Bonneville America Forums Forums Rider Safety Forums Riding Technique Operation Sav-A-Newbie

I've noticed we have members whose first bike is an America or a Speedmaster. I learned on a 3hp mini-bike so the idea of a 120mph 'learner' is a little shocking to me. Since the rest of us have a bazillion years experience combined, I thought a thread like would help turn newbies into oldbies.
What's your best Save A$$ advice? I have three:


1.Practice,practice,practice-
And I don't mean slow and gentle either! An emergency situation is not the place to discover the limits of performance. Go to a mall parking lot (when it's closed) and find out how hard you can brake before the wheel locks up. Find out how hard you can accelerate from a dead stop. Try it in the rain too. You don't have to go crazy, but you need to find this stuff out.

2.Let the cagers know you're watching them-
It's amazing the effect turning your head and staring at the guy waiting to make a left in front of you has. Also turning around and looking at the car pulling up behind you at a stoplight. Like a little kid who realizes daddy's watching, they behave a little better.

3.Keep one eye on the mirror while braking. Braking a little harder and a little later also reduces your chance of being rear-ended.

Beware of crowned driveway aprons where you pull up with the handlebars turned and tap the front brake.

Hard to describe the ooops,oooop hoping to regain balance before you totally drop the bike at 0 MPH til you do it.

been there done that.

also beware of putting your foot down in a pot hole at a stop sign.While carrying a somewhat wobbly nervous passneger.Who decides to jump off because she thought you were going to fallover. This can also lead to a 0 mph crash.

Leave PLENTY of room between you and the vehicle in front of you. If he straddles a road gator or a pothole or whatever, you need time to react.
Don't ride in blind spots. Wait for the vehicle in front of you to pass to the point where you have room, then nail it and get by as fast as you can.

700+ miles per week, combined slab and street, these are the two most common hazards I see.
(plenty of less common, but this'll do for now)

Never feel like you have mastered the bike. A little bit of respect for the machine will save some hide.

Assume they're all trying to kill you... because they are.

Stay out of cagers' blind spots(the rear corner of their cars on both their left and right sides) as much as you can. Too many drivers today it seems, think just checking their mirrors is enough of a look in order for them to change lanes.(I guess new drivers aren't taught to turn their heads momentarily to check those blind spots anymore...kind'a like parallel parking being a "lost art" too, huh?!)

So if you live in a state where you are not allowed to "split lanes"(seems the only "enlightened" state when it comes to this VERY SAFE practice is California) and must ride "with the traffic", be sure that if you are stuck traveling at the same rate of speed as that cager next to you, that you can see that cager's EYES in their mirror or are at least slightly in front of their front doors, so that cellphone using/makeup applying/newspaper reading...ahem..."person" with the wheel(and your life) in their hands, is aware of your presence next to them.

This practice is actually safer(and a whole lot less annoying to your neighbors and LAW ENFORCEMENT) than those "loud pipes" that way too many dunderheads today THINK will "save their lives".

Cheers,
Dwight
(naw...I "ain't opinionated" AT ALL....why would you think THAT?!)

Hmmm, Ohio has NO Laws on the books about Splitting Lanes.
But Best I can advise is this:
No matter where you are, IF you are scared, worried or nervious? Pull over, take a side street, what ever it takes.
Better to be late then never arrive.
Confidence comes with experience.
Experience comes with years.
Years come by staying alive!

Jeff,
So in Ohio you CAN lane split?

There are no laws at all about it!
As long as We don't cross the center line
nor pass on the right!
And we've been helmet free for over 26 years?
Sometimes I think THEY ARE out to get us!

Huh! Interesting! I thought this here place was the only state that allowed it. I wonder what other states allow it?

Oh and BTW...Your "Confidence comes with experience, etc....." was very well put! But, keeping with the intent of this thread, I think "false or over-confidence" is what probably trips up most newbies. They begin to think after a few months or a few years that they've got this motorcycling thing "down pat", and then will find themselves in over their heads in some situation that they might not have encountered before.

Could be that a lot of people don't realize that unless something is specifically prohibited by law, it's legal. In Nevada, it's called "lane sharing" and it's illegal . So check your laws, if it's not prohibited, go for it.

(you might have to test it in court though)

For the first 15 years, I thought I had it down.
This last 15+? Heck! I'm lookin at helmets again!!!

Not because I fear what may happen.
But because I know from haveing been there,
what may happen again!

And I don't heal so quick anymore!

In Florida, it's called "Failure to remain in lane". In 1988 it was 3 points and $98 fine, probably close to $200 fine now. And yeah, I got one.

NEVER use your mirrors to make a POSITIVE decision...IE: It's ok to change lanes...ONLY use them to make a NEGATIVE decision...IE: It's NOT ok to change lanes...ALL POSITIVE decisions should be made by TURNING YOUR HEAD TO LOOK!!!

When pulling up to a stoped lane of trafic...ALWAYS leave an ESCAPE route...and the room to use it...so when that sweet-young-thing yapping on her cell phone realises its to late to stop before hitting you...YOU can get the Fu(K out of her way...it helps greatly if your bike is in first gear and you watch behind you untill the car approaching has come to a complete stop...

One good habbit I picked up in my safety course was downshifting to first as I come to a stop every time for that very reason.

Be careful putting your foot down on traffic markings in the road. Turn arrows, crosswalk lines, etc. Even when dry, they can be very slippery (slippy for those of you from Pittsburgh...). I had a very embarassing, slow motion drop because of a left turn arrow under my right foot.

never be the first to leave at a light... use someone else to block for you.

