Panic Situations-Talking to yourself can keep you alive

Throughout the set of articles I have written here there is a clear message, often repeated - you should practice, practice, practice.

Having some confidence in the merits of the material that you have read here, I suspect that most of you accept the premise that practice is worthwhile because it tends to convert what is otherwise difficult to 'doable with some facility' (meaning that as a result of practice you will have the skill and confidence to know that you CAN do whatever has to be done, quickly and without error.) Further, it teaches both our muscles and our minds how to do things in a way that requires very little thought, very little lost time 'finding' the appropriate controls, and just how much force is required when using those controls. In other words, practice allows us to accomplish what must be done without the loss of time and control that would occur should you simultaneously have to learn how when that panic situation presents itself to you.

So, is that all there is to it? Are you assured that if you practice enough you will be ready to do whatever it takes while your body fills itself with adrenaline?

Surprisingly, the answer is both yes and no. You will be READY (and able) to do what must be done, but what you have not practiced is dealing with that adrenaline. You, normally, do not place yourself in situations where panic stops are required in order to save your life when you practice. Indeed, when you practice you should do so in the safest environment possible so that mistakes can be learned from rather than put you in the morgue.

In the real world there is a requirement that you build a bridge from the theoretical to the actualization of your training. Let me give you an example of what I'm trying to get at here: You are rounding a right-hand curve and see that a vehicle is coming towards you in the opposite lane. That vehicle looks like it might be hugging the center line. It has your attention! Indeed, you are target fixated on it!! What do you do about it?

You have learned that motorcycles tend to go where you are looking. You have experienced that phenomenon many times. You know that target fixation can kill you, again, because your motorcycle tends to go where you are looking. So, why are you target fixated? You know better.

Virtually all of your driving experience has been 'practice' in this case. You know that unless you change the focus of your fixation away from the threat and towards an escape route you are likely to steer right into that oncoming vehicle. But as soon as you realized that you were fixated on that vehicle your body started to manufacture a ton of adrenaline and pump it into your bloodstream. You have started a 'fight or flight' panic attack.

All you need to do to get out of trouble is to TALK TO YOURSELF! You need to say something like: 'I need to look where I want to go. Look away from that truck. That direction is where I want to go. Come on, baby, let's go that way!'

Dumb, right? Well, it doesn't matter what words you use when talking to yourself. What matters is that you tell yourself to do what has to be done. That kicks in the lessons learned from all your prior practice and the job gets done.

In the case study found elsewhere on this site you will see an example of how this has saved my bacon any number of times in the past. I was driving immediately behind another rider who, as a result of target fixation, had a catastrophic accident. I had a passenger on my bike at the time and, among other things, I resorted to telling myself: "Control stop this baby!" The result, a smooth but rapid stop that avoided losing control (no locked brakes). Plenty of adrenaline was running its course and trying to get in the way. No time to learn how to stop quickly. Practice had prepared me, and all I needed was that little bridge - a brief chat with myself that insisted that I DO SOMETHING that had to be done, NOW!

Practice is fundamentally important, and so is dealing with the adrenaline that tends to confuse. No need to argue with yourself. Just a quick chat that starts the activity. Muscle memory and familiarity gets the job done from there.

By: James R. Davis

www.msgroup.org

 

Batteries-More than you ever wanted to know

"Why Batteries Die". Please keep in mind that I am not a battery engineer and as always, I hope to provide some information which may be of service.

Let's consider some aspects of battery theory which may be useful in understanding how lead-acid storage batteries work. The battery which we find in motorcycle and automotive applications is intended to produce a high current for a short length of time for starting purposes. A secondary (maybe considered primary depending on law) purpose is to provide park lights and to allow for the operation of lighting loads and some accessory loads such as cooling fans when the engine is not running or is running at too low a speed to allow the alternator to produce enough to keep up with the load. If we didn't need to electrically start (crank) the engine, we could make do with a much smaller battery or no battery at all. That would be another world however so let's look at this one.

The typical lead-acid battery is made up of a case, positive plates, negative plates, plate separators, cell connectors, filler caps, and electrolyte. The battery case used to be made of a type of rubberized material but is now of a specialized type of plastic. I use the term "specialized" to indicate that I don't know what kind of plastic that is made from. (Saying that it is "specialized" sounds more informed don't you think?) It has the ability to withstand the effects of the sulphuric acid mixture, a fair amount of impact, extremes of temperature from below minus 55 degrees C (60 below F) up to over 150 degrees C (300 degrees F). I have observed batteries surviving these extremes 60 below outside temp and 300 degrees under hood temp.

The positive plates are made of lead peroxide and the negative plates are of sponge lead. "Sponge lead" in that the plates are formed of lead which is manufactured with a surface having a great number of surface irregularities as has a sponge. A battery's capacity is dependent on the surface area of plates which is exposed to electrolyte - the more plate area exposed to electrolyte, the more capacity the battery has to deliver current.

At this point, I should mention that the battery is called a "battery" because it is a "battery" of "cells" and that it is easier to refer to the construction of one cell. A cell is made up of at least one positive plate (lead peroxide) and one negative plate (sponge lead) which are surrounded by a sufficient quantity of electrolyte to chemically involve the plate material. In order to provide enough current (amps) to do the work required, the plate area required (for one cell) is about 75 square inches for the negative plate group and 85 square inches for the positive plate group. If you put a light behind your battery next time you have it out, you will be able to see the plates quite clearly. You will also see that there are dividers, one for each filler cap which divides the battery case into six separate sections or cells. Each cell has its own electrolyte and its own set of plates. If you tip the battery a bit, you will see that the electrolyte does not flow from one cell into the next.

