Motorcycle Cornering 101

NOTE: This is a basic introduction to cornering, geared toward touring and cruising riders. It's from personal experience and racing techniques, but there won't be any dragging knees and such. Your mileage may vary, get a second opinion, and all that.

Keeping it simple

Every curve is different so each approach will be different. Right-hand vs. left-hand, banked vs. off-camber, increasing radius vs. decreasing radius vs. hairpin, sightline obstructed, slippery surface, etc. etc. This will be a discussion with generalities, to keep it brief and to keep it at the 101 level of cornering skills. More in-depth discussion for the layman and beginning racer can be had by reading Nick Ienatsch's "Sport Riding Techniques." Great book.

Don't ride beyond your skill level

A leading cause of solo motorcycle accidents is from riders going into curves "too hot" and quickly running out of room, possibly head-on into a vehicle (right hand turn), or ending up in a tree (left hand turn). This can be caused by a number of factors including: overconfidence, riding and trying to keep up with more skilled riders, or lapses in concentration.

Ride slower until you build your confidence. The speed will follow.

Approaching the corner

When approaching a right hand corner, position the bike as close to the centerline as practical. A left hand corner should be approached as close to the shoulder as practical. See the drawings above.

Braking should be done before the corner, while the bike is upright. Use mostly (or exclusively) the front brake. You have an option of using a light rear brake through the rest of the curve, to stabilize the bike. That's called "trail braking." Just starting out, though, use the front brake until you start leaning into the curve.

Apexing

Late-apexing is important for a number of reasons: 1) It gives more time in a straight line to perform the braking, 2) It allows a faster entry speed, 3) It allows you to see further around the corner to look for obstacles, slippery surfaces, or a decreasing-radius situation.

Note that late-apexing means you don't make a perfect arc around a corner. See the drawings above.

Body positioning

This is where tourers and cruisers can use some help, especially after having their butts firmly planted in a comfy saddle. You don't need to be "hanging off," but try shifting your weight so one butt cheek is off the seat towards the inside of the corner. What helps getting used to that is to stand on the pegs or floorboards every once in a while. Then shake that booty.

When approaching and braking for the curve, your body should go into "attack mode." Knees gripping the tank, body pitched slightly forward and tensed against any front fork compression that may happen. The back shouldn't be ramrod straight, but shoulders should be loose and rounded to allow more flexibility.

Slow things down for a minute. Once you've scrubbed off enough speed for the rest of the turn, let off the front brake, weight the inside peg, push the tank with the outside leg, and rotate the body so the inside shoulder points toward the exit. If anything, remember this: ENTER THE TURN LEADING WITH THE INSIDE SHOULDER. At the same time scoot your butt cheek off the seat, toward the inside of the corner. Now freeze it.

Right now, your body should be starting to lean into the corner but the bike is still upright. Continuing to rotate the body will push the inside grip causing the countersteering, which will cause the bike to lean over. Freeze it again.

All through the corner, your head should be positioned so your eyes are even with the horizon. This maintains your orientation so everything keeps a visual consistency.

Look where you want to go

Look around the corner as far as you can. Don't look at that tree because you'll run into it. If someone crashes in front of you, you should still be looking around the corner. I've seen more racers follow the tracks of a crasher in front of them because they stopped focusing on where they should be going. Don't get distracted, get through the curve first.

In a hairpin, focus as far as you can around the turn and shift the focus as you continue through the turn.

If you're in aggressive mode, your inside knee would be pointing away from the bike, towards the ground; your head and shoulders will be pitched forward near the inside grip, but where would is the bike now? Yes, it's leaned over, but not as far as you. Why is that the optimum position?

Because you don't want to be scraping parts. Scraping parts is a sign you're about to lose traction and low-siding...not good. So the important thing to remember is for YOU to lean first, and then the bike. Some people think dragging parts means they're pushing the envelope, but often they're just pushing the bike down rather than preserving the bike's lean angle.

