Safety Equipment and Technique

I recently received this note:

I’m a total newbie here. Did you install frame sliders for track purposes? Are they recommended for someone who is about to buy their first bike (mainly for the inevitable tips, crashes, etc)? I’m 30 and considering the 696 for my first bike. I’m in love with it. Some say it’s great for beginners and some say it’s too much bike. Your thoughts?

It’s been a long time since I’ve written about riding, and I did put some thought into my answer, so I will share that here. I have covered these subjects before, but the question asked, was a good one, so here’s a more relevant answer for those wondering, “Which bike first?”

I installed the frame sliders for street riding. It’s rare that I have an incident, but doing so would really mess up a Monster. I did a couple of track days, but I have had CFS for a few years, and that has destroyed my ability to drive a car (about 50% of the time), and to ride a motorcycle (almost 100%). When I am up to it, I photograph other people riding. Riding is the thing that I miss more than anything else.

The tough part of choosing a bike is simply that there is no way to really know what you will like to ride, until you ride it, and people are not-likely to let you test-ride them. One strategy is to buy something small-and-inexpensive first, and then buy a Monster as-soon-as-possible: not because it’s too big, but because that’s the easiest way to get experience with both, and you might end up loving both.

I really like small bike’s. On my second Basic MSF test: I ground the foot pegs on every corner, earned 100 points, and felt like I was flying. I never achieved that level of satisfaction on any other bike.

The flip side is that I wouldn’t be satisfied on the highway, at speed, in traffic, on a very small bike.

Around town? Small bikes are cool. When I was a kid (before I rode), they were all small bikes. Here is what the first Honda Gold Wing originally looked like: http://www.vf750fd.com/vf750f/75goldwing.jpg It started out as a slow-ish 999cc 4-cylindar, and it was smaller than a Monster 696, even with that larger displacement. The larger bike trend is caused by the need to homologate superbikes, to keep up with the Joneses, and to one-up Harley Davidson. The people that rode back-in-the-day (as the kids like to say), all miss their small bikes. Peter Egan, makes-a-living mostly writing about the small bikes that he misses, and he has a whole lot of fans that agree.

For a bike that is comfortable at highway speeds, I love the smallest Monster. Riding my cruiser, on the highway without the fairing, is like doing pull-ups. My SV650S, on the highway, with the low clip-ons, is like doing push-ups. My Monster’s ergonomics are such that the airflow holds me up; it’s comfortable at most speeds, and on all highways.

As a beginner, you would shift early, but not so early that the motorcycle stutters. Do so, and the Monster is a puppy. At some point you will want a faster bike. That’s when you teach yourself to shift at higher RPM’s. It’s as simple as this: Is the bike too slow? Shift down a gear while blipping-the-throttle, and it will rocket along, because blipping-and-down-shifting, is a way to get the engine’s RPM’s close to where it’s making more torque. You will read about how flat a V-twin’s torque curve is. This is a good characteristic of v-twins. However: the smaller the v-twin, the happier it will be at the RPM’s where it reaches maximum torque. Simply riding it more like a 4-cylinder, will make up for any perceived displacement (engine size) disadvantage, and may chase away any thoughts of wanting something larger.

More on blipping-the-throttle: the best way to match your RPMs to road speed is to shift like this:

1. Squeeze clutch.
2. Close throttle.
3. Shift (up or down).
4. Open throttle while letting out the clutch.

This video demonstrates: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDLWmzomvZA

Here is how to do a clutch-less up-shift. People that never tried this, will advise against it, but the latest BMW superbike comes with a quickshifter, and quickshifters do the same thing for you. If it were dangerous, then they wouldn’t sell it.

1. Put your foot under the shifter, and touch it with very-light pressure.
2. Close throttle.
3. Open the throttle, your motorcycle will shift-up at the correct RPMs.

Oh, and definitely buy any modern bike with anti-lock brakes, in the cases where that’s an option, and it is on Ducatis. They work exactly like every other bike, until you are about to fall due to wheel lockup, and then you simply don’t fall.

Honda and BMW combined ABS with other technologies many years ago, and people hated them, but modern ABS is nothing like those.

The MFS practice where you separate braking and swerving is usually forgotten in a crisis, but ABS can allow you to combine braking and swerving. The stickers on the motorcycle fuel tanks say to use ABS while riding straight up. Assumedly the factories’ lawyers have some reason for that, but it has saved my bacon while leaned way-over and braking too-hard, so follow the advice on the fuel tank, but be happy when you don’t, and the ABS works anyway.

In the early days BMW and Honda combined motorcycle ABS with one-or-more of these technologies: servo-assisted brakes, linked brakes, or Telelever Suspension (© BMW). Those early systems took some feedback out of the experience, so riders lost faith in ABS. The brakes on my two modern ABS bikes (a Suzuki SV650S and a Ducati Monster 696) behave exactly like the non-ABS versions until the tires lose traction.

The MSF exercises separate braking and swerving in panic situations, because doing those at the same time can use up all of your available traction. That said, during a real incident riders still swerve-and-brake at the same time.

