Entirely agree. The one scenario where the dump may make sense is if you push the bike one way so you body goes the other and misses an obstacle (center of mass of combined bike plus rider didn't need to change directions). Not sure how you train your brain to think that quickly. My brain is conditioned to ride the bike at all times until the bike decides my riding is over.
Geez, that's Tom Cruise-level stuff. Far beyond my skills to do that.
I've seen a few motorcycle races where the brakes have failed and the racer has had to jump off at 200 km/h. Or if the bike catches fire they slow down and hop off in the gravel trap.
I honestly can't see any situation where "laying the bike down" can be better than trying to keep it upright. Maybe in the Action Movie scenario where the bike and rider slide underneath a combine or 18-wheeler?
Remember that the document AFJ posted is of a different time.
A time when bikes likely didn't have any or minimal rear suspension, rudimentary front suspension, tires that provided questionable traction and brakes that were more a suggestion than a command. Plus the bikes were fairly heavy, certainly much heavier than comparable ones today.
Given all the above, a controlled low side would be more preferrable than a head on collision with a tank (for instance).
A lot of single motorcycle "drops" where damage to bike or rider was negligible or minimal can occur when the rider has trained with the "Riding to Earth" technique. I was told of this practice when I first started riding. It works best with a bike equipped with the traditional "crash bars" and in the first time I had to do it on an ice-covered Toronto street (Bathurst just south of Eglington) in 1958 the only damage was a bent clutch lever ($1.00 to replace).
"Riding to Earth" was a standard, taught and approved, part of the WW2 Canadian and British motorcycle riders (80+ hour long) official training course.
AFJ
I think we've all heard the story of someone who had to "lay their bike down" for some reason, presumably they were in some accident avoidance situation, which they carefully assessed, determined that laying it down was the best solution and then slammed on the just the rear brake to achieve this................ Sure. I think the more likely scenario is that they panicked, over applied the rear brake and the rear swung around and the bike low sided. The "I layed it down" is just the story you tell people post accident.
Were dispatch riders on asphalt or soft surfaces? Coefficient of friction is out the window when you have parts of your bike actively digging into the surface (dumping a bike in deep sand should stop you faster than keeping it up for instance).
80 years ago they were probably going down dirt roads and overland by way of cart tracks.
I can see riding to the ground on a wide dirt highway, or on a straight stretch of freeway slab… but these aren’t usually the places that type of crash happens.
80 years ago they were probably going down dirt roads and overland by way of cart tracks.
I can see riding to the ground on a wide dirt highway, or on a straight stretch of freeway slab… but these aren’t usually the places that type of crash happens.
If you read up on the 1955 Le Mans disaster there is speculation that disk brakes were a problem in that they were so effective they caused problems with cars with drums. Anyone that drove a 1950s car with drums soon became familiar with brake fade after a panic stop.
Going back 80 years on a bike would likely mean drum brakes so the various coefficients would be different. On good paved roads a vintage bike with brake fade could be a problem. Maybe a vintage racer could put in their two cents.
I also assume riding to the ground is a low side.
I have heard from a slightly questionable source that an agile rider could climb onto the top of a sliding bike. I'd prefer testing that theory with someone else's bike, preferable in front of a hospital.
If you read up on the 1955 Le Mans disaster there is speculation that disk brakes were a problem in that they were so effective they caused problems with cars with drums. Anyone that drove a 1950s car with drums soon became familiar with brake fade after a panic stop.
Going back 80 years on a bike would likely mean drum brakes so the various coefficients would be different. On good paved roads a vintage bike with brake fade could be a problem. Maybe a vintage racer could put in their two cents.
I also assume riding to the ground is a low side.
I have heard from a slightly questionable source that an agile rider could climb onto the top of a sliding bike. I'd prefer testing that theory with someone else's bike, preferable in front of a hospital.
I have a few bikes with drum brakes, not quite as good as disks, but not terrible. Pretty sure I can lock up the TLS front brakes on my Triumph. Never had fade issues, but I'm not racing them. My biggest beef is stretchy cables.
One little piece of riding safety. At a stop sign or traffic light (a 4 way intersection) where there is a car or truck stopped in the opposite direction, (and no left turn signal is coming from the "opposing vehicle") look at the left front tire of that vehicle to see if it is going to make a left turn.
Maybe it's just me, but when I stop at a stop sign or traffic light before a left turn, I usually keep my wheels straight until I get going. *THEN* I turn the steering wheel to initiate the turn. Unlike right turns, you need to keep going straight for a bit to enter the intersection, and then turn left into the far lane.
This above advice works better when you're passing a line of parked cars on your right. Scan the wheels and if there's a front tire turned into the direction of the road and the rear lights are on, then be on alert for a car pulling out into traffic without checking their mirrors/bindspot.
Just threw my bike on the ground, sitting in urgent care now with what I’m nearly sure is a dislocated shoulder. Garbage truck went to turn left in front of me just as I was crossing into the intersection. We both got on the brakes thankfully as he would have ran over me.. lol. I told myself that I should stop riding that bike till I get some tires on it. There is no dry rot, but they are 10 years old and just don’t have the traction you need for anything abnormal..
Just threw my bike on the ground, sitting in urgent care now with what I’m nearly sure is a dislocated shoulder. Garbage truck went to turn left in front of me just as I was crossing into the intersection. We both got on the brakes thankfully as he would have ran over me.. lol. I told myself that I should stop riding that bike till I get some tires on it. There is no dry rot, but they are 10 years old and just don’t have the traction you need for anything abnormal..
Riding home was not fun, handle bar is bent and there is a bunch of scratches, but it’s fine otherwise. Having your arm out of its joint is not so much fun though
Can confirm. My shoulder was out for 10 days after a crash and a string of incompetent doctors and radiologists. Putting it back in unmedicated hurt more than taking it out in a crash.
Gws. Glad you are able to tell us your story. Bikes can be fixed.
Riding home was not fun, handle bar is bent and there is a bunch of scratches, but it’s fine otherwise. Having your arm out of its joint is not so much fun though
I could move my fingers enough to throttle and brake, but couldn't lift my arm more than a foot away from the side of my body.
After I got on the bike, I had to use my left hand to lift my right hand onto the handlebar then I could ride. Shoulder actually stopped hurting in that position, so that was good.
Had to ride like that for two days to get back to a place where I could recover properly.
Maybe it's just me, but when I stop at a stop sign or traffic light before a left turn, I usually keep my wheels straight until I get going. *THEN* I turn the steering wheel to initiate the turn. Unlike right turns, you need to keep going straight for a bit to enter the intersection, and then turn left into the far lane.
variation on that I practice is make sure I have a clear path away from one side or another of a vehicle I'm behind but never have the wheel turned in case I get hit from behind.
Same practice on left turns so you don't get pushed into oncoming.
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