The bike should come closest to the inside of the curve about 2/3rds of the way around the curve. That's the (late) apex.

Exiting

As soon as you apex the corner, you should be on the gas out of the corner. Shift the weight back onto the seat, still in "attack mode," and accelerate away towards the centerline (right hand corner), or towards the shoulder (left hand corner). The right amount of acceleration will provide the rear wheel traction to keep you from low-siding.

All the movements described so far should be as smooth as possible. Remember that the throttle isn't an on-off switch, but more like a rheostat. Braking should be smooth, as well.

Prepare for the next corner.

Some hiccups

When encountering obstacles or slippery surfaces or a rapidly decreasing radius or coming in too hot, you may have to (quickly) abandon your awesome technique, upright the bike, and get on the brakes again. Don't use the front brake while leaned over!

Off-camber curves mean sacrificing lean angle, so keep that in mind when you see them. Body positioning should be more exaggerated in an off-camber corner.

Blind curves mean later apexing so you can see further around the corner.

Practice

Rather than trying anything to keep up with faster riders, concentrate on your technique and maybe you'll be outpacing them soon. Invest in Ienatsch's book, sign up for some trackdays, have fun.

Ride safe!

Your 1st Iron Butt Ride

Maybe you want one of the license plate backs. Or the certificate. Or the feeling of accepting a challenge and meeting it. Whatever your personal reasons are for riding 1,000 miles in a single day, I can almost guarantee you it will be a highlight of your life, maybe even a turning point like it was for me. One of my biggest joys is knowing I can travel to the other side of the country, seeing sights I didn’t know existed, or riding to Texas (or KC or Memphis), for instance, for some authentic BBQ.

Riding your first Saddlesore 1000 will also put you in the like-minded community of the Iron Butt Association with your name on the website, ironbutt.com. If you haven’t already, you may want to subscribe to the mailing list, ldriders.org, which can provide a lot of conversation on going the long haul (get the digest version to receive 2 or 3 messages a day rather than 20 or 30).

One book I highly recommend is Ron Ayres’ “Going the Extra Mile: Insider Tips for Long-Distance Motorcycling.” Here’s from a review: “Best-selling author Ron Ayres has written the first book that shares the proven advice of long-distance veterans with all riders who want to extend their range on a motorcycle. Those hard-core motorcyclists who aspire to participate in endurance rallies will find all the basic information they need to get off to a great start, but touring riders and less ambitious travellers also will be well-served by this book – as would anyone looking to learn a few tricks for enjoying more time in the saddle. To ride long distances, first one must be comfortable riding in a wide range of conditions and situations, and long-distance riders typically choose and modify their gear with these goals in mind.”

Be advised that I'm no expert compared to Mr. Ayres and others, but I understand my own personal reasons for going the extra distance. Part of it's curiosity and seeing new scenery, part of it's getting some alone time, some of it's the time/distance challenge and part of it's the survival challenge. It also means weathering through some difficult parts – long-distance riding isn’t always fun. Some of the time gets boring, lonely, wet, cold, dangerous, costly and frustrating. But the reward has always outweighed the challenge for me.

I began my own long-distance riding career riding to a BMW motorcycle rally in Oregon. Then a Bun Burner Gold, 1500 miles in 24 hours. Then a Saddlesore 5K, 5,000 miles in 5 days. Then a 100CCC, San Francisco to Jacksonville, FL to San Diego in 99.7 hours, collecting small bottles of sand at each shore. And then the Iron Butt Rally in 2003. Since then I’ve done multiple undocumented long days, each time taking home new memories, mostly good. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

To those curious about how to start, I’d say if you’re comfortable doing 300 miles in a day and can stay in the saddle for a solid two to three hours, then you probably have what it takes to try 1,000 miles in a day. You'll come to learn that a lot of long-distance riding depends on ergonomics and the proper setup of your motorcycle.

Seat

It’s important to have a seat that’s not too wide or narrow at the crotch, with the best seats (for long distance) with a higher back, like a tractor seat. The fill should be on the firm side. If it’s too soft you’ll compress it so you're sitting directly on the seat pan, not good.

Some riders use beaded seats and sheepskins to allow air underneath their butt and distribute pressure. If you start developing hot spots, you could be in for a nasty dose of “monkey butt” which is similar to bed sores and hard to get rid of once it starts. If you’re on a long ride, especially in hot and/or humid weather, I suggest you douse your shorts (I prefer briefs for this reason) in the morning with a healthy dose of Bonds Medicated Powder. I use 2 to 3 tablespoons, your butt may be smaller. Probably is. Rub it around a bit.

Position

I’ve found it less tiring with a slight forward lean to the bars, with knees gripping the tank, pegs set slightly back. My thighs are parallel to the ground and knees at a less than 90-degree angle, with the balls of my feet on the pegs. On a cruiser, your feet will be ahead of your knees, but wherever they are, be expected to hold that position for long periods of time. To give the knees and thighs a rest, stand up on the pegs/floorboards or flex your legs back and forth to keep the blood circulating. There will be another article on stretching exercises coming soon.

Handlebars

They should be positioned so your hands fall comfortably and in a natural position. If they’re too far forward you’ll develop pains in your arms if you’re *leaning* on them...or pain in your neck and shoulders if you’re *reaching* for them. Sometimes a simple adjustment can bring them an inch back and make a huge difference. If they can’t be adjusted back any further, you might consider aftermarket bar backs. Ideally, elbows should be at a 30-60 degree angle.

Controls

The clutch and brake levers should be adjusted so your fingers are level with the grips or slightly down. You shouldn’t have to reach for them in case of a panic stop. You should keep the brake lever covered with two fingers at all times, except maybe out in the middle of the desert during daytime hours, where you can give the brake hand a rest. Some people keep the clutch covered, as well. Personally, I don’t like any kind of throttle controls like set screws, “cramp busters” or cruise controls, for reasons that follow.

Fairing

Because of the length of time on the bike, you'll need a fairing that does two things: 1) breaks the wind so you aren’t bracing yourself against it which will tire you out in a hurry, and 2) pushes the wind over your helmet. If the wind doesn’t go over your helmet, you’ll have too much head buffeting and that, too, will fatigue you quickly.

Noise

Wear ear plugs to avoid permanent hearing loss from the constant wind noise, another fatiguing factor. Loud mufflers will also wear you down. I haven't seen anyone do a long-distance ride with straight pipes and I sure wouldn't want to ride behind them any length of time.

Once your ergonomics are in place so you can comfortably handle 300 miles at a stretch, you need to make sure the bike is in shape. Motor running smoothly, fluids topped up, shocks acting properly (not sticking or bottoming out), tires inflated and in good shape, electrical in good shape, brakes in good working order with plenty of pad left, and anything else you can think of to keep you from worrying. It’s amazing the things you’ll start to hear or feel after several hours, and the more confident you are with the machine, the more you can concentrate on the task at hand.

Before I forget, check out the “Archive of Wisdom” page on the Iron Butt Association's website, with 29 tips for riding long distance. A must-read.

Pick your route

Use Google maps or a GPS to figure out the slightly over 1,000 mile mark. Arrange it so you’re not riding into the sun. Don’t choose too many backroads or twisties the first time out. Figure out your gas stops. If you have a 220 mile range, arrange to stop at least every 180 or 190 miles.

1,000 rides can be accomplished (if everything goes right) without speeding, in less than 18 hours on interstate highways. A 60mph average speed is fairly common with seasoned long-distance riders and that takes into account gas stops, (short) meal stops, and 10-15 minute rest stops. Personally, I strive for 65mph mile averages. I’ll shrug off a 55mph average but if it drops to 50mph over the course of a day, then I’ll try to find some faster roads. You’ll find your comfort zone when you know it.

