[Rollin' Thunda]

Having ridden a lot on the GT road passing through Kanpur, I am always careful when approaching curves/corners, as I often met up with an oncoming car/truck on the wrong (my) side, usually overtaking another oncoming vehicle. But in Hyderabad most of the major roads are divided and one doesn't really expect such things to happen. Not so.

Today I had gone with a friend to the Inorbit mall in Hitec city on my TBTS. While returing we had passed the last traffic circle on the Hitec city road, and were proceeding towards the Mumbai road. Those of you familiar with this road will know that it is wide and divided, and has a curve some distance before it joins the Mumbai road. Today being Sunday, there was almost no traffic on the road.

We were in the left lane and travelling at around 50 kmph. As we came to the curve (which is almost blind), I suddenly was a dark SUV coming the wrong way around the curve at around 40kmph, just 30-40 meters away. It was directly in our lane. I first braked, but as the vehicle kept coming straight at me, I accelerated to the right and the SUV shot past us missing us by about 1 meter--- at a combined speed, despite the braking, of atleast 60 kmph. With a headon collision with an SUV at that speed neither I nor my friend would have been likely to survive.

Neither I nor my friend saw the driver; there was a fat white woman smoking a cigarette on the passenger side. The driver was probably her husband. Even foreigners it seems are falling into the Indian mind-set regarding the rules of the road. I just cannot figure out why he was doing it.

I am sitting typing this with the acute sense that death passed us over today...

[Rollin' Thunda]

Originally Posted by Rollin' Thunda

Slow down and stay on the extreme left while taking blind turns/curves (both of right and left). This is to avoid being hit by oncoming vehicles cutting through the turn or overtaking in it. Overtaking on curves is extremely dangerous --- and extremely common in India. Expect to find yourself facing an SUV overtaking a truck on every blind turn, and you will not be surprised when you actually do so-- it will happen often enough.

This suggestion, made some time ago, was obviously meant for two-way undivided roads/highways. However, on divided roads/highways, in light of my experience above, I think it is better to stay on the right lane when turning a blind left, and on the left lane when turning right, to maximize visibility of the road ahead.

[geeta]

While riding bike, the foremost thing is to wear the helmet and speed should be under control.When I drive my Honda Activa, I always used to have it. The speedometer shows the speed that should be in green indicator. Speed at highways and other under-construction areas are advised to have about 20km. Also, no one can be the expert in riding, so precaution must be taken. Controlled speed saves the fuel as well. Have a safe drive!

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by geeta

Also, no one can be the expert in riding, so precaution must be taken. Controlled speed saves the fuel as well. Have a safe drive!

We all continue to learn and evolve. This is a never ending process.

I hope you are wearing a full-face helmet and please be very careful while riding in Patna. Its one of the worst nightmares to ride/drive around in Patna.

Ride Safe

^^Hope you have gone through this thread, it is really helpful and exposes you to many unforeseen uncertainties.

[ajithnarasimhan]

Originally Posted by Rollin' Thunda

At last, some discussion! I was beginning to believe no one was reading my posts!

I make a distinction between gradual reductions of speed, where I believe engine braking has a role, and rapid de-acceleration where I recommend that the clutch be held down. The latter case is to cultivate the habits that will help you during emergency braking, when you won't have time to think but will do whatever your habit tells you to do.

Engine braking requires you to hold in the clutch, shift gear down and release the clutch repeatedly. This would be very difficult to do in a very short time, when you are already concentrating on avoiding a collision and on not locking the brakes. Another factor is that giving power to the wheels, while simultaneously trying to stop them, does not make sense. But most important is the fact that this power will cause a High-sider, which will violently throw you over your bike, if you release the rear-brake by mistake, and your rear-wheel regains traction (as the clutch is not held in). See Highsider - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia High-siders are more likely to occur on more powerful motorcycles.

So on the whole it is far safer IMHO to hold in the clutch and rely on the brakes to do their job.

On your other point, I agree with you that you should not brake on a turn, but brake before you enter it and then accelerate during the turn. This is absolutely correct. I was however talking of emergency situations when you are forced to brake on a turn. I should have been more clear about that.

