From: kent@swrinde.nde.swri.edu (Kent D. Polk)
Newsgroups: tx.motorcycles
Subject: Re: AAahhhh, wipe-out!
Date: 2 Jan 1993 22:52:12 GMT
Organization: Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas
NNTP-Posting-Host: swrinde.nde.swri.edu

Followup-To: 
Distribution: tx
Organization: Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas
Keywords: 

In article <DON.92Dec27165731@xray.phys.uh.edu> don@xray.phys.uh.edu (Duck aka D. Harper) writes:
>
>hang back a bit cause I don't like the way my tires were gripping.  The next
>thing I know, I am drifting very fast to the outside, and I try to slow down.

Not directed at Mr. Harper, but since this happens quite often:

This situation is one of the hardest for motorcyclists to learn to deal with
properly. It does take practice. And you have to work on it pretty much
always. The key words here were "I am drifting very fast to the outside".
This is what everyone who goes through this experience says. (Even me)

There are only two ways to deal with this situation:

1) *Don't* let off the throttle but instead push on that inside handgrip and
drive through the corner. Under normal traction conditions, this is the
appropriate thing to do.

2) Yank the bike upright and use your emergency braking procedures. This is
the appropriate thing to do if road conditions or obstacles don't allow #1.
Note that this method is more likely to result in an accident than #1.
Especially when Incoming traffic is of concern.

Under these circumstances, with most riders, the tires can hold traction past
the ability of the driver. *HOWEVER* road and tire conditions such as ice,
rain, wornout tread, gravel, etc. can drastically alter this situation so
each circumstance has to be evaluated.

----------------------

Two things I do to help me out:

- I practice picking better lines through corners. A technique more recently
called 'late apexing' needs to be learned. Go pick up a book on auto racing
that describes how to pick appropriate lines. I don't have an references as I
learned it racing my little Fiat over 20 years ago.

- If you need to slow down, do it BEFORE reaching the corner. Best is to pick
a constant speed wich is max for the curves. Give yourself that extra time
between curves to pick that better line and do a better job of setting the
bike up. Of course in Houston you might go to sleep waiting for that next
corner...

- Practice both technique #1 and #2 when reasonable. #1 is the most
important.  It seems to go against everything your brain is telling you to do
at the moment you need it most. Constant practice will hopefully override
your basic 'instincts' to slow down - when it is most dangerous.

AND --- it would be a good idea to go take the MSF Experienced Rider Course -
with an open mind - no matter how long you've been riding.

About 15 years ago, one of the Motorcycle mags did a survey of how often
experienced riders went down. Turned out the average was once every five
years. So, never get complacent wrt your abilities. You'll probably be down
on the pavement soon if you do.

Kent Polk: Southwest Research Institute (will disavow any knowledge of me)
Internet : kent@swrinde.nde.swri.edu
(DoF #)  : "Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want"