If you are a new rider or a rider who wants to continue to grow (That should be all of us ;) ) and you are not a Member at MCrider you are missing out on the best part of MCrider. Go to www.MCrider.com/Member and get access to the Forums and Field Guide. - The Forum is an active, friendly place where riders share riding tips, ideas, travel photos, and show off their new motorcycles. Riders and instructors from all over the world are active on the forums and ready to share in the adventure with you. - The Field Guide is a section of the forums that have very specific training exercises that you can work on in any open parking lot to develop your riding skills. In addition to these resources, you can discuss every MCrider video, suggest future training videos, read and share gear reviews, and more. By becoming a member you help support MCrider and keep the weekly videos coming but you also get access to a world of riders who share tips and techniques to help us all enjoy the ride and increase our skills. www.MCrider.com/Member
Top 5! I was on the freeway a few months ago... a car pulled into the 3 second gap I leave in front of me at 80 mph (flow of traffic around here)... I slowed down to re-establish the 3 second gap and, just as I made the 3 second gap, the car that pulled in to my gap hit a 4×4 piece of sheet rock that went airborne, and turned on it's edge, right in my path. I was able to quickly evade the sheet rock. The guy behind me was following so close that the sheet rock smashed into the front of his car, taking out his grill, hood, and windshield. Had I not established that safe following distance, I would probably be dead.
Paul Burt thanks for this. I try to leave ample space even in car (law says 3 seconds. I try to leave 3-5 seconds usually). Going for motorcycle test in a week and a bit. Good advice and glad it saved your life
They are that kind of guys that doest not want people to know and never want to share not only about riding but anything tat belongs to them .... They exist. Stingy people
👍 i’m a 26yr veteran of street bike/sportbike riding and still come here for advice & tips, learning new stuff to ride safely & and up my % of survival never ends. I wanted to ad to your list something an F-16 pilot who rode cycles told me years ago which translates to motorcycling, & thats to constantly scan your surroundings, DO NOT get caught up on one little thing or the next thing you know you missed a very very big thing that could compromise safety.
Let's not ignore the fact that he might not have hit the car at all if he'd used his front brake. He would have been able to slow enough, "point his nose" to the right of that car and ridden right around him. I had a friend that just barely avoided flying off the side of a very high mountain. He crashed because he panicked and tried to slow down before entering the corner with only his rear brake. He high-sided and crashed badly. Just hours before this he had told us he doesn't use the front brake - in hindsight maybe we should have sent him home.
Good info as per usual. One thing I would like to add and encounter about the 2 second following rule is that many think that it’s just about what’s happening ahead of you but it’s just as important for what’s happening behind you. Yes, a Rider can out brake the car ahead but don’t forget you can also out brake the car behind you and by giving yourself some extra room in the front (especially in emergency situations) you allow yourself time to stop while giving the car behind you that same opportunity without sending you through someone’s back window. So just keep that in mind while your out there trying to fight the injustices of the world by making sure no one gets ahead of you in traffic.
Yes, a small amount of extra following distance (beyond 2 seconds) will allow the driver behind you (even if they are too close) more opportunity to react. If you don't have to slam on the brakes, you just made the driver behind you better able to avoid YOU !! Well said Shay.M
Brand new rider here and the "looking skill 1" is the most amazing thing! I saw immediate improvement in my control, now it's time to practice more! :)
"Riding down the road is not a turf war" I love this quote, I have watched your videos for about a week, I just bought a motorcycle. I cant ride it yet because of the snow. But I am applying your tactics to my everyday commute and I am grateful for your channel. Thank You
A lot similar to trucking , I'm a truck driver considering riding a motorcycle, I already do all of these skills in a big truck , this brand new journey should be a breeze
I’m returning to riding after 13years, the first few days I was stressed and lacking trust in the bike.. your videos really helped bring me back the Comfort on my bike that I once had... thank you for all you do...
Cannot disagree with the five skills but would, very respectfully, add a sixth... though it might be hard to define this as a technical skill. Listening to the little voice inside your head." Years ago in learning to fly I was told, "all pilots have a little voice in their head, the good pilots always heed the voice." I've had two "incidents" in the last month... Something told me as I was passing a pick up truck on the interstate: "Keep an eye on that guy!" I moved my left thumb to the horn and barely had it there when the got started into my lane. I hit the horn and had my "escape" mapped out along the paved but narrow berm.. The same thing happened yesterday with a car in St. Louis. From whence "the voice" emanates I do not know.. but I will listen. At worst, I plan for escapes that doesn't need to occur.
Yeah, the voice is quite a prophetic thing. Usually when it tried to give me a hint it materialized into a real danger - for example, something told me to slow down before one corner with poor visibility, where almost no traffic is present - turned out a stray dog was standing in the middle of it. I have ammassed quite a repository of such stories in my head during all my riding time, which, in turn, makes the intuition even better, because you have at least a vague idea what to expect.
The inner voice is called your sixth sense. And you develop it with experience. And experience is something you get by doing stupid things and learning from them.
I am a science guy and know there is no intellectual or scientific basis to hearing that little voice in one's head... but I've heard it and obeyed it enough to know whenever I hear it, I will keep listening. Glad to hear I'm not alone. Thanks Chliewu.
Richard Mourdock, EDIT: that does not mean I do not believe in an "inner voice" because I too heard this voice. God only knows how many people's lives I already saved by listening to this voice while doing my job as a pilot, or just my own life when riding a motorcycle. So I agree with Chliewu and yourself. Just trying to add info to the conversation rather than disagreeing with someone.
J.P., thanks for validating the point. In my 2000 hours of flying (probably dwarfed by yours) I heard the voice enough to say it saved my rear in aviation as well as the two-wheel moments. My wife often describes me as a thrill-seeker, (pilot, scuba diving, motorcycle, dirt track racing) but the truth is, I'm the opposite. I don't like to get on "the edge" at all, heeding the voice has kept me well inside the envelope.
Kevin..... I agree with your list. I ride every day and practice if not every day then at least every week. In my area we have lost four guys to crashes in the last eight months. I was recently on a trip to Jacksonville Fl passing a semi and he had a blowout. Had I not been practicing your techniques and watching your videos I would have wrecked. Some of the rubber hit my leg hard enough I still have a bruise. Thank you for your training, and the videos. Thank you for my life. Stay safe.
Thank you Kevin for making these videos. I have recently returned to riding this year after 35 years and your videos have helped tremendously with me getting my riding skills back. I was very apprehensive about buying another bike and to start riding again because of the length of time that I haven't been riding. I bought an 81 Honda CB 750k this spring because it was a very familiar bike for me as I had one in the 80's. I started with just town driving and using vacant parking lots like you had mentioned. My skills are still not where they were but getting better every time I go out for a ride. Thank you again for your videos.
