2Wheeltips

    A golf instructor once told me that in order to achieve an efficient swing every time you must allow your muscles to remain loose.  Grip the club softly because tight muscles are slower than loose muscles and you’ll never achieve a decent club head speed with stiff muscles.  You become fatigued when having a real firm grip and it becomes impossible to achieve a smooth swing.  What does this have to do with riding a motorcycle?  Funny you should ask.  Recently a friend brought up a good observation when it comes to new riders, and it is also a very common problem with new golfers, and it is where the two are very similar.

    A motorcyclist needs to be aware of a million different variables; the situation that you find yourself in is dynamic and fluid.  Anything can happen at any time and riding requires a tremendous amount of concentration; sometimes your response can be the difference between a simple inconvenience and a trip to the emergency room or worse.   Most experienced riders are comfortable on their bikes and are relaxed.  The way their hand wraps around the grips is loose; allowing smooth responses and inputs into steering the bike also adjusting throttle and braking.  Where the experienced riders tend to make the mistakes is because of complacency and over confidence; they assume they have enough time and miles under their belt to simply know better or that they have the ability to outride the laws of physics. 

    A newer rider has more of a tendency to hold the handlebars with all his or her might, hoping that doing so will somehow enable them to react quickly when in fact, the opposite is true.   Also the fear of what could happen manifests itself in holding the grips with white knuckles and being overly cautious of what could be.  A good habit to get into is to learn to relax while still remaining aware and sharp.  A result of holding the grips too tight is that after a while, you will begin to feel fatigue in your shoulders and eventually your upper back.  If you are on a long ride, this becomes more dangerous because now your focus is shifted from the hazards around you to the pain in your back, shoulders and hands.  Coupled with hand fatigue which might cause you to let go of the grip, this could be a disaster in the making.

    Remember the tight muscles?  Those tight muscles make it impossible for you to react quickly and smoothly.  You may recall from your BRC class that it takes one half second to take your hand from the throttle to the brake lever and another half second to squeeze the brake.  If you find yourself having to make an emergency stop, those tight muscles will not only reduce your reaction time considerably, but also cause you to snap off the throttle and slam on those brakes, almost guaranteeing a massive loss of traction and inevitably, because you are now panicked, the bike will more than likely go down.  In addition, slower turns are no longer smooth and safe, but become choppy and abrupt usually resulting in a wider turn than what you had anticipated, possibly causing you to cross the center line or even leave the road surface altogether.  Faster turns will be more difficult and efficient counter steering becomes impossible because you can’t lean the bike smoothly possibly creating a situation where you take the turn way too wide.

    Worst of all, you just don’t look cool.  Your shoulders up around your ears and your arms straight out make you look like a scared mouse in a helmet. Definitely not cool.  Just remember to relax.  You know how to ride; just stay focused on what’s going on around you and loosen up those hands.  Stay focused, not afraid. You might even find that you can go the extra hundred miles and still come home smiling, ready to go out again tomorrow.  

I will probably get in trouble for writing this but it is something that has been on my mind for a while.....long distance endurance motorcycle riding. I'm not talking about an all day  400 - 500 mile ride with plenty of stops. I'm talking about extreme rides of 1000 miles or more everyday for a week!!

One guy I run into occasionally is a big endurance motorcyclist and even holds the world record for crossing North America. He rode from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to Key West, Florida in 86 hours!!

The first question that comes to my mind is why would anyone want to do that? I wouldn't drive that many miles in my car let alone on a motorcycle. My ass is sore and I'm tired after a 250+ mile day of winding roads, so there is no way I'd enjoy riding that many miles in 3 1/2 days. The second question that comes to mind is how safe can this be?

We all know that riding a bike takes a lot out of you physically. In addition to operating the controls, you have to watch the road, stay out of the way of cars and look out for animals. After an hour or so of riding, your brain gets fuzzy and it's time to take a break.

To finish any of the endurance rides, you need to ride fast for many hours while you are tired. And this is where I think a rider can make a mistake and end up crashing or worse.....

I was out on a short ride the other day with some friends. I was leading the pack since I was introducing some new roads. Once we got going, I noticed that one of my friends kept tailgating me....and at some points even passing me! He almost ran into me a few times because he could not see my turn signal in time.  It shocked me because everyone knows (at least I thought) tailgating another motorcycle is a no-no and you do not pass other motorcycles when riding in a group. If you do, you will cause a crash if the rider in front of you swerves to avoid a pot hole or brakes suddenly because traffic slowed down. Youtube.com is full of motorcycle crashes that highlight this point.

So the next time you go out for a group ride, make sure you keep our distance and never pass a bike in front of you unless the rider signals you to do so.

I was reading through a few posts and messages I get each day and one of them was on first aid kits. Most people I know carry something for headaches, allergies and the occasional scrape you will get from riding. But this message spoke about the need to check your first aid kit to see if any of the medicines have expired. Something I haven't done in a while (sort of like TCLOCS....how many really do it every time they jump on their bikes?).

The message mentioned the need for sissors for cutting clothing and latex gloves if you need to help a friend.  Something I never thought about. Some of the examples I think are somewhat extreme (a stryofoam cup to contain a displaced eye).

It was a great article and had excellent information. The main point I got from it was a first aid kit should be considered part of your riding gear. Here is the link to the article.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=670733698#!/notes/eric-shah/first-aid-kits-does-yours-need-a-check-up/120787724630466

More wisdom and advice from David Hough:

Q: What is the deal with riders in the 2 - 3 year range and accident rate increase?
 
A:  It's easy to get cocky on a bike, because once you master the basic skills you might think you're ready for anything. After two or three seasons, riders may start to take increased risks, not realizing that the lessons are just starting. A few crashes or near misses typically gets the overconfident rider back on track.

Q:  Where do you see the future of motorcycling going? From what camp will the new leaders and innovators come? Sport bikers? Women bikers? Do you feel that there is a passing of the guard happening?
 
A:  The motorcycle industry is very nervous about the average age of motorcyclists, which is increasing something like 7 years every ten. There just aren't as many young riders getting in, but there are lots of older riders fading away. With competition from all sorts of exciting sports and games, the motorcycle industry seems to be building faster and more aggressive machines. Unfortunately, race-technology bikes are expensive, and young people typically can't afford them. One interesting phenomenon is the sales of three-wheeled motorcycles such as the Can Am Spyder. Spyder buyers seem to be young professionals ready for something exciting, but without the same level of risk of a bike.
 
The BMWMOA Foundation recognizes the need to encourage younger riders, so they have a two day "camp" prior to each International rally for less experienced riders. The idea is to get newer, usually younger, riders involved in the social activities such as seminars, rather than just "hanging out."
 
There are a lot more women riders now, and there are women riders' seminars and conferences to allow women to encourage and educate each other. Personally, I'd prefer to see women just become "motorcyclists" without the need to segregate. Women riders are a huge untapped market that the industry has been slow to recognize.
 
Q:  What was motorcycling like when you started? There wasn't a "Hurt" report, a 750cc bike was considered "big", decent books, training or other resources.

A:  Actually, when I started, a 650cc was a "big" bike. The "senior" class on the Isle of Man was 500cc. Lots of people were riding around on 250s, 500's, and 650s. There wasn't much in the way of riding gear, other than leather boots and leather jackets. It took a while for useful helmets to come along. Bell came out with a full coverage helmet with a tiny face opening that made it look like a diving helmet. Everyone knew that motorcycling was dangerous; no one knew exactly why. And when the big buying boom of the 1970s came along, crash and fatality numbers shot through the roof.
 
Q:  Advice for the "no helmet", t-shirt/flip-flop and shorts crowd. You don't want to rain on their parade but anything you can mention that can possibly help?
 
A:  Some people are so focused on personal freedom that they will cling to any scraps of logic to "prove" that helmets aren't useful. I'm with (the late) Hugh Harry Hurt here. Even the cheapest DOT approved helmet is better than no helmet. I would prefer we not have to have helmet laws, but too many riders have proven they aren't too sharp about avoiding crashes and injuries. It's not possible to crash without involving other people. And neither the Constitution nor the Bill of Rights guarantee the freedom to operate a motor vehicle any way you want. There's a huge difference between helmet usefulness and helmet laws. If those who fight helmet laws would simply wear helmets voluntarily, there would be no need of laws.

This is the last segment from our interview with David Hough.  Stay tuned to watch the interview videos, also on 2wheeltips.com.
 

Q:   1) What has been the key to your success/status in your field? 2) Why are you a part of this field (what's your deepest motivation for doing what you do)?"
(submitted by Jackson G., Belmont, CA)

A:  One key to success is being committed to what you want to do. But I've also been fortunate to have bumped into people who encouraged me, and to have worked in a profession that prepared me for the tasks I later took on. I didn't decide to get into motorcycle safety. Rather, I just started sharing what I had discovered, and riders were receptive to my ideas. It was sort of like a cute little puppy that grew into a huge mastif.

Q:  "My questions would investigate how he came to be involved in this field. I like those stories, and usually offer insight and perspective."  (Submitted by Lawrence S., Washington,DC)
 
A:  When I first started riding, there wasn't much available to help me learn. I taught myself, with the advice of other, more experienced riders, who would offer advice such as "when you stop being afraid of the bike it's time to get off." Their advice wasn't very helpful, and I continued to look for more information and try to figure it all out. I suppose my interest in motorcycling was helped along by my curiosity about mechanical things. When I was about 6 I took apart a cap pistol, but never could get it back together right. Later, I was working on bicycles, then building small boats and fixing outboard motors. Most of my knowledge came from trying things by trial and error, and then figuring out how to avoid making the same errors the next time.

Q:  "Do you have any regrets? What's your favorite memory? What bike(s) do you wish you had in your garage from your history?  (Submitted by Lorin R., Austin,TX)

A:  Sure, I have a few regrets, but mostly they are guilt trips for saying something that I should have kept to myself. I don't think we make mistakes. We just put one foot in front of the other, and later on, we realize some of those steps were mistakes. Once in a while we stumble on something unique. One year I was returning home from a big BMW rally in Missoula, Montana, and decided to take the long way home. I was driving my sidecar rig, and headed for Hells Canyon between Idaho and Oregon. I found out about a power line access road that climbed up about 4,000feet out on the Oregon side, and I still remember that as a pleasurable adventure. I moved on from bike to bike, but I still have my BMW "airhead" I bought new in 1980. Does that count as "history"?
 
Q:  If you were a motorcycle what kind would you be and why?" (submitted by Nicholas C., Dallas,TX)

A:  If I were a "motorcycle" it would have to be a 1937 Indian Scout. Come to think of it, maybe I am a '37 Scout.

Q:  Give us your advice on appropriate motorcycles for newbies. We see brand spanking new riders on bikes that make us do a double take. What bikes are absolutely off limits for a person just out of basic rider training?  Do you have any pointers for those who want to get into riding? (submitted by Tony B, Edison, NJ)

A:  There is a tendency for riders to buy machines that are too big and too powerful, and for friends to suggest getting a powerful bike right away. When you are a newbie, you have lots of new thoughts rattling around in your head, and a machine that is hard to control is an extra liability. I would limit the first machine to something no larger than say, 650cc, and I would suggest a used bike rather than a new one. I would avoid bikes with peaky power bands or ergonomics that force a race posture. And I would suggest against a heavy cruiser with feet-forward ergonomics. My choice for a newbie would be a Suzuki 400cc "SM" single or a used SV650.
 
Remember that a bike has a different style of protection than a car. On a bike, you wear the protective shell. So, shop for riding gear before you buy the bike, and get some good gear right away. Then you can buy a bike with what's left over, one reason for a used machine.

Q: Expound on physical skills vs. mental skills needed for riding.
 
A:  At first, you may be intimidated by all the physical skills, such as shifting, braking, countersteering, balancing and so forth. When those physical skills start to become habits, many riders assume they are now skilled. But the mental skills of observing traffic and surface hazards, executing corners, trip planning, etc. are a much bigger and higher plateau. That's one important purpose for books on riding skills, since you can pick up a lot of the mental tactics by reading.

Stay tuned...more David Hough wisdom to come!

