Lone Rider

Lots of folks going down, posting about near misses etc.
Got a few members bikes getting repaired as I type.
And sadly, someone we know, or one of us will be hospitalized or dead by Sept.

As a preventive measure, I'd like the long time riders to post up their favorite tip, riding thought or street experience to help the newer riders.

Also to keep the middle level experienced riders alive.
You know, the ones that have acquired a comfort in riding and forgot their newbie caution.
If you are new feel free to add your 2 cents or questions.
As a start I'm throwing out 50 ways to save your life.
My personal favorite reminder.
If you havent read all the how to's from this site I'd suggest it .
There is a ton of simple needed stuff there.

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/ho...ays/index.html

Practice hard stops AND 2 quick turns in a parking lot until you get familar with it on your steed. It will come in handy.
ALWAYS ASSUME you are NOT seen!!!!!!!!!!!! ALWAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Post up boys & girls! The life you save may be MINE!

Flamers will be publicly humiliated.

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StageRulz

Best thing to always remember on the street.............Everybody is out to Kill You!

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Rev

-Ride like everyone wants to kill you
-Don't watch the car in front of you; watch the one three cars ahead of him.
-You're not Valentino Rossi; get over it.
-If the advisory speed limit sign says 15MPH, you better do it.
-Let someone know where you are going.
-Always leave yourself an escape route.

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dragracer1951

Good stuff.
Watch mirrors. The head movement and eye movement will telegraph intent to move into your lane to try to kill you.
Cars on side streets...watch their wheels. If they're turning it means they want to pull out in front of you to try to kill you.
I cover the front brake. MSF tells you that's a No No. They are wrong. The added time it takes to get your fingers all comfy on that brake lever will kill you.
Scan traffic. You'll start to see the patterns that will build into a situation long before it happens. Scan traffic. Have an escape route.

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MikieTaps

i like the have an escape route reminder... i forget that one frequently.

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erickb

my dad use to throw stuff at me when he was teaching me how to ride on the street he would also have my little sister jump out in front of me with no warning.

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james1300

Ride like your on the streets and NOT a race track (we got 4 of them here in the Pacific NW, now).
Riding fast on the streets will get you Tickets, towed, crashed, Hospital time, or worse.
Wear Gear. A wife beater and shorts is a JOKE! You look like an amateur, and probably ride like one too.

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dragracer1951

I'm starting to understand you a little better now....

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erickb

crazy I know but 100% true, and that does not even scratch the surface

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Blinky

Don't be stupid. How many times after an incident have your head "that was really stupid?" Guess what. It was stupid BEFORE you did it!

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PeteN95

Stay to the inside edge of onramps. Leaking fluids tend to be thrown outward.

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KenInSeattle

Ok, that's pretty much the funniest thing I've read evar!!!

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SRWitt

Slow is fast. Relax, breathe, now remember everyone is trying to kill you.

I find when I feel I'm riding slowest, I am actually riding my fastest most relaxed pace on the street, everything just flows.

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cityxslicker

Deer, good on the plate, bad in front of you (unless you are riding a Blessed R1 on a mission)
Its a big wild scary world out there, if you are frightened by it; please stay home and play Xbox

And of course Stay on the Pavement, I dont want the traffic out where I ride out of bounds.

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Lone Rider

Wow I really, really want to go out with your sister. For many reasons!
Dont think it would be a dull date!!

Very interesting way to practice No.# 40

Dragracer nailed the important #19. Plus #4, 11, 12, 14.
CityX got #17 and provides a hunting no no.
SRWitt provides the difficult to practice #37, 41 in a racers axiom.
Working on smooth I was always surprised how fast I was going.
and Everyone else said in plain English;
Be stupid you die!!

We got about half a dozen tipsters, while the squid thread has 2 pages.
Guess Noobs like scars.
Guess this is really really a noob site except for a few.
Guess I'll add a couple more.

I like to flash my high beams at people sitting at a stop sign or driveway.
Helps me be noticed. Actually got a Subaru to stop pulling out, Twice!!

Loud pipes dont save lives, loud horns MIGHT
Countless times,I'd blow my air horn on my Semi at people about to do something stupid.
At least half swerved TOWARDS the sound. Keep that one in the back of your mind.
My Classic had straight pipes, very loud BIG 70' TRUCK & trailer.
It also got treated like a annoyance, just like bikes.
Could also become invisible, just like Bikes.

Be safe kiddies

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SRWitt

Rippn'esque while in plain english, I'm scared, what is this world coming too?

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midvalleysuperbiker

In traffic act like you are invisable, much of the time you are!

Don't ride outside your comfort zone, faster riders will wait for you, if they don't find some new ridin' buddies.

The road is not a race track.

If you are riding a sportbike made in the last 10 years it's abilities probably exceeds yours by at least 50%.

Always keep the conditions in mind, gravel, wet, fresh chip seal, etc.

Maintain your motorcycle! The only thing between you and the road are your tires, DON"T SKIMP ON TIRES!

Leave your ego at home.