I’ve solved this in one easy move: I’ve removed the pillion seat from my Enfield 500 Pegasus! An easy five minute job. I hate travelling pillion myself (I’m a crap passenger in any vehicle; I want to stay in charge, and anyway, I can’t lean!) And I don’t want to be responsible for my pillion rider; they always come off worst.
Always learn stuff from Kevin. I'm a huge fan of his channel. And as a newer rider by watching his videos made me more confident. And a much better rider with control And confidence.
Thank you very much for the videos, It helped me a lot. In Slovakia they dont teach 80% of things you are talking about in your videos. Another good tip that helped me a lot to survive my first 30 days of riding: Consider everyone a potential threat and that they do not see you until you are 100% sure they noticed, no matter what is the situation.
I would add use of both front and rear brakes all the time for every instance where you must slow or stop. Got into an argument with a new rider once. He was so new, he didn't like turning corners. He insisted that you can stop safer using the rear than if you use front and rear because the front tire will lock up and you'll face plant.
MCrider Passed it! I got 3 strikes on the 250 test, and when I did the 650 (Utah splits up the endorsements) I only got 1 strike. Super fun and can’t wait to get back out there and ride some more
You're a great teacher...I'm learning with every video you post. Bought my bike a few months ago and feel much more skilled thanks to doing your execises. THANK YOU
Took the MSF class last weekend. Best thing any new rider could do. I now understand much more clearly what you say in these videos. You are one of the reasons I took the class. Keep up the good work!
Spot on! I would like to add a thought for practicing the "Emergency Braking". Remember that it doesn't always mean that you will or should come to a complete stop. In some situations, the emergency braking is buying you reaction time to find an escape route, such as in the middle of a busy intersection. Do you really WANT to come to a complete stop? Or do you want to find a route that will get you safely out of the way of further danger? In the MSF course I took years ago, one of the maneuvers we practiced was avoiding an obstacle in our path, and then coming to a stop. Probably something that should still be practiced on a regular basis, but vary it with stopping and not stopping.
Agreed with the above - one thing I practice often is a quick reduction to 'parking lot' speed, followed by a hard left, then hard right, then accelerate away. This as if slowing to avoid a hazard, then maneuvering around it and escaping the area (so as not to get rear-ended). I'll do the same thing with the turns reversed, so I can escape either direction. One tip - when practicing braking on the open road, don't do it unless there is no one in your mirrors.
Dude... You find some scary videos out there on the internet. I've already been taught a lot of what you had to say here but I have to keep watching these sorts of videos to keep reminding myself. So thanks for taking the time.
First I would like to say thank you so much for all your videos. I just turned 50 this year and have always loved motorcycles. Yet I have always had a huge fear of them most of my life which has prevented me from getting one. In my teens two of my good friends were killed on them. One over a set of train tracks (sport bike, and got flipped off), and the other while dirt biking and hitting a hole. Both were not wearing helmets. Well I decided to concur this fear and took a 2 day class at my local college. Now i understand that both situations could have been easily avoided by: #1) Wear a helmet. #2) Slow Down You videos have been so helpful to me, and allowing me to become way more comfortable on my Honda ST1100. I know i kinda pushed my limits with such a heavy first time bike, but I am 6'1" @ 340lbs. So I needed something that could carry me ;) Now I need to loose weight because i cant find a 4x Touring Jacket ;)
I love his videos. If I may suggest to wear protective gear like gloves, padded jackets and motorcycle jeans. A simple slide with no equipment will bring you to the hospital. With gears? Only repairs for the bike will be needed. It's an easy investment.
Yup, I wear gloves, and jeans always. The jacket is the problem right now. Can't find one in a 4x or 5x. I have read that you should get a jacket one size larger. So no luck in getting a 5x for me ;(
@@JDALSystems for gear, just like clothes, never take the manufacturer's word. I did the same and have gear way too baggy to take on the freeways. Go to a dealer and try gear on there. Different sizes with different brands. At least you'll get a feel of how the different brands label their sizes. THEN, you'll know what sizes you're looking for (at least) with those brands. Any dealer/shop worth your business will be able to recommend proper sizes/brands.
YOU CAN GET A JACKET MADE CHEAP AT FREEDOM LEATHERS IN EL PASO,YES MAIL ORDER TOO,i GOT IT ALL MADE THERE JEANS, JACKET HEAVY LEATHER FEELS LIKE I GOT TWO GUNS IN MY POCKETS! 180 for pants 325 for jacket top quality too
Was going to comment on a couple of your individual items but everything you say is absolutely 100% dead on. You are, obviously a knowledgeable and experienced rider. I've ridden for 48 years, and, trust me, this guy knows what he's talking about. Will forward this to my son. Thanks for a valuable, no bull shit youtube video. Safe riding.
Thank you Kevin, as someone who loves bikes and has been riding for 16 years (but I've had a hiatus for the last 18 months), it's been refreshing to see something like this online. Booking myself in for some refresher training this spring (I'm in Australia) so I'm keen to dust off my leathers and get back in the saddle. Albeit a 200hp saddle. You've made a subscriber out of me.
I started watching your videos a few months before I actually even had a motorbike. I passed the training course and now I bought a 125cc (I wanted something small as a new rider) and I just wanted to say thank you because you are such a calm and wonderful teacher and you've answered so many of the questions I had. I'm about to subscribe to your patreon and get out on a parking lot to practice on the weekend :) Thanks again and all the best from this portuguese newbie rider
I can't understand how someone can trust blind luck and ride in the rear bumper of the car in front. Even if you think you have super human reflexes (you don't) and can brake as fast as the car, think this. If there's a dead cat or pothole in the middle of the lane, the car driver doesn't care. His tyres pass it from both sides. Your's don't. You hit it before you even see it. Is that really worth saving 4 seconds by keeping cars from changing lane in front of you?
I have been riding various motorcycles, slow and fast ones, for 9 years and consider myself a pretty adept rider with room for improvement nonetheless. I am always looking for techniques to improve my riding. Lots of good motorcycle videos by riders better than me show useful motorcycle skills which are important to master, yet these are just techniques and nothing more. Watching your videos, including the very basic ones, makes me actually think when riding even in the most casual situations. The motorcycle wisdom you preach empowers me to question every moment of the ride, keeping a level head and to experience every ride to the maximum - even the slow and boring ones. Your videos are like a motorcycle church I go to every weekend. Thank you Kevin for doing what you do and God bless.
