This book “Road Sense for Motorcyclists”, in its first edition, takes a ‘man and motorcycle’ approach to educate riders about road sense. It explores all the techniques needed to make you a total control motorcyclist. It’s more about the rider than about the motorcycle. There are 35 sections which deal with essentials like:
– Riding etiquette
– Cornering
– Staged Braking
– Correct body position
– Active safety
– Emergency procedures
– Effective braking techniques
– Fuel efficient motorcycling …and many more topics which you will find are real practical to use.
You will find useful tips given throughout this no-nonsense book. Whether you are a city rider or a tourer, you will definitely find value in this book. Some of the after effects will be that terms like Active Safety and total control will become deeply ingrained in your consciousness and skills like counter steering will become second nature to you. You will have much more fun on 2 wheels. If someone can transform your motorcycling experience, it is you. This book is a gentle reminder of that.
Below is one example of what kind of information you can find in the ebook.
How to Corner
Cornering involves active and coordinated usage of the upper body (head and eyes, arms and torso) and lower body (legs).
A corner consists of 3 parts – Entry, Apex/Middle and Exit. A combination of Lean angle, Rake, Trail, Wheelbase, Weight Distribution, Chassis Design and Motorcycle Speed determine the mixture of forces involved in Cornering. Follow these steps to gain confidence in cornering:
• Scan the horizon to ensure that there are no oncoming vehicles/pedestrians and also look in the Rear View Mirrors to check for vehicles/pedestrians.
• Reduce the corner Entry Speed to a comfortable one.
• Turn the head and eyes in the direction you want to go. Look through the turn and use the widest possible arc to gain the best and earliest view out of the corner.
• Counter steer gently to initiate the lean into the direction of the turn. Remember to keep the elbows slightly bent to allow for natural settlement of the steering into the turn.
• Gently roll on the throttle to allow the bike to settle into the turn and follow a smooth line.
• Counter steer gently in the opposite direction to get the bike to straighten up at the corner Exit.
The 3 parts of a corner: Entry, Apex and ExitTo increase lean angle – Counter steer in the direction of the turn.
To decrease lean angle – Counter steer in the opposite direction.
The aim in cornering is to maintain the right speed in the right gear at the most suitable lean angle for that particular corner at the given speed. The rider should always be riding at a speed which allows him/her to brake to a standstill within the distance that he/she can see.
NOTE: Seeing and being seen are of the utmost importance while cornering. All gear changes and braking maneuvers should be done before entering the corner. Braking and accelerating while cornering leads to weight transfer, which demands more grip from the tires. Tires should be free from braking and weight transfer stresses when possible so that grip is available solely for cornering forces. Smoothness is all the more important while cornering.
CAUTION: Do not lean the bike excessively.
You can find the full eBook here.
