Riding safely
Riding Technique Riding a motorcycle is simple, but riding a motorcycle well takes discipline, understanding and practice.
Riding skills can be broken down into the following headings: -

Forward Observation
Road Position
Cornering
Braking
Overtaking

Forward observation
Forward observation skills are the ability of a rider to anticipate either the actions of another road user or the likely features of the road ahead and any associated hazards.

When a rider is following a bus and that rider sees ahead that there is a bus stop it is good to anticipate that the bus will probably indicate left and pull into the bus stop ahead. Here the rider has recognised and anticipated the future actions of the bus.

If a rider is approaching the brow of a hill and sees over the brow of the hill a number of high lump posts then the rider will be correct in anticipating that there is some kind of a major junction ahead for example a roundabout or major crossroads with traffic lights, here again the rider has correctly figured out, by use of forward observation that a hazard lies ahead.

The process can be broken down into the following processes.

The rider makes an observation.

The rider asks "what significance is that observation on the future movement of other road users or the course and features of the road that lies ahead?"

The rider then considers altering his or her course, speed or road position in anticipation of the hazard.

Lets consider how the rider should use his or her field of vision to make optimum use of forward observation techniques.

Riders alter their field of vision depending on the road conditions and their speed. In a built-up area for example, a town, the rider's field of vision is fairly small because the dangers associated with town riding are usually quite close to rider. Dangers such as pedestrians, car doors opening, cars reversing out of parking spaces are all what I would call close quarter dangers. On a trunk road the dangers are further away from the rider such as major junctions, roundabouts and bends.

Therefore the field of vision in towns is fairly short and in the country is fairly long.

A good rider is constantly adjusting his or her field of view.

A good system is to observe the area immediately around you, and when you have done that, widen your view further into the distance. When you have reached the horizon begin the process again.

Another good way of making the best use of forward observation is to take advantage of the early views that are sometimes afforded.

When approaching a T-junction and intending to turn left taking an early view to the right over the fields. By taking this early view it may be possible to see other vehicles approaching from the offside well before you reach the mouth the junction. There are many opportunities for early views that can be exploited such as gaps in hedges, taking a long look ahead on the brow of the hill, or seeing down the inside of a vehicle as you follow it around a bend.

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Road Positioning
The position of a motorcycle on a road is very important because with good road positioning not only does the rider put him or herself in a safer position but is also able to widen the view and then take advantage of that wider view in making progress on a road.

Riding close to the nearside will protect you from dangers that are approaching, however, the majority of dangers are on the near side.

The ideal position is towards the centre of the road with the exception that when you are approaching potential oncoming danger, such as the brow of a hill, you then take up position towards the near side of the road. The other exception is where following a vehicle it is possible to obtain a nearside view down the inside of the vehicle prior to an overtake.

You are approaching a nearside junction - the further you what to the centre of the road the wider your view into that junction will be. Therefore you will see any danger approaching that junction earlier than if you were approaching it on the near side of the road.

The rider sees the emerging vehicle earlier and has more time to plan for it's movement.

Similarly, when following vehicles, do not follow them too closely as this will also restrict your view beyond the vehicle.

By moving towards the centre of the road he get a better view down a side of the vehicle, by moving towards the nearside you get a much better view down the nearside of the vehicle.

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Cornering
Much has been written about the forces exerted on a motorcycle as it negotiates a bend. The main force is centrifugal - the force which pull's a machine towards the outside of the curve and which riders compensate for by leaning the motorcycle towards the inside of the curve.

Good cornering can be broken down into two areas: -

1) Speed 2) Position on the approach.

Getting to the right speed before a bend is very important.

If any Speed is to be lost it has to be lost before entry to the bend. It is too late to break when you're on the bend as this will increase weight on the front of the machine and make it unstable.

The best speed to take a bend is such that the rider can stop the machine within the distance he or she can see to be clear. Bends should be taken smoothly with the machine under slight acceleration; this will ensure that weight is slightly towards the rear when negotiating the bend.