If you have the opportunity to see a battery which has been cut apart, you will see the construction quite clearly, you will see also that the positive plate material (if new) is a brown colour (lead peroxide).

Looking at a battery which has been taken apart or with a bit of persistence and a flashlight looking down the filler cap holes, you will notice that the plates are connected in two groups and that the plates alternate in order. Starting at one end, they start with a positive, then negative, then positive, etc. ending with an "extra" positive plate.

Looking at the cell nearest to the positive battery post, you will notice that there are a number of plates in the first cell. Looking carefully, you will be able to see that the first plate from the end is connected to a connector bar off the positive battery post and that this connector does not go through the cell wall into the next cell. Going from the first plate in the cell which is a positive plate, you can see that there is a separator between this first plate and the plate next in line. Looking through the filler hole, you will see that the separators extend beyond the plates to ensure that nothing can "bridge" between two plates. The separator plate is of porous material which (in the cells which I have taken apart) looks like a heavy piece of unbleached kraft paper. Sort of like a rectangle of super heavy shopping bag paper. This separator plate is porous to allow it to be fully impregnated with electrolyte so that it does not impede the flow of electrons. The separator plate also has vertical raised ridges which provide some small space between the separator and the plate. The ridges allow small bits of material which can become separated, to fall to the bottom of the battery case. The purpose of these separator plates is to prevent the cell plates from coming into contact with one another and to prevent the cell plates from moving in response to shock or vibration.

Battery plates:

As you have seen, a cell is made up of positive and negative plates which are constructed of different materials. You will also note that the area required would make the cells (and thus the battery) very difficult to fit into the bike if the cell were composed of only one positive and one negative plate. It is also easier to support a number of smaller plates to withstand shock and vibration than it would be if there were only two large plates per cell. Those of us who are a bit "long in the tooth" will remember some of the odd shaped 6 volt car batteries which were in service in the 1940's and 1950's- the shape doesn't matter as long as you can fit the right number of cells with enough plate area in each to do the job.

When the cell plates are made, they are created by first forming a plate "grid" of solid metal. This grid looks like a coarse screen with rectangular holes inside a heavier frame which surrounds the "screen". The purpose of the "frame" is to support the plate and to provide an electrical conduit for the flow of electrons to and from the active material. The rectangular "screen" holes are arranged so that the short sides are vertical. The positive plate group is assembled by welding a connector bar across the top of the plate "frames" along one side. If the group is to form the first cell at the positive end of the battery, the connector bar will have the positive battery post (external connector for the cables) attached. The negative plate group (often containing one less plate) is assembled in the same manner. If the negative plate group were part of the cell at the negative end of the battery, this connector bar would have the negative post attached. In this case however we are discussing the cell nearest the positive (post) end of the battery and the negative plate group will not have a battery post attached. Instead of a battery post, the negative group's connector bar will have a "U" shaped piece attached which is connected (really it is part of the connector since these are all made in one piece) to the connector bar for the next cell. If you look at the top of your battery, you will note that there are two raised areas on either side of the filler caps. The raised area on the same side as the battery posts has a vent hose attached and is intended to vent gases resulting from charging and to prevent electrolyte from splashing out. On both sides of the battery top is a narrower raised area which accommodates the "U" shaped connectors which go between the cells.

Going back to the subject of the plates, the grid or frame is composed of a lead-antimony alloy or a lead-calcium alloy. Older batteries used lead-antimony and the new generation of batteries (often called "maintenance free") use the lead-calcium alloy. The active material (lead peroxide or sponge lead) is placed into the spaces in the grid (into the holes in the screen). The active material is not very strong and requires the support of the grid.

The battery electrolyte is a mixture of 36% Sulphuric Acid (H2 SO4) and water. If the two plate groups together with their separators are placed into the case and the electrolyte added the battery must be "formed" by charging it for the first time.

Something which applies a load to the battery (either inside or outside the battery) will drain it given enough time. The small load required to the "keep alive " circuits to radios and CB's to allow them to remember stations will eventually drain a battery. It's a good idea to disconnect the negative cable or main fuse (I prefer the cable) when the bike is parked for a month or more. Shops are remarkable stupid in this regard! A battery will self discharge, that is it will drain internally given enough time which is why batteries need periodic recharging when in storage even if the cable is disconnected. Even more frequently if the cable is not disconnected. An unfortunate fact of life is that batteries which are designed to produce high starting currents do not like to be drained. You can completely discharge a new automotive battery and recharge it 3 or 4 times and then load test and you will often find that the battery's capacity (ability to deliver current) is markedly less. I've seen many occasions where a new auto battery was finished after being drained (flat) dead two times. The best advice I can offer is to avoid at all costs, deep cycling (draining down a lot and recharging) a bike or car battery. At one time I worked for a Honda car dealer in northern Canada and salvaged a lot of batteries which were not good enough to provide good starting in the cold although they would have been fine in cars in warmer climates. These Honda batteries were Yuashas and I used them on a battery storage system to provide lighting and power to a house in a remote location. The batteries were placed in two groups in which they were connected in parallel to produce 12 volts with large current potential. The two groups were used separately to power the system so that one group was in use while the other was charged. By having one group out of service at a time only one group could be drained if a load was left on inadvertently. We experienced many occasions where one or the other group was discharged due to an internal fault in one battery of the group. The interesting thing (to me anyway) was that the Yuasha batteries seemed to be remarkable tolerant of cycling and some survived this treatment for several years. In no occasion did another make (Delco, Motorcraft, Firestone, ESB, Exide, Sears, you name it) survive for more than three or 4 months. This likely has little to do with our GW service but if this is indicative of the relative tolerance of Yuashas to drain-charge cycling, we should be glad that we don't have to use other types. (Note* I say "other types" I did not say "other makes". Someone else could make a battery of this type, I have just never seen an auto battery which exhibits these characteristics). Since car and bike batteries are not called upon to provide deep cycling (deep levels of charge-discharge) this does not speak to their ability to provide good service in a starting mode.

