Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/20237
Finessing the Curve by JIM JONES Lane positioning is all about managing risk and getting from A to Z safely. One of the top reasons for single vehicle motorcycle accidents is running wide on a curve due to excess speed or under-cornering. Most articles about how to take the curve are general- ly drawn from the author’s experience on a track and not the real world where the majority of us drive. Why is there a difference? The track is wide, free of debris, offers good visibil- ity and is more forgiving if you go off the track. The road is the opposite. The pavement is narrow, full of NOVEMBER 25 • THANKSGIVING FEAST at Legends Pub. 4624 Bragg Blvd., Fayetteville, NC 867-2364. NOVEMBER 26 • BLACK FRIDAY EVENT at cape fear harley davidson 7 a.m. 864-1200. NOVEMBER 28 • CAPE FEAR HARLEY OWNERS GROUP RIDE departs from BP Gas Station on Bragg Boulevard & Sycamore Dairy at 10:00 a.m. DECEMBER 4 • WINGMEN MC ANNUAL TOY RUN at Cape Fear Harley Davidson. Register at noon, ride at 2 p.m. Bring a toy. Benefits Fayetteville Urban Ministry. (724) 513-8116. Lane positioning is all about managing risk. obstacles, debris, traffic and critters. Off the pavement are ditches, guardrails, poles and banks (the things that will kill you). If you drift out of your lane into oncoming traffic your ride can be fatal. On the track, speed is the goal but on the road safety and skill are foremost. To prepare for the curve you need to visualize or look through or around the curve in order to set yourself up for a successful turn. As taught in the motorcycle safety course (MSF), we slow, look, lean, and roll to get through the curve. As you approach the curve you slow down to give yourself reaction time and make sure you can safely negotiate the curve. Your speed should never exceed what you can see ahead of you. As you look, look for where you want to be in five to six seconds. Don’t assume that there is a magic person in front of you clearing the road. If you do, then you better believe that your guardian angel is paying attention. Be mindful of what you can and cannot see. If you can’t see it, you can’t react to it. Your lane position is the beginning of the process for successfully taking the curve. Determining the lay of the road determines how you will set up body and bike position to negotiate the curve. If the curve is a left hand turn then you want to be on the right side of the lane in order to maximize the road space. On a right hand turn you want to come out on the inside portion of the lane if possible. Too far on the left side and you can go wide and into the oncoming lane of traffic. Staying in the middle of the lane is least preferable for a curve because you sacrifice too much speed and flexibility. If speed is not your objective (and it should not be if you can’t see ahead) then setting up your lane position is important but what may be more impor- tant is at what point you start your lean. Whether you know it or not your bike is a projectile and is following a trajectory. This trajectory is called the “apex”. You control the direction of the apex by your lean angle and speed. There are three apexes which a motorcycle has to deal with on a curve. First, is the “road apex”, the angle of the road. Second, is the “bike’s apex.” This is the apex that the bike will take based on speed, direction and lean angle. Lastly, is the “delayed apex.” The delayed apex approach gives you maximum amount of reaction time to deal with obstacles and road conditions and increases your ability to see through the curve. To decrease your risk when coming upon a curve, slow down, use that distance to delay your lean before moving into the curve. You can make your speed up when coming out of the curve but get through the curve then roll on the throttle. This technique increases your field of vision around the curve and increases your reaction time to adjust to the conditions of the road ahead. Every curve requires judgment. Speed, control, road conditions, visibility, tires, traction and experience all have to be spot-on to safely make any curve. If there is a topic that you would like to discuss you can contact me at motorcycle4fun@ aol.com. RIDE SAFE! 26 UCW NOVEMBER 24-30, 2010 DECEMBER 11 • WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA Help place a wreath on every veteran’s grave in Sandhills Veteran’s Cemetery. Wreaths will be placed on Dec. 11 at noon. Call 322-0909 or 834-7775 for more info. DECEMBER 18 • CLIFFORD SELLERSMEMORIAL RUN BENEFIT at Legends Pub. 4624 Bragg Blvd., Fayetteville, NC 867-2364. DECEMBER 25 • LEGENDS will open at 3 p.m. DECEMBER 31 • NEW YEAR’S EVE BASH at Legends Pub. 4624 Bragg Blvd., Fayetteville, NC 867-2364. PATRIOT GUARD RIDERS The Patriot Guard Riders is a diverse group of patriots from every state that come together to honor fallen soldiers at funeral services across the country. Visit www.patriotguard.org for more info. Thanksgiving Feast November 25 Legends Anniversary Party Slippers make a difference. Dec. 11 • P.J. Party $100 Best P.J.s For more information call LEGENDS at 4624 BRAGG BLVD. JAMES JONES, Contributing Writer COMMENTS? 484-6200 ext. 222 or editor@upandcomingweekly.com WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM