Advanced motorcycle training is based on the book – Police Motorcycle Roadcraft – or is it?
Police Roadcraft for cars goes back to the 1930’s. It was written when there was no training or testing, you just went and bought a licence. Crashes were becoming a problem even with so few cars around.
Roadcraft for motorcycles arrived many years later in the 1970’s. Compulsory motorcycle training began in 1990.
The problem with Roadcraft is what isn’t in there. Although the latest version includes ‘Emergency Response’ riding, somewhat unwisely for public consumption, it is missing many of the actual tactics and maneouvres.
Probably just as well, but unfortunately the other stuff is continually passed on during advanced training.
These include ‘off siding’ – taking LH corners from the RH gutter; the ‘Suicide Swoop’ – overtaking vