50 Ways to Save Your Life We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. —Aristotle
Motorcyclist Magazine,
The best bike in the world is scrap—or soon will be—unless you learn how to use it. The most powerful piece of high-performance hardware is between your ears. To help you program it with the right information, we’ve assembled 50 potentially lifesaving bits of street savvy. Some you’ll know, some you won’t. All are worth remembering, because when it comes to riding motorcycles on the street, the people over at the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (www.msf-usa.org) have the right idea with their tagline: The more you know, the better it gets.
TOP 50 LIST:
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[size0] 1. Assume you’re invisible Because to a lot of drivers, you are. Never make a move based on the assumption that another driver sees you, even if you’ve just made eye contact. Bikes don’t always register in the four-wheel mind.
2. Be considerate The consequences of strafing the jerk du jour or cutting him off start out bad and get worse. Pretend it was your grandma and think again.
3. Dress for the crash, not the pool or the prom Sure, Joaquin’s Fish Tacos is a 5-minute trip, but nobody plans to eat pavement. Modern mesh gear means 100-degree heat is no excuse for a T-shirt and board shorts.
4. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst Assume that car across the intersection will turn across your bow when the light goes green, with or without a turn signal.
5. Leave your ego at home The only people who really care if you were faster on the freeway will be the officer and the judge.
6. Pay attention Yes, there is a half-naked girl on the billboard. That shock does feels squishy. Meanwhile, you could be drifting toward Big Trouble. Focus.
7. Mirrors only show you part of the picture Never change direction without turning your head to make sure the coast really is clear.
Mirrors only show you part of the picture.
8. Be patient Always take another second or three before you pull out to pass, ride away from a curb or into freeway traffic from an on-ramp. It's what you don't see that gets you. That extra look could save your butt.
9. Watch your closing speed Passing cars at twice their speed or changing lanes to shoot past a row of stopped cars is just asking for trouble.
10. Beware the verge and the merge A lot of nasty surprises end up on the sides of the road: empty McDonald’s bags, nails, TV antennas, ladders, you name it. Watch for potentially troublesome debris on both sides of the road.
11. Left-turning cars remain a leading killer of motorcyclists Don’t assume someone will wait for you to dart through the intersection. They’re trying to beat the light, too.
12. Beware of cars running traffic lights The first few seconds after a signal light changes are the most perilous. Look both ways before barging into an intersection.
13. Check your mirrors Do it every time you change lanes, slow down or stop. Be ready to move if another vehicle is about to occupy the space you’d planned to use.
Scan 12 seconds ahead for potential trouble.
14. Mind the gap Remember Driver’s Ed? One second’s worth of distance per 10 mph is the old rule of thumb. Better still, scan the next 12 seconds ahead for potential trouble.
15. Beware of tuner cars They’re quick and their drivers tend to be aggressive. Don’t assume you’ve beaten one away from a light or outpaced it in traffic and change lanes without looking. You could end up as a Nissan hood ornament.
16. Excessive entrance speed hurts It’s the leading cause of single-bike accidents on twisty roads and racetracks. In Slow, Out Fast is the old adage, and it still works. Dialing up corner speed is safer than scrubbing it off.
17. Don’t trust that deer whistle Ungulates and other feral beasts prowl at dawn and dusk, so heed those big yellow signs. If you’re riding in a target-rich environment, slow down and watch the shoulders.
18. Learn to use both brakes The front does most of your stopping, but a little rear brake on corner entry can calm a nervous chassis.
19. Keep the front brake covered—always Save a single second of reaction time at 60 mph and you can stop 88 feet shorter. Think about that.
20. Look where you want to go Use the miracle of target fixation to your advantage. The motorcycle goes where you look, so focus on the solution instead of the problem.
Check your mirrors every time you change lanes.
21. Keep your eyes moving Traffic is always shifting, so keep scanning for potential trouble. Don’t lock your eyes on any one thing for too long unless you’re actually dealing with trouble.
22. Think before you act Careful whipping around that Camry going 7 mph in a 25-mph zone or you could end up with your head in the driver’s side door when he turns into the driveway right in front of you.
23. Raise your gaze It’s too late to do anything about the 20 feet immediately in front of your fender, so scan the road far enough ahead to see trouble and change trajectory.