The hardest miles for me aren’t the *last* 200, but the *first* 200. That’s usually the amount it takes for me to get into the rhythm of a trip. I'll get into a comfort zone and start ticking off the miles in 10-, 20-, 50-, or 100-mile chunks. For the last 200 miles I’m usually happy to be “heading to the barn.”

Fatigue

A lot’s been written about fatigue and sleep deprivation and it’s something long-distance riders pay close attention to. For me, one day rides don’t pose that much of a threat unless there’s one or more extra fatiguing factors. Like bad weather, twisties taking more concentration than open roads, or forgetting to put in earplugs. If things are going well, I’m usually jacked up enough just with the challenge aspect.

Multi-day rides are a different animal and it’s imperative to get familiar with signs of fatigue. Every body is different and will react differently. For me, there’s a few cues I pay close attention to. I start noticing speed differentials (one of the reasons I don’t like cruise control). If I’m speeding up, or slowing down, more than 5mph than what I normally ride at, I take notice of that. If it’s more than a 10mph differential I know it’s time to take a rest. Or if my eyes start getting heavy. Or I have lapses in concentration. Or I miss a couple shifts in a row, or shift down when I should be shifting up. Your cues will probably be different, but start looking for them.

***DON'T PUSH YOUR RIDING LIMIT TO THE POINT OF HALLUCINATIONS! If you get slightest hint of trees turning into monsters, or pavement patches turning into cars, you should pull over NOW for some serious rest before you have a bad accident. Or worse.***

Rest times

Typically, on multi-day rides, I’ll let my body tell me when to take a 20-minute power nap at the side of the road, then it’s back in the saddle again. If I start feeling sluggish after another 5 or 10 minutes, I know that the 20 minutes wasn’t enough so I’ll pull over again for 30 minutes. If still not enough, I’ll try an hour.

You may have heard about the "Iron Butt Motel," picnic tables at a rest stop or reclining on the bike, but if you're not comfortable sleeping on the bike or can't find a rest stop, there are a few other places that are considered safe to grab some shuteye: church grounds, schools and cemeteries. I've been known to sleep behind gas stations, but they're noisy (not that that makes much difference), dirty, and not as safe.

I try to find hotel accommodations every night, even though it may only be for four to six hours. That hot shower in the morning rejuvenates me enough for the next 24 hours.

Diet

It’s generally agreed that excessive caffeine won’t help after so many miles, although some riders talk of a concoction of Red Bull and Exedrin. I haven’t tried it. Use of illegal drugs is not only frowned on, but outlawed by the Association.

For fluids, I wear a wide-mouth Camelback, filling it with ice first and then water. A drink tube is clipped to the front of my jacket that I can slip under the chin bar of my helmet whenever I think about it. You'll want to drink more often than you're used to because of the drying effects of the wind. On hot days, I’ll refill the Camelback at every gas stop and that's always seemed to be enough.

I make a special point to keep carbs as low as possible. Light breakfast of bacon and eggs, banana, coffee, but no toast or hash browns. The balance of the day is usually nuts and jerky, until I’m not traveling any further that day. Personally, I avoid carbs (and turkey) during the day like the plague, because I know that makes me sleepy. But at night? Bring on the cheeseburgers and pizza.

I normally pop a couple Ibuprofen in the morning, knowing there’ll be some aches and pains down the road. I may take some more in another four hours or so, depending. Then a multivitamin, some potassium and a banana to ward off cramps.

The night before

So your bike’s ready (not necessary for gas tank to be topped off at this time), the route is memorized, GPS programmed if you have one, clothes laid out, starting witness lined up, now try to get some sleep. Paul Meredith, a well-known long-distance rider gave this tip before my first ride: "Eat a turkey and mashed potatoes meal the night before, it will put you right out." Sure enough, it did.