Thank you for these videos. I ride in Indonesia. 20K + miles. It is a crazy world out on the road here. When I have visitors who want to go for a ride with me ( I own 3 bikes here) I always make them sit down for this short video to watch. Here are a couple of crazy things that happen on the road here. 1. People will ALWAYS pull out in front of you without looking from the side of the road. 2. If you have a bus or a truck coming from the other direction, someone will pass them without regard for you on a motorcycle coming at them. You always have to look for an out, CONSTANTLY. 3. No one pays any attention to traffic rules! EVER! Your videos have helped me survive this madness. Thank you.
Hi Kevin, i want to thank you for all the videos you share to make us better riders. I'm a 51 years rider who went back on the bike after 25 years without riding due to family reasons. I've bought a Suzuky V-Strom 650 last year and rode 7000 miles in a few months watching your videos and triying to learn something new on every ride and obviously the first purpose is getting back home alive. I've found your advices very important and i'm considering to become a patreon. Thank's a lot, see you on the road!
Mr MC good safety video! Im #4 returning rider and former MX racer after 27 year hiatus and now age 55. I was surprised how much my reaction times decreased and how I’m now enjoy being a slow and easy rider. Thankful to have had enough sense to buy a 300 cc Versys when the dealer sales guys were pushing me towards 800-1250 cc beasts. Enjoying riding again!
David Hough of "Proficient Motorcycling" is smiling at your excellent series of instructive videos. The slow speed cone work is the most challenging for me.
You're saving lives Kevin. Thank you. You know men have trouble keeping our ego and testosterone in check. I am making a constant effort to assess my behavior on my bike. "Calm down, it's not a race!"
Thank you for bringing my following distance error to my attention. I ride to work and have this mentality 'hurry up and get there' so I follow to close and have the tunnel vision . . . I'll work on these faults.
Sir, your videos, in a great way, continue to refresh past training.. I consider myself a rookie forever, and absolutely love every second I'm out there..
Yet another great video. A refresher is never a bad thing for us veteran riders because we are all guilty of slipping into bad habits. I shall take note of these 5 points tomorrow while out on a run.👍
Your the 3rd Best Motorcycle Riding Teacher out there !! ( I actually think your "THE BEST" just making sure you keep improving). Thanks for keeping me in control !👍👍👍👍
Hi Kevin. Rob from Gloucester UK here. I am a returning rider aged 55 and was excited but maybe overly cautious in getting back in the saddle. I have watched your videos as often as I can and they have given me lots of confidence in combination with practice, practice, practice. Great teacher. Great videos. Any chance you could give some advice to older guys like me? Although it's very likely to be similar to what you have already shared. Thanks again and who knows I may one day see you on the road.......I hope because that means i will be in Texas!!
Ive recently just found your channel and I absolutely enjoy your content. I'm 26 y/o and never ridden a motorcycle because growing up I thought they were "Scary" but now I want to learn how to ride and I'm looking into training classes. Your videos are so informative and understanding. I feel like I have nothing to be scared of, but be conscious rather. Thank you for all your great videos!!
Spot on,survival only works with survival skills.I'm finally retiring Apr 2020.There is a need for instructors so that is my plan, having 40 years experience have allot to offer and watching your videos help refine skills I will be passing on.
I have to take a moment and thank you for these insightful tips. I just bought a 2019 road glide special and it’s a lot more bike than I’m used to. Using the techniques on MC rider I have become a better rider and way more confident. Thanks brah
Gotta say, thank you for what you do! I'm not a new rider at all. Watching your videos made me realize that I have gotten complacent and forgotten some basics. After watching you videos I realized that I have stopped looking my way through turns. I can't really pinpoint when I started picking up bad habits. That is just one example. Right now I'm concentrating on going back to the basics when I ride. Keep up the good work.
I wonder if folks just thumbs down all videos Great video, great refresher Breaking, in my car or bike I leave a big gap, I will let cars pull in. I do what you say. No only is he to close, he is wearing shorts, and short sleeves.....
Great safety tips from Kevin. The first one turning your head an looking into bends/ u turns is so easy to master, makes cornering smoother and safer. As a rider with over 40years experience, on overcrowded uk roads, I would like to offer my tip for safer riding.....As your riding down a road an there's a car at a side road waiting to join the one your on, I always position bike towards centre or crown of road as we call it, it opens up the cars field of view (they can see you earlier) as I get to be adjacent to the car ( impact point) I have slightly rolled of throttle and applied very light pressure on both brakes so if they do pull out you have saved the time it takes reaching for brakes, has added benefit of reducing risk of locking up the front as your already prepared for the worst to happen. This technique has saved me on a few occasions. RIDE SAFE RIDE DEFENSIVELY
Great stuff. One of the most important skills I learned was in cycle rider magazine 30 years ago. Look through the windshield of the car in front of you.
Good reminder, Kevin! I also wanted to say a big "Thank You" for what you are doing. Because of watching a few of your videos last winter (and watching all of them afterwards), I have made my mind that I need to constantly practice all those skills that you describe in this video. As soon as the snow had melted down in the spring I started going to an empty parking lot and practicing all the skills for 1-2 hours 2-3 times a week. So by the end of the season now I feel much more skilled and confident while riding a bike. And not only in increased my safety on the road, but also made riding ten times more fun than before, being now in better control of the bike. And I have to mention that I wasn't a complete newbie, I have been riding a bike since 2012. But as you mentioned before it was just 1 year of experience repeated 5 times, and for the sixth time I decided to make a difference and it really payed off! Yesterday I was riding back from work, and when I was approaching an intersection, a car jumped from the right lane to my lane right in front of me. No blinkers, no signs of intention to change the lane, that you can normally see when the driver is up to something. I was completely taken by surprise. But before I knew it my body did it all for me: I performed a flawless emergency breaking and brought a bike to almost a complete stop in less than 20 feet (my speed was below 25 mph), while still maintaining my feet on the pegs, my bike in balance and ready for evasive maneuver, which didn't turn out to be necessary. I was saved. The driver finally noticed me and indicated that he is sorry, and we parted our ways. While practicing emergency braking on a parking lot I always wondered if I can perform it not under controlled conditions, when I'm prepared, but in a real situation on the road. It turned out I can. And it is thanks to all the effort I have put into training myself to be a better rider which was inspired by watching your videos. P.S. Analyzing the situation that led to this incident, I understand that it was in fact my fault at the road strategy - something that I usually value the most and that helped me prevent any incidents like this from happening up until now. But this day I have made a few mistakes: first - it was already dark, and of course the driver must have had trouble seeing my bike or judging distance to it in his mirror - I didn't take it into account; second - there was a slow bus in his lane and my lane was empty far ahead of me, I should have foreseen the possibility of his maneuver even if he didn't show any intentions on doing it; and third - my lane position wasn't the best at that moment for making me visible, so I can't really blame the driver for anything but changing lanes without using turn signals. But thanks to all the practice I can contemplate on that at home, being safe and sound and not on a hospital bed. Cheers, Kevin. Sorry for the long post!
Kevin just this past weekend I unfortunately had to use the emergency braking technique you talk about. While riding down the freeway two cars decided that they both needed to slam on their breaks because they got confused about which lane the needed to exit on. One went left and one went right. Even though I am a 50 veteran of riding bikes I remembered not only my own training but yours. My 18 Ultra has abs but I evenly applied he brakes in a slow manner executed my escape route and dodged the preverbal bullet. Keep these videos coming
Thank You for this video, I will watch your other soon, I am now subscribed. I am 55 years old and have ridden motorcycles for many years off and on and have taken 2 different MSF courses over the years but I am well aware of my lack of some of the skills you teach. I appreciate your courses and the informative way you put out the information keeping it interesting and fun to learn. My life depends on it. Thank you again! Bruce Sadler
Great tips. The biggest place I need to be more intentional is emergency braking. I try to remind my wife the most of the guys we see wrecked around my city involve missing these steps combined with excess speed or alcohol. People would benefit greatly if they actually slow down and enjoy the ride!
So glad I found you guys! Keep up the GREAT work! Something I always tell myself, NEVER ride above your comfort level, EVER! I'd rather be made fun of for being 2 minutes behind everyone else than to have them take the day off to attend my funeral! Ride safe brothers and sisters!
That is the best top 5 skills video I have seen! I tell everyone to turn their heads not just their eyes. I practice all of these every time I throw my leg over my bike. I am working on my slow skills as we speak. I want to refine my control and figured the slow speed skills would be great at that. I remember watching your e braking video just a few weeks before I was cut off which I got on camera. I used my skills I practiced over and over keeping it on two wheels. Love the channel Kevin, we watch all the time! Great info
Thanks again Kevin, I think emergency swerving should be a skill along with braking. You have to decide if you can brake in time or swerve to avoid a collision. That rider should of been looking ahead and had a way out to swerve instead of locking up his brakes when the car turned left into oncoming traffic. Keep it up!! Thanks Kevin for all your hard work putting out videos for all of us.
Yes, you just never know....Last year while riding our bikes with my husband near Reno, NV a pickup truck directly ahead of us had a very large round bale of hay that fell off on the highway. My husband is telling me (through blue tooth speakers) watch out...In a matter of seconds that very slippery hay exploded like a confetti bomb.The cars were swerving on both sides of us at 70 mph and it was pretty hairy! I looked behind me (to see if the car behind me was stopping) as well as where I was heading and I rode the white line on that 3 lane highway, passing the slippery pile of hay flying just everywhere... MCrider, you were in my head too. We were back several seconds, I did some emergency braking at 70 mph, I looked for the car behind me if he would stop or plow into me... I looked where I wanted to be going...and I looked for an escape...Thanks for the great tips! Needless to say, We do not ride behind trucks with hay bales anymore lol.
Thanks for your videos, I have learned a few things and reinforced a few others. My single biggest problem is not turning my head to where I want to go. In a right turn for instance, I will look left to ensure there is no on-coming traffic, then begin my turn. At that point I am looking where I want to go, but then I will turn my head back to look again in case I missed an on-coming vehicle. It's a bad habit I can't seem to break, but I'm working on it!
Thanks Kevin. Great information, that too in a nutshell. Keeps learning from your videos and refining my skills. It's getting better and better, thanks a lot.
If you are a new rider or a rider who wants to continue to grow (That should be all of us ;) ) and you are not a Member at MCrider you are missing out on the best part of MCrider. Go to www.MCrider.com/Member and get access to the Forums and Field Guide.
- The Forum is an active, friendly place where riders share riding tips, ideas, travel photos, and show off their new motorcycles. Riders and instructors from all over the world are active on the forums and ready to share in the adventure with you.
- The Field Guide is a section of the forums that have very specific training exercises that you can work on in any open parking lot to develop your riding skills.
In addition to these resources, you can discuss every MCrider video, suggest future training videos, read and share gear reviews, and more.
By becoming a member you help support MCrider and keep the weekly videos coming but you also get access to a world of riders who share tips and techniques to help us all enjoy the ride and increase our skills.
www.MCrider.com/Member
Top 5! I was on the freeway a few months ago... a car pulled into the 3 second gap I leave in front of me at 80 mph (flow of traffic around here)... I slowed down to re-establish the 3 second gap and, just as I made the 3 second gap, the car that pulled in to my gap hit a 4×4 piece of sheet rock that went airborne, and turned on it's edge, right in my path. I was able to quickly evade the sheet rock. The guy behind me was following so close that the sheet rock smashed into the front of his car, taking out his grill, hood, and windshield. Had I not established that safe following distance, I would probably be dead.
Great illustration, thx for sharing. 👍👍🏍️
Thank you for providing a great example for others to follow.
Excellent observation skills! Keep it up, and thanks for your comment 😈🇬🇧
Paul Burt thanks for this. I try to leave ample space even in car (law says 3 seconds. I try to leave 3-5 seconds usually). Going for motorcycle test in a week and a bit. Good advice and glad it saved your life
Mastering slow speed on your motorcycle to me is “Being at one with your motorcycle”. You know how it reacts. You and it are one unit.
how can 18 people dislike this information? Thanks again, Kevin. God bless you as always.
Gary Amanesi they must know everything about riding.
Maybe they are the ones who don't follow rules while riding a bike.
They are that kind of guys that doest not want people to know and never want to share not only about riding but anything tat belongs to them .... They exist. Stingy people
They must be folks who ride in shorts and don’t like anyone telling them it’s dangerous.😎
👍 i’m a 26yr veteran of street bike/sportbike riding and still come here for advice & tips, learning new stuff to ride safely & and up my % of survival never ends. I wanted to ad to your list something an F-16 pilot who rode cycles told me years ago which translates to motorcycling, & thats to constantly scan your surroundings, DO NOT get caught up on one little thing or the next thing you know you missed a very very big thing that could compromise safety.
I second this. Situational awareness is important. I used to work in EMS and situational awareness is a skill that transfers over to motorcycling.
Thanks!!! That collision at 5:29 sent chills up my spine. Good reminder and wake up call.
