Without a doubt, the bike's ABS and Cornering ABS saved the day here... My staying upright in the goo was all thanks to the safety features on the Indian Challenger. I think where training paid off was : * Staying calm * Deciding to straighten the bike, and accepting running straight ahead and off the road as the least worse of the bad options I had available. * Relaxing my grip and upper body * Looking where I wanted to go, not at the front tire. * I guess a bonus was getting into 1st gear during the chaos of weed-whacking. If anything this has reinforced my belief in training and ABS in all of its forms. Training and ABS save lives and chrome! 😉 If you want to grow your skills join MCrider! You will find a GREAT group of riders all focussed on the same goal...getting better on two wheels and you will get the Field Guide with training exercises designed to help you grow your skills. www.MCrider.com/Member
Over twenty years of flying taught me the importance of training and practice. Deeply ingrained procedures allow one the calm you mentioned and the ability to react to changing conditions when unusual situations occur. They can be the difference between a good story and a tragic headline. I would also second your comment about rider aids, ABS, traction control, etc. I understand people who don't like them, but the evidence suggests they are mistaken. Your "Field Guide" is a great training aid, though I don't find much value in the forum. But that's just me and many others obviously disagree. Glad you came through that experience without any damage to you or the bike!
@@cliffray1683 crashed. Likely locking the front tire on the first application of that brake and down you go (immediately) -- without ABS and on a super slick surface.
Nothing but facts here. It's crazy how people feel like because they're a certain age or they've been doing a certain thing for so long that there's nothing that they need to learn. Keep on teaching sir. I'm here for it.
I've seen so many 50 60+ year old riders riding in the right lane next to cars parked on the side of the road in the city, I wonder how they've managed to stay alive so long...
The worst riders I see in the classes I take every year are the ones who "have been riding 30 years, I don't need to learn anything, I'm just here to get the legal endorsement on my license." Honestly terrible riders, and it's amazing how much improvement even I see in just 5 hours in a parking lot.
I believe one of the things that separates good riders from those that think they are great is personal responsibility. I don't blame the road or other drivers for near incidents. Great moment, thanks for sharing. In regards to rear endings: Earlier this week, I was slow rolling about a car length from a red light in traffic when I heard the unmistakable sound of tires screeching from behind. The cross traffic was clear, so I accelerated through the intersection. THEN I looked in my mirror to see a pick up with a trailer cocked where I had just been. Had I been stopped or had I actually took the time to check the mirrors, I may not have had enough time to get out of the way. Had I not spent the time practicing slow riding techniques, I would have been stopped. It is not the first time I have felt the need to react to save my rear end and they are certainly not all preventable, but I see no need in disregarding practice. I will take a possible ticket for maneuvering to avoid a collision any day of the week. It's just a light, or paint. or grass. I am going to get out of the way and deal with that later. Edit: I don't blame the pick up. It may have been his first time pulling a trailer and didn't realize how much the weight of the trailer would push against his braking. He looked pretty embarrassed. I felt no need to talk to him about it and continued my ride.
Sounds like I’ll be taking more motorcycle safety courses, to re-instill what I’ve learned (and it’s been about 5 years since a course). I remember a time I was stopped in bumper to bumper freeway traffic; it had just started and I was surprised to see everyone coming to a stop and had to stop a little sooner than I expected. Then the driver behind me was “the one” of those people that saw us all too late. Within seconds of me stopping on my Softail heritage, the guy comes to a very haulting stop from a higher speed to my left on the shoulder. That was another day I was being watched over by Angels - I am “sure” of it.
Kevin, please know that you are a Godsend to all of us, no matter the skill level, no matter how long we’ve been riding, we totally appreciate everything you say and do for us. And I can assure you that you are loved by 99.9999999999% of us 😉
@@MCrider I wonder if it's perhaps potentially a little bit unfair to imply that it's highly suspect, if somebody has been rear ended in 45 years of riding like you did, that's a long time and lots of other road users. Great videos though, I'm absorbing them in preparation for riding after I hopefully pass my test here in the UK.
Great video. Glad to know even highly skilled riders like you can still be challenged and that those skills served you well just when you needed them the most. I agree about the rear-ender comments. As a rider you have to have your wits active for every conceivable situation. Safe riding.
Kevin, this was a good teaching moment. Thanks for sharing your mindset and expertise. Well done! It is interesting how we derive pleasure from being enticed to explore the envelope of high performance vehicles. I am well past the cocky stage and somehow survived. I appreciate your reminders and encouragement to train.
Every time I ride my Challenger I practice. It's just a habit I formed. I'll come up to a stop sign with no one behind me, and I'll do an emergency break technic. Riding on the road with no cars around me I'll perform an emergency swerve technic. When I pull into a parking lot and it's pretty empty I have an erge to ride in a tight circle in both directions. Plus other slow-speed maneuvers. I want to be ready for anything at all times. I also record every ride I do, even if I'm just riding a couple of miles to the store. I've had people see me doing this and yell "Learn How To Ride Your Bike"! I ignore them and keep doing what I love to do, I really appreciate your videos. I do learn something from every one of them and I apply it to my next ride. Thank you, Kevin, I appreciate what you do for us.
Agreed, the MSF advanced rider course has a specific exercise for avoiding a rear end collision. Stopping with a clear escape route, and the emergency stop and immediately veering around an obstacle and getting out. I always stop to one side, and watch my mirrors with the bike in gear until there are at least 2 stopped cars behind me. All stuff learned in class or RUclips
Ride it out and make no sudden inputs. Been there, just like your car the safest place is on the seat of the bike, keep you feet up and wait for the crash. Thank you Kevin, you're the best.
Right…. and ride it as if you “will” make it (relax) because sometimes sure enough, you will make it through. It’s a motorcycle (I’ve reminded myself, before) it’s made for all kinds of roads and dirt. He sure is lucky to have gotten through that tall grass!!!
Had a similar experience years ago. I was riding on a fairly windy road in good conditions. I went over a bridge and created a rise. Not knowing if anything was oncoming I stayed to the outside of my side of the road. Over the crest I discovered three people in the middle of the road taking photographs. There was little time to react. The bike I was on was a sport bike with zero riding aids and it was fairly new to me. I decided to head out onto the shoulder of the road which was unsealed gravel between two trees. All this time I was fully aware of grabbing for the brakes would have been a bad choice. I rolled out the other side with me and bike intact and three stupid tourists wondering what just happened. Funnily enough that day sticks with me. I’ve been hit by a car going through a stop sign which resulted in 3 months in hospital and rehab. I still question to this day if I could have avoided that. All witnesses and police report say no and the car driver was at fault but that still doesent stop me thinking “what if”. Minimise your “what if’s” at all costs. Your Chanel has progressed a lot Kevin. Well done. 👍🏻
As a commercial pilot of three and a half decades flying anything from gliders to high flying jets, training and re-training is how we stay alive and keep our passengers alive! I started riding motorcycles recently (4 years) and I found them to be as ‘needy’ or more on continuous training than aircraft’s. Every ride for me is a ‘practice’ ride, emergency braking, slow speed maneuvers, paying attention to road strategy…… I find riding a motorcycle ‘correctly’ as challenging as flying a jet into a busy airspace like New York in bad weather! I ride a lot but still consider myself as a ‘student’ and always will!
