A needless death

A recent thread concerning rider training books, titled Sport Riding Techniques, got me to thinking about a 19 year-old rider who died in Maine recently. The report said he lost control going around a corner and hit a tree. I think that accident description is probably incorrect; I think that he most likely NEVER had true control of his bike.

Going to college taught me only one truly important life lesson and that was the fact that I didn't know how little I knew. Sure, I had a layperson's level of knowlege in a lot of areas; however, once I was exposed to people who had really delved deeply into specific disciplines only then did I realize how little I actually knew and how misplaced my self-confidence was.

I think that lesson applies to most new and/or young riders who have taken only the most basic training necessary to obtain an mc license. Yes, the basic courses ensure that they can start, steer, and brake in a reasonably satisfactory manner in no/low stress situations. The problem is once they start to gain some (undeserved) confidence they can get in over their head quickly and then you have a 19 year-old killing himself in a situation that, no matter how you look at it, was caused by a lack of real knowlege/training and in all probability was completely avoidable.

I speak from experience. My first street bike was a '73 Suzuki GT380 2 stroke triple. At 18,I thought I knew how to ride because I knew how to start, stop and steer (sort of...). Going by Walker's Point (the Bush family compound in my hometown of Kennebunkport) I went around a curve a little too quickly. And it really was only a little too quickly (speed limit was 25 mph, I was probably 35 mph or so). Thanks to my lack of real knowledge/training, countersteering was an unknown concept to me. So, instead of doing the correct thing, I proceeded to panic, target-fixated, and drove my bike and myself right off the road and into some thorny rose bushes. Just brilliant. Bike was pretty well beat up and thanks to the rose bushes and my shorts/tee shirt I looked like I had been in a fight with a mountain lion. I healed up but my incompetence and ignorance could have revealed itself just as easily at 75mph as it did at 35 mph. And I wouldn't be alive to write this.

As a related aside, at Noon-time basketball we have a guy who just turned 65 last week but is in good shape. A former Navy pilot and generally sane man, he had heard some of us talk about our bikes and he thought to himself that riding sounded fun. So, unbeknownst to us and his wife he bought for his very first bike a.........Victory Vision. That's right, folks a Victory Vision...he said when the dealership delivered it to his house his wife nearly killed him and seriously threatened divorce so they immediately "un-delivered" it.


The point of this little story is that real training and in depth knowledge can more directly save lives than all of the helmets in the world because increased education leads to better decisions. And for many riders, the decision to wear a helmet often comes with their advanced training.

Perhaps if that 19 year-old had read either Lenatsch's or Parks' book and practiced those techniques (see earlier cited thread) he would have had the skills needed to have made it safely around that curve. If you are a mc newbie (or know someone who is), please consider taking the training (either by attending courses or reading and practicing) beyond the MSF basic courses. Reading the books cited above (and others) shows just how much there is to know. Ride safe, all.

Joe

 

Well said.

 

To add it is disturbing that in NH you can legally ride without a helmet and guess what most young hormone induced youth 18-25 or older ride sportbikes without helmets.Truly disturbing to me.

 

Motorcycles are available to anyone with the cash to purchase one, however the percentage of people that actually possess the necessary skills to correctly operate a motocycle is very low. The operation of a motorcycle requires a basic intuitive skill set that only a small percentage of people actually have. Pounding a round peg into a square hole with a book is only a bandaid for this lack of intuitive skills.

If you are incapable of performing basic maintenance, setting up your suspension, doing medium level mechanical repairs and comprehending a service manual, you are already lacking the first necessary skill, which is being able to understand the machine you are operating at the most basic level. Only after you fully understand the mechanical aspects of your machine will you truly be able to understand the physics involved in riding one. Prime example, if you struggle with the plastic fairing clips on your machine, you probably should think about the bigger picture.

 

Thank you for your insights and point of view. Wisdom is earned in the face of the most difficult of circumstances. It takes time to acquire it and yours is sincerely appreciated!

 

I got my motorcycle license when I was 16 years old and have been riding on the street for almost 20 years now. Prior to riding on the street I rode many years on dirtbikes ranging from 80cc to 250cc and then moved up to dual sport bikes. Without a doubt, offroad and dual sport riding made me a good streetbike rider because it helped me learn how to physically handle motorcycles under a variety of conditions. I find it mind boggling how people who have never ridden a motorcycle in their lives decide out of nowhere that they want sportbikes and go out and purchase very powerful liter bikes with the intent to learn as they go. As most of you know, learning to physically handle a bike on the road is only a small part of being a safe rider. Knowing your limitation, learning to predict the actions of others, and always looking for an escape path on the road are the most important skills new riders can learn but unfortunately many new riders are more consumed on learning how to do wheelies and stoppies before basic skills.

Regards,
Rollin

 

Well said gents!

I’ve started to say, at the end of every MSF BRC class I coach, that if this is the only motorcycle training you seek out and take. Then motorcycling is not for you because it is a life long learning process. You never quit learning and if you expect a class that makes you aware of some street strategies, what countersteering is, how to swerve and quick stop at 15 mph to be the end all of your training? You may want to reconsider why you are getting into motorcycles in the first place.

May seem harsh, but so far the participants have been receptive.

Peace,

BZ

 

Very well put. :thumbsup: