The hardest part in a real emergency is looking away from the obstacle and where you want to go. It is easy to do in practice, but not nearly so easy in the real world.
I think swerving is what saved me when I hit the deer and it just clipped my right crash bar. It happened so fast, no way I could have hit the brakes and I don't remember swerving. Instinct. If you ride a bike long enough, you become one with it.
I am about to get a motorcycle after not having riding for years. As a young man ie indestructible, the attitude was practicing as you go. As an older man i find your videos to be thought provoking. Your continuing emphasis on practice and awareness remind me to think about what i have seen and experienced in my life. I am sure you have prevented many accidents and incedents that at worse ended in fatalities and at best have cause people to give up the idea of riding because of lack of preparation. Thank you for helping an old man live to be older. 😊
Mr Hendrix I got back on a bike after a 12 year break in July of 2014. The 'ring rust' was plain to see undoubtedly, but I took my time getting re-familiarized with the old riding skill-set, and I started (upon my picking up the bike from the seller) by stopping at the nearest church parking lot that crossed my homeward bound path. I spent 90 minutes or so, stopping, starting, swerving to avoid hazardous obstacles at low speeds (where it is hardest to control the bike) before continuing on. Trust me sir It is all still there waiting on you to call upon it again. Within the first two or three tanks of fuel I burned, all of that 'ring rust' was seemingly gone. Which isn't too much longer than the real rust takes to vanish off a brake rotor that has been parked out in the weather a few months. As an older rider myself I know my time is too short to waste, so on each ride I can't help but think about how I'm blessed to have my health still be good enough to allow me to ride. I live in Tennessee, so I try to ride every single day all year around (assuming it is warm enough that I'm not ensured of frostbite from here to town and back (a 38 mile round trip)). So I say Godspeed good sir; listen to MCrider's practical approach to riding safety and go forth and chase that wind down the highway while you still can enjoy stretching her out where road conditions allow. Maybe we will find our way to riding a few miles together sometime someplace, but 'til then... RIDE ON
I tell myself, "Don't Look at It" often.. Kinda embarrassing that I talk to myself on my bike but whatevs.. Your tips play in my head more often than you know, MC Rider! 😊
The road coming into my neighborhood has little traffic but a turning lane due to a school being there. There's dashed lines on the turning lane. For fun and practice, I like to swerve between the lines when coming home from a ride. Thanks for the tips, Kevin.
If you ride at speeds 10mph to 70mph, then practice swerves at every 10mph+10 on lonely roads. Your advice in the last 3rd is spot on. Parking lot swerves might take you to 30mph...but won't help fully on many highways.
This skill came in handy today - I'm glad I practice it! Had a guy come across 3 lanes in an F-150, to take a left-hand on-ramp from local lanes to express lanes on the highway. I saw my escape route, goosed the throttle, and pushed HARD on the left handlebar. Avoided him by about a foot. Braking would've resulted in a rear-end collision, as there was a car close behind me.
Definitely a skill worthy of practice. I had to swerve to dodge a piece of luggage that was laying in the middle of the road. Just need to make sure that you don't swerve into oncoming traffic.
Just when I thought I knew everything about riding you make another video that makes me realize how little I know. 😂 You know swerving was always akward for me because I would look at what I was swerving clear of not realizing it's basically target fixation wich I have under controll while riding normally.
Just a few weeks ago I used the break then swerve technique. I saw the lady trying to gun it and cross in front of me. I was going to swerve behind her as she passed so I was slowing down to let her by. Then she saw me and locked up her breaks. Stopping in the intersection . I released the brake and was able to swerve in front of her missing the car. Glad I practiced that skill !!
Use it to avoid manhole covers instead of getting the bump-bump if you go over them. A lot are not smooth transitions either higher or lower than the surrounding surface.
High quality supplements for concentration and calm may enhance your focus when before riding together with practice. But its hard to not stare at danger your survival instinct.
