Gathering Visual Information
Does a motorcycle go where its rider looks? No; this is a common misconception. If this were true, a rider could simply avoid a crash by looking elsewhere. And a rider would swerve every time a blind spot was checked or he/she looked at scenery off to the side. Reality requires switching the words around a bit: “A rider should look where he wants the motorcycle to go.” Not because looking will aim the motorcycle, but because you need to gather visual information and evaluate the path to assist in your navigation. Turning your head in the direction of the turn helps you form a good visual picture, but to cause a motorcycle to move from a straight path of travel, there must be some physical input – the handlebars normally must be moved.
A rider should look in the general direction of the turn but move his eyes throughout the intended path: scan side to side and near to far, keeping eyes up and looking through the entire curve. Those who fixate on a given point in the distance might miss certain factors that are important for safety, such as surface conditions or objects in (or heading into) their immediate path of travel.
As you approach a curve, evaluate radius, lane width, camber, surface condition, other traffic, etc. Is the entire curve visible? Does it get tighter? Is there an escape area like a paved shoulder? Select a good lane position for the smoothest line through the corner, and choose an appropriate entry speed so you won’t need to brake while leaned over. Keep throttle, steering and braking inputs smooth. Be ready for any changes in the curve, such as surface conditions and other traffic. And increase speed only as you straighten up when the curve begins to straighten out.
Curves are where most single-vehicle motorcycle crashes occur. Don’t be a “sightseer” in curves; be an active participant in the task at hand.
Reprinted courtesy of Motorcycle Safety Foundation, msf-usa.org.
Does a motorcycle go where its rider looks? No; this is a common misconception. If this were true, a rider could simply avoid a crash by looking elsewhere. And a rider would swerve every time a blind spot was checked or he/she looked at scenery off to the side. Reality requires switching the words around a bit: “A rider should look where he wants the motorcycle to go.” Not because looking will aim the motorcycle, but because you need to gather visual information and evaluate the path to assist in your navigation. Turning your head in the direction of the turn helps you form a good visual picture, but to cause a motorcycle to move from a straight path of travel, there must be some physical input – the handlebars normally must be moved.
A rider should look in the general direction of the turn but move his eyes throughout the intended path: scan side to side and near to far, keeping eyes up and looking through the entire curve. Those who fixate on a given point in the distance might miss certain factors that are important for safety, such as surface conditions or objects in (or heading into) their immediate path of travel.
As you approach a curve, evaluate radius, lane width, camber, surface condition, other traffic, etc. Is the entire curve visible? Does it get tighter? Is there an escape area like a paved shoulder? Select a good lane position for the smoothest line through the corner, and choose an appropriate entry speed so you won’t need to brake while leaned over. Keep throttle, steering and braking inputs smooth. Be ready for any changes in the curve, such as surface conditions and other traffic. And increase speed only as you straighten up when the curve begins to straighten out.
Curves are where most single-vehicle motorcycle crashes occur. Don’t be a “sightseer” in curves; be an active participant in the task at hand.
Reprinted courtesy of Motorcycle Safety Foundation, msf-usa.org.