Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival thread

Ed your point about the front wheel gyroscope reminded me of my RC motorcycle. In It's case the rear wheel is the gyroscope to maintain balance and it turns by a shifting weight. It is not obvious to most folks the effect that force has on the bike and it's actions.

By the way EXCELLENT posts on safety. Keep them coming.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

Bill,

When I mentioned the gyroscope effect, it would include either or both wheels. The spinning wheels both work with a gyroscope effect which helps to stabilize the bike. Were it not for that it would make balancing the bike MUCH more difficult.

 

When on the Talimena drive, and on the way home along HW82, I found the signs very useful. Not because I rode the posted speed, but because they gave me an idea of what to expect. I'm not sure I'll ever forget the sign on 82 (posted limit ~60) that said 15mph.

That was one heck of a turn. After entering it, I couldn't see the exit in my periphery vision, it was behind me.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

KD,

Excellent example! By using the "Advisory" signs it give you a pretty good idea on what is coming. It is highly advisable to pay close attention to these until you know the road like the back of your hand. And then, they should be kept in mind. About the time you become complacent, the curves will creep up and bite you.
I would like to know more about this "RFID" card.

 

I think Ed just taught me as much, if not more, in his posts than I learned in my safety course.

Paco insisted that I take that course before I ever rode. I wouldn't even register my bike until I had that certificate in my hand.
While the course taught me a great deal, there is only so much you can learn over a weekend. I know I'm inexperienced and I only ride on roads close to my home until I get a little more practice in.

 

hurst,
An RFID card does basicly the same thing a normal credit card does. The difference is that it does it via radio instead of a mag strip.

Some newer CCs have them.

One neat thing about RFID: you don't need batteries in the card, the reader hardware sends a radio pulse to power the card.

The great thing about RFID is you don't actually have to swipe it. Simply wave a new CC near a reader and it'll read. The read range is based on many things, including the reader hardware.

The RFID reader I just ordered has a 10cm (abt 4") read range. That is just about right to go through a motorcycle seat.

My plan is to have a toggle switch instead of a key switch (mounting location TBD). When you flip that switch a small microcontroller (16pin chip, search for PIC16F88) will enable the RFID reader. The reader will search for a card. If found, and the cards unique ID matches, the PIC will engage a relay. That relay simulates turning the key. The relay will stay on until the toggle switch is turned off (that way someone else can take the bike for a spin and not worry about killing it w/o the 'key', but only if you have 'unlocked it'). I'd likely add a timeout, where if the bike hadn't been running for 5min it would 'lock'.

If the card ID doesn't match it'll simply not 'turn on'.

I also have plans for a servo controller cruise control, but that depends on me building an electronic speedo/tach. But if I do THAT I can include an accelerometer and do all sorts of neat logging, tied in with speed and RPMs.


There are not enough hours in the day.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

After reading all the good ideas on safe riding one came to mind. I'm sure most of us have noticed the dark stain in the center of the lane at stop signs and lights. That stain comes from oil and trans fluid leaks in cars and is very slick, especially when it's wet. Not a good place for a hard stop. You can find yourself out in the intersection faster than you can say bunny!

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

Kd,
the card sounded like it might be an interesting idea, however, after thinking about it, if I have to flip a switch I might as well turn a key. One problem I see with the card, if you get off the bike it would stop running. I thought it might be something like the newer cars with the FOBs that you could just hit the starter button as long as you had it in your possession. I guess it is, kinda.

Dragonfly,
Good comment about the oil slick. I think it would be an excellent idea if the Mods would make a permanent posting area to do the safety topics so that it would not be so difficult to "SEARCH" for the information.
One thing that I am guilty of in my classes, I spend much more time explaining and making sure that the students understand all the information that is taught. We had a Chief instructor sat in one of my classes. Later he told me that I did an excellent job of conveying the information, as a matter of fact, too good. It is supposedly better to get through he class faster. This is true to an extent. I also spend more time on an individual basis helping the students that have difficulty "catching on" during breaks and lunch. BUT, I have only had one student that I have had to counsel out since I have been instructing. Not everyone is meant to ride a motorcycle, but if someone pays their money for the class and I see that they are truly trying, I make sure they get all that I can offer. I would not think very much of myself if I didn't.

 

tennsouthernbelle,

Thanks for the comment. I see you are from Morristown, close to my old home town Middlesboro, KY.

If anyone should want to hear my prospective on any topic to do with rider safety or technique please let me know.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

I totally agree and it's why I started this thread in the first place. However, since the idea seems to keep falling on deaf ears, please by all means keep up the safety lessons. I really appreciate it when a member posts an observation or tip and you expand on it. Thanks again for all your input it is quite valuable indeed.---Fitz

 

G'day all from Oz

Down here they use white painted arrows at intersections. My first debacle with these was on my old TT500E Yam back in the 80's. Had a big knobby tyre on the front and lost the front wheel in the rain on a corner, boy that paint is slippery. Ended up stacked on the median strip with a bent bike and a bruised ego. Could have been much worse. Stay off the white lines in the rain!

 

hurst,
It could work that way, and that was the original plan. Then I realized that it would stink to have someone take it for a ride and get stranded. Getting off the bike would not kill the bike, the card would only be checked at start.

I guess it would be better to tie it in with the kill switch (without a key you would be forced to use the kill switch, but are not likely to toggle the kill switch when it dies.).

Thanks for the input. Any one else have any thoughts? The more thought that gets put in at this stage will result in a much nicer solution.

iandmac,
I hate the row of painted lines near the toll both on the turnpikes. A few of them make me think I'm going to get bounced off the seat.

