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what is old? i'm 62, i've been riding over 50 years, no helmet, one crash at 16, hit the same car 3 times, slid down the passenger side. found a ditch in 2008, why? playing by tilting the bike, while i remained upright. no helmet, no scratches. i now ride my 2012 fatboy like ghost rider.
As someone who's spent many days & weeks working on the flight deck of 3 US Aircraft carriers during 12-16 hour flight ops, in all types of weather, Keeping you head on a swivel and being " in the moment" the entire time saves lives. Thanx for the list Kevin! 😊
Having only been riding for a few weeks I’ve already perfected my skills. There is no bike too fast, no curve to sharp, and no obstacle I can’t avoid. I’m even better when I drink.
The tailgating point almost caught me out last year. Riding home on the highway with lots of traffic but moving more or less consistently at ~80km/h. Went over a small hill and for whatever reason, cars had slowed down dramatically (guy in front of me almost rear-ended the next car). I was lucky that I reacted quickly and passed by him on the left shoulder, but it could have been bad. I had gotten too comfortable over the years, I try to be much more careful now.
i was on a quiet quick biking road with plenty of hump back bridges and blind summits last sat, and slowed down going over 'em all as you should, but the nob in the range rover behind me just closed up the gap, dangerously so, so after a couple of times i moved over and just let her get on with it. about 10 miles later at the junction, she was a princely 5 yards in front of me, and like you it was a reminder of what could have been as she sped over those humps way too fast. GL
Glad that worked for you. I have seen a troubling trend in the last ten years, where when traffic crunches up and everybody slows down, a lot of motorists chicken out and dive onto the shoulder even before anyone is braking hard. If you were there on a bike and did similarly, you could dive right into the side of a car, or be party to a flash secondary pileup on the shoulder. It's a nightmare. Might still be better that staying in the lane sometimes...
When you get to comfortable while your riding that is when you can get in trouble , Always be careful , speed kills , I keep with the traffic flow are if the speed limit I usually go 5 mph over , I never been pulled over by a cop in the 55 plus years of riding . Intersections are the WORST , always slow down as your going through and have your hands cuff over your clutch and brake and be ready what is coming to you , beside you and especially glance at your mirrows to see if some one is coming up on you to fast . I been in 2 accidents which None was my fault , the last one was 21 years ago when we got hit from behind by a guy on a Sportster trying to pass me on the right side while I was coming down a bridge , He almost KILLED my wife . If she wasn't wearing a helmet she would not be alive today , as she will never ride again as she has scars and metal in her body .
I would like to share my experience when I had a motorcycle accident last year. I was making a left hand turn, I was only going around 12 mph, I failed to see the gravel in the turn and down I went. I was wearing full gear, the foot peg was ripped off, my full motorcycle boots saved my foot.. My head struck the road just off center, I was knocked out out for several minutes, my full face helmet saved my life. I ended up with one small friction burn on my forearm and walked out of the ER several hours latter. This has not put me off riding, I'm still riding my FZ07 and turn 64 this year. I consider myself lucky to be alive. I cringe when I see fellow riders wearing shorts, tee-shirt and sneakers while riding motorcycles.
saw a testimonial from a rider who was just moving his bike from his driveway to park in his garage, h blipped the throttle wrong or something. stalled and fell over pretty much stopped, hitting his head, causing a brain bleed, had to have emergency flap surgery for the swelling brain and was in the hosptal for weeks and rehab for months, his advice , never even move your bike even 5 feet without your helmet on.
Where I live here in Toronto, I see riders all the time wearing a helmet, no gloves, no other protective gear at all. I've even seen riders wearing beach sandals if you can fathom that one. I cannot for the life of me understand that.
Which is why just looking ahead is sometimes problematic. I know its easier to negotiate curve's and turns looking ahead but if you miss the hazards that are close what you experienced is what can happen.
I had a crash 3 years ago. I was riding straight through an intersection and was hit by a car turning left. It was unavoidable on my end. He didn't see me until he hit me. I was thrown about 20' and landed on my head and my right shoulder on the pavement. I was wearing a full face helmet. No head or neck injuries but I did break my collar bone, sternum and 9 ribs ,fractured my shoulder blade and tore my rotator cuff. There is no doubt in my mind that if I had not been wearing my helmet I would be dead. My brains would be all over the pavement.
I've been riding for almost 40 years and have never been in accident with a car. BUT I did get taken out by a loose Doberman that ran in front of me and I hit it. The sudden snap of the handlebars high-sided me to the pavement. Usually in the warmer weather I wore my 1/2 helmet. It was really cold that October morning so I wore the 3/4 helmet with a face shield. The lower corner near the chin kept my face mostly off the road. I did lose a little skin though. After I got home from the hospital, I threw away the 1/2 and the 3/4 helmet (which was damaged anyway). I have two full-face helmets now, one a modular. I was lucky that I didn't break my jaw or lose any teeth. I want to keep it that way.
When you say unavoidable I'm thinking 'unavoidable in the exact circumstances you put yourself in'. By that I mean that knowledge and a conscious realization that a car is or might be turning left at an intersection should tell you to approach that intersection as though a car might very well not see you and proceed to turn. There's so many ways drivers will get you and that is probably the most common.
@@mikeb5372 I'll put it this way. The only way I could have avoided it is if I had ignored the green light and just stopped at the intersection. Since it was after dark, he and I were the only people at the intersection at all. I had a brand new daymaker headlight which was easily seen. The timing was just perfect. We arrived at the intersection at the same time. I went straight and he turned into me as if I wasn't even there. It looked he sped up instead of braking .He didn't slow down or anything. Like I said, I could've just stopped and yielded the right of way. But are you gonna stop at every intersection and yield the right of way every time there's a car in the opposite turn lane? That's not realistic.
@@libertyspike8890 I wasn't there of course, so I don't know. No, I don't stop just because someone plans on turning left like that. I do slow down and try to get a read on them. I'm pretty cautious in certain situations and that's definitely one of them. I hope you don't take my comment personally, it was meant to apply in a general context.
One of the things I do when there’s a car coming up to an intersection is to move laterally (change lane position). It gives drivers a little help to see me, since I no longer look like a single stationary light, which could be mistaken for a more distant car. Now I’m a moving light, which grabs their attention.
On tailgating...I do my best to stay out of wolf packs and blind spots. But there is one big exception: Certain intersections or oncoming left hand turn lanes that are known to be dangerous. In those cases I will sometimes bunch myself up with the cars rather than maintaining an ideal following distance. Not right on their bumper but close enough that there isn't time for someone to turn in between us. This is to prevent the minivan mom or BMW yuppie from turning left in front of me due to not seeing the bike and mistaking it for a break in the traffic. I just don't trust anyone. The person turning left in front of you is one of the biggest risks on a bike, and in that moment it outweighs the risk of being closer to the other vehicles.
Ah, the 'shield technique', I do this sometimes at junctions in the UK, it can be a lot safer than relying on a stressed out driver spotting you. Ride Safe.
Yeah for christ sake it's so dangerous to be not visible due to other traffic. One day i was going home when I wanted to get behind a vehicle because the vehicle infront of me was going too slow, there seemed to be nothing behind him so I casually sweep behind said vehicle when there was some guy on an r15 honking.. Like bro looked at me like I was a freak. Mate don't ever put yourself where you're invisible don't look at me like that. Well I shouldn't be surprised where I live in Indonesia people don't actually understand how to drive or ride, where most people got their license without a test, and where law enforcement is none here. Going out on the road imo is the most dangerous parts of our lives, ironically I love going out on the road though.. But I'm always sure to be smarter about my moves.
One factor I might add is being distracted. My brother is glued to his phone, even while riding his bike he will take any incoming call. The most recent event after stopping at an intersection, he was so distracted talking on his phone that he didn’t even see a semi going through an intersection (that had the right away)that nearly hit him. His slow speed maneuvers are nonexistent. It’s really a miracle after all the miles he’s ridden that he has not had a serious accident. Neither of us are spring chickens ( both mid 60’s) Our last roadtrip was our last, just haven’t told him yet.
@@gungadingo 1 trip? He has already taken several and it's not him he is worried about. Look at it this way, if the other guy does something stupid and dies, he won't have to tell him!
I always take my phone, it's a safety device, but I don't have it mounted anywhere on the bike. I love to ride because it forces most of the nagging issues and problems out of my head and forces me to be in the moment focusing on my surroundings. Cellphones are one of the reasons I may soon hang up the gear, ever since the pandemic I see daily red light runners and selfish and dangerous actions by drivers multiple times. I'm 56 with a perfect driving history, including 35 years on assorted bikes, I'm çonfident in my skills but I just feel the attitude of most drivers doesn't give you a fair shake even if you are following the rules. It feels like it's just a matter of time.
Indeed. I almost put my car into a guardrail on two occasions, from a second of dozing off due to lack of sleep. The only thing that saved me was the car veered off *away* from the guardrail, and there was no traffic. If I was on a bike, I probably would have slid a good distance on the highway. Don't do what I did: NAPS SAVE LIVES.
I think the weekend warrior who only rides on "bluebird days" and who comes out of hibernation to ride on a nice spring day for the forst time in 6 months, that fellow or fellowette is at risk too.
Quite true, that would actually fall under the 'Inexperienced' category, regardless of how many years they have held a MC licence only going for a ride on an occasional basis and in good weather brings about a false sense of security, I have been riding for about 22 years spread over the 45 years that I have held a vehicle license, in all weather conditions and I am still learning, the main thing is not to become complacent and try to be ready for anything that may eventuate. Ride Safe and Stay Upright.
Absolutely. I would really like to see differential statistics on accidents per vehicle mile driven for daily v weekly v monthly riders. It would also be interesting to see how that variable of habituation to the motorcycle affects vulnerability to the risk factors he just mentioned.
Agree and disagree I have many years experience on and off road and half dozen or so to track days on sport bikes I find when I end up riding every day as my only transportation for whatever reason, after a couple of weeks I get not complacent When I go for a fun ride I pay more attention to everything around me That’s just me Mostly dual sport bikes these days with more of a lean towards dirt roads and out of traffic and a 300 lb bike with knobbie tires gives me a lot more options on where I can go and stay in control
One change I make to help with the top one - replace the word "influence" with "effect". Loads of people seem to think "under the influence" means drunk, or at least tipsy, so if I'm not slurring and I can walk straight then I'm fine to ride. I always ask if you feel the effects of alcohol. Bit happier? Bit looser? Not even a buzz as such, just a bit more relaxed? If you have that then you are not drunk, but you're slower in observing, processing and reacting to the world out there and at even residential speeds that lag can kill you.
@@GeneralChangFromDanangdepending on the amount of alcohol consumed 8hrs might be not enough for 0.00 … there were a lot of parties where I i woke up still drunk and the hangover only kicked in over the course if the following day…
Back in the day if I was boozing and cruising that fear of God dying on a motorcycle always sobered me up I can always thank my major car crash for that It made me grow up.