When crossing a busy 4-way intersection, get closer to the traffic in front of you and let them run interference for you.

Stay to the right or left in a lane at a stop light to avoid to crap people drip from their cages.

Pay particular attention to the old beaters out there. They give even less of a crap about you.

Always do a safety check before starting out (lights, brakes, chain, tires....)

Years ago when I use to live in California, I remember the statistics regarding new motorcycle riders. This "new" included anyone new to the state, new to motorcycles or just getting a new bike. The statistic was that the "new" rider had a 50% chance of being in a accident within the first 6 months. Almost 40% chance within the first year. After 2 years it dropped down to 25% and each year down a little more.

So this to me showed that experience as a rider, with the roads and with your bike where all key to surviving. I managed to survive for 18 months until I sold my Honda Goldwing (stripped down version, no fairing or bags).

I have also found that most bike accidents that are due to the biker are because the rider is going to fast for the conditions at that time.

When in city traffic try to stay within 5mph of the speed limit. The cagers have a hard enough time seeing bikes, but when going to fast in heavy traffic you will become just a shadow to them, and thus the excuse that "I never even saw the bike until we hit".

Tom

Well said! Pulling over is sometimes the best thing to do

Good point! Especially down hill stop signs where the road slopes to the right. Just a little too much front brake and you're picking it up off the pavement.

LOL! Years ago I was turning out onto the street and my wife thought we were going over so she jumped off and pulled me with her! Broke her tail bone.

Never ride next to or behind dual rear wheel trucks or trailors, especially at speed. Those tires shedding tread can take you out.

LOL! We don't ride double anymore.

1. As long as your speed is within the limitation of your tire traction and all else is as it should be, the space between you and other objects (including the road!) is the one thing standing between you and crashing. If that space is allowed to drop to zero, you have crashed.
2. Never show off, especially when someone you know is watching. Showing off increases the probability of something going wrong. Being watched by someone you know increases the probability of something going wrong. Add the two together and you don't have a chance, so just behave as if you had good sense.
3. If the people next to you, behind or in front of you, or coming the other way weren't raving maniacs, they'd be on a bike same as you, so watch out for them.

Don't beep your horn at wild life....made that mistake by beeping at a huge condor like thing just off the edge of the road, at 70 mph... he jumped strait up, expanded his 11 foot wing span, and grazed my helmet with his talons.....Guy behind me in a F-150 got a great show!! Just slow down and go around if possible...

Just when you think you and her are as one and she will do anyting you ask, you'll do somthing dumb and she will throw you to the ground and smash your head into the pavement.

Use even more caution when the seasons change. When the cool seasons arrive cagers see very few bikes on the road and become even less aware.

Watch out for the shiney tar strips sealing cracks in the road.

Of course watch out for sandy corners and leaves in the fall.

Do not try to pass a turning vehicle you cannot see around or over.

My buddy got a ticket on a rental HD in Cali for lane splitting. Apparently it is NOT completely legal. As is was explained to him it is up to the officer if you are doing it in a safe manner or not. They make the decission on the spot if you will be pulled over and issued a summons. The officers reason was that the bike he was on was too large to safely lane share. Rediculous excuse but he still got the ticket.

When at a light and the light turns green. Keep your feet on the ground and look to make sure some idiot's not trying to make the yellow still. Don't worry about the smuck behind you that toots his horn, He obviously dosen't know better and your bike will have long left him in the dust.
But keep an extra eye on that one behind you, he may wanna test you coming up.

Overshooting turns used to be a problem for me when first riding in the early-mid 70's. I'd sometimes end up in the lane to my right, or shoulder if it was a one-laner.

Look through the turn, not directly in front of you when turning. You should be looking at where you want to end up at turn completion at the start of the turn itself.

Ditto on the above mirror statemet. Always, turn your head to check before changing lanes.

Look where you are going, not where you are.

Take the MSF course!

Ride! If you only ride on the weekends, you start all over again every Saturday! Ride every chance you get - take every opportunity!

Learn to ride in the rain and not be afraid of it. Respectful of it, but not afraid.

Gear up.

Do your safety checks before riding (lights, air pressures), and perform proper chain maintenance when needed.

Ride. Alot. Experience comes from hours/miles in the saddle.

Don't try to keep up with those on faster bikes, or those with more experience - ride your own ride, and don't worry about them. They will get over it, and would rather have you behind them on the road, than left at home.

Never question the abilities of your TRIUMPH motorcycle. It is as good a bike as there is on the road, limited in performance ONLY by your riding experience and confidence. It will keep up with or outperform any other cruiser (except the Rocket III) except in acceleration at speeds over the speed limit anyway. Most sportbikes I see on the roads around Houston are not riding around Houston as fast as I ride my Speedmaster. They could, but either lack the experience/skill/confidence, or are just not in a hurry to get there. I pass most other motorcycles I ever see on the road simply because I am riding faster to begin with. It is not a race. My Speedmaster just stays at about 80 mph all the time. They won't.

As it appears that the new cast wheels on the America are now shod with the same Metzler tires as the Speedmaster - be confident that you are riding on some of the finest tubeless tires available, affording exceptional grip and traction at all lean angles and on wet pavement. More than a lot of other aspects of machine, I think the high-end tires contributed the most to my confidence in the bike, and influenced my feelings about riding in the rain by proving to me that traction is minimally affected. Because of that, I'll ride in any weather (except snow/ice?), and this has helped me accrue 26k on my SM in only 26 months of riding.

I am/was a newbie. The SPEEDMASTER helped me get over it, along with a lot of support from the family here at BA.COM.