One could finance a new SE and retirement on the value of batteries which are unnecessarily replaced in this country in one week. If you have time, disconnect the battery negative, top up the electrolyte with the best water which you can reasonably obtain and charge the battery. Let the battery sit for a few days (good winter test) and measure voltage or specific gravity, if its below 12.6 - 12.8 volts (1.280 - 1.290 specific gravity @ 80 F) you've probably found an offender. I am always surprised that people will continually recharge a battery which is dead every morning. Why not disconnect the negative and see if it still goes dead over night? If is dies while disconnected the battery is the problem. An unlikely problem with bike batteries is that there is enough electrolyte on the battery top to provide a discharge route.

This couldn't happen anyway because you rinse the top off with a bit of baking soda and water a couple of times per year, right. Don't forget to have the filler caps in place and tight!

If the battery only goes dead when connected then the drain is via the bike's wiring. If you have a sensitive induction ammeter or an ammeter to connect in series, you can measure a drain on the battery and find the drain by disconnecting things until the drain goes away. Keep in mind the small drain to the radios & clock, etc.

By: Norm Keller

www.msgroup.org 

Tire Pressure-More temperature sensitive than you might think

As we are now into the colder months of the year I thought it appropriate to post a reminder about tire pressures and the effect of temperature on same.

Stamped on the outside of many of your tires is a recommended tire pressure range. (At least an upper limit.) For longest tire life it is my recommendation that you strive to keep them at the higher limit of those recommendations (regardless of what your motorcycle owner's manual might say to the contrary.) Further, this pressure should be determined while the tires are cold - meaning, have not been used for a couple of hours.

Time and outside temperature effect the pressure within your tires. It is NORMAL for a tire to lose about 1 pound per square inch (psi) per month. Outside temperatures affect your tire pressure far more profoundly, however. A tire's pressure can change by 1 psi for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit of temperature change. As temperature goes, so goes pressure.

For example, if a tire is found to have 38 psi on an 80-degree mid-summer day, it could lose enough air to have an inflation pressure of 26 psi on a 20-degree day six months later. This represents a loss of 6 psi over six months and an additional loss of 6 psi due to the 60 degree temperature reduction.

At 26 psi, your tire is severely under inflated and dangerous!

 

There is nothing wrong with your tire if it behaves like this, of course. What is being illustrated here is that you MUST check your tire pressure on a regular basis (about once a week is reasonable) and to be particularly aware of it on cold days.

 

By: James R. Davis

www.msgroup.org 

Electrical Systems-Common sense advice

Sooner or later you will need to find a failing component, a broken wire, or a short. Or, you will attempt to add a new device to your motorcycle and have to do some wiring. Following are a set of basics that seem not to be taught anywhere except by experience:

• Just because the motorcycle uses a 12 Volt battery does not mean that LETHAL voltages don't exist. Spark plug leads carry many thousands of Volts! Stay away from them. (Actually, lethal currents kill.)
• The vast majority of 'failures' can be fixed with the simple replacement of a fuse - particularly on older bikes that use old-style fuses. If the failing fuse is not visibly burnt it is often just fractured as a result of age.
• Crimp connectors are a NO-NO on motorcycles. Vibration and weathering will eventually make them fail. Solder all wire joints you make and use a piece of shrink-wrap tubing to finish the job.
• Solid wires are a NO-NO on motorcycles. Vibration tends to fracture them. Always use stranded wire. (You should carry a length of stranded wire as part of your 'tools'.)
• Many circuits in modern motorcycles contain solid state devices (transistors). These can be damaged if you use a test light on them. Instead, use a high impedance (10-meg or greater) digital multimeter to test voltage levels in these circuits.
• Any connector that you can pull apart should be packed with dielectric grease when you have put it back together again! Dielectric grease is NON-CONDUCTIVE. It is used to keep contacts within the connectors clean and to protect them from corrosion. Connectors in a motorcycle's charging system will melt and fail easily if those contacts are not perfectly maintained because the slightest increase in resistance will cause a huge amount of heat based on their large current loads.
• Even with the master fuse pulled there is one great danger that continues to exist in a motorcycle's electrical system - the starter solenoid. Since the current load necessary to turn the starter motor is so great, that circuit is NOT fused. Thus, if you happen to short the solenoid your bike's starter motor will engage!
• Whenever adding a component use a separate fuse and circuit for it. Do not simply piggy-back on an existing circuit.
• Whenever removing your battery always disconnect the NEGATIVE terminal first. This insures that there will not be a disaster should your screwdriver happen to slip while disconnecting the positive terminal and it hits any bare metal.
• If you smell gasoline, do NOT work on electrical systems!!!!!!!!

By: James R. Davis

www.msgroup.org 

Side-stands, What could possibly be said about these?

Like an airplane, it is my opinion that motorcycles should have a 'walk around' performed before every ride. During these quick checks you will see the obvious: low tire pressure, damaged tires, dripping oil, open luggage, and the like. (You might also get in the habit of checking your oil level.)

Depending on how frequently you ride, I suggest that a 'touch everything' (literally) check should also be done regularly where such things as loose windscreens, loose spark plug wires, loose antennas, loose mirrors, etc. are discovered before they become problems.