To properly use automotive ABS: stomp on the brake and swerve away from obstacles. This also worked very well when I did it on the motorcycle. That said, the sticker on me fuel tanks say to brake while the bike is straight.

The images are by Joe Salas, and are being used with his permission.

Supermoto is a form of racing that combines on-road, and off-road, on the same track. The racers typically ride dirt bikes with road-racing tires. What if one were to take an SV650 bike to a Supermoto race? It’s too big, right?

Dan Sewell races for CODE4Racing, is sponsored by Twin Works Factory, and teaches for Z2TrackDays. Below are images of Dan racing an SV650 in Supermoto. When does anyone do that? This may be the first time!

The photographer, Joe Salas, gave us permission to use the  images here.  Joe photographs track days, and races, and makes the photos available at 4theriders.com.

This motorcycle clothing article is by our guest: Sam Mauzy.

Looking your best on the open road is an essential part of spring motorcycle riding. Aside of your motorcycle, your apparel is just as important. What you wear is what sets you apart from other riders and in some cases allows you to be identified when you ride out in large groups. Spring riding brings sudden changes in temperatures, so a variety of apparel options is important for a comfortable ride.

1. Motorcycle Jacket

Your jacket is one of the highlights of your motorcycle apparel. Not only does it protect you from the elements, it also provides comfort and style. There are several types of jackets that you can select from based on personal preference and budget. Initially you should look for a jacket that maintains a proper fit. Look for a jacket that is most comfortable as you are sitting down and in the position you typically ride in. Extra room in the shoulders and sleeves that fit you comfortably is also important. A removable liner in your jacket is helpful, especially during changing spring temperatures. You may want to consider an interchangeable jacket that will suffice during both warm and cooler temperatures. Select a jacket that is either waist-level for the summer and maybe a longer below the hip or mid-thigh jacket for cooler ride days. Material options depend on your preference. A popular jacket material is leather. Choose between top grain, split, suede and full-grain leather. You can also try out denim, mesh or waterproof jackets made from breathable Rain-guard to create a barrier between you and the elements.

2. Motorcycle Pants

Keeping your legs covered at all times is important when cycling in the spring. Pants should be an important part of your motorcycle wardrobe. Most people think that leather is the first option for most riders but often takes several wears before you are able to get them to fit to your physique. While leather is one of the most popular choices, there are other styles to choose from for spring riding. Textile pants are easy to wear and are generally comfortable from the moment you put them on – no breaking in required. Motorcycle pants with a Kevlar-weave look less like riding pants and more like traditional jeans –this is more of a contemporary look that is different from the classic leather apparel. Modern motorcycle pants are geared toward making the rider comfortable at all times. Pants that combine a polyester/nylon blend along with leather, still give the look, smell and feel of leather but offers breathable ventilation and support exactly where you need it. A good pair of motorcycle pants should also include zippers and pockets for adequate storage. Sturdy pants that are comfortable and functional at the same time should be your goal when choosing the best motorcycle pants.

3. Helmet

Your helmet is your main source of protection in the event of an accident. It should fit securely but also be breathable for long trips in the spring and distance rides. Choose a helmet that is lightweight but also functions per your riding needs. You may want to consider a dual sport helmet that includes both a face shield and visor, so you can take your bike from dirt to pavement in seconds flat. Proper ventilation and easy vent release is essential in a good helmet. While the helmet serves its safety purpose, it should also be visually appealing. Helmet designs can be custom made to include the color and design of your choice.

4. Gloves

A good motorcycle glove should fit perfectly and feel like it isn’t there. There should be no room for bulky fingers and slippery grips. Gloves are designed to first and foremost protect your palms and fingers in the event you face pavement or terrain. When riding in spring temperatures, your hands can get sweaty. A good, breathable glove will offer you the ventilation and flexibility you need to have a safe ride. You should have your gloves custom sized – this will prevent bunching, unnecessary wear and in some cases skin blisters.

5. Vest

A motorcycle vest represents a fashion statement when you are on your bike. Vests, generally made from leather are the home of patches, designs and embellishments based on clubs, bike associations and motorcycle rallies. Vests can be worn alone in the warm spring months or on top of a jacket and other clothing if the weather is cooler. It can also provide a layer of protection from objects and abrasions when you are on the road. A vest will also serve as a wind-breaker as you are traveling.

Sam is a Harley fanatic and chooses his motorcycle clothing not only for its style but for the safety elements as well.

BILL NUMBER: SB 435	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER  407
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 28, 2010
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 28, 2010
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 30, 2010
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 18, 2010
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 9, 2010
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 30, 2010
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 22, 2010
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 15, 2010
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 10, 2010
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JANUARY 11, 2010
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 28, 2009
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 13, 2009

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Pavley
   (Coauthor: Senator Lowenthal)

                        FEBRUARY 26, 2009

   An act to add Section 27202.1 to the Vehicle Code, relating to
vehicles.

