Hi Motorman, if you happen to come to Hungary, you are my guest for a dinner. :) In return for these videos. I am 57 y.o. Driving car since '80. I am avid cyclist. More than 200.000 kms under my saddle. Purchased my 1st motorcycle this year, and learn A LOT fom you. Thank you very much!
Smith System works great on my bike, Jerry. I'm a truck driver, 75' long, frequently hauling oversized freight at 12', 14', and even 15' wide. Even in a red truck with standard lights on, amber strobe lights all over the place, yellow banners and red flags, I STILL have people pull out in front of me! I ride the bike like I drive the truck - only with eight fewer gears - and I rarely even come close to an incident. Appreciate the efforts of you and your bride in these videos. Thank you, sir!
Motorman, I always look forward to watching every single video you post up no matter how far back or recent it is. Like I always say: Keep the dirty side down!
Jerry, thanks for the great tips Sir. I ride an ‘O7 CVO Ultra Classic. No ABS and that ‘skinny’ rear tire. There have been several occasions when riding in heavy traffic, or as a Patriot Guard Rider escorting various honor missions, I’ve had to do evasive maneuvers. The rear tire easily locks up. It’s been hair raising when it does. But 40 years of riding experience helped me avoid what could have been nasty collisions. I look as far down the road or around curves as I can see. Constantly scanning forward, and behind in the mirrors. It’s a habit. Can’t say I’ve practiced the rapid stopping on a regular basis. I’ll start doing that. Keep up the great work. You are definitely saving lives!
While it's true that skinny rear tire on older Harleys and the fact that older Harleys rear brake was more like an on and off switch, makes stopping quickly pretty hard to do. That just means you'll have to practice braking quite a bit to get proficient. Make sure to use more pressure on the front brake than the rear brake.
This one I definitely like, I had to lay mine down once. Attended a Veterans ride, and had a car pulled out and hit her brakes and I had to react quickly applied the brakes slid in some oil and slid into the right lane and laid it down in the intersection and thank God for a motor officer was there @ a coffee house and saw the whole thing happen. He pulled the car over and there was a Nurse there to who came to help me out and several others who helped me get the bike up get it into the parking lot check out the bike and me. Paramedic came to check me out and helped me with the bike. Bent my rear brake pedal and helped straighten it out with a crowbar so I could still use it. Only damage besides that was to my right running lights and scratch to my windscreen on the fairing. Glad to have folks who saw what happened and as for the lady who pulled out in front of me the officer cited her and she paid to have my bike repaired. Later I saw her about a month later and she was riding a Sportster. She said that she was new to riding and was now cautious because she learned to be more watchful and how to make yourself seen.
Motorman, you may have said this all before. But, that was the best definition of handlebar steering vs. counter steering I have heard. Thanks for simplifying the concept.
I had an incident about a month after I started riding. I was on a local road about 5 miles from my house, it was dusk and a car was in front of me. I saw another car at a stop sign about 200 yards ahead. I was about 4 car length behind the guy in front of me and thought to myself " that guy up there see's this guy not me " and I started slowing down. Sure enough once the guy in front of me passed the stop sign the other car turns left, I had to slam on my brakes and luckily didn't lock up my tires. If I hadn't anticipated and slowed down when I did I would have t-boned this idiot. It pays to pay attention.
I’ve been on a bike for some time and have had no formal instruction. I started on dirt trails as a kid and then into motocross as I tried chasing my kids around the track. In 2009 I bought the Electra glide that I still ride today and it wasn’t until my wife started riding a Tri glide recently that I found your videos. I appreciate the content and the detailed instruction you provide. We live in a remote area with no access to advanced instruction so when the opportunity presents itself we’ll be looking for formal training. Thanks for sharing and motivating me to think differently. I like your catch phrase “your instincts are wrong”, it got my attention.
I had this happen to me. My mistake was not being aware of the truck parked along the curb that blinded my vision of the exit path from the Walgreeens. The driver of another truck pulled out of the parking lot, failed to yield, much less stop, as I was going 30 mph. I applied both brakes, eased up on em as the bike skidded, the truck applied their brakes, then accelerated a bit ( I have no idea why!), then came to a complete stop. This enabled me to continue my braking, a short skid, then swerved out of the way to the left and missed the truck by inches. A million thoughts flooded my mind in that short amount of time. Sadly, one of those thoughts was, "My bike's gonna sustain some serious damage!"
I have ridden about 400,000 kilometres on bicycles with 18 mm wide tires. I have been up to 100 kilometres per hour downhill. A motorcycle is a lot safer than a bicycle. There is no doubt about that. When getting back on the motorcycle after giving up the bicycle the hardest thing was getting the clutch and the accelerator perfect. Two years and six months, 24,000 kilometres later (and watching a lot of Jerry Palladino, it has all come back (except now I am 77 years old).
Now i know how my friend dumped his Harley and unfortunately he decided to give up on 2 wheels because of it. He couldn’t work at his business for about 3 weeks. He didn’t even have a permit, though. This info is only making me feel the urge to ride come again, now I know I was trying to learn on too big of a bike and now I will start the correct way. I will take delivery of a new Royal Enfield 350 sometime this week and have ordered this book! Can’t wait to get started!
Love your stuff motor man!! Listen, over 40 years AMA competitor, refreshing my skills,and just because I have tones of experience, keep my ego off the bike.Your on point with everything. One thing I want to share: Had a huge ride Friday. Escort a new bell tower to our local military cemetery. I cant BELIEVE how many jokers let their old lady's get on the back of ANY bike with shorts and flip flops. UNREAL TO ME!!! Do these guys think they will never fall?Or do that think they are experts? Your a expert, and I know you must have opinion on these fools. I'm a old man now, therefore bite my tough. Because its these fools that will want to fight. And HER!!! Do these women think he's some frickin super hero!?? I've lived all over east coast for work,and seems to be more egotistical maniacs down south. I dont get it..
I think I am at least a reasonable rider, but you have opened my eyes to how much I really need to learn and practice. Great job, Jerry. Thank you much. Greetings from Australia.
