Never Cross that Line.

[SaltLick]

Two books one called "proficient motorcycling" and the other one called "more proficient motorcycling" i picked them up at my library one day, thinking it would be a cheesy yet fun read on the toilet. Come to find out the books go over cornering in detail, lots of good pics and actually the books have alot to say about all subjects. heck if you can get it from your library do it.  Alot of writing on how to be looking ahead at your next turn and sizing it up and lining up the apex and your turning point way before you get to the turn, how to downshift in time and roll on the throttle through the turn ect. If you practice that stuff after a while it becomes automatic, and to me kind of like a mathmatical game in a way. i found myself making it a game to see if i could hit the apex right and follow that imaginary line to it. over and over and over. Each corner is different, therefore more calculations are needed  Alright ill shut up now, i just remembered how much i miss all that. Cant wait for the sun!

heres a pic from the book, might dredge up some discussion on the delayed vs the early apex.

[bluemoco]

From the animated pics, he wasn't THAT far across the line.  Like Derby noted on P.1, he might have target-fixated on the Blazer and then grabbed the brake.   

In the early frames, you can also see that he was following another bike.  If he got a little testosterone-poisoning and was trying to 'keep up' with his buddy (or whoever was on that other bike), he may have been carrying excess speed into the corner.

@SaltLick - The Proficient Motorcycling books by David Hough are excellent and highly recommended for riders of all skill levels.   The books are basically compilations of Hough's regular columns in Motorcycle Consumer News magazine.  IMO, these books are 'required reading' textbooks and they occupy a prominent place on my reference shelf.  Total Control (by Parks) and Twist of the Wrist (by Code) are also very good.

[Slide Panda]

From the animated pics, he wasn't THAT far across the line.  Like Derby noted on P.1, he might have target-fixated on the Blazer and then grabbed the brake.   

In the early frames, you can also see that he was following another bike.  If he got a little testosterone-poisoning and was trying to 'keep up' with his buddy (or whoever was on that other bike), he may have been carrying excess speed into the corner.

Over is over.. and that road does not forgive over easily.

He was actually probably locked onto the photog and the possible LEO sitting by the photog more or before the blazer now that I think about it.  It's nice to get photos of yourself, but I know I fixated briefly on the killboy cars - even though I knew they would be there and I should do it...

[gh0stie]

I'm going to pick up Proficient motorcycling this weekend and engross myself in it.

[El Matador]

If you notice the bike remains stationary as soon as it hits the ground, you can tell that he wasn't going very fast at all.

[Statler]

  you can tell that he wasn't going very fast at all.

certainly not after hitting the 5,000 pounds of truck.

[causeofkaos]

After watching the animation looks like the heal of the shoeless foot doesnt look right. looks like it broke after the impact.

[Slide Panda]

If you notice the bike remains stationary as soon as it hits the ground, you can tell that he wasn't going very fast at all.

Despite Stats quip - this is a good point and observation.  Though the collision scrubbed off some speed, it couldn't have been that much.  She it's look like speed might not have been the biggest factor... target fixations a pregnant dog

[Monster Dave]

I've read both a Twist of the Wrist and Total Control (and met both authors).  I agree: Total Control is a great book.  A Twist of the Wrist has valuable info but is difficult to get through.  Lee Parks' book is a great read and highly instructional.  I'm hoping to take his course this summer.

And for the record, the MSF course is not enough.  I'm appauled at how many motorcyclists don't have a clue about riding and don't seem to care enough to get one.

(steps off soap box)

I couldn't agree more. TC was a great read and the course was amazing. I took it last year with Lee when he was in town personally teaching the course. The two books are written in very different styles. For those who tend to be more analyitical, Nick's Twist of the Wrist may suit your reading style more. My mind tends to wander when there's too much analizing taking place in a text and not enough application/demonstration of principals. Total Control however, is impressivly well written and easy to read and put into practice; it's no subsitute for the course however, but it's worth owning.

In regards to the lack of learned skill by the number or riders who do not take the MSF course....it is more than appaling, it's staggering to realize that many riders haven't a clue about how to use the very machines unto which they are entrusting their lives.  Apply that thought process to those who drive cars without licenses and you'll never want to ride in traffic ever again!!!!

Ride safe.  [moto]

[the_Journeyman]

We see this scenario entire too many times up there.  We've had a couple regulars injured by other bikes taking them out in the same manner ~

JM

[NAKID]

From the animated pics, he wasn't THAT far across the line. 

His entire bike is over the line. It's not like he was just on the line and a part of his body was over...

After watching the animation looks like the heal of the shoeless foot doesnt look right. looks like it broke after the impact.

Yeah, probably broke during the impact with the Blazer. This is the eact situation where a proper moto boot may have helped...

[gh0stie]

he's lucky he wasnt a few secs early or he'd have been INFRONT of the truck!

[El Matador]

certainly not after hitting the 5,000 pounds of truck.

If he had hit the 2 ton truck head on, yes, there would have been an immediate deceleration and change of direction. But in this case, the way he impacts the truck on the side would cause the bike to "bounce" off the truck and shed some speed, and the angle indicates that any quantifiable amount of force would've continued to push the bike on a forward trajectory.

Which does not happen. Instead you can see how the bike after falling on its side, just lays there. This indicates that the vehicle was traveling at a reduced rate of speed. Which is probably the only reason that the bike does not hit the blazer head on and the pics aren't as gory as an installment of SAW

And that concludes the physics lesson for the day.

[the_Journeyman]

IIRC from the photogs comment on the local site for Deal's Gap (my local forum) Speeds were right around the posted 30mph limit ~

JM

[bluemoco]

His entire bike is over the line. It's not like he was just on the line and a part of his body was over...

True, and there's really no excuse for that.  But I guess my point is that he wasn't intentionally running wide and using the whole road.  If that were the case, he'd have center-punched the Blazer right in the Bowtie. 

IMO, he ran wide because he target-fixated or had a series of 'cumulative' errors as Spidey noted earlier.