	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

   SB 435, Pavley. Vehicles: pollution control devices.
   (1) Existing federal regulations require a motorcycle manufactured
on and after January 1, 1983, and exhaust emission systems for those
motorcycles, to meet specified noise emissions standards and require
that a label be affixed onto the motorcycle or exhaust emission
system indicating that the motorcycle or exhaust emission system
meets the noise emissions standards.
   This bill would make it a crime for a person to park, use, or
operate a motorcycle, registered in the state, that is manufactured
on and after January 1, 2013, or a motorcycle, registered in the
state, with aftermarket exhaust system equipment that is manufactured
on or after January 1, 2013, that does not have the above label, and
would make a violation of this provision punishable by a specified
fine, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program by creating a
new crime. The bill would require the person to whom a notice to
appear is issued, or against whom a complaint is filed, for the above
violation, to provide proof of correction. The bill would authorize
a court to dismiss the penalty imposed for a first violation if the
person produces proof of correction to the satisfaction of the court.

   (2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse
local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
   This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 27202.1 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read:
   27202.1.  (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a person shall not
park, use, or operate a motorcycle, registered in the State of
California, that does not bear the required applicable federal
Environmental Protection Agency exhaust system label pursuant to
Subparts D (commencing with Section 205.150) and E (commencing with
Section 205.164) of Part 205 of Title 40 of the Code of Federal
Regulations. A violation of this section shall be considered a
mechanical violation and a peace officer shall not stop a motorcycle
solely on a suspicion of a violation of this section. A peace officer
shall cite a violation of this section as a secondary infraction.
   (b) A violation of this section is punishable as follows:
   (1) For a first conviction, by a fine of not less than fifty
dollars ($50), nor more than one hundred dollars ($100).
   (2) For a second or subsequent conviction, by a fine of not less
than one hundred dollars ($100), nor more than two hundred fifty
dollars ($250).
   (c) (1) The notice to appear issued or complaint filed for a
violation of this section shall require that the person to whom the
notice to appear is issued, or against whom the complaint is filed,
produce proof of correction pursuant to Section 40150.
   (2) Upon producing proof of correction to the satisfaction of the
court, the court may dismiss the penalty imposed pursuant to
subdivision (b) for a first violation of this section.
   (d) (1) This section is applicable to a person operating a
motorcycle that is manufactured on or after January 1, 2013, or a
motorcycle with aftermarket exhaust system equipment that is
manufactured on or after January 1, 2013.
   (2) Penalties imposed pursuant to this section are in addition to
penalties imposed pursuant to any other applicable laws or
regulations.
   (3) This section does not supersede, negate, or otherwise alter
any other applicable laws or regulations.
  SEC. 2.  No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the
Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the
meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.

I like Woodcraft’s products; they engineer their products for motorcycle racers and it shows. The Wood family is a racing family, and is affiliated with the Penguin Roadracing School, which is the oldest motorcycle racing school in the United States.

Update:

You can find the Woodcraft 4-inch Sliders for Ducati Monster 696/797/1100 here.

Story:

I wrote to Woodcraft: which began an email exchange with company President Eric Wood. Mr. Wood explained that they would be coming out with their standard Woodcraft sliders for Ducati Monsters within a few weeks. He also made an interesting proposition. Woodcraft engineered large four-inch frame sliders for the Penguin School’s rental bikes (Ducati 900s and 969s). They were also tested on a Ducati Monster. Mr. Wood sent images of that bike, so that I would know exactly what I was getting into. He offered to send those. I made a quick-call to the company to order them. They were a little more expensive than the standard Woodcraft sliders on my 2007 Suzuki SV650S ABS, but the price was still reasonable. The person that took my order mentioned that the large four-inch sliders will not be added to the catalog. We may never run across another pair at bike night. That said: if you are interested, then by-all-means contact Woodcraft, and let them know.

Apparently one-pair of these pucks lasted for more-than 25 crashes, and is still in use at the Penguin school.

Here are some features that all Woodcraft sliders share:

• They have solid plastic pucks that will not bend and should not catch (grab traction) on the track.
• The pucks’ mounting bolt is perpendicular to the post. This allows for easy removal of the pucks. Many other sliders will distort over their mounting bolts in an accident. These will not.
• They are exactly the correct length for each application. The slider posts for my Suzuki SV650S ABS were actually different lengths in order to compensate for the fact that the engine mounting bolts are not equal distances from the bikes centerline.

Here is a picture of the jumbo sliders before installation. The slider on the right shows what the parts look like when they are together. The top section of the puck is solid. It is slightly dished in order to mostly cover the post though.

Woodcraft Jumbo Sliders Before Installation, Image © 2010 Paul Danger Kile http://dangerismymiddlename.com

Here is what they look like on the bike. Woodcraft now uses this image of our motorcycle in their online catalog.

2010 Ducati Monster 696 ABS with Woodcraft Slider, Image © 2010 Paul Danger Kile http://dangerismymiddlename.com

Here is my 2007 SV650S ABS with the standard Woodcraft sliders. In this case the puck and post, are clearly visible; the post is completely covered by the massive puck on the 4 inch version.