Truck driver here. When I was driving OTR brain formula supplements were always in my kit as I found they consistently gave me a split second advantage. May not seem like much, but at road speed it's noticeable. Think Dallas-Ft Worth morning rush hour. But yes practice your skills safely every opportunity. ICH
Portland Oregon has some of the worst roads and streets in America. Almost every street you travel on, the potholes can be 3 to 6 inches deep. It's a training session every time you go out. Many areas if you swerve to miss a pothole, you may swerve into a bigger mess. The street patching is obvious and either a mini speed bump or a ditch to cross! It's impossible to travel in a straight line because you are constantly dodging holes and bumps even on in town highways!! Some logging roads around are smoother and easier to travel on. It's a good thing we have such high gas taxes to pay for our street maintenance!!
I think that there is a third reason people have difficulty swerving on the road. As speed increases the angular momentum of the front wheel increases. So the amount of force (or press) needed also increases. The amount of handlebar movement needed stays about the same or may get smaller. I believe that stated speed range for the swerve part of MSF test is 12 to 18 mph. (Higher speeds are permitted and happen. Lower speeds are not permitted.) The amount of force (press) needed at 60 mph (or faster) is considerably higher. A rider must have the confidence and strength to use that much force. The amount of movement of the handlebars is actually less at the high speed despite the higher force. In a BRC class swerving is where students faith in counter-steering is put to a test. Steering does not work. It is difficult for people to differentiate between force (or press, or pressure) in a direction and movement in a direction. Video clips of swerving are not very useful. In video clips we can only see movement. We can not see forces. Viewers assume forces, often incorrectly. It is basically impossible to see any movement of the handlebars or front tire caused by the counter-steering press. We can easily see the motorcycle lean and the steering that the motorcycle lean causes. Unfortunately many people see this steering of front tire and think that the rider put force into the handlebar to cause this movement. The rider does NOT put force into the handlebar to cause this steering movement. What is causing this movement is the motorcycle's leaning movement. It is difficult to get our brains to disconnect the ideas of amount of force and amount of movement.
I think some people have trouble understanding that, when you push the right or left handgrip, the bike doesn't "lean" in that direction but it FALLS in that direction momentarily due to the imbalance and THAT then causes the bike to steer and lean in that direction. Once they understand this, things start falling into place for them.
Swerving is a critical skill. But you missed 1 key thing all bikers should recognize. The fact that, because of gyroscope effect from your wheels, it gets harder to swerve the faster you go. So yes, try some swerves at different speeds on city streets where safe. But also get on a strait section of country road and try some serves at 50+ in increments. It takes much more intentful effort to swerve your bike at hwy speeds. So much so that you may need to plan on running over a 2x4 or smaller debris or a chuck hole on a hwy. It is why you need MORE following distance on a bike than a 4 wheel vehicle, particulrly at faster speeds. Time for decision making is not your friend at hwy speeds but you do need to decide, over or around. If you haven't practiced swerving at hwy speeds, you have no context to make the choice or the knowledge of the extra effort needed to have hope of a successful swerve at hwy speeds. Plan on hitting whatever it is if you don't regularly practice swerving at faster than parking lot speeds.
I do this riding every day. I also have memorized all pot holes and bad bridge joints on 695 and 97 in Maryland. I swear to god 97 has the worst overpasses everyone sends me 6 inches in the air if you happen to accelerate at the same time. How is that allowed, a highway with jumps on it?!?
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The hardest part in a real emergency is looking away from the obstacle and where you want to go. It is easy to do in practice, but not nearly so easy in the real world.
Ride in such a way that those practiced skills are rarely needed....well said!! Thanks Kevin!
I think swerving is what saved me when I hit the deer and it just clipped my right crash bar. It happened so fast, no way I could have hit the brakes and I don't remember swerving. Instinct. If you ride a bike long enough, you become one with it.
I am about to get a motorcycle after not having riding for years. As a young man ie indestructible, the attitude was practicing as you go. As an older man i find your videos to be thought provoking. Your continuing emphasis on practice and awareness remind me to think about what i have seen and experienced in my life. I am sure you have prevented many accidents and incedents that at worse ended in fatalities and at best have cause people to give up the idea of riding because of lack of preparation. Thank you for helping an old man live to be older. 😊
Mr Hendrix I got back on a bike after a 12 year break in July of 2014. The 'ring rust' was plain to see undoubtedly, but I took my time getting re-familiarized with the old riding skill-set, and I started (upon my picking up the bike from the seller) by stopping at the nearest church parking lot that crossed my homeward bound path. I spent 90 minutes or so, stopping, starting, swerving to avoid hazardous obstacles at low speeds (where it is hardest to control the bike) before continuing on. Trust me sir It is all still there waiting on you to call upon it again. Within the first two or three tanks of fuel I burned, all of that 'ring rust' was seemingly gone. Which isn't too much longer than the real rust takes to vanish off a brake rotor that has been parked out in the weather a few months.
