A few questions and concerns of a new guy.

[jonnythan]

Is the Proficient Motorcycling book by David Houghe a good read? I'm waiting on it in the mail.

Excellent, excellent book.

[matthew5656]

Is the Proficient Motorcycling book by David Houghe a good read? I'm waiting on it in the mail.

Excellent, excellent book.

+1

[Lion_Lady]

When you're in your car, start thinking like a motorcyclist... watch for the idiot stuff that cagers do.

Keeping your head on a swivel and expecting folks to do stupid stuff that will endanger you will go a LOOOONG way in helping to keep you safe. No guarantees, of course.

Oh. And plan to spend money on good protective gear. . . like my sig says.

P

Would protective gear actually protect me if I got rear-ended? Or am I just pretty much going to get fatally hurt no matter how much gear I have in a high speed crash?

There are ways to reduce risk. Full gear will definitely help. Your best defense against getting rear ended is to be ever watchful. Check your mirrors. Don't stop/wait in the center of the lane. Don't get in the habit of putting the bike in neutral whle wating at a light. At a stop, leave room in front of you so you can pull up/around if you realize someone is coming up too quickly behind you (let them hit the car).

P

[Silverstein]

Thanks Lion Lady, I'll use watchfulness as my greatest defense.

[Thumper]

Would protective gear actually protect me if I got rear-ended? Or am I just pretty much going to get fatally hurt no matter how much gear I have in a high speed crash?

I know people who have walked away from a 70mph crash. And one who died in a 30 mph wreck. There's really no way to know for certain what the outcome of a potential accident is going to be, but you certainly increase your odds if you're geared up.

Face it, you land on your head just so and break your neck, all the gear in the world isn't going to save you. But if you have a 50 mph get off and roll, all that gear will help you save your skin--and getting your skin de-gloved is a painful and the risk of infection high and potentially fatal--and armored gear might save you from broken bones.

The Spouse Thingy is a nurse anesthetist, and where he works he sees mostly trauma. Last year in one night they had 2 bike cases. One guy that had been on a track, racing at very high speeds and full geared up. He told the Spouse Thingy he'd high-sided at over 100...his injury was a broken thumb (bad break requiring surgery, but still..it was JUST his thumb.)

Other case was a guy on a cruiser. No gear except for a skid lid. He ripped off huge sections of skin, multiple fractures, facial injuries. And he was surprised because he'd only been going about 40 when his read tire blew.

Gear can make all the difference in the world, no matter what the accident. At least it gives you a better chance.

[Silverstein]

Thanks for the tips, so what exactly is a low and high side?

[jonnythan]

Thanks for the tips, so what exactly is a low and high side?

A high side is when the seat goes OVER the center of gravity and throws you off.

A low side is when the bike simply falls over on its side and lays you on the ground.

High sides are more violent. They typically happen when the rear tire loses traction, then regains it, flipping the motorcycle over sideways.

Low sides are less violent. They happen when the front or rear tire just lose traction and it falls over.

High side:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8XANwQA ... re=related

Low side:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJYi4_sB ... re=related

[Lion_Lady]

Thanks for the tips, so what exactly is a low and high side?

A high side is when the seat goes OVER the center of gravity and throws you off.

A low side is when the bike simply falls over on its side and lays you on the ground.
High sides are more violent. They typically happen when the rear tire loses traction, then regains it, flipping the motorcycle over sideways.

Low sides are less violent. They happen when the front or rear tire just lose traction and it falls over.

A high side happens when you lose traction (usually skidding the rear wheel during hard braking) then regain traction suddenly. While sliding, the bike will often tip one way, and when it regains traction - it violently flips upright and then beyond tossing the rider off.

A lowside is usually the result of loss of traction in a curve (deliberate or otherwise). Saying the bike "falls over" implies that there is no actual cause.

P

[jonnythan]

Thanks for the tips, so what exactly is a low and high side?

A high side is when the seat goes OVER the center of gravity and throws you off.

A low side is when the bike simply falls over on its side and lays you on the ground.
High sides are more violent. They typically happen when the rear tire loses traction, then regains it, flipping the motorcycle over sideways.

Low sides are less violent. They happen when the front or rear tire just lose traction and it falls over.

A high side happens when you lose traction (usually skidding the rear wheel during hard braking) then regain traction suddenly. While sliding, the bike will often tip one way, and when it regains traction - it violently flips upright and then beyond tossing the rider off.

A lowside is usually the result of loss of traction in a curve (deliberate or otherwise). Saying the bike "falls over" implies that there is no actual cause.

P

I clearly said that low sides "happen when the front or rear tire just loses traction and it falls over."

I'm not sure how that's different from saying "a lowside is usually the result of a loss of traction," but whatever floats your boat.

[Gentle Giant]

Someone put a post up a while back about a tactic for turning left off a highway that might make you more comfortable for a while. When you need to turn left somewhere but you can't do so right away due to oncoming traffic, keep going straight till you can make a left turn immeadiately. Then back track to the spot you needed to turn into and you can now make an unobstructed right.