By MIKE Phillips |
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EYES UP Basic Rider Course at Pig
THE Trail HD has a tradition of giving a certificate of completion to each rider at the end of class . The riders get an 8Β½ x11 certificate showing when they completed the class . We ask the riders to frame the certificate and hang it on the wall of their house or garage . We tell them to hang it as high up on the wall as possible . It should be hung near the door or the garage door as they leave the house so it is the last thing they see before they go for a ride . Hang it high so they must look up to see it . This is a reminder from their coaches to keep their heads and eyes up . Keeping your head and eyes up toward where you want to be is one of the most complex skills to teach beginner riders . It is also a skill that experienced riders need to practice more . On Friday , during the Bikes , Blues , and Barbeque Rally ( BBB ) in Rogers , Arkansas . I saw a crash involving two bikes that could have been prevented if the rider had kept his head and eyes up . The crash happened on Hwy 62 westbound near the west Eureka Springs City limit . I was eastbound on Hwy 62 , about 30 yards away from three bikes approaching me . The lead bike was going about 30 mph . The second bike was a few yards behind the first bike . The third bike was several yards behind the second bike .
I could see the rider of the second bike looking down toward the front of his motorcycle . The lead bike suddenly slowed down . The rider of
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the second bike ran into the rear of the first bike . Both bikes went down . The second bike ended up in the ditch off to the right side of the road . Both riders were experienced riders who had ridden together many times . They rode to BBB from the Kansas City area . Both bikes were in good mechanical order . Neither rider was wearing a helmet , gloves , or a riding jacket . The third bike that was with them avoided the crash .
I spoke to both riders after the crash . The lead rider suffered road rash on his hands , arms , and knees . He was treated at the scene and released . The second rider had a large gash on his forehead that was bleeding . He had road rash on his hands and arms and had possibly broken both wrists . He was taken to a local hospital by ambulance .
The rider of the first bike said he slowed down so he could stay under the 30 mph speed limit . The rider of the second bike said he looked down at his instrument cluster for a second and never saw the first bike slow down . The second bike rider never slowed down , applied his brakes , or made any evasive maneuvers . The second bike ran into the rear of the first bike , knocking both bikes to the ground .
This is a perfect example of crashing because the rider was not looking up . Riders should check their instruments quickly to see if something is wrong or to check their speed . This is done with a quick scan over the instruments , then move your eyes back to the
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road . If there is a problem , riders should stop in a safe place and deal with it . Looking down at your instruments should be done even faster when riding close behind someone in heavy traffic , on curvy roads , during poor visibility , or in poor road conditions .
Most of the time , I see riders looking down at their instrument cluster , looking at a GPS , adjusting the radio , or checking their phone . These things should be done when the bike is stopped . Anything that takes your eyes and , thus , your attention away from the road can be dangerous . Remember , at 30 mph , you are traveling 45 feet per second . Many bad things can happen to a bike in 45 feet if the rider is not paying attention .
What is the last thing you look at before you start a ride ? A good thing to look at is a cross . Place a cross high above your bike . Bow your head and pray for a safe ride . Take a moment to relax and get into a good state of mind for riding , then look up at the cross as you leave for a reminder to keep your head and eyes up .
What are you looking at when you ride ? It would help if you were looking up ahead of the bike . Sweep your eyes side to side and quickly check instruments and mirrors . Refrain from fixing on any one part of the road or your bike . Keep your eyes up and moving all the time , and you will be more likely to keep your bike up and moving all the time . CMA
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