Good story of real life experiences! I'm 62, just got a bike again after about 40 years of not having one. I remember one time in 1978 when I had my first bike ('74 TX500 Yamaha with high rise handle bars) when following my brother-in-law we crossed a one lane bridge that was at right angles to the road. He crossed and I followed only to meet a MG Midget coming onto the bridge at a high rate of speed! Only option I had was to go straight which was into a field of weeds higher than my head. I had the presence of mind to just keep going and actually made a left turn in the weeds and came back onto the road almost hitting my brother-in-law who had stopped figuring that he would be picking me out of the field! Still don't know how I kept it all together as I was only 5'2" at the time and couldn't even touch the ground when I stopped the bike. I learned to slide off the side when stopping. Good experience to teach you to just stay relaxed and ride it out like you did!
Wow! You had me on the edge of my seat listening to your story! Your advice is the absolute best! You’re the Dave Ramsey of motorcycle training in my opinion 😁
Great video. I agree with your position on constantly practicing your skills. There’s just no substitute for practice. I bought my first bike last year and have been watching your videos for a couple years now. They have proved to be tremendously valuable for me. I was in an emergency breaking situation crossing an intersection last year where a young driver ran his red light at a high speed and never slowed down-never even saw me. I literally stopped inches before a collision that would have been devastating for me. I calmly applied emergency braking techniques that I practiced several days a week in a parking lot because I agreed with and follow the advice that you and several other experienced riders give about constant practice. In that instance practice didn’t just give me some more cool skills, it probably saved my life. I agree that it is our responsibility to learn from our mistakes. I knew that I benefited greatly from practicing, but I also knew that if I had not launched forward as soon as my light turned green ahead of everyone else I wouldn’t have even been in that situation. So it taught me to relax and stop launching my bike as soon as the light turns green at an intersection. Something I already knew, but now it’s hardwired from that experience to just relax and be more diligent checking the crossing lanes at an intersection for that driver that runs the red. Thank you for another great video. Keep ’em coming!
A lot of your reaction and comments reminded me of an incident that happened to me last summer. Coming around a sweeping left curve, an approaching car appeared on the center line. The car continued to cross the line into my lane. Still in the curve I was forced to the shoulder and quickly realized I was going to be forced into the grass. I remember saying to myself, repeatedly, keep the handlebars staright, keep your head up. I was able to ride it back onto the pavement, but I still flinch at oncoming traffic in curves.
Good day Kevin. Noel Delizo here from the Philippines. Your pointers in motorcycling has saves me so many times from broken bones specially woth the set up of roads here and the general attitude of motorcycle and four wheel drivers, including stray dogs.
excellent advice. Like most riders, I do not practice enough, though I do practice some...at 67 yrs of age with over 50 yrs of riding all sorts of bikes and a lot of situations I know I still have more to learn - especially on the big touring bikes I now ride. In a past life (young, dumb and full of, well whatever...) I did in fact lay my bike down vs heading off into the woodline, several times in fact. Nothing to be proud of and certainly only due to youth and ignorance. I for one am a MAJOR fan of the ABS on my Chieftain and it has saved me several times. As on old infantryman I know that repetative training and building muscle memory is the key to survival when the excrement hits the fan. Here's to more time spent practicing...
Kudos to you Kevin for being honest about your potential crash situation. Training and practice works, experience alone will not. If more riders were at your proficiency level our horrendous Texas motorcycle crash statistics would greatly improve.
You are spot on … and Blessed to have a safe outcome. I very much believe your teaching to get better and more training. I am taking my first formal training class, an Intermediate class, after ride for 50 years. I know I can be safer, and at 69 years old, thats what you’ve got to be.
I am a MSF Coach and dont critique riders on rides, unless they are unsafe riders, but I do watch their riding and from what I have observed (strictly my opinion) the riders that claim they dont need practice or need to take a training class need it the most.
Thank you Kevin for both your off roading story (a good lesson for all to learn from) and your comment on the feedback re training and practice (T & P). I appreciate your feedback from one of the viewers and that you shared it. Listening to both sides of the discussion makes it easy to pick my approach. With out T & P we are relying on luck only to survive. That's not the journey I want to be on.
Couldn’t agree more with your perspective to learn from our experiences and your focus upon what “you” could have done to avoid the situation you found yourself in. Needless to say,your response was not only impressive to say the least but it was also effective. Well done Kevin.
Thank you Kevin for this channel, your practical, no nonsense, safety first approach to your articles are so very informative. After riding for 11 years, this past month I took a 2 day rider brush up course after your suggestions and I didn't realize how much I'd forgotten. And the older you get the harder it is to recall and react. A course well worth it.
I wish the motorcycle community had more humble people like you. Skills I have learned off do come in handy on the road. Not sure how anyone can think you don’t need to practice! Great story!
I have to attribute practice and training (along with yours and other videos!) to saving my sorry butt more than once. I ride in San Francisco and it is quite a dynamic? enviornment to be riding in.Terrain, road conditions and other road users (bicycles, busses, cable cars, scooters, Ebikes, skateboards etc.) make for some challenging situations to say the least. So yeah... experience riding in San Francisco has taught me a lot but it's the practice and training that ALLOWED me to GET the experience in the first place.
Hello Kevin, I thoroughly enjoyed this video: great lessons embedded within it, thank you. I’m one who does not believe in laying my bike down to avoid a collision, because in my opinion there is no guarantee I would be any better off! I have learned a lot from watching your videos since I became a member, and I appreciate all the good content, thank you! I’m glad you survived what could have been a severely disastrous situation and frankly if it had been me, I would have taken the same course. God bless you, Loyal.
Kevin, This piece was awesomely constructed and clearly a must for all riders to be able to take some much needed insight from. You deffinitely handled the commentor in a clear and concise manner. Awareness is key! WELL DONE SIR! Keep up the awesome job.
I've been riding for 53 years and I still learn, and I can also attest training pays off, and if not practiced skills will decrease. Good story and good lessons learned from it. Thanks for your vids, much appreciated!
Thanks for the story; it was helpful. As for rear end issue, I'd suggest the Position box you illustrated include "1st gear, clutch in" be added. Glad you came out of this ok.
Great as always. I,ve been rearended once in my life. 45 yrs ago, a buddy of mine leant me his bike. Neglected to tell me it had a bad hesitation just off idle. Initially thought it was just because of a cold engine. Anyway, first stop sign i tried to pull into traffic from, the engine bogged and stalled. The truck following closely behind, assumed i was following through, and bumped me hard. Dont know how i avoided injury as the bike was shoved out from under me. Anyway, no permanent damage. Truck driver blamed himself for not being attentive enough. Bike owner blamed himself for not warning me about hesitation. And i learned valuable lesson when 'trying out someone elses bike'.
