Consequences of not understanding Counter-steering on a motorcycle

[OneMoreFarang]

The following brutal video was just on my YouTube recommended list.

I am sure you will find it interesting. Be warned, it contains a bad crash.

Until now I thought I do the counter-steering intuitive and I guess I do that when I start a corner.

I am not so sure I would do this intuitive when I am already in a corner - like the guy in the video.

I guess it's time to practice that one.

How about you? Did you ever practice a situation like that? Or did you just know what to do?

 

[manarak]

yeah, well... going way too fast is the primary cause of this crash.

 

[lovelomsak]

18 minutes ago, manarak said:

yeah, well... going way too fast is the primary cause of this crash.

 

Ya Right The video show the speedo he was around 44 to 49 kilometers most of the time .That is not a fast speed sorry.

[manarak]

7 minutes ago, lovelomsak said:

Ya Right The video show the speedo he was around 44 to 49 kilometers most of the time .That is not a fast speed sorry.

obviously way too fast to avoid an unexpected obstacle, such as ... a truck.

 

also, I don't think the speed indicator is indicating Kph, more probably Mph.

49 Mph is nearly 80 Kph, too fast when you got insufficient visibility to stop the bike before it collides with an obstacle.

 

raw speed isn't relevant for judging if someone goes too fast or not. it's situational, mostly dependent on visibility, adherence and risk of sudden unexpected dangers.

[canthai55]

Why is he on the wrong side of the road ?

Darwin 2.0

Hope the Truck is OK 555

[OneMoreFarang]

Looking and the lean angle of the bike there is more than enough margin that a good rider should be able to keep the bike in the lane.

But to be fair I am sure the sight of that truck makes thinking in such a situation difficult...

[canthai55]

If you have to think, in that situation, you have already hit the truck.

50 mph is aprox 75 feet per second. You do not have time to think.

This bike was ridden by a novice, or a moron.

[Kwasaki]

Obviously a inexperience rider I would say with no proper training in control riding skills.

Looks to me in vid he turned the handle-bar right.

Insurance of the truck driver wouldn't have to pay out thanks to the vid.

[Kwasaki]

9 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

If you have to think, in that situation, you have already hit the truck.

50 mph is aprox 75 feet per second. You do not have time to think.

This bike was ridden by a novice, or a moron.

Agree it would be an auto response for an experienced rider but an experienced rider wouldn't of been in that positon of the road in the first place. 

[OneMoreFarang]

5 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Obviously a inexperience rider I would say with no proper training in control riding skills.

Looks to me in vid he turned the handle-bar right.

Insurance of the truck driver wouldn't have to pay out thanks to the vid.

I don't think I learned counter steering in driving school. I guess most rider do that intuitive most of the time. And most riders never had a situation like in the video - or at least they were not be able to talk about it or learn from that mistake.

[Kwasaki]

53 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I don't think I learned counter steering in driving school. I guess most rider do that intuitive most of the time. And most riders never had a situation like in the video - or at least they were not be able to talk about it or learn from that mistake.

Agree somewhat,  I must say when young counter-steer came to me jumping on big heavy bikes that needed it at speed.

It's use became more apparent to me at track days. 

 

In Thailand I have had 2 incidents coming to blind hills and the normal ? Thai overtaking maneuver of facing an oncoming vehicle on the rise, instinctively l've opposite-steered the bike to avoid.

 

Helping out with 16 yr kids wanting to take to the road on a motorcycle in UK they have to do their CBT test to get a certificate.

One the first things I made them aware of was counter-steer.

[KhunBENQ]

4 hours ago, canthai55 said:

Why is he on the wrong side of the road ?

Because for this road, curvy/downhill he WAS too fast.

Doing a wide curve onto the opposite lane being afraid to loose control otherwise.
And he did this at a curve with blocked sight.

Recipe for disaster.

(and daily practice in Thailand )

 

 

[johng]

I found it easier (for my back to front brain ) to  think  ..

if you want to go right push your right handlebar forward.

if you want to go left push your left handle bar forward.

[melvinmelvin]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I don't think I learned counter steering in driving school. I guess most rider do that intuitive most of the time. And most riders never had a situation like in the video - or at least they were not be able to talk about it or learn from that mistake.

 

when I did my big bike ticket I was drilled in counter steering

also drilled in heeling over until the footrest scraped the ground

 

[Damrongsak]

I learned the concept way back, probably from off-road riding. I like to slither and slide around.

[flare]

The guy panicked, grabbed a handful front brake (and was probably on the rear brake as well) and ran wide ( being so hard on the brakes also caused the oscillations)- that collision was way more the consequence of a fear response than anything else.

 

The analysis says this crash wasn't primarily caused by 'target fixation'- I disagree.  

[moe666]

When this happens on a bike or in a car it takes someone with a bit of skill and a bit of ice in their blood. I ws approaching a curve up around Nam when two semis came around the curve of course one was in my lane. It all goes thru your head fast, I figured no way to stop in time but of course the trucker hit his breaks. Which pulled him to my right opening up the curb side of the road. I twicked the steering wheel a bit to my left and right around him I went. I thought did I hit him checked both rearview mirrors both still there. Got around him ok just remember the front bumper going by and the smell of rubber for about 5 min..

[moe666]

When this happens on a bike or in a car it takes someone with a bit of skill and a bit of ice in their blood. I ws approaching a curve up around Nam when two semis came around the curve of course one was in my lane. It all goes thru your head fast, I figured no way to stop in time but of course the trucker hit his breaks. Which pulled him to my right opening up the curb side of the road. I twicked the steering wheel a bit to my left and right around him I went. I thought did I hit him checked both rearview mirrors both still there. Got around him ok just remember the front bumper going by and the smell of rubber for about 5 min..

[OneMoreFarang]

9 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

I learned the concept way back, probably from off-road riding. I like to slither and slide around.

That sounds like fun and I did a little of that myself.

But on a road with relative high speed looking at a truck on the opposite lane "slither and slide around" would not come to my mind...

[Kwasaki]

12 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

I learned the concept way back, probably from off-road riding. I like to slither and slide around.

I did moto-cross & off-road riding but for me it tuned me in to a quick reaction time for road skids, momentary front loss on road diesel say,  can't say it help me keep a perfect line around a bend.