Great Video, I drove over the road semi's for a lot of year's and I can't tell you how many times people looked right at me and my truck and pulled out in front of me any way, so I learned to drive n ride like I was invisible, and you should too, take Jerry's advice serious about covering the brakes while going thru intersections, when to brake hard n down shift let of the brake n swerve it will save your life some day, heed his warnings very seriously about what to do if your back brake locks up vs the front brake that advice is truth 100 percent n might safe your life one day !my wife thought i was crazy when she first straded riding on the harley with me, and without warning i would shoot of shit n practice emergency counter steering at least once every time we were out, one night we were coming home from quaker steak n lube on a two lane road and a hot rod was tailgating a car coming at us, I immeditiatly knew he might try passing no matter my newer bike bright led lights on her, as i heard his beast motor growl n his head light start to begin moving towards my lane, I knew all I could do was counter steer pushing pretty hard on the right handle bar until i was about 19 inches over the solid white line on my right side , and a inch or so give or take the edge of the pavement n gravel, i held the bike right there while he was passing right next to the car in front of him n both of them next to me!! Thank God I took a motorcyle safety course n watched all Jerry's Video's, and the hod rod next to me didn't fish tail into where i was, my number wasn't up,, I had the training from trucking to read the road, and my skills were up to the task at hand, I had to no time to get scared or panic it was time for all experience , training, luck n the good Lord showing me some love n mercy, so if they look n see a semi n pull out in front of us all the time , expect them not to see you , your invisible ride that way ,you know they won't see a bike either, I'm glad i'm mature enough not to have road rage, i just turned the radio up a notch n listened to some clascic rock a bit louder n enjoyed savored the ride home, it happened so fast so with luck , lord n skills n training was my saving grace, n watching all the many you tube video's Jerry puts out That saes countless lifes including me n my wifes, so thank you from the bottom of my heart Jerry !!!
It’s crazy, isn’t it? If they don’t notice me when I’m 105,500 pounds, they aren’t likely to notice me when I’m 900. Driving semi is a little like riding a motorcycle in that you really have to pay attention to the road, think and plan ahead. You can’t assume someone knows you’re there because of your loud exhaust or size or whatever. I really do miss that air horn lanyard sometimes when I’m on the Harley though haha. Take care man, be safe
Great video, Jerry! I still tell everyone I know who rides that the best thing I ever did to up my skill level was to take a Ride Like A Pro class. Skills I learned from you back in 2013 have saved my ass a couple times. I do recommend people have a little mileage and experience with their bike under their belt before jumping into a RLAP class, though. I got through the cloverleaf obstacle you set up in 33 seconds on my Road Glide and was so proud of myself. Thanks for all you do. Give Donna a big hug from me.
Grew up in Ocala. Lots of family in Leesburg and Mt Dora so watching your videos riding down roads I used to ride every month to see family reminds me how little that area has changed in ten years. Solid video.
This is a great video, I always end up arguing with people about that statement. Bikes are so capable today, with the right skill set imminent death can and will be avoided.
I have to say Jerry....not a bad video....all the basics covered...and as many people don't realize, the basics are most important...I had a neighbor/friend that "laid er' down" and because of that, his head hit the car's bumper and he died....very sad......in over 50 years of riding myself....across this country...many thousands of miles.....and lots of off -road too.....I have never dropped my bike (on the street) or crashed...part of that as you know is luck.....but mostly skills learned over the years.....I appreciate what you are trying to convey to these new riders...and in some cases older riders...keep em' coming....maybe include some videos where you actually skid that rear tire to show what you mean in regards to loss of traction?
I litteraly had such a close shave on Saturday afternoon Jerry. In the UK we have these so called mini roundabouts I think that they position them where they would be unable to fit a full sized crossroads junction (intersection as you call them). Bearing in mind that our roads are so much narrower than yours in general also, The roundabout in question was maybe 20_25 feet across and on a mauin route consisting of two way traffic, also with the entrance/exit to a housing estate to the left and entrance/exit to a food store ASDA(Walmart) on the right. Traffic was backed up nose to tail running in and out of the town at this roundabout and people were zipping across fast the moment they saw anopportunity. Really precarious arrangement in any case I thought that I was prepared, my turn came and I watched the vehicle on the opposite side (Parallel lane) untill I was sure it was going straight across rather than trust indicators. The oncoming Road angle is bad there as well you just can't see when the cars are indicating or not untill they actualy get on the roundabout but so many just don't bother using them. So I went for it fast but even so, before my tail end was even onto the roundabout an oncoming car (rushing) had turned towards me. I only glimpsed it from the corner of my eye and had no choice but to immediately swerve left onto the housing estate ahead of the oblivious vehicle so I ended up traveling in front of it. If I'd have been a split second slower it would have hit me side on. Practising your Low speed manoeuvring skills got me out of that Jerry, I've never leaned so fast in my life. Somehow I got the clutch right and didn't stall either but it was so fast I just didn't have time to think only react. Like you say sometimes about looking for a way out or a plan if this happens or that happens.
Try to explain my lay down and first time hitting pavement after 30 years of riding and happened around 10 years ago. Around dusk with no car around going thru 2 lane intersection. The bike has no abs and in third gear going 60 kms and looking down the road about 100 -150 a car is in the soft sholder with a concrete separated lane divider. He was positioned so as to make a u-turn at the end of concrete separated lane divider, no indication of u-turn other than brake lights on. At this point I said to self " I bet he is going to make a u-turn" at which point he did. I went down a gear and started using threshold brakes with lower gear but my distance to the car was not enough to stop in time. Next, just locked both brakes used all my skills pulled in clutch bike was upright for 50ft but than I was sliding with motorcycle it was like I was a kid again when you would slide your bike to stand up ( amazing how it all comes back) time to bail so I rode to to ground with it, I went left and the bike went right. Refresh to all reading I could go to the right because of soft shoulder with drainage ditch and left because of hard concrete lane seperater that ended where he made the u-turn. Also, he stopped in the middle of the 2 lanes with no exit for me. So, I slide he moves forward after I let bike go I slide on my left side 20ft with my left hand holding my head up as to not slide on my helmet and land 3ft from the car. He promptly takes off while I am trying to remember the license plate to no avail. Note, I always use gauntlet gloves and steel toe boots. My injurie was steel toe boot ground down and the ankle part had road rash. My gloves the outside palm and upper gauntlet had road rash. Next morning my left shoulder in some pain from holding my head up. So, I conclusion I believe no other choice but to lay the motorcycle down. Only two things that might have helped my tires were a bit cold but had excellent traction. Maybe mistake to pull in clutch and just use threshold breaking but not going to secound guess because I laying down with little injuries. Also, would like to thank the to other motorcyclist who heard my lock up and came to help. The police and ambulance service that also came to make sure I was not hurt. Thanks again.
Thank you Jerry for taking the time to make these videos and share them. I practice Every Day! Only been riding since the end of September and never had a bike before that.