It happens quick, doesn't it?
only his quick thinking saved his left leg
Let's not ignore the fact that he might not have hit the car at all if he'd used his front brake. He would have been able to slow enough, "point his nose" to the right of that car and ridden right around him. I had a friend that just barely avoided flying off the side of a very high mountain. He crashed because he panicked and tried to slow down before entering the corner with only his rear brake. He high-sided and crashed badly. Just hours before this he had told us he doesn't use the front brake - in hindsight maybe we should have sent him home.
I know right, did that driver even bother to look at all before they turned? Some people really shouldn't be on the road, period.
Good info as per usual. One thing I would like to add and encounter about the 2 second following rule is that many think that it’s just about what’s happening ahead of you but it’s just as important for what’s happening behind you. Yes, a Rider can out brake the car ahead but don’t forget you can also out brake the car behind you and by giving yourself some extra room in the front (especially in emergency situations) you allow yourself time to stop while giving the car behind you that same opportunity without sending you through someone’s back window. So just keep that in mind while your out there trying to fight the injustices of the world by making sure no one gets ahead of you in traffic.
Yes, a small amount of extra following distance (beyond 2 seconds) will allow the driver behind you (even if they are too close) more opportunity to react. If you don't have to slam on the brakes, you just made the driver behind you better able to avoid YOU !!
Well said Shay.M
Great Point .!.!.! 👍
Brand new rider here and the "looking skill 1" is the most amazing thing! I saw immediate improvement in my control, now it's time to practice more! :)
"Riding down the road is not a turf war" I love this quote, I have watched your videos for about a week, I just bought a motorcycle. I cant ride it yet because of the snow. But I am applying your tactics to my everyday commute and I am grateful for your channel. Thank You
More riders need to practice these simple tactics
A lot similar to trucking , I'm a truck driver considering riding a motorcycle, I already do all of these skills in a big truck , this brand new journey should be a breeze
I’m returning to riding after 13years, the first few days I was stressed and lacking trust in the bike.. your videos really helped bring me back the Comfort on my bike that I once had... thank you for all you do...
Dear Kevin, thanks for sharing your knowledge. There is no telling how many injuries have been avoided and lives saved.
Cannot disagree with the five skills but would, very respectfully, add a sixth... though it might be hard to define this as a technical skill. Listening to the little voice inside your head." Years ago in learning to fly I was told, "all pilots have a little voice in their head, the good pilots always heed the voice." I've had two "incidents" in the last month... Something told me as I was passing a pick up truck on the interstate: "Keep an eye on that guy!" I moved my left thumb to the horn and barely had it there when the got started into my lane. I hit the horn and had my "escape" mapped out along the paved but narrow berm.. The same thing happened yesterday with a car in St. Louis. From whence "the voice" emanates I do not know.. but I will listen. At worst, I plan for escapes that doesn't need to occur.
Yeah, the voice is quite a prophetic thing. Usually when it tried to give me a hint it materialized into a real danger - for example, something told me to slow down before one corner with poor visibility, where almost no traffic is present - turned out a stray dog was standing in the middle of it. I have ammassed quite a repository of such stories in my head during all my riding time, which, in turn, makes the intuition even better, because you have at least a vague idea what to expect.
The inner voice is called your sixth sense. And you develop it with experience. And experience is something you get by doing stupid things and learning from them.
I am a science guy and know there is no intellectual or scientific basis to hearing that little voice in one's head... but I've heard it and obeyed it enough to know whenever I hear it, I will keep listening. Glad to hear I'm not alone. Thanks Chliewu.
Richard Mourdock, EDIT: that does not mean I do not believe in an "inner voice" because I too heard this voice. God only knows how many people's lives I already saved by listening to this voice while doing my job as a pilot, or just my own life when riding a motorcycle. So I agree with Chliewu and yourself. Just trying to add info to the conversation rather than disagreeing with someone.
J.P., thanks for validating the point. In my 2000 hours of flying (probably dwarfed by yours) I heard the voice enough to say it saved my rear in aviation as well as the two-wheel moments. My wife often describes me as a thrill-seeker, (pilot, scuba diving, motorcycle, dirt track racing) but the truth is, I'm the opposite. I don't like to get on "the edge" at all, heeding the voice has kept me well inside the envelope.
Kevin..... I agree with your list. I ride every day and practice if not every day then at least every week. In my area we have lost four guys to crashes in the last eight months. I was recently on a trip to Jacksonville Fl passing a semi and he had a blowout. Had I not been practicing your techniques and watching your videos I would have wrecked. Some of the rubber hit my leg hard enough I still have a bruise. Thank you for your training, and the videos. Thank you for my life. Stay safe.
What happened? What training did you use to save your ass? I would like to know more. Thank you
Thank you Kevin for making these videos. I have recently returned to riding this year after 35 years and your videos have helped tremendously with me getting my riding skills back. I was very apprehensive about buying another bike and to start riding again because of the length of time that I haven't been riding. I bought an 81 Honda CB 750k this spring because it was a very familiar bike for me as I had one in the 80's. I started with just town driving and using vacant parking lots like you had mentioned. My skills are still not where they were but getting better every time I go out for a ride. Thank you again for your videos.
Absolutely the Top 5!!!!!
This is one of the best videos about motorcycle safe riding I have ever watched. Thank you
Turning the head is a big one, I learned a long time ago 2 things- the look down= go down & Bike goes where your nose goes. You covered it
Once again, Kevin, your advice is excellent!
I sure wish you would do a video on riding with a passenger.
I second this.
Afterburner yes please. I’ve always wondered what to tell a passenger to do should we go down.
I’ve solved this in one easy move: I’ve removed the pillion seat from my Enfield 500 Pegasus! An easy five minute job. I hate travelling pillion myself (I’m a crap passenger in any vehicle; I want to stay in charge, and anyway, I can’t lean!) And I don’t want to be responsible for my pillion rider; they always come off worst.
Took my passenger seat off as well. Bike looks great without it.
Yes, I think we need this.
You’re saving live man!
It’s why I forward your videos to my MC friends and family!
Always learn stuff from Kevin. I'm a huge fan of his channel. And as a newer rider by watching his videos made me more confident. And a much better rider with control And confidence.
As a new rider, Thank you! Some excellent advise. I will work on these skills.
Thank you very much for the videos, It helped me a lot. In Slovakia they dont teach 80% of things you are talking about in your videos.
Another good tip that helped me a lot to survive my first 30 days of riding: Consider everyone a potential threat and that they do not see you until you are 100% sure they noticed, no matter what is the situation.
I would add use of both front and rear brakes all the time for every instance where you must slow or stop.
