Road-trip advice

[slabo]

I promised I will writeup some safety tips so here it goes.

Normally you shouldn't be replace forum advice for professional, hands on training. But you're here in China, and you're going to ride anyway. I think I know what you're going through, so I'll took the time to write what I did to survive on the road. I'm from Beirut, Lebanon. Traffic is a mix of civilized, random, boring, scary... Roads are also a mix of twisty narrow mountain roads, or pothole ridden city roads. A bit like Chinese roads in a way. All the better training ..

gn250

I spent a few years in Beirut, Lebanon, and IMHO there is nowhere in the world where drivers are more insane (although I've heard that Saudi is even worse). Chinese drivers are stars compared to the Lebanese. I was told that the reason for insane Lebanese drivers is because during their lengthy civil war, it was literally a life/death situation of keeping your car moving. A stopped car was a sniper's target. Today, the practice continues, and cars frequently mount the sidewalk, completely ignore traffic lights, drive on the wrong side, and so on ... to a level that makes China look downright civilized.

That was a long time ago, but I even today it's still true in some parts of the country.

Anyway, back to motorcycles ... I learned back in the summer of 2006 on my own. Beirut, and whole country was being bombed and I had little else to do but stare at a computer screen to keep my sanity. I was one of the few lucky who still had internet connection at the time(I worked for one of the biggest ISPs). I can't take an MSF course, but there were plenty of videos discussing various crashes. I spared none, all the while I didn't even have a bike, and really, I've never tried even a scooter. After 2 months, I bought a second hand 400cc cruiser. You should have seen the look on the guy's face when I asked him to ride the bike home for me. Then I started practicing what's already in my head.

When you start riding, part of your training will be to read traffic, anticipate other people's moves, know your limits and surroundings. Again, easier for me to do since I'm just used to reading hectic traffic. Headcheck before changing lanes; that means don't just rely on your mirrors, turn your head around, look for oncoming traffic. This is easier to do on my some bikes than others. Like on my bike, upright seating position.
One common crash I was talking about, picture this scenario :: Something happens and you panic, grab a fistful of brake, and swerve trying to avoid some obstacle. This results in a skid, i.e. your wheel locked with respect to the bike, but still sliding along the tarmac. After that, you either highside, or lowside. Both very ugly. If you anticipate this happening, you can program better reflexes. Really, when it happens, you have no time to think. So you have to know this in your bones. You can only slightly brake unless the bike is upright and pointing straight. This not limited to wet roads or corners.. So practice stopping. The key to braking is to try to brake gradually, meaning don't pull the brake all with all your might all at once. Use both brakes, 75% front 25% rear. Remember, you can't swerve and brake. You have a second to decide which one. When you want to brake hard, do it upright, in a straight line.

Learn to see bad road conditions. It's not just potholes and bumps, that's what cagers care about. You should also look out for leaves, sand, coal dust, water is not so bad.. To get a feeling of your bike sliding try wet marble!

Know your bike, you should know what sounds ok, and what doesn't.

Target fixation. Look at where you want to go, not what you're trying to avoid. This is the one that still gets even veteran riders.

Learn to drop the bike without your leg pinned under it. Bikes feel very light when they're upright, the weight might deceive you. If the bike starts to tip over and catch you off guard, you don't want your leg under it then. Also learn to lift a bike. Practice on grass. Here's how to pick up your bike after a drop.



Bike checkup before you go:: brakes, chain, tires .. kick stuff around.
also have a look here >> http://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/faq

There's plenty more to write.. but that's enough for now..