2007 Suzuki SV650S ABS with Woodcraft Sliders, Image © 2009 Paul Danger Kile http://dangerismymiddlename.com

Edited on 2010-08-09, posted on 2008-03-04

Someone asked me, “Are you using countersteering?” at my last track day, and I didn’t know how to answer that question. I thought, “Is there any way that I could not be countersteering at these speeds?”  Countersteering occurs when the rider of a single-track vehicle (bicycle or motorcycle) pushes on the right side of the handlebar to turn right, and pushes on the left side of the handlebar to turn left.  By pushing on the same side, the rider is “turning” the handlebars the opposite way.  With cars you steer right to go right, but with bikes you steer left to go right.

OK, so you might be thinking, “I don’t do that! I lean!”, but you are doing that.  Imagine this: a bicycle rider holds her arms out straight.  She needs to turn right, so she leans to the right.  What’s happening here?  As she moves her weight to the right her right arm begins to push the right side of the handlebars out farther than the left: she is now countersteering.  Countersteering has more to do with initiating the turn than the leaning itself does.  You might have to sit on a bike and actually try this out to be able to picture it.  Do it in an exaggerated fashion, lock your arms, and watch the handlebars as you lean.

Motorcycle instruction usually includes discussion on countersteering because the locking-of-the-arms-thing greatly slows down steering.  Sometimes the effect on steering is so bad that riders ride right off the road when they tense up.  If the rider can learn to loosen her arms, and consciously push on the opposite side of the handlebar, then she will turn much quicker.

I literally practice holding the bars loosely when I ride my wife’s cruiser.  I take each hand off the handlebars one at a time (it has a throttle lock).  I practice bending my arms.  Etc.  This can actually help in all kinds of conditions.  That instability that occurs next to a truck?  It’s less troublesome if you hold the bars lightly.  When you push back against the shaking of the bars, your pushes lag behind the bars movement slightly.  Your periodic pushing summates with the periodic movement of the bars increasing the shaking.  Really.

So, how does this all work?  Countersteering initiates the lean by using the bike’s momentum to pull it over.  Imagine the momentum that you feel when a car turns.  When you turn to the left the momentum makes you feel like you are being pushed slightly to the right in your seat: correct?  This is the same with a two wheeled vehicle.  Turning left simultaneously causes momentum to push your vehicle to lean to the right (like an upside-down pendulum).  The bike then turns in the direction that it is leaning.  It’s that simple.  Really.  I didn’t understand this for a long time, because I was told that the affect was caused by gyroscopic precession, and for sure, that occurs, but it doesn’t cause bikes to turn.  Anyway I am sitting there watching a Kieth Code video, and he explains it.  He only spent a few seconds on the subject, but it made the whole thing clear.

Kay was teaching our daughter to ride on a small, classic Schwinn Stingray (the original Stingray, the current one is well designed).  This was the same model that Kay learned on.  Anyway, I was watching Gershwinn try to ride it one day, and I thought, “Hey! that thing has very little trail!  That will never work!”  So, I tried out the bike, and sure enough, it was extremely unstable.  Cal Santo lowered the seat on one of his large BMX bikes, and Gershwin easier time: even with it being too-large.  Learning-to-ride is extremely difficult on a poorly-engineered bike, and many of us potentially started-out on poorly-engineered bikes.

Here is the Wikipedia entry for countersteering. The very top says “For the similar technique used in automobiles, see opposite lock.”  Please ignore that first statement.  The technique described there is about pointing your car’s wheels in the direction that you want the car to move, even if your car’s body is stepped-out.  This automotive technique is not remotely like the motorcycle technique, even though Doc Hudson says otherwise.

Before I tell you about this next part I want to make something very clear: I very much appreciate MSF instruction.  Without the MSF I wouldn’t be riding.  I would have no idea how to get started.

I took the MSF Basic RiderCourse twice.  In 2007 I took it near Topeka Kansas (where I earned 100% on both tests), and in 2003 I took it in Plano Texas.  While in Plano one of the RiderCoaches told us some things about countersteering that weren’t exactly correct.  I don’t know if any of those things are part of the official curriculum, but I want to quickly cover them, just in case you are told something similar.

• She told us about countersteering, and that it is caused by gyroscopic precession occurring at a 90-degree angle, but she didn’t tell us what plane the 90-degrees was measured from.  This Web site has a good example of what she was talking about. This is all true, but that force doesn’t cause countersteering to work.  In fact gyroscopic precession makes turning more difficult.  Robby Kasten proved that with his wonderful reverse rotating rotors invention.
• She had us sit on motorcycles that were standing still and told us to turn our bars and feel the motorcycle fall in the other direction, while using our legs to not let it fall all the way.  About 50% of the time my motorcycle fell in the same direction.  Of course it did.  Countersteering doesn’t work while standing still: gyroscopic, momentum, or otherwise.  A motorcycle should never be used as a Ouija board!  To be sure the RiderCoach in Kansas had us do the same exercise, but he made it clear that we were to make the bike lean ourselves by using our legs and imagine that the handlebar turning caused it.
• She told us to watch the other RiderCoach’s front wheel, and to see how it was facing the opposite way while he was riding around.  I couldn’t see this, and I said so, and the reason that I couldn’t see it is that it just wasn’t so.  The front wheel doesn’t go the opposite way once you are leaned over.  (The speedway/flat track thing is something slightly different.  It works more like the automobile-reverse-lock technique once the bike is leaned over.)
• She told us that countersteering doesn’t work under 13 MPH. This is not true. What is true is that there is another, much-safer, turning-technique that involves turning the handlebars in the direction of the turn, weighting the outside peg, and using your own body to lean the bike. That doesn’t mean that countersteering won’t work. It just means that you are capable of exerting enough-force to overcome-it at those slower-speeds. Here is a video that proves that countersteering works at-all-speeds, and on-all single-track-vehicles (motorcycles, scooters, bicycles, etc.)

