Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Motorcycle: Head check to change lanes and overtaking?

Hi all,



Learner motorcyclist here, need some expert advise regarding head check/checking blind spot.



I've been practicing motorcycle regularly for 3 weeks now, am fairly confident with the mechanics of riding. Right now I'm stuck at how to change lanes and overtaking. I have been driving cars for 15 years, so I know how important it is to check my blind spot before changing lane (especially check for motorcyclist :) ).



I'm finding it as I turn my head while riding, my bike naturally drifts to that direction. That's not right, is it? I know that when I check my blind spot in a car, my car is still going straight. Obviously I don't need to be gripping the steering wheel that hard as my neck/shoulder turns. But on a bike, I'm finding this exercise a lot harder to do, turning head while keeping the handle bar straight.



So, what advise can any expert riders give me? :) More than just the head check, but best ways to change lanes too.



Thanks in advance.Motorcycle: Head check to change lanes and overtaking?
Your bike tends to move toward your line-of-sight. Hugging the gas tank with your knees will help stabilize the bike while you're looking over your shoulder.



Check your mirrors a few seconds before you want to change lanes. Your head check should be a sanity check against people who travel in your blind spots. Mirrors on motorcycles give you a great view side-to-side (at the expense of not being able to see far behind you); if they're properly adjusted, your biggest fear should be a car speeding out from directly behind you and passing you in the lane you're trying to move into.



Your best bet is to do a quick head check to your side, roll on the throttle a bit, and change lanes quickly. Don't turn around and look behind you; that'll cause you to shift your weight, which will make your bike less stable. It's useful to move within your lane to get a better view of the traffic behind you.Motorcycle: Head check to change lanes and overtaking?
Blind spot mirrors are helpful.

http://www.ascycles.com/detail.aspx?ID=1

http://www.safetymirrorsonline.com/html/



Instead of rotating my head in a sideways motion, I'll tilt my head down as I'm turning it.

I'll only move my head enough to look down at the ground, just to the side of my elbow.

Then use my peripheral vision to check the blind spot.

Using that maneuver, I'm not twisting my head which would make me unconsciously turn the handlebars.
realize what you're doing when you turn your head...



youre steering the front wheel to the right (if you're looking left)...



train your arms to maintain control regardless of what your head is doing...

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