As an older rider myself I know my time is too short to waste, so on each ride I can't help but think about how I'm blessed to have my health still be good enough to allow me to ride. I live in Tennessee, so I try to ride every single day all year around (assuming it is warm enough that I'm not ensured of frostbite from here to town and back (a 38 mile round trip)). So I say Godspeed good sir; listen to MCrider's practical approach to riding safety and go forth and chase that wind down the highway while you still can enjoy stretching her out where road conditions allow. Maybe we will find our way to riding a few miles together sometime someplace, but 'til then... RIDE ON
I often practice on my rides as long as no other traffic is close by. I also practice emergency braking pretty regularly.
Ditto, progressive emergency braking is fun .
Both brakes gives best results for me both progressively .
I tell myself, "Don't Look at It" often.. Kinda embarrassing that I talk to myself on my bike but whatevs.. Your tips play in my head more often than you know, MC Rider! 😊
The road coming into my neighborhood has little traffic but a turning lane due to a school being there. There's dashed lines on the turning lane. For fun and practice, I like to swerve between the lines when coming home from a ride. Thanks for the tips, Kevin.
I also train on empty roads. Swerve manholes and other characterisitc places.
Great advice buddy thanks for sharing
Thanks for sharing your wisdom my friend! Greetings from Brazil!
If you ride at speeds 10mph to 70mph, then practice swerves at every 10mph+10 on lonely roads. Your advice in the last 3rd is spot on.
Parking lot swerves might take you to 30mph...but won't help fully on many highways.
Exlant advice practice is always good empty or busy thanks for all your advice
This skill came in handy today - I'm glad I practice it! Had a guy come across 3 lanes in an F-150, to take a left-hand on-ramp from local lanes to express lanes on the highway. I saw my escape route, goosed the throttle, and pushed HARD on the left handlebar. Avoided him by about a foot. Braking would've resulted in a rear-end collision, as there was a car close behind me.
Definitely a skill worthy of practice. I had to swerve to dodge a piece of luggage that was laying in the middle of the road. Just need to make sure that you don't swerve into oncoming traffic.
You know what I love about motorcycles the freaking visibility if I turn my head blind spots don’t exist. It’s awesome especially on my little bike.
TY for Sharing
Just when I thought I knew everything about riding you make another video that makes me realize how little I know. 😂
You know swerving was always akward for me because I would look at what I was swerving clear of not realizing it's basically target fixation wich I have under controll while riding normally.
As always, a great training video! Thank you MC!
It's amazing that as I practice, I find that I automatically am in the right place!
Just a few weeks ago I used the break then swerve technique. I saw the lady trying to gun it and cross in front of me. I was going to swerve behind her as she passed so I was slowing down to let her by. Then she saw me and locked up her breaks. Stopping in the intersection . I released the brake and was able to swerve in front of her missing the car. Glad I practiced that skill !!
I have often used the painted lines on the road to practice this.
A great practice drill that combines lifesaving skills is the evade and back (swerve), emergency brake and escape. All set up in sequence.
There are so many potholes in Illinois that you don't practice because you do it on every ride. JK.
😅 Every ride!
Use it to avoid manhole covers instead of getting the bump-bump if you go over them. A lot are not smooth transitions either higher or lower than the surrounding surface.
Anyone can go fast in a straight line, however, understanding the importance of how to swerve and also slow speed maneuver is critical.
I practice this at all speeds, 15-85 mph. Very important!
I dodge potholes, man hole covers and job diamonds
HOV
To MCrider. I want to know if you have a video on how to get off a death wobble.
Thanks Kebin
High quality supplements for concentration and calm may enhance your focus when before riding together with practice.
But its hard to not stare at danger your survival instinct.
Truck driver here.