Have fun out there!

Ordinary motorcycle brake lights can be difficult to see: especially when they are also functioning as running lights, and it is bright out, and one is trying to pay attention to other vehicles. I suspect that many people rely solely on other visual cues to determine that a motorcyclist is slowing down.

I learned to appreciate flashing brake lights while doing group rides in Arkansas. The intentions of motorcyclists with flashing brake lights were unambiguous. On the other hand, they always say, “I didn’t see him. He came out of nowhere.”, and there is nothing that a small flashing light will do to change that. Feel free to completely ignore that claim from folks that sell the little flashing lights.

Let’s get that first question out of the way: are they legal? Yes. It’s legal to apply your brakes, let up, and then apply them again. That would turn your brake lights on-and-off, and these products turn your brake lights on-and-off. Also, these don’t annoy people; sometimes headlight modulators do.

I have experience with two products, one of which is the Kisan TailBlazer 20W-D plug in bulb.

Pros:

• Relatively inexpensive.
• Just replace the existing brake light bulb with this unit. All of the electronics are in the base, and it just works.

Cons:

• Except when it doesn’t. In my case— a V-Star 650 Classic— the bulb was mounted vertically. The base of the light holds the electronics; that’s the part that twists in. The new bulb has two prongs, and it plugs into the top of the base. There is a little “bowl” on top of the electronics (see image), and the water would collect there. For sure, the lens (the red plastic piece) didn’t have cracks in it. I believe the condensation within the lens was bad enough of a problem though. Most motorcycles mount the bulbs horizontally, and facing backwards. I assume that this system would be more reliable in that case. I kept my original tail light bulb just in case this thing stopped working, and it did.  That original bulb came in handy during this little adventure I tell ya’.
• This simple system doesn’t work for all motorcycles. Kisan does have other brake light flashing products for that case. They also have head light modulators, tire pressure monitors, turn signal cancelling systems, and more.

Image linked-from, and to kisantech.com

Humans respond to frequencies between 20Hz and 20,000 Hz. Deer respond to frequencies between 1,000Hz and 8,000Hz. In other words: people can hear higher tones than deer, and people can hear lower tones than deer. If a person with good hearing can’t hear it, then the deer can’t hear it either.

Please be vigilant. Don’t trust a piece of plastic. Don’t even trust the powered units: they also emit frequencies that are above the range that deer can hear.
Here is Roy Truelsen’s response to a Rider magazine’s January 2001 “Hornet Deer Alert” article by Clement Salvadori.

These two videos are both called “Lucky Biker” on YouTube.  The first video shows an outrageous high-side, where the rider gets back on the bike. The second video shows an outrageous low-side, where the rider gets back on the bike. The high side video is likely real. I have seen saves like that before, but what about the low-side video? I do not believe that the second video is real, and it definitely has nothing to do with MotoGP (which is part of its name), but it does remind me of something that really did happen to me.

Did he really do that, or was it faked?  I don’t know.  What I do know is that back when I was single, and living in Arkansas, I had this experience: I was riding South on my way home from Missouri, at about 2:00AM, coming from wherever it is that I ride motorcycles to in Missouri in the middle of the night.

A police car pulls up close on my tail, and on go the pull-the-truck-over lights, so I move to the shoulder.  He follows me at greater-than-shoulder speeds, and he is right on my tail.  I begin braking, and the paved shoulder gives way to pea gravel.  The rear wheel locks-up, the motorcycle drops me off its left-side, and then gets back up on its own, and takes-off. I go sliding down the road, while the police stop.  Meanwhile the motorcycle leaves the road, rides a little farther on its own, and leans itself against a bush.

I get up from in front of the police car’s bumper and ask them if I can get my bike.  One of the officers keeps asking, “Are you OK? Are you OK?” And I say, “Folks tell me that everyone goes down at some point, and I had to do it in front of police officers. That’s embarrassing. Can I go down there and get the motorcycle?” By this point I had removed my helmet, and Missouri is a helmet-law-state. I didn’t know if they would ticket me for going down to get the bike without suiting-up, but I really didn’t want to put the helmet back on. The one officer says, “yes”, the other officer is still shaken, and still not believing that I could be OK.  The street-slide was kind of a relaxing ride though.

I ride the motorcycle back up to the road, and in front of the police vehicle’s head lights, so that I can look it over. There is only one scratch.  It’s on the very back of the rear fender, which is a part of the bike’s body that couldn’t have possible touched the ground during that incident, and it’s the only part that was actually damaged.  Not even the color-matched ABS bags hanging off each side in-back were scratched.

The calm officer explains to me that my tail-light is out, and that they can’t let me leave without it working. The not-so-calm officer is still asking me if I am all right. I am still answering, “Yes.”