The start

After breakfast, locate your starting witness. Police stations are usually cooperative when you explain that it’s a timed, non-speeding event, or choose from the IBA-approved witness list. There are a couple other alternatives for witnesses in the Rules section on ironbutt.com. There, you can also find a Start Witness Form, End Witness Form and Mileage Log Form – you’ll need all three forms to mail in later to get certified.

By the way, here’s a chance to acknowledge Mr. Michael Kneebone, the founder of the Iron Butt Association. I’ve had the pleasure to be in his company a number of times and he truly is as nice, honest and upstanding as he seems. By overseeing the Iron Butt Association over the last 25 years, he’s established one of the biggest legacies in motorcycling history.

After the Start Witness Form is filled in, go to the local gas station for a printed receipt that will be your official start time. After that, you’ll need to track your odometer mileage and time at every gas stop. If your route is “out there and back,” you’ll need a receipt from your turnaround point. Don't lose the receipts!

Riding gas stop to gas stop with occasional breaks in between will get the job done, but it will also help to have something to look forward to on the other end: a nice meal, a hotel room, staying at a friends house...all nice carrots at the end of that long stick.

When you’re all done and the End Witness form is filled out, pour a tall one and congratulate yourself, you’ve earned it. After mailing in the documentation, expect to wait four to six weeks for verification – the volunteers check every detail of every ride and that takes time.

Ride safe and let me know how it turns out!

Motorcycle Safety 101

This is a brief tutorial I came up with for my daughter when she got her first scooter:

A motorcyclist/scooter rider is pretty much unprotected, and upon collision with another solid object, you’re likely to get hurt. But if a rider approaches the sport in a mature and safety-oriented manner, most accidents can be avoided. Here are some lessons to enhance the riding experience and hopefully lessen the pain:

1) Protect your body as much as possible: Full-face helmet, cordura or leather jacket with shoulder and elbow armor, gloves and motorcycle boots should be a minimum. Touring overpants with hip and knee armor, and additional back pads are slightly inconvenient but are worth their weight in gold in an accident.

2) Be as conspicuous as possible. Every little bit helps in traffic--you do NOT want to blend in to the background or be stealth-like. There are certain times you want to be noticed from the back, at a stop for instance, so reflective strips and a BRIGHT stop light will help here. Auxiliary driving lights, white or yellow helmet, reflective vest, can all help drivers see you better. Remember, the most common thing a driver says after hitting a motorcyclist: “I didn’t see them!”

3) Learn and practice accident avoidance skills.

Before getting into accident avoidance, though, let’s go over some reasons why you got a motorcycle/scooter in the first place:

1) It’s fun

2) It’s convenient

3) It gets you somewhere faster

4) You can zip through traffic easier

Though it’s fun and convenient and faster and easier, you should remember not to let your guard down. Seasoned riders get that way because they are always vigilant and “expecting the unexpected”...and lucky. If you’re brand new to motorcycling, all of a sudden you’ll start seeing motorcycles you never noticed before. Like buying a yellow car thinking it’s unique and then there’s yellow cars all over the place.

You’ll start hearing more news reports of “motorcycle-down” accidents and friends will tell stories of how their friend lost their leg, or worse. Seasoned riders who spend time on the internet discussing motorcycle safety, hear hundreds of motorcycle fatality reports each year. It’s sobering and causes them to become ever more watchful and careful and thinking how to help others in the sport.

I have a friend who is an accident investigator and motorcycle racing coach. Years ago he convinced a young gal to get started in racing and on her first day on the track, she went down in Turn 10 at Sears Point and didn’t survive. He never again tried to talk someone into racing, or motorcycling for that matter, after that. We all have our personal reasons for getting into the sport and the more we can help others, the better.

Motorcycle skills aren’t like baking skills, where you easily master something and that’s it. They come gradually and each level feels better and makes you want to learn more. You’ll find yourself reading something in a magazine or book that you think you can apply to your day-to-day riding, and then you can’t wait to get on the bike to practice it.

One book I highly recommend is David Hough’s “Proficient Motorcycling,” full of practical street riding tips and analysis. Mr. Hough has become a guru to motorcyclists interested in improving safety and skills.

