Stay Upright - Making Your Decision - The Right Way

As motorcyclists, we face many hazards, whether it be as a tourer, trail bike rider or commuter. The hazards are just part of the game of life and must be accepted as such. A competent motorcyclist should make it their aim to avoid and counteract accident producing situations.

The unthinking semi skilled rider doesn't and sooner or later may have to face the consequences, sometimes with disastrous results. Unfortunately for the industry, causes many more potential riders to think again about motorcycling as an option.

I believe that motorcycling hazards fall into two distinct categories.

1st Category - could be said to be things like loose or slippery surfaces, deep potholes, negative camber corners, wet roads, mechanical breakdowns (very rare) like a chain breaking, locking the back wheel or seizing a piston.

2nd Category - this is simply the other road user, buses, trucks large and small. The people who are in control of these vehicles are generally not out to get us on purpose. I don't know of too many who wake up and think 'today a BMW, I must nail one!'

To travel safely among them, skill to operate our motorcycle is not enough. Often too much emphasis is placed on skill. To be able to mix harmoniously with road users from all parts of the world, we must develop roadcraft skills that give us the ability to read traffic conditions and the possible action of the human behind the wheel.

Anticipating the behaviour of other road users and recognising their capabilities and limitations is vital to our future on the road.

It has been said that the road scene is like a game of chess. A rider should always ride well ahead of their bike, reading the traffic and the ever changing road conditions, we have to constantly monitor the alternative moves and plan accordingly.

The skilled rider has benefits over a car driver, assuming the motorcycle is roadworthy. Our field of vision is a lot wider than a car driver, more powerful brakes and responsive controls, more manouverability and minimum width to our advantage.

The negative is that we have less stability under emergency conditions and lack of protection in the even of an impact.

Until next time,
Stay Upright

Max Thompson
Stay Upright
Motorcycle
Techniques