Particles - What are the top 3 things a rider can do to increase their safety on a motorcycle?

What are the top 3 things a rider can do to increase their safety on a motorcycle?

Written by Dave Jevans

Friday, 06 April 2007

"Well, I'm not sure about being a semi-professional road racer, but I do enjoy racing motorcycles at tracks like Infineon raceway, Laguna Seca, Willow Springs, Buttonwillow and Thunder Hill. I have raced a variety of bikes, including 600cc, 1000cc, Formula Singles and even vintage Norton road racers. On the big bikes, we hit speeds of well over 150mph. There are some corners on these tracks that can be taken at 100mph or more, with your knee on the ground. In addition to racing, I've been riding street bikes for almost 20 years. Here are my top thoughts for keeping safe on the street: First, buy the best safety equipment that you can get. This starts with a great quality helmet. There's no point in skimping on a cheaper helmet. As we say, $10 helmet = $10 head. Next, buy some great quality leather gloves, jacket and boots. I also recommend leather pants. A decent alternative if you ride in inclement weather is an Aerostitch suit. (www.aerostitch.com). Second, wear that safety equipment on every ride. It depresses me to see people riding to work without leather gloves on, or without a leather jacket. On hot days, wear leathers that have ventilation zippers. Wear your boots too. You see, there are 2 kinds of riders. Those that have crashed, and those that are going to crash. It's a fact of life. And chances are that when it happens, it won't be your fault. But that doesn't mean that its not going to hurt. When I see people riding without good a safety gear, I cringe. Do you know what happens to your hands when you fall off without gloves? Picture a meat grinder.... Also, wearing sneakers on a motorcycle is just plain stupid. First, you're exposing your feet to rocks and other debris that could be kicked up the by the car in front of you. Rocks hitting your ankles at 60mph hurt. But more importantly, do you think those sneakers are going to stay on your feet if you fall off? Nope. I've seen people fall off on the street, and their sneakers are pretty much ripped off their feet. Imagine that meat grinder again on your ankles.... My third tip regards braking in an emergency. If you don't already do it, learn to ride with 2 fingers covering the front brake at all times. Rest your index and pointer finger gently on the front brake lever. When the time comes that you need to unexpectedly hit the brakes, your reaction time will be much faster if you don't have to extend your hand to grab the brakes. Also, you're much less likely to grab the brakes too hard in an emergency, which can lock the front end and down you go. If you are used to resting your fingers on the front brake lever, and squeezing the brakes smoothly and firmly, then when the emergency happens, you will automatically and reflexively squeeze the brakes to a safe and smooth stop. I've noticed that Valentino Rossi, 6 times world MotoGP Champion, does not cover the front brake while racing. He reaches for the front brake lever at every turn, and then grabs the bar with his full hand once done braking. First, recognize that he's more talented and practiced that you or I will ever be. Second, he's in a controlled environment where its the same 12 corners lap after lap, everyone is going the same direction, there are no cars and little debris, and all the riders around him are predictable and are also world-class. And third, he needs his full arm strength on the bars to control 250hp at full throttle from every corner exit. That's simply not the street bike environment. You need every advantage you can get. So there's a couple of tips to help keep safe on the street. Remember, be as smooth as possible. Practice, practice, practice. Treat every car like an enemy that's hell-bent on running you over. And consider taking some track day instruction to learn how capable your bike really is. Finally, enjoy the ride!" - Dave Jevans is the Chairman of the Anti-Phishing Working Group, and founder of IronKey. While he spends most of his time keeping people and their data safe online, he also races motorcycles and has been on two wheels for over 20 years.

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