@Joe: You will live. Keep practicing and take some riding classes (if you haven't already). If you have, keep practicing and think about an advanced class in the new year. Keep the shiny side up!
Always impressed with skill and knowledge. My wife and me both ride and living in rural Canada we’re a long way from a good training coarse. I’m a big believer in in your teachings about being pro active in avoiding situations and try to practice them. Thx for your help.
Before even watching this, I am gonna say that maybe 1% of riders who "lay it down" do so deliberately. The rest just go down because of using the back brake only in a "panic stop", or due to failure to notice road surface conditions that might cause the front wheel to lock up when hard braking. In any case, 99% "lay it down" unintentionally and violently. In 250,000 miles, I have been "down" twice. Both times involved the front wheel locking under hard braking. One of those times was due to sand at the intersection. The other time? I am not entirely sure other than I was in the middle of a turn onto an onramp and looked away for a second to see what I was going to merge with on the freeway. The car immediately in front of me, too close, stopped suddenly due to a 6X6 falling off the semi in front of her. I max front braked while still leaned over some and I am guessing that is why I went down. Maybe got lucky with that one as I didn't collide significantly with the car. That would have been worse.
Thank you for putting this up, Motorman! It is a funny feeling listening to your talking here, and what you are saying is precisely the same as I have been telling everyone who will listen, in most of the exact same words! Keep the shiny side up!
Excellent advice,I ride everyday and am constantly honing my skills,think I'm gonna take the advanced course as a tune up,anything to further the skills and break bad habits I've picked up
your lessons are one class thing. after my father that i got impressed by any teacher is yourself Sir. hope i fly over the pond and see you one day. unfortunately we here at UK dont have such big roads as you lucky lot have at USA. enjoy riding Sir
I tell people who say "I layed it down" no you "Lost all control of your motorcycle" once your bike is on the road sliding you have zero control of it, you have no options left. If you stay on it you can brake to a stop, you can swerve then brake, or best option you can brake and then swerve, or last you can stay hard on the brakes and hit the object at a whole lot slower speed.
I was cut off while turning on a two lane corner, leaning pretty hard into it. I managed to straighten up and brake hard (without locking anything). Felt pretty good. Over here, you get to "practice" fast braking every day.
Hi I've just found the channel I'm working my though all, very helpful,I ride in the UK ,but it's still the same drive in a manner which is safe for your conditions. Looking forward to the next video. Graham.👍
Jerry & Donna The cliche for “common sense” it’s not common, so as all things have relevance then, this too applies! Practice as you drive then you’re going to drive like you practice, I salute your efforts and see now why you named your school’s business “Ride like a Pro”!
Observe an approaching motorcycle and try to estimate its speed? It's near impossible. A motorcycle approaching head-on from a distance occupies a very small part of a driver's vision. If it's going quickly, it's possible that the eye simply won't get around to looking at it enough to make it "stick" in the brain before it arrives in the driver's immediate vicinity. That part is important because the brain can really only see things that it understands.
I have only once "had to lay her down" since i started riding... One of my first lessons, i tipped over (while at a stop in a practice area) and noticed that "i can not pull up this weight" so i let her go to avoid straining my muscles to the degree that i damaged them... The crash bard saved her but the emotional damage is real :P Still... If you think steel or leather... or even denime has more stopping distance than rubber... there is some bad news for you... Stop if needed, swerve if you can... if all else fails... lower the crash speed.... Sliding is the second worst case scenario.... If i need to point out the worst.... you should not ride...
I dropped my bike for the first time today. Made a left turn and the car in front of me did a quick stop (after the turn because he saw an opportunity to go into the grocery store), I was just getting out of the turn from a stop. It was near freezing and the road was wet. I got the bike straight up, but as I was braking, I must have gone too hard on the front brake. Sometimes things happen so fast, that even with practice (and I do all the time) life is unpredictable in a way you never anticipated to practice for. Luckily it was slow and I have grate knee armor and motorcycle pants (AGATT)
@@rgh622 a gash in the paint job, but Hannibal (my 2003 Transalp) has a full engine cage. It just goes to show (1) Protect your bike (2) AGATT (3) Even with all the preparation, you never know what will happen. Cold road, cold tires, needing to stop quickly in a turn at an intersection. Life finds a way to bite you. I share this, because you said "don't tell people you dropped your bike." I don't agree. I don't think people think less of you. They have been there and support you in your journey to be a better rider. My crew all were really supportive and (after some ribbing) immediately had a discussion on what happened and how we all can do better.
With daily observations, I believe many drivers don’t know what road markings mean & others just disregard them, not professional at all. Coming from the aviation side, you heed those markings or else.
Back in September I was riding my police Harley at 05:24 and a novice driver ran a stop sign and I ended up in her drivers side door. Bike was a write off and walked away with a broken wrist. She came out of a blind intersection and didn’t even see her. She flew out of that street at least 45mph. I’m still off work. ABS is great!
Doc Donna getting there. Still have some tingling in my fingers. Strength is getting there. Back to work Jan 6. Hope so. CT scan on the 13th to confirm all is ok. Merry Christmas to you too Doc!
It's obvious that one Must be a defensive driver to avoid all the hazards of the roads & LQQKing ahead is paramount to your safety..... lol, you were kind in speaking on this topic because you know that "acceleration" is perhaps the most dangerous part of how ppl ride? You're right, cars can't see us & moreover they've got No clue just how quickly you can accelerate or Are Accelerating towards them..... That's the moment they, "Lay er Down"..... they wrongly get mad at the car
One thing about swerving. Precious milliseconds are lost trying to determine if the car is going to stop or keep moving, with one or the other impeding your escape plan. Best to assume that the car will stop, and go around behind them whenever possible. This way, no matter which happens, you have a guaranteed escape path. (again, as long as there are not other obstacles preventing it)
I read a story years ago about a motorcycle cop approaching a intersection and a car ran the red light and the cop couldn't do anything but hit the car. Just before impact he jumped off his bike and the bike hit the car and he went sailing over it. he did a couple of tumbles and came to rest on the other side of the street and sat on the curb and observed the situation.
I ride like Evel Kenevel. I go where he used to be or if they start to stop I swerve in front of them. Years ago as a new rider I was trying to keep up with dad when I was looking at the broad side of a Lincoln that ran a stop sign. I swerved behind him, went down a driveway, through a couple front yards and back up a driveway onto the road in front of the Lincoln. When we stopped dad said good job back there son. Luckily I can count on one hand the times I had to ride on sidewalks and through front yards. If I'm riding a wheelie through your front yard it means someone cut me off.