I pull out my tool case. Get a screwdriver. Get a taillight bulb, and change the bulb. These two officers were floored. The one guy still couldn’t believe that I was OK, and the other guy was now surprised that I was actually rode around with a spare bulb and tools.

In the second video the rider, either during a race, or at a track day, lowsides his bike.  The bike gets up, and keeps on going down the track. The rider runs after it, and gets on, and then takes-off. Did he really do that, or was it faked?  It is possible for the bike to get up and keep riding on its own even as it slows down; that’s what happened to me, but what are we really looking at here? It’s likely a creative-person’s special effects demo.

This was the bike that picked itself up. No, those bags in back were not scratched!

I met Lee Parks of Lee Parks Design, and the Total Control Advanced Riding Clinic (ARC), at the MotoGP 2008 Red Bull Indianapolis Inaugural GP. Lee is still involved in endurance road racing.

Lee Parks’ Total Control is my first book on riding, so I was pleasantly surprised to meet the author. I actually approached an associate of Lee Parks Design, with similar glasses to Lee, and asked, “Are you Lee?” He replied, “No this is Lee.” I have an extremely difficult time recognizing faces: it’s one of my anti-super-powers, like kryptonite. Anyway, I recognize faces primarily by how people move, which doesn’t help when I only saw a person’s picture in a book.

Lee asked me what I am riding, and then pointed out that he also rides an SV650 (picture below). Cool! His bike is my favorite color: cadmium yellow. Oddly enough (as if I am not already odd enough), one of my least favorite colors is lemon yellow. I want to re-paint my SV cadmium yellow, or some slightly more-orange yellow: Suzuki did not make yellow SVs in 2007.

One thing that Total Control taught me, is that there isn’t one way to ride. Lee teaches techniques that are compatible-with, but not the same as MSF, and other riding schools. His steer-with-the-inside-hand-technique is an example. I have come back to this book a number of times as-my-skill-progresses, and I always manage to learn something new from it. It includes “zen-like” (my words) techniques; it teaches how to be in the right frame of mind, so that you are totally involved in your riding.

I actually practiced the inside-hand steering technique with a V-Star 650, and the machine flipped back-and-forth so fast that I was completely amazed. I then did a U-turn, and noticed that a boy on a bicycle was watching and his jaw was still dropped. Lee doesn’t teach this as a low-speed technique, that’s not the point, but it does help at all speeds. Motorcyclists often talk about cruisers having slow steering, and now I don’t know what to think when a motorcyclist describes a motorcycle as slow-steering. Is she actually fighting herself by steering with both hands? If so, then can I trust any talk of slow-steering?

Total Control is highly recommended.

Here is a video about the class:

Paul Danger Kile and Lee Parks at Indianapolis MotoGP 2008

Lee Parks' SV650S

This was originally published on 2008-01-16.  It was significantly updated, based in-part on feedback, on 2009-10-14.

Purchasing My ABS Motorcycle

Almost every advance in the world-of-motorcycle-safety came from the world-of-racing with the exception of two: anti-lock brakes (ABS) and airbags.

Anti-lock brakes aren’t on most motorcycles because motorcyclists are extremely conservative with regards to changes in the motorcycle-world.

Who is even more risk-averse than motorcyclists?  …motorcycle dealers.  They won’t order motorcycles with new, optional safety features unless customers have requested them-to.  Dealers are afraid that the higher price may make them less competitive.

The 50-closest Suzuki dealers (that belong to the Powersports Network, Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V, Click Submit, Repeat, 50 times) only ordered one SV650 with ABS and one SV650S with ABS for 2007.  That’s not 2 motorcycles-per-dealer, that’s two motorcycles, period.  American Suzuki Motor Corporation advertised ABS left-and-right, but it was already too-late for the dealers to order more for that year.  We had to decide whether to purchase the S-model or not, and the answer to that question determined whether we would be making a trip to Colorado or to Illinois.  We went to Illinois, because it’s easier to add a tubular handlebar to an SV650S ABS than it is to add a fairing to an SV650 ABS.

Using My ABS Motorcycle

Motorcycle manufacturers advise riders to only use their anti-lock brakes while the wheels are in a straight line.  We don’t know why.  Maybe they are worried about what could happen if a litigious rider crashes while leaned over.  Maybe anti-lock brakes are only tested for straight-line panic braking.  Maybe they are concerned that the pulsing will upset the bike.  I can’t vouch for how well they will work for you (that’s my disclaimer), but I can tell you that they have worked very well for me, while leaned over, at high speed (at least for me), at Heartland Park, in the rain (thump-thump-thump-thump).

Yeah, man: I messed up and did that a couple of times.  No, I was nowhere near as fast as some other folks, but my middle name isn’t “competence”, and my bike doesn’t have a real sportbike suspension, so its easier to upset it (I am too heavy for the springs at any setting).  The SV650 comes with a standard fork suspension adjustable for pre-load only.  I love my SV650, but after factoring in a suspension upgrade the Suzuki GSX-R600 starts looking not-so-expensive.

So here is my claim: anti-lock brakes will help in every case. Let’s list a couple:

Alternatives?