When I was driving OTR brain formula supplements were always in my kit as I found they consistently gave me a split second advantage.
May not seem like much, but at road speed it's noticeable.
Think Dallas-Ft Worth morning rush hour.
But yes practice your skills safely every opportunity.
ICH
Make sure you keep supplements in original containers if traveling.
Law enforcement is suspicious of unlabeled substances.
In California our roads are in such horrible condition I constantly have opportunity to practice swerving in order to not bend a rim.
In Michigan ,we don't cones. We have pot holes and crappy repairs.
Portland Oregon has some of the worst roads and streets in America. Almost every street you travel on, the potholes can be 3 to 6 inches deep. It's a training session every time you go out. Many areas if you swerve to miss a pothole, you may swerve into a bigger mess. The street patching is obvious and either a mini speed bump or a ditch to cross! It's impossible to travel in a straight line because you are constantly dodging holes and bumps even on in town highways!!
Some logging roads around are smoother and easier to travel on. It's a good thing we have such high gas taxes to pay for our street maintenance!!
Swerving helped me avoid an accident when a cage driver rolled away from a stop sign while she was looking right at me.
I would like to be a Sponsor of some Videos. Kens Outdoor Power Equipment, Detailing, & More
Hi Ken, send me an email with your ideas to support@MCrider.com.
I think that there is a third reason people have difficulty swerving on the road. As speed increases the angular momentum of the front wheel increases. So the amount of force (or press) needed also increases. The amount of handlebar movement needed stays about the same or may get smaller. I believe that stated speed range for the swerve part of MSF test is 12 to 18 mph. (Higher speeds are permitted and happen. Lower speeds are not permitted.) The amount of force (press) needed at 60 mph (or faster) is considerably higher. A rider must have the confidence and strength to use that much force. The amount of movement of the handlebars is actually less at the high speed despite the higher force.
In a BRC class swerving is where students faith in counter-steering is put to a test. Steering does not work.
It is difficult for people to differentiate between force (or press, or pressure) in a direction and movement in a direction.
Video clips of swerving are not very useful. In video clips we can only see movement. We can not see forces. Viewers assume forces, often incorrectly. It is basically impossible to see any movement of the handlebars or front tire caused by the counter-steering press. We can easily see the motorcycle lean and the steering that the motorcycle lean causes. Unfortunately many people see this steering of front tire and think that the rider put force into the handlebar to cause this movement. The rider does NOT put force into the handlebar to cause this steering movement. What is causing this movement is the motorcycle's leaning movement.
It is difficult to get our brains to disconnect the ideas of amount of force and amount of movement.
I think some people have trouble understanding that, when you push the right or left handgrip, the bike doesn't "lean" in that direction but it FALLS in that direction momentarily due to the imbalance and THAT then causes the bike to steer and lean in that direction. Once they understand this, things start falling into place for them.
Swerving is a critical skill. But you missed 1 key thing all bikers should recognize. The fact that, because of gyroscope effect from your wheels, it gets harder to swerve the faster you go. So yes, try some swerves at different speeds on city streets where safe. But also get on a strait section of country road and try some serves at 50+ in increments.
It takes much more intentful effort to swerve your bike at hwy speeds. So much so that you may need to plan on running over a 2x4 or smaller debris or a chuck hole on a hwy. It is why you need MORE following distance on a bike than a 4 wheel vehicle, particulrly at faster speeds. Time for decision making is not your friend at hwy speeds but you do need to decide, over or around. If you haven't practiced swerving at hwy speeds, you have no context to make the choice or the knowledge of the extra effort needed to have hope of a successful swerve at hwy speeds. Plan on hitting whatever it is if you don't regularly practice swerving at faster than parking lot speeds.
Using cones and/or other stationary obstetrical are just too predictable, I tend to ask my neighbor's kid to just surprise me 🤣🤣🤣
I do this riding every day. I also have memorized all pot holes and bad bridge joints on 695 and 97 in Maryland.
I swear to god 97 has the worst overpasses everyone sends me 6 inches in the air if you happen to accelerate at the same time.
How is that allowed, a highway with jumps on it?!?
Dodging that manhole cover that is 3" below the road surface!
@7:11 target fixation
Can you send me some Decals please