 

But one part of our machines tends to get overlooked by most during our casual checks - our side stands.

First, let's look at what can go wrong with them.

• The most obvious is a weak or broken lock spring. With either you can end up dragging the stand as you ride, or it will fail to 'lock' the stand into place when you lower it leaving your bike on its left side when you dismount.
• Newer bikes have an interlock switch that kills the ignition if you put the bike into gear while the stand is down. That switch can fail. If you rely on it and don't bother to check that the stand is up before you drive away, that first left turn can easily send you bouncing over to the right and result in total loss of control.
• Older bikes have a rubber 'finger' extension at the tip of the stand that will wear over time. The purpose of that little 'finger' is to grab the pavement before the metal part of the stand itself does and ATTEMPT to pull the stand out of its locked position before it hits. There is a wear marker on these rubber extensions and when yours gets worn to that point it should be replaced because it no longer reaches the ground before the metal part of the side stand.
• If when parked on a level surface your bike is not leaning heavily on the side stand you should adjust the side stand, if possible, so that it does. If it is not possible for you to adjust the side stand sufficiently, any welder can easily do so in a matter of minutes.

Assuming that your side stand is fully functional, there are things you should not do in order to keep them from turning dangerous.

• You should never take a bike down from its center stand while the side stand is down. To do so risks potential damage to the frame and engine mounts (from shock) and can easily result in tossing your bike over onto its right side. Situations that increase the risk include your shocks being low, heavy luggage, a road slope to the right, or coming down slightly off center.
• You should never simply kick the stand down at your destination and climb off your bike without visually checking that it is extended all the way and 'locked' into place.
• You should never have your shocks so low, or luggage so heavy, or stop on an incline to the right so great that you have to lean the bike to the right in order to get the side stand all the way down. If you have to do so, the bike will not be leaning heavily on that side stand when you leave it and you cannot, as a result, trust that your bike will remain standing when you return to it.
• You should never allow a passenger to mount or dismount your bike while the side stand is down (or you are off the bike, or you do not have both feet on the ground, or you are not in neutral). Compressing/decompressing shocks can result in the side stand pushing the bike over onto its right side.
• You should never rely on the side stand to support your bike by itself unless you are parked on a solid surface. While sand and grassy areas are obviously not 'solid', neither is asphalt when the temperature exceeds 90 degrees. Placing a 'foot' under that side stand is usually all that is required to keep your stand from punching a hole under it and sending your bike onto its left side.
• You should never leave your bike unattended in neutral gear with the side stand down if you are parked facing down (OR up) a hill. Putting the bike in gear (especially reverse) will 'lock' the rear wheel and your bike will still be standing when you return to it. Being 'in-gear' is the closest thing on your scoot to having a parking brake! 

 By: James R. Davis 

www.msgroup.org 

Introduction to Advanced Motorcycle Riding Strategies

Riding a motorcycle safely requires both physical and mental skills. You need physical skills to operate the bike smoothly and to perform evasive maneuvers like swerving and stopping. You need mental skills to safely interact with other traffic and to avoid hazards. But which is more important? How much of riding is physical, and how much is mental?

While the amounts vary depending on the bike, the rider, and the situation, experts believe that riding a motorcycle on the street is 90% mental and 10% physical. Beginning riders probably focus as much on the physical side as the mental side, maybe 50/50, while experienced riders probably focus almost entirely on the mental side: maybe 95/5!  

Mental Skills - Analogy  
 A good example of how this works is that of tying your shoes: when you first learned to tie your shoes, it wasn’t easy. It was a new skill, and there was a lot to remember. (Which hand does what? Which lace goes over, and which goes under? How do you make that loop again?) You didn’t always get it on the first try. But as you got older, you tied your shoes more, you got better and better at it, and eventually it came naturally - you didn’t even have to think about it anymore. Your hands knew what to do. This is called "muscle memory", and the same principal applies to riding a motorcycle. 

Once you’ve mastered the basic physical skills, you can afford to pay more attention to your surroundings. Your hands and feet know what to do, which frees your mind up for its most important job: detecting and avoiding hazards.

This Advanced Riding Strategies section of the MMSC Web page contains 44 pages of information meant to help you develop your own riding strategy, or to enhance and hone your current riding strategy. We hope that, after viewing this material, you will:

• 
  
  Understand the importance of using a riding strategy.
• 
  
  Understand the three parts of a riding strategy.
• 
  
  Successfully use the riding strategy to increase your safety.
• 
  
  Be particularly skilled at dealing with intersections, freeway traffic, and mountain riding.
   

Motorcycles and Passengers

The Passenger's Job

A motorcycle passenger can't contribute much to the stability of the motorcycle, because any bike is easier to ride without a passenger. This is true no matter how skilled the passenger. Motorcycles are, by their basic principles, a single-person vehicle. Even the giant road bikes are safer, more stable, and more comfortable without a passenger.

So, the passenger's primary job is to destabilize the vehicle as little as possible. The best way to do that is to mirror the actions of the rider as smoothly as possible. The easiest way to do what the rider does is to be attached to the rider. Women riding with men seem to automatically know this and keep a firm hold on the rider's waist or hips.

The secondary job of a rider is to act as a second set of eyes and ears connected to a second brain. If two minds are better than one anywhere, it's even more true on a motorcycle. There are obstacles and hazards coming toward you from every direction on a motorcycle. A good rider can cover about 180 degrees of hazard observation. A good rider with a good passenger can almost double that.