Got into an argument with a new rider once. He was so new, he didn't like turning corners. He insisted that you can stop safer using the rear than if you use front and rear because the front tire will lock up and you'll face plant.
I take my very first msf course tomorrow, and I pick up my bike next weekend. Can’t wait. I’ll definitely try to apply everything you’ve said here
That's great, let us know how your class goes.
MCrider Passed it! I got 3 strikes on the 250 test, and when I did the 650 (Utah splits up the endorsements) I only got 1 strike.
Super fun and can’t wait to get back out there and ride some more
Awesome, congratulations.
You're a great teacher...I'm learning with every video you post. Bought my bike a few months ago and feel much more skilled thanks to doing your execises. THANK YOU
Thank you Ise. 👍👍🏍️
Took the MSF class last weekend. Best thing any new rider could do. I now understand much more clearly what you say in these videos. You are one of the reasons I took the class. Keep up the good work!
Awesome Kiwi, there is no substitute for hands-on training.
Spot on! I would like to add a thought for practicing the "Emergency Braking". Remember that it doesn't always mean that you will or should come to a complete stop. In some situations, the emergency braking is buying you reaction time to find an escape route, such as in the middle of a busy intersection. Do you really WANT to come to a complete stop? Or do you want to find a route that will get you safely out of the way of further danger? In the MSF course I took years ago, one of the maneuvers we practiced was avoiding an obstacle in our path, and then coming to a stop. Probably something that should still be practiced on a regular basis, but vary it with stopping and not stopping.
Great point! I have a video on that as well. ruclips.net/video/eHU556MK90A/видео.html
Agreed with the above - one thing I practice often is a quick reduction to 'parking lot' speed, followed by a hard left, then hard right, then accelerate away. This as if slowing to avoid a hazard, then maneuvering around it and escaping the area (so as not to get rear-ended). I'll do the same thing with the turns reversed, so I can escape either direction. One tip - when practicing braking on the open road, don't do it unless there is no one in your mirrors.
As an old guy getting back into riding really find your vids very useful. Working on all these suggestions. Many thanks.
Dude... You find some scary videos out there on the internet. I've already been taught a lot of what you had to say here but I have to keep watching these sorts of videos to keep reminding myself. So thanks for taking the time.
First I would like to say thank you so much for all your videos. I just turned 50 this year and have always loved motorcycles. Yet I have always had a huge fear of them most of my life which has prevented me from getting one. In my teens two of my good friends were killed on them. One over a set of train tracks (sport bike, and got flipped off), and the other while dirt biking and hitting a hole. Both were not wearing helmets. Well I decided to concur this fear and took a 2 day class at my local college. Now i understand that both situations could have been easily avoided by:
#1) Wear a helmet.
#2) Slow Down
You videos have been so helpful to me, and allowing me to become way more comfortable on my Honda ST1100. I know i kinda pushed my limits with such a heavy first time bike, but I am 6'1" @ 340lbs. So I needed something that could carry me ;) Now I need to loose weight because i cant find a 4x Touring Jacket ;)
I love his videos. If I may suggest to wear protective gear like gloves, padded jackets and motorcycle jeans. A simple slide with no equipment will bring you to the hospital. With gears? Only repairs for the bike will be needed. It's an easy investment.
Yup, I wear gloves, and jeans always. The jacket is the problem right now. Can't find one in a 4x or 5x. I have read that you should get a jacket one size larger. So no luck in getting a 5x for me ;(
@@JDALSystems for gear, just like clothes, never take the manufacturer's word. I did the same and have gear way too baggy to take on the freeways. Go to a dealer and try gear on there. Different sizes with different brands. At least you'll get a feel of how the different brands label their sizes. THEN, you'll know what sizes you're looking for (at least) with those brands. Any dealer/shop worth your business will be able to recommend proper sizes/brands.
YOU CAN GET A JACKET MADE CHEAP AT FREEDOM LEATHERS IN EL PASO,YES MAIL ORDER TOO,i GOT IT ALL MADE THERE JEANS, JACKET HEAVY LEATHER FEELS LIKE I GOT TWO GUNS IN MY POCKETS! 180 for pants 325 for jacket top quality too
Great job! Thanks Kevin for keeping us in line...
Thank you Kevin. It's good to be reminded that we are not invincible. Good to go back to the basics from time to time.
Was going to comment on a couple of your individual items but everything you say is absolutely 100% dead on. You are, obviously a knowledgeable and experienced rider. I've ridden for 48 years, and, trust me, this guy knows what he's talking about. Will forward this to my son. Thanks for a valuable, no bull shit youtube video. Safe riding.
Thanks Kevin. I agree with those 5 you picked. And that video of the accident was a good reminder how quick you need to react.
Thank you Kevin, as someone who loves bikes and has been riding for 16 years (but I've had a hiatus for the last 18 months), it's been refreshing to see something like this online. Booking myself in for some refresher training this spring (I'm in Australia) so I'm keen to dust off my leathers and get back in the saddle. Albeit a 200hp saddle. You've made a subscriber out of me.
I started watching your videos a few months before I actually even had a motorbike. I passed the training course and now I bought a 125cc (I wanted something small as a new rider) and I just wanted to say thank you because you are such a calm and wonderful teacher and you've answered so many of the questions I had. I'm about to subscribe to your patreon and get out on a parking lot to practice on the weekend :) Thanks again and all the best from this portuguese newbie rider
Thanks Sofia, congratulations on your new license. 👍👍🏍️
I can't understand how someone can trust blind luck and ride in the rear bumper of the car in front. Even if you think you have super human reflexes (you don't) and can brake as fast as the car, think this. If there's a dead cat or pothole in the middle of the lane, the car driver doesn't care. His tyres pass it from both sides. Your's don't. You hit it before you even see it. Is that really worth saving 4 seconds by keeping cars from changing lane in front of you?
Me too. I'm always amazed when I look in my rear view mirror and see someone on my tail talkking on their cell phones! Fungoo!
I like to keep a three second gap as a healthy respect for distance
I have been riding various motorcycles, slow and fast ones, for 9 years and consider myself a pretty adept rider with room for improvement nonetheless. I am always looking for techniques to improve my riding. Lots of good motorcycle videos by riders better than me show useful motorcycle skills which are important to master, yet these are just techniques and nothing more.
Watching your videos, including the very basic ones, makes me actually think when riding even in the most casual situations. The motorcycle wisdom you preach empowers me to question every moment of the ride, keeping a level head and to experience every ride to the maximum - even the slow and boring ones. Your videos are like a motorcycle church I go to every weekend.
Thank you Kevin for doing what you do and God bless.
