Why did he crash?

[IdZer0]

It's actually an ad for some school, but I was wondering why this guy highsided. I don't think he's leaning the bike _that_ far over (or is that just my unexperienced eye). Hanging off is meant to keep the bike more upright thus enhancing grip. So why did his back tire slide?



Just trying to learn from others mistakes.

[wbeck257]

Too much right hand.

[duclvr]

Too much right hand.

That's what she said.  (sorry  )

[duc-pilot]

It's actually an ad for some school, but I was wondering why this guy highsided. I don't think he's leaning the bike _that_ far over (or is that just my unexperienced eye). Hanging off is meant to keep the bike more upright thus enhancing grip. So why did his back tire slide?


Just trying to learn from others mistakes.

I shot the video that day.  In reality Zak didn't screw up that bad.  If you look at the side stand on his 2005 620 (as well as many other monsters including my 2000 M900) there is  a spur so your heel can put the side stand down.  Being as the monster does not have the greatest ground clearance to begin with, this can be a fatal flaw if it is not addressed.  The mistake this rider made was not knowing what it felt like when that spur touched down; he pried the rear wheel up just enough to break traction. 

If you watch the video clip again you will see the second run when he tossed the bike was cleaner than the first one where he made it.

Here is the fix for the bike... start by cutting off the spur completly, second you can grind down the stop for the side stand so it will tuck up further under the rearsets.  After this modification the next concern will be catching the shifter or brake lever.  The only fix for those beside adjusting them up is to go with rear sets.  On the street this isn't a big deal but if you do a track day or push the bike you will eventually have to address this short fall.

If you are looking to analize his riding you will notice that he allows the bike to drop into the turn faster than his body on the first run (not good but better than the average rider), on the second run he stayed locked in pretty solid.  Inexperience was his fault not his technique.  By the way the school is Puget Sound Safety up in Washington State. 

I  am the rider on the Red Aprilia, FJR, SV650s, and the last photo on the KLR650.  It's not what you ride it's how you ride.

Bret Tkacs~

www.pugetsoundsafety.com
www.smartcornering.com

[IdZer0]

Thx for the insight Bret. So that means he actually was leaning over pretty far for that bike. Now I know what to look out for.

[duc-pilot]

I hope it helped... we spent quite a bit of time reviewing the tape to determine if it was technique or some other issue.  I hope this helped you  If you are looking for some good reading I would strongly recommend picking up a copy of Lee Parks book Total Control.  There is a thread on this website talking about the class related to the book.  If you have a school within a few states distance from you offering it I would recommend putting it on your schedule for next year. Lee's site is www.totalcontroltraining.net , you can find locations and schedules on that site.  If you are in the Pacific Northwest you want to go to http://www.pugetsoundsafety.com/leeparks_schedule.php

The other book I strongly recommend is Nick's book Sport Riding Techniques

Good luck... and never stop learning.  I often say that if anyone ever tells you they already know everything, just agree with them; they are correct.  They know everything they know even if its wrong!

[Holden]

It's not what you ride it's how you ride.

+1—I got a kick out of seeing that huge cruiser leaned that far over with good form (1:05).

...and getting your knee down on an enduro?

[duc-pilot]

I've got video of Mike riding his Road King on Pacific Raceways... it's quite a kick!  I will see about putting together something for U-tube with video and stills.

 

[Monstermonkey]

My buddy did the same thing on his 695.  We attacked the sidestand with a grinder and it helped but then he just dragged his pipes!

[duc-pilot]

I've got video of Mike riding his Road King on Pacific Raceways... it's quite a kick!  I will see about putting together something for U-tube with video and stills.

 

Here is Mike on his road king...

http://www.youtube.com/v/RuRUs-j3qQo&hl=en&fs=1

[The Bacon Junkie]

Here is Mike on his road king...

http://www.youtube.com/v/RuRUs-j3qQo&hl=en&fs=1

okay, I gotta know.   What's the name of that song and who sings it?  Freekin' hysterical...   

Oh, and yeah, draggin' knee on a bagger is pretty cool too!   

[duc-pilot]

the band is Barenaked Ladies the song is "another postcard"     I figured the video is worth the song. 

The Monster at the end of the show is mine parked on Hwy  1 in N CA. I rode it from Tacoma WA to San Diego and hopped the USS Abraham Lincon for a cruise back to Washington as I taught motorcycle classes to the crew at sea.  Got some great pix with my bike being hoisted onto the aircraft carrier.

[The Bacon Junkie]

^^^ thanks.      So Are you affiliated with Lee Parks?
  I remember hearing/reading about how he was trying to work a deal with the Marines to teach onboard ship.  Something to do with guys coming home with lots of hazard pay, buying CBGSX-R1-zx whatevers as first bikes and wadding them, getting hurt, or worse. 

I went to a clinic of his on Nov.8th.   It was just a teaser clinic, but he put one of us on a bike and did the cornering/lean thing with us holding/leaning the bike. learned a lot.

[duc-pilot]

Although i am an instructor for the Total Control program in Washington my trip with the navy was unrelated.  It was a development oportunity for the Advanced Street Skills program we offer at Pacific Raceways in Washington state.

I don't think the navy is going to get the Total Control program now that Cape Fox has picked up a 52 million dollar navy contract -and is training instructors for the MSF sportbike program.  It's nothing like the Total Control Advanced Riding clinic or the Advanced Street Skill but is better than the BRC or ERC.

[BastrdHK]

Bret, I have to disagree with you.  His entry speed, cold tires, and a heavy right hand are what caused that high side.  The first go round he was hanging off much further with his entire backside to the inside allowing him to touch a knee.  His entry speed was also much slower with less throttle input during the sequence of the turn.  The second time he was in a better body position with his right cheek on the edge of the seat, but entered the turn faster attempting to drag a knee even though his body position was different.

Continue educating fellow riders on the use of proper technique....good luck and good on ya!

- HK