Motorcycles are poor places for daydreaming, even as a passenger. You should be watching, listening, and smelling for hazards and changes in the riding environment any time the vehicle is in motion. If you keep in mind that you're traveling on a "life-support mechanism" that needs constant attention, you may save your own life.

Before you go into motion, you should have a basic communication system in place. Don't count on being able to talk over the wind noise, unless you have a headset communication system. Headsets fail and you may need to quickly get the rider's attention in an emergency, so, you still need a basic manual system. If an intercom is not used, the co-rider and rider need to establish communication signals. Suggested signals could be:

• Right turn - squeeze or tap the right arm
• Left turn - squeeze or tap the left arm
• Stop or slow down - squeeze or tap with both arms
• Other (bathroom break, I’m hungry/thirsty, cut that out!, etc.)
• For rider-to-co-rider signals, it’s easier to tap the right or left leg for turns and to lean back slightly as a signal for stopping or slowing.

With all of these precautions in place, we go riding.

Quick Tips for Carrying Passengers

1. Equip and adjust your motorcycle to carry passengers:

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  A proper seat—large enough to hold both of you without crowding. You (rider) should not sit any farther forward than you usually do.
• 
  
  Footpegs for the passenger are required by law in Minnesota. A firm footing prevents your passenger from falling off and pulling you off, too.
• 
  
  Adjust the suspension to handle the additional weight. Add a few pounds of pressure to the tires if necessary (check your owner’s manual.)
• 
  
  While your passenger sits on the bike with you, adjust the mirrors according to the change in the motorcycle’s angle.

2. Even if your passenger is a motorcycle rider, provide complete instructions before you start. The passenger should:

• 
  
  Mount the motorcycle after you have started the engine and have the bike pointed in the right direction.
• 
  
  Squeeze the front brake while the passenger mounts and dismounts.
• 
  
  Sit as far forward as possible without crowding you.
• 
  
  Hold firmly to your waist, hips, or belt.
• 
  
  Keep both feet on the pegs at all times, even when stopped.
• 
  
  Keep legs away from the muffler(s).
• 
  
  Remain directly behind you, looking over your shoulder in turns.
• 
  
  Avoid unnecessary talk or movements when the bike is in motion.

3. Tell your passenger to tighten his or her hold when you:

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  Approach surface problems.
• 
  
  Are about to start from a stop.
• 
  
  Warn him or her that you are going to make a sudden move.

4. Your motorcycle will respond differently with a passenger on board. The more weight you carry, the more effort it will take to slow down, speed up, or turn—especially on a lighter bike.

• 
  
  Ride at a slower pace, especially when taking curves, corners, or bumps.
• 
  
  Maintain a larger cushion of space from other vehicles.
• 
  
  Wait for larger gaps to cross, enter, or merge into traffic.
• 
  
  Take time to practice braking, accelerating, and turning with a passenger on board to develop the different skills you'll need at the controls.

5. Other tips:

• 
  
  Start the engine before your passenger gets on the bike. Squeeze the front brake while the passenger mounts or dismounts.
• 
  
  Don’t try to impress your passenger with your skills or daring. For a new passenger, the best experience will be a smooth, relaxed ride with few surprises.

Effective Braking

The Fundamentals

Sometimes when you're teaching someone how ride a motorcycle it's easy to forget to teach him or her to stop one. It's easy to forget that stopping is as important as starting, and for the beginner, it can be nearly as difficult a skill to master.

Using the brakes on a bike is much more challenging than using the brakes on a car. A rider must use both hands and both feet at the same time to stop a motorcycle. In one motion, the rider must pull in the clutch lever with the left hand and squeeze the front brake lever with the right, while shifting down to first gear with the left foot and pressing down on the rear brake pedal with the right.

The front brake is the more important of the two brakes. An average motorcycle relies on the front brake for 70-to-80 percent of its stopping power. Bikes with long wheelbases and a more rearward weight distribution (like cruisers) rely more heavily on their rear brakes than bikes with shorter wheelbases (like sportbikes) but even on a cruiser, it is the front brake that does most of the work when stopping.

Contrary to persistent mythology, a motorcycle will not flip over accidentally if the rider uses the front brake. On modern sport bikes, it's possible to raise the rear wheel by applying the front brake--this stunt is called a "stoppie"--but to do this requires a good bit of skill and practice. It also beats the living daylights out of your motorcycle.

It's important to develop a feel for what your brakes are doing so that you can apply the appropriate force for a given situation. You don't want to squeeze the brake lever or press the brake pedal too hard, or you'll lock up your tires and skid. This is especially true of the rear tire, which locks up more easily than the front tire, especially on modern motorcycles, most of which are equipped with rear disc brakes. According to a report issued by the California Highway Patrol in the mid-1990s, a rider locking up his or her rear brake is a factor in the majority of all the crashes they investigated. 

Locking up the brakes is Not a Good Thing. When your tire is sliding, it drastically reduces traction and braking efficiency while drastically increasing your odds of crashing. If your rear tire starts to skid, there's a good chance you'll either low side the bike (slide down on the road and crash), or high side the bike (start to slide one direction, then flip over in the other direction). A high side, the worst kind of single-vehicle crash you can have, happens when the rider releases the brake while skidding. This allows the tire to regain traction, jerking the motorcycle in the opposite direction. 

The best technique to use for a skidding tire is to not skid the tire in the first place. If you do so accidentally:

• Rear-wheel skid: keep the rear wheel locked until you're completely stopped, keeping your eyes focused straight ahead and not at the ground. Exception: if you skid the rear wheel on a poor surface like gravel, it is possible to regain traction by gradually easing up on the rear brake pedal. The key there is gradually.)
• Front-wheel skid: release the front brake and then reapply it immediately, being careful to squeeze the front brake lever and not "grab" it.

