What Virginia Tech learned about how and why we crash our motorcycles

[Daboo]

What Virginia Tech learned about how and why we crash our motorcycles

What do you learn if you pick 100 riders, put five video cameras and data-logging equipment on their motorcycles and record them for a total of 366,667 miles?

Several things, some of which we knew, some surprising. Intersections are dangerous. We either need to pay better attention or work on our braking techniques, because we crash into the back of other vehicles way too often. We’re not good enough at cornering, especially right turns. And we drop our bikes a lot (probably more often than any of us imagined or were willing to admit).

Good article from Revzilla's Common Thread to read.

Chris

 

[SupraSabre]

I wasn't contacted!

So I say the study was flawed!

But, I'm not your ordinary biker either, so they probably wouldn't want me on their study, I would destroy their theory!

 

[dwalby]

no real news there, just more data to back up what we pretty much already knew anyway. Also, alcohol didn't seem to get mentioned at all, but is a common factor in real-world crashing.

 

[Daboo]

One of the things I found interesting, was that our biggest accident category we have is that we run into the rear of another vehicle. We. The motorcyclist.

Not the car behind us.

Yet how many riders are running to get additional lights that let the drivers behind us not just know that we are stopping...but that we are slowing down...like that is the biggest cause of us getting into an accident. Or that we need the biggest, baddest loudest horn that won't shut our bike's electrical system down to keep from being hit when someone turns left in front of us.

When I was commuting to work, I'd watch motorcyclists behaviors and compare what I saw with what I was doing. I saw over and over, motorcyclists following a car with less than a car length separating them. At 30-60 mph, that's not enough time to stop if the car even slows down. It also doesn't let you see any debris on the road before you hit it. The last is no big deal to a car...they just passed over that chunk of tire with no issues...but to a tailgating motorcyclist, it is the beginning of an accident that could've been avoided.

I also noted that when a motorcyclist was tailgating the car ahead...there was often a car moving up to tailgate them. It's like the car behind them was treating them with the same respect they were showing to other drivers.

Why did I come to those conclusions? Because while I was watching them being tailgated, no one was doing the same to me. I was riding with a 3-4 second following distance and the car behind me would have that much space behind me or more.

I think in general that many motorcyclists take the bad habits they have as car drivers and use them on the motorcycle. How many multiple-car pileups do we get each day on the freeways? Lots. The day becomes sunny, so the car driver takes his motorcycle out instead of the car. He's now on a vehicle that accelerates faster and brakes well. He feels incredibly free and invincible. And the bad behaviors he got away with in a car, are now amped up on a bike.

Chris

 

[cyberwolf009]

One of the things I found interesting, was that our biggest accident category we have is that we run into the rear of another vehicle. We. The motorcyclist.

Not the car behind us.

I have found it interesting that there are a myriad of helpful tips and videos out there covering cornering, slow speed maneuvers and even how to pick a bike up, but you rarely see the following distance and practice of panic stops mentioned. I've locked up my brakes and have had to do quick avoidance maneuvers in the past, and I've seen others do the same. I now often practice "panic" stops when I'm coming upon a yellow light with no cars behind me. I think it's really worthwhile to know and get comfortable with just how quickly my bike can actually stop when the brakes are applied correctly and firmly.

 

[st11ray]

Can you really practice a panic stop unless there is actual panic going on?

 

[Whooshka]

Can you really practice a panic stop unless there is actual panic going on?

Yep. Place a cone in a parking lot and keep trying to decrease your distance to stop before it while doing the same, steady speed, over and over. That is good practice to let you know your limits. You might even pull off a stoppie.

 

[ad.hom]

Can you really practice a panic stop unless there is actual panic going on?

The UK motorcycle test (and CBT) included an "emergency stop" when I took them. The deal is simple, you ride at a set speed towards an examiner standing by the road. At some point, the examiner will wave at you...and you are to pretend a small child has just run out from the side of the road...

Ride too slow, don't stop in sufficient distance or lose control of the bike, you fail. The entire test is failed* not just that section of it.

Both times I had to do that under test conditions, I braked hard enough to lock up the rear. Because my instructor had me drill for it, I released & re-applied the brakes & passed.

Everyone that took the test at a similar time to me would have had to do that test, though the rules might have changed since (I also had to do it for the car licence test).

So yep, you can practice for panic braking.

* = the rules have likely changed with the introduction of MOD1/MOD2 tests.

 

[ST Gui]

Not the car behind us.

That's a different article. The 'what about THEM' is found there. One thing that paragraph doesn't cover that the article may (I haven't read yet) every motorcycle rider thinks they're better than they are. At least 100 riders show that. I bet 100000 or 1000000 riders would give the same results. If only we were as perfect as we think we are. It's not always the car's fault.

 

[SupraSabre]

Panic stops...

When I bought my first motorcycle, I had NO riding experience, and even though my "bike" was an oversized minibike, The salesman suggested that I go find an empty parking lot (which I had across from my Apt), and go practice stopping. Take up to 5mph and slam on the brakes (1971 technical way to tell you to do a panic stop) and then do 10mph and 15mph, etc... so I took the bike over to said parking lot and with that bike, I practiced until I could do 30mph and keep either wheel from going out from under me. Then, when I bought my '72 Yamaha 250 twin, I did the same thing, except I took the speed up a little more.

Sometime around '86 or so, I was riding south, down the I405 freeway, heading to Santa Monica, where I worked and was Lane Splitting (yeah we even did that back then) and some bozo in a cage decided he needed to open his door and throw out his cold coffee. I was doing probably 45mph or so, hit the brakes and my front tire stopped within a 18" to two feet from his face (he was looking down at the road where he threw his coffee, never saw me). But he did turn white as a sheet when he heard my tires screeching, and then looked up at my tire.

So yeah, practicing panic stops is a good thing.

And yes, I've had to do a few since too. You can't Lane Split without having to suddenly stop here and there...

 

[st11ray]

IDK. I used to be a MSF instructor and I know all about all the "panic stop" drills but are you really in panic mode when doing those? I'm not. It's good to practice but it is nothing like the pucker factor that you get when the real thing happens.

 

[cyberwolf009]

it is nothing like the pucker factor that you get when the real thing happens.

Very true. But much like learning CPR, first aid, firearm training, self defense, etc., it can at least give you some knowledge and tools for when the time comes. I just think any little bit helps.

 

[SupraSabre]

IDK. I used to be a MSF instructor and I know all about all the "panic stop" drills but are you really in panic mode when doing those? I'm not. It's good to practice but it is nothing like the pucker factor that you get when the real thing happens.

Very true. But much like learning CPR, first aid, firearm training, self defense, etc., it can at least give you some knowledge and tools for when the time comes. I just think any little bit helps.

If you have to think about it, it's already too late.

That's why you practice, it needs to come automatic for you.

You stop, and then realize why you did!

 

[ad.hom]

it is nothing like the pucker factor

Knowing the limit of breaking on a given bike helps, but for the true panic mode, that's why I ride a bike with ABS.

 

[Daboo]

That's why I try to avoid those situations...

Chris

 

[Whooshka]

IDK. I used to be a MSF instructor and I know all about all the "panic stop" drills but are you really in panic mode when doing those? I'm not. It's good to practice but it is nothing like the pucker factor that you get when the real thing happens.

If you practice, and know how hard you can use the controls, and you know how your bike is gonna react to your inputs... there will be no pucker factor. That's the point of practicing.

 

[Art Franz]

I think I get what st11ray says about practicing for panic stops.

Several years ago I was riding formation with a newbie rider. He was on the left side of me in front, about 1 second interval. Doing about 45-50 mph in a park. Perfect conditions. Suddenly he saw a photo op on the R and (I’m assuming) he hits his brakes hard and comes to a stop in front of me. I happened to be looking away at the time and when I looked back there he was right in front of me. Stopped. That was a true panic stop. Not pretty at all. First reaction was to grab as much brake as I could. Hard. Locked the front wheel. Now I’ve got my 700 plus lb ST going down plus the heinous sound of a skidding front wheel that I’ve never heard before. Add more panic to panic. Let go, the bike stands back up but now it seems like I’m accelerating toward this nitwit. Now I’m scared to touch the brake, for fear of all that happening again. Add to this there was another rider behind me so I didn’t dare swerve. Short story long I ended up stopping with my front wheel beside his rear wheel. Right beside, almost touching. And he’s pointing out his photo op to me. Coulda strangled him.

I hear ya, Ray, ya can’t practice a true panic stop. The above experience is where abs would have been priceless.

 

[drtyrrel]

The UK motorcycle test (and CBT) included an "emergency stop" when I took them. The deal is simple, you ride at a set speed towards an examiner standing by the road. At some point, the examiner will wave at you...and you are to pretend a small child has just run out from the side of the road...

Ride too slow, don't stop in sufficient distance or lose control of the bike, you fail. The entire test is failed* not just that section of it.

Both times I had to do that under test conditions, I braked hard enough to lock up the rear. Because my instructor had me drill for it, I released & re-applied the brakes & passed.

Everyone that took the test at a similar time to me would have had to do that test, though the rules might have changed since (I also had to do it for the car licence test).

So yep, you can practice for panic braking.

* = the rules have likely changed with the introduction of MOD1/MOD2 tests.

If you lock up the rear brake you hold it until you stop to avoid a "high side". Lock up the front brake release it immediately then reapply with less pressure.

 

[ad.hom]

If you lock up the rear brake you hold it until you stop to avoid a "high side"

Having ridden off road bikes since I was a kid, I've never experienced or seen anyone gave a high side due to releasing the brake.

High sides on a track tend to happen because the rider is hard on the gas & the rear momentarily loses traction, then it kicks when traction is gained again.

Further, holding the rear brake when the tyre is locked up will certainly result in one thing.... a failed motorcycle test (in the UK).

 

[Oldbikefixr]

I have driven over 2,000,000 miles in four wheelers, and well over 300,000 on two....not as much as many, much more than most. In that time, I have seen numerous crashes, including several involving bikes. Pleas note I said 'crashes', as I feel that there are no 'accidents'....one or more drivers/riders involved had ample opportunity to avoid the crash altogether.

Most can be avoided by simply paying attention. This requires being aware of every hazard you are about to enter. Also helpful is an almost autonomic response to a hazard. Those who can't process quickly enough are destined to become statistics.

One fairly recent hazard is people attempting to drive at or above 100 in 70 mph traffic...using all lanes and the turn lanes to pass in. These are usually in the early morning commute with medium to heavy traffic....kind of like a challenge of some sort. So far this year we have seen related serious crashes every week. Two dead at the scene so far this week. Three have crispy crittered themselves this year. Down side is their numbers seem to be growing despite the high body count associated with this driving style. There is little defense against this driving style.