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Top 10 things NOT to do to avoid a wipeout

2.4K views 15 replies 9 participants last post by  n3dmax  
#1 · (Edited)
What would you guys say are the 10 things you can do to avoid wiping out?


2 questions I have that are related:

1. if you are say cruising on the road, and want to downshift, is it possible that you might downshiftto a gear that is close or past redline and the rear tires might start spinning?

2. Is it possible, when going say 20-30kph, you just gun it, can the rear tire still spin at this speed (assuming the road is dry)?
 
#2 ·
Stay alert, look where you want to go, be mindful of road conditions and easy on the throttle (ie, ride within your limits). I think that covers the majority of single-rider mishaps.

1. Upshifting shouldn't take you to redline unless you're pinning the throttle between shifts. It should, in fact, have the opposite effect and lower your revs.

2. If the surface and tire are good you're more likely to wheelie than spin the rear I'd imagine.
 
#4 ·
I think you are asking about downshifting... 5th --> 4th --> 3rd or 5th --> 2nd @ higher speeds. Yes you can do this and it will bounce the revs past red line. You'll also feel the increased resistance in the motor. Same case as in down shifting in a car. Your bike won't like it and you risk internal damage, let alone losing control. I always try to be mentally aware of what gear I am currently in (common sense).

Depending on what gear you are in, you will be more likely to wheelie in dry conditions.
 
#5 ·
If you want to learn some of the best ways to avoid an accident you should go take a rider safety course. Some states offer them for free and if they don't it's probably going to be worth the money especially if you are a new rider. Since you said kph i'm assuming you are not in the US so i'm not sure about safety course availability where you are from.


1. Not sure if I understand correctly but it sounds like you are asking about downshifting at high revs. You can lock up the tire/ tire hop if you downshift too quickly. One way to avoid this is blip the throttle or get a slipper clutch.

2. It's very easy to do this if you are riding in colder weather and on a cold tire with a dry road especially if you are in a low gear.
 
#7 ·
Aggressive downshifting is the only way to overrev your bike in stock form. Be careful when skipping gears on a down shift. You typically want to rev match and engage the clutch after shift on your way down.

This will protect your engine from overrev and it will help prevent you from loosing rear wheel traction while slowing.


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#9 · (Edited)
I've found downshifting beyond the redline isn't that big a deal. It happens on the track from time to time. It simply makes the rear tire lock up and bounce a little. While it sounds dangerous, as long as you're in a straight line it's totally manageable. It only happens for a second or two before you slow down to the point where the tire spins normally again.

But then again, you shouldn't be shifting that aggressively on the street anyways. That's probably tip #1, Don't ride like you're on the track. And never shift multiple gears at the same time, always do one at a time.

The best advice I could give you is to watch "Twist the Wrist 2" by Keith Code. It goes into incredible detail covering the physics, survival instincts, mental awareness, etc. of riding. It's far more comprehensive and concise than anything we could tell you. It's an hour and a half long, but well worth it.

 
#10 ·
1. Stay off the front brake when on sand, soft ground, snow or ice. Your rear will likely slide (easy to control) but using your front will cause you to tuck your front and meet the ground.

2. Once you've started your turn in and let off your front brake, re-applying the front brake will usually result in a low side.

3. You go where you look. If you're looking at the mountain in front if you you're going to hit it. Be a stubborn ass and keep looking and leaning through the turn even if you feel like you're going wide. MAKE the turn beat you. Chances are, you're going to beat it of you keep looking.

4. Don't try to learn by doing power wheelies. Revving to 10k, dropping your throttle and pinning it is a quick way to learn to backflip your bike down the interstate.

5. Chin over wrist. Always! Causes for your bike to have to lean less and will always give you more traction.

6. Toes on your pegs. I know people who have broken ankles by having bad posture. In a turn, it drastically reduces your potential lean angle. I've also know people to freak out when their toe sliders catch and toss their bike off the track.

7. Keep a much larger following distances than a car keeps. They have 4 brakes and ABS. 75% of our braking comes from our fronts. Cars WILL out brake you in traffic.

8. NEVER Armor All your tires. I wedged a friends brand new 636 under a plymouth cause he shined his shoes.

9. Hesitation

10. Have an exit route.




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