More words of wisdom from David Hough:
Q:  What can we do as a community to make motorcycle safety a wide-spread phenomenon not just among riders but among drivers as well; short of forcing evey driver to ride a motorcycle for a month just to see what its like.
In UK they have billboards alerting drivers to the presence of motorcycles on the road. I believe I've even seen the actual traffic sings; I've never seen a traffic sign in US that alerts drivers to the presence of motorcycles. Can something like this be done.
 
A:  The common assumption among motorcyclists is that all those "cage" drivers are stupid and blind, and out to get us. We get that from the famous Hurt Report of 1981, where three-quarters of all "motorcycle" crashes in the Los Angeles area were crashes with cars, and most of those crashes were the fault of the car driver. That's no longer true. Today about half of motorcycle crashes are collisioins, and half of those are the fault of the motorcyclist, not the driver.
 
We also have more knowledge about the psychology of how people see things, although motorcyclists in general haven't been paying much attention to the psych researchers. In a nutshell, people who don't see a motorcycle probably won't see a motorcycle sign. if you want to avoid collisions, ride like you were invisible. Or, to put this another way, take responsibility for whatever happens. Pay attention to the situation, and don't let yourself get taken out by a driver who is drunk, aggressive, or talking on the phone. Controlling the bike is only half of the equation. The other half is controlling the situation.
 
Unfortunately, that's one of our problems with current training: the emphasis is on physical control skills rather than mental skills.


Q:  Since you helped create MSF curriculum, do you feel that its getting watered down.  (submitted by Bob S., Saratoga,CA)
 
A:  It's true that I had some involvement in MSF curricula, but the situation was much different back in the formative years of the MSF. The staff was much more open to discussing things with experienced riders and journalists. And we could have good dialogue because most of the staff members were experienced and often skillful riders. Whenever I found myself in the Irvine, CA area, I would stop by the offices, visit with one or more staffers, and usually be invited to ride to lunch. We would share our knowledge freely with the MSF, knowing that we were helping them to help motorcyclists.
 
For instance, we had ah, "juiced up" a BBP course in the Seattle area. When the MSF curriculum manager found out, she called the safety coordinator and asked if this were true. "Yes", he responded, "Do you want us to stop?" "No," she said. "Keep on doing it, but write it down for us." As it happened, they sent up a staffer to audit what we were doing, and many of our ideas turned up in the Experienced RiderCourse.
 
Since then, the MSF has become like an ingrown toenail, unwilling and unable to have dialogue with others who might have something to offer, and increasingly depending upon the limited motorcycling expertise of the staff. Like any of us, they write about what they know--which at this time is more about instructional design, and less about motorcycling. So, the new MSF courses are much slimmer and more "touchy-feely" than the old courses. Some have called this "dumbing down" because the courses seem to be getting easier and easier to pass.
 
I'm not outraged that the courses are slimmer and easier to pass. But I'm sad and frustrated that the national organization whose job it is to come up with solutions to reduce the carnage is neither accomplishing that task, nor talking openly to the motorcyclists--the "subject matter experts" who would be quite willing to volunteer their knowledge on behalf of the nation's motorcyclists.
 
Q:  I think what I would most want to know would be how bikers are able to ride for so far and for so long without having saved up much money beforehand."  (Submitted by Beau G, Seattle, WA)

A:  I have a much different style of travel than some of the really long distance guys, such as Greg Frazier. Greg travels as economically as possible, riding a secondhand nondescript machine and often camping out. I travel less often, but when I go I prefer to travel at a more comfortable level, sleeping on cushy beds, and having nice meals. But I'm also a bit frugal. For instance, in Europe and the UK, there are thousands of "Bed and Breakfast" places--essentially the spare bedroom made available when the kids left home. They are comfy, but cost less than the typical US motel.

More from our series of words of wisdom from David Hough:

Q: If you could do it over what mistakes would you avoid. Not limited to motorcycling or divide it into motorcycle world, book world and life.
Brian P./35/M/SanFrancisco,CA
 
A:  The biggest mistakes I have made involve opening my mouth when I should have kept quiet. I tend to just say what's on my mind, and sometimes that creates problems. For instance, in a recent interview for BMW Owners News, I mentioned that "motorcycle safety" is an oxymoron, like "military intelligence." That really upset a BMW rider who is in the military. I apologized, but the damage was done.
 
