is when you want to turn (lean) the bike at speeds over 20km/h. While you can do all sorts of things to turn the motorcycle rather than push steer, push steering works the best of all. It should be practiced until done with confidence and correctly because it is very important skill to have. Once you have read this article I believe it will bring your confidence right up!

Counter/Push Steering the Easy Way
- Learning to Ride

It is best to practice in a parking lot or in an area without other cars and on clean pavement. Setting up cans or cones to make a turn is a good idea that will help you out.

The MOST IMPORTANT THING about building confidence in counter-steering (push steering) is…

Motorcycles always want and are the happiest being straight up from the ground when the front tire is rotating (when you are moving). This is true because of the gyroscopic effect of the front wheel spinning around. Remember playing with a gyroscope when you were little and how hard it was to upset its balance from spinning straight up? Well that is same with a motorcycle as well! (Technical: How a gyroscope works)

Basic Explanation: As the gyroscope spins, the force of the spinning causes the gyroscope to want to stay upright and be stable.

As with the motorcycle tire: As the front motorcycle tire spins, the force of the spinning causes the motorcycle body to want to stay upright and be stable

What happens when you push steer (counter-steer) is you only temporarily (as long as you are pushing on the bar) leaning the motorcycle to the left or right while looking where you want to go. It requires MORE force to lean the motorcycle to the left or right than it does to bring it straight back up because of the gyroscopic effect. Thus the motorcycle always wants to be stable and will bring itself back up right and therefore the motorcycle won’t fall down.

By looking as far into the turn (where you want to go) as you can, you assure yourself of making the whole push-steering job easier on yourself! You will always go where you look (or look at), so why not look into the turn rather than stare at the ground or a few feet ahead? Why make it more difficult on yourself!

So will the motorcycle ever fall completely over push steering? If by “fall” you are meaning skidding it sideways (off the tires) so you do not have any tire grip anymore than yes. BUT it would require quite an extreme lean angle that you would have to do this on purpose before it would happen. And thanks to other things getting in the way (pegs, exhaust, side/canter stand) that these things would touch the ground long before you ran out of tire traction! Even if these things scrape the ground you still have good control and it is a breeze to bring the back back straight up! These are turns motorcycle racers do around track corners and if you are starting to scope things on the ground in a turn, then you mastered push steering beyond the scope of this article!

Now, that is an Extreme lean and the motorcycle still has not fallen over! Note that they are looking into the turn, not directly in front of them.

So let’s Review:

- Motorcycles are extremely stable machines that highly prefer to travel straight up from the ground thanks to the rotating front wheel causes a highly stable gyroscopic effect.

- To push steer, push on the bar the way to want to turn. Push right to go right, push left to go left.

- It requires more force to temporarily lean (turn) the motorcycle than it does to bring it back up. In fact, the motorcycle will do it almost 100% on its own!

- To push steer you need to be going 20km/h or greater.

- It is extremely difficult (0.001% chance) to have the bike fall down without doing it on purpose.

- Always Look as far down the turn where you want to go to make push steering easier on yourself.

Steering – Rake and Trail

What makes one motorcycle turn better than another one? What is heavy steering? What is rake and trail any ways?
Rake is the angle between the headset tube and a vertical line. Increasing the rake will move the front tire farther from the bike. Rake is measured in degrees, and is a frame specification. To visualize trail, draw an imaginary line along the path of the headset tube to the ground. Measure from this point to the center of the tire patch. This is trail, and is measured in inches.

The amount of rake is significant in determining a motorcycle’s handling characteristics. In general, more rake provides greater straight line stability, less rake makes the bike more responsive. Larger values of trail also create more straight line stability. This is why the forks on a sportbike are more vertical than those of a cruiser.

Typical Cruiser Dimensions (2003 Honda VTX1800)

Rake 32.0 degrees
Trail 152.0mm (6.0 inches)
Wheelbase 67.5 inches

Therefore: With a rake of 32 degrees and a trail of 152mm (6 inches) this motorcycle will be better and more stable in a straight line than turning a tight corner. The long wheelbase of 67.5 inches also assists this motorcycle again in straight line performance but will hinder it in cornering. So this motorcycle has been properly designed for it’s intended purpose (touring, cruising, and highway use).

Typical Sport Bike Dimensions (2003 Honda CBR600RR)

Rake 24.0 degrees
Trail 95.0mm (3.7 inches)
Wheelbase 54.7 inches

Therefore: With a rake of 24 degrees and a trail of 95mm (3.7 inches) this motorcycle will turn much quicker and sharper than the Cruiser, but will not be as good or as stable in a straight line. The short wheelbase of 54.7 inches also assists this motorcycle again in cornering but hinders straight line stability. So this motorcycle has been properly designed for it’s intended purpose (going in and out of corners at high speeds and taking twisty roads).

Visualize the wheels of a shopping cart for an illustration of a machine with zero rake and a lot of trail. Exciting handling, but zero straight line stability.

http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/school-SectionFiveB.htm

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