Motorcycle Safety and Dynamics How to Survive the Experience Throughout Your Riding Career First published in 2011 by The Master Strategy Group, Houston, Texas. Copyright © 2011 by James R. Davis All rights reserved. With the exception of quoting brief passages for the purposes of review, no part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission from the Master Strategy Group. The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. All recommendations are made without any guarantee on the part of the authors or the Master Strategy Group, who also disclaim any liability incurred in connection with the use of this data or specific details. We recognize, further, that some words, model names, and designations mentioned herein are the property of the trademark holder. We use them for identification purposes only. This is not an official publication. ISBN-978-1-257-44016-0 Manufactured in the United States of America First United States Edition Table of Contents Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 PHASE 0 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 8 I. WANNABE .......................................................................................................................................................................... 8 II. MOTIVATION ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8 III. SOME PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE RIDING MOTORCYCLES ................................................................................................... 10 IV. TAKING THE FIRST STEP—TRAINING ................................................................................................................................ 13 V. BUYING YOUR FIRST BIKE ................................................................................................................................................. 22 PHASE 1 ............................................................................................................................................................................... 33 I. NEWBIE ............................................................................................................................................................................ 33 II. PARKING YOUR MOTORCYCLE .......................................................................................................................................... 33 III. CUSTOMIZING YOUR BIKE TO FIT YOUR NEEDS ................................................................................................................ 35 IV. BEFORE EACH RIDE ......................................................................................................................................................... 37 V. ONE-TIME PARKING LOT PRACTICE (PLP) LESSONS AND EXPLANATIONS ........................................................................... 44 VI. ONGOING PARKING LOT PRACTICE LESSONS ................................................................................................................... 74 VII. MUST-HAVES WHENEVER YOU RIDE PAST YOUR DRIVEWAY .......................................................................................... 81 VIII. STREET RIDING – SOLO .................................................................................................................................................. 84 IX. TOURING ....................................................................................................................................................................... 117 X. DEALING WITH THREATS ................................................................................................................................................. 122 XI. RALLIES .......................................................................................................................................................................... 123 XII. DEMO RIDES ................................................................................................................................................................. 123 XIII. MENTORS .................................................................................................................................................................... 124 XIV. THE SAFETY MINDSET .................................................................................................................................................. 124 XV. CARRYING A PASSENGER .............................................................................................................................................. 126 XVI. GROUP RIDING ............................................................................................................................................................ 126 XVII. SOME FINAL THOUGHTS ............................................................................................................................................. 126 GLOSSARY ........................................................................................................................................................................... 132 APPENDIX A – ENGINE GUARDS .......................................................................................................................................... 150 APPENDIX B – WEIGHT TRANSFER (NEWTONIAN PHYSICS 101) ............................................................................................ 152 APPENDIX C – TRACTION PIE ............................................................................................................................................... 157 APPENDIX D – COUNTER-STEERING PRESSURE MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................ 158 APPENDIX E – RESTORING FORCE ........................................................................................................................................ 160 APPENDIX F – HIGH-SIDE DYNAMICS ................................................................................................................................... 160 APPENDIX G – 5 MPH IS NOT TRIVIAL .................................................................................................................................. 163 APPENDIX H – WHY FINDING THE RIGHT SHIFT POINT IS IMPORTANT .................................................................................. 166 APPENDIX I – FRONT-END GEOMETRY AND THE RESTORING FORCE ..................................................................................... 167 APPENDIX J – HYDROPLANING ISSUES ................................................................................................................................. 169 INDEX ................................................................................................................................................................................. 171 TABLE OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................................................................. 175 LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................................................... 176 Introduction Fifteen years ago the two authors of this book, Cash and Jim, experienced motorcyclists, it meant to us that she had were part of a three-motorcycle group, touring along a forgotten everything she had ever learned about counter- country road on a crisp fall day in Texas in perfect riding steering. weather. Jim was riding a Honda Gold Wing and carrying a passenger, Judy, at the time. Cash was on a cruiser, a Honda Magna, leading the group. Our third rider, a friend named Karen Miller, was riding a Honda Shadow 500 that we had assisted her to purchase some months before. Not long after a stop for lunch, we were coming out of a sweeping, gentle curve to the right, traveling at the posted speed limit. The only other vehicle on the road was a pickup truck approaching us in the oncoming lane traveling at somewhat below that speed limit, preparing to turn right onto a dirt road. Riding lead, Cash passed the truck without incident. Immediately behind her, Karen’s bike crossed the double yellow line in the road and hit the truck’s left front quarter panel. Her bike then bounced off the truck and headed all the way across the lane, right in front of Jim, before ending up on its side on top of her. Karen was critically injured and was taken by Life Flight to a major trauma center in Houston. She nearly lost her left leg from impact with the truck, and she had multiple injuries to the left side of her body. She was in intensive care for weeks. Sixteen years later, she has Figure 1: Target Fixation Accident undergone more than 30 surgeries on her left leg in her efforts to recover from this disaster. The crash affected Given that Jim had been riding for almost 40 years at the Karen’s health, career, finances, psychological outlook, time, attaining nearly half a million miles of experience, relationships, and all of her future. It also affected