Thank you for these videos. I ride in Indonesia. 20K + miles. It is a crazy world out on the road here. When I have visitors who want to go for a ride with me ( I own 3 bikes here) I always make them sit down for this short video to watch. Here are a couple of crazy things that happen on the road here. 1. People will ALWAYS pull out in front of you without looking from the side of the road. 2. If you have a bus or a truck coming from the other direction, someone will pass them without regard for you on a motorcycle coming at them. You always have to look for an out, CONSTANTLY. 3. No one pays any attention to traffic rules! EVER! Your videos have helped me survive this madness. Thank you.
Hi Kevin, i want to thank you for all the videos you share to make us better riders. I'm a 51 years rider who went back on the bike after 25 years without riding due to family reasons. I've bought a Suzuky V-Strom 650 last year and rode 7000 miles in a few months watching your videos and triying to learn something new on every ride and obviously the first purpose is getting back home alive. I've found your advices very important and i'm considering to become a patreon. Thank's a lot, see you on the road!
Mr MC good safety video! Im #4 returning rider and former MX racer after 27 year hiatus and now age 55. I was surprised how much my reaction times decreased and how I’m now enjoy being a slow and easy rider. Thankful to have had enough sense to buy a 300 cc Versys when the dealer sales guys were pushing me towards 800-1250 cc beasts. Enjoying riding again!
David Hough of "Proficient Motorcycling" is smiling at your excellent series of instructive videos. The slow speed cone work is the most challenging for me.
OOOOOOOH!!!! 4:10 called out!! 😄 MC RIDER AT IT AGAIN!
You're saving lives Kevin. Thank you. You know men have trouble keeping our ego and testosterone in check. I am making a constant effort to assess my behavior on my bike. "Calm down, it's not a race!"
Thank you for bringing my following distance error to my attention. I ride to work and have this mentality 'hurry up and get there' so I follow to close and have the tunnel vision . . . I'll work on these faults.
Sir, your videos, in a great way, continue to refresh past training.. I consider myself a rookie forever, and absolutely love every second I'm out there..
Best video to watch before the season. Every season.
Yet another great video.
A refresher is never a bad thing for us veteran riders because we are all guilty of slipping into bad habits. I shall take note of these 5 points tomorrow while out on a run.👍
Such a great video! You have no idea how helpful this is for riders new and experienced, thank you 🙏
Thanks for all you do. Used my emergency braking skills today when a cop pulled out in front of me. I think I'm starting to get smooth,
Your the 3rd Best Motorcycle Riding Teacher out there !! ( I actually think your "THE BEST" just making sure you keep improving). Thanks for keeping me in control !👍👍👍👍
👍👍🏍️
Hi Kevin. Rob from Gloucester UK here. I am a returning rider aged 55 and was excited but maybe overly cautious in getting back in the saddle. I have watched your videos as often as I can and they have given me lots of confidence in combination with practice, practice, practice. Great teacher. Great videos. Any chance you could give some advice to older guys like me? Although it's very likely to be similar to what you have already shared. Thanks again and who knows I may one day see you on the road.......I hope because that means i will be in Texas!!
Ive recently just found your channel and I absolutely enjoy your content. I'm 26 y/o and never ridden a motorcycle because growing up I thought they were "Scary" but now I want to learn how to ride and I'm looking into training classes. Your videos are so informative and understanding. I feel like I have nothing to be scared of, but be conscious rather. Thank you for all your great videos!!
Thanks, best of luck in your new endeavor. 👍👍🏍️
Very very informative & 100% agree with your list. 👍🏻👍🏻
Spot on,survival only works with survival skills.I'm finally retiring Apr 2020.There is a need for instructors so that is my plan, having 40 years experience have allot to offer and watching your videos help refine skills I will be passing on.
I have to take a moment and thank you for these insightful tips. I just bought a 2019 road glide special and it’s a lot more bike than I’m used to. Using the techniques on MC rider I have become a better rider and way more confident. Thanks brah
Gotta say, thank you for what you do! I'm not a new rider at all. Watching your videos made me realize that I have gotten complacent and forgotten some basics. After watching you videos I realized that I have stopped looking my way through turns. I can't really pinpoint when I started picking up bad habits. That is just one example. Right now I'm concentrating on going back to the basics when I ride.
Keep up the good work.
Thanks I appreciate it. 👍👍🏍️
Excellent pointers Kevin! Specially for beginner riders like me! Learn it correctly the first time! Thanks from Angeles City 👍
I wonder if folks just thumbs down all videos
Great video, great refresher
Breaking, in my car or bike I leave a big gap, I will let cars pull in. I do what you say.
No only is he to close, he is wearing shorts, and short sleeves.....
Great safety tips from Kevin. The first one turning your head an looking into bends/ u turns is so easy to master, makes cornering smoother and safer. As a rider with over 40years experience, on overcrowded uk roads, I would like to offer my tip for safer riding.....As your riding down a road an there's a car at a side road waiting to join the one your on, I always position bike towards centre or crown of road as we call it, it opens up the cars field of view (they can see you earlier) as I get to be adjacent to the car ( impact point) I have slightly rolled of throttle and applied very light pressure on both brakes so if they do pull out you have saved the time it takes reaching for brakes, has added benefit of reducing risk of locking up the front as your already prepared for the worst to happen. This technique has saved me on a few occasions.
RIDE SAFE RIDE DEFENSIVELY
Great stuff. One of the most important skills I learned was in cycle rider magazine 30 years ago. Look through the windshield of the car in front of you.
ur advices are essential and will save many ridders , thumbs up
Wise advices. Good to think about it again and practice. Never stop learning!
I thoroughly enjoy your lessons through your videos.
Good reminder, Kevin! I also wanted to say a big "Thank You" for what you are doing. Because of watching a few of your videos last winter (and watching all of them afterwards), I have made my mind that I need to constantly practice all those skills that you describe in this video. As soon as the snow had melted down in the spring I started going to an empty parking lot and practicing all the skills for 1-2 hours 2-3 times a week. So by the end of the season now I feel much more skilled and confident while riding a bike. And not only in increased my safety on the road, but also made riding ten times more fun than before, being now in better control of the bike. And I have to mention that I wasn't a complete newbie, I have been riding a bike since 2012. But as you mentioned before it was just 1 year of experience repeated 5 times, and for the sixth time I decided to make a difference and it really payed off!