Great video! Any suggestions for riding in areas with lots of deer? Locally a couple was killed when a deer jumped from side of road and hit them on their new Harley. Possibly inexperienced, not sure. My wife who loves to ride on my Goldwing with me is now scared. Haven't had bike out in weeks.
Many excellent riders have been done in by deer. They tend to come from just behind your peripheral vision. Early morning and sunset are their most active times. If you see one, expect there's another one nearby.
I learned real quick that braking fast with no ABS, my bike wants to wible wable as the wheels locks up. I was straight up already, thankfully, and knew enough to keep it under control.
Jerry great vlog. If you want to ride like a pro buy his video not a lot of money to have the edge on other bikers that can save your life. Be Safe Ride Safe🏍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Isn't that a country song? "How I'd love to lay you down" By Conway Twitty. Did I win anything? 🤓👍 I need to get your CDs. The down shifting part takes practice. If I tried it the rear wheel would lock up my bikes geared so low.
Do you REALLY believe that you, when driving a vehicle, never have moments that could be classified as inattentive? Every one of us has moments behind the wheel where we are distracted and not as attentive as we should be, that could be classified as inattentive driving. That's why we as riders have the responsibility of trying to always pay attention and anticipate inattentive driving around us. Go and watch motorcycle accident videos on UA-cam and you will probably be shocked at how many of those accidents would have been avoided, or at least minimized, if the rider (that's us on 2 wheels) had anticipated the inattentive driver doing something stupid as wr approached them.
@@thomass789 I couldn't agree with you more! ALWAYS expect a sudden stop or a stop sign/red light to be run and never EVER expect that people on the road see you. They're looking for cars, not bikes. I think Driver Ed classes should have car vs bike drills in parking lots or something so new drivers are trained to look for bikes. I always drive with my brights on in daylight and flash at cars coming to a stop in an intersection to increase the odds they are aware of me. There are a lot of little things we, as riders, can get into the habit of doing, but teaching motorcycle awareness to cagers could be more than helpful as well. Ride safe!
@@justterry5947 Totally agree. I'm not sure if this will work but here is a video I often share that actually describes WHY drivers often fail to see motorcycles. It's a must watch! ua-cam.com/video/x94PGgYKHQ0/v-deo.html
@@thomass789 it doesn't excuse the idiocy, so please stop doing so. People need to be more attentive when driving. It's a privilege, not a right. The only right we have to transportation, is the two feet that move us around. The REAL problem is this country hands out licenses like they're candy. No REAL driving test, and this includes motorcycle endorsements. Theres a reason EU does it in a tiered stage process. We should do the same. Nope, it's just a closed course where you do some maneuvers, and Bam you can legally ride a 900lb goldwing or Harley, after spending 3 months on a 300cc ninja. So again...stop excusing idiocy that is rampant in this country.
@@Farrell0208 Randy, if you think I am excusing inattentive driving, then either I did a poor job of conveying my thoughts in my post, or you misunderstood what I was saying. Because I certainly am NOT excusing inattentive driving. I was only making the point that it happens and ALL OF US are guilty of it at times. Furthermore, with too many folks using their cell phones while driving, it has become more of a problem than ever, and that is not going to change. So we can either accept it for the reality that it is AND adjust our driving skills and habits to minimize our chances of being hurt by these inattentive drivers around us, OR get angry about it without compensating for it when riding, and greatly increase our chances of getting into an accident. Personally I ride very defensively to compensate for the inevitable inattentive drivers around us because that is the reality.
Good advise well put across. Thanks. Love your Harley but would you say its safer on a sports bike due to the lighter weight, better handling, suspension, tyres and brakes?
All modern bikes are safe. It's the rider that counts. Sport bike can take curves much faster than cruisers. Braking distances are about the same on both.
This is why i ride with loud pipes, you're right they see you but the brain doesn't connect with the eyes and body...However if they hear you coming this sense is more responsive to the brain and then what it does is sets the eyes ready to look for the noise and then absorb the fact that you're there.....Keep those pipes loud and stay safe x
Hi Motorman,
if you happen to come to Hungary, you are my guest for a dinner. :) In return for these videos. I am 57 y.o. Driving car since '80. I am avid cyclist. More than 200.000 kms under my saddle. Purchased my 1st motorcycle this year, and learn A LOT fom you. Thank you very much!
Smith System works great on my bike, Jerry. I'm a truck driver, 75' long, frequently hauling oversized freight at 12', 14', and even 15' wide. Even in a red truck with standard lights on, amber strobe lights all over the place, yellow banners and red flags, I STILL have people pull out in front of me! I ride the bike like I drive the truck - only with eight fewer gears - and I rarely even come close to an incident.
Appreciate the efforts of you and your bride in these videos. Thank you, sir!
My last company used Smith Systems, I noticed quite a bit of similarity too. I'm striving for excellence, be it 2 wheels or 34.
Motorman, I always look forward to watching every single video you post up no matter how far back or recent it is. Like I always say:
Keep the dirty side down!
Jerry, thanks for the great tips Sir.
I ride an ‘O7 CVO Ultra Classic. No ABS and that ‘skinny’ rear tire. There have been several occasions when riding in heavy traffic, or as a Patriot Guard Rider escorting various honor missions, I’ve had to do evasive maneuvers. The rear tire easily locks up. It’s been hair raising when it does. But 40 years of riding experience helped me avoid what could have been nasty collisions.
I look as far down the road or around curves as I can see. Constantly scanning forward, and behind in the mirrors. It’s a habit.
Can’t say I’ve practiced the rapid stopping on a regular basis. I’ll start doing that.
Keep up the great work. You are definitely saving lives!
While it's true that skinny rear tire on older Harleys and the fact that older Harleys rear brake was more like an on and off switch, makes stopping quickly pretty hard to do. That just means you'll have to practice braking quite a bit to get proficient. Make sure to use more pressure on the front brake than the rear brake.
They get a ticket, you get a casket!!! Never trust anyone especially at intersections…
This one I definitely like, I had to lay mine down once. Attended a Veterans ride, and had a car pulled out and hit her brakes and I had to react quickly applied the brakes slid in some oil and slid into the right lane and laid it down in the intersection and thank God for a motor officer was there @ a coffee house and saw the whole thing happen. He pulled the car over and there was a Nurse there to who came to help me out and several others who helped me get the bike up get it into the parking lot check out the bike and me. Paramedic came to check me out and helped me with the bike. Bent my rear brake pedal and helped straighten it out with a crowbar so I could still use it. Only damage besides that was to my right running lights and scratch to my windscreen on the fairing. Glad to have folks who saw what happened and as for the lady who pulled out in front of me the officer cited her and she paid to have my bike repaired. Later I saw her about a month later and she was riding a Sportster. She said that she was new to riding and was now cautious because she learned to be more watchful and how to make yourself seen.