“I had to lay ‘er down!”

This is the kind of thing that you hear in biker bars, at bike nights, and at bike rallies.  At least it was the kind of thing that I heard when I went to such places.  Also, I don’t know how many times a non-rider said something to me like: “My uncle is a really good biker, and even he had to lay her down to avoid crashing into a truck!”  (OK, I can tell you: I think that I heard something like this five or six times.)  Folks tend to believe (after the fact) that they actually chose to scrape-up their motorcycle in order to avoid colliding with another vehicle.

To be sure: colliding with a vehicle is something that you truly want to avoid.  I describe it this way in my airbag post: During a collision your pelvis gets crushed by the “fuel tank”, your head bounces off the other vehicle, your neck snaps, your spine gets compressed, and your skull gets crushed.  Your last thought before all that happens shouldn’t be: “Gee, I am glad that I saved money by not buying that [ABS].”

…but, your tires do have a hell of a lot more traction than the metal and plastic on your motorcycle, plus your leather-vest wearing biker’s exposed flesh gets abraded-off (it’s like being burned) while it’s sliding down the road.

Here’s the easiest way to avoid layin’ ‘er down: use anti-lock brakes. Well, watch this video.  The motorcycle with outriggers doesn’t have the anti-lock brakes.

MSF-style Crash Avoidance

The MSF Basic RiderCourse Rider Handbook tells us to swerve around an obstacle before braking.  The handbook stresses separating the two actions.  Here’s why: tires only have so-much traction, braking uses up some of the available traction, but so does swerving.  Swerving lowers the amount of available traction, because the contact patch has less traction at the edge of the tire.  Completely running out of traction while leaning means that you will fall down (this is called a “lowside”).  The Motorcycle Safety Foundation wants riders to separate the two, so that they are less likely to run out of traction.  You can read about the procedure in more detail on page 37 of the MSF Basic RiderCourse Rider Handbook and page 25 of the current MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual, but here is my version:

1. Realize that oh-mommy, I am about run into that car!
2. Decide whether to swerve to the left or to the right.  You have no time to think, so the best way to do this is to know where your escape route is at all times.
3. If you are swerving to the left, then push on the grip on the left side of your handlebar (left-turn countersteering), and then push on the grip on the right side of your handlebars (right-turn countersteering).  Let the motorcycle move underneath you: in other words keep your back straight up, and do not lean with the motorcycle.  If you need to swerve to the right, then reverse the directions above.
4. Begin braking as soon as your tires are no longer leaning.
5. Stop as quickly as possible without losing traction.

If you can do all that without crashing, then you are a better rider than I.  In fact it is extremely rare that riders get it perfectly correct: crash rates continue to rise in spite of better training.  The truth is that folks instinctively begin braking immediately: they just can’t wait.  You probably can see where I am going with this: losing traction while braking is the same as locking up the wheels, and anti-lock brakes allow maximum braking without locking up the wheels.  Also, anti-lock brakes allow you to do the swerving and the braking in less space.  (Please see Do I Brake or Do I Swerve– Motorcyclist Crash Avoidance Maneuvering presented at the 2006 International Motorcycle Safety Conference for more information about the distances that are travelled while braking and swerving at various speeds.)

This video teaches you how to do a proper panic stop (that’s step 5 above) with ABS.

The bike in the video is extremely similar to my own, and has the same ABS system.

We posted this in 2007-09 (and possibly earlier), with updates in 2009-10. The AirTronics reviews and videos were removed, because their corporate Web site longer exists.

Almost every advance in the world-of-motorcycle-safety came from the world-of-racing with the exception of two: anti-lock brakes (ABS) and airbags.  How about we start out with those, and then get back to the racing?

I will briefly describe a couple of strategies for using air to protect riders, and I will also direct y’all to some cool videos that other people have created.

First-party Airbag (there’s only one)

The Gold Wing Airbag is most-helpful in the event of a front-end collision.  The airbag will eject the rider from her motorcycle, but it will also absorb most of the enertial energy, and slow-down the rider’s deceleration beforehand.

There are many types of motorcycle crashes that aren’t caused by collisions: Honda’s airbag might not help with some of these.  I will cover some of these other situations when I write about tires-and-suspension, traction control, anti-lock brakes, reverse-torque-limiting clutches, head-shake, and other topics.

If you don’t want a Gold Wing, then you don’t want a Gold Wing.  I am very happy with my motorcycle, and it’s not a Gold Wing.  One cannot ride a Gold Wing on the racetrack.  Many people just can’t afford a Gold Wing.  If are planning to buy a new Gold Wing though, then please, please buy the airbag.

During a collision your pelvis gets crushed by the “fuel tank”, your head bounces off the other vehicle, your neck snaps, your spine gets compressed, and your skull gets crushed.  Your last thought before all that happens shouldn’t be: “Gee, I am glad that I saved money by not buying that airbag.”

Here is a standing-still Honda demo of the airbag:

Aftermarket Airbag Products and Prototypes

Some of these might help in some of those other circumstances that I mentioned above.  Plus, they aren’t tied to only one motorcycle.