There is a simple way of assessing the right speed on entry to a bend. When you approach a bend the two sides of the road come together to form a point, to the left on a left-hand bend and to the right on a right hand bend : this is known as the vanishing point.

If you are approaching too fast the vanishing point will be moving towards you, so you reduce your speed until the vanishing point is stationary.

As you go round the bend you will reach a point where the vanishing point begins to move away from you, when the occurs you can increase your speed and exit the bend safely.

Position on the approach to a bend is also very important.

When approaching a right hand bend you should be towards the nearside of the road this will open up the view and increase the available turn radius. With a wider view the rider is able to see earlier any approaching danger, he or she also has a longer distance, and more time, to stop safely within the area seen to be clear.

The larger the available turn radius the faster the bend can be taken. If you imagine a left-hand bend, the inexperienced rider will approach it on the nearside and follow the curve of the bend until he or she exits it. The experienced rider, however, approaches near to the centre of the road, on the apex of the bend is close to the nearside and on the exit again nears the road centre. This rider is able to take the bend more quickly as he or she has flattened out the bend into a gentler curve – increasing the available curve radius.

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Braking
There are several ways to slow down a motorcycle, the most obvious being the application of the brakes and the closing of the throttle. A vehicle will also loose speed by wind resistance, road surface friction and by turning.

When braking in normal conditions the general rule is 75% front brake to 25% rear.

In poor conditions the it is 50/50.

The ideal time to brake is when the machine is upright and travelling in a straight line. Only brake on a bend as a last resort and if you have to apply gentle pressure to the rear brake only.

When travelling down a steep winding hill apply the brakes on the straights and drive through the bends.

You can also use wind resistance to reduce the speed of a motorcycle, quite often as I approach a roundabout in the tuck position I sit upright, this not only assists the braking of the vehicle but also increases my height giving a better view on the approach.

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Overtaking
Overtaking safely, on a motorcycle, is one of the more difficult disciplines to overcome. With superior performance, better manoeuvrability and better brakes it is easy for a rider to become blasé with overtaking manoeuvres.

The decision whether to follow or overtake another vehicle is generally made as soon as you see the other vehicle, what takes skill is selecting the correct time to actually overtake that vehicle.

In anticipation of an overtake the rider asks him or herself many questions: -

How far ahead can I see that the road is clear?

Are there any hazards that will cause the other vehicle to deviate from its current course?

Can I safely accelerate past the vehicle and regain a safe position on the road within my field of view?

Only when these questions have been considered can the rider overtake with confidence.

There are several ways of extending this clear zone such as getting an early view as discussed previously.

You can also use the movement of other vehicles to extend this zone, for example a vehicle in the distance is within your safe zone you then see this vehicle begin an overtake. You know that driver has a better view than you do and by use of this knowledge you can thus extend the safe zone. Be careful, however, that you do not follow blindly another overtaking vehicle as this can be very dangerous. You may get by safely but the other vehicle is now occupying the safe space.

Another method is to use visible features, for example you have a dip in the road that obscures your view. Some would call this a hidden dip. Although you cannot see if there is a vehicle concealed in the dip you see that there is a hedge running along the offside of the road. By looking at the height of the hedge you can judge the contour of the hidden portion of road. You can then make an assessment that if there were a vehicle in that dip you would see the top half of it. You cannot so you know there is no vehicle there – your safety zone is extended beyond the dip.

When you have overtaken a vehicle and you are still within your safety zone it can be an advantage to stay out on the offside to get better views of the road ahead.

Right hand bends.

If following another vehicle around a right-hand bend the good rider will be in to the nearside to get an early view beyond the other vehicle, as the other vehicle reaches the apex the good rider will move towards the centre of the road getting a good view down the offside. He or she knows this is safe because of the early view. As the other vehicle exits the bend the rider overtakes.

Left hand bends.

Similarly when approaching the rider takes a nearside view on the approach, widens that view near the apex by moving nearer the centre of the road and finally takes a full offside view on the exit and overtakes.