Back to the Bike Training #1 - Biker Down Workshop and Safety Mods
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- Опубліковано 3 жов 2024
- When you come back to the bike after a long lay-off you need some expert help. I've got a lot to learn: Roadcraft, Controls, Handling Skills, Comms/Navigation and Maintenance.
Here's my first film addressing the training needs of bikers like me. As a professional trainer myself I appreciate the learning process, but am very much a novice on a powerful bike. This video describes my reflections on the Biker Down workshop, designed and run by our emergency services here in the UK.
Biker Down provides a great introduction to what we can do if we find ourselves first on the scene of motorcycle accident. Those initial 30 minutes between discovery, making the phone call to emergency services, and their arrival may be a matter of life and death and you're in charge.
What do you do? Watch and see.
I'll also discuss how to cheaply and quickly make yourself more conspicuous, introduce saccadic masking, and talk about more options for safety and protection.
As always, the video isn't intended to 'teach' (I'm not qualified) but to stimulate debate. Share your tips, experiences and ideas so that others may learn.
Useful links:
Saccadic Masking • ABD Road Safety - Sacc...
Biker Down Module 1 • Biker Down Module One
Thanks for watching.
I would put some rash bobbins on places like your front Wheel
I don't wear hi vis unless blood runs for SERV or bad weather or dark conditions. I ride a white bike with contrasting helmet and clothing, your lid is often the thing a car driver see's. I also believe the triangle light set up is the best e.g. halo angle, running light and LED's
Great information and thanks for sharing. Congrats on your new bike, love it 👍
Cheers Carl. The RT is much smarter than me! Dirty though, so out with the hose pipe today ...
As a retired Northants Police motorcyclist and current R1200rt owner your rear hi viz would be better in red!
That's interesting Gary. What is the research behind that? I've got some gaps I can fill in ;-) Still learning, and treating the Police Standard as my goal. You guys have forgotten more than I will ever learn though ... Welcome to the debate, thanks for your comment.
The extra visibility of the rear of your bike is at its most important at night and in low light conditions therefore having hi reflective red fitted to the rear of the bike should mean when you have vehicles behind you with lights - even daylight running lights you literally light up like having additional lights, on, plus you should only be showing red lights and reflectors to the rear. Nice vids by the way.
+garysetch Ah. I don't ride at night at all or poor vis if I can help it. My thinking was it might make those behind take a little more notice. Presume it's legal?
+garysetch just checked a few images of police bikes on Google. Looks like mainly red/ some yellow to rear, blue/yellow on the sides and front. Correct?
I think hi-vis is good but a better one is the hi-vis air bag
I think for your front of your bike is led lights
Check our ebay for the BMW pannier red hi viz tape and they have reflector tape for the fairing and side panniers for the RT. Good idea to carry a first aid kit and a thermal blanket. I also carry a few of those shake & break Cyalume Red Glow sticks fo rany night time problems.
Michael Dignum agreed. I carry first aid, tyre kit, tool kit, croc clips and air pump.
Hey mate, great video you have done there by the way... The reflective tape should be Red to the rear as there is an offence of showing white light or anything other than red to the rear (obviously the indicators are orange and for the reason of indicating), purely as it allows people either following you or approaching your vehicle to see that you are not heading at them. On the blood bikes it is red reflective tape on the rear for that reason. I guess the trick is to get tape on the bike that does not confuse someone following or approaching your bike from behind to thinking you are heading towards them.
You will also see Police and other other emergency vehicles displaying 'chevrons' to the rear with yellow and red and these are prescribed colours in the highway code for such use on the rear of a vehicle. Realistically, being visible is the key here, and as bikers we need everything we can use to keep visible from any angle. I have red and yellow tape on the rear of mine in a 'chevron' pattern that i got from ebay on a roll, which complies with the legislation on the road and i havent been stopped yet.
Most officers have common sense especially where bikers are concerned so i wouldnt worry too much.
Hope that helps :)
Thanks for this - I posted my reply on RiderCamTV's channel - well worth a visit if you've never seen their stuff.
thanks for the shout out matey....... looking forward to your future vids :)
Likewise.
I was always under the impression you can only use red reflective on the rear, it doesn't matter how much you make yourself light up! The car driver is texting, looking at his emails or Sat Nav, as a Advanced Rider you will always know the risk and mitigate it.
Contrast is the thing as you mentioned and latest thinking is hi vis pink is the best
Haha. haven't discovered my feminine side yet. If you're happy to lead the way and provide some photographic evidence I may reconsider ... ;-) A quick google of some police bikes shows mainly red/ some yellow to rear, blue/yellow on the sides and front. Waiting for Gary Setchell to confirm see below.
Back2TheBike www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/18/made yep looks like it has to be red
www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2017/852/made 2017 update covering daytime running lights and active beams but rear reflection stays as is.
Remember my words in the previous video - 'it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission'? Guilty, your honour ...I also reckon most police bikes wouldn't comply with this legislation. www.motorbiketimes.com/feature/makes/bmw/riding-with-the-police-why-motorbikes-are-vital-for-modern-policing-$21382836.htm
As a biker who rides almost entirely in a daytime/rural environment, I reckon yellow is the still best contrast. Based on Gary's input below I've now ordered some red tape, which I'll add to break the pattern up a bit ;-)
Back2TheBike nippynormans.com not red but hey! www.nippynormans.com/k1200gt-06-on-k1300gt/reflective-pannier-film-r1200rrtsstk1200gt1300gt/productreviews
hi neil ,met you both at Bosworth battlefield.
Chris Bellamy Hi Chris. Nice to meet you and your good lady too ! Welcome to the channel.
Do what you can to be seen, but always assume you haven't.
At the end of the day, if we always avoided any activity that involved risk, we'd never do anything!
Not sure I buy into the saccadic masking thing. I'm not saying I don't believe it's a real thing, just that I'm not sure I accept it as a major contributor to SMIDSYs. If it was, I would think there would be FAR more than there appear to be.
Agreed David, that's my golden rule. With you on the risk thing, as you say we'd never get anything done. Thanks for your comment.
By the way nice to see you are local and are riding all the roads I do, perhaps get out together sometime.
I'd be honoured Gary. Maybe in the new year as long as you don't mind trundling along slowly?! Out with IAM next week hopefully ...
Are you on Facebook? If you are -Gary Setchell
Not FB. Maybe contact me via the RT Forum here? 1200rt.com/index.php?topic=3584.0 under Back2TheBike direct message. The forum would benefit from your experience.