Motorman, you may have said this all before. But, that was the best definition of handlebar steering vs. counter steering I have heard. Thanks for simplifying the concept.
I had an incident about a month after I started riding. I was on a local road about 5 miles from my house, it was dusk and a car was in front of me. I saw another car at a stop sign about 200 yards ahead. I was about 4 car length behind the guy in front of me and thought to myself " that guy up there see's this guy not me " and I started slowing down. Sure enough once the guy in front of me passed the stop sign the other car turns left, I had to slam on my brakes and luckily didn't lock up my tires. If I hadn't anticipated and slowed down when I did I would have t-boned this idiot. It pays to pay attention.
Yep, I assume nobody sees me.
I’ve been on a bike for some time and have had no formal instruction. I started on dirt trails as a kid and then into motocross as I tried chasing my kids around the track. In 2009 I bought the Electra glide that I still ride today and it wasn’t until my wife started riding a Tri glide recently that I found your videos. I appreciate the content and the detailed instruction you provide.
We live in a remote area with no access to advanced instruction so when the opportunity presents itself we’ll be looking for formal training. Thanks for sharing and motivating me to think differently. I like your catch phrase “your instincts are wrong”, it got my attention.
I had this happen to me. My mistake was not being aware of the truck parked along the curb that blinded my vision of the exit path from the Walgreeens. The driver of another truck pulled out of the parking lot, failed to yield, much less stop, as I was going 30 mph. I applied both brakes, eased up on em as the bike skidded, the truck applied their brakes, then accelerated a bit ( I have no idea why!), then came to a complete stop. This enabled me to continue my braking, a short skid, then swerved out of the way to the left and missed the truck by inches. A million thoughts flooded my mind in that short amount of time. Sadly, one of those thoughts was, "My bike's gonna sustain some serious damage!"
I have ridden about 400,000 kilometres on bicycles with 18 mm wide tires. I have been up to 100 kilometres per hour downhill. A motorcycle is a lot safer than a bicycle. There is no doubt about that. When getting back on the motorcycle after giving up the bicycle the hardest thing was getting the clutch and the accelerator perfect. Two years and six months, 24,000 kilometres later (and watching a lot of Jerry Palladino, it has all come back (except now I am 77 years old).
Now i know how my friend dumped his Harley and unfortunately he decided to give up on 2 wheels because of it.
He couldn’t work at his business for about 3 weeks.
He didn’t even have a permit, though.
This info is only making me feel the urge to ride come again, now I know I was trying to learn on too big of a bike and now I will start the correct way.
I will take delivery of a new Royal Enfield 350 sometime this week and have ordered this book! Can’t wait to get started!
Love your stuff motor man!!
Listen, over 40 years AMA competitor, refreshing my skills,and just because I have tones of experience, keep my ego off the bike.Your on point with everything. One thing I want to share: Had a huge ride Friday. Escort a new bell tower to our local military cemetery. I cant BELIEVE how many jokers let their old lady's get on the back of ANY bike with shorts and flip flops. UNREAL TO ME!!!
Do these guys think they will never fall?Or do that think they are experts? Your a expert, and I know you must have opinion on these fools. I'm a old man now, therefore bite my tough. Because its these fools that will want to fight. And HER!!! Do these women think he's some frickin super hero!?? I've lived all over east coast for work,and seems to be more egotistical maniacs down south. I dont get it..
Stupid is as stupid does.
Thank you Motor Man from Venus TX
I think I am at least a reasonable rider, but you have opened my eyes to how much I really need to learn and practice. Great job, Jerry. Thank you much. Greetings from Australia.
I’m a pilot and a motorcycle enthusiast. I make myself practice proficiency in both. It’s easy to get complacent.
Motorman’s videos are the best.
Great Video, I drove over the road semi's for a lot of year's and I can't tell you how many times people looked right at me and my truck and pulled out in front of me any way, so I learned to drive n ride like I was invisible, and you should too, take Jerry's advice serious about covering the brakes while going thru intersections, when to brake hard n down shift let of the brake n swerve it will save your life some day, heed his warnings very seriously about what to do if your back brake locks up vs the front brake that advice is truth 100 percent n might safe your life one day !my wife thought i was crazy when she first straded riding on the harley with me, and without warning i would shoot of shit n practice emergency counter steering at least once every time we were out, one night we were coming home from quaker steak n lube on a two lane road and a hot rod was tailgating a car coming at us, I immeditiatly knew he might try passing no matter my newer bike bright led lights on her, as i heard his beast motor growl n his head light start to begin moving towards my lane, I knew all I could do was counter steer pushing pretty hard on the right handle bar until i was about 19 inches over the solid white line on my right side , and a inch or so give or take the edge of the pavement n gravel, i held the bike right there while he was passing right next to the car in front of him n both of them next to me!! Thank God I took a motorcyle safety course n watched all Jerry's Video's, and the hod rod next to me didn't fish tail into where i was, my number wasn't up,, I had the training from trucking to read the road, and my skills were up to the task at hand, I had to no time to get scared or panic it was time for all experience , training, luck n the good Lord showing me some love n mercy, so if they look n see a semi n pull out in front of us all the time , expect them not to see you , your invisible ride that way ,you know they won't see a bike either, I'm glad i'm mature enough not to have road rage, i just turned the radio up a notch n listened to some clascic rock a bit louder n enjoyed savored the ride home, it happened so fast so with luck , lord n skills n training was my saving grace, n watching all the many you tube video's Jerry puts out That saes countless lifes including me n my wifes, so thank you from the bottom of my heart Jerry !!!
Good story, glad you were thinking ahead and had the skills!!
@@doug2993 Thank's Doug, I guess my number wasn't up yet. thanks again Godspeed!
It’s crazy, isn’t it? If they don’t notice me when I’m 105,500 pounds, they aren’t likely to notice me when I’m 900. Driving semi is a little like riding a motorcycle in that you really have to pay attention to the road, think and plan ahead. You can’t assume someone knows you’re there because of your loud exhaust or size or whatever. I really do miss that air horn lanyard sometimes when I’m on the Harley though haha. Take care man, be safe
Great video, Jerry! I still tell everyone I know who rides that the best thing I ever did to up my skill level was to take a Ride Like A Pro class. Skills I learned from you back in 2013 have saved my ass a couple times. I do recommend people have a little mileage and experience with their bike under their belt before jumping into a RLAP class, though. I got through the cloverleaf obstacle you set up in 33 seconds on my Road Glide and was so proud of myself. Thanks for all you do. Give Donna a big hug from me.
