Curves may be many a biker’s favorite aspect of riding a motorcycle but they also can be the most challenging.
Too often, bikers take turns too fast. According to 2005 Fatality Analysis Reporting System data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, running off the road, which usually happened on a curve, accounted for 37% of motorcycle fatalities.
A biker I met told me how he wrecked his new Kawasaki Ninja within 24 hours. He was new to riding, took a curve too fast, panicked, and braked hard. He was surprised to discover that instead of slowing, he skidded into the opposite lane and off the road into a tree. Luckily, he only broke his shoulder.
The basic turning procedure, as described by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, works well under ideal conditions: slow, look, press, and roll–or, for decreasing radius turns, slow look, press, and hold steady–and follow an outside-inside-outside path of travel through the curve. But what happens when you encounter a motorcycle hazard on a turn?
The hazard you encounter can be just about anything, such as:
- Other traffic
- Animals
- Road debris
- Surface conditions
Always Approach Turns With Caution
The important thing is to observe as much of the road ahead as possible as you turn and to maintain a speed that allows time for you to react to potential hazards. Often, curves reduce your visibility so you must slow your speed accordingly.
If you do encounter a motorcycle hazard, such as a fallen rock, having taken the inside path of travel and reduced your speed may give you some room to brake slowly and adjust your path of travel. If you are going slowly enough, you may even be able to straighten and stop.
Do not overreact and brake too hard, however, as that will cause you to skid and lose control. You want to avoid a motorcycle crash.
If possible, when maneuvering around an obstacle, take an inside path of travel as that will allow more room for maneuvering around further hazards on that turn.
Of course, you may be left with no option but to go off the road to avoid a hazard. A reduced rate of speed, coupled with the ability to slow even further, may help reduce the impact with a guardrail, tree, cliff face, or whatever else you encounter.
