Tip: Riding by sight and anticipation.

[beyond]

Another quick tip for newbies or less experienced riders to help you survive out there.
Familiarise yourself thoroughly with your bike so you know where every control is and adjust everything so that it naturally falls to hand.

Once you know where everything is you should never have to take your eyes off the road when you need to do something with the controls etc.

1. Never take your eyes off the road when riding and only glance at your instruments when you are riding straight. A split seconds inattention is all it takes to find out if your bike is any good off road.

2. Watch the road surfaces at all times for tar, white lines, gravel, cow leftovers, bumps, lumps etc. Scan as far ahead as you can and back towards your bike picking the ideal line. Sometimes you cannot pick the correct line as often the rippling corrugations or melted tar lines are right on the best line.

3. Without taking your attention off the road before you, use peripheral vision to scan ahead as far as you are able seeing where the road goes, if anything is on it several bends ahead, if you can see where the road goes.
At times you may notice a tractor turning out of a gate, or a car coming towards you or someone acting strangely way ahead. Always be scanning.

4. Expect the worse and act like every other road user, farmer, pedestrian, wildlife, rural delivery driver and trucker is out to get you. No need to be paranoid but always be asking what if that truck took that corner to wide....have I got room to move? What if around that blind corner is a broken down car in the middle of my lane... can I stop in time? If I'm leaned right over into a corner and discover cowshit on my apex line, can I counter steer quickly enough and still have room to drop back into the corner.

I don't want to complicate this but keep alert at all times and watch exactly where you are going and as far ahead as you can. be prepared to take evasive action at all times.

[Leyton]

........ +1

[toycollector10]

For all your keen observations about how to do this and that, my prediction, from what I've seen on the internet, is that you are going to video your own death. Sorry about that, it's just what I feel. Slow down, save it for the track. Regards, TC.

P.S. Four bikers down in a group against a milk tanker exiting a blind corner last week in the Waikato. One DOA. Sad but true. So, if you're so prepared and everything, are you really prepared to meet your maker? NOTHING can prepare you for the instant that takes your life.

Get a grip on your riding and slow down, be more of a role model than you are at present. You've got it all wrong in my opinion. TC.

[beyond]

For all your keen observations about how to do this and that, my prediction, from what I've seen on the internet, is that you are going to video your own death. Sorry about that, it's just what I feel. Slow down, save it for the track. Regards, TC.

P.S. Four bikers down in a group against a milk tanker exiting a blind corner last week in the Waikato. One DOA. Sad but true. So, if you're so prepared and everything, are you really prepared to meet your maker? NOTHING can prepare you for the instant that takes your life.

Get a grip on your riding and slow down, be more of a role model than you are at present. You've got it all wrong in my opinion. TC.

Ermmm.... just giving some (I thought) helpful tips to give newbies a better chance out there. Why does that warrant another lecture about "I'm next"
everytime another rider goes down. No one needs to live under that sort of curse.

What have I got wrong in your opinion???

Words fail me at times when I read response posts like this that have nothing to do with what I am posting????!!!!!

P.S Furthermore I have slowed down considerably over what I used to ride like prior to 2/12/06

[reofix]

beyond is on the staying alive plan ... i read and reread his post ... all good advice ... i do 25k a year on my bike and his advice is all well put... and almost exactly what i think are the keys to getting home alive everytime!

[SixPackBack]

Another quick tip for newbies or less experienced riders to help you survive out there.
Familiarise yourself thoroughly with your bike so you know where every control is and adjust everything so that it naturally falls to hand.

Once you know where everything is you should never have to take your eyes off the road when you need to do something with the controls etc.

1. Never take your eyes off the road when riding and only glance at your instruments when you are riding straight. A split seconds inattention is all it takes to find out if your bike is any good off road.

2. Watch the road surfaces at all times for tar, white lines, gravel, cow leftovers, bumps, lumps etc. Scan as far ahead as you can and back towards your bike picking the ideal line. Sometimes you cannot pick the correct line as often the rippling corrugations or melted tar lines are right on the best line.