For those of you who think a 600cc bike is small, keep in mind that 600cc supersports can blast every speed limit in the country in 1st gear. The top speed of a 600cc supersport is 150 to 170 mph. If you are going to speed you now are responsible for even others' actions. My GSXR will stop and go better than any HD but I still keep my space bubble. I wear gear.
When I was young, I was frequently the top 3 riders on your list. I don't have a clue how I ended up getting past 25 years old. The traffic was a lot less and slower back then (80s) but I am amazed of my lack of responsibility. Thank God I was able to grow up.
Here is a list of the effects of speed. - Doubling speed doulbes reaction distance, as Kevin stated. - Doubling speed quadruples braking distance, as Kevin stated. (Stopping distance equals braking distance plus reaction distance, as Kevin stated.) - Doubling speed approximately doubles swerving distance. - Doubling speed quadruples the energy of a crash. (Example, crashing straight into a concrete wall at 20 mph is similar to falling 15 feet onto concrete. Crashing in straight into a concrete wall at 40 mph is similar to falling 60 feet onto concrete.) - Doubling speed quadruples the energy need to make a vehicle move. (This is true for all vehicle, regardless of if they are gas, diesel or electric powered vehicles. We don't notice this as much with gas and diesel because they always use some minimum amount of energy required to idle the engine. It alway uses this idle or parasitic energy loss even at speed. This parasitic energy loss is why most gas powered vehicles are most efficient somewhere between 25 mph and 45 mph (vehicle dependent). Electric vehicles have parasitic energy loss also. These parasitic losses are much lower. It does increase as the need for heating increases (cold weather). Hence it being said that electric vehicles are not good in cold climates. (Parasitic energy loss isn't the only factor that negatively effects electric vehicles in cold weather.)) - It requires roughly eight times more power to travel twice as fast. Note that traveling at too slow of a speed for traffic conditions is also very dangerous. Those calculations are mathematical much more difficult to express. If a safe speed for the traffic is too fast for other reasons it is time to find a chose a different road with safer conditions. All this stated, excessive speed is the thing on Kevin's list that I am most often guilty of. My safety is somewhat a concern of mine when I do higher or excessive speeds. But my primary limiting factor and concern is thinking about how other road users perceive all motorcyclist when they see one rider speeding. Also what people think of us when their picnic site, fishing site, walk or bicycle ride is interrupted by a dust cloud caused by one or motorcyclist ripping down an unpaved road. Please consider others and their thoughts about motorcyclist in general when selecting if, where and when you travel with excessive speed.
Great stuff! On helmet vs no helmet. Couple weeks back there was a gentleman about two cars behind me on a sweet Street Glide. Light turned red. I stopped. Both cars stopped. He stopped. Was watching him in mirror (really like the color scheme on his bike) His foot went out from the oil spot on the road. When his bike tipped? It WHIPPED his head into the pavement! Got his bike up. Followed him home. He was a bit sore..but! If he had not had his helmet? Would have been a trip to the hospital at the least! ZERO mph! (that spot gets greased up from the coal bucket traffic) Also...Take some classes. Do some low speed work in the parking lot! Keep the rubber side down!
A co-worker, also a rider, witnessed a guy renting a Harley at a local dealer. He hadn't even pulled out of the lot. He lost his footing and the bike keeled over. There was damage to every bolt-on part on the bike, fairing, windshield, lights, hard-bags, etc. He was a fairly confident rider, too, as he failed to take out the "optional" insurance...
In the UK, and most of Europe, a new rider cannot jump straight onto large capacity/high powered machine. Even the shortest process, for riders over 24, requires compulsory basic training on a 125, theory and hazard perception test, followed by a training course on a 600cc+ machine, supervised by an instructor, then a 2 part driving test. Younger riders have to work their way through up to 3 successive 2 part tests, over several years, to achieve an unlimited licence.
I've owned many classic scooters and bikes. My last big bike was a GL1100 Interstate in 1991, I used to throw that around like a 50cc. I was off bikes from 1994 until 2014 when I went back to an LML150 scooter, then briefly an Aprilia 650, then a PCX150. Two years ago I saw a beautiful ST1300 in a dealer's showroom, I bought it based on fond memories of the Gold Wing, even thinking my wife and I could do Sunday trips into the country. The ST1300 scared the hell out of me, I did a total of 50kms and sold it within a month, even dropping it by inadvertently pulling away in 2nd and stalling. I might upgrade the PCX150 to a TMAX, but that's as big as I'll go, besides, twist-and-go is so much more enjoyable. I also no longer ride at night or in the rain.
I have been riding avidly for over 50 years. In that time I have owned over 40 motorcycles, and none of them were over 800cc.. A bigger bike just adds weight in my opinion. Among other things, I have crossed the continent on my motorcycles 3 times. My current ride and daily commuter is a V-Strom 650 Adventure model, with all the removable luggage. It fell off the kickstand a few weeks ago in the driveway, and even at my rather advanced age, I just picked it up and went on my way. That is important to me. So is a certain amount of "flickability". Sustained speeds of over 100 MPH on a motorcycle is just unnecessary.
Related to #5 on the list is the motorcyclist who does 5 or 6 Saturday rides each summer and leaves the motorcycle in the garage the rest of the year. That does not make an experienced rider. Ride to work. Ride to the store. Ride in the heat. Ride in the cold. Ride in the rain. Ride in traffic. Nothing can replace the experience of riding. After about a 30 year hiatus, I took up riding again about 16 years ago. I ride almost every day. It took about 2 years before I became really comfortable on the motorcycle. Five or six day rides a year will not get you where you need to be. Don't let your ego tell you different. It will deceive you.
I always say there are a couple of things you get taught in rider courses you should immediately forget. Don't be courteous. I don't mean be a rude rider, I mean, if you have the right of way, don't try to give it away. Follow the rules of the road, keeping in mind that, as a motorcycle, it does you no good to get t-boned by a semi because you had the right of way. I mean, stopping in the road to let someone at a stop sign pull out in front of you may be a nice thing, but the person behind you doesn't know you are a suicidally courteous rider, and by the time they realize you are being nice, they have slammed into you. Again, maybe they are at fault (most likely it will be 50/50, you had no reason to stop) but you are still in the body cast and your bike is scrap. Don't drive the speed limit. I don't mean speed. I mean drive at the speed of everyone around you. I know some will say drive slightly faster, to leave room behind, but I don't see that as very accurate. What I do see as dangerous is new motorcyclists worrying about getting a speeding ticket and spending too much time looking at their dash. You have your eyes off the road in front of you enough just checking your mirrors. Don't worry about a ticket if you are riding the same speed as those around you. If they are all speeding, and you slow down to the speed limit, you become an obstacle in the road. There are others that are uncommon sense, like just because you can see the driver in his mirror, you aren't safe where you are, unless he is looking AT you in the mirror (and even then, sometimes they don't see what they are looking at). A course cannot tell you to ignore the speed limit. But you don't need to be staring at your odometer. Or your GPS. Get some sort of Bluetooth helmet intercom that will connect to your phone or GPS, if you can. Listen to directions rather than staring at a map on your dash. If you miss your turn, DO NOT do anything unusual to make the turn or to go back. Again, people in cars are horrible at reading your mind and will not expect anything abnormal from you. Don't make them work too hard at figuring out what you are doing, they are already beyond their limit, talking to their girlfriend on the phone, smoking their cigarette, changing the radio station or skipping a song in the playlist, and eating that burger and balancing that soft drink to add not hitting you to their priority list.
I call that Offensive Driving. Driving to make them notice you. Place yourself to see and be seen by the right people. Swerve briefly right toward the guy waiting to turn left in front of you. That'll get his attention. Be very bold about your moves and intentions. Commit with your whole posture and follow through. One of the riskiest things to do in traffic is to vacillate, to hesitate to follow through on your intended action. People who read your message will be surprised you are still where you are, and not where you looked like you were going to be. I once was looking for a parking space. I was signalling to turn left on a side road, buy Sweetie saw an easier space on the right shoulder. I reversed my turn signal, and started toward the right shoulder. I did a head check to see if anyone was coming in the right lane, and there was no one. Just as I was almost to the lane boundary, a car adjusted my right rearview mirror, and knocked over a light pole just past my parking space. He had been coming up directly behind me. He expected me to turn left, and just as I completed my head check he pulled right to pass me, a bit close. Then I started edging into the lane he was about to occupy. He swerved around me harder, but didn't quite clear me. He couldn't muster the counterswerve to stay on the road after that. He was going too fast. He was cutting too close. He was not very skilled. But none of this would have happened if I had done what I had said I would do.
That's good advice, and I do not ride. I'd rather be called a "cager" (I hope that's not what you're implying with your last few sentences.) than find myself "caged" in a body cast.
@@MalachiWhite-tw7hl Nope, just commenting on the lack of attention you see on the roads today. And I have been rearended by motorcycles not paying attention, too. If you are at a red light for two minutes and then you get hit from behind, the comment "I didn't see you" gets kind of unbelievable. Didn't see me, didn't see the red light, didn't see the pick-up next to me. Practicing riding with your eyes closed?
A lot of riders in Florida not wearing helmets. I remember driving down I-4 in Tampa when a guy on a sport bike passed me doing a wheely at I'm guessing 120mph. Wearing nothing but shorts and flipflops.
I would add another type of rider in danger is the rider who gets together with a group of riders and heads for the curvies ,and once there, realizes that his skill level is not up to the others in the group, but tries to keep up anyway. This happened to me once, and I respectfully dropped behind and told the others I was not comfortable running the curves at that speed. Don't let your ego right your death warrant. Good vid.
Thanks for the advice. I'm an old/new rider and smartphones were the main reason why I was hesitant to ride again. Your videos have given me the confidence and the safety tips are invaluable. Thanks again
Other drivers don't expect you to be speeding and base their actions on normal arrival times at their location. If you speed, they pull out, you impact. Good video, learn every day, and enjoy.
Aggressive riding, lack of skills and impairment. Three major causal factors of rider at fault crashes here. Im a retired motor cop, crash investigator, Supreme Court Expert Witness Police MC instructor, own my own riding school and agree 100% with you
That may well be, but riding is still quite risky, even with the best of training. The director of the local motorcycle-safety school died on his Ducati when a deer stepped in front of him, as did my coworker. Deer suck! (at least to motorists, farmers, foresters, gardeners, and Lyme disease sufferers).
Thet see there heroes on the TV and because they ride a bike in the same colours think they can do the same,?apart from lack of skill,no racing tyres, and all going only in the same direction ,and no ambulance every 50 feet, must overtake and get that 1 car ahead, I've studied bikers ove 4 decades, and my opinion is they ask for it.
You are 100% correct in everything you’re saying. I am 64 years old, been riding motorcycles for the last 40+ years. I’ve taken basic/advanced courses in riding skills.. “ Every day you ride is a training day on a motorcycle”… Three years ago in Southern California I finally got hit by a uninsured motorist. If you know what I mean. Broke just about every bone on my left side. Full face helmet saved my life, Along with all my riding gear. I have now recovered… Thank goodness, I caught it all on my GoPro camera, they weren’t lying about this one. I was awarded a six figure income. Just bought a new motorcycle. I’m now back to riding in Southern California on the highways and highways. Always remembering that every day is a training day when riding a motorcycle. Blessings to you, keep up the great content, and be safe out there.
Speaking as someone who has had to deal with fatalities on the road I applaud your efforts. There are few "accidents" on the road, a collision is the result of someone's mistake and the least you can ensure is that it is not you making that mistake.
Well said Kevin! I completely agree. I’ve been riding since I was 6 years old and I’m 57 now. I was taught to always wear a helmet from the time I first road my Honda Z50 and still do to this day on my Honda GL1500 Goldwing. I was glad I had my helmet on in the fall of ‘21 when I had my first and only serious motorcycle accident from a deer collision on my HD Ultra Classic. Even though I broke 5 ribs, my scapula, separated AC joint, chipped ankle bone, and had a little road rash, my helmet saved my life. I got a new (to me) bike, a new helmet, new boots, new jeans, etc. and lived to ride another day. Oh, and even though I hit my head and was knocked out for a few seconds, I had no concussion or brain injury. I went back to work fully recovered with no restrictions after about 3 months of therapy from the other injuries.
Always great videos! Thanks for stating the objective facts and for pointing out that those who don’t want to face them are making that choice for themselves and in many cases, others as well who are around them or their loved ones
As per your helmet discussion. I used to work as an X-ray tech in an ER in Manhattan, NYC. As it happened, (Especially on dark rainy nights) we used to get delivery guys, bicyclists, e-bike riders, and motorcyclists in our ER. The thing that I noticed most was that the ones wearing helmets talked, moaned, or generally made vocal noises. The ones who did not were very quiet.
Thanks for inspiring me, next weekend is my final teaching evals for MSF BRC. It has been super stressful, and will be rewarding, I'm looking forward to helping novice riders on their first steps of a (hopefully) long and enjoyable safe riding lifetime. I'll SEE you on the road. :)
I got my first minibike on my 5th birthday and I'm 65 now so I've been riding for over 60 years. I'm also a senior paramedic and I've seen a lot of bad motorcycle wrecks over the years in my career and I agree with everything you said because I've seen it
This channel has made many videos that should be watched by everyone before getting on a motorcycle for the first time. I firmly believe this video is one of the best, if not the best.
I always watch a few of your videos to make sure my mind is in the game when I bring my WideGlide out for the season. I just got back from its State Inspection and really felt again how it is just too big for the very high traffic city I live in. I was planning to do the cone/parking lot warm up as usual but having reached 70 years of age, I may just give up riding after getting in one last decent highway cruise. Somethng is telling me 'it's time'. Thanks for all your great videos over the years.
My first bike at 16 was a Yamaha 250, I traded it for a new Honda 50 C-110, because my friends had them and we would dirt race & hill climb them! I learned a lot more skills on the 50cc bike than the 250cc!
100% agree! Everything you say also applies to escooter and ebike riders, many of whom never developed bicycle riding skills in traffic. I went from bike riding everywhere, to driving, then a moped in my early-mid 20s, to a Honda CM450. Smooth, worry free transition; but after a 21 year motorbike hiatus, I had to start from scratch on a moped and 6 months later got an old 650 that took me 5 solid months of training for 2,000 miles until one day I hopped on and was 10 miles out before I realized I wasn’t concentrating on every action I had to consciously make. Remembered that 5-6 months is how long it took me to get used to my previous bikesas well.
I'm not big on making a big noise, but the lack of ebike noise may add to risk as others may not be aware. Couple that with no e-license/training, sidewalk riding, increasing ebike speed/capability, and there's risk. I'd see licensing requirement for e-bikes as coming (above some low power/speed capability).
Awesome advice. I'm sending this to my son, who's a new rider and despite my training, experience and advice, and his formal training, looks like he's trying to learn the hard way. Maybe coming from another source this info might get through to him. Cheers.
Great video (as usual) Kevin, real important points covered that are potentially life-saving. I'm in the UK so the no helmet thing baffles me, and though we didn't have 'most-likely' votes back in school, our head teacher did say to all the kids (about 180 of us) that 3 of us wouldn't live past 30. We all took it lightly as you do at that age, but as the years went by, he was right. It's so easy to think it'll never be you, but it happens. Take care of yourself folks, this ain't a dress rehearsal, stay safe. And thank you for doing what you do sir, appreciate what you're putting out there. My hats off to you, all the best.
Life long rider who retired to Cebu, Philippines where my main transport alternates between a Chinese clone of a CG-150 and a bicycle. Driving here really isn't that bad once you get used to sharing your lane with oncoming traffic. The good news is that it's slow. Highway speed here is around 45 mph, in town it's closer to a medium fast jog, plenty of time to figure out how to avoid going splat. A helmet is still a good idea. You can recover from breaking just about any bone in your body, except your head.
Helmets.... never mind the falling down part, my main concern is the assorted debris flying around in the air on the road, from large insects to rocks and everything in between. Think about it, how many dings do you have in your car windshield?
I got my lic in 82 but I was riding mini bikes and dirt bikes starting in 72. Good list. I will add never trust anyone, 3 times last year on a local state road. I had to dodge vehicles passing in the opposite direction to avoid head on crashes.
In addition to maintaining following distance, I've gotten into the habit of maintaining, as best as can be due to traffic density, distance in 4 directions, front and back as well as right to left. We are more maneuverable, so it's easier to put yourself in a position where you can create distance between any other vehicles around you in all four directions, keeping out of blind spots, giving more time and space to avoid potential interactions with people that change lanes without looking and such.
I get angry with myself for learning new things slowly, for taking a looong time to feel comfortable trying new moves on the bike, but then i remember that’s why I’ve been riding for 54 years and have never really messed up. One street crash, 50 years ago, mostly off road since. Caution works well. Helps to have a low threshold for adrenaline injection.
I started both my kids on 50cc motorcycles when they were very young. I took them trail riding often, and guided them onto larger and larger bikes as their skills improved. By the time they were 14, both could easily handle an SV650 street bike. I used a helmet communicator to coach them while on rides, and by college they were very competent riders on the street, and had the skills necessary to survive. 10 years later, they are both working full time and starting families etc, and neither of them ride or own a bike, but they do have the necessary skills should they ever get the bug again, which most will do at some point.
I was riding my motorcycle down a road with a rider friend , and I was wearing a half face helmet with sunglasses when a BEE stung me in the right temple . WOW !!! that was the worst PAIN ever that I had to stop and rest .
Solid advice as always. I hope that the biker whom you removed the keys from had the good conscious to thank you. You essentially save his life and possibly others. 🏍️
I rode a honda morning monkey for a year and then went to an Indian scout rogue. People told me going from 9 horsepower to 100 horsepower would be too much. I took it with respect of the machine and caution. The transition was very smooth and i still remind myself even though i have 15,000 miles on my scout over this past year to not get complacent. Thanks for the content.
Very good list. I would add older new or returning riders on any size bike. 60 does not have the same night or peripheral vision, as well as reflexes as a younger person.
Let's see.... i'm a new rider, with a moderate motorcycle (2012 BMW F800R) it's light, and not overpowering. I actually check with relative frequency to see if i'm at least 2 seconds behind vehicle in front of me I don't really speed that much. Sure it's good to feel the torque, but i like to just cruise. I wear a full face helmet. i actually always wear all gear. My state requires helmets. i haven't ridden impaired, and don't plan to. i've tried on a bicycle and it didn't work too well! I truly hope to enjoy riding for a long time. Like many new riders, I got into this as an older guy, which i think helps my sensibility alot. Of course finished the MSF and have expanded incrementally from just riding around my small neighborhood, to a couple local roads (i live in a rural area which made it nice) and then a little bit further. i've got about 1000 miles under my belt so far, and i've gotten myself in the habit of always hitting the Kohl's parking lot on every ride, just to practice u-turns, emergency stops, stopping from a curve etc. It's actually kind of fun and hopefully helps keep those skills a little sharper if needed. I know that if i got a bike when i was younger, i'd probably be a statistic, becausse i would have been alot more likely to break every single one of those rules!
I accept that higher speed increases risk, but there is a difference between speeding out of habit and speeding consciously. Lots of people ride because going fast is fun. If you are a serial speeder like me, you need strategies: - limit yourself to being able to stop within the distance you can actually see (sometimes I find myself going around blind corners slower than people who don’t speed); - maintain speed appropriate space cushions; - if the road you are on requires a lot of overtaking, find another road; - never take corners fast until you have already been through the corner and assessed road condition and off-road hazards (always ask yourself - what happens it I make a mistake and go off the road); - always show respect by slowing down for other road users (especially pedestrians, bicycles and horses); - always slow down for driveways and intersections; - show consideration for home owners and use a higher gear to reduce noise - and imagine it is your kids playing in their yard near the road; - maintain your bike obsessively; - always assess your mental state and never speed when you are tired, angry or distracted (should you even be riding?); - know your own current limits and the limits of your bike (this is hard to do without training on a race track); - learn trail braking; - acquire good protective gear and always use it (AGAT); - if you ride in a group, ride your own ride; - ride when there is good light with the sun high enough not to cause blinding issues or distraction for you or other drivers; - and last but not least, remember that everyone’s roads are not your race track - save pushing any kind of limit for the race track!
Yesterday I nearly impacted the rear end of a car that suddenly pulled into my lane for no reason, luckily they noticed me in time and pulled back into there lane. I was travelling at 140 and only managed to slow to 100 by the time I went past, if they hadn't noticed me I would of hit them at 100mph. I'm saving that sort of ridding for the track from now on, good luck out there👍
Thanks for the video! I worked for an insurance company and did motorcycle claims, the amount of bikes and cars that need tires that are on the road is just ridiculous. I am retired now and glad I don’t have to go to the tow yards and inspect the total losses and talk to the families when someone doesn’t make it, it sucked. I still ride and it’s work to keep from getting ran over in traffic anymore! Ride safe
Thanks for acknowledging my right to decide on my own risk level. What it is for me is, I geew up in non helnet states, and I often wear one anyway. And I ride sober, aware, and safe, either way. Now, I will likely be full gear again for a bit. Relearning as a bilateral leg amputee, next season. AK/BK, Spyder and the wife's Ural, trying for 2 as I get better. After 43 years, riding is Life. Time to start living again, and get off the pilion. Love and Respect bro. Thanks for doing what you do.
No surprise on the motorcyclist at the top of the list. As a former USAF aviator the saying was "at least eight hours bottle to throttle". Many motorcyclists do not seem to understand that even one drink will lead to a certain amount of diminished reaction ability. On the issue of helmets, there are 18 states in which it's mandatory. I wonder what statistics would tell us about the difference in head injuries/deaths in those states vs non mandatory states?
Georgia has mandatory helmet for ALL riders. SC and Fla do not require helmets for adults. There are a lot of riders in Fla and SC I see without helmet (it appears about 33%to me) so you could compare that. Most not wearing helmets are in T shirt and jeans...while most in a full faced helmet are in riding jacket, boots, armored gloves. The highest last year were FL, CA, TX, AZ, GA, NC Remember Georgia is 10 million population while FL, TX, CA are far larger by 2x,3x,4x. So adjust to per capital registered bikes. GA, AZ, NC are roughly similar in size and easier to compare. AZ does not req helmets over age 17. GA and NC do. Deaths are extremely close in number.
“Distance equals time” is a montra I ride by. Also I cover my brake (when there’s traffic around). Interesting enough, I can make my hair look better wearing a helmet than letting the wind have its way 😂🤣
We have a lot of roundabouts near me and I made the mistake of pulling up right behind a semi truck that was negotiating the roundabouts. I was almost hit by someone that was merging into the roundabout. The merging car was merely trying to get through the roundabout as quickly as possible and on my bike , being only a few yards from the rear of the truck seemed okay because we were moving very slowly but the merging car didn't see me because they just didn't look real hard. Luckily they slammed on the brakes at the last moment when they noticed that I was already in front of them.
Kevin, thanks for the information and reinforcement of good practices you provide. When one tailgates they also have less time to react to road obstacles. Whenever I someone riding without a helmet I think... thanks for being a potential organ donor and wonder if they like bugs hitting them in the face. Just doesn't make sense.
Great video, I would add lack of sleep under impairment. I don't feel comfortable with out a helmet and full gear with armor. (I will probably get an airbag vest this summer,
Thanks for this kevin. When i travelled throughout the USA I was ofen asked in a number of states why I was wearing a helmet. I'm used to it because in every jurisdiction (province or territory) in Canada, helmets are manditory. So for any American rider who plans on riding in Canada make sure you have proper head protection or you can't cross the border.
When I decided to give motorcycling a try, I was 35 years old. I started with a Yamaha RZ350, a lightweight two-stroke. Along with the bike, I purchased a full set of riding leathers and an expensive Arai full-coverage helmet. I then signed up for a Motorcycle Safety Foundation rider course, perhaps the single smartest decision I ever made. I still managed to fall off a couple of times, but my gear kept my skin in one piece. The lessons I learned during my MC phase improved my driving so much and made my life on the road far safer from then on.
I was rear-ended twice in one year by bikes. First one which hit me did some damage to my pickup. Driver rolled off to the right and came around the front of my vehicle. He picked up his bike, hopped on and road off so quick I was stunned. Second one did minor damage to his bike as it was stop and go traffic. I had never known anyone rearending a vehicle or being rearended by a bike before or since. My Honda 250 has not been riden for six years and it is for sale this week as I am no longer qualified to ride in my opinion.
I started riding bicycles as a kid, then BMX bikes as a teen, then dirt bikes riding XC and MX, then an old Honda cb360, then sports bikes. Dirt bikes helped me a lot, I think, and are a lot of fun.
To give an Australian perspective, very few riders here would get on a bike without a helmet. It is the same with seatbelts and cars. We have grown up with the legal requirement to use both and it is ingrained in our society. It would be very interesting to compare the crash statistics for our 2 countries. One thing I would highlight, the objection to helmets may have a lot to do with comfort, try many on, find one that is for you.
You made a short comment about riding alone. I would like to hear more of your thoughts on that. I live in a very rural area. I almost always ride alone. That is my ME time. I have rode with some friends once, I avoid organized rides completely. I started riding in my teens but I had a ten year gap before starting again 5 years ago. I'm 60 years old and ride a Royal Enfield 650 INT.
When I started riding I learned on a 250 CD and enrolled in a 3-day safety course. It was invaluable teaching me defensive driving and accident avoidance skills as well as how to better maintain control of my bike. The defensive driving skills helped me avoid accidents in my car as well. Time and $ well spent. Even if you've been riding for decades you can benefit from the safety course.
With the amount of bugs splattered on my helmet after a ride, I'd much rather protect my head and avoid eating bugs than the alternative. The main reason though is the fact that I'd like to avoid the brain injury scenario. My mother was in a TBI rehab unit for a month and it was eye opening. Motorcycle accident victims, survivors of self inflicted gunshot head wounds, and car accident survivors were some of the permanent residents. It was an experience I will never forget.
In David L Houge's book Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well. He presents a guide that uses time instead of feet to help judge your speed and how far up the road you can see. You pick a spot at the furthest point you can see and count how many seconds it takes to reach it. Use the time for the given speed below to see the minimum time you need to recognize danger and bring your motorcycle to a stop. It's easier than trying to estimate feet, especially while riding. But I can count. Inexperienced riders may want to add extra time to these numbers. As a memory aid, the first number in each range, except for the first one, is the seconds needed. Minimum Sight Distance - time needed to detect danger and stop. 30-50 mph 4 sec 50-60 mph 5 sec 60-70 mph 6sec 70-80mph 7 sec
I had a low speed low side and the first thing that hit the road was my face, luckily I was wearing a full face helmet and full leathers and gloves so suffered nothing but a bit of bruising, without the helmet I would not have much face left now, as for drinking and ridding thats a big no no for me, I'm now off to a track day for some safer fast speed fun, Great post, hopefully it will keep a few riders safe👍
I started on a 100c 2 stoke. 50Mph with a tail wind and downhill. Once I passed my test, what did I get> a 200cc. After that what did I get? A 250cc. I then had a few years/decades without a motorcycle. Got a Mortgage, no spare cash, used a pedal cycle. Then I paid off my mortgage and finally, got a motorcycle again. Woo! What did I get? A 250cc. Once I had regained my confidence and relearned my out of date skills I finally got an old 600cc. A very low mileage tidy 1998 GSF600. It apparently has a rev limiter, after 6/7 years owning it I have not found out if that is true. Brakes - very important. Fully professionally rebuilt. I have no choice about the helmet, in the U.K. it’s mandatory. Speeding? I am, as of 2024, 55, and no speeding tickets, EVER. do not intend to change that. I am not slow, I am just not suicidal. Tailgating? I pick a gap, and then tend to double it. If the car in front is going 50 and I am also going 50 having an extra large gap will not slow me down. Impaired? I have spent lots of money (for me) on a 26 year old motorcycle. There is no way on earth I am going to risk damaging it riding impaired. Plus i live in walking distance of several pubs and shops.
In my early 20s I had a Honda C70, it's like a street version of the Trail 90. After riding for a couple years, I got a job with a courier service in downtown Portland, OR. I rode about 100 miles per day, in the city, delivering documents. I did that for two years full time. During that time, I graduated to a 1972 Honda CB450 that I rode when I was not working. Next bike was a 1972 BMW R60/5 with a 600cc engine. I rode that bike hard, in the city and out of town. I was very comfortable riding up or down stairs, or hopping curbs, and traversing other city terrain. I stopped riding about 1990. In 2021, my girlfriend's dad brought a 2003 V-Star XVS1100 from Wisconsin out to Seattle and gave it to me. Out of the saddle for 30 years and climbing back on to a bike with twice the engine and 250 pounds heavier than my last motorcycle. There was definitely some learning to do.
I live in the Chicago area and one of the reasons I absolutely never tailgate is because of road debris. I’ve seen it all from the ubiquitous truck tire retread to construction debris to extension ladders on the road. If you’re following too close and the car in front of you passes over such debris (or worse, throws it up the air) you’ve just encountered a life threatening situation at speed. This in and of itself is the reason I never read bumper stickers while riding.
In 2005 I was heading out at about 6am to go to our local country store for a coffee. The store is one mile from my home. I put on all of my gear even thoygh it was a very short ride. That morning I hit a patch of loose material on the only curve in that mile. Down I went at anout 25 mph. I did suffer a broken ankle and a torn PCL in left knee joint. Other than that not a scratch. All of my gear suffered road rash including my full face helmet. I never ever ride without full gear. No drama on two wheels since.
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If this registers with even one motorcycle rider on your list, you just saved a life! Thanks Kevin
There are old motorcycle riders and bold motorcycle riders but there are very few old and bold motorcycle riders. Easy does it and enjoy the ride!!!
And the old, bold riders who managed to beat the odds will often be the first to tell you to exercise caution.
Goes for Pilots too !!!!
Helmets....Separating the Pros from the posers!
@@genghisglenn the truth is helmets separate the people who have brains and the people who don't!! LMAO!
what is old? i'm 62, i've been riding over 50 years, no helmet, one crash at 16, hit the same car 3 times, slid down the passenger side.
found a ditch in 2008, why? playing by tilting the bike, while i remained upright. no helmet, no scratches. i now ride my 2012 fatboy like ghost rider.
As someone who's spent many days & weeks working on the flight deck of 3 US Aircraft carriers during 12-16 hour flight ops, in all types of weather, Keeping you head on a swivel and being " in the moment" the entire time saves lives. Thanx for the list Kevin! 😊
Thanks for your service!!!
Thank you for your Service 🇺🇸🙂
Having only been riding for a few weeks I’ve already perfected my skills. There is no bike too fast, no curve to sharp, and no obstacle I can’t avoid. I’m even better when I drink.
This is not a fun topic to discuss, but it’s a reality. In fact, it’s a harsh reality. Well presented Kevin.
The tailgating point almost caught me out last year. Riding home on the highway with lots of traffic but moving more or less consistently at ~80km/h. Went over a small hill and for whatever reason, cars had slowed down dramatically (guy in front of me almost rear-ended the next car). I was lucky that I reacted quickly and passed by him on the left shoulder, but it could have been bad. I had gotten too comfortable over the years, I try to be much more careful now.
Great post...we make the same trip 100 times and 99 out of 100 everything is fine. It is those 1% of the times that get us though.
i was on a quiet quick biking road with plenty of hump back bridges and blind summits last sat, and slowed down going over 'em all as you should, but the nob in the range rover behind me just closed up the gap, dangerously so, so after a couple of times i moved over and just let her get on with it. about 10 miles later at the junction, she was a princely 5 yards in front of me, and like you it was a reminder of what could have been as she sped over those humps way too fast. GL
Glad that worked for you. I have seen a troubling trend in the last ten years, where when traffic crunches up and everybody slows down, a lot of motorists chicken out and dive onto the shoulder even before anyone is braking hard. If you were there on a bike and did similarly, you could dive right into the side of a car, or be party to a flash secondary pileup on the shoulder. It's a nightmare. Might still be better that staying in the lane sometimes...
When you get to comfortable while your riding that is when you can get in trouble , Always be careful , speed kills , I keep with the traffic flow are if the speed limit I usually go 5 mph over , I never been pulled over by a cop in the 55 plus years of riding . Intersections are the WORST , always slow down as your going through and have your hands cuff over your clutch and brake and be ready what is coming to you , beside you and especially glance at your mirrows to see if some one is coming up on you to fast . I been in 2 accidents which None was my fault , the last one was 21 years ago when we got hit from behind by a guy on a Sportster trying to pass me on the right side while I was coming down a bridge , He almost KILLED my wife . If she wasn't wearing a helmet she would not be alive today , as she will never ride again as she has scars and metal in her body .
@@user-nk4zg6ev6n Thank you! Good advice and sorry to hear about what happened to your wife
I would like to share my experience when I had a motorcycle accident last year. I was making a left hand turn, I was only going around 12 mph, I failed to see the gravel in the turn and down I went. I was wearing full gear, the foot peg was ripped off, my full motorcycle boots saved my foot.. My head struck the road just off center, I was knocked out out for several minutes, my full face helmet saved my life. I ended up with one small friction burn on my forearm and walked out of the ER several hours latter. This has not put me off riding, I'm still riding my FZ07 and turn 64 this year. I consider myself lucky to be alive. I cringe when I see fellow riders wearing shorts, tee-shirt and sneakers while riding motorcycles.
saw a testimonial from a rider who was just moving his bike from his driveway to park in his garage, h blipped the throttle wrong or something. stalled and fell over pretty much stopped, hitting his head, causing a brain bleed, had to have emergency flap surgery for the swelling brain and was in the hosptal for weeks and rehab for months, his advice , never even move your bike even 5 feet without your helmet on.
Where I live here in Toronto, I see riders all the time wearing a helmet, no gloves, no other protective gear at all. I've even seen riders wearing beach sandals if you can fathom that one. I cannot for the life of me understand that.
i cringe too but we call 'em organ donors in the uk.
@@Bob-ts2tu
Yes, I would say sadly, that's probably an accurate statement.
Cheers 🍻 buddy & ride safely. 👍
Which is why just looking ahead is sometimes problematic. I know its easier to negotiate curve's and turns looking ahead but if you miss the hazards that are close what you experienced is what can happen.
I had a crash 3 years ago. I was riding straight through an intersection and was hit by a car turning left. It was unavoidable on my end. He didn't see me until he hit me. I was thrown about 20' and landed on my head and my right shoulder on the pavement. I was wearing a full face helmet. No head or neck injuries but I did break my collar bone, sternum and 9 ribs ,fractured my shoulder blade and tore my rotator cuff. There is no doubt in my mind that if I had not been wearing my helmet I would be dead. My brains would be all over the pavement.
I've been riding for almost 40 years and have never been in accident with a car. BUT I did get taken out by a loose Doberman that ran in front of me and I hit it. The sudden snap of the handlebars high-sided me to the pavement. Usually in the warmer weather I wore my 1/2 helmet. It was really cold that October morning so I wore the 3/4 helmet with a face shield. The lower corner near the chin kept my face mostly off the road. I did lose a little skin though. After I got home from the hospital, I threw away the 1/2 and the 3/4 helmet (which was damaged anyway). I have two full-face helmets now, one a modular. I was lucky that I didn't break my jaw or lose any teeth. I want to keep it that way.
When you say unavoidable I'm thinking 'unavoidable in the exact circumstances you put yourself in'. By that I mean that knowledge and a conscious realization that a car is or might be turning left at an intersection should tell you to approach that intersection as though a car might very well not see you and proceed to turn. There's so many ways drivers will get you and that is probably the most common.
@@mikeb5372 I'll put it this way. The only way I could have avoided it is if I had ignored the green light and just stopped at the intersection. Since it was after dark, he and I were the only people at the intersection at all. I had a brand new daymaker headlight which was easily seen. The timing was just perfect. We arrived at the intersection at the same time. I went straight and he turned into me as if I wasn't even there. It looked he sped up instead of braking .He didn't slow down or anything. Like I said, I could've just stopped and yielded the right of way. But are you gonna stop at every intersection and yield the right of way every time there's a car in the opposite turn lane? That's not realistic.
@@libertyspike8890 I wasn't there of course, so I don't know. No, I don't stop just because someone plans on turning left like that. I do slow down and try to get a read on them. I'm pretty cautious in certain situations and that's definitely one of them. I hope you don't take my comment personally, it was meant to apply in a general context.
One of the things I do when there’s a car coming up to an intersection is to move laterally (change lane position). It gives drivers a little help to see me, since I no longer look like a single stationary light, which could be mistaken for a more distant car. Now I’m a moving light, which grabs their attention.
On tailgating...I do my best to stay out of wolf packs and blind spots. But there is one big exception: Certain intersections or oncoming left hand turn lanes that are known to be dangerous. In those cases I will sometimes bunch myself up with the cars rather than maintaining an ideal following distance. Not right on their bumper but close enough that there isn't time for someone to turn in between us. This is to prevent the minivan mom or BMW yuppie from turning left in front of me due to not seeing the bike and mistaking it for a break in the traffic. I just don't trust anyone. The person turning left in front of you is one of the biggest risks on a bike, and in that moment it outweighs the risk of being closer to the other vehicles.
Ah, the 'shield technique', I do this sometimes at junctions in the UK, it can be a lot safer than relying on a stressed out driver spotting you. Ride Safe.
Yeah for christ sake it's so dangerous to be not visible due to other traffic. One day i was going home when I wanted to get behind a vehicle because the vehicle infront of me was going too slow, there seemed to be nothing behind him so I casually sweep behind said vehicle when there was some guy on an r15 honking.. Like bro looked at me like I was a freak. Mate don't ever put yourself where you're invisible don't look at me like that. Well I shouldn't be surprised where I live in Indonesia people don't actually understand how to drive or ride, where most people got their license without a test, and where law enforcement is none here. Going out on the road imo is the most dangerous parts of our lives, ironically I love going out on the road though.. But I'm always sure to be smarter about my moves.
One factor I might add is being distracted. My brother is glued to his phone, even while riding his bike he will take any incoming call. The most recent event after stopping at an intersection, he was so distracted talking on his phone that he didn’t even see a semi going through an intersection (that had the right away)that nearly hit him. His slow speed maneuvers are nonexistent. It’s really a miracle after all the miles he’s ridden that he has not had a serious accident. Neither of us are spring chickens ( both mid 60’s) Our last roadtrip was our last, just haven’t told him yet.
Good for you!!! I can see why it’s your last trip together.
Will he not listen to reason?
Go on one more then tell him it was your last. Just don't bail on him!
@@billyd5317why risk it? Your life is worth more than that.
@@gungadingo 1 trip? He has already taken several and it's not him he is worried about. Look at it this way, if the other guy does something stupid and dies, he won't have to tell him!
I always take my phone, it's a safety device, but I don't have it mounted anywhere on the bike. I love to ride because it forces most of the nagging issues and problems out of my head and forces me to be in the moment focusing on my surroundings. Cellphones are one of the reasons I may soon hang up the gear, ever since the pandemic I see daily red light runners and selfish and dangerous actions by drivers multiple times. I'm 56 with a perfect driving history, including 35 years on assorted bikes, I'm çonfident in my skills but I just feel the attitude of most drivers doesn't give you a fair shake even if you are following the rules. It feels like it's just a matter of time.
Drugs, alcohol or lack of sleep! If tired, pull over! Have a coffee! Don’t ride! This applies to both bikes and cars.
Indeed. I almost put my car into a guardrail on two occasions, from a second of dozing off due to lack of sleep.
The only thing that saved me was the car veered off *away* from the guardrail, and there was no traffic.
If I was on a bike, I probably would have slid a good distance on the highway.
Don't do what I did:
NAPS SAVE LIVES.
I think the weekend warrior who only rides on "bluebird days" and who comes out of hibernation to ride on a nice spring day for the forst time in 6 months, that fellow or fellowette is at risk too.
Quite true, that would actually fall under the 'Inexperienced' category, regardless of how many years they have held a MC licence only going for a ride on an occasional basis and in good weather brings about a false sense of security, I have been riding for about 22 years spread over the 45 years that I have held a vehicle license, in all weather conditions and I am still learning, the main thing is not to become complacent and try to be ready for anything that may eventuate. Ride Safe and Stay Upright.
I fall into that category and I agree 100% .maybe because I'm old now but I need to regain my skills every time I layoff for the winter.
Where I live we only have a short season, so every year I have to learn to ride all over.
Absolutely. I would really like to see differential statistics on accidents per vehicle mile driven for daily v weekly v monthly riders. It would also be interesting to see how that variable of habituation to the motorcycle affects vulnerability to the risk factors he just mentioned.
Agree and disagree
I have many years experience on and off road and half dozen or so to track days on sport bikes
I find when I end up riding every day as my only transportation for whatever reason, after a couple of weeks I get not complacent
When I go for a fun ride I pay more attention to everything around me
That’s just me
Mostly dual sport bikes these days with more of a lean towards dirt roads and out of traffic and a 300 lb bike with knobbie tires gives me a lot more options on where I can go and stay in control
One change I make to help with the top one - replace the word "influence" with "effect". Loads of people seem to think "under the influence" means drunk, or at least tipsy, so if I'm not slurring and I can walk straight then I'm fine to ride.
I always ask if you feel the effects of alcohol. Bit happier? Bit looser? Not even a buzz as such, just a bit more relaxed?
If you have that then you are not drunk, but you're slower in observing, processing and reacting to the world out there and at even residential speeds that lag can kill you.
0.00% blood alcohol level is the only safe level when it comes to motorcycles.
@@beepbop6697 Yup, follow the pilot rule. 0.00% and 8 hours bottle to throttle.
@@GeneralChangFromDanangdepending on the amount of alcohol consumed 8hrs might be not enough for 0.00 … there were a lot of parties where I i woke up still drunk and the hangover only kicked in over the course if the following day…
@@max-cs4pz Well you can't just go by one or the other lol.
Back in the day if I was boozing and cruising that fear of God dying on a motorcycle always sobered me up I can always thank my major car crash for that It made me grow up.
For those of you who think a 600cc bike is small, keep in mind that 600cc supersports can blast every speed limit in the country in 1st gear. The top speed of a 600cc supersport is 150 to 170 mph. If you are going to speed you now are responsible for even others' actions. My GSXR will stop and go better than any HD but I still keep my space bubble. I wear gear.
Yup and 600 are going away because everyone wants a 1000cc bike
When I was young, I was frequently the top 3 riders on your list. I don't have a clue how I ended up getting past 25 years old. The traffic was a lot less and slower back then (80s) but I am amazed of my lack of responsibility. Thank God I was able to grow up.
Yep , Thank God ! Is the right answer , you probably had a praying wife , mother or father .
I don’t feel you are scolding me Kevin. I feel love. Thank you.😊
My close calls have definitely been tailgating. I've learned my lesson.