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Robusto

Look THROUGH the corner.

if is seems like you are going too fast, look THROUGH the corner.

if you see some mild debris in the road, note where it is, and look THROUGH the corner.



Look THROUGH the corner.

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Suretyagent

Very good advice, and well put.

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midvalleysuperbiker

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dragracer1951

qft!!!!

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Lone Rider

Translation; you will go where you look. (Target fixation!!!!)

To bad it doesnt work with the opposite sex.
Pamela's breasts, Pamela's breasts.

The faster you are taking a corner the MORE you should be turning your head seeking the exit. Not just your eyes.
Check out photos of road racers!!

Even at legal speeds what is 20-30 feet ahead of you has all ready passed for all intents.

(Its all in the 50 ways and you will learn more at a track day or advanced street skills course)

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KevinD

Your dad sounds like mine: mean!

Anyway,
-Keep your eyes moving: you never know where the next hazard will come from.
-ALWAYS assume the other guy will do the worst thing possible as far as you're concerned.
-PAY ATTENTION to what you're doing! If your mind wanders, you will, too.
-DO NOT RIDE WHEN DROWSY! It's even worse than driving when you're tired.

KevinD

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mikefsu

Ride your own ride. You have no one to impress and the ride is always better when everyone goes back home on there own two wheels

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Ryder

Check these out. From thread http://pnwriders.com/general-discuss...positions.html

http://files.meetup.com/454001/RidingSkills.pdf

http://citybiker.wordpress.com/2007/...ight-position/

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CATCH THIS... =)

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Suzuki Stevo

Turn on your High Beams during the day, watch your speed...speed compounds all problems with motorcycles.

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Driftertank

#1 has been re-iterated many times... everybody's out to get you, or at least doesn't see you and will do the stupidest, most dangerous thing possible at the worst possible moment.

Get good tires, you don't have an extra pair to hold you up when they slip.

Buy gear, and wear it. Sweat is easier to deal with than blood, and it turns into air conditioning at speed. Another thing, often overlooked, is that when it's warm out, you dehydrate much faster without gear than with it.

The street isn't a racetrack. There's always the possibility of gravel, or animals, or sleeping drivers in your lane around the next corner. Always leave an error margin for the worst-case scenario. My PERSONAL rule-of-thumb? Never exceed 7/10ths of your fastest comfortable pace on the street. EVER.

Don't ever let anyone force you into a situation you're not comfortable with. And don't let them play with your ego. Better to be a wuss than dead.

Keep your eyes moving. Mirrors, head checks, keep up with what's going on around you. Know where your exit windows are. If you don't have one, move to somewhere where you do. Don't camp in blind spots, or let other vehicles camp in yours.

When riding with a group, be considerate of other riders. If you want to run a different pace than other riders, make the group aware of that. Try and keep at least one other rider in visual range. Not many people will be impressed with how fast you are if you rode off into the sunset after somebody in your group got hurt. Plan the route, and make frequent stops to ensure everybody's still with you. And it's best if most, if not all, of your group knows how to contact the other riders.

Take care of your bike. Check tire pressures, brakes, light bulbs, lubricate important parts, etc. It's your best ally on the road. Take care of it, and it'll take care of you.

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Spraguepsycho1

When approaching an intersection, pick the left or right side of your lane and use that, instead of the center. Cars and trucks sitting and waiting at red lights drop a lot of oil and anti-freeze right in the center of the lane, which could be a major problem if you have to pull off an emergency stop, or quick avoidance turn on a bike. That one almost got me at a freeway off ramp when I first started riding back in '86, when I slid halfway into an intersection through a red light.

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xrdotimcr

Don't crash.

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Sedalia

If your friends ride like idiots, leave them at home.

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Sedalia

But if it hasn't rained in a while and it's raining then this oil will move to the wheel ruts. There can also be a lot of standing water in those ruts.

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Spraguepsycho1

I think I would still rather take my chances with watered down residue in the wheel ruts, than the more solid slick in the center of the lane.

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CodeBlue

It's OK to pull over if someone's tailgating you, you don't need to speed up and it's ALWAYS a good thing to have space between you and the car behind you.

I'm going to reiterate the "deer are bad" argument.

The first 15 minutes of a rainstorm is the most slippery, behave accordingly.

Don't let the fairer sex get you to do something above your skill level, a possible hookup isn't (always) worth broken bones and roadrash.

Go big or go home.

Let your passengers know your personal rules before riding with them and NEVER take a drunk person for a ride.

Revving your engine in the city makes you look like an asshole. Don't do it.

Watch the tire pressure of cars around you. Blowouts will end poorly for you.

If you're gonna treat the street like a racetrack (and many of you will), follow my motto: "late nights and backroads".

If you get a ticket, suck it up, quit bitching, hire a lawyer and don't expect sympathy because your dumb ass got caught. You play you pay, it's pretty simple.

It's easier to talk your way into a ticket than it is to talk your way out of a ticket. "Sir" "Ma'am" and "Trooper" will go miles towards you walking away with a warning.

You never know what's around that blind corner.