3. Without taking your attention off the road before you, use peripheral vision to scan ahead as far as you are able seeing where the road goes, if anything is on it several bends ahead, if you can see where the road goes.
At times you may notice a tractor turning out of a gate, or a car coming towards you or someone acting strangely way ahead. Always be scanning.

4. Expect the worse and act like every other road user, farmer, pedestrian, wildlife, rural delivery driver and trucker is out to get you. No need to be paranoid but always be asking what if that truck took that corner to wide....have I got room to move? What if around that blind corner is a broken down car in the middle of my lane... can I stop in time? If I'm leaned right over into a corner and discover cowshit on my apex line, can I counter steer quickly enough and still have room to drop back into the corner.

I don't want to complicate this but keep alert at all times and watch exactly where you are going and as far ahead as you can. be prepared to take evasive action at all times.


Good post Beyond.
Would add that I have found lining up my mirrors with both the side of the road [preferably line marked] and the centre line is a great way of staying in my lane.
I use my peripheral vision and 'feel' my lane. Give it a try, it took me a bit of practice but the difference with accurate lane placement was measurable.
Oh and the 'I'm invisible' routine works a treat. My black bike was being serviced today and I was given a sparkling orange Z750 as the shop bike-I had both a van and a truck try to kill me within 10 km:mad:........that kinda reinforced that regardless of efforts to make your bike and person visible fuckers still see straight through you.

[CB ARGH]

Excellent tips mate, spot on! ;)

[Katman]

I know exactly where toycollector is coming from.

I've been pleased to see Paul's recent posts giving tips to surviving on a bike but if they end up being followed by more of his wanky "look how fast I can ride" videos then he is clearly only paying lip service.

I suppose only time will tell.

[Tony W]

I think this is very sane and real advice for anyone out there on the road.

The second poster, Toycollector10, seems to be judging you on some previous "form".

There is nothing in this post that advocates speeding.
The post warns to look ahead and be aware.

This is important advice at ANY speed.

[mattian]

Thankyou !! these kind of posts are excellent for us noobs. Sharing your experience with us is something none of us take for granted. Keep up the good work bro !!!!!!

[98tls]

Good post Beyond.
Would add that I have found lining up my mirrors with both the side of the road [preferably line marked] and the centre line is a great way of staying in my lane.
I use my peripheral vision and 'feel' my lane. Give it a try, it took me a bit of practice but the difference with accurate lane placement was measurable.
Oh and the 'I'm invisible' routine works a treat. My black bike was being serviced today and I was given a sparkling orange Z750 as the shop bike-I had both a van and a truck try to kill me within 10 km:mad:........that kinda reinforced that regardless of efforts to make your bike and person visible fuckers still see straight through you. I hear that,my TL is a very bright lamb shit yellow kind of colour impossible to miss you would think,sadly not it seems.Best when in traffic to as you say ride as though you are invisible.

[McJim]

For all your keen observations about how to do this and that, my prediction, from what I've seen on the internet, is that you are going to video your own death. Sorry about that, it's just what I feel. Slow down, save it for the track. Regards, TC.

P.S. Four bikers down in a group against a milk tanker exiting a blind corner last week in the Waikato. One DOA. Sad but true. So, if you're so prepared and everything, are you really prepared to meet your maker? NOTHING can prepare you for the instant that takes your life.

Get a grip on your riding and slow down, be more of a role model than you are at present. You've got it all wrong in my opinion. TC.

Not sure I understand the pertinence of this post to this thread, if the post is good then the post is good - continual character assasination of the poster is just going to get YOUR opinion impugned.

[Bute]

sound post m8 :) , dont know why some people are flaming you but this is very informative and usefull for most riders ...me for one cheers

[SixPackBack]

I hear that,my TL is a very bright lamb shit yellow kind of colour impossible to miss you would think,sadly not it seems.Best when in traffic to as you say ride as though you are invisible.

Strange huh??.....and yet very few people pull out on me black bike?...go figure!

