What happens when you get impatient
- Thread starter G-MAN
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I see lots of bikers taking big risks out on the road. There is no way you can blame the vehicle driver for that, the biker is 100% at fault.
Teat.
I don't see any reason why that rider lost control. Must have been a real noob...
That was on the Tail of the Dragon on US hwy 129 between Maryville,Tn and Robbinsville,NC. That curve I am sure is much sharper than it appears on the video. Unfortunately that happens all too often on that road. Over 300 curves in 11 miles and motorcyclists have decided they own that particular stretch of highway. I have not taken my bike across it yet because these days it is so crowded. Last time I drove that road was in the late 80s and took a flatbed tractor trailer through there. I guarantee it was my one and only trip in a big truck on that road. Do a google on it or got to tailofthedragon.com and you will see some pretty neat pics. I am going this year when we go to the HOG rally in Knoxville.
I blame HD for it. Bikes that don't turn, or stop are dangerous. I would never ride one of those.
LOL J/K. I see riders over their head all the time. Matter of fact couple weeks ago helped a Hyabusa owner pull his out of the ditch after trying to keep up with the pack. Luckily I was riding behind him and "riding my own ride" I was about 5 sec. behind him and came up on the corner just as the bike was coming to a rest. He was already up out of the ditch wondering "what the heck happened" DOPE about $2000 worth of damage to those plastics.
LOL J/K. I see riders over their head all the time. Matter of fact couple weeks ago helped a Hyabusa owner pull his out of the ditch after trying to keep up with the pack. Luckily I was riding behind him and "riding my own ride" I was about 5 sec. behind him and came up on the corner just as the bike was coming to a rest. He was already up out of the ditch wondering "what the heck happened" DOPE about $2000 worth of damage to those plastics.
Take another look at the video guys... noob city. It's got very little to do with how sharp the curve is, and practically everything to do with the fact that the rider didn't even bother to lean the bike into the right hand curve. Basically, he did not anticipate the right hand curve (after he passed the vehicle), and when he saw that he was going have to lean the bike hard and put it into the curve he panicked and went over the bank.
That curve was no real challenge for even a semi-experienced rider--at least at the relatively slow speed they were travelling.
Look at the video again. He didn't even try to lean the bike at all.
Dan
That curve was no real challenge for even a semi-experienced rider--at least at the relatively slow speed they were travelling.
Look at the video again. He didn't even try to lean the bike at all.
Dan
The other thing to note is that the front rider's buddy nearly followed him over the bank!
The second rider used his rear brake a bit over-zealously and nearly let his machine slide around on him...
I'd say they were going less than 25 mph when all of that happened.
The second rider used his rear brake a bit over-zealously and nearly let his machine slide around on him...
I'd say they were going less than 25 mph when all of that happened.
I really don't think it has anything to do with being NOOB and more to do with they "type" of rider.
I can bet that 95% of riders (regardless of type of bike) probably have never taken an MSF coarse. I'm sure they get by most of the time riding for many years (mostly going from bar to bar) then on one outing probably the only one of the year--they get in way over their head.
Skills to make any bike "turn or lean" are very basic and should be practiced constantly.
Believe me, that is a 60 mph corner or more especially since you could see through all 3 corners once you got past that first right hander. This will give you at least a layout of the next 3 corners and where to set up for them.
This is probably the #1 reason I don't ride in groups. Even the group we rode in a few weeks ago has some less experienced riders, and passing is dangerous anyhow even by yourself, but the other rider going with him made it worse.
a technique we used was to have a guy pass, the slow way down in front of the stupid cage, to let everyone else pass, then then we all got back up to speed. That seemed to work for the most part.
You can't just toss a 750lb Glide into a turn. It looks to me like the guy accelerated hard to pass, wasn't anticipating the curve, and when he saw it he stood on the brakes. (Note the brake lights.) Braking hard made the bike stand up even more. Thus, I agree: this was either a new rider, or an inexperienced one. Had he done what seems counterintuitive to inexperienced riders, i.e., let off the brakes and pushed the bars in the opposite direction of the turn, he may have gotten her to lean over and take the curve, though I'm unsure of how well these bigger Harleys would even respond to that. In the end, he may have been at a speed where this bike just simply couldn't lean fast enough to negotiate that curve.