@rohan_iitr
Lets get practical pal, good tip that press clutch , both brakes, engine braking etc etc, but going by REFLEX, the first thing you do ( run this as a slow motion movie in your mind) , you apply the front brake + clutch together as reflex action followed by the rear brake a fraction of second later.you dont have time to think what you have written.
I had a high speed accident in wet conditions and how i easily could have avoided it was by tightening my rear brake , so to say, increase its sensitivity. As per my experience, the rear brakes are the actual SHOW stopper. my front brake( Bullet TBTS) works like a dream in fact too good, but used in perfect UNISON with the rear its a life saving combination esp under wet conditions.
@rollin thunda
I have had some situations where you misjudge the curve and enter it at a wrong speed and then forced to brake and correct the cornering, i agree its dangerous to brake and it damages your tyre shoulder but under these irreversible conditions I have applied more of front brake & less of rear.i understand the risks but its worked for me.Let me know how you handled such situations

[ajithnarasimhan]

Originally Posted by Rollin' Thunda

Always wear at least a helmet, riding gloves and ankle-covering boots, even if you are going just to the local shopping area. If you can, also wear a riding jacket, thick jeans, knee-pads and elbow protectors, especially for rides on highways.

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Ride safe, die of old age!

Pal, i think TIP 25 point 1 should have been the first tip " WEARING THE CORRECT RIDING GEAR ". No Risk More Fun. Jeans along with knee guards & ankle boots is a strict YES for long rides,trust me these easily avoid you from getting those niggling irritating cuts in your skin during fall.Riding with bruises after a fall is very very irritating.
Just to add one more point "On Long rides" -> take frequent Pit stops to DRINK WATER. you might not feel thirsty, but your body dehydrates faster

..I feel you should share some real life situations you have encountered in biking as examples & how you managed to recover and correct yourself...lessons learnt.It'll be a interesting & more interactive sharing & learning session..keen to hear this

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by ajithnarasimhan

Lets get practical pal, good tip that press clutch , both brakes, engine braking etc etc, but going by REFLEX, the first thing you do ( run this as a slow motion movie in your mind) , you apply the front brake + clutch together as reflex action followed by the rear brake a fraction of second later.you dont have time to think what you have written.
I had a high speed accident in wet conditions and how i easily could have avoided it was by tightening my rear brake , so to say, increase its sensitivity. As per my experience, the rear brakes are the actual SHOW stopper. my front brake( Bullet TBTS) works like a dream in fact too good, but used in perfect UNISON with the rear its a life saving combination esp under wet conditions.

Well, there are various forms of Motorcycles and Motorcycling. Sports, cruisers, street, dirt etc...

Bullet is a cruiser Motorcycle and whatever little experience I have had with it, I can safely vouch and say that the maximum amount of braking force is contributed by the front brake.

Contrary to what you might think, save for bad road or in off-road conditions, the braking forces should be handled by the front-brake and that is why the front disc brake is provided. You may scour the internet for this info. I am giving a very simplified link for your query.
Motorcycle Braking: 15 Questions and Answers - webBikeWorld

I believe that more than 90% of the braking is handled by the front brake. (dare I say 100%) and the rest is taken care by engine braking.

Braking is an art.

I have had some situations where you misjudge the curve and enter it at a wrong speed and then forced to brake and correct the cornering, i agree its dangerous to brake and it damages your tyre shoulder but under these irreversible conditions I have applied more of front brake & less of rear.i understand the risks but its worked for me.Let me know how you handled such situations

Our regular street tires are made of very hard compound rubber and unless you are doing burn-outs and or scrubbing it with a knife, you won't be damaging however hard you lean or brake or lean and brake.

Would advise everyone to take part in CSS wherever and whenever possible. This is the best gift you can gift yourself being a rider. I haven't, but wish to take part someday.

[n_aditya]

Found this video, thought I'd share as it could save some broken bones and lives. Hope people find it useful

YouTube - Crash Course - The SMIDSY

[Rollin' Thunda]

@aditya Good vid! Thanks for posting!

The weaving maneuver is also called the "Dakez weave" after a popular poster in ADVrider, who did a lot to popularize it. This is the first time I saw a video of the weave.

[Freebird82]

Brilliant thread Rollin' Thunda.

I have been driving/riding now for almost 12 years. A few learnings that will always stick through:

1. If it is your first time on any given road, do not drive fast(max 40 kph). This is especially true for inner city roads given the numerous nooks and corners we have, the poor state of lighting and the complete callous approach of pedestrians while walking/crossing.