They are working on a turnpike near here, one that I use quite often (not on the bike lately, at least not until I get a new rear tire). For about a mile they force you to drive on the shoulder. This shoulder has ridges cut in it, perpendicular to the direction of travel, to alert you if you are about to go over the edge. The ridges are only a few feet wide, but I can't imagine what it would be like on a motorcycle to have to swerve to miss something in the road, only to end up on the ridges.

It seems like the DOT gives very little though to how these things (and rain grooved roads) affect motorcycles.

</rant>

 

Amen to that. The blasted grooved (or "combed") pavement seems to be growing in popularity and actually drives/limits my choices in tires. I have to avoid anything with a continuous center groove.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

<<BUMP>> OK fellow XJ-ers, it's springtime and the beginning of the end of winter layover, time to fire up the bike!

We've got a lot of folks new to the site, and new to motorcycling in general, and since we don't have (LISTENING, MODS???) a "safety" or "safe riding" FORUM (yet) we started this thread last summer.

If you're new here, and especially if you're new to motorcycling, take the time to read this whole thread.

LOTS of good advice in here, especially after member Hurst01 joined us. His MSF instructor experience is invaluable, and he posted QUITE a bit of very good information.

Experienced riders, let's hear your input!

Let's keep this thread lit up for a while, we could all use a safe riding refresher!

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

Thanks for the bump.It was a good refresher.We can all use all the help we can get.

 

One of the things that I brought up to my MSF instructor....much to his displeasure, I might add..........was concerning the following statistic from the HURT study:

25. Almost half of the fatal motorcycle accidents show alcohol involvement.

http://www.motorcyclesafetyinfo.com/hurt_study.html


I told him that without other information.....I was trying to give him an out! while also making what I thought was an EXTREMELY valid and important point......is that 50% (half or "almost half") of all motorcycle fatalities show the "involvement of alcohol", then that means that the other 50% do NOT show the involvement of alcohol (basic math), AND......

THAT MEANS YOU ARE JUST AS LIKELY TO DIE ON A MOTORCYCLE WHEN YOU'RE ALCOHOL-IMPAIRED AS WHEN YOU'RE STRAIGHT-UP SOBER!


The point being that if alcohol involvement...which should cause a decrease in performance and abilities, judgment, etc......is no more or no less to cause you to become a fatality, then it:

a) makes no difference whether your smashed or not, and more importantly.......

b) since you're just as likely to die when you're sober, that there must be OTHER SIGNIFICANT ISSUES at play as to WHY people are dropping like flies when they're sober, as well as when they're juiced.

THE POINT BEING is that the mental preparations, planning, judgment, fear, whatever that should be present when a person is sober can rightfully be concluded to be missing or non-existent----a person feels more "in control" on a bike when sober----and thus takes far more risks, not only in terms of speed, etc., but more likely in terms of feeling like the "other guy" is less likely to be a danger.

That perception, I believe, makes "the other guy" a HUGE danger, because that "other guy" now becomes YOU: your thoughts, outlooks, what you pay attention to, how careful or alert and conservative you are, etc.


I'm not, by any stretch, lobbying for drinking and driving in any type of vehicle, and since the presumption in the study is probably that people ride sober 90% of the time, and drunk only 10% of the time, yet 50% of the fatalities (and probably other occurrences) occur during that 10% of time/miles/rides (however it was measured), then the "alcohol involvement" is disproportionately represented in such situations.

BUT....that supposition may not be true. And if it isn't, or to what degree it isn't, may mask a much more important lesson besides the important "don't drink-and-drive" lesson that it seems to solely make.........

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

We've already had TWO member mishaps in '09, I figured we all needed to start thinking SAFE riding again.

One quick tip:

In your haste to pull the bike out on that first warm day, DID YOU CHECK THE AIR IN YOUR TIRES???

Extreme cold and/or extended sitting will cause pressure loss. You may not NOTICE it, a tire with only 18lbs in it LOOKS fine but sure isn't safe to ride on. Check them before every ride, especially if it still gets cold at night where you live.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

If I may quote the very next statistic,is it safe to assume that if the riders involved in the collisions where alcohol was a factor were not under the influence,maybe there would be no collision?

26. Motorcycle riders in these accidents showed significant collision avoidance problems. Most riders would overbrake and skid the rear wheel, and underbrake the front wheel greatly reducing collision avoidance deceleration. The ability to countersteer and swerve was essentially absent.

 

Re: Be The Bunny! Safe riding and motorcycle survival threa

Great advice Fitz.

I had always heard that the most given excuse from the cager was that they simply did not see the bike. I had read on another forum that a bike gets lost in a sea of white lights on the road which is why I replaced my clear auxillary light with an amber unit from e-bay. My buddy who lives 1/8 mile down the street noticed it immediately so a different color light might be something to consider.

On a similar "be seen" note. I went out and bought my garage helper a new helmet and as I was standing there paying for it he came up to the counter with a bright red mohawk for the top of it. We have been out a couple of times and I can tell you that people really notice it.

Be safe!

 

chacal,

I wonder are you missing a key perspective in your alcohol discussion? The key context to me is "what can you do to improve your chances?"

It may be that 50% of all fatal crashes show alcohol involvement (presumably the primary contributing cause). But the other 50% of fatal crashes are divided among a variety of primary causes.

What I take from this is that by eliminating alcohol from the equation, I have done one thing that improves my odds more than any other single act alone. Nothing else gives me as much bang for the buck. It requires no training, or special equipment, or special knowledge, or special practice, or special skills.

I am of course assuming a competent, experienced, rider with appropriate training. Without this assumption the risks take an entirely different direction.

Oh and SecaRob...that is one crazy helmet...wish I had the moxie to wear someting like that.