Sorry guys... I'll have to continue to respectfully disagree with both of you.
I've been riding motorcycles for more than 35 years, and have ridden with some fantastic riders on the big road machines. Electraglides and Goldwings--both will indeed handle sharp curves better than you'd imagine.
Look how quickly the second motorcycle in the video is able to stop, and you'll get an idea of how fast he was actually going. Likely not more than 40 mph when he hit the brakes, and no more than 25 mph when his bud went over the bank.
It's a clear cut case of a novice rider biting off a bit more than he could chew. Post in some of the motorcycle forums with a link to that video and the more experienced riders, I'm reasonably sure, will agree with my assessment.
Dan
I've been riding motorcycles for more than 35 years, and have ridden with some fantastic riders on the big road machines. Electraglides and Goldwings--both will indeed handle sharp curves better than you'd imagine.
Look how quickly the second motorcycle in the video is able to stop, and you'll get an idea of how fast he was actually going. Likely not more than 40 mph when he hit the brakes, and no more than 25 mph when his bud went over the bank.
It's a clear cut case of a novice rider biting off a bit more than he could chew. Post in some of the motorcycle forums with a link to that video and the more experienced riders, I'm reasonably sure, will agree with my assessment.
Dan
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Sorry guys... I'll have to continue to respectfully disagree with both of you.
I've been riding motorcycles for more than 35 years, and have ridden with some fantastic riders on the big road machines. Electraglides and Goldwings--both will indeed handle sharp curves better than you'd imagine.
Look how quickly the second motorcycle in the video is able to stop, and you'll get an idea of how fast he was actually going. Likely not more than 40 mph when he hit the brakes, and no more than 25 mph when his bud went over the bank.
It's a clear cut case of a novice rider biting off a bit more than he could chew. Post in some of the motorcycle forums with a link to that video and the more experienced riders, I'm reasonably sure, will agree with my assessment.
Dan
Agreed. I've ridden for 42 of my 46 years. I have taken the basic, and advanced MSF courses. The guy on the Hardly Ableson was a definite noob and had no business on the tail of the dragon. Anyone that thinks a big bike can't lean or manuever hasn't been on one for any length of time. During the advanced MSF course I witnessed a CBR600F, an 1100 Katana, a hog, and a Wing all complete the same objectives. Friendly competition ensued, and the CBR guy did a "quick stop" stoppie style, putting his front wheel directly between the 2 cones. The Wing guy called him a smart XXX and noted there was no way his bike could do that. Wanna bet? Mr CBR proceeded to do the identical move on the Wing AFTER riding the whole course as laid out in the parking lot, smooth as silk, never dabbing a toe, or slowing down. I've ridden the dragon several times, and had a ball each time. Grabbing a handful of brake only makes a bike erect itself. Rolling on throttle, and pushing harder gets it to lean, but you have to train yourself to control the pucker factor when you commit to a corner- especially blind ones.
Off topic... Who besides me likes the new ZX Concours from Kawi? ZX14 Concours
Very BMW like, I think....
Sounds to me like you are agreeing with me. Note I said this was either a new rider, or an inexperienced rider. To me this is evidenced by the way he reacted to the surprise curve by braking hard.
And while an experienced rider can get the most out of any bike, I still maintain that you can't toss an Electraglide around sharp turns like you can a crotch rocket.
And while an experienced rider can get the most out of any bike, I still maintain that you can't toss an Electraglide around sharp turns like you can a crotch rocket.
Granted, the video may not fully represent the corner apex in real-life, but it sure did look to me like that was a very do-able corner at the speed the guy was travelling. I've taken corners a lot faster on my Road King and the only limiting factors are either the floor boards or ME.
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Tell these guys you can't lean a big bike...
http://media.putfile.com/Riding-the-Dragon-Part-One
Dang, there is a lot of peg scraping going on in that video. Cool though.
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