Stay Upright. October 2008

Thinking riders are always on the lookout for ways to make their riding safer and more enjoyable.

While riding along the road they follow good roadcraft principles by keeping a lookout for road surface irregularities, traffic hazards and anything that may limit their vision of what lies ahead. They respond by slowing down and/or changing their lane position in plenty of time before reaching the hazard.

Unfortunately hazards don't cease to exist when we come to a stop. We have all heard of the term 'sitting duck' but that's what many otherwise safe riders become when they pull up. Have a look in any bike wrecker yard and you will see bikes that have been hit from behind. Sure the car driver probably wasn't looking where they were going and legally caused the rear-ender but how can we as riders reduce these sorts of risks we face when stationary?

Let's use a normal stop at a traffic light stop as an example. Too often, riders pop the bike into neutral before stopping, put both feet on the ground, sit upright and have a good stretch. There are several problems associated with this technique. Because the rider is no longer in a riding position they can't use their mirrors to see what's happening behind.

Neither brake is applied so the stop light is not warning cars coming from behind that the bike is stopped and if a crash does happen, the bike will shoot forward with the rider probably falling off the back under the car. Even if the rider does get warning of what is about to happen, being in neutral the bike isn't ready for a quick getaway.

An easy remedy to all of these problems is to follow a simple system:
-Before slowing, check your mirrors to see if it is safe to do so
-Roll off the throttle and immediately squeeze the front brake then the rear brake. If there is no doubt that a complete stop is required, pull in and hold the clutch and tap down to first gear. If there is a chance of a green light before stopping, progressively change down through the gears releasing the clutch after each change to ensure the selected gear matches the bikes speed.

-Avoid using only the clutch and gears to slow down because cars coming up from behind may not realize you are slowing. There is an old saying "gears are for going, brakes are for slowing". Not only do brakes do a better job slowing, in the longer term it's easier and cheaper to replace brake pads than a clutch or gearbox.
-Before you actually come to a stop, make sure you are in first gear. Have a couple of extra taps just to be sure.
-Plan to put just your left foot on the ground so you can keep the rear brake pedal applied.
-Once you have stopped, release the front brake lever returning your right hand to the throttle.
-Stay in first gear

You are now sitting in what is called the 'ready position'. You are ready for anything. The rear brake is applied so the bike can't roll away. The stop light is on as a warning to everyone approaching from behind. Because your hands stay on the bars your upper body is correctly positioned to scan the mirrors. The bike is in first gear and your right hand is around the throttle ready for a quick getaway if required.

The benefits of ready position don't end there. Moving off from the ready position means a rider can use the rear brake to control their initial rate of acceleration far more accurately than is possible using just the throttle and clutch. Because the stop light remains illuminated as the bike moves away, the driver behind is likely to hesitate before moving, giving a bigger buffer between them and the bike. If the rider has to make a quick stop, say a car runs a red light just as the rider moves off, the rear brake can be reapplied with good effect to stop quickly. Had the rider moved off with the right foot on the ground in this same situation they would have no option but to use the front brake. Over-reaction with the front brake at low speed is a common cause of low speed crashes.

Lots of riders believe they need both feet on the ground for stability. If you have normal balance and the bike is kept pretty upright, one foot down is all you need - and just look at the safety aspects you gain.

Some riders are unhappy about lengthy stops with the clutch in. No problem, just wait until a car has stopped behind forming a safety buffer and then put the bike into neutral.

Keep the bike from moving and the stop light illuminated by holding the front brake, put your right foot down and hover your left foot over the gear lever. Return to the ready position before moving off.

While old habits are hard to break, using the ready position has lots of safety benefits so give it a try.

Until Next time - Stay Upright . . . and Ready!
Dave Gibson
Manager - ACT
Stay Upright
Motorcycle Techniques