MCrider is spot on here. I personally avoided being rear ended last Septemeber by training myself when coming to a stop to look in my mirrors and watch. A: the cars approaching speed and B: the drivers face. Positioning myself as i always do with an "Out" and being far enough back when i stopped to make my way to that out should it become nessersary I came to a stop looking immediatley into my mirros saw a woman not slowing with her head looking down. I gave my thottle a squirt and had enough room in front of me to perform that easily I have a goldwing DCT and it gets there quick and has vibration free mirrors. She ran into the back of the vehicle in front of me at over 30 mph.She didn't even see the person in front of me i would have been toast. Don't tell me you cannot train for a being rear ended. You Can.
Good lesson. Once in dry conditions on my GSA, I took an exit and planned to take it aggressively using trail breaking. It was a full circle, maybe 35 mph exit. It started under a bridge, so I had no view ahead at first. After going under the bridge and starting the right turn, I was met with an exit covered in liquid fertilizer a tracktor must have spilled. I was in Kansas. Braking was limited, and the front tire slipped when I tried to remain in the center of the lane. I was relaxed and didn't try to maintain lane position. I allowed the bike to slowly wander off to the left shoulder, where I could see a dry path along the rumble strip and before the reflectors. The slowed a bit, and when I reached the dry path, it was able to gain traction, and I completed the exit. I was on a long trip in unfamiliar areas. I learned to take more precautions in unfamiliar areas and on blind curves.
So glad to hear your okie dokie. Thank God for training. As to the commenter, I used to ride every day to work about 25 miles each way for about 6 years until i retired. Because of the hours I worked, the traffic was usually light, and I was always careful. With that I can say for certain that in all that time an miles, I didn't get any practice (thank God) on emergency braking, swerving or escape and evade etc... If it weren't for purposeful practice and training , I wouldn't have had any practice for the time I would need it.
The hardest thing to train/practice for is target fixation during a panic stop, you can reinforce what to do but you can't recreate the panic that causes you to fixate on the target. After 50,000 miles of riding and usually being prepared for such an instance a woman turned right like she was getting on the freeway but it was only to swing wide for an illegal U-turn in front of me, I had plenty of time to swerve but I fixated... luckily she got out of the way in time.
I had an encounter with an unexpected mud patch on my Fireblade recently, dry roads dry day, rounded a blind corner I’ve been around a thousand times, the road had always been clear in the past, this time due to a vehicle leaving a farm exit there were two stationary cars infront of me, and the road surface about 20 feet ahead of me was a mass of mud, I hit the brakes real hard and scrubbed off most of my speed, reduced brake pressure as I hit the mud and carefully came to rest about a foot behind the rearmost car, what saved me?, I hadn’t entered the blind bend at a crazy speed, I used the dry tarmac to lose as much speed as possible, I adjusted my braking pressure when almost on the mud and across the mud, and I didn’t panic, not even as I approached the rear of the car not sure I was going to avoid hitting it, I reasoned it was by that point going to be a very slow collision, interesting moment though!
ABS is great for panic over reaction, but often terrible for stuff like extended low traction. Without ABS on the rear, I bet you could have slowed the bike fine. May have caused a little fish tailing, but it would have been controllable enough. I first discovered this using my Versys on an offroad ride. Going down a muddy hill, the ABS just cut off the rear brakes and left me careening toward the guy ahead of me, full speed ahead. Fortunately, he was far enough ahead that we didn't collide. After that, I started pulling the ABS fuse before taking it off road. I've had the same problem with other bikes braking hard into a corner while sport riding, to have the brakes cut out. Again, the returned before I ran off the road, but it is not a comforting feeling relying on the computer. I'm sure there's good systems on the higher end bikes, where it was developed for racing, but mine have never been that sophisticated and I'm not sure the basic ABS adds a lot for a rider experienced with a bike sliding around a bit.
I'll bet a large amount that the guy who twice was rear-ended, that at the end of each experience he thought of things he should have done differently. That IS PROOF that practice matters.
I have never taken the MSF course, I've been riding longer than the course has been around (started riding minibike age 8, currently 65, ride year round). This guy is either not telling the truth, which is likely the case, or is very foolish. When we think we no longer need to keep our knife sharp, that is when we get cut! I practice in parking lots, and watch Kevin's videos to remind me to stay sharp. Always a thumbs up, brother.
Totally agree. Failing to learn from mistakes and blaming it all on external factors, hampers the ability to learn and improve. Some people continue making the same mistakes, some get scared and stop riding.
Great video. After coming to a stop, the first thing I would have thought was - thank God there wasn't a drainage ditch with a cement abutment hiding in that grass. Glad you made it.
That exit ramp "exit" sounds like what us dual sport guys do for fun... an easy grip on the bars and *getting your butt off the seat* will let you ride through just about anything. Well done, sir.
I've had close calls over the years, and one thing that I have learned is to pull over in a safe spot as soon as possible to 1. reflect on what happened and 2. allow myself time to calm down afterwards. Walking off the adrenalin and hormone boosts caused by your fight or flight response and calming the mind can be very important and possibly prevent another incident. Riding juiced up and angry or not firmly in the correct mind can cause mistakes. I had an extremely close call last year when a car pulled out as I was passing trough an intersection. It was a wide open field and I could see a car just sitting at a stop sign about a 1/4 mile in front of me. I watched the car closely and as I got closer it hadn't moved. I assumed that the driver was likely looking at thier phone or something else. I learned years ago to watch the rims on a vehicle as they are a great indicator of motion, so I started watching. As I got closer and closer, no movement. I didn't have a stop sign, and the speed limit was 50 mph, but because I made the assumption that they were distracted, I began slowing as I approached. The windows were tinted, so I could not see the driver. I had slowed to about 25 Mph as I entered the intersection and the driver went. I swerved hard to the right and could see the hood of the car in my peripheral vision. Missed me by inches. Had I not slowed down... maybe we whouldn't have had the close call, I may have been clear when they left, BUT, had I not slowed down, I would have not been able to make the hard swerve that I made to get away from the bumper. I pulled over and stopped immediately....as did the other driver incredibly... and I (somehow) calmly motioned them on. With my emotional state at the time, thier appoligies would have been on deaf ears. I paced for several minutes with the shakes and natural high until I was calm enough to ride safely.
Every year when I begin riding again after the weather improves my first stop on my bike is a parking lot where I go through the basics of emergency breaking, breaking and swerving, slaloming among other things. Greetings from Bavaria, wish I was back home in Fort Worth
Great video! I think it also points out how important off road riding is. It not prepares a rider for no traction situations, it also lowers the fear of doing what you did since doing it calmly is the best way to. It opens the door to another way out of a tough spot.
Great video. I laid my 2010 Honda Fury over purposely to avoid a direct collision with a lady who pulled out in front of me, panicked, and completely blocked the road. I had planned to take the ditch as an escape route, but I didn't have the time. Fortunately I was able to ride the bike home as it suffered only cosmetic damage. But I still wonder that if I had been just a bit more relaxed, could I have found a better escape, and possibly avoided the accident at all. I've been riding well over 20 years now, and still I find myself learning and relearning things all the time. I've applied several techniques learned from this channel to my riding, and I feel safer because of it. Thank you for your videos and everything you do.
Great story, Kevin. Excellent teaching moment. I run "what if" situations through my head while riding and often wonder if I could take the Wing thru the ditch, if I ever needed to. I hope my off road riding from decades ago would kick in. I don't want to find out but those thoughts give my brain an option, if I ever needed it.
