How to crash a motorcycle and walk away

[e30addict]

Found this interesting. On one hand discussing the merits of gear is a good thing. On the other showing a group of invincible teenagers that they can walk away from a motorcycle crash might not have the desired effect. Thoughts?

http://m.eagletribune.com/eagletrib/...tguid=YDerjkgA

As summertime approaches,state police are reminding the public about the right —and wrong —way to ride a motorcycle.

Police teamed up with the Derryfield School,a prep school in Manchester,to demonstrate the risks faced by motorcyclists who aren’t safety-conscious.

Chris McNeil,a Latin teacher at the school and a professional stunt motorcyclist,performed a controlled crash to show just what can happen when not paying attention on a motorcycle.

“One of the reasons we’re doing this today is educating on the appropriate ways to ride and the right gear to wear,” he said.

McNeil put his motorcycle into a slide as he turned a bend at 35 mph,then allowed himself to lose control of his bike. McNeil was wearing full body gear and a helmet to demonstrate how the right gear and technique can help minimize the risk of injury.

“There’s a proper way to do it so there’s the least amount of injury,” he said. “This will make it less of an impact than it could have been,”

More than 50 Derryfield students watched McNeil’s demonstration and were amazed that McNeil could just walk away unscathed.

“I didn’t think there was a way you could prevent or help your chances of not dying on a bike,” said Lee Sipes,an eighth-grader from Windham.

Following the demonstration,state police Sgt. Joe DiRusso spoke on the importance of wearing a helmet.

“Wearing a helmet not only applies to a motorcycle but to when you’re riding a bicycle as well,” DiRusso told the students. “It makes a difference between a serious injury and walking away without one.”

The police also have classes set up in conjunction with the Department of Motor Vehicles on the proper techniques of handling a motorcycle. Robert Letourneau of Derry has been teaching motorcycle safety courses since 1989 and says being safe makes a huge difference.

“Out of all the motorcycle fatalities in the state since we’ve began,less than 1 percent came from the 44,000 people who have taken our classes,” Letourneau said.

Driver awareness is also something that state police have been emphasizing. Starting this month,signs on electronic billboards have informed motorists to be aware of motorcycles on the road.

“This is the time of the year when motorcycles are coming out,” state police Capt. John LeLacheur said. “It’s hard to see a motorcycle. We advise everyone to take an extra second before pulling out into traffic.”

McNeill wore a bright red and white jumpsuit designed to make him more visible to motorists.

“We want everyone to wear helmets,boots, gloves,full jackets and pants below the ankles,” Letourneau said.

The students also saw a demonstration of how helmet can make a difference. Brian Adie,a sixth-grader from Londonderry,dropped watermelons from a construction lift about 10 feet off the ground,some with helmets strapped on and others without helmets. The watermelons with helmets stayed intact,while the others exploded when they hit the ground.

“I learned that even if I fall off a hill while riding a bike without a helmet,I’m definitely going to get hurt,based on how smashed the helmet was.

[luukasama]

I'm not sure why you'd think it would be a bad thing for the teens. If any of them were to ride, it's important to let them know that you must always be properly geared. Even in the summer, I ride ATGATT and I see so many guys with flip flops, or no helmet, summer shirt and shorts. It gets hot, but better than nothing at all.

Also, considering how teens are very pliable and easy to impress upon, the earlier they're taught the right way to ride, the better it will be later on. I've never seen youngsters ride, but you never know.

[Sheppo]

being taught the correct way to ride is one thing.. showing them how to crash? I am still trying to wrap my head around this.

[Doc]

I am just hoping they stressed that you do not WANT to crash but if you do it pays to wear gear.

That said... and I cannot believe I am going to say this... but if I am staying in a 35mph zone and I am on a light/old/slow bike I MIGHT go without my jacket...

[TheIglu]

If the end result is the kids getting more educated, isn't that the point?

[e30addict]

I think there's way more positive things to take from this than not.

The comment from one kid about not thinking there was anything to protect them from injury got me thinking.

The implication that you can crash a bike and not get hurt is what made me think a little. Kind of wear your gear and you can throw away a motorcycle and not get hurt. Might lead to increased risk taking in an age group where we definitely do stupid shit.

I know that wasn't the intention here, just something that struck me about it.