Grew up in Ocala. Lots of family in Leesburg and Mt Dora so watching your videos riding down roads I used to ride every month to see family reminds me how little that area has changed in ten years. Solid video.
Love your teaching Jerry! Scientific, logical, clearly explained, and DEMONSTRATED.
Glad you think so!
This is a great video, I always end up arguing with people about that statement. Bikes are so capable today, with the right skill set imminent death can and will be avoided.
I have to say Jerry....not a bad video....all the basics covered...and as many people don't realize, the basics are most important...I had a neighbor/friend that "laid er' down" and because of that, his head hit the car's bumper and he died....very sad......in over 50 years of riding myself....across this country...many thousands of miles.....and lots of off -road too.....I have never dropped my bike (on the street) or crashed...part of that as you know is luck.....but mostly skills learned over the years.....I appreciate what you are trying to convey to these new riders...and in some cases older riders...keep em' coming....maybe include some videos where you actually skid that rear tire to show what you mean in regards to loss of traction?
Thanks Motorman for another excellent video. You continue to help me become a safer rider
I litteraly had such a close shave on Saturday afternoon Jerry. In the UK we have these so called mini roundabouts I think that they position them where they would be unable to fit a full sized crossroads junction (intersection as you call them). Bearing in mind that our roads are so much narrower than yours in general also, The roundabout in question was maybe 20_25 feet across and on a mauin route consisting of two way traffic, also with the entrance/exit to a housing estate to the left and entrance/exit to a food store ASDA(Walmart) on the right. Traffic was backed up nose to tail running in and out of the town at this roundabout and people were zipping across fast the moment they saw anopportunity. Really precarious arrangement in any case I thought that I was prepared, my turn came and I watched the vehicle on the opposite side (Parallel lane) untill I was sure it was going straight across rather than trust indicators. The oncoming Road angle is bad there as well you just can't see when the cars are indicating or not untill they actualy get on the roundabout but so many just don't bother using them. So I went for it fast but even so, before my tail end was even onto the roundabout an oncoming car (rushing) had turned towards me. I only glimpsed it from the corner of my eye and had no choice but to immediately swerve left onto the housing estate ahead of the oblivious vehicle so I ended up traveling in front of it. If I'd have been a split second slower it would have hit me side on. Practising your Low speed manoeuvring skills got me out of that Jerry, I've never leaned so fast in my life. Somehow I got the clutch right and didn't stall either but it was so fast I just didn't have time to think only react. Like you say sometimes about looking for a way out or a plan if this happens or that happens.
Thanks for your great videos. I’ve learnt a lot…
Try to explain my lay down and first time hitting pavement after 30 years of riding and happened around 10 years ago. Around dusk with no car around going thru 2 lane intersection. The bike has no abs and in third gear going 60 kms and looking down the road about 100 -150 a car is in the soft sholder with a concrete separated lane divider. He was positioned so as to make a u-turn at the end of concrete separated lane divider, no indication of u-turn other than brake lights on. At this point I said to self " I bet he is going to make a u-turn" at which point he did. I went down a gear and started using threshold brakes with lower gear but my distance to the car was not enough to stop in time. Next, just locked both brakes used all my skills pulled in clutch bike was upright for 50ft but than I was sliding with motorcycle it was like I was a kid again when you would slide your bike to stand up ( amazing how it all comes back) time to bail so I rode to to ground with it, I went left and the bike went right. Refresh to all reading I could go to the right because of soft shoulder with drainage ditch and left because of hard concrete lane seperater that ended where he made the u-turn. Also, he stopped in the middle of the 2 lanes with no exit for me. So, I slide he moves forward after I let bike go I slide on my left side 20ft with my left hand holding my head up as to not slide on my helmet and land 3ft from the car. He promptly takes off while I am trying to remember the license plate to no avail. Note, I always use gauntlet gloves and steel toe boots. My injurie was steel toe boot ground down and the ankle part had road rash. My gloves the outside palm and upper gauntlet had road rash. Next morning my left shoulder in some pain from holding my head up. So, I conclusion I believe no other choice but to lay the motorcycle down. Only two things that might have helped my tires were a bit cold but had excellent traction. Maybe mistake to pull in clutch and just use threshold breaking but not going to secound guess because I laying down with little injuries. Also, would like to thank the to other motorcyclist who heard my lock up and came to help. The police and ambulance service that also came to make sure I was not hurt. Thanks again.
Thank you Jerry for taking the time to make these videos and share them. I practice Every Day! Only been riding since the end of September and never had a bike before that.
@Joe: You will live. Keep practicing and take some riding classes (if you haven't already). If you have, keep practicing and think about an advanced class in the new year. Keep the shiny side up!
Always impressed with skill and knowledge. My wife and me both ride and living in rural Canada we’re a long way from a good training coarse. I’m a big believer in in your teachings about being pro active in avoiding situations and try to practice them. Thx for your help.
Methodical, precise, articulate, and across the board - extremely helpful. Thanks for sharing. Keep up the amazing work !
great explanation and demonstration of counter steering and when the steering changes
9:07 "Crashing to avoid a crash is a very bad plan"
Genius! This needs to be on a Tshirt!
Before even watching this, I am gonna say that maybe 1% of riders who "lay it down" do so deliberately. The rest just go down because of using the back brake only in a "panic stop", or due to failure to notice road surface conditions that might cause the front wheel to lock up when hard braking. In any case, 99% "lay it down" unintentionally and violently. In 250,000 miles, I have been "down" twice. Both times involved the front wheel locking under hard braking. One of those times was due to sand at the intersection. The other time? I am not entirely sure other than I was in the middle of a turn onto an onramp and looked away for a second to see what I was going to merge with on the freeway. The car immediately in front of me, too close, stopped suddenly due to a 6X6 falling off the semi in front of her. I max front braked while still leaned over some and I am guessing that is why I went down. Maybe got lucky with that one as I didn't collide significantly with the car. That would have been worse.
Thank you for putting this up, Motorman! It is a funny feeling listening to your talking here, and what you are saying is precisely the same as I have been telling everyone who will listen, in most of the exact same words! Keep the shiny side up!