I avoided being rear ended by practicing the skill of leaving enough room and having an escape path. A car was coming up behind me too fast and I was able to move out of the way. The car screeched to a stop just behind the car that has been in front of me. I would have been hit had I not practiced this skill! ❤️🏍️
I've had the Basic Rider Course and other intermediate courses hosted by motor officers. They've included "brake and escape" drills, but I'm a bit surprised that none have included the escape from a standstill like what Kevin showed in this video.
Mr. MCRider - I agree 100% with your comments. Ride thru was the best option. I've been riding for about 40 years and training ( and re-enforcement of ) prepares you for emergencies. You can practice as much as possible to develop that 2nd NATURE to help you react in a calm manner ( there can be a billion scenarios and all you ca do is prepare for.....). When you panic because you have not learned/developed the technics of turn, breaking, position , angle etc. The lack of, will increase your odds for a bad outcome. I'm happy you and your bike were fine and that you were able to share your story..... Ride safe - greetings from Houston, TX
Watched this video with my wife. Thought the key thing that I heard there was never to panic. I believe training builds the confidence to keep you in control even to the end. You panini your going down. I continuously here from long time riders I prioritize parking lot practice to much. I beg to differ. Thanks for another great video Kevin.
Thanks for the video. I just finished BRC 1, and I've been watching yours and other's videos on how to deal with "when bad things happen", and it's very informative. I can only control my driving, and there are a ton more people than just me on the road. So it's not really an "if bad things happen" it's a "when". All I can do is try to delay as long as possible, and learn the mindset that has kept others alive and healthy.
Thanks for sharing this story, Kevin. It's a good reminder to me that no matter how skilled or well-trained we are, things happen. I've been riding long enough that I fell pretty confident now, but I don't want to get over confident. I hope I would react the same way you did in that situation. I have had a couple of close calls and I did react well, but I definitely want to keep practicing.
Great video message. It’s a good lesson for me trying to be the safest rider I can be. Pay close attention to the road surface ahead. Watch the mirrors and have an escape route when stopping. Relax when you have to suddenly go onto an unknown riding surface. If I encounter similar conditions I will now have a better chance of getting through it safely. Thank you.
Best video by you that I have watched. I can relate, I also has a similar experience back in the 60's when I didn't have ABS or traction control. I was coming into a curve when I felt the rear tire starting to slip. I knew that if I continued to turn I was going down. I continued to go straight into a grassy and brushy area. My main concern was now avoiding large bushes and brush which I was able to to. I got back on the road and continued on to class. It wasn't until that evening that I was able to have the time to evaluate the situation. I was able to figure out that we had had a full moon that night at the same as high tide with unsettled weather conditions. Between the extra high tide and some wind, bay water had flooded the road that night washing scum and bits of debris on the roadway resulting in extremely slippery conditions. To this day I will not enter a corner aggressively until I can see the whole turn and importantly the pavement condition. Your video brought that day long ago back vividly back to mind. I had another one about the same time, I low sided on an exit ramp curve that was covered with oil, diesel fuel or something slick. I couldn't go straight due to curbing and opposing traffic. I was fine after the get off but slammed my elbow on the pavement after falling on the slick pavement. This incident happened prior to the excursion into the bushes. To this day I don't think there was anything I could have done to prevent this fall but I did upgrade the tires to some that were more street oriented rather than dual purpose but I don't think they would have helped. I have a group ride tomorrow so I am going to wash my bike then go practice a bit on the DMV testing pattern a couple of blocks away. Thanks again for this excellent video.
down shift for sure. a slipper clutch still engages after you let go of the lever. i use this method all most every stop especially in high traffic so i am seen stopping. the only time i use my front break is if im comming in to hot. ill tell you my bike will stop faster than i can, ask me how i know. haha couple times i found myself off the seat inspecting my front fender. i found the video. haha ps ive been ridding 50 years and still practice at least twice a week and also at every turn,stop . i make a game out of it. how long at a 4 way can i stop without puting a foot down. how slow can i stay in a straight line waiting for the light to change. i ride with my 90# pitbull so every time i pull out of my house i run a figure eight on my side street. its easy i think its 21 feet but just gets me in a mindset before i leave.
I went into a 90 degree curve on a 40F day and my rear wheel slides out on Fresh Pea stone. The Ditch was very shallow and there was a yard. I got the bike straight, hit the brakes and went straight into the ditch and yard as opposed to trying to my the curve.. I hit the hard at maybe 10 mph .. turned back onto the road and continued on my way. I never saw the county use Tar and Stone before. They always used Hot Asphalt patching material in the past.
Thanks for sharing the great learning opportunity for us on your Indian Challenger ADV bike :-) Another place I've found this is the on ramps near truck stops, especially on the outside of the curve. Big trucks fill up, and when they go around the corner to get back on the highway centrifugal force sloshes a little diesel out of the tank and onto the pavement. It's slick when it is dry, and REALLY slick when it rains. I've learned to stick to the inside curve on most on ramps where I can, and take it easy on those too.
Kevin, glad you and your bike came out of that unscathed. An Amazing and Informative video... Thank you for all you do for the motorcycling community. See you on the road!
Without a doubt, the bike's ABS and Cornering ABS saved the day here... My staying upright in the goo was all thanks to the safety features on the Indian Challenger.
I think where training paid off was :
* Staying calm
* Deciding to straighten the bike, and accepting running straight ahead and off the road as the least worse of the bad options I had available.
* Relaxing my grip and upper body
* Looking where I wanted to go, not at the front tire.
* I guess a bonus was getting into 1st gear during the chaos of weed-whacking.
If anything this has reinforced my belief in training and ABS in all of its forms.
Training and ABS save lives and chrome! 😉
If you want to grow your skills join MCrider! You will find a GREAT group of riders all focussed on the same goal...getting better on two wheels and you will get the Field Guide with training exercises designed to help you grow your skills.
www.MCrider.com/Member
Over twenty years of flying taught me the importance of training and practice. Deeply ingrained procedures allow one the calm you mentioned and the ability to react to changing conditions when unusual situations occur. They can be the difference between a good story and a tragic headline.
I would also second your comment about rider aids, ABS, traction control, etc. I understand people who don't like them, but the evidence suggests they are mistaken.
Your "Field Guide" is a great training aid, though I don't find much value in the forum. But that's just me and many others obviously disagree.
Glad you came through that experience without any damage to you or the bike!
So had you been riding a 1500 with none of those features what would you have done
@@cliffray1683 crashed. Likely locking the front tire on the first application of that brake and down you go (immediately) -- without ABS and on a super slick surface.
@@beepbop6697 wouldn't touch the front brake period, would try dropping a gear and rear brakes applied ever so slightly, and easily release the clutch
@@cliffray1683 I'm a fairly new rider. I was thinking drop a gear as well, but not sure if that would've caused the bike to slide. Opinion please.
Nothing but facts here. It's crazy how people feel like because they're a certain age or they've been doing a certain thing for so long that there's nothing that they need to learn. Keep on teaching sir. I'm here for it.
In my experience those that don't think there's anything more they need to learn have felt that way since they first starting riding.