[sAsLEX]

Sometimes you cannot pick the correct line as often the rippling corrugations or melted tar lines are right on the best line.


I would say the correct line on the road is the safest one, not the one that works on a track.


But yes, very good post.

[The Stranger]

NOTHING can prepare you for the instant that takes your life.


What's to prepare?
At that time it's all over rover, same for you, same for me.

[98tls]

Strange huh??.....and yet very few people pull out on me black bike?...go figure! For sure,i value my life enough to if i thought for one minute it would help wear a hi vis thingy but i honestly dont think it would make any difference,sadly.I many years ago went to my 21 year old cousins funeral after she was killed by an old guy who "just didnt see her".Ive never forgotten the old fella as he had the balls/stupidity/respect to turn up to her funeral...i out of respect for his respect shook his hand after the event,he still even then amongst his tears said "i just didnt see her".Jules was in the airforce stationed in Blenheim and rode a GN250 and wore a pink..yea pink ski jacket to keep warm when riding.

[The Stranger]

I know exactly where toycollector is coming from.

I've been pleased to see Paul's recent posts giving tips to surviving on a bike but if they end up being followed by more of his wanky "look how fast I can ride" videos then he is clearly only paying lip service.

I suppose only time will tell.

Wahoo, keep it up Beyond.
Get enough katman points and you can earn a get out of jail free card to use when you post your next video.

[sondela]

I would say the correct line on the road is the safest one, not the one that works on a track.
But yes, very good post.

Is that not the point of the original post?

I read all your advice Beyond, and take it in, there is not one of us who can afford to stop learning to ride better, and listening to sound advice is one way to learn. Keep it up, perhaps you will help someone make a good decision that will save a life..

[Luckylegs]

Good post Beyond... thanks for the thoughts (tips).

That aside however, can you all stop quoting Toycollector... Its making my ignore list redundant :whistle:

[toycollector10]

I was thinking at times today that I'd been too hard on beyond.

I don't know him, but to me he's just too quick and slick. I'm 56 years old, and purposefully slow and wary most of the time. Most of the time.

Beyond is young and quick most of the time. I care about the riders out there. Yeah, I'm a pussy. Why? because I see so much crap riding and driving that it just plain scares me, and I hope that people will learn by observation and not personal experience, which can carry a lot of pain and suffering.

So I'm pretty much old and slow and boring but what's the bloody hurry? I like the twisties as much as the next rider but get it in perspective FGS. And if you save it for the track it's so much better than doing it on the road.

[LBD]

4. Expect the worse and act like every other road user, farmer, pedestrian, wildlife, rural delivery driver and trucker is out to get you. No need to be paranoid but always be asking what if that truck took that corner to wide....have I got room to move?

This needs to be in bold underlined italics with exclimation marks in parenth...perthis.....piranthis....brackets

[jrandom]

I don't know him, but to me he's just too quick and slick. I'm 56 years old...

Beyond is young

:shutup:

:lol:

[Mystic13]

I was thinking at times today that I'd been too hard on beyond.

I don't know him, but to me he's just too quick and slick. I'm 56 years old, and purposefully slow and wary most of the time. Most of the time.

Beyond is young and quick most of the time. I care about the riders out there. Yeah, I'm a pussy. Why? because I see so much crap riding and driving that it just plain scares me, and I hope that people will learn by observation and not personal experience, which can carry a lot of pain and suffering.

So I'm pretty much old and slow and boring but what's the bloody hurry? I like the twisties as much as the next rider but get it in perspective FGS. And if you save it for the track it's so much better than doing it on the road.

Your first post made no sense to me. We had Beyond posting a whole bunch of advice and tips and then you come on posting like he suggested tips for going fast and racing. So i re-read Beyond's post and find nothing of the sort so I'm thinking "what the?"

Then as i get further on it becomes clear you aren't posting about the thread you're taking a shot at Beyond because of other stuff he's posted.

For me I'd prefer if you stay on topic.

Then some posters comment about your post.

So you post up post number 2 to what?... explain yourself, to soften post 1 etc.