Riding a motorcycle takes common sense. Isn’t it a shame so many people don’t have any.😢
Here is a list of the effects of speed.
- Doubling speed doulbes reaction distance, as Kevin stated.
- Doubling speed quadruples braking distance, as Kevin stated. (Stopping distance equals braking distance plus reaction distance, as Kevin stated.)
- Doubling speed approximately doubles swerving distance.
- Doubling speed quadruples the energy of a crash. (Example, crashing straight into a concrete wall at 20 mph is similar to falling 15 feet onto concrete. Crashing in straight into a concrete wall at 40 mph is similar to falling 60 feet onto concrete.)
- Doubling speed quadruples the energy need to make a vehicle move. (This is true for all vehicle, regardless of if they are gas, diesel or electric powered vehicles. We don't notice this as much with gas and diesel because they always use some minimum amount of energy required to idle the engine. It alway uses this idle or parasitic energy loss even at speed. This parasitic energy loss is why most gas powered vehicles are most efficient somewhere between 25 mph and 45 mph (vehicle dependent). Electric vehicles have parasitic energy loss also. These parasitic losses are much lower. It does increase as the need for heating increases (cold weather). Hence it being said that electric vehicles are not good in cold climates. (Parasitic energy loss isn't the only factor that negatively effects electric vehicles in cold weather.))
- It requires roughly eight times more power to travel twice as fast.
Note that traveling at too slow of a speed for traffic conditions is also very dangerous. Those calculations are mathematical much more difficult to express. If a safe speed for the traffic is too fast for other reasons it is time to find a chose a different road with safer conditions.
All this stated, excessive speed is the thing on Kevin's list that I am most often guilty of. My safety is somewhat a concern of mine when I do higher or excessive speeds. But my primary limiting factor and concern is thinking about how other road users perceive all motorcyclist when they see one rider speeding. Also what people think of us when their picnic site, fishing site, walk or bicycle ride is interrupted by a dust cloud caused by one or motorcyclist ripping down an unpaved road. Please consider others and their thoughts about motorcyclist in general when selecting if, where and when you travel with excessive speed.
Great stuff! On helmet vs no helmet. Couple weeks back there was a gentleman about two cars behind me on a sweet Street Glide. Light turned red. I stopped. Both cars stopped. He stopped. Was watching him in mirror (really like the color scheme on his bike) His foot went out from the oil spot on the road. When his bike tipped? It WHIPPED his head into the pavement! Got his bike up. Followed him home. He was a bit sore..but! If he had not had his helmet? Would have been a trip to the hospital at the least! ZERO mph! (that spot gets greased up from the coal bucket traffic)
Also...Take some classes. Do some low speed work in the parking lot! Keep the rubber side down!
I crashed 5 times, and 3 of them probably would have killed me, had I not been wearing a helmet. I still ride.
A co-worker, also a rider, witnessed a guy renting a Harley at a local dealer. He hadn't even pulled out of the lot. He lost his footing and the bike keeled over. There was damage to every bolt-on part on the bike, fairing, windshield, lights, hard-bags, etc. He was a fairly confident rider, too, as he failed to take out the "optional" insurance...
In the UK, and most of Europe, a new rider cannot jump straight onto large capacity/high powered machine. Even the shortest process, for riders over 24, requires compulsory basic training on a 125, theory and hazard perception test, followed by a training course on a 600cc+ machine, supervised by an instructor, then a 2 part driving test. Younger riders have to work their way through up to 3 successive 2 part tests, over several years, to achieve an unlimited licence.
This makes perfect sense.
I've owned many classic scooters and bikes. My last big bike was a GL1100 Interstate in 1991, I used to throw that around like a 50cc. I was off bikes from 1994 until 2014 when I went back to an LML150 scooter, then briefly an Aprilia 650, then a PCX150. Two years ago I saw a beautiful ST1300 in a dealer's showroom, I bought it based on fond memories of the Gold Wing, even thinking my wife and I could do Sunday trips into the country. The ST1300 scared the hell out of me, I did a total of 50kms and sold it within a month, even dropping it by inadvertently pulling away in 2nd and stalling. I might upgrade the PCX150 to a TMAX, but that's as big as I'll go, besides, twist-and-go is so much more enjoyable. I also no longer ride at night or in the rain.
I have been riding avidly for over 50 years. In that time I have owned over 40 motorcycles, and none of them were over 800cc.. A bigger bike just adds weight in my opinion. Among other things, I have crossed the continent on my motorcycles 3 times. My current ride and daily commuter is a V-Strom 650 Adventure model, with all the removable luggage. It fell off the kickstand a few weeks ago in the driveway, and even at my rather advanced age, I just picked it up and went on my way. That is important to me. So is a certain amount of "flickability". Sustained speeds of over 100 MPH on a motorcycle is just unnecessary.
@@ralphcantrell3214 i know, i ride a Honda Rebel 500. why would i ever need to do 100 mph on 2 wheels? and my 400 lb bike is easy to pick up.
One more is not to be a fool...at least when on a bike.... Believe me , there are many around
I agree…whether I’m driving or riding, I always notice other bikers and am amazed at the stupidity I see.
Related to #5 on the list is the motorcyclist who does 5 or 6 Saturday rides each summer and leaves the motorcycle in the garage the rest of the year. That does not make an experienced rider. Ride to work. Ride to the store. Ride in the heat. Ride in the cold. Ride in the rain. Ride in traffic. Nothing can replace the experience of riding.
After about a 30 year hiatus, I took up riding again about 16 years ago. I ride almost every day. It took about 2 years before I became really comfortable on the motorcycle. Five or six day rides a year will not get you where you need to be. Don't let your ego tell you different. It will deceive you.
I always say there are a couple of things you get taught in rider courses you should immediately forget.
Don't be courteous.
I don't mean be a rude rider, I mean, if you have the right of way, don't try to give it away. Follow the rules of the road, keeping in mind that, as a motorcycle, it does you no good to get t-boned by a semi because you had the right of way. I mean, stopping in the road to let someone at a stop sign pull out in front of you may be a nice thing, but the person behind you doesn't know you are a suicidally courteous rider, and by the time they realize you are being nice, they have slammed into you. Again, maybe they are at fault (most likely it will be 50/50, you had no reason to stop) but you are still in the body cast and your bike is scrap.
Don't drive the speed limit.
I don't mean speed. I mean drive at the speed of everyone around you. I know some will say drive slightly faster, to leave room behind, but I don't see that as very accurate. What I do see as dangerous is new motorcyclists worrying about getting a speeding ticket and spending too much time looking at their dash. You have your eyes off the road in front of you enough just checking your mirrors. Don't worry about a ticket if you are riding the same speed as those around you. If they are all speeding, and you slow down to the speed limit, you become an obstacle in the road.
There are others that are uncommon sense, like just because you can see the driver in his mirror, you aren't safe where you are, unless he is looking AT you in the mirror (and even then, sometimes they don't see what they are looking at).
A course cannot tell you to ignore the speed limit. But you don't need to be staring at your odometer. Or your GPS. Get some sort of Bluetooth helmet intercom that will connect to your phone or GPS, if you can. Listen to directions rather than staring at a map on your dash. If you miss your turn, DO NOT do anything unusual to make the turn or to go back. Again, people in cars are horrible at reading your mind and will not expect anything abnormal from you. Don't make them work too hard at figuring out what you are doing, they are already beyond their limit, talking to their girlfriend on the phone, smoking their cigarette, changing the radio station or skipping a song in the playlist, and eating that burger and balancing that soft drink to add not hitting you to their priority list.
I call that Offensive Driving. Driving to make them notice you. Place yourself to see and be seen by the right people. Swerve briefly right toward the guy waiting to turn left in front of you. That'll get his attention. Be very bold about your moves and intentions. Commit with your whole posture and follow through. One of the riskiest things to do in traffic is to vacillate, to hesitate to follow through on your intended action. People who read your message will be surprised you are still where you are, and not where you looked like you were going to be.
I once was looking for a parking space. I was signalling to turn left on a side road, buy Sweetie saw an easier space on the right shoulder. I reversed my turn signal, and started toward the right shoulder. I did a head check to see if anyone was coming in the right lane, and there was no one. Just as I was almost to the lane boundary, a car adjusted my right rearview mirror, and knocked over a light pole just past my parking space.
He had been coming up directly behind me. He expected me to turn left, and just as I completed my head check he pulled right to pass me, a bit close. Then I started edging into the lane he was about to occupy. He swerved around me harder, but didn't quite clear me. He couldn't muster the counterswerve to stay on the road after that.
He was going too fast. He was cutting too close. He was not very skilled. But none of this would have happened if I had done what I had said I would do.
That's good advice, and I do not ride. I'd rather be called a "cager" (I hope that's not what you're implying with your last few sentences.) than find myself "caged" in a body cast.
@@MalachiWhite-tw7hl Nope, just commenting on the lack of attention you see on the roads today. And I have been rearended by motorcycles not paying attention, too. If you are at a red light for two minutes and then you get hit from behind, the comment "I didn't see you" gets kind of unbelievable. Didn't see me, didn't see the red light, didn't see the pick-up next to me. Practicing riding with your eyes closed?
I don't drive a motorcycle , never seen a motorcycle with a steering wheel ;; I ride them
A lot of riders in Florida not wearing helmets. I remember driving down I-4 in Tampa when a guy on a sport bike passed me doing a wheely at I'm guessing 120mph. Wearing nothing but shorts and flipflops.
Organ doner
After many years of Med-Evac work, I don't recall flying many patients that weren't wearing a helmet, unless it was parts...
I would add another type of rider in danger is the rider who gets together with a group of riders and heads for the curvies ,and once there, realizes that his skill level is not up to the others in the group, but tries to keep up anyway. This happened to me once, and I respectfully dropped behind and told the others I was not comfortable running the curves at that speed. Don't let your ego right your death warrant. Good vid.
Excellent video. Keep up the good work
THANK YOU KEVIN!!!! I appreciate your efforts and the EXTENSIVE work you put into our rider educational and encouragement.
I started out on a 4hp mini-bike. Took me 20 years and several bikes to move up to a 750lb/107hp bike.
Thanks for the advice. I'm an old/new rider and smartphones were the main reason why I was hesitant to ride again. Your videos have given me the confidence and the safety tips are invaluable. Thanks again
Other drivers don't expect you to be speeding and base their actions on normal arrival times at their location. If you speed, they pull out, you impact.
Good video, learn every day, and enjoy.
Aggressive riding, lack of skills and impairment. Three major causal factors of rider at fault crashes here. Im a retired motor cop, crash investigator, Supreme Court Expert Witness Police MC instructor, own my own riding school and agree 100% with you
That may well be, but riding is still quite risky, even with the best of training. The director of the local motorcycle-safety school died on his Ducati when a deer stepped in front of him, as did my coworker. Deer suck! (at least to motorists, farmers, foresters, gardeners, and Lyme disease sufferers).