Yesterday I was riding back from work, and when I was approaching an intersection, a car jumped from the right lane to my lane right in front of me. No blinkers, no signs of intention to change the lane, that you can normally see when the driver is up to something. I was completely taken by surprise. But before I knew it my body did it all for me: I performed a flawless emergency breaking and brought a bike to almost a complete stop in less than 20 feet (my speed was below 25 mph), while still maintaining my feet on the pegs, my bike in balance and ready for evasive maneuver, which didn't turn out to be necessary. I was saved. The driver finally noticed me and indicated that he is sorry, and we parted our ways.
While practicing emergency braking on a parking lot I always wondered if I can perform it not under controlled conditions, when I'm prepared, but in a real situation on the road. It turned out I can. And it is thanks to all the effort I have put into training myself to be a better rider which was inspired by watching your videos.
P.S. Analyzing the situation that led to this incident, I understand that it was in fact my fault at the road strategy - something that I usually value the most and that helped me prevent any incidents like this from happening up until now. But this day I have made a few mistakes: first - it was already dark, and of course the driver must have had trouble seeing my bike or judging distance to it in his mirror - I didn't take it into account; second - there was a slow bus in his lane and my lane was empty far ahead of me, I should have foreseen the possibility of his maneuver even if he didn't show any intentions on doing it; and third - my lane position wasn't the best at that moment for making me visible, so I can't really blame the driver for anything but changing lanes without using turn signals.
But thanks to all the practice I can contemplate on that at home, being safe and sound and not on a hospital bed.
Cheers, Kevin. Sorry for the long post!
Great post Yuri! Thank you for sharing.
Excellent tips and ALSO excellent mature presentation - it's obvious you are serious and knowledgeable!
Excellent refresher for new and experienced riders alike. Thanks, Kevin!
Kevin just this past weekend I unfortunately had to use the emergency braking technique you talk about. While riding down the freeway two cars decided that they both needed to slam on their breaks because they got confused about which lane the needed to exit on. One went left and one went right. Even though I am a 50 veteran of riding bikes I remembered not only my own training but yours. My 18 Ultra has abs but I evenly applied he brakes in a slow manner executed my escape route and dodged the preverbal bullet. Keep these videos coming
Thanks for sharing, glad you kept it upright. 👍👍🏍️
Thank you Kevin, always giving us great tips, advice.
Thank You for this video, I will watch your other soon, I am now subscribed. I am 55 years old and have ridden motorcycles for many years off and on and have taken 2 different MSF courses over the years but I am well aware of my lack of some of the skills you teach. I appreciate your courses and the informative way you put out the information keeping it interesting and fun to learn. My life depends on it. Thank you again! Bruce Sadler
Passed my CBT today, looking forward to start practicing on my bike, been watching your vids for tips
Congrats Kai! 👍👍🏍️
Dear Kevin, many thanks for this magnificent video. One of the best videos, even the best of them, I've seen on this subject.
Great tips. The biggest place I need to be more intentional is emergency braking. I try to remind my wife the most of the guys we see wrecked around my city involve missing these steps combined with excess speed or alcohol. People would benefit greatly if they actually slow down and enjoy the ride!
So glad I found you guys! Keep up the GREAT work! Something I always tell myself, NEVER ride above your comfort level, EVER! I'd rather be made fun of for being 2 minutes behind everyone else than to have them take the day off to attend my funeral! Ride safe brothers and sisters!
That is the best top 5 skills video I have seen! I tell everyone to turn their heads not just their eyes. I practice all of these every time I throw my leg over my bike. I am working on my slow skills as we speak. I want to refine my control and figured the slow speed skills would be great at that. I remember watching your e braking video just a few weeks before I was cut off which I got on camera. I used my skills I practiced over and over keeping it on two wheels. Love the channel Kevin, we watch all the time! Great info
Thanks for watching. 👍👍🏍️
Great channel! By far, the best serious advice for new and experienced riders. You got yourself a patron. Regards from Peru!
Awesome, thank you Rodrigo. Make sure and introduce yourself on the forums once you sign up. 👍👍🏍️
Excellent tips! Thanks Kevin. Safe riding!
gotta love mcrider... much love from the Philippines
Thanks JCUTMoto!
Excellent topic and explained well.
Im a new mc rider and your videos has helped me so much. Thank you for sharing your knowleadge :) your channel is probably the best on RUclips.
Thanks, I appreciate it. 👍👍🏍️
Excellent advice in the five skills !
Thanks again Kevin, I think emergency swerving should be a skill along with braking. You have to decide if you can brake in time or swerve to avoid a collision. That rider should of been looking ahead and had a way out to swerve instead of locking up his brakes when the car turned left into oncoming traffic. Keep it up!! Thanks Kevin for all your hard work putting out videos for all of us.
Apply this to driving a car is very similar. I love the good tips.
Thanks for useful tips. Riding for about two weeks now. Great tips!!
Thanks Kevin! I intend to be a safe and better rider! Your videos are extremely helpful!
Right on Kevin!! Great tips and food for thought. Have a plan execute it everytime. 😁
thank you dr KEVIN GREAT TIPS AND GUIDANCE FOR SAFE RIDING LOVE YOUR WISDOM AND PASSION FOTEACHING
Yes, you just never know....Last year while riding our bikes with my husband near Reno, NV a pickup truck directly ahead of us had a very large round bale of hay that fell off on the highway. My husband is telling me (through blue tooth speakers) watch out...In a matter of seconds that very slippery hay exploded like a confetti bomb.The cars were swerving on both sides of us at 70 mph and it was pretty hairy! I looked behind me (to see if the car behind me was stopping) as well as where I was heading and I rode the white line on that 3 lane highway, passing the slippery pile of hay flying just everywhere...
MCrider, you were in my head too. We were back several seconds, I did some emergency braking at 70 mph, I looked for the car behind me if he would stop or plow into me... I looked where I wanted to be going...and I looked for an escape...Thanks for the great tips! Needless to say, We do not ride behind trucks with hay bales anymore lol.
Thanks for your videos, I have learned a few things and reinforced a few others. My single biggest problem is not turning my head to where I want to go. In a right turn for instance, I will look left to ensure there is no on-coming traffic, then begin my turn. At that point I am looking where I want to go, but then I will turn my head back to look again in case I missed an on-coming vehicle. It's a bad habit I can't seem to break, but I'm working on it!
Excellent suggestions for your 5 tips! Great advice. Keep them coming Kevin. Thank you
Thanks Kevin. Great information, that too in a nutshell. Keeps learning from your videos and refining my skills. It's getting better and better, thanks a lot.
Thank you so much for reiterating a safe following distance. Subbed
New rider here, awesome video. Thank you!
Excellent advice as usual thanks Kevin.
Thanks for this video. It helps me a lot, new rider here.
This is a great refresher.
Thank you so much Kevin! Excellent list!! Thank you!!