IMHO you're off the mark and again my preference is staying on topic. If you have some issues with Beyond go start a thread instead of tagging threads where he's given good clean advice. The really funny thing is with everything you've said it appears you agree with the content of Beyond's post in this thread.

- Beyond may be "young and quick" (unfortunately I don't know 'em either) but nothing he said was foolish. When is "young and quick" something to have a problem with.

- You go on to say "Beyond is young and quick most of the time. I care about the riders out there." ... and this implies that Beyond doesn't care about riders.

- You also say "I see so much crap riding and driving that it just plain scares me, and I hope that people will learn by observation and not personal experience, which can carry a lot of pain and suffering.".... I've done a lot of km's and i can tell you in my experience I could never learn to ride and ride better by observation alone and not personal experience. For me it's useful to read about riding techniques and then practise them. Or do you mean observe peoples crap riding rather than riding crap?

Ultimately Beyond gave some good advice and what would have been useful for you to do is to add in any other good advise you have.

Oh and when does riding slow mean that you ride safe or that you ride good. I am always weary when a poster points out how badly others ride and then says or implies that they have it right. We're always learning on these things.


Cheers.

Yes I know this is off topic and sorry Beyond. Hopefully Toycollector10 won't post off topic further and we can get back to the thread. it seems they may also have some useful tips they can add.

[The Stranger]

I was thinking at times today that I'd been too hard on beyond.

I don't know him, but to me he's just too quick and slick. I'm 56 years old, and purposefully slow and wary most of the time. Most of the time.

Beyond is young and quick most of the time.

Well not sure if that qualifies as an apology, though these are frowned upon by the mods here, but it's a start.

Although he will no doubt appreciate the compliment, his age is not the only assumption you have wrong. I guess that explains (though doesn't excuse) why you have been addressing Beyond with a rather condescending tone.

Now all you need to do is loose a couple of other erroneous preconceived ideas that you know about him.

[beyond]

Beyond is young and quick most of the time.

Well, I just have to get on here and thank you heaps for the compliment mate :)

Reminds me of a quote R6 Kid made once after a Coro loop ride with a bunch of us. "Motoracer is a crazy young man and Beyond is a crazy old man".

Always had a laugh over that one :)

However, just to put the record straight, I'm a couple of months off 52 years old but I like the young comments.... keep them coming.

I do believe I ride safe and try very much to do so and I know that my level of what I call safe is not so for many others. I assure you once again that I have pulled back considerably on what I used to ride like prior to the incident of 2/12/06 and I know that day affected the riding of many others too.

Cheers all.

P.S. I'm happy to ride with anyone who really wants to check me out..... I'm not so young so probably no threat but I am happily married :)

[Macontour]

Being new back to bikes after 8 years away, I was cut off twice in 1 km on the test ride of my Duke. Scared me bad...even made me have second thoughts about bikes. I realised that I had lost my paranoia about other vehicles and because I drive tour coaches for a living, I am used to being a dominant presence on the road. Not so on a bike.

My tips are that I cover rear brake always and in traffic I tend to ride with 2 fingers on front brake lever.

I also prefer the right hand lane on the Motorway because then I only have to worry about cars coming at me from the Left, not both sides.

I also tend to ride to the right hand side of the lane. It avoids oil, fluids and all sorts of debris that could be between the car wheel tracks and also gives me an easy escape route to the right if it looks like the car behind me isn't going to stop.

I like to ride fast as most of us do but pick the time and place...200ks on the Desert Rd is probably less dangerous that 70 ks past a school at 3 pm.

[vifferman]

Good post, Dr Beyond. :niceone:

Lest some nooob following your advice to "never take your eyes off the road" and various instructions to "scan" and "watch" ends up staring fixedly ahead (not your intention, I know), I would add that the visual part of your brain works better in response to movement. On a very winding road, your head turning to look through each successive corner supplies much of the changing image (stimulus) required, but on straighter roads (and even in the bends), it's important to be flicking your eyes around a bit when you scan the road ahead. Your head should be pointing in the direction you want to turn, but your eyes should be alternating between a quick glance down and scan of the road surface for hazards like debris or potholes, and a more concentrated view ahead towards the vanishing point.

