My SO does part-time accounting and finance work for a large Honda/Harley dealership around here.

3 days ago a very pleasant young man came in and purchased a new roadbike; made quite an impression on staff that sees and sells to 50-60 customers a day (they all remembered the guy).

Young man had just gotten back from Iraq and was a combat veteran.  He was picking up the new bike as a gift to himself; he was very excited as was his wife and 3yr old daughter.  He told lots of stories, conversed with everyone.  He joked about the statistic that a mil. vet was more likely to die on his bike at home than "over there" in combat..." Well, I guess I'll show them" he said.  


This young man died the night he picked up his new bike; riding at night on a backroad in a small rural town.  It appears he rounded a corner, over corrected, and veered into the path of an oncoming car head on.

He was an experienced rider, riding in less-than-ideal circumstances.


Due to the volume of bikes this place sells, this isn't the first time this has happened.  It is the first time it's happened and the rider was such a memorable fella...folks really kinda torn up about this.


Hopefully one or two of you will read this and take it easy next time you head out for a ride.

Wow, that's awful.
Prayers for widow and baby.
And I'll take it easy myself.

Yep,  a guy died a mile from the dealership after buying his new bike about 2 years ago here.  Doesn't take much.

Dang.  I try not to do any spirited riding late at night, that's a shame.

Have a young Nephew currently serving in Iraq.  He had a sports bike and was playing stupid games before he left.  A few of the family thought he was safer in Iraq that he was back at home on the sports bike.  He's had a few really close calls in Iraq since he's been there.  Due home this summer, he ended up buying a Buell Lightening thru a military purchase program.  I guess the bike will be waiting for him when he gets home.  Not sure where he is safer, home on a fast bike, or escorting convoys in Iraq.  

Come to think of it, I've had a few close calls this year putting around on my D/S bike.  Guess when its your time, its your time.

Like I said, considering the volume this place does, its happened several times.

It's always awful, but this time the staff (for various reasons) is taking this one particularly hard.

This is unfortunate.  It also is all too common.  The most dangerous rides are those first rides.  The first year as a novice.  The first rides on a new bike.  The first ride of the season.  you get the picture.

Check out the Hurt Report and look for the statistics. Fatality cuase  #1:  Car drivers violate our right of way and turn into us.  Fatality cause #2:  Bike rider has a single vehicle incident in a corner...

Of all rider induced incidents, corners are the largest single problem.  Most riders do not know how to corner properly.  Improper steering input, improper braking/throttle control, improper line and lane position, and not looking properly are what gets you.  Riding a motorcycle is NOT intuitive, nor is experience a good teacher.  If a rider is doing the wrong thing, and has been doing it wrong for 10 years, its a bad habit.  Practice does NOT make perfect.  Practice merely makes bad habits permanent...  Most of the fatalities occur with riders who are untrained and self taught (or taught by a fried or relative).  There are a whole bucketload of potentially lethal motorcycle myths and beliefs that will get you killed...  There are a lot of things that must be learned, and some of them are counter-intuitive.....

I teach the MSF Basic Rider Course.  I get lots of riders with substantial experience in the courses.  My off-the-cuff wild-assed estimate is that roughly 90-95% of EXPERIENCED riders do NOT know how to corner properly.  Need proof?:  Go to any group ride, poker run, rally, WingDing, Americade or Bike Week.  Watch em ride.  Then again, 90% of observers won't see anything wrong because they have no idea what cornering is supposed to look like.......  I cannot go to group events anymore because I cannot take watching most people ride.  It is too frightening (in a pathetic kinda way).

This dude is done.  It is unfortunate.  Thousands more are going to join him.  96% of those will be untrained riders. Take a course.  Just do it............ If you are convinced you are a good rider, then take an expereinced rider course or sign up for a Lee Parks Total Control class or something similar.  I think you may be surprised (dismayed?) initially, and then absolutely convinced of the need for more training once you realize how much better your could ride....

fro

<nm

WE really need to look out for the left over gravel from last winter. It is suppose to rain hard here today, hopefully wash it all off.

+1 That rain is starting up here tomorrow, I've been looking forward to it.