Two Wheels Versus Four Wheels

Riding a two-wheeled vehicle involves all sorts of weird chassis dynamics, dynamics not experienced in a four-wheeled vehicle. 

The relatively small amount of rubber in the contact patch of a motorcycle tire means a motorcycle has less traction available than a car. Plus, unlike cars, motorcycles lean when they turn. As your motorcycle leans, the available traction changes: this means you have less traction available in a turn. Anyone who has watched much motorcycle road racing has probably seen more than a few racers crash because they applied the brakes while leaning over in corners.

To further complicate matters, when you accelerate, decelerate, or brake, you upset the chassis of your motorcycle, causing it to move around. Not only does this distract you, it varies the amount of pressure on your tires, which in turn varies your available traction.

• Because of the physics involved with riding a motorcycle, you should get your braking done before you turn. Apply the brakes when the motorcycle is upright, before you lean over to turn. If you brake when you're leaned over, you're much more likely to skid than you are if you brake when the motorcycle is upright. Remember, when you're leaned over, you have less traction available.
• If you are going too fast and need to slow down in a corner, the best technique is to stand the bike up for a brief moment, brake hard in a straight line, then immediately lean back into the curve. If you do this for more than a split second, you will run off the road, which sort of defeats your purpose. Your best technique is to not enter the corner too hot in the first place.

Braking Practice

Locking up your brakes is a very dangerous situation. To help avoid it, practice stopping quickly in a parking lot or other area free of traffic and obstacles, being careful not to lock up the tires. While riding in a perfectly straight line, practice applying the brakes right up to the point of locking your tires. Make certain to give yourself plenty of room so you can decrease the brake pressure should you start to skid, yet still have enough space to safely stop. Remember, the point is to perfect your skills should an emergency situation arise, not create an emergency situation.

During this exercise you will most likely skid the tires, but if you are going perfectly straight and don't panic, it should prove harmless. And if you do panic and fall down, of course you will be wearing proper safety gear, so most likely you won't be seriously hurt. This practice will give you a sense of where the limits are in an emergency braking situation, allowing you to stop in the most effective manner.

Only after you are comfortable with your ability to feel what the tires are doing through the brake lever and brake pedal should you venture out on public roads.

Advanced Practice

Even after you master braking, you need to constantly practice emergency stops. Find a place with no traffic or obstacles and practice stopping as hard as you can. First practice stopping using just the front brake. At the slightest hint of the front tire locking up, release the front brake. Once you know the limits of your front brake and can instinctively apply them forcefully and quickly, begin adding a small amount of rear brake at the same time as you apply the front brake. Remember, the front brake does most of the work, and the rear brake locks the tire up much easier than the front, so you won't apply nearly as much pressure to the rear brake as you do to the front.

Tips

 Cover Your Brake Levers

While riding in any kind of high-risk area (which describes most places you'll ride), always cover your front brake with at least a couple of fingers--that is, ride with at least two fingers resting on your front-brake lever. Also, make certain your foot is in position to use the rear-brake pedal. Having your hand and foot in position to stop will give you an extra fraction of a second to stop, which, if you haven't figured this out by now, can mean the difference between life and death.

Antilock Brake Systems

ABS stands for Antilock Brake System. ABS systems on motorcycles operate much like those on cars-sensors detect when a wheel is not turning, and release pressure to the brake on that wheel, preventing a skid. Under normal conditions, a rider can do this without ABS, but in an emergency, it's a good feature to have, and can save your life.

Protective Riding Gear

 

             (Professional)                                        (Amateur)

Good motorcycle riding gear is not just for the racetrack. Wearing protective gear on the street separates the pros from the amateurs.

The pros wear protective gear because it looks great and can prevent injuries in a crash. Give yourself the same advantage on the street.

Gearing up can also prevent crashes by keeping you comfortable, alert and focused on the road. Conditions such as poor weather, blinding sun, darkness and heavy traffic can make motorcycling very risky. The right gear will protect you from the elements and make you more visible to other drivers. 

Good riding gear can be expensive, but decent equipment can be found at a reasonable price. Protective gear can also save you money on medical bills if you do crash. Buy the best gear you can afford.

                                                                                                     

To ride like a pro, dress like a pro. Think. Ride Smart.

            

Protect Your Eyes

Face Shield, Safety Glasses or Goggles

A clear view of your environment is critical to safe riding. Many hazards, including wind, rain, insects, and blowing sand and dirt, can impair your vision and increase your risk of crashing. That’s why pro riders use glasses, goggles, and helmets equipped with face shields to protect their eyes.

Eye protection comes in various styles, so choose equipment that you enjoy wearing. Select protective eyewear that is clear or has a yellow tint. Other tints can impair night vision.

Eyewear should be cleaned with soap, water, and a cloth or sponge before every ride. Avoid products such as paper towels, tissues, and napkins, which can scratch plastic lenses.

         

Your eyes are your best source of information. Think. Ride Smart.

Protect Your Head

Helmet

Use your head when you ride. Motorcycling may seem like a physical sport, but in reality, your safety depends on making good decisions — such as protecting your head with a helmet. Wearing a helmet will help ensure that you enjoy a lifetime of riding.

There are two general types of helmets: full coverage and partial coverage. A full-coverage helmet will protect your entire face. But if you enjoy a feeling of freedom and the wind on your face, you may prefer a partial-coverage helmet.

If you believe helmets are uncomfortable, you probably have not tried one that fits properly. Helmets that fit correctly are comfortable and will not distract you from the road or riding. It is important to find a helmet brand and size that is comfortable and fits snugly.