I've seen so many 50 60+ year old riders riding in the right lane next to cars parked on the side of the road in the city, I wonder how they've managed to stay alive so long...
The worst riders I see in the classes I take every year are the ones who "have been riding 30 years, I don't need to learn anything, I'm just here to get the legal endorsement on my license." Honestly terrible riders, and it's amazing how much improvement even I see in just 5 hours in a parking lot.
Why do folks always say "feel like" lately, no one cares about your feelings, say what you think.
I believe one of the things that separates good riders from those that think they are great is personal responsibility. I don't blame the road or other drivers for near incidents. Great moment, thanks for sharing.
In regards to rear endings: Earlier this week, I was slow rolling about a car length from a red light in traffic when I heard the unmistakable sound of tires screeching from behind. The cross traffic was clear, so I accelerated through the intersection. THEN I looked in my mirror to see a pick up with a trailer cocked where I had just been. Had I been stopped or had I actually took the time to check the mirrors, I may not have had enough time to get out of the way. Had I not spent the time practicing slow riding techniques, I would have been stopped. It is not the first time I have felt the need to react to save my rear end and they are certainly not all preventable, but I see no need in disregarding practice. I will take a possible ticket for maneuvering to avoid a collision any day of the week. It's just a light, or paint. or grass. I am going to get out of the way and deal with that later.
Edit: I don't blame the pick up. It may have been his first time pulling a trailer and didn't realize how much the weight of the trailer would push against his braking. He looked pretty embarrassed. I felt no need to talk to him about it and continued my ride.
Sounds like I’ll be taking more motorcycle safety courses, to re-instill what I’ve learned (and it’s been about 5 years since a course). I remember a time I was stopped in bumper to bumper freeway traffic; it had just started and I was surprised to see everyone coming to a stop and had to stop a little sooner than I expected. Then the driver behind me was “the one” of those people that saw us all too late. Within seconds of me stopping on my Softail heritage, the guy comes to a very haulting stop from a higher speed to my left on the shoulder. That was another day I was being watched over by Angels - I am “sure” of it.
Kevin, please know that you are a Godsend to all of us, no matter the skill level, no matter how long we’ve been riding, we totally appreciate everything you say and do for us. And I can assure you that you are loved by 99.9999999999% of us 😉
Thank you Wally!
@@MCrider 👊🏻
@@MCrider I wonder if it's perhaps potentially a little bit unfair to imply that it's highly suspect, if somebody has been rear ended in 45 years of riding like you did, that's a long time and lots of other road users. Great videos though, I'm absorbing them in preparation for riding after I hopefully pass my test here in the UK.
Great video. Glad to know even highly skilled riders like you can still be challenged and that those skills served you well just when you needed them the most. I agree about the rear-ender comments. As a rider you have to have your wits active for every conceivable situation. Safe riding.
Kevin, this was a good teaching moment. Thanks for sharing your mindset and expertise. Well done! It is interesting how we derive pleasure from being enticed to explore the envelope of high performance vehicles. I am well past the cocky stage and somehow survived. I appreciate your reminders and encouragement to train.
Every time I ride my Challenger I practice. It's just a habit I formed. I'll come up to a stop sign with no one behind me, and I'll do an emergency break technic. Riding on the road with no cars around me I'll perform an emergency swerve technic. When I pull into a parking lot and it's pretty empty I have an erge to ride in a tight circle in both directions. Plus other slow-speed maneuvers. I want to be ready for anything at all times. I also record every ride I do, even if I'm just riding a couple of miles to the store. I've had people see me doing this and yell "Learn How To Ride Your Bike"! I ignore them and keep doing what I love to do,
I really appreciate your videos. I do learn something from every one of them and I apply it to my next ride. Thank you, Kevin, I appreciate what you do for us.
Agreed, the MSF advanced rider course has a specific exercise for avoiding a rear end collision. Stopping with a clear escape route, and the emergency stop and immediately veering around an obstacle and getting out. I always stop to one side, and watch my mirrors with the bike in gear until there are at least 2 stopped cars behind me. All stuff learned in class or RUclips
Ride it out and make no sudden inputs. Been there, just like your car the safest place is on the seat of the bike, keep you feet up and wait for the crash. Thank you Kevin, you're the best.
Right…. and ride it as if you “will” make it (relax) because sometimes sure enough, you will make it through. It’s a motorcycle (I’ve reminded myself, before) it’s made for all kinds of roads and dirt. He sure is lucky to have gotten through that tall grass!!!
No doubt. What if he would have taken some of the other advice he heard? Just dump the bike 😂. Um NO 👎🏻
Kudos to the road department that built the off-ramp for leaving smooth runoff instead of a bolder field. Kudos to you too, MC. 👍
Had a similar experience years ago. I was riding on a fairly windy road in good conditions. I went over a bridge and created a rise. Not knowing if anything was oncoming I stayed to the outside of my side of the road. Over the crest I discovered three people in the middle of the road taking photographs. There was little time to react. The bike I was on was a sport bike with zero riding aids and it was fairly new to me. I decided to head out onto the shoulder of the road which was unsealed gravel between two trees. All this time I was fully aware of grabbing for the brakes would have been a bad choice. I rolled out the other side with me and bike intact and three stupid tourists wondering what just happened. Funnily enough that day sticks with me. I’ve been hit by a car going through a stop sign which resulted in 3 months in hospital and rehab. I still question to this day if I could have avoided that. All witnesses and police report say no and the car driver was at fault but that still doesent stop me thinking “what if”. Minimise your “what if’s” at all costs. Your Chanel has progressed a lot Kevin. Well done. 👍🏻
As a commercial pilot of three and a half decades flying anything from gliders to high flying jets, training and re-training is how we stay alive and keep our passengers alive! I started riding motorcycles recently (4 years) and I found them to be as ‘needy’ or more on continuous training than aircraft’s. Every ride for me is a ‘practice’ ride, emergency braking, slow speed maneuvers, paying attention to road strategy…… I find riding a motorcycle ‘correctly’ as challenging as flying a jet into a busy airspace like New York in bad weather! I ride a lot but still consider myself as a ‘student’ and always will!
Keep an open mind in life and it will broaden your horizons. At fifty plus years of riding motorcycles I’m never too old to learn.
Good story of real life experiences! I'm 62, just got a bike again after about 40 years of not having one. I remember one time in 1978 when I had my first bike ('74 TX500 Yamaha with high rise handle bars) when following my brother-in-law we crossed a one lane bridge that was at right angles to the road. He crossed and I followed only to meet a MG Midget coming onto the bridge at a high rate of speed! Only option I had was to go straight which was into a field of weeds higher than my head. I had the presence of mind to just keep going and actually made a left turn in the weeds and came back onto the road almost hitting my brother-in-law who had stopped figuring that he would be picking me out of the field! Still don't know how I kept it all together as I was only 5'2" at the time and couldn't even touch the ground when I stopped the bike. I learned to slide off the side when stopping. Good experience to teach you to just stay relaxed and ride it out like you did!
this is WHY I love your channel. Excellent advice, training and examples for all of us. Glad you are safe. Safe by NO ACCIDENT.