You may never have the desire to start motorcycle racing, but there are a lot of skills one can learn from racers. Another book I recommend is: “Sport Riding Techniques,” by racer Nick Ienatsch. The author covers a LOT of ground about acceleration, braking and cornering.

Another good publication you can get at half price at motorcycle shows: “Motorcycle Consumer News.” Great articles on gear, new motorcycle reviews and practical riding tips. Start a library to learn new skills and help increase the fun-factor.

Getting back to learning from racers, one thing you can start thinking about and visualizing now is increasing your sight distance. The natural tendency when starting out is to look directly in front of the front wheel. (“Watch out for that rock/curb/block of wood/etc.”) But to start taking in all the information you need to avoid bad situations, you need to start looking up the block, taking in all the information in between with your peripheral vision. Easier said then done, but it will come with a concious effort. It’s said that the difference between a good motorcycle racer and a great motorcycle racer is 30 feet. They’re both looking a quarter mile up the track, but the better motorcycle racer can see 30 feet further up the track.

Motorcycle Safety classes

All new riders should be required to take them. Currently, only riders under the age of 25 are required to take them in California, which is resulting in fewer new rider casualties, but only in that age group. ALL new riders should take them, especially “re-entry” riders who think that since they rode motorcycles in their teens, they should be able to pick up where they left off. Like riding a bicycle, right? Only now the motorcycles are twice as heavy, twice the horsepower and there’s twice as many cars on the road. The technology’s different and the riding techniques are WAY different. Everyone should take a class to get off on the right foot.

Accleleration

It’s exhilirating to go fast and that speed is especially addictive to adrenaline-junkies. It’s also the easiest thing to do on a motorcycle and the beginning rider can think, “Boy, this motorcycling is EASY!” And that’s all they want to do: go fast in a straight line. For about a week. Then their buddies want to go “for a little ride” and what a rude awakening when they learn they don’t know anything at all, when they get into the first corner and discover they’re in over their heads.

Back to basic acceleration. Like in everything else in motorcycling, strive to be smoooth. The fastest racers are the smoothest ones. So treat the throttle as a rheostat, not an on-off switch. Gently roll on the acceleration. When coming to a stop, don’t snap the throttle shut, but roll back as slow as practical. Panic stops would require a little quicker response, but you get the idea.

The smooth acceleration/deceleration is especially important in corners, and we’ll cover that in a moment.

Braking

Get used to using the front brake. The natural tendency, after driving a car all these years, is to stomp on the footbrake (the rear), but this is the main reason the rear tire locks up. When the rear tire locks up it will swing around and try to pass the front tire, with the common result being a “low-side” with you sliding on the pavement behind your bike.

Practice, practice, practice. First in an empty parking lot, then out on lightly-traveled roads. Every time you go out, practice panic stops. Accelerate to your maximum speed and bring the bike to a stop as smoothly(!) and quickly as possible. Ideally, in a straight-line stop, 70% of the braking should be done by the front brakes and 30% rear. Some people will tell you to only use the front brake, but get used to using the rear, also. In a panic situation, you need all the stopping power you can get. Practice it.

Braking in a corner calls for different techniques. Ideally, all braking should be done when the bike is in an upright position. So when approaching a turn, your braking should be completed BEFORE the corner...and then you accelerate out of the corner. If you need to “scrub off speed” in the middle of the corner because you came in too hot, you can bring the bike to a more upright position, brake, then lean over again. You DON’T want to be braking while leaned over.

Cover the brake

Get in the habit of always having two fingers over the brake lever should you need it in a hurry. Accident investigators use a basic 1.5 second reaction time in their figuring. The first half second is recognition (yikes, that idiot’s pulling out in front of me!), the second half is decision-making (I’m going to decelerate, brake and then swerve right), and the third half is actually doing what you’ve decided to do. I think a quarter-second can be shaved off by having your fingers already on the brake. And that quarter second at 45mph translates into 16.5 feet, which can mean the difference between t-boning a car and missing the rear bumper.