A helmet can also make you more visible. Choose a color that stands out in traffic. Helmets last from three to five years or for one impact. If a helmet is dropped or involved in a crash, it should be replaced.

Use your head. Think. Ride Smart.

Protect Your Body

Riding Suit

Wearing a motorcycle jacket or full riding suit reduces your risk of being injured and reduces the severity of any injuries. Good protection insulates you from heat, cold, rain, and flying debris. This increases your comfort and allows you to concentrate on riding, which means you are less likely to be involved in a crash.

Body protection comes in one-piece suits or jacket and pants combinations. Look for protective gear that has armored impact areas in the elbows, knees, shoulders, hips, and back.

Leather riding suits provide the best protection in a crash. Although expensive,  leather can withstand multiple crashes before needing to be repaired or replaced, but it does not hold up well in the rain. Gear made from synthetic materials, such as durable plastic and nylon fabrics, provide all-weather protection, but may need to be repaired or replaced after one crash. To see how a good suit perfoms in a crash.

It is critical for motorcyclists to be highly visible. Wearing brightly colored protective gear improves your chances of being seen in traffic.

Dress for the slide, not the ride. Think. Ride Smart.

Protect Your Hands and Feet

Gloves and Boots

Hand and foot injuries are very common in motorcycle crashes. A rider’s hands are often the first body part make contact with the ground. In a crash, injuries to the feet and ankles are often caused by the motorcycle itself. Pro riders consider gloves and boots essential.

Heavy-duty gloves that fasten securely at the wrists will protect your hands and help you maintain a good grip on the controls. Leather motorcycle gloves offer the best fit, design, and protection.

Look for motorcycle boots that are reinforced and protect the toes, ankles and shins. Your boots should provide good support and be free of dangling laces.

You need your hands and feet to control the bike. Think. Ride Smart.

Extra Credit

Rain Gear

Depending on the gear you wear, it may be good to carry a rain suit with you. Spend a few extra dollars to keep yourself dry and protect your investment.

If you are caught in a rainstorm, you will understand the value of a waterproof suit, glove and boot covers. A rain suit will protect your gear from water damage and keep you from getting soaked. Rain suits also provide superior wind protection.

Stay dry. Think. Ride Smart.

Graduation

Total Body Protection

No matter how expensive or customized your motorcycle, riding without protective gear will make you look like an amateur.

Good gear is an investment that is worth every penny. Wearing protective gear will reduce severity of injuries in a crash, keep you comfortable and visible — and allow you to ride for longer periods. Get the best gear you can afford. 

Stand out from the crowd. Ride like a pro. Think. Ride Smart.

Additional Safe Driving Tips

Watch aggressively for motorcycles.

• Search the traffic around you constantly and expect to see motorcycles.
• Check your blind spots before changing lanes or merging, especially in heavy traffic.
• Double-check traffic at intersections before you turn or pull out.
• Motorcycles can easily be hidden in traffic. Look for a helmet above, tires below, or a shadow alongside a vehicle that you can't see around.

Anticipate hazards that may confront the motorcyclist and predict how the motorcyclist may react to the situation.

• Poor road conditions, bad weather, flying debris, oil slicks, and heavy traffic pose high risks for motorcyclists.

Allow a minimum two-second "space cushion" when following a motorcycle.

• Pick out a fixed object ahead of you. When the motorcycle passes the object, count off, "one thousand one, one thousand two." If you haven't passed the same object after two seconds, your following distance meets the two-second minimum.

• In poor driving conditions, at higher speeds and at night, use a four or five-second following distance to give the motorcyclist more space.

Watch out when turning left.

• Most crashes between cars and motorcycles involve turning left at an intersection. If you are preparing to cross traffic or turn left, take a second look for motorcycles.
• Because motorcycles are smaller than cars, it is harder to see them and more difficult to judge their approach speed in traffic.

Share the road.

• Do not drive your car in the same lane as a motorcycle. It is unsafe and illegal.

• Treat motorcyclists with the same respect and courtesy you afford to other motorists.

Observe and obey all traffic laws, signs, and signals.

• Failure to obey and yield the right-of-way can result in the death or serious injury of a motorcyclist.

• Stay focused on the driving task. Inattentive driving is a major cause of car-motorcycle crashes.

• Use turn signals to indicate your next move. This allows the motorcyclist anticipate traffic flow and find a safe lane position.

• Remove all possible distractions that can interfere with the driver's attention, and remove any objects that may block the driver's view.

Safe Driving Tips for Motorists

About half of all motorcycle crashes involve a collision with another vehicle. In many crashes, the driver never saw the motorcyclist - or didn't see him or her until it was too late. There are many reasons why other drivers do not see motorcyclists.

• Most car drivers aren't familiar with motorcycles, so they don't think to look for them in traffic.

• Motorcycle riders typically wear dark colors and can easily blend into the background and "disappear."

• Motorcycles are smaller than other vehicles, so they are more difficult to spot in traffic and can be hidden by other vehicles or roadside features.

• Daytime headlight use does not give motorcycle riders much of an advantage anymore, due to the widespread use of daytime running lights on cars.

• The smaller size and single headlight on the motorcycle makes it more difficult for other drivers to judge a rider's speed and distance.

The Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center encourages everyone--car drivers and motorcyclists--to practice these techniques to make motorcycling safer for everyone.

1. WHEN TURNING LEFT Most crashes between cars and motorcycles involve turning left at an intersection. If you plan to cross traffic or turn left, please LOOK TWICE for motorcycles before you turn.