Thet see there heroes on the TV and because they ride a bike in the same colours think they can do the same,?apart from lack of skill,no racing tyres, and all going only in the same direction ,and no ambulance every 50 feet, must overtake and get that 1 car ahead, I've studied bikers ove 4 decades, and my opinion is they ask for it.
Yeah, I'm all those thing and also a physicist, a Formula 1 driver and ocean liner captain
You are 100% correct in everything you’re saying. I am 64 years old, been riding motorcycles for the last 40+ years. I’ve taken basic/advanced courses in riding skills.. “ Every day you ride is a training day on a motorcycle”… Three years ago in Southern California I finally got hit by a uninsured motorist. If you know what I mean. Broke just about every bone on my left side. Full face helmet saved my life, Along with all my riding gear. I have now recovered… Thank goodness, I caught it all on my GoPro camera, they weren’t lying about this one. I was awarded a six figure income. Just bought a new motorcycle. I’m now back to riding in Southern California on the highways and highways. Always remembering that every day is a training day when riding a motorcycle. Blessings to you, keep up the great content, and be safe out there.
You got a "six figure income" from an uninsured illegal? LOL
Uninsured motorist ..... but 6-figure income(?).
Go pro=Evidance=personal injury Lawyer Sued them/Home owner…. Total award Six Figures…PS the camera tells the story😎😎
Speaking as someone who has had to deal with fatalities on the road I applaud your efforts. There are few "accidents" on the road, a collision is the result of someone's mistake and the least you can ensure is that it is not you making that mistake.
Well said Kevin! I completely agree. I’ve been riding since I was 6 years old and I’m 57 now. I was taught to always wear a helmet from the time I first road my Honda Z50 and still do to this day on my Honda GL1500 Goldwing. I was glad I had my helmet on in the fall of ‘21 when I had my first and only serious motorcycle accident from a deer collision on my HD Ultra Classic. Even though I broke 5 ribs, my scapula, separated AC joint, chipped ankle bone, and had a little road rash, my helmet saved my life. I got a new (to me) bike, a new helmet, new boots, new jeans, etc. and lived to ride another day. Oh, and even though I hit my head and was knocked out for a few seconds, I had no concussion or brain injury. I went back to work fully recovered with no restrictions after about 3 months of therapy from the other injuries.
Always great videos! Thanks for stating the objective facts and for pointing out that those who don’t want to face them are making that choice for themselves and in many cases, others as well who are around them or their loved ones
As per your helmet discussion. I used to work as an X-ray tech in an ER in Manhattan, NYC. As it happened, (Especially on dark rainy nights) we used to get delivery guys, bicyclists, e-bike riders, and motorcyclists in our ER.
The thing that I noticed most was that the ones wearing helmets talked, moaned, or generally made vocal noises. The ones who did not were very quiet.
Thanks for inspiring me, next weekend is my final teaching evals for MSF BRC. It has been super stressful, and will be rewarding, I'm looking forward to helping novice riders on their first steps of a (hopefully) long and enjoyable safe riding lifetime. I'll SEE you on the road. :)
Got my certification, and taught my first class last weekend, super rewarding.
Very well presented. How about a video outlining the "5 Best Practices To Develop"?
Very good safety information for all riders to not only be aware of but to actually apply when riding !!
I got my first minibike on my 5th birthday and I'm 65 now so I've been riding for over 60 years. I'm also a senior paramedic and I've seen a lot of bad motorcycle wrecks over the years in my career and I agree with everything you said because I've seen it
Great advice 😊 Crawl before we walk is best way to go 👍 Cheers from Bundaberg Australia 🇦🇺🍹
This channel has made many videos that should be watched by everyone before getting on a motorcycle for the first time. I firmly believe this video is one of the best, if not the best.
I always watch a few of your videos to make sure my mind is in the game when I bring my WideGlide out for the season. I just got back from its State Inspection and really felt again how it is just too big for the very high traffic city I live in. I was planning to do the cone/parking lot warm up as usual but having reached 70 years of age, I may just give up riding after getting in one last decent highway cruise. Somethng is telling me 'it's time'. Thanks for all your great videos over the years.
You could always trade for a lighter, smaller bike and keep riding if you feel up to it.
I am 71, just sold my 750 shadow for a Can Am Spyder.
@@kurrie3280 Thanks. I am considering that. I had a GS 550 with a hot engine in the way back, that was nice for town and short travel. Maaybe?
My first bike at 16 was a Yamaha 250, I traded it for a new Honda 50 C-110, because my friends had them and we would dirt race & hill climb them! I learned a lot more skills on the 50cc bike than the 250cc!
Hey Kevin, you always offer sage advice and it's well taken. I\we appreciate you.
100% agree!
Everything you say also applies to escooter and ebike riders, many of whom never developed bicycle riding skills in traffic. I went from bike riding everywhere, to driving, then a moped in my early-mid 20s, to a Honda CM450. Smooth, worry free transition; but after a 21 year motorbike hiatus, I had to start from scratch on a moped and 6 months later got an old 650 that took me 5 solid months of training for 2,000 miles until one day I hopped on and was 10 miles out before I realized I wasn’t concentrating on every action I had to consciously make. Remembered that 5-6 months is how long it took me to get used to my previous bikesas well.
I'm not big on making a big noise, but the lack of ebike noise may add to risk as others may not be aware. Couple that with no e-license/training, sidewalk riding, increasing ebike speed/capability, and there's risk. I'd see licensing requirement for e-bikes as coming (above some low power/speed capability).
Awesome advice. I'm sending this to my son, who's a new rider and despite my training, experience and advice, and his formal training, looks like he's trying to learn the hard way. Maybe coming from another source this info might get through to him. Cheers.
Outstanding content…I plan to copy to my other motorcyclist friends!
Great video (as usual) Kevin, real important points covered that are potentially life-saving. I'm in the UK so the no helmet thing baffles me, and though we didn't have 'most-likely' votes back in school, our head teacher did say to all the kids (about 180 of us) that 3 of us wouldn't live past 30. We all took it lightly as you do at that age, but as the years went by, he was right. It's so easy to think it'll never be you, but it happens. Take care of yourself folks, this ain't a dress rehearsal, stay safe.
And thank you for doing what you do sir, appreciate what you're putting out there. My hats off to you, all the best.
Life long rider who retired to Cebu, Philippines where my main transport alternates between a Chinese clone of a CG-150 and a bicycle. Driving here really isn't that bad once you get used to sharing your lane with oncoming traffic. The good news is that it's slow. Highway speed here is around 45 mph, in town it's closer to a medium fast jog, plenty of time to figure out how to avoid going splat. A helmet is still a good idea. You can recover from breaking just about any bone in your body, except your head.
Helmets.... never mind the falling down part, my main concern is the assorted debris flying around in the air on the road, from large insects to rocks and everything in between. Think about it, how many dings do you have in your car windshield?
I got my lic in 82 but I was riding mini bikes and dirt bikes starting in 72. Good list. I will add never trust anyone, 3 times last year on a local state road. I had to dodge vehicles passing in the opposite direction to avoid head on crashes.
In addition to maintaining following distance, I've gotten into the habit of maintaining, as best as can be due to traffic density, distance in 4 directions, front and back as well as right to left. We are more maneuverable, so it's easier to put yourself in a position where you can create distance between any other vehicles around you in all four directions, keeping out of blind spots, giving more time and space to avoid potential interactions with people that change lanes without looking and such.
I get angry with myself for learning new things slowly, for taking a looong time to feel comfortable trying new moves on the bike, but then i remember that’s why I’ve been riding for 54 years and have never really messed up. One street crash, 50 years ago, mostly off road since. Caution works well. Helps to have a low threshold for adrenaline injection.
I started both my kids on 50cc motorcycles when they were very young. I took them trail riding often, and guided them onto larger and larger bikes as their skills improved. By the time they were 14, both could easily handle an SV650 street bike. I used a helmet communicator to coach them while on rides, and by college they were very competent riders on the street, and had the skills necessary to survive. 10 years later, they are both working full time and starting families etc, and neither of them ride or own a bike, but they do have the necessary skills should they ever get the bug again, which most will do at some point.
Not wearing a full face helmet also lets all the bugs and rocks hit you in the face. Those alone could cause an accident that could have been avoided
I was riding my motorcycle down a road with a rider friend , and I was wearing a half face helmet with sunglasses when a BEE stung me in the right temple . WOW !!! that was the worst PAIN ever that I had to stop and rest .
Solid advice as always. I hope that the biker whom you removed the keys from had the good conscious to thank you. You essentially save his life and possibly others. 🏍️
I rode a honda morning monkey for a year and then went to an Indian scout rogue. People told me going from 9 horsepower to 100 horsepower would be too much. I took it with respect of the machine and caution. The transition was very smooth and i still remind myself even though i have 15,000 miles on my scout over this past year to not get complacent. Thanks for the content.
Very good list.
I would add older new or returning riders on any size bike. 60 does not have the same night or peripheral vision, as well as reflexes as a younger person.
Absolutely love the truth. A lot of people don’t like the truth, about anything, but the truth doesn’t care about what you like. Great video Kevin.
Let's see....
i'm a new rider, with a moderate motorcycle (2012 BMW F800R) it's light, and not overpowering.
I actually check with relative frequency to see if i'm at least 2 seconds behind vehicle in front of me
I don't really speed that much. Sure it's good to feel the torque, but i like to just cruise.
I wear a full face helmet. i actually always wear all gear. My state requires helmets.
i haven't ridden impaired, and don't plan to. i've tried on a bicycle and it didn't work too well!
I truly hope to enjoy riding for a long time. Like many new riders, I got into this as an older guy, which i think helps my sensibility alot. Of course finished the MSF and have expanded incrementally from just riding around my small neighborhood, to a couple local roads (i live in a rural area which made it nice) and then a little bit further. i've got about 1000 miles under my belt so far, and i've gotten myself in the habit of always hitting the Kohl's parking lot on every ride, just to practice u-turns, emergency stops, stopping from a curve etc. It's actually kind of fun and hopefully helps keep those skills a little sharper if needed. I know that if i got a bike when i was younger, i'd probably be a statistic, becausse i would have been alot more likely to break every single one of those rules!
Very well explained and justified. You are looking out for the riders.
I accept that higher speed increases risk, but there is a difference between speeding out of habit and speeding consciously. Lots of people ride because going fast is fun. If you are a serial speeder like me, you need strategies:
- limit yourself to being able to stop within the distance you can actually see (sometimes I find myself going around blind corners slower than people who don’t speed);
- maintain speed appropriate space cushions;
- if the road you are on requires a lot of overtaking, find another road;
- never take corners fast until you have already been through the corner and assessed road condition and off-road hazards (always ask yourself - what happens it I make a mistake and go off the road);
- always show respect by slowing down for other road users (especially pedestrians, bicycles and horses);
- always slow down for driveways and intersections;
- show consideration for home owners and use a higher gear to reduce noise - and imagine it is your kids playing in their yard near the road;
- maintain your bike obsessively;
- always assess your mental state and never speed when you are tired, angry or distracted (should you even be riding?);
- know your own current limits and the limits of your bike (this is hard to do without training on a race track);
- learn trail braking;
- acquire good protective gear and always use it (AGAT);
- if you ride in a group, ride your own ride;
- ride when there is good light with the sun high enough not to cause blinding issues or distraction for you or other drivers;
- and last but not least, remember that everyone’s roads are not your race track - save pushing any kind of limit for the race track!
Yesterday I nearly impacted the rear end of a car that suddenly pulled into my lane for no reason, luckily they noticed me in time and pulled back into there lane. I was travelling at 140 and only managed to slow to 100 by the time I went past, if they hadn't noticed me I would of hit them at 100mph. I'm saving that sort of ridding for the track from now on, good luck out there👍
@@cabbage681 Wow...that's scary. Glad it turned out alright!
Thanks for the video! I worked for an insurance company and did motorcycle claims, the amount of bikes and cars that need tires that are on the road is just ridiculous. I am retired now and glad I don’t have to go to the tow yards and inspect the total losses and talk to the families when someone doesn’t make it, it sucked. I still ride and it’s work to keep from getting ran over in traffic anymore! Ride safe
Thanks for acknowledging my right to decide on my own risk level. What it is for me is, I geew up in non helnet states, and I often wear one anyway.
And I ride sober, aware, and safe, either way.
Now, I will likely be full gear again for a bit. Relearning as a bilateral leg amputee, next season. AK/BK, Spyder and the wife's Ural, trying for 2 as I get better.
After 43 years, riding is Life. Time to start living again, and get off the pilion.
Love and Respect bro. Thanks for doing what you do.
Thanks for the great information!
I agree with your list. Great video.
No surprise on the motorcyclist at the top of the list. As a former USAF aviator the saying was "at least eight hours bottle to throttle". Many motorcyclists do not seem to understand that even one drink will lead to a certain amount of diminished reaction ability. On the issue of helmets, there are 18 states in which it's mandatory. I wonder what statistics would tell us about the difference in head injuries/deaths in those states vs non mandatory states?
Georgia has mandatory helmet for ALL riders. SC and Fla do not require helmets for adults. There are a lot of riders in Fla and SC I see without helmet (it appears about 33%to me) so you could compare that. Most not wearing helmets are in T shirt and jeans...while most in a full faced helmet are in riding jacket, boots, armored gloves.
The highest last year were FL, CA, TX, AZ, GA, NC
Remember Georgia is 10 million population while FL, TX, CA are far larger by 2x,3x,4x. So adjust to per capital registered bikes.
GA, AZ, NC are roughly similar in size and easier to compare. AZ does not req helmets over age 17. GA and NC do. Deaths are extremely close in number.
You are so on point... As usual. Thanks!
Exlant advice keeping riders safe brother
Learning so much from your videos 😊.
Thank you for a very important and valuable message. It's not a happy one, but it's the reality.
Absolutely great video. Thanks
“Distance equals time” is a montra I ride by. Also I cover my brake (when there’s traffic around). Interesting enough, I can make my hair look better wearing a helmet than letting the wind have its way 😂🤣
We have a lot of roundabouts near me and I made the mistake of pulling up right behind a semi truck that was negotiating the roundabouts. I was almost hit by someone that was merging into the roundabout. The merging car was merely trying to get through the roundabout as quickly as possible and on my bike , being only a few yards from the rear of the truck seemed okay because we were moving very slowly but the merging car didn't see me because they just didn't look real hard. Luckily they slammed on the brakes at the last moment when they noticed that I was already in front of them.
Kevin, thanks for the information and reinforcement of good practices you provide. When one tailgates they also have less time to react to road obstacles. Whenever I someone riding without a helmet I think... thanks for being a potential organ donor and wonder if they like bugs hitting them in the face. Just doesn't make sense.
Great video, I would add lack of sleep under impairment. I don't feel comfortable with out a helmet and full gear with armor. (I will probably get an airbag vest this summer,
Thanks for this kevin. When i travelled throughout the USA I was ofen asked in a number of states why I was wearing a helmet. I'm used to it because in every jurisdiction (province or territory) in Canada, helmets are manditory. So for any American rider who plans on riding in Canada make sure you have proper head protection or you can't cross the border.
When I decided to give motorcycling a try, I was 35 years old. I started with a Yamaha RZ350, a lightweight two-stroke. Along with the bike, I purchased a full set of riding leathers and an expensive Arai full-coverage helmet. I then signed up for a Motorcycle Safety Foundation rider course, perhaps the single smartest decision I ever made. I still managed to fall off a couple of times, but my gear kept my skin in one piece. The lessons I learned during my MC phase improved my driving so much and made my life on the road far safer from then on.
I’m a beginner rider and got an 883 to learn on and I agree learning fundamentals first is important
I was rear-ended twice in one year by bikes. First one which hit me did some damage to my pickup. Driver rolled off to the right and came around the front of my vehicle. He picked up his bike, hopped on and road off so quick I was stunned. Second one did minor damage to his bike as it was stop and go traffic. I had never known anyone rearending a vehicle or being rearended by a bike before or since. My Honda 250 has not been riden for six years and it is for sale this week as I am no longer qualified to ride in my opinion.
I started riding bicycles as a kid, then BMX bikes as a teen, then dirt bikes riding XC and MX, then an old Honda cb360, then sports bikes. Dirt bikes helped me a lot, I think, and are a lot of fun.
Good man, love your work mate
All these principles apply on 4 wheels too.
Thanks.
To give an Australian perspective, very few riders here would get on a bike without a helmet. It is the same with seatbelts and cars. We have grown up with the legal requirement to use both and it is ingrained in our society. It would be very interesting to compare the crash statistics for our 2 countries. One thing I would highlight, the objection to helmets may have a lot to do with comfort, try many on, find one that is for you.
In US helmet laws are governed by state and vary . Country to country is not apples to apples.
You made a short comment about riding alone. I would like to hear more of your thoughts on that. I live in a very rural area. I almost always ride alone. That is my ME time. I have rode with some friends once, I avoid organized rides completely. I started riding in my teens but I had a ten year gap before starting again 5 years ago. I'm 60 years old and ride a Royal Enfield 650 INT.
When I started riding I learned on a 250 CD and enrolled in a 3-day safety course. It was invaluable teaching me defensive driving and accident avoidance skills as well as how to better maintain control of my bike. The defensive driving skills helped me avoid accidents in my car as well. Time and $ well spent. Even if you've been riding for decades you can benefit from the safety course.
With the amount of bugs splattered on my helmet after a ride, I'd much rather protect my head and avoid eating bugs than the alternative. The main reason though is the fact that I'd like to avoid the brain injury scenario. My mother was in a TBI rehab unit for a month and it was eye opening. Motorcycle accident victims, survivors of self inflicted gunshot head wounds, and car accident survivors were some of the permanent residents. It was an experience I will never forget.
Nailed it, buddy. Great video.
In David L Houge's book Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well. He presents a guide that uses time instead of feet to help judge your speed and how far up the road you can see. You pick a spot at the furthest point you can see and count how many seconds it takes to reach it. Use the time for the given speed below to see the minimum time you need to recognize danger and bring your motorcycle to a stop. It's easier than trying to estimate feet, especially while riding. But I can count.
Inexperienced riders may want to add extra time to these numbers.
As a memory aid, the first number in each range, except for the first one, is the seconds needed.
Minimum Sight Distance - time needed to detect danger and stop.
30-50 mph 4 sec
50-60 mph 5 sec
60-70 mph 6sec
70-80mph 7 sec
Great video Kevin.
I’m going to steal some of those points at the BRC I’m teaching this weekend. Thanks Kevin!
Excellent!
I had a low speed low side and the first thing that hit the road was my face, luckily I was wearing a full face helmet and full leathers and gloves so suffered nothing but a bit of bruising, without the helmet I would not have much face left now, as for drinking and ridding thats a big no no for me, I'm now off to a track day for some safer fast speed fun, Great post, hopefully it will keep a few riders safe👍
I started on a 100c 2 stoke. 50Mph with a tail wind and downhill.
Once I passed my test, what did I get> a 200cc.
After that what did I get? A 250cc.
I then had a few years/decades without a motorcycle. Got a Mortgage, no spare cash, used a pedal cycle.
Then I paid off my mortgage and finally, got a motorcycle again. Woo!
What did I get? A 250cc. Once I had regained my confidence and relearned my out of date skills I finally got an old 600cc. A very low mileage tidy 1998 GSF600.
It apparently has a rev limiter, after 6/7 years owning it I have not found out if that is true.
Brakes - very important. Fully professionally rebuilt.
I have no choice about the helmet, in the U.K. it’s mandatory.
Speeding? I am, as of 2024, 55, and no speeding tickets, EVER. do not intend to change that. I am not slow, I am just not suicidal.
Tailgating? I pick a gap, and then tend to double it. If the car in front is going 50 and I am also going 50 having an extra large gap will not slow me down.
Impaired? I have spent lots of money (for me) on a 26 year old motorcycle. There is no way on earth I am going to risk damaging it riding impaired. Plus i live in walking distance of several pubs and shops.
In my early 20s I had a Honda C70, it's like a street version of the Trail 90. After riding for a couple years, I got a job with a courier service in downtown Portland, OR. I rode about 100 miles per day, in the city, delivering documents. I did that for two years full time.
During that time, I graduated to a 1972 Honda CB450 that I rode when I was not working.
Next bike was a 1972 BMW R60/5 with a 600cc engine. I rode that bike hard, in the city and out of town. I was very comfortable riding up or down stairs, or hopping curbs, and traversing other city terrain. I stopped riding about 1990.
In 2021, my girlfriend's dad brought a 2003 V-Star XVS1100 from Wisconsin out to Seattle and gave it to me. Out of the saddle for 30 years and climbing back on to a bike with twice the engine and 250 pounds heavier than my last motorcycle. There was definitely some learning to do.
great video spot on thanks
I live in the Chicago area and one of the reasons I absolutely never tailgate is because of road debris. I’ve seen it all from the ubiquitous truck tire retread to construction debris to extension ladders on the road. If you’re following too close and the car in front of you passes over such debris (or worse, throws it up the air) you’ve just encountered a life threatening situation at speed. This in and of itself is the reason I never read bumper stickers while riding.
In 2005 I was heading out at about 6am to go to our local country store for a coffee.
The store is one mile from my home.
I put on all of my gear even thoygh it was a very short ride.
That morning I hit a patch of loose material on the only curve in that mile.
Down I went at anout 25 mph.
I did suffer a broken ankle and a torn PCL in left knee joint.
Other than that not a scratch.
All of my gear suffered road rash including my full face helmet.
I never ever ride without full gear.
No drama on two wheels since.