Well said sir,practicing will keep us sharp and prepared 💯👊🏾👍🏿
Wow! You had me on the edge of my seat listening to your story! Your advice is the absolute best! You’re the Dave Ramsey of motorcycle training in my opinion 😁
Kevin, all I can say is … God bless ya! Thanks for this lesson and sharing this experience!
Great video. I agree with your position on constantly practicing your skills. There’s just no substitute for practice. I bought my first bike last year and have been watching your videos for a couple years now. They have proved to be tremendously valuable for me. I was in an emergency breaking situation crossing an intersection last year where a young driver ran his red light at a high speed and never slowed down-never even saw me. I literally stopped inches before a collision that would have been devastating for me. I calmly applied emergency braking techniques that I practiced several days a week in a parking lot because I agreed with and follow the advice that you and several other experienced riders give about constant practice. In that instance practice didn’t just give me some more cool skills, it probably saved my life. I agree that it is our responsibility to learn from our mistakes. I knew that I benefited greatly from practicing, but I also knew that if I had not launched forward as soon as my light turned green ahead of everyone else I wouldn’t have even been in that situation. So it taught me to relax and stop launching my bike as soon as the light turns green at an intersection. Something I already knew, but now it’s hardwired from that experience to just relax and be more diligent checking the crossing lanes at an intersection for that driver that runs the red. Thank you for another great video. Keep ’em coming!
A lot of your reaction and comments reminded me of an incident that happened to me last summer. Coming around a sweeping left curve, an approaching car appeared on the center line. The car continued to cross the line into my lane. Still in the curve I was forced to the shoulder and quickly realized I was going to be forced into the grass. I remember saying to myself, repeatedly, keep the handlebars staright, keep your head up. I was able to ride it back onto the pavement, but I still flinch at oncoming traffic in curves.
Good day Kevin. Noel Delizo here from the Philippines. Your pointers in motorcycling has saves me so many times from broken bones specially woth the set up of roads here and the general attitude of motorcycle and four wheel drivers, including stray dogs.
Thanks for sharing, Kevin. Glad you made it through the ordeal safely!
You truly do perform a public service on this channel my friend, thank you! Kudos from Portland Oregon! 🤙👊
excellent advice. Like most riders, I do not practice enough, though I do practice some...at 67 yrs of age with over 50 yrs of riding all sorts of bikes and a lot of situations I know I still have more to learn - especially on the big touring bikes I now ride. In a past life (young, dumb and full of, well whatever...) I did in fact lay my bike down vs heading off into the woodline, several times in fact. Nothing to be proud of and certainly only due to youth and ignorance. I for one am a MAJOR fan of the ABS on my Chieftain and it has saved me several times. As on old infantryman I know that repetative training and building muscle memory is the key to survival when the excrement hits the fan. Here's to more time spent practicing...
Kudos to you Kevin for being honest about your potential crash situation. Training and practice works, experience alone will not. If more riders were at your proficiency level our horrendous Texas motorcycle crash statistics would greatly improve.
You are spot on … and Blessed to have a safe outcome. I very much believe your teaching to get better and more training. I am taking my first formal training class, an Intermediate class, after ride for 50 years. I know I can be safer, and at 69 years old, thats what you’ve got to be.
Glad you made it safely through! Thanks for the lesson!
I am a MSF Coach and dont critique riders on rides, unless they are unsafe riders, but I do watch their riding and from what I have observed (strictly my opinion) the riders that claim they dont need practice or need to take a training class need it the most.
Glad you're okay! When i have a close call I always go back to see what caused it and how my actions contributed.
Thank you Kevin for both your off roading story (a good lesson for all to learn from) and your comment on the feedback re training and practice (T & P). I appreciate your feedback from one of the viewers and that you shared it. Listening to both sides of the discussion makes it easy to pick my approach. With out T & P we are relying on luck only to survive. That's not the journey I want to be on.
Couldn’t agree more with your perspective to learn from our experiences and your focus upon what “you” could have done to avoid the situation you found yourself in. Needless to say,your response was not only impressive to say the least but it was also effective. Well done Kevin.
Thank you Kevin for this channel, your practical, no nonsense, safety first approach to your articles are so very informative. After riding for 11 years, this past month I took a 2 day rider brush up course after your suggestions and I didn't realize how much I'd forgotten. And the older you get the harder it is to recall and react. A course well worth it.
I wish the motorcycle community had more humble people like you. Skills I have learned off do come in handy on the road. Not sure how anyone can think you don’t need to practice! Great story!
Compression brake, rely on compression breaking more than you’re used to, always downshift before corners
I have to attribute practice and training (along with yours and other videos!) to saving my sorry butt more than once. I ride in San Francisco and it is quite a dynamic? enviornment to be riding in.Terrain, road conditions and other road users (bicycles, busses, cable cars, scooters, Ebikes, skateboards etc.) make for some challenging situations to say the least. So yeah... experience riding in San Francisco has taught me a lot but it's the practice and training that ALLOWED me to GET the experience in the first place.
Hello Kevin,
I thoroughly enjoyed this video: great lessons embedded within it, thank you. I’m one who does not believe in laying my bike down to avoid a collision, because in my opinion there is no guarantee I would be any better off! I have learned a lot from watching your videos since I became a member, and I appreciate all the good content, thank you! I’m glad you survived what could have been a severely disastrous situation and frankly if it had been me, I would have taken the same course. God bless you,
Loyal.
Kevin,
This piece was awesomely constructed and clearly a must for all riders to be able to take some much needed insight from. You deffinitely handled the commentor in a clear and concise manner. Awareness is key! WELL DONE SIR! Keep up the awesome job.
I've been riding for 53 years and I still learn, and I can also attest training pays off, and if not practiced skills will decrease. Good story and good lessons learned from it. Thanks for your vids, much appreciated!
Thanks for the story; it was helpful. As for rear end issue, I'd suggest the Position box you illustrated include "1st gear, clutch in" be added. Glad you came out of this ok.
Great as always. I,ve been rearended once in my life. 45 yrs ago, a buddy of mine leant me his bike. Neglected to tell me it had a bad hesitation just off idle. Initially thought it was just because of a cold engine. Anyway, first stop sign i tried to pull into traffic from, the engine bogged and stalled. The truck following closely behind, assumed i was following through, and bumped me hard. Dont know how i avoided injury as the bike was shoved out from under me. Anyway, no permanent damage. Truck driver blamed himself for not being attentive enough. Bike owner blamed himself for not warning me about hesitation. And i learned valuable lesson when 'trying out someone elses bike'.
MCrider is spot on here. I personally avoided being rear ended last Septemeber by training myself when coming to a stop to look in my mirrors and watch. A: the cars approaching speed and B: the drivers face. Positioning myself as i always do with an "Out" and being far enough back when i stopped to make my way to that out should it become nessersary I came to a stop looking immediatley into my mirros saw a woman not slowing with her head looking down. I gave my thottle a squirt and had enough room in front of me to perform that easily I have a goldwing DCT and it gets there quick and has vibration free mirrors. She ran into the back of the vehicle in front of me at over 30 mph.She didn't even see the person in front of me i would have been toast. Don't tell me you cannot train for a being rear ended. You Can.