2. BLIND SPOTS Motorcycles are easily hidden in traffic. Always take a second look over your shoulder—don’t rely solely on your mirrors for information.

3. WEATHER Rain and sun glare can make a motorcycle invisible. Take an extra moment to make sure the way is clear.

4. SIGNALS Use turn signals to indicate your next move. This allows the rider to anticipate traffic flow and find a safe lane position.

5. LARGER VEHICLES Cars and trucks can conceal a motorcycle traveling behind it. Take an extra moment after a larger vehicle passes before you begin your turn behind it.

6. EYE CONTACT Motorcyclists make eye contact often to feel confident that other drivers see them. Please give a nod back to acknowledge them.

7. DISTANCE Motorcyclists prefer to use a large space cushion, allowing them more time to react. Please do not cut in front of a motorcycle and eliminate the safe following distance.

8. SIGNALS Most motorcycle turn signals do not cancel automatically. If you see a cycle coming, and the signal is flashing, please wait a moment for the cycle to pass.


 

How to Lift a Fallen Motorcycle

Picking up a motorcycle can be dangerous and cause serious injury if done incorrectly or under poor footing. A simple back injury could wreck your life! Always, always, always try to get help first—and remember, you don't want anybody else to get hurt, either. You need to think clearly, use common sense, and be in good physical condition. Keep your body and back straight, and lift only with your legs. Maintain control of the motorcycle and never twist your body while lifting. Check the motorcycle for damage prior to riding it again. 

The majority of picking up a motorcycle is mental: Work smarter, not harder. Motorcycles are heavy machines. Think about how you want to do it first—if you were going to lift a 300-pound refrigerator, would you just run up and grab it and start muscling it around, or would you plan your attack? What would you do if you were going to lift an 800-pound refrigerator?

The ideal situation for lifting a motorcycle would be:

1. Have the lifting technique demonstrated by a qualified professional.

2. Practice with a qualified professional.

3. Have the qualified professional evaluate and coach your lifting technique.

Step 1: Assess Yourself

Take a few minutes to calm down. Seeing your bike lying on its side can be a traumatic experience, but it happens to everyone at one time or another. Your bike's not going anywhere without you. Spend a few minutes asking yourself questions and talking yourself through it: are you hurt? Are you able to pick up your motorcycle in a normal situation? Do you want to pick up your motorcycle? Is it safe to pick up your motorcycle? Etc., etc. You have the rest of your life to pick up your bike; take a few minutes to relax and assess the situation. It's best if you get help. And remember: if someone helps you, don't forget to warn them not to touch the hot exhaust pipe, not to lift by the turn signals, etc. Also make sure they lift correctly. You don't want someone else getting hurt.

Step 2: Assess the Environment

If you are in danger from other traffic, get away from your motorcycle and seek a place of safety. Let law enforcement respond and take control of the scene before picking up your motorcycle. Take a look at the ground: do you have a solid surface to lift from? Is there gravel? Is the pavement wet? Are you right next to a ditch? You don't want to slip and get pinned under your bike.

Step 3: Assess the Motorcycle

Turn it off using the engine cut-off switch or the ignition switch. Turn off the fuel using the fuel supply valve. Spilled fuel is common, so use caution (though usually you need sparks, flame, or an ignition source to have a fire or explosion.) If the motorcycle is lying on its right side, put the sidestand down and put the motorcycle in gear. If the motorcycle is on its left side, you can't put the side stand down and can't put the motorcycle in gear. Make a mental note of these facts. You don't want to pick up your motorcycle and then immediately drop it onto its other side! Techniques to Lift the Motorcycle—Preferred and Regular Methods.

Technique I: Facing Away from the Motorcycle - For Large Motorcycles Preferred Method for any Size

1. Turn the handlebars to full-lock position with front of tire pointed downward.

 

2. Find the "balance point" of the two tires and the engine, engine guard, or footpeg. The motorcycle will be fairly easy to lift until it reaches this point because it's resting on its side. Once you start lifting from there, you are responsible for the most of the weight of the bike. 

3. "Sit" down with your butt/lower back against the motorcycle seat. Be very careful to keep your back straight and your head up. Put your feet solidly on the ground about 12 inches apart, with your knees bent slightly.

4. With one hand, grasp the handgrip (underhand, preferably), keeping your wrist straight.

5. With your other hand, grip the motorcycle framework (or any solid part of the motorcycle), being careful to avoid the hot exhaust pipe, turn signals, etc.

6. Lift with your legs by taking small steps backwards, pressing against the seat with your butt and keeping your back straight. On slippery or gravelly surfaces this technique probably won't work. On inclined surfaces this can be very dangerous. 

 7. Be careful not to lift the motorcycle up and then flip it onto its other side! If possible, put the sidestand down and the bike in gear.

8. Set the motorcycle on its sidestand and park it safely.

Technique II: Facing the Motorcycle - For Small and Medium-Sized Motorcycles Regular Method.

1. Turn the handlebars to the full-lock position with the front of the tire pointed skyward. 

 2. Find the balance point of the two tires and the engine, engine guard, or footpeg. The motorcycle will be fairly easy to lift until it reaches this point because it's resting on its side. Once you start lifting from there, you are responsible for the most of the weight of the bike.

3. Stand very close to the handlebars. Plant your feet about shoulder-width apart with the lower handgrip in between them. Use both hands to lift. Keeping your back straight and your head up, lift carefully, keeping the handgrip close to your body. Use your leg muscles for power, and not your back muscles. 

  4. Be careful you don't lift the motorcycle up and then flip it onto its other side. 

 

5. Set the motorcycle on its sidestand and park it safely.