An off duty LEO was killed on his bike this weekend in NC. Truck pulled out in front of him.



It causes me to consider selling my bike. I feel I'm as careful as I can be. I wear gear even when it's hot.



Thanks for mentioning the Experienced Rider Course. I was having a hard time finding what it was called on the MSF website.

Well now you have me paranoid (and curious), what is the correct technique for cornering?

For the record, I have been trying to get into a MSF course for years but all of the ones around here get filled up instantly. This year there is only 2 the entire year and each only has around 20 spots available . I have been riding for a long time though, so I am probably one of those you speak of.

http://www.nwtntoday.com/news.php?viewStory=25546

Article doesn't state it, but he was a local recruiter.  THP is investigating, but there's nothing else to investigate.

Can you explain what cornering should look like...? I don't mean on a track, but rather just every day normal riding/commuting at legal speed limits...

It's probably dificult without visuals, but... Can you give it a try?

Believe it or not, the track cornering is what you want. You are just using it at a slower speed, leaving a larger safety margin to make corrections with. Until you've actually seen or been instructed how to corner you are a danger to yourself and everyone around you.

Once you've had time and practice you will find that you come up to stop signs and never put your feet down. The bike stops and you sit there for a second before you take off again. It won't always happen but it will occur once you get better.

Find a course and take it, no exceptions. Hell, it's about time for me to find another advanced rider school. I've raced a couple seasons of 600 supersport and it still pays to have a pro find and correct stuff I'm doing.

Yeah I can do that but allways put one foot down to let the PoPo know it's a complete stop,you don't put a leg down and
they(PoPo) can and will charge you with a rolling stop!

Bob

two co-workers crashed this year. One was rookie rider on a GSXR 1000. Was practicing/learning wheelies in a parking lot and rode the bike into a brick wall at about sixty miles per hour. He survived but probably wishes he did not.  The other buddy that crashed has a quarter centuary of riding experience (46 years old). He was on a 'busa and simply rode up on traffic too fast. I believe his new light weight wheels contributed as he had just mounted them that weekend maybe causeing the bike to brake differently due to signifiantly less rotating mass. I raced with him all throughout the eighties and early ninties and he is quite versed in high perf riding.   He lived to talk about it but is considering giving up riding on the street.

I by no means am the best rider in the world but I know a little about proper cornering techniques but it's hard for me to explain. Get all the busy work of braking and shifting completed before you start to turn. Opening throttle about 1/3 to 1/2 way through the turn. Look through the turn and don't target fixate. Body weight and position to the inside and forward if the bike allows this. Cruisers don't so much but you can still shift your weight and lean a little forward. On my cruiser I tend to lean a little forward . On my 1098 I look like I'm trying to crawl under the paint. Braking or shifting after you have turned the bike in isn't reallt a good idea unless you really know your machine. I can trail brake the 1098 but try not to on the street. I'm sure I'm forgetting alot of stuff but thoe are some basics. Other things to remember on the bike are to be loose as you can. When I'm riding some twisties on the sportbike I try to stay as limp as a wet dishrag on the back of the bike. Keep the balls of your feet on the pegs not your arches.

It's amazing how much there is to remember if your trying to write it down. I'm sure I'm forgetting a shitload. Always stay in your lane is a handy one as well. If I'm on a road I know with a clear view of the oncoming lane I might cross over but around here the best riding roads have lot of changing elevations and blind curves.

Don't ask me how I know this

two fellow leo's crashed this six months.  

one on a two lane farm road, sport bike.  came up on a fram tractor hauling a trailer.  getting ready to pass and tracter / trailer turned into her.  hit the trailer and it's wheels rolled over her hips.  broke a couple ribs, legs... she made it but post op is a long way... bummer she's a pretty good officer to boot.

the other friend and fellow mil. retiree   shared many a laugh and calls.  asked me a couple years ago about bikes and mentioned since he wasn't very big in stature a medium sized bike would suffice.  would see him tooling around, safely.  coming to work in the am and failed to negoiate a pretty sharp corner.  landed in a ditch with the suzuki ontop of him.  he didn't make it.