Good lesson. Once in dry conditions on my GSA, I took an exit and planned to take it aggressively using trail breaking. It was a full circle, maybe 35 mph exit. It started under a bridge, so I had no view ahead at first. After going under the bridge and starting the right turn, I was met with an exit covered in liquid fertilizer a tracktor must have spilled. I was in Kansas. Braking was limited, and the front tire slipped when I tried to remain in the center of the lane. I was relaxed and didn't try to maintain lane position. I allowed the bike to slowly wander off to the left shoulder, where I could see a dry path along the rumble strip and before the reflectors. The slowed a bit, and when I reached the dry path, it was able to gain traction, and I completed the exit. I was on a long trip in unfamiliar areas. I learned to take more precautions in unfamiliar areas and on blind curves.
So glad to hear your okie dokie. Thank God for training. As to the commenter, I used to ride every day to work about 25 miles each way for about 6 years until i retired. Because of the hours I worked, the traffic was usually light, and I was always careful. With that I can say for certain that in all that time an miles, I didn't get any practice (thank God) on emergency braking, swerving or escape and evade etc... If it weren't for purposeful practice and training , I wouldn't have had any practice for the time I would need it.
Thank you for the reason we need to stay in "ride" mode at all times while on my bike
Wow! Just glad you're OK. You'd think they'd have some signage out there warning two wheelers "Gooey road surface ahead, proceed with caution" Thanks!
The hardest thing to train/practice for is target fixation during a panic stop, you can reinforce what to do but you can't recreate the panic that causes you to fixate on the target.
After 50,000 miles of riding and usually being prepared for such an instance a woman turned right like she was getting on the freeway but it was only to swing wide for an illegal U-turn in front of me, I had plenty of time to swerve but I fixated... luckily she got out of the way in time.
I am with you on everything you said Training, Training, Training never stop
I had an encounter with an unexpected mud patch on my Fireblade recently, dry roads dry day, rounded a blind corner I’ve been around a thousand times, the road had always been clear in the past, this time due to a vehicle leaving a farm exit there were two stationary cars infront of me, and the road surface about 20 feet ahead of me was a mass of mud, I hit the brakes real hard and scrubbed off most of my speed, reduced brake pressure as I hit the mud and carefully came to rest about a foot behind the rearmost car, what saved me?, I hadn’t entered the blind bend at a crazy speed, I used the dry tarmac to lose as much speed as possible, I adjusted my braking pressure when almost on the mud and across the mud, and I didn’t panic, not even as I approached the rear of the car not sure I was going to avoid hitting it, I reasoned it was by that point going to be a very slow collision, interesting moment though!
ABS is great for panic over reaction, but often terrible for stuff like extended low traction. Without ABS on the rear, I bet you could have slowed the bike fine. May have caused a little fish tailing, but it would have been controllable enough. I first discovered this using my Versys on an offroad ride. Going down a muddy hill, the ABS just cut off the rear brakes and left me careening toward the guy ahead of me, full speed ahead. Fortunately, he was far enough ahead that we didn't collide. After that, I started pulling the ABS fuse before taking it off road.
I've had the same problem with other bikes braking hard into a corner while sport riding, to have the brakes cut out. Again, the returned before I ran off the road, but it is not a comforting feeling relying on the computer.
I'm sure there's good systems on the higher end bikes, where it was developed for racing, but mine have never been that sophisticated and I'm not sure the basic ABS adds a lot for a rider experienced with a bike sliding around a bit.
Sir, I am glad your ok Thanks for the video
Sitting here coincidentally in one of my MC Rider shirts watching this. You are a true blessing sir.
I'll bet a large amount that the guy who twice was rear-ended, that at the end of each experience he thought of things he should have done differently. That IS PROOF that practice matters.
I bet he didn't take any responsibility and blames those drivers 100%. If he had the ability for self awareness he wouldn't have typed that comment.
I have never taken the MSF course, I've been riding longer than the course has been around (started riding minibike age 8, currently 65, ride year round). This guy is either not telling the truth, which is likely the case, or is very foolish. When we think we no longer need to keep our knife sharp, that is when we get cut! I practice in parking lots, and watch Kevin's videos to remind me to stay sharp. Always a thumbs up, brother.
I'm a new rider. Thanks for sharing!
We all should be honest about our experiences and mistakes. Sharing these stories helps me learn.
When it comes to riding skills, it is always better to have them and not need them than need them and not have them...
Totally agree. Failing to learn from mistakes and blaming it all on external factors, hampers the ability to learn and improve. Some people continue making the same mistakes, some get scared and stop riding.
Great video. After coming to a stop, the first thing I would have thought was - thank God there wasn't a drainage ditch with a cement abutment hiding in that grass. Glad you made it.
That exit ramp "exit" sounds like what us dual sport guys do for fun... an easy grip on the bars and *getting your butt off the seat* will let you ride through just about anything. Well done, sir.
I've had close calls over the years, and one thing that I have learned is to pull over in a safe spot as soon as possible to 1. reflect on what happened and 2. allow myself time to calm down afterwards. Walking off the adrenalin and hormone boosts caused by your fight or flight response and calming the mind can be very important and possibly prevent another incident. Riding juiced up and angry or not firmly in the correct mind can cause mistakes. I had an extremely close call last year when a car pulled out as I was passing trough an intersection. It was a wide open field and I could see a car just sitting at a stop sign about a 1/4 mile in front of me. I watched the car closely and as I got closer it hadn't moved. I assumed that the driver was likely looking at thier phone or something else. I learned years ago to watch the rims on a vehicle as they are a great indicator of motion, so I started watching. As I got closer and closer, no movement. I didn't have a stop sign, and the speed limit was 50 mph, but because I made the assumption that they were distracted, I began slowing as I approached. The windows were tinted, so I could not see the driver. I had slowed to about 25 Mph as I entered the intersection and the driver went. I swerved hard to the right and could see the hood of the car in my peripheral vision. Missed me by inches. Had I not slowed down... maybe we whouldn't have had the close call, I may have been clear when they left, BUT, had I not slowed down, I would have not been able to make the hard swerve that I made to get away from the bumper. I pulled over and stopped immediately....as did the other driver incredibly... and I (somehow) calmly motioned them on. With my emotional state at the time, thier appoligies would have been on deaf ears. I paced for several minutes with the shakes and natural high until I was calm enough to ride safely.
Every year when I begin riding again after the weather improves my first stop on my bike is a parking lot where I go through the basics of emergency breaking, breaking and swerving, slaloming among other things. Greetings from Bavaria, wish I was back home in Fort Worth
Great video! I think it also points out how important off road riding is. It not prepares a rider for no traction situations, it also lowers the fear of doing what you did since doing it calmly is the best way to. It opens the door to another way out of a tough spot.
First glad your o.k. secondly God bless for always trying to help everyone
Wow, that's scary. I'm glad to hear you didn't get injured.