[martybabe]

Good stuff once again Paul, you crazy young thing :lol: when you've been in the saddle as long as as we have, you do a million and one things to stay alive but most of them are second nature almost auto pilot. It's all to easy to forget that the skills and attitude that keep us upright are not part of the inexperienced riders Arsenal of protection.

There are many people riding without the hard won knowledge and experience we have, f#ck knows we're none of us perfect but actually sharing our experiences for all to contemplate can only be a good thing as some of the inexperienced riders posts will testify.

These posts are really useful for a lot of our members, long may they continue.

[Swoop]

That handsome young Beyond fellow!
He really should ride a Honda, since "you meet the nicest people on a Honda"!

You rock!!!


Strange huh??.....and yet very few people pull out on me black bike?...go figure!
Yeah... strange that.<_<

[turtleman]

I also prefer the right hand lane on the Motorway because then I only have to worry about cars coming at me from the Left, not both sides.

I also tend to ride to the right hand side of the lane. It avoids oil, fluids and all sorts of debris that could be between the car wheel tracks and also gives me an easy escape route to the right if it looks like the car behind me isn't going to stop.


I also stick to the right hand lane on the Motorway, for the very same reason as yourself. When in the right hand lane, I tend to stay to the left of centre - not hugging the line, hell that's the lane for the guys filtering :headbang: - so that I am visible in the mirror of the driver in the lane to my immediate left - seems to have stopped the number of plonkers that lane change into me, thus negating the need for deploying 139db of Stebel :love: whilst taking evasive action.

[Macontour]

We need to be more proactive in our safety. having hi-vis gear and headlights on and so on does not absolve us of the need to be prepared for the bad actions of others.

If approaching a blind crest, especially if you are unfamiliar with the road, it makes sense to button off slightly in case of bend or obstacles straight after crest.

If I am at the front of the queue at the traffic lights and they go green, as I start to move off I do a quick glance to my right and before I reach the middle of the road I glance left. This has saved me on a few occasions from being T-boned by a red light runner.

If first at the red light it pays to watch the person approaching from behind in case they are asleep :zzzz:and be prepared to move quickly in case they don't stop.

Avoid riding in the blind spot of another vehicle, either go past it or drop back, don't ride along where the driver can't see you. If you can't see their face in the mirror, they can't see you......if they bother to look.

Remember that car drivers estimate speed based on what they are used to.
If you are doing 180 ks, you are doing 150 feet per second!!!! Car driver at intersection sees you coming 300 metres away and expects that you are doing about 100 ks(80 feet per second) therefore he has in his mind plenty of time to pull out(10-11 seconds). In reality he has only 5-6 seconds. By the time he has decided he has room, looked the other way to make sure it is clear and started to pull out, YOU have maybe 2 seconds and you lose maybe half a second in reaction time before you even go for the brakes!

You plow into his drivers door still doing 100 ks plus and that is it!! All over.

Figures are approximate only for the sake of illustration. Don't pull out a calculator and tell me I am wrong.

[Macontour]

Always have a split second look over your shoulder before changing lanes just in case there is a car, truck or fast Ducati in your blind spot.

If waiting to pull out of a cross roads and you didn't see the indicators start flashing on the approaching car, they may have been left on and he may not be intending to turn at all. Wait for other obvious signs of his intentions like slowing, pointing etc. =He may also be indicating too early and planning to pull over just past the intersection.

If following a car in suburban streets or shopping areas and they are on and off the brakes and head moving around a lot they are probably looking for a parking space and may stop suddenly or do something else unexpected, like a U turn.

Watch the front wheels of cars at the side of the road with drivers in them, especially if indicating. If the wheel starts to change angle from straight ahead, they may be about to pull out.

When pulling across an intersection check both ways AGAIN as you move off similar to my previous post, in case someone is approaching fast.