Dainese D-Air:

Simone Giorgi, Valencia

Spidi:

Spidi Air Bag, linked-from, and linked-to: http://www.wairbag.com/newfiles/mt1.html

Hit*Air:

Hit*Air (part deux):

Autobike Airbag Jacket:

Please see: a note about “press releases, news releases, and public service announcements”. Thank you.

September 28, 2009

The AMA has developed model legislation for use by cities seeking a simple, consistent and economical way to deal with sound complaints related to on-highway motorcycles within the larger context of excessive sound from all sources.

The model legislation offers an objective method for municipal jurisdictions to evaluate motorcycle sound through science-based measurement. It’s based on the Society of Automotive Engineers’ (SAE) new J2825 standard, “Measurement of Exhaust Sound Pressure Levels of Stationary On-Highway Motorcycles.” The AMA produced similar model legislation for off-highway motorcycles several years ago.

“Many cities and other jurisdictions already have excessive sound laws on the books, but when they get citizen complaints about loud motorcycles, they sometimes decide to single out the riding public with unfair or overly restrictive ordinances and laws,” said Imre Szauter, AMA government affairs manager. “We believe that motorcycles shouldn’t be singled out, but should be regulated as part of a comprehensive sound management policy that also addresses cars, trucks, leaf blowers, generators and other sources of excessive sound.”

The J2825 standard, issued by the SAE in May, is based on a comprehensive study of a wide variety of on-highway motorcycles. It establishes instrumentation, test site, test conditions, procedures, measurements and sound level limits.

“Too many times, jurisdictions responding to citizen complaints about excessive motorcycle sound create laws that simply don’t work in the real world,” Szauter said. “They either set an unreasonable decibel limit, leave it up to a police officer to subjectively decide whether a bike is too noisy, or come up with another plan that is arbitrary or unworkable. Our model legislation is objective, workable and fair.”

The model legislation adopts the SAE J2825 standard for stationary on-highway motorcycle sound testing, specifies the type of sound meter to be used, and allows for each city to specify the penalties for violating the law. Szauter stressed, however, that the sound-testing procedures and decibel limits established in the SAE J2825 standard should remain unchanged to ensure that the law remains objective and fair.

Under the SAE J2825 standard, decibel limits range from 92 dBA at idle for all motorcycles, to up to 100 dBA at certain RPMs for various motorcycles, depending on the type of engine.

In 2003, the AMA organized the National Summit on Motorcycle Sound to bring together riders and user organizations, representatives of the motorcycle manufacturers, the aftermarket industry, racing promoters, government agencies, law enforcement and others to develop proposals regarding the increasingly controversial issue of excessive motorcycle sound. The creation of a new on-highway motorcycle sound measurement procedure was a top recommendation of the summit’s Motorcycle Sound Working Group.

“The motorcycling community, local governments and police officers have sought a practical sound field test for streetbikes for many years, and now it exists, thanks to a collaboration between the Motorcycle Industry Council and the SAE,” Szauter said. “The next step is for jurisdictions struggling with motorcycle sound complaints to adopt fair and objective laws, and the AMA is providing the tool for them to do that.”

Szauter encourages motorcyclists and government and law enforcement officials to download the model legislation from the Rights section of this website.

Note from dangerismymiddlename.com: We did not find the model legislation.  We did however find these resources there:

1. http://www.amadirectlink.com/legisltn/positions/sound.asp
2. http://www.amadirectlink.com/news/2005/soundsummit.asp
3. Appendix B (of http://www.amadirectlink.com/news/2005/soundsummit.asp). (“SAE J1287 Measurement of Exhaust Sound Levels of Stationary Motorcycles”) doesn’t appear in the electronic version of Sound Advice. To order a copy of SAE J1287, contact the Society of Automotive Engineers at 877-606-7323 or visit www.sae.org.
4. Appendix C (of http://www.amadirectlink.com/news/2005/soundsummit.asp)(“AMA Position on Motorcycle Sound” ) as of May 14, 2005. For the current AMA position statement on motorcycle sound, visit www.amadirectlink.com/legisltn/positions/noise.asp.
5. For the latest information on engine test speed data for stationary sound testing, see the Motorcycle Industry Council downloads page.

This was originally written on 2007-06-21.  It was re-edited on 2009-10-05.

I experienced my first tank slapper on 2007-06-20.  That’s when a harmonic instability causes the handlebars to swap from side-to-side as far as they can go (AKA full lock).  I purchased a Suzuki SV650SA7 one month earlier (2007-05-19), and I already have over 1200 miles on it.   Anyway, I was coming out of the parking lot on the NE corner of Iowa and 23rd in Lawrence, KS after lunch.  These cars were coming at me pretty fast so I wanted to accelerate out-of-there.  I gunned it while I was leaned over.  First the rear wheel starts spinning, or I hit a false neutral, or who knows what (VROOOOOOM), and then the handlbars are doing a high speed dance (JIGGY-JIGGY-JIGGY), and left foot comes of the peg.  Afraid?  HAH!  Danger is my middle name!  Embarrassed?  You bet.

Here is a video of a tank slapper that looked like mine:

Here is a much-worse-ending one: