Contrary Opinions

This material was last updated on September 26, 2007 and includes feedback from some readers of my various tips who had something to say, usually antagonistic, but sometimes just from a different point of view.

Back Up Next

0 Comments About several Tips - (Sometimes all of them) 5
1 Highside Dynamics - A detailed discussion of what happens and how to prevent it 1
2 Maiden Voyage - Getting it home from the dealership 0
3 What They Didn't Teach During The MSF Class - Shared experienced rider hints 1
4 Pre-ride Briefing For Your New Passenger - (S)he is the BOSS but you set the rules 0
5 Shock Absorbers Aren't - A detailed discussion of what they really do 2
6 Teaching The Newbie To Lean - Actually, helpful hints for all 0
7 Dumping A Bike Is No Sin - But ending up under it is 0
8 Excessive Front Tire Wear - A list of causes 0
9 Tire Pressure - More temperature sensitive than you might think 0
10 Tire Plugs - Apparently little known facts that are important 0
11 One Rule That Will Keep You Alive On City Streets - Intersection common sense 3
12 Motorcycle Officers Are Not The Best Examples - They have different realities than we do 2
13 The Buddy System - When your stator fails you can still ride it home 0
14 CB Help Channel - Certainly not 9, probably not 1 1
15 Planning That Poker Run - Suggestions from one who's been there - Elaine Anthony 0
16 Riding Drag Is Anything But - For your most skilled/most experienced/best equipped 0
17 Closing The Door - Example of good lead/drag bike practice 0
18 Sunblock Can Kill You - Honest! Trust me! 0
19 Cooling Down In Very Hot Weather - Evaporation is everything 0
20 Cold Weather Starting - Because you have a wet clutch you need to know this 0
21 Protecting Those Numb Fingers - A surprising find in your first-aid kit 0
22 Leathers REALLY Are Worth The Price - 20+ times more effective than your jeans 0
23 Crash Bars - Believe it or not, they may be MORE dangerous than helpful 1
24 Peer Pressure Is Easy - You Aren't - Most of us can deal with it - but we don't argue with ourselves enough 0
25 Controlling Your Lane - Two wheels are enough to own a lane 0
26 Coffee - If You Need It, STOP - Drugs are no substitute for rest when you need it 0
27 Maintenance - Long Before Your Tour - Even the best 'wrench' makes mistakes 0
28 Helmets - Lethal or Life saving? - A 'Cause' or 'extremism'? 11
29 Braking Method - Depends On Speed 1
30 Taper Braking - Excellent article written by Hobby Hodson 0
31 You Only Hit That Car If You Don't Quite Stop In Time - Why braking skills are important 0
32 Stopping Distance And Time - The Math Is Simple 0
33 Riding With 'Colors' On The Street - Nonsense 0
34 Precautions While Traveling In An Armed Land - Starts and ends with courtesy 1
35 Hydroplaning Issues - What is it? What to do about it? Are they making new tires less safe? 0
36 Tips For Little Riders Of Big Bikes - Elaine Anthony 0
37 Higher-Octane Gasoline Is Cheaper Than A Top-End Engine Job - Only fractional pennies per mile 2
38 Doing 1,000 Miles in 24 hours - A self-correcting problem? 4
39 Handling Curves - A better line 1
40 Parking Skills And Considerations - Another fun and informative article by Hobby Hodson 0
41 Do You Really Know What's Dangerous About Riding In Fog? - Who'da thunk such a thing? 0
42 Synthetic Oils - Almost always better than petroleum based 1
43 Using Teflon® Additives - Not very smart 0
44 Trailer Hitch Fundamentals - Use those chains properly 0
45 What If You Drag A Peg? - If you act instinctively, you probabably won't recover 0
46 Overnight Parking - Sidestand or centerstand? Cover it or not? 0
47 Electrical Systems - Common sense advice 0
48 Counter-steering - Not the least bit as simple as it feels 1
49 First Things First - A life DOES depend on it 3
50 To Ride Or Not To Ride? - A crisis of confidence moment - Elaine Anthony 0
51 Three-wheeled Vehicles - A few sobering realities 1
52 Sidestands - What could possibly be said about these? 0
53 Some People Probably Should Not Be Riding Motorcycles - A curmudgeon's point of view 5
54 Providing Motorcycle Support/Escort Services - Liabilities, liabilities, liabilities 0
55 How To Handle A fall - Assuming it's inevitable 9
56 Most Fatal Accidents Are NOT "He Didn't See Me" Problems - Despite what you may believe 2
57 Group Riding - Our way 0
58 How To Ride Over That Thing In The Road - And survive the encounter 0
59 18-Wheelers - Often make good 'riding buddies' 0
60 'Under-steering' - Not The Same As 'Slow Steering' 0
61 Gassing Up? - Get OFF! 5
62 Group Riding - Rubber Band Effect 1
63 Accident Management - Helping your fellow rider by thinking ahead, being prepared - Elaine Anthony 0
64 Brakes - Their real job is NOT to STOP the bike - it is to SLOW the bike 1
65 Decreasing Radius Turns - May not have a decreasing radius 0
66 Steering - Your REAR wheel does it more often than not 1
67 Delta V - Affects all motorcycles, not just 'crotch rockets' 0
68 Doggone it! - How to handle charging animals - Elaine Anthony 2
69 Target fixation - Rather than let it lead you into trouble, use it 0
70 Elbows - Your biological shock absorbers 0
71 Lower back - A couple of ways to protect them 0
72 Joining A Group - Never while it is moving 0
73 Batteries - More than you ever wanted to know - Norm Keller 0
74 Weight Transfer - 1 - Exhaustive look at what it is, why it happens, and why you should care 0
75 Picking Up A Big Bike - by yourself! 0
76 Slip Angles - Beyond counter-steering 0
77 128 Ways To Drop Your Bike - Confessions from those that have done it 0
78 Prime Directive - Never Run Into The Bike In Front Of You 0
79 Key Rings - Keep them short! 0
80 Swing Arms - Your anti-squat linkage 0
81 Brake Lever - Test it before you need it 0
82 Integrated Braking Lever - A marginal benefit that could save your life 0
83 Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS) - Are NOT designed to help you stop faster! 2
84 There Is More To Traction Than Friction - Stick and Grip 0
85 60,000 Mile Motorcycle Tires - Would you buy them? 4
86 First Aid Kits - Does yours need a check-up? - Elaine Anthony 0
87 Dry Rot - How to avoid it 0
88 '2-Second Rule' - Determined by road conditions 0
89 Hydroplaning Avoidance - Tire pressure 0
90 Attention Limits - Your radio can become one distraction too many 0
91 Locked Brakes - Sometimes this is the way to make the fastest stop 1
92 The Greatest Oxymoron Of Them All - "I dumped my bike to avoid a crash" 0
93 In Case It Isn't Obvious - Dumping a bike in order to 'avoid an accident' MAXIMIZES PAIN 1
94 Reading Gear Ratios - Determining speed potential 0
95 All Roads Are Not Alike - Tourers take note 0
96 Windscreens - Bigger may not be better at all 0
97 After The Accident - Even though they're standing doesn't mean they aren't hurt 0
98 Electrical Storms - Riding out from under them can be a big mistake 0
99 Group Riding Is NOT Simply Playing 'Follow The Leader' - A couple of examples 0
100 Sliding Rear Wheel - Brake Locked - Highside Likely 0
101 Sliding Rear Wheel - Brake NOT Locked - Highside NOT Likely 0
102 Loading That Trailer - The height of your Center Of Gravity is just as important as load distribution 0
103 The Shadow Knows - What evil lurks in the ... 0
104 Jump Starting Your Motorcycle - You can't kill a dead battery 1
105 A Bomb In Your Luggage - The odds are higher than you think 0
106 Center Of Gravity - How to calculate where it is 0
107 How To Handle A Motorcycling Crisis - Allan R. Kirk - New Zealand Motorcycle Safety Consultants 0
108 Wheel Traps - Grooves, curbs, gutters, edges, repaving differences 0
109 Road Construction - The pavement ends 0
110 Practice, Practice, Practice - 'Skill' is often no more than CONFIDENCE 0
111 Drowsy Drivers - Are less risky in city traffic than on country roads 0
112 New Tires - NEED to GROW before you stress them 0
113 Learning To Ride - Squeezing both levers gets you out of trouble 0
114 Left and Right Turns - Different risks, different realities 0
115 Covering Those Control Levers - A function of speed, not style 3
116 Motorcycle Goes Where You're Looking - Magic? Undiscovered Law Of Physics? Does It Really Work? 0
117 Before You Dismount - Six things to do 0
118 Panic Situations - Talking to yourself can keep you alive 0
119 Road Racing - Testing too many limits 1
120 Headaches and Other Pain - Getting rid of them could prove fatal! 0
121 Tire Additives - Miracle products or trouble waiting to happen? 0
122 Spokes may look good, but ... - (Tubeless vs tube-type tires) 0
123 The Odd Duck In The Group - is still part of the family 0
124 Fewer Daylight Hours? - Don't go down with the sun - Elaine Anthony 0
125 Heavier Bikes vs. Stopping Distance - You should know this before driving down the mountain 0
126 Highway Boards (Pegs) - Should be standard equipment 0
127 Gas Tank Locks - Subtle safety feature 0
128 Braking In A Curve - Of course you can 0
129 Dress For The Fall, Not The Ride - (But comfort is just as important) 0
130 Demo Rides - Can you admit your limits? 0
131 Your Bike Is Down - Stay with it 0
132 Support Your Wrist - To protect your thumb (and clutch) 0
133 Becoming An MSF Instructor - Is NOT a status thing 0
134 Yellow Is Red Or Green - (I'd rather be red than dead) 1
135 Passing Without Changing Lanes - (10 MPH can kill you) 0
136 Failing The MSF Class - Can save your life 0
137 Cigarette Lighter - An accessory that makes sense for all 0
138 Add $2 When You Change A Tire - and do it right 0
139 An Ugly Fact To Have To Deal With - Eyes Pop Out 1
140 Crosswinds - How to deal with them 0
141 Parents and Significant Others - The great intimidators 0
142 Standing On The Pegs - Does NOT Lower The Center Of Gravity 1
143 Truck-Related Tips for Highway Riding - Overtaking and Trucker-Tailgating - Elaine Anthony 0
144 Selecting That Helmet - Fullface Fit and Usage 2
145 Collaborative Group Riding - Ride Your Own Ride AND Respect The Others 0
146 Where Do Those Toes Belong? - Above The Levers 0
147 Surface Street Strategy - (Ticket Avoidance) 0
148 Stuck Signal Lights - Sensible Approaches - Elaine Anthony 0
149 Gasoline Can Be Trouble - Depending on when you buy it 0
150 Hearing Loss - Your helmet is inadequate defense 0
151 Speed - Does NOT Provide Stability 0
152 Reality Check - Let your helmet save your 'face' 0
153 Running Late - Take the car 0
154 Taking That Jacket Off - Unless the odds are worse 0
155 Off-Road Experience - Good or Bad? - Some thoughts 0
156 Animal Hazards - Swerve or Panic Stop? 0
157 Groin Injuries - By design? 0
158 Form vs. Function - Going through the motions 0
159 'Caution-Warning-Danger' Signal - Proposed International Standard 0
160 Your First Passenger - Not your Lady - or Child 0
162 Intersection Escape Routes - Accelerate or Decelerate - NOT Swerve 0
163 Rake angle and Steering - Trail causes self correction 0
164 Speed bumps and RR crossings - Why they can dump a bike 0
165 Passengers are NOT helpless - Should something happen to the rider 0
166 Dragging Pegs - Are a SAFETY feature 0
167 The faster you go - The less you weigh 0
168 Must Practice Be Stressful? - Only if you are trying to get better 0
169 Lateral Acceleration - Amplifies a 'twitch' into a 'jolt' or a high-side 0
170 Beating The Odds - Requires that you behave ABNORMALLY 0
171 Helmet Laws - Evaluation of their Repeal in LA and KY 0
172 Control in a turn - Is it Balance or Trust when leaned over? 0
173 Slow Speed Shortest Radius Turns - A bit of Geometry 0
174 Braking is NOT a zero-sum game! - Weight transfer always occurs 0
175 Master chain link - retaining clip 0
176 Leadership - A function of Behavior 0
177 Squeezing Both Levers - Is Often Enough To Save It 0
178 Finding Neutral Is A Start-up Activity - (Leave it is gear) 0
179 Accelerating in a curve? - Well ... 0
180 Weight and Traction Management - (Excel Model included) 0
181 Preemptive Learning - Before you need it 0
182 Fear Can Kill You - Turn it into RESPECT 0
183 Why Counter-Steering Begins At - About 6 MPH 0
184 Group Riding Lane Changes - Orchestrating A Safer Ride 0
185 Bungee Cords - Are DANGEROUS! 0
186 The Third Gyroscope - Adds stability 0
187 Trail - The Righting Effect 0
188 Weight Transfer - 2 - What, How, Why, and More 0
189 Counter-steering Is Only - Half Of The Story 0
190 Tank-slappers - Harmonics At Work 0
191 REACTING! - WILL save your life 0
192 Rear Tire 'Chirps' - When Hard Braking Or Downshifting 0
193 CPR - Must You Do It? 0
194 Parking Lot Practice - (Using Target Fixation) 0
195 Centrifugal Force - Causes counter-steering, not gyroscopics! 0
196 Counter-steering - An exercise in feedback management 0
197 Adding A Passenger - After 6 months of experience you are still NOT ready 0
198 Listen To That Inner Voice - Some call it 'intuition' 0
199 Cornering In The Rain - (Traction and Hydroplaning) 0
200 Panic Swerves - A very poor 'choice' 0
201 Filing a 'Flight Plan' - Very savvy self-defense 0
202 Intersection Turns - ONE LANE AT A TIME! 0
203 Leaning/Turning are NOT Equivalent - Push Right - GO Right 0
204 Riding in Wet Weather - Some lessons learned 0
205 Paying Attention is NOT ... the Same as Being Alert/Aware 0
206 Ride Your Own Ride (Playing the odds) 0
207 Center of Gravity Weight and Mass are NOT the same! 0
208 Skill Development Make It FUN! 0
209 If you can do a stoppie ... you CANNOT stop as fast as others 0
210 Highway group riding 'rules' ... never trump safety 0
211 Keeping Your Rear Tire on the Ground is Tough to Do 0
212 Rider Education DEATHS on the Rise! (Two easy 'fixes') 0
213 Emergency Braking Practice Speed 30 MPH is as Realistic as is 60 MPH 0
214 How to Save it if you do a Stoppie EASE OFF THE BRAKE 0
215 CB or Helmet to Helmet Intercom? Safety Perspective 0
216 Downshifting While Braking (MSF teaches an unsafe practice) 0
217 Your Motorcycle CANNOT Fall Down (At any speed greater than 10 MPH) 0
218 All Riders Are Retreads (If they have ridden a motorcycle at least twice) 0
219 'Traction Pie' Dumbness personified 0
220 Cruise Control NEVER when the road is wet! 0
221 Performance is all about TORQUE (Not Horsepower) 0
222 Moving from Scooters to Motorcycles Gaining a new Safety Feature 0
223 Chains Efficient but NOT Trouble Free 0
224 Rider Education ala MSF ... is NOT About SAFETY! 0
225 Newbie Attending Rider Training Preparation and other considerations 0
226 "I laid it down" is a crock (More charitably, it is an excuse) 0
227 Guns Aren't Dangerous You are 0
228 Visual Conflict of Interest Especially when Accelerating 0
229 Conspicuity Don't give them the excuse 0
230 Learning to 'Threshold brake' Requires great care! 0
231 Advisory 'SPEED LIMIT' Signs What they are and what they mean 0
 

Back Up Next

Copyright © 1992-2007 by The Master Strategy Group, all rights reserved.
www.msgroup.org

(James R. Davis is a recognized expert witness in the fields of Motorcycle Safety/Dynamics.)