I don't think it's possible to say things spontaneously on the national stage, and not anger someone. One lesson is to avoid passing judgment on other people, or passing along rumors. Have you noticed how President Obama looks left and right, but never straight at the camera? That's because he's reading from the teleprompters at each side of the podium. He doesn't dare miss a comma, or add anything spontaneous, because his speech is written out very carefully, and he must not deviate from it.
 
Q:  Tell us about Coffee with Dave and where can we catch it next?
 
A:  I borrowed the idea from Fred Rau, who started his "coffee with Fred" sessions at the Americade years ago. I arrange for coffee, donuts, and bananas, in a seminar environment. Anyone can ask whatever questions come to mind, within certain rules. Sometimes it's a gab fest, soetimes it turns into a serious skills discussion. And often I'll invite some guest to talk about riding across Russia or doing the Paris-Dakar rally. The next official "Coffee with Dave" will be at the BMWMOA International rally in Redmond, Oregon, July 15 - 18, 2010. For details, go to bmwmoa.org and find "rally."
 
Q:  Tell us about the lessons you've learned while teaching. Also, tell us about your favorite and most effective way to share information with a thirsty mind.
 
A:  One big lesson about teaching is that the teacher always learns more than the student. You may know something very well, but trying to teach it to someone else is a different kettle of fish. As you try to figure out how to explain it, you may discover things you didn't realize, or learn how to approach someone with information so that they can absorb it.
 
I've also learned that it's a waste of time to attempt teaching something with which you aren't experienced. Specifically, a motorcycle instructor needs to be a veteran motorcyclist as well as a teacher. I remember an event years ago when I was auditing a class of high school shop teachers who were being trained to be motorcycle instructors. One instructor in training gave the command, "OK, start your bicycles." He apparently didn't realize that his credibility had instantly gone down the drain.

Q:  From a global organizational perspective, what improvements would you suggest for organizations like MSF.
 
A:  I have offered suggestions to organizations including that one in Irvine, California, and even written articles about this in national magazines. But I've learned that offering suggestions to those Irvine folks has about the same result as peeing into a hurricane. When we are seeing an increase in motorcyclist fatalities, it's obvious to me that we need more serious training courses that would address the issues we see in the statistics, region-by-region.
 
There are a number of motorcycle enthusiasts in the USA who have considerable experience in both motorcycling and training, and would be very willing to share their skill and knowledge with a national organization. But that would require that the organization in question understands that it really needs more subject knowledge. And it would also require that the organization overcome their preternatural drive to dominanate training. It's like an alcoholic; you can't help until he asks for help.
 
I might offer some advice to the motorcycle industry. It's your bucks being spent. Refocus the safety organization on educating riders to avoid crashes. Tie financial support to results. If the training reduces crashes and fatalities, OK the safety guys get their money. If not, yoiu might as well cut off the funds. And if your primary goal is to sell more bikes, put your money into marketing, and leave training foundations to do...training.

We continue with more words of wisdom from David Hough:

Q: Tell us about the time you broke down in the middle of nowhere.
 
A:  I've had several mechanical breakdowns. The one I remember was when my wife and I were on our Moto Guzzi sidecar rig, heading over a 3,500 foot pass and the left exhaust valve burned. I limped up the pass until I found a telephone booth. (this was before cell phones, you understand?) I called the parts man at my dealer, who promised to get some valves and a head gasket shipped to the next town. We limped on at half power, found a motel, and the next day retrieved the parts. I found a junk yard next to a machine shop, disassembled the head, and had them fit the new valves. We were back underway about two hours later.

Q:  Tell us little bit about your writing process.
 
A:  Most of what I write is based on experience, either observing something, or watching some other rider. I think a lot about some subject while riding, and then try to remember it for later. I prefer to ride more in the summertime, which means I do most of my writing in the winter. To support my writing, I try to take photos during my summer trips. One of my specialties is surface hazards, so I'm happy to come upon a nasty edge trap, pothole, railroad crossing, or confusing sign.
 
If I need some statistics, I can spend a few hours researching on the Internet.
 
I write on a PC, in Word. If an article just isn't jelling, I may print it out and cut and paste with scissors and tape, until it starts to look more organized. Over the years I've gradually gained the skill of editing entirely on the computer, moving big blocks of text around.
 
When I have the text roughed in, I pull up two screens, one for Word, and the other for Photoshop. I look for suitable photos or illustrations that depict what I've discussed in the text, and then add the file number references and captions in the text. I'll go through the article this way, text and graphics side by side, until I'm satisfied with the results. When I need additional illustrations, I'll make a list, close Word, and do the necessary illustrations in Photoshop, then open Word again and fit them in.
 
When I think the article is ready, I'll save everything to a folder, then burn it on a CD to mail to the magazine or site. Sometimes I'll generate a series of articles and burn them all at the same time. 
Q:  How did you get into trike and trike training.
 
A:  Trike training was an add-on to sidecar training. I had been into sidecars for many years, but hadn't had a trike. I wrote a book, Driving A Sidecar Outfit, and sidecar pilots demanded a training course. I wrote the course for the Sidecar Safety Program, developed an instructor guide, trained some instructors and chief instructors, and tried to run a national program out of my office, part time. Fortunately, the Evergreen Safety Council rescued me by taking over administration of the program. And because there aren't enough sidecarists around, they included trikes and called it the Sidecar/Trike Education Program.
 
Then, in 2009, I decided to buy a Can Am Spyder, a trike with the two-in-front configuration. So, now I have a trike, a sidecar rig, and a two-wheeler in the garage.

Q: What drew him to this endeavor?  How do you see your accomplishments?  How have these efforst influenced the rest of your life and what sort of legacy do you plan to leave, want to leave, think you will leave?  (submitted by Ran B., Wilmington, DE)
 
A:  I think most of the serious riders who are spending their time on motorcycle safety are reluctant volunteers. We'd just as soon be out riding, but we recognize the need, and we're suckers for saying "OK". Of course, once you get involved--as a club safety coordinator, or an instructor, or the administrator of a training site, you get the constant feedback of seeing riders gain skill, or coming back to you and saying: "Do you remember me? I was in your class back in 1986. You've probably saved my life three or four times." That encourages you to say "yes" to teaching a class next weekend, knowing you'll have to cancel your planned ride. And it keeps encouraging you to maintain your certification and stay involved.
 
I know more than a few motorcycle enthusiasts who have spent much of their lives teaching and writing. I don't think any of us thought about leaving a legacy, other than seeing motorcyclists get more skilled and smarter in the future. Of course, many of us get burned out, or get discouraged by heavy-handed administration, or simply don't have the physical energy any more.
 
I remember the last class I taught. I had gotten up at about 5am to get to the training site, set everything up, taught the classroom, coached the range exercises, signed the completion cards, and filled out the paperwork. Then I had to pick up the cones, put everything away in a container, find dinner somewhere, and make the 3-hour commute home again. I was so dog-tired I stumbled on the stairs and fell on my helmet.

Q:   What are some of the formative experiences and training that led to you giving so much to the safety field?  (submitted by Bob S., Saratoga, CA)

A:  I happen to have a good mind for graphics, so when I started writing motorcycle skills articles, I had some skill in producing graphics that would communicate what was needed. I spent 36 years at the Boeing Company, mostly developing graphics for engineering and training organizations. So I've had the advantage of learning a bit about how pilots are trained, and I've realized that driving airplanes and driving motorcycles have a lot in common. I don't know where the drive comes from. I just write one more article, and deliver one more seminar, and the list gets longer and longer.
 
Q: What is the tallest thing you've jumped over while riding a motorcycle?
(submitted by Krishna V., Seattle, WA)
 
A:  That would probably be my ego. OK, I'm not into jumping motorcycles, but I did drive my dual sport sidecar rig in the Los Angeles-Barsto-Las Vegas desert ride one year. We were making good time across an angled plateau heading into Las Vegas, when I realized there was a dry wash ahead. There was no time to slow down, so we flew off the edge into the wash, plowed straight across, and slammed into the other side. The leading link compressed so far I heard the knobby tire zzzing on the underside of the fender, and then we were launched. I suppose we flew all three wheels in the air for 40 feet or so. Sorry, I don't think the jump was higher than 3 or 4 feet, but I sure remember it.

Stay tuned for more wisdom from David Hough!