Excellent advice,I ride everyday and am constantly honing my skills,think I'm gonna take the advanced course as a tune up,anything to further the skills and break bad habits I've picked up
Great as always. Funny that you're listening to Christmas misc. Jingle bells jingle bells..
your lessons are one class thing. after my father that i got impressed by any teacher is yourself Sir.
hope i fly over the pond and see you one day. unfortunately we here at UK dont have such big roads as you lucky lot have at USA. enjoy riding Sir
Great stuff Motorman. Please keep these types of videos coming.
Awesome video Jerry thanks for all your knowledge
Excellent video Motoman!
We just got a foot of snow in NH so I can only practice vicariously!
Dirt bike and ski gear
I tell people who say "I layed it down" no you "Lost all control of your motorcycle" once your bike is on the road sliding you have zero control of it, you have no options left. If you stay on it you can brake to a stop, you can swerve then brake, or best option you can brake and then swerve, or last you can stay hard on the brakes and hit the object at a whole lot slower speed.
I was cut off while turning on a two lane corner, leaning pretty hard into it. I managed to straighten up and brake hard (without locking anything). Felt pretty good. Over here, you get to "practice" fast braking every day.
Great video and confidence builder. Thank you Joey P!
Thanks for the tips!
Hi I've just found the channel I'm working my though all, very helpful,I ride in the UK ,but it's still the same drive in a manner which is safe for your conditions.
Looking forward to the next video. Graham.👍
Welcome aboard!
Thanks for these videos Motorman! The skills/techniques you share are awesome!
Your videos are helping so much Sir. Thank you for the hard work in putting these videos together
Jerry & Donna
The cliche for “common sense” it’s not common, so as all things have relevance then, this too applies! Practice as you drive then you’re going to drive like you practice, I salute your efforts and see now why you named your school’s business “Ride like a Pro”!
Your a man's man...I like your videos
Yep, right on point. Thanks Jerry!
I try to look 8 minutes down the road. This gives me time to stop and get a snack before evasive maneuvers
Your response made me lol
8 minutes? Do you have precognition? It's 12, 4, and 2. 12 seconds vision, 4 seconds forethought, 2 seconds reaction.
ZombiePotatoSalad lol. No... but I do have a sense of humor
Looooool
Shit I do that in my car
Ride like you are invisible no one can see you and everyone's going to pull out in front of you
Observe an approaching motorcycle and try to estimate its speed? It's near impossible. A motorcycle approaching head-on from a distance occupies a very small part of a driver's vision. If it's going quickly, it's possible that the eye simply won't get around to looking at it enough to make it "stick" in the brain before it arrives in the driver's immediate vicinity. That part is important because the brain can really only see things that it understands.
@@Zodliness i read in david hough book to slightly tack side to side. good? no good? i do it
@redeye - I've always used that concept. Been lucky so far, any time I've gone down has been my own fault.
Yep, the biggest thing I've learned to do...give up your right of way.
Great training Jerry
Love your videos, a lot of good information Ride Free and Safe 👍
Sage advice, as always.
Thanks Jerry this is what I like to watch. GREAT video
Thanks 👍
Always good riding advice.
Thank you Motorman very well done.
I see you got the Christmas music going with your station 105.5. Nice.
I have only once "had to lay her down" since i started riding...
One of my first lessons, i tipped over (while at a stop in a practice area) and noticed that "i can not pull up this weight" so i let her go to avoid straining my muscles to the degree that i damaged them... The crash bard saved her but the emotional damage is real :P
Still...
If you think steel or leather... or even denime has more stopping distance than rubber... there is some bad news for you...
Stop if needed, swerve if you can... if all else fails... lower the crash speed....
Sliding is the second worst case scenario....
If i need to point out the worst.... you should not ride...
Thanks Jerry, Ridin', talkin' and teachin'. Your the best at it!
Keep up the good work.
I dropped my bike for the first time today. Made a left turn and the car in front of me did a quick stop (after the turn because he saw an opportunity to go into the grocery store), I was just getting out of the turn from a stop. It was near freezing and the road was wet. I got the bike straight up, but as I was braking, I must have gone too hard on the front brake. Sometimes things happen so fast, that even with practice (and I do all the time) life is unpredictable in a way you never anticipated to practice for. Luckily it was slow and I have grate knee armor and motorcycle pants (AGATT)
@Stickler, sorry to hear that and glad you're ok. How's the scoot?
@@rgh622 a gash in the paint job, but Hannibal (my 2003 Transalp) has a full engine cage. It just goes to show (1) Protect your bike (2) AGATT (3) Even with all the preparation, you never know what will happen. Cold road, cold tires, needing to stop quickly in a turn at an intersection. Life finds a way to bite you.
I share this, because you said "don't tell people you dropped your bike." I don't agree. I don't think people think less of you. They have been there and support you in your journey to be a better rider. My crew all were really supportive and (after some ribbing) immediately had a discussion on what happened and how we all can do better.
I've grabbed a handful of front brake results not good, thankfully I wasn't at higher speeds
Great advice - Happy Thanksgiving!
4:26 look where that car stopped LOL
With daily observations, I believe many drivers don’t know what road markings mean & others just disregard them, not professional at all. Coming from the aviation side, you heed those markings or else.
One of the things I like to do in my neighborhood is to use the manhole covers as obstacles and swerve around them.
Amen....pay attention in those area,slow down...👍🤙🤟
Jerry, you have the best, no none sense, videos!
Great stuff Motorman, thanks!
I dropped my Sportster yesterday without crash bars when I hit oil.
I bought bars now and I gotta get my ride fixed. Gotta learn the hardway.
Those highway bars aren't cheap!
I need to save up & get me a set.
Powder coated kind.
Bent my bars after running down the side of a car
Half the people i know that have wrecked love to make claims of oil on the road. You dumped it man, just accept it, dont make excuses.
Back in September I was riding my police Harley at 05:24 and a novice driver ran a stop sign and I ended up in her drivers side door. Bike was a write off and walked away with a broken wrist. She came out of a blind intersection and didn’t even see her. She flew out of that street at least 45mph. I’m still off work. ABS is great!
Chris Brideaux...hope you're healing well. Sorry this happened to you. Merry Christmas.
Doc Donna getting there. Still have some tingling in my fingers. Strength is getting there. Back to work Jan 6. Hope so. CT scan on the 13th to confirm all is ok.
Merry Christmas to you too Doc!
@@DataCentre007 Glad you're getting your strength back...keep getting better!
