Ouch! - or Why I avoid the Dragon except for weekdays

[donroger1]

For what it's worth, having recently attended the MSF Experienced Rider Course, they insisted that you not brake while leaning in a turn. They instruct to do exactly what this rider did.
Not what I do at all. You cannot learn to brake in a turn if you don't practice.
For the sake of passing the course, I completed the challenges as they taught but in real life, you don't always have the room to "square up" and brake in a straight line.

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[nkdfun]

You forgot to mention his low-top shoes.

That photographer made a double sale that day. I'm sure the vette owner wanted a set too.

 

[hemibee]

You forgot to mention his low-top shoes.

That photographer made a double sale that day. I'm sure the vette owner wanted a set too.

Maybe a triple sale, the Vette insurer too.


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[keystiger]

It appears to me in shot #10 that the speed + the low ground clearance of his cruiser....aided by the load of gear I am sure, and possible incorrect suspension settings.......had this accident as a time bomb waiting to happen. It appears he maxed his lean angle (pic 10) and straightened up......and didn't appear to even apply any brake at all until pic 14 from what I can tell, well after he was in the path of the oncoming vette......
I agree with Don, "real world" scenarios are not always the same as the controlled class settings. Ideal conditions only exist on paper

 

[CarlS]

It appears to me in shot #10 that the speed + the low ground clearance of his cruiser....aided by the load of gear I am sure, and possible incorrect suspension settings.......had this accident as a time bomb waiting to happen. It appears he maxed his lean angle (pic 10) and straightened up......and didn't appear to even apply any brake at all until pic 14 from what I can tell, well after he was in the path of the oncoming vette......
I agree with Don, "real world" scenarios are not always the same as the controlled class settings. Ideal conditions only exist on paper

+2 I agree also. You do have to know how to brake in a turn. I try to avoid braking in a turn; but I also practice it now and then. You never know what you may encounter on the road. Consider if the oncoming vehicle had been another biker instead of a Corvette. What would you as that rider do?

 

[DaveM]

Well I think that this type of control can only come from experience over years of riding. I have on a number of instances had to brake in a corner and unless you have done it you cannot tell anyone how to do it. I have in fact had to also full the bike upright hits major brakes and then drop it down again into my new turn line. It gets you attention for sure.

I number of people have asked me how do I do some things on a bike after seeing me do them and I just cannot explain or tell them as it just flows at the time and I don't even think about it while doing it. At times I read all these technical terms and I think what are they on about only to find out that it is something I have been doing for years. So at the end of the day I think a person has an aptitude for riding bikes and things just flow as they should. Some will never reach this point as they just don't have it

 

[donroger1]

..... Consider if the oncoming vehicle had been another biker instead of a Corvette. What would you as that rider do?

The Corvette driver moved right to the shoulder. I suspect he hoped the rider could complete his turn with the extra room.

Had I met this guy on my bike, I believe I would have turned inside of his turn and sadly, let him careen off the shoulder into whatever ravine might be down below. I certainly would not have headed to the shoulder as that would have been his likely end point....

 

[shanered6]

The Corvette driver moved right to the shoulder. I suspect he hoped the rider could complete his turn with the extra room.

Had I met this guy on my bike, I believe I would have turned inside of his turn and sadly, let him careen off the shoulder into whatever ravine might be down below. I certainly would not have headed to the shoulder as that would have been his likely end point....

+1 thats what i would do .

 

[CarlS]

I have been in that situation on the Dragon. I was able to turn inside the the oncoming bike. Once the rider stood his bike up and fixated on the Corvette, he was only going to go straight. Turning inside of him would be the only hope for another biker.

 

[Doug]

I don't know that turning inside of him would even have been possible. If it was and there was another rider behind him......
Maybe not such a good idea,but then I wasn't there so can't judge.

 

[hemibee]

What would I do if I was on a bike in the Vette's place? You want before or after I had to put on a clean pair of drawers?


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[donroger1]

I don't know that turning inside of him would even have been possible. If it was and there was another rider behind him......
Maybe not such a good idea,but then I wasn't there so can't judge.

"The Dragon" is 318 turns in an 11 mile stretch of road. (about 18km) Generally, the speeds are not that high and seeing the oncoming biker leaning to the pegs and still crossing the center line of the road, steady braking and lining up with the center line for your turn would put you inside the oncoming rider and still on your side of the road. Hopefully, any rider behind him would also notice his error and slow to avoid debris.

As you said though, we weren't there!!!

 

[Doug]

Okay,I thaught you meant dodging over onto your"wrong" side!

 

[donroger1]

My apologies for not being clear.

My thought was to include the point where he was crossing the centerline into my intended path. That way, by the time I arrive, he should have cleared the area.

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