If you want to wear gear, wear gear. If you don't, don't. Again, don't expect sympathy if you do something you know isn't smart and it turns out poorly for you.

Ride your own ride.

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WTFO

Never trust a fart after the greasy burger joint

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Spraguepsycho1

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mikefsu

Sounds like a good story please share

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tireg47

ATGATT. Lean and believe. Ride your own ride. If you're trying too hard you're probably doing it wrong. Remember rule #1 is to have fun!

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Jimmyz

The absolute best advice I could ever give for everyone to focus:

I've been through some difficult personal times lately and I'm one to get my mind wandering and thinking back on things.... either kicking myself regrets or being angry for not seeing things the way I should. Fortunately riding is somewhat of a remedy - and perhaps therapy - for that. BUT, it always comes back to focus. Because that's what ACTUALLY solves both personal problems and prevents crashes. There's a bit of irony in there huh?!

Think about it....

If you can do one thing and do it well its usually because it is the ONE thing you are doing well. Multi-tasking is a myth and riding is no place to be doing that obviously in a larger context. But take it a step further and you find when you are doing just one thing... riding... concentrating on just the ride, the road, the next corner, the road condition, your body on the bike, the sound of the motor at a certain rpm and speed... the risk!... You are multitasking, but still doing one thing. It's magic like nothing else I've found.

It's funny.... I don't talk about it much and when I do most of the time I get a blank stare like... "you crazy fucker". Even from some riders. But there are few situations where I can truly say I'm tuned into so many things at once and they all have my harmonious attention.

Those that don't know me wouldn't know I am a musician as well as a nerd. Been playing in a band for years. Written alot of bad songs but played with some amazing musicians. Sometimes, in music, there is so much going on to pay attention too. A symphony is all details and soul.... cheesy I know but true. A conductor can only do so much and the rest is up to the players. And like riding, we are all just players in that symphony. A casual listener might just hear the rhythm, another just the guitar solo. But if you are really paying attention, focused on the whole experience you hear the nuances... the intentional and the unintentional things that just worked.

Everyone has the ability as far as I'm concerned. It's not an ability reserved to a special few. That corner, that car, that gravel, that other bike, that tree, that cross traffic, oncoming traffic... whatever... they are all part of that symphony, and you, the rider, are a player in the piece. Anyone can get outside of themselves and dial into the details.

(if you get hit by the pie truck that ran a red light well... they just weren't listening to the same music now were they - risk)

Next time you are out there, just empty your hat so-to-speak, and let only the riding occupy the otherwise unused space between your ears (we simply don't use enough of our brain to begin with). All the advice you get about roadsnakes, gravel... all part of the equation. Don't dwell, observe and react without panic as if they are all one singular thing in the experience. It's Zen....

These things I know to be true. Everything else is just coincidence.

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Jimmyz

The absolute best advice I could ever give for everyone to focus:

I've been through some difficult personal times lately and I'm one to get my mind wandering and thinking back on things.... either kicking myself regrets or being angry for not seeing things the way I should. Fortunately riding is somewhat of a remedy - and perhaps therapy - for that. BUT, it always comes back to focus. Because that's what ACTUALLY solves both personal problems and prevents crashes. There's a bit of irony in there huh?!

Think about it....

If you can do one thing and do it well its usually because it is the ONE thing you are doing well. Multi-tasking is a myth and riding is no place to be doing that obviously in a larger context. But take it a step further and you find when you are doing just one thing... riding... concentrating on just the ride, the road, the next corner, the road condition, your body on the bike, the sound of the motor at a certain rpm and speed... the risk!... You are multitasking, but still doing one thing. It's magic like nothing else I've found.

It's funny.... I don't talk about it much and when I do most of the time I get a blank stare like... "you crazy fucker". Even from some riders. But there are few situations where I can truly say I'm tuned into so many things at once and they all have my harmonious attention.

Those that don't know me wouldn't know I am a musician as well as a nerd. Been playing in a band for years. Written alot of bad songs but played with some amazing musicians. Sometimes, in music, there is so much going on to pay attention too. A symphony is all details and soul.... cheesy I know but true. A conductor can only do so much and the rest is up to the players. And like riding, we are all just players in that symphony. A casual listener might just hear the rhythm, another just the guitar solo. But if you are really paying attention, focused on the whole experience you hear the nuances... the intentional and the unintentional things that just worked.

Everyone has the ability as far as I'm concerned. It's not an ability reserved to a special few. That corner, that car, that gravel, that other bike, that tree, that cross traffic, oncoming traffic... whatever... they are all part of that symphony, and you, the rider, are a player in the piece. Anyone can get outside of themselves and dial into the details.

(if you get hit by the pie truck that ran a red light well... they just weren't listening to the same music now were they - risk)

Next time you are out there, just empty your hat so-to-speak, and let only the riding occupy the otherwise unused space between your ears (we simply don't use enough of our brain to begin with). All the advice you get about roadsnakes, gravel... all part of the equation. Don't dwell, observe and react without panic as if they are all one singular thing in the experience. It's Zen....

These things I know to be true. Everything else is just coincidence.

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