Fingers can’t reach to rest comfortably on top? The levers can be adjusted until they do.

Steering

Up until 15mph or so, you should be steering the motorcycle pretty much like a bicycle. Over that and you’ll want to learn countersteering. Countersteering can be slightly non-intuitive, but once you practice it and get it, it will help propel you to more and faster motorcycling skills.

Basically, countersteering is “push the handlebar in the direction you want to turn.” If you are approaching a right hand corner, you push your right hand against the handlebar. What this does is cock the front tire to the left, changing the front tire patch (the area in contact with the road), causing the bike to lean right. Try it. Practice it.

Accident avoidance

One thing to ALWAYS remember: Most motorcycle vs. vehicle accidents are caused by LEFT-HAND TURNING DRIVERS. So start looking for left-hand turning drivers and when you see one, something should go off in your head: POTENTIAL ACCIDENT, POTENTIAL ACCIDENT! Look for an escape route, flash your high-beams, get prepared to brake and swerve.

Stop lights/stop signs If traffic is backed up at a stop light or sign, there are basic things to do to help from getting rear-ended. 1) In California, it’s allowed and almost expected to “filter up” to the front. Once you feel comfortable riding between stopped cars (more on that later), proceed slowly to the start of the line and be prepared to make a quick getaway when the light turns green. 2) If there’s only one lane, do NOT pass cars on the right hand shoulder. It’s a quick way to get a ticket and the shoulder has a lot of debris to puncture your tires. 3) If there’s only one lane and you need to stop behind a car, stop 10 feet away from the car in front of you (never right on the bumper) and OFF TO ONE SIDE, preferably the left. That way, you’ll have an escape route should they back up OR you hear tires squealing behind you. Always keep your eye on your rear view mirrors while stopped. 4) Every time: Clutch in, first gear selected, left foot down. If you’re feeling tired or unstable, put both feet down.

Practice starts from a stop in a parking lot. Not jack-rabbit starts, but smooth and quick getaways.

Rain or slippery situations

Try to ride as upright as possible and avoid trolley car tracks and manhole covers like the plague. If they’re unavoidable, try to cross as perpendicular as possible. Don’t worry about getting soaked as much as getting home safely.

Make sure all your lights are functioning properly.

Stopped traffic

When in totally stopped traffic or riding next to parked cars, watch for drivers about to get out of their car. Getting “doored” can ruin your whole day.

Ride at a reasonable pace between slowed or stopped traffic. Don’t be tempted to treat cars as immobile objects. They WILL swerve in front of you into the next lane, so be prepared and drive slow enough so you can avoid contact should they do something stupid.

Try looking further ahead for clues. Do a number of cars seem to be merging in one direction? Is there smoke or dust ahead in one of the lanes? Always keep the next car in your peripheral vision--be concious of what it’s doing but don’t focus on it.

Looking further ahead also makes it easier to go through narrower spaces.

Your head should be on a swivel. Left mirror, right mirror, gauges, look where you’re going (80-90%). Constantly alert to changes that might affect you and your predicament.

Riding alongside cars

Stay out of drivers’ blind spots. If there’s not a safe way to get in front of them, at least speed up enough to “show them a wheel” to let them you know you’re there.

Be prepared for them to swerve into you, either to change into your lane or make a turn in front of you at the last minute. Be far enough off their rear bumper so you can take evasive action if those things should happen.

Debris

I hate this one, because it’s SO unpredictable. Certain things, like a 2x4 or plastic bucket can be pretty innocuous, but a metal car bumper or a sofa or ladder suddenly appearing in front of you and there’s no time to swerve?? This is where luck comes into play. All I can say is, just watch for the unexpected and realize it can bite you at any moment. Remember: “Trouble rides a fast horse.”