[lord1234]

I think this is great, and would make a neat addition to a BRC, especially in "no helmet" states like NH. People that don't gear up, or worse(IMO) people that stop at the NH border and take off their helmets, should know what they are really risking. Explaining that this is a "don't try this at home video, and showing what kind of reactions can happen when this occurs is a valuable learning tool. At minimum, a well taken video shown would be great.

[mzdagrl]

"The police also have classes set up in conjunction with the Department of Motor Vehicles on the proper techniques of handling a motorcycle. Robert Letourneau of Derry has been teaching motorcycle safety courses since 1989 and says being safe makes a huge difference.

“Out of all the motorcycle fatalities in the state since we’ve began,less than 1 percent came from the 44,000 people who have taken our classes,” Letourneau said.

Driver awareness is also something that state police have been emphasizing. Starting this month,signs on electronic billboards have informed motorists to be aware of motorcycles on the road."

This.

MSF teaches you how to be aware as a rider. Kids need to be taught to be aware of riders, and I am glad one place is trying to do this.

[Doc]

Props to "Teach" for having the balls to "lay it down" on purpose. I was thinking maybe I should do that at our military BRC classes... I could even use my pitbike... then I was like "To hell with that!"

[Degsy]

Wirelessly posted

Overall I think it's a great idea. Not sure about crashing a motorcycle deliberately to demonstrate the ability to walk away unharmed. Undecided on that.

[Trajiks9]

Chris Mcneil "Teach" is well known around these parts as being one hell of a stunter. I have watched him in action years ago when he was sponsored by Argo Cycles. Pretty amazing stuff, a very talented gentleman.

[mzdagrl]

I think there's way more positive things to take from this than not.

The comment from one kid about not thinking there was anything to protect them from injury got me thinking.

The implication that you can crash a bike and not get hurt is what made me think a little. Kind of wear your gear and you can throw away a motorcycle and not get hurt. Might lead to increased risk taking in an age group where we definitely do stupid shit.

I know that wasn't the intention here, just something that struck me about it.

My gut reaction was similar to this, but the way they are being shown to reduce injury seems to be primarily proper gear. That is not a bad thing. I have been trying to convince a few people for years to come up and watch the races....their fear is that they don't want to see death and destruction. People who don't ride associate motorcycles with horrible, gorey death, because that is a large part of how crashes happen on the street (at least the ones we all hear about). Knowing how full gear can save a hide is not a bad thing to educate people on, and it may help our sport on the streets and on the track.

[e30addict]

If the end result is the kids getting more educated, isn't that the point?

Pretty much this. We see this with Street Survival courses we teach for kids. In order to teach them how to recover control of a sliding car we also have to show them how to slide it in the first place.



I'm sure some of them more pre-disposed to the performance side of things use this to their advantage later. To date though, none if the kids who have gone through that program have been involved in an accident since. I suspect this will have similar results.

[Degsy]

Wirelessly posted

Chris Mcneil "Teach" is well known around these parts as being one hell of a stunter. I have watched him in action years ago when he was sponsored by Argo Cycles. Pretty amazing stuff, a very talented gentleman.

No shit? Really?

:-)

[TheIglu]

Teach demonstrated the capabilities of ABS on a fully bagged out BMW 800GS last year at Twisted Throttle's open house. It was quite a sight.

Reminds me of the people who are against teaching kids about contraceptives.

OH NO! If you tell kids that they may not get hurt as bad if they wear the right gear, then they may crash more!

OH NO! If you tell kids that they may not get teh-AIDS or pregnant if they use a condom, they will have sex more!

They were going to have sex anyways, idiots.

They were going to crash anyways, idiots.

Neither would of been an issue worth addressing if they weren't crashing and fucking.

[aldend123]

The implication that you can crash a bike and not get hurt is what made me think a little. Kind of wear your gear and you can throw away a motorcycle and not get hurt. Might lead to increased risk taking in an age group where we definitely do stupid shit.

I shared your reaction, at least initially. But I meet too many smart people, good drivers, who think motorcycles are a guaranteed way to die. Ironically, they are the very people who would make good responsible riders. But they are scared away from it because of the high mortality rate thanks in part to unsafe techniques/habits. Getting more of these smart people on a bike is a way to even out the stats, and improve the culture.

And even if this does encourage more risk taking, surely these kids will remember the helmet and gear is crucial to fun time. Hell, I think many of us hear enjoy risk taking on a bike. And even the crowd who skips the helmet from time to time knows to strap one on for fun-time.