24. Get your mind right in the driveway Most accidents happen during the first 15 minutes of a ride, below 40 mph, near an intersection or driveway. Yes, that could be your driveway.
25. Come to a full stop at that next stop sign Put a foot down. Look again. Anything less forces a snap decision with no time to spot potential trouble.
26. Never dive into a gap in stalled traffic Cars may have stopped for a reason, and you may not be able to see why until it’s too late to do anything about it.
27. Don’t saddle up more than you can handle If you weigh 95 pounds, avoid that 795-pound cruiser. If you’re 5-foot-5, forget those towering adventure-tourers.
Stay in your comfort zone riding with a group.
28. Watch for car doors opening in traffic And smacking a car that’s swerving around some goofball’s open door is just as painful.
29. Don’t get in an intersection rut Watch for a two-way stop after a string of four-way intersections. If you expect cross-traffic to stop, there could be a painful surprise when it doesn’t.
30. Stay in your comfort zone when you’re with a group Riding over your head is a good way to end up in the ditch. Any bunch worth riding with will have a rendezvous point where you’ll be able to link up again.
31. Give your eyes some time to adjust A minute or two of low light heading from a well-lighted garage onto dark streets is a good thing. Otherwise, you’re essentially flying blind for the first mile or so.
32. Master the slow U-turn Practice. Park your butt on the outside edge of the seat and lean the bike into the turn, using your body as a counterweight as you pivot around the rear wheel.
33. Who put a stop sign at the top of this hill? Don’t panic. Use the rear brake to keep from rolling back down. Use Mr. Throttle and Mr. Clutch normally—and smoothly—to pull away.
34. If it looks slippery, assume it is A patch of suspicious pavement could be just about anything. Butter Flavor Crisco? Gravel? Mobil 1? Or maybe it’s nothing. Better to slow down for nothing than go on your head.
35. Bang! A blowout! Now what? No sudden moves. The motorcycle isn’t happy, so be prepared to apply a little calming muscle to maintain course. Ease back the throttle, brake gingerly with the good wheel and pull over very smoothly to the shoulder. Big sigh.
Hedge your bets at intersections.
36. Drops on the faceshield? It’s raining. Lightly misted pavement can be slipperier than when it’s been rinsed by a downpour, and you never know how much grip there is. Apply maximum-level concentration, caution and smoothness.
37. Emotions in check? To paraphrase Mr. Ice Cube, chickity-check yoself before you wreck yoself. Emotions are as powerful as any drug, so take inventory every time you saddle up. If you’re mad, sad, exhausted or anxious, stay put.
38. Wear good gear Wear stuff that fits you and the weather. If you’re too hot or too cold or fighting with a jacket that binds across the shoulders, you’re dangerous. It’s that simple.
39. Leave the iPod at home You won’t hear that cement truck in time with Spinal Tap cranked to 11, but they might like your headphones in intensive care.
40. Learn to swerve Be able to do two tight turns in quick succession. Flick left around the bag of briquettes, then right back to your original trajectory. The bike will follow your eyes, so look at the way around, not the briquettes. Now practice till it’s a reflex.
41. Be smooth at low speeds Take some angst out, especially of slow-speed maneuvers, with a bit of rear brake. It adds a welcome bit of stability by minimizing unwelcome weight transfer and potentially bothersome driveline lash.
42. Flashing is good for you Turn signals get your attention by flashing, right? So a few easy taps on the pedal or lever before stopping makes your brake light more eye-catching to trailing traffic.
43. Intersections are scary, so hedge your bets Put another vehicle between your bike and the possibility of someone running the stop sign/red light on your right and you cut your chances of getting nailed in half.
44. Tune your peripheral vision Pick a point near the center of that wall over there. Now scan as far as you can by moving your attention, not your gaze. The more you can see without turning your head, the sooner you can react to trouble.
Everything is harder to see after dark.
45. All alone at a light that won’t turn green? Put as much motorcycle as possible directly above the sensor wire—usually buried in the pavement beneath you and located by a round or square pattern behind the limit line. If the light still won’t change, try putting your kickstand down, right on the wire. You should be on your way in seconds.
46. Every-thing is harder to see after dark Adjust your headlights, Carry a clear faceshield and have your game all the way on after dark, especially during commuter hours.