Critters

“If it’s too big to eat in one sitting, it’s probably best not to run over it.” Be especially careful when riding in deer-prone areas at dusk. If you get into touring long distances, wildlife will become a bigger concern, but you still have to be careful in some areas of the Bay Area. A deer can be standing right around the next corner...

This is pretty elementary stuff, but look for deeper coverage of some of these topics in the future. Ride safe!

Stopped at the Light

On March 25 of this year, a horrific accident in Phoenix, Arizona took the lives of four motorcyclists and put another five in the hospital with critical injuries. A sanitation truck driven by 46-year-old Michael Jackschit plowed into the group as they waited at a stop light. Jackschit was later determined to be under the influence of meth and had recently been cited numerous times for speeding violations.

This type of accident should put the fear of God into every motorcyclist because it happened without warning and with the speed of the truck (dragging the victims 50 to 75 yards), there was little they could possibly do to avoid it.

But even though there wasn't much they could do, there are lessons to be learned. The number one lesson is a reminder that "trouble rides a fast horse" and we shouldn't let our guard down. Yes, there are times on the open highway in the middle of Nevada that we can put our feet up and just deal with the boredom (and the pleasure it might bring)...but in traffic? Never!

The number two lesson, is to be extra cautious when stopped when there's a chance of getting rear-ended, because getting rear-ended is a leading cause of vehicle vs. motorcycle accidents. Right behind left-turning drivers, which is covered in another article. Again, I'm sure those Arizona motorcyclists had no chance of getting out of the way of this maniac in a 20-ton vehicle, but here are some tips that might help you from getting creamed.

Be aware
When coming to a stop in traffic, go into "attack mode": heads-up, eyes-aware, listening for danger sounds like squealing tires or scraping metal. Scan your mirrors for cars coming from behind. (Attack mode for me also includes gripping the tank with the knees and a slight forward lean to stiffen against front fork compression if it should happen). Yes, you should be slightly paranoid.

Practice the routine
Stop 10 feet from the car in front of you, preferably in the left tire track. Offset from the center so you'll have an escape route AND to avoid the grease and oil that accumulates in the middle of the roadway. Stopping in the right tire track will give you "dirty foot" when you step into that grease and oil. Not fun, especially if you're not wearing boots with oil-resistant soles.

Keep your right foot on the brake to signal approaching drivers and your right hand covering the front brake. Keep in first gear in case a jackrabbit start is needed to jump out of the way...you don't want to be caught between two cars. Keep your front wheel pointed straight ahead for two reasons: if caught from behind and the wheel is cocked at an angle, you'll go down in a hurry and be *underneath* two cars, not good -- it's (slightly) better to be pushed straight into the car in front. It also gives you a choice of directional change one way or the other for that jackrabbit start.

Scan the mirrors

Keep an eye on those drivers coming from behind. And be prepared to pop the clutch (again, practice).

When in California...

It's best to filter up to the front at a light. Yes, you might get some frowns, but they're a lot safer than being a sitting duck behind a stopped car. And by all means, break whatever laws you have to, to stay safe.

Keep the shiny side up!

Initial post

Not just a test, but an outline of things to come. We hope you enjoy it and find it worthwhile because our aim is to help make motorcycling even more enjoyable than it already is. We want this to be interactive, so comment away on anything and everything.

So what is this Tour of Honor? Well, it's still in the works, but we'd at least like you to know that it's going to be a little fun...a little competitive...a little challenging...and a lot rewarding. And if its motorcycle related, it can't be all bad. Follow us on Twitter to find important dates relating to this Tour of Honor.

In the meantime, we want to present informative articles on motorcycling and hope you get something out of them. Articles on street riding, touring, commuting, long distance riding, route planning, motorcycle camping, maybe even some dirt. And you adding to the conversation will hopefully benefit everyone.

Just a note: This isn't a brand-specific site, it's about motorcycling in general, so you won't find discussions promoting one brand over another. Or whether loud pipes really do save lives.

Have fun, ride safe!