[Pigman]

Learning to crash properly is an ART.....just as learning to fall properly and not give in to gut reaction

tuck and roll baby...........

[BSR6]

I am just hoping they stressed that you do not WANT to crash but if you do it pays to wear gear.

That said... and I cannot believe I am going to say this... but if I am staying in a 35mph zone and I am on a light/old/slow bike I MIGHT go without my jacket...

Just make sure you wear gloves.

I have been an avid cyclist for most of my life, and gone down many times at 30MPH in my cycling gear (which doesn't do much to protect you). You might get some uncomfortable road rash, but it's not the end of the world. Almost every crash I have been through, I managed to get on my hands for most of the slide leaving only minor scrapes on the rest of my body from those few brief moments it took me to get my hands down. This is why gloves will make a huge difference. Without gloves, you got nothing and sucks a whole lot more.

[luukasama]

I shared your reaction, at least initially. But I meet too many smart people, good drivers, who think motorcycles are a guaranteed way to die. Ironically, they are the very people who would make good responsible riders. But they are scared away from it because of the high mortality rate thanks in part to unsafe techniques/habits. Getting more of these smart people on a bike is a way to even out the stats, and improve the culture.

And even if this does encourage more risk taking, surely these kids will remember the helmet and gear is crucial to fun time. Hell, I think many of us hear enjoy risk taking on a bike. And even the crowd who skips the helmet from time to time knows to strap one on for fun-time.

It's funny you say that, and it's true. I used to feel very safe inside a car, now that I have a bike, the reaction is totally the opposite and I'm not sure why. Now, I feel a lot safer on a bike, more maneuverable, than I do inside a cage. It's interesting how my feelings totally got flipped upside down. People still insist on riding up pretty close though, that's very irritating.

The biggest reaction I get to riding is what's what blocky, chunky thing on top of my helmet. (Hint, it's a camera). Even when I tell them that, they're like "Well, what's it for?" Now, imagine them looking up at it, squinting in the sun, their mouth half open, and upper teeth out like baffoons. It's a pretty hilarious actually. Cops sometimes give me a stink eye. I can see their eyes following me, head like a swivel when I ride by. Like I'm some dangerous missle on the road.

[breakdirt916]

sheesh...laying it on purpose?

I don't think my hip bone would agree...

[OreoGaborio]

I've crashed far more than I care to share and I STILL don't know how to crash "right"...

tuck and roll baby...........

but I do know enough to say that's the last thing you wanna do

[DucDave]

Even the still developing brain of a teen ager knows that crashing = not good. They may also believe that a low speed crash has no consequences. I thought the demo was effective. He showed how easily it can happen and more importantly, when he showed them the results ON HIS SUIT, it was readily apparant that there would have been some pretty nasy consequences on bare skin. The reality, as we all know, is that a rider will crash sooner or later if they actually ride. Having the right gear makes all the difference.

I thought it was effective and didn't get the idea that kids would go, "Like cool, right? Crashing isn't bad so I'm gonna act like more of a squidly douchebag then I was already planning to act...!"

[Garandman]

/Reminds me of the people who are against teaching kids about contraceptives. /

Yeah, I tried practicing the "Abstinence" approach to crashing and it worked well, until it didn't.....

/but I do know enough to say that's the last thing you wanna do

Oh, just wait until you reach an "advanced age." Thank dog for "Vitamin I."

[Pigman]

I've crashed far more than I care to share and I STILL don't know how to crash "right"...


but I do know enough to say that's the last thing you wanna do

Tuck and roll as in falling u tard....

And what I was referring to was as I have crashed a lot and things like not holding on stay loose absorb the impact. When to bail and let the bike go as lots of people seem to think they can ride it out. Lay flat and slide not to tumble and roll...

ECT..

[Paul_E_D]

Good discussion. I think the IMPACT this would have had on kids would be HUGE. I'd wear gear after seeing that. The rest of it doesn't matter...

As for tuck and roll, that's good advice on dirt where the speeds are lower and the surface is softer. But on pavement at speed, that last thing I want to do is roll. In a high side, I will tuck for the half flip with the intent of landing on my back and sliding.

I also will stay with the bike until impact in MOST situations. Better to slow more than hit the eject button going fast. I will make an early dismount if I feel it's gonna get me away from a solid object or give me a softer landing pad.

I'm an experienced crasher.