Friday, while stopped at a busy intersection waiting for the traffic light to turn green, a Harley bagger pulled up to the light, coming the opposite direction. The motorcyclist had just made a complete stop and put his feet down when a large commercial truck failed to stop soon enough and rear ended the bike. The impact catapulted the motorcyclist into the intersection, which fortunately, was clear of oncoming traffic at the moment. The shocked rider instinctively held onto the two wheeled projectile for about ten feet before hitting the asphalt with an indescribable thud. The truck was moving at a very slow rate of speed at the time of the collision or things could have been much worse. Turns out the motorcyclist had some road rash and bruises, but was going to be fine.

From my vantage point the motorcyclist did nothing wrong in this incident, but whenever we are stopped on our cycles whether at a traffic light or stop sign, there are at least three actions we can take to help minimize these rear end collisions.

1. Plan a possible escape route as you pull up to the light.
   As you roll to a stop look for the best exit should you need to get out of the way.
   
2. Keep the motorcycle in first gear.
   This gives you the ability to move quickly should the need arise.
   
3. Check rear view mirrors often.
   Perhaps you can spot a potential problem coming up behind you.
   

Not all accidents can be avoided, but making a habit of these three actions can increase your odds for keeping safe on the road.

Whether you are newbie or a gray beard motorcycling offers a lifetime of learning.  Here’s five things every motorcyclist should learn then constantly be reminded of…

1. Never trust your bike 100%, if you start to do that it’ll turn on you.
2. When you think you’re the master of the machine, it’s time to park it.
3. When you’re on the road, ride like you should, not like you can, when you’re racing, ride like you can.
4. It’s a road, not a race track.
5. There are two types of rider: those that have been down, and those that will. Be prepared.

I admit there are times I don’t wear all my gear.  I know better, but sometimes if I am running a quick errand or taking a short trip, I just don’t. Big mistake!  This video features a friend and fellow motorcycle blogger, Bill Dwyer, (Atlas Rider), from the Phoenix area.   Bill, is a longtime rider and ATGATT advocate.  After working on his Ninja this weekend, Bill, decided to take it on a test run around parking lot of his apartment complex.  Well, I will let him tell you what happened next…

I love long term touring and have discovered that proper packing is crucial for a safe and hassle free trip.  The photo below is a perfect example of how not to pack your motorcycle.  A few infractions are…

• Too much mass.
• Relying on bungee cords alone for restraints.
• Center of gravity too high

Seriously people, if you need to carry this much crap on a trip, take the damn car!  Improper packing is not only dangerous to the rider, but to other motorist as well.

How about sharing some of your packing tips?

If Santa could deliver one riding skill under your tree this Christmas.  What skill would it be?

Some desire to ride, some desire to ride well. Here’s a video that has been around a while, but inspires me to become a better rider. Hope it will do the same for you.

Conversations about “cornering”, have grabbed my attention in recent days.  Seems an overwhelming majority of riders have little problem making a right hand turn, but the left hander is another story.

What about you?  Which corner causes you the most difficulty? 

Situation:  Riding the Interstate at 80 mph.

Problem:  Rear tire blows, but doesn’t shred.

Solution:  What do you do?

Recently I have noticed a great number of motorcyclist following at unsafe distances to other riders or cagers. Failing to follow at a safe distance is a recipe for disaster, as it leaves almost no time to judge, or take evasive action, should the need arise. Below is a chart of how many feet per second your bike is traveling depending on your speed. As you study the numbers I think you will be amazed how quickly the pavement passes under us. Ride smart! Ride safe!

5 mph = 7.3 ft/s
10 mph = 14.6 ft/s
20 mph = 29.9 ft/s
30 mph = 44 ft/s
45 mph = 66 ft/s
50 mph = 73.3 ft/s
55 mph = 80 ft/s
60 mph = 88 ft/s
70 mph = 102 ft/s
80 mph = 117 ft/s
90 mph = 132 ft/s
100 mph = 146 ft/s
120 mph = 176 ft/s
145 mph = 212 ft/s

Getting a motorcycle endorsement can be a little unnerving.  Weaving your beast through cones, making a sharp left hand turn inside a narrow path, executing controlled stops, all in front of other nervous riders.  Then you throw in world’s most unhappy license examiner, and any rider can could get a little jumpy, just ask Robert Gay.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, reports that 54 year old Gay, was injured when he wrecked while taking the riding portion of his exam.  This would suck big time!  Read more.

1. Never trust your bike 100%, if you start to do that it’ll turn on you.
2. When you think you’re the master of the machine, it’s time to park it.
3. When you’re on the road, ride like you should, not like you can, when you’re racing, ride like you can.
4. It’s a road, not a race track.
5. There are two types of rider: those that have been down, and those that will. Be prepared.