47. Don’t troll next to—or right behind—Mr. Peterbilt If one of those 18 retreads blows up—which they do with some regularity—it de-treads, and that can be ugly. Unless you like dodging huge chunks of flying rubber, keep your distance.
48. Take the panic out of panic stops Develop an intimate relationship with your front brake. Seek out some safe, open pavement. Starting slowly, find that fine line between maximum braking and a locked wheel, and then do it again, and again.
49. Make your tires right None of this stuff matters unless your skins are right. Don’t take ’em for granted. Make sure pressure is spot-on every time you ride. Check for cuts, nails and other junk they might have picked up, as well as general wear.
50. Take a deep breath Count to 10. Visualize whirled peas. Forgetting some clown’s 80-mph indiscretion beats running the risk of ruining your life, or ending it. [/font]
You know, I have to take issue with number 19. I was taught to keep hand OFF the brake. It is simple really.. Firstly, it allows you to keep a better grip on the bars, and of course, better throttle control.
Secondly, I was taught it allows for better emergency braking. If your hand is over the lever already, you will just react, and snatch the lever as hard as you can, locking the front up, or taking so much weight off the back so quickly that the rear brake is useless. Or worse, you will grab the front brake hard without knocking the throttle off first, which can be a recipe for disaster. My instructor says that when you have to reach for the brake, you put some thought into how you apply the pressure, and will stop faster.
It is definitely true on my bike, with very soggy front suspension. You have to take the pressure up gently, and get on the back brake before going for maximum braking at the front.
Another useful tip, is to only use the back brake to hold the bike still at the lights. That means if a cage driver comes and punts you up the arse, you end up sitting on his bonnet whilst your bike wanders off without you. If you are holding the front brake, you go over the bars and into the traffic.
Dunno why they missed out the obvious one. Leave your headlight on all the time. Makes a fair difference to daytime visibility.
Dunno why they missed out the obvious one. Leave your headlight on all the time. Makes a fair difference to daytime visibility.
Well I think the editors are from the USA where its standard for a bike to ALWAYS have the lights on. All new bikes are this way and it is illegal in the USA to ride with out them on at any time night or DAY.
Well, having lights of any description is entirely optional in the UK. I must say I don't fancy the idea of not even having a light switch. Run the battery down rather quick when the engine isn't running, unless it is just the sidelight that always stays on.
Ah, cars don't have any daytime running lights here. There is a lot of resistance from bikers to any ideas of forcing car drivers to keep their lights on.. Because that would make bikes less visible in comparison.
Really, if you cant spot a car in broad daylight because it isn't lit up, they should take your licence away. It isn't necessary, and just forces us poor bikers to up the stakes, and make ourselves even more noticeable by removing our exhaust cans entirely.
Well I felt the SAME WAY a few years ago before they changed it.
NOW its clearly an improvement in visability for all. The 'cages' have small running lights and the bikes use the main lights so it does make all more visable.
This is one of those things that you probably have to see to believe.
We get the odd car here that leaves their lights on during the day. Beamer drivers do it a lot, and you get barrys that leave their fog lights on all the time.
I find it just tends to dazzle and distract me. Doesn't always matter if they are using dip or mains, or how the light is aimed. If they are coming downhill, it gets in your eyes.
I hope we don't bring in any rules like that here. We have low road deaths, so hopefully they will leave well enough alone.
Here we have 2 stop lines at the lights.. One about 6 feet further forwards for bicycles. It is illegal for a motorbike to use em to get into pole position at the lights, but my riding instructor told me to go ahead and do it anyway. I've only tried it at familiar lights where I know there is enough room, but it does work!
I honestly think bikes are just as safe as cars, so long as you remain in possession of the full width of your lane. So that is what I try to do as much as possible. I'm naturally a defensive rider, and it works for me.
Well, having lights of any description is entirely optional in the UK. I must say I don't fancy the idea of not even having a light switch. Run the battery down rather quick when the engine isn't running, unless it is just the sidelight that always stays on.
Just as a side note, the GV650 headlight only comes on when the engine is running. Even with the ignition on the headlight does not come on till the engine is spinning (and presumably generating current from the generator).
Same here in NZ, your choice whether light is on or off. Must admit I have ridden off down the road a couple of times without them on and only realised when I come up behind a clean cage and no light reflection!!!!
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Edited by obxbiker, Wednesday Oct 8 2008, 10:41 PM.
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