2. This one really works for bikers - every time before riding, please check your RVMs and align them properly. Given the atrocious scenarios of parking lots, the attendant would've mostly straightened up/twisted your RVM just to fit in one more bike. And its always unpleasant to discover that once you are in the thick of traffic.

3. A little empathy goes a long way in safe and pleasant driving. If all of us were to, for a moment put ourselves in other's shoes, our streets would become a lot saner. But alas, i guess its too much of wishful thinking on my part. It doesnt work like a one way street.

[vivekiny2k]

I usually turn on high beam when I see a possible smidsy situation and turn it off just before crossing it. But I have never ridden in night (in US). I might not do that in night.

[Paulstar]

Originally Posted by Sheel

Braking is entirely different on different genres of Motorcycles.

You brake differently on a cruiser, street bike and on a sports bike, scooters are different ballgame again.

Rear-Brakes have many uses, stopping a Motorcycle isn't one of them.

+1
My understanding is that the rear wheel spinning is what keeps the bike upright in the first place, lock the rear and you lose a significant amount of control.

My e-braking on bikes has always been massage the front brake, progressively squeezing it more and more.

I don't bother with the clutch I push my foot heavily down on the gear selector and let the gearbox roll down a few gears as i'm slowing then either stop or ride around whatever it is im braking for.

Problem is, this only works when you're going straight ahead. Rear brakes on a sports bike are for u-turns and rolling around car parks.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by Paulstar

I don't bother with the clutch I push my foot heavily down on the gear selector and let the gearbox roll down a few gears as i'm slowing then either stop or ride around whatever it is im braking for.

Try blipping while going down the 'box while simultaneously releasing the clutch as gears go down.

In seconds, you go from 6th to 2nd while blipping & releasing clutch for times.

I blip more as it helps people notice the Motorcycle.

Tip for B roads (specifically for India):

While going out on the country roads, if you spot a goat/cow in the middle, WAIT before riding around.
It may be tied to a rope and in case if it runs to the other side and the rope gets stretched you might be experiencing a nasty fall amongst cowdung and boos.

[Sheel]

Was lucky to have an escape today.

A big truck trailer's tire gave up. Was lucky that it was the left one.

Overtake any vehicle with as much momentum as you can and keep a distance from vehicles passing you (both ways).

[Rollin' Thunda]

Yesterday, I took a ride to practice emergency braking, which I do once in a while.

I usually practice on a broad stretch of road near my place which is relatively unused as it leads to a dead-end, waiting to be joined to the ORR when that section is constructed.

The road quality is good, and it makes an excellent braking surface. I practice by accelerating to a good speed, then coasting a bit, and suddenly braking to almost a full stop, using a combination of rear and front brakes.

My usual speed before braking is 80 kmph [I hesitate to write this, as many of the readers of this thread are newbies to riding. For them I must say this: Do NOT attempt hard braking at such speed, as it can be DANGEROUS. Start with 20 kmph, and work your way up to 30 kmph, 40kmph, getting substantial practice at each level, before proceeding to the next. Also learn to recognise the braking properties of various road surfaces, and adjust your braking accordingly. For example, if there is gravel/potholes/breaks on the road, you have to brake much slower. AND WEAR PROTECIVE GEAR while doing this!]

Anyway, to get back to my subject. I have often braked at 80+ speeds on this road, as it has a good surface. Yesterday, however, it had rained lightly-- 20 minutes of a light drizzle -- before I started. But the road was just barely wet, certainly there was no standing water to be seen, and I did not think it would make much difference to its braking characteristics. So, accordingly, I accelerated to 80 kmph, coasted, and then suddenly braked--- and got a shock as the rear-wheel started skidding and fish-tailed (weaved from side-to-side) violently. I said UH-Oh, followed by a more pithy scatalogical epithet, and for a second fully expected to be thrown on the road with my bike sliding beside me. But fortunately, I instinctively eased up on the brakes (this is what this practice is all about, it teaches you to alter your braking dynamically depending on the bike's response) and the bike stabilized and I came to a relatively smooth stop.

While I was shaken, I continued my practice (but with my hard braking now substantially softer!). Later I remembered reading that the first rains after a long dry period release the dried-up motor oils caking the roads, and make them slippery and slick.

Be careful out there!