Nice video and I am definitely paying attention to what you are saying.👏
It's obvious that one Must be a defensive driver to avoid all the hazards of the roads
& LQQKing ahead is paramount to your safety..... lol, you were kind in speaking on
this topic because you know that "acceleration" is perhaps the most dangerous part
of how ppl ride? You're right, cars can't see us & moreover they've got No clue just
how quickly you can accelerate or Are Accelerating towards them..... That's the
moment they, "Lay er Down"..... they wrongly get mad at the car
Who else bobbing their head side to side with Jerry as he swerving? Lol
well done
Great vid
Hell yeah thats good stuff
Great info sir ,thanks
As usual, EXCELLENT VIDEO!
Glad you enjoyed it!
One thing about swerving. Precious milliseconds are lost trying to determine if the car is going to stop or keep moving, with one or the other impeding your escape plan. Best to assume that the car will stop, and go around behind them whenever possible. This way, no matter which happens, you have a guaranteed escape path. (again, as long as there are not other obstacles preventing it)
Thank you Sir.
Mitico Jerry!!!
Love these vids as a novice. I need the usb.
Great video Jerry, a definite life saver! Jerry are there any video's in the past showing how to look a bike on a trailer?
*meant to say load a bike on a trailer
@@martymessina9120 There are dozens of such video's here on youtube.
Omg, LMAO, "with all that padding you still broke your leg" that was good!!
I read a story years ago about a motorcycle cop approaching a intersection and a car ran the red light and the cop couldn't do anything but hit the car. Just before impact he jumped off his bike and the bike hit the car and he went sailing over it. he did a couple of tumbles and came to rest on the other side of the street and sat on the curb and observed the situation.
Once again very informative
The best advice
It shouldn’t take an experienced rider to know, “I had to lay er down” is a shit excuse.
I ride like Evel Kenevel. I go where he used to be or if they start to stop I swerve in front of them. Years ago as a new rider I was trying to keep up with dad when I was looking at the broad side of a Lincoln that ran a stop sign. I swerved behind him, went down a driveway, through a couple front yards and back up a driveway onto the road in front of the Lincoln. When we stopped dad said good job back there son. Luckily I can count on one hand the times I had to ride on sidewalks and through front yards. If I'm riding a wheelie through your front yard it means someone cut me off.
Great video! Any suggestions for riding in areas with lots of deer? Locally a couple was killed when a deer jumped from side of road and hit them on their new Harley. Possibly inexperienced, not sure. My wife who loves to ride on my Goldwing with me is now scared. Haven't had bike out in weeks.
Many excellent riders have been done in by deer. They tend to come from just behind your peripheral vision. Early morning and sunset are their most active times. If you see one, expect there's another one nearby.
Never say never, 🤣 Stay healthy!
Answered tons of questions in this vid thanks motorman
I learned real quick that braking fast with no ABS, my bike wants to wible wable as the wheels locks up. I was straight up already, thankfully, and knew enough to keep it under control.
Jerry great vlog. If you want to ride like a pro buy his video not a lot of money to have the edge on other bikers that can save your life. Be Safe Ride Safe🏍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Isn't that a country song?
"How I'd love to lay you down"
By Conway Twitty.
Did I win anything? 🤓👍
I need to get your CDs.
The down shifting part takes practice.
If I tried it the rear wheel would lock up
my bikes geared so low.
Or "Lay down Sally". Eric Clapton
Good stuff Jerry. Where's that impact blue scoot? Haven't seen it in the last few videos.
inattentive drivers deserve to have their licensees revoked. they should not be on the road.
Do you REALLY believe that you, when driving a vehicle, never have moments that could be classified as inattentive?
Every one of us has moments behind the wheel where we are distracted and not as attentive as we should be, that could be classified as inattentive driving.
That's why we as riders have the responsibility of trying to always pay attention and anticipate inattentive driving around us.
Go and watch motorcycle accident videos on UA-cam and you will probably be shocked at how many of those accidents would have been avoided, or at least minimized, if the rider (that's us on 2 wheels) had anticipated the inattentive driver doing something stupid as wr approached them.
@@thomass789 I couldn't agree with you more! ALWAYS expect a sudden stop or a stop sign/red light to be run and never EVER expect that people on the road see you. They're looking for cars, not bikes. I think Driver Ed classes should have car vs bike drills in parking lots or something so new drivers are trained to look for bikes. I always drive with my brights on in daylight and flash at cars coming to a stop in an intersection to increase the odds they are aware of me. There are a lot of little things we, as riders, can get into the habit of doing, but teaching motorcycle awareness to cagers could be more than helpful as well. Ride safe!
@@justterry5947 Totally agree. I'm not sure if this will work but here is a video I often share that actually describes WHY drivers often fail to see motorcycles. It's a must watch!
ua-cam.com/video/x94PGgYKHQ0/v-deo.html
@@thomass789 it doesn't excuse the idiocy, so please stop doing so. People need to be more attentive when driving. It's a privilege, not a right. The only right we have to transportation, is the two feet that move us around.
The REAL problem is this country hands out licenses like they're candy. No REAL driving test, and this includes motorcycle endorsements. Theres a reason EU does it in a tiered stage process. We should do the same. Nope, it's just a closed course where you do some maneuvers, and Bam you can legally ride a 900lb goldwing or Harley, after spending 3 months on a 300cc ninja. So again...stop excusing idiocy that is rampant in this country.
@@Farrell0208 Randy, if you think I am excusing inattentive driving, then either I did a poor job of conveying my thoughts in my post, or you misunderstood what I was saying. Because I certainly am NOT excusing inattentive driving.
I was only making the point that it happens and ALL OF US are guilty of it at times. Furthermore, with too many folks using their cell phones while driving, it has become more of a problem than ever, and that is not going to change.
So we can either accept it for the reality that it is AND adjust our driving skills and habits to minimize our chances of being hurt by these inattentive drivers around us, OR get angry about it without compensating for it when riding, and greatly increase our chances of getting into an accident.
Personally I ride very defensively to compensate for the inevitable inattentive drivers around us because that is the reality.
Good advise well put across. Thanks. Love your Harley but would you say its safer on a sports bike due to the lighter weight, better handling, suspension, tyres and brakes?
All modern bikes are safe. It's the rider that counts. Sport bike can take curves much faster than cruisers. Braking distances are about the same on both.
Great content Jerry!
Van driver made an illegal left turn probably in fear the police car was up ahead waiting for him. Lmao!
This is why i ride with loud pipes, you're right they see you but the brain doesn't connect with the eyes and body...However if they hear you coming this sense is more responsive to the brain and then what it does is sets the eyes ready to look for the noise and then absorb the fact that you're there.....Keep those pipes loud and stay safe x