Great video. I laid my 2010 Honda Fury over purposely to avoid a direct collision with a lady who pulled out in front of me, panicked, and completely blocked the road. I had planned to take the ditch as an escape route, but I didn't have the time. Fortunately I was able to ride the bike home as it suffered only cosmetic damage. But I still wonder that if I had been just a bit more relaxed, could I have found a better escape, and possibly avoided the accident at all. I've been riding well over 20 years now, and still I find myself learning and relearning things all the time. I've applied several techniques learned from this channel to my riding, and I feel safer because of it. Thank you for your videos and everything you do.
Great story, Kevin. Excellent teaching moment. I run "what if" situations through my head while riding and often wonder if I could take the Wing thru the ditch, if I ever needed to. I hope my off road riding from decades ago would kick in. I don't want to find out but those thoughts give my brain an option, if I ever needed it.
Fantastic video and advice, Kevin. Well done in a very hairy situation. Wowza!
This was quite possibly the best episode you've ever done. I plan to watch this several more times and incorporate the lessons into my practice.
Great advice. I’m a senior ADV rider and my experience is nothing can replace training and practice practice practice
Excellent video. Thank you! Thumbs up!
I avoided being rear ended by practicing the skill of leaving enough room and having an escape path. A car was coming up behind me too fast and I was able to move out of the way. The car screeched to a stop just behind the car that has been in front of me. I would have been hit had I not practiced this skill! ❤️🏍️
I've had the Basic Rider Course and other intermediate courses hosted by motor officers. They've included "brake and escape" drills, but I'm a bit surprised that none have included the escape from a standstill like what Kevin showed in this video.
Mr. MCRider - I agree 100% with your comments. Ride thru was the best option. I've been riding for about 40 years and training ( and re-enforcement of ) prepares you for emergencies. You can practice as much as possible to develop that 2nd NATURE to help you react in a calm manner ( there can be a billion scenarios and all you ca do is prepare for.....). When you panic because you have not learned/developed the technics of turn, breaking, position , angle etc. The lack of, will increase your odds for a bad outcome. I'm happy you and your bike were fine and that you were able to share your story..... Ride safe - greetings from Houston, TX
Best lesson yet.
Glad that you were ok...thanks for sharing the story.
I am a total believer of practicing. It has helped me in many difficult times. Thank you and appreciate the value you bring to us via RUclips.
Have a safe Weekend Kevin.
Watched this video with my wife. Thought the key thing that I heard there was never to panic. I believe training builds the confidence to keep you in control even to the end. You panini your going down. I continuously here from long time riders I prioritize parking lot practice to much. I beg to differ. Thanks for another great video Kevin.
Thanks for the video. I just finished BRC 1, and I've been watching yours and other's videos on how to deal with "when bad things happen", and it's very informative.
I can only control my driving, and there are a ton more people than just me on the road. So it's not really an "if bad things happen" it's a "when". All I can do is try to delay as long as possible, and learn the mindset that has kept others alive and healthy.
Wow. I was nervous just listening to that. Glad it worked out.!
Hey Kevin, excellent advice! Relax, you can do this!
Thanks for sharing this story, Kevin. It's a good reminder to me that no matter how skilled or well-trained we are, things happen. I've been riding long enough that I fell pretty confident now, but I don't want to get over confident. I hope I would react the same way you did in that situation. I have had a couple of close calls and I did react well, but I definitely want to keep practicing.
Bravo!! Very well said. And praise God you're here to tell the story.
Glad you are ok Kevin.
excellent----thanks for the story and how you negotiated your situation
Thanks Kevin for sharing your experience. No doubt your training and cool head kept you upright and safe.
It always helps to have your angel riding with you.
Great video message. It’s a good lesson for me trying to be the safest rider I can be. Pay close attention to the road surface ahead. Watch the mirrors and have an escape route when stopping. Relax when you have to suddenly go onto an unknown riding surface. If I encounter similar conditions I will now have a better chance of getting through it safely. Thank you.
Best video by you that I have watched. I can relate, I also has a similar experience back in the 60's when I didn't have ABS or traction control. I was coming into a curve when I felt the rear tire starting to slip. I knew that if I continued to turn I was going down. I continued to go straight into a grassy and brushy area. My main concern was now avoiding large bushes and brush which I was able to to. I got back on the road and continued on to class. It wasn't until that evening that I was able to have the time to evaluate the situation. I was able to figure out that we had had a full moon that night at the same as high tide with unsettled weather conditions. Between the extra high tide and some wind, bay water had flooded the road that night washing scum and bits of debris on the roadway resulting in extremely slippery conditions. To this day I will not enter a corner aggressively until I can see the whole turn and importantly the pavement condition. Your video brought that day long ago back vividly back to mind.
I had another one about the same time, I low sided on an exit ramp curve that was covered with oil, diesel fuel or something slick. I couldn't go straight due to curbing and opposing traffic. I was fine after the get off but slammed my elbow on the pavement after falling on the slick pavement. This incident happened prior to the excursion into the bushes. To this day I don't think there was anything I could have done to prevent this fall but I did upgrade the tires to some that were more street oriented rather than dual purpose but I don't think they would have helped.
I have a group ride tomorrow so I am going to wash my bike then go practice a bit on the DMV testing pattern a couple of blocks away. Thanks again for this excellent video.
Thanks for talking about this! Many would not have, especially in your position. Thanks again!
Nicely done, glad there wasn't any other vehicles in front or behind you.
Thanks for sharing Kevin and thank God you were not injured.
down shift for sure. a slipper clutch still engages after you let go of the lever. i use this method all most every stop especially in high traffic so i am seen stopping. the only time i use my front break is if im comming in to hot.
ill tell you my bike will stop faster than i can, ask me how i know. haha couple times i found myself off the seat inspecting my front fender. i found the video. haha ps ive been ridding 50 years and still practice at least twice a week and also at every turn,stop . i make a game out of it. how long at a 4 way can i stop without puting a foot down. how slow can i stay in a straight line waiting for the light to change. i ride with my 90# pitbull so every time i pull out of my house i run a figure eight on my side street. its easy i think its 21 feet but just gets me in a mindset before i leave.
I went into a 90 degree curve on a 40F day and my rear wheel slides out on Fresh Pea stone. The Ditch was very shallow and there was a yard. I got the bike straight, hit the brakes and went straight into the ditch and yard as opposed to trying to my the curve.. I hit the hard at maybe 10 mph .. turned back onto the road and continued on my way.
I never saw the county use Tar and Stone before. They always used Hot Asphalt patching material in the past.
Good for you. I am in complete agreement with you and the value of training.
Thanks for sharing the great learning opportunity for us on your Indian Challenger ADV bike :-) Another place I've found this is the on ramps near truck stops, especially on the outside of the curve. Big trucks fill up, and when they go around the corner to get back on the highway centrifugal force sloshes a little diesel out of the tank and onto the pavement. It's slick when it is dry, and REALLY slick when it rains. I've learned to stick to the inside curve on most on ramps where I can, and take it easy on those too.
Kevin, Excellent comments. Thanks for sharing!
Great story, thanks for sharing! Glad you made it through in one piece!
Kevin, glad you and your bike came out of that unscathed. An Amazing and Informative video... Thank you for all you do for the motorcycling community. See you on the road!
Thanks Kevin. Totally agree with you! God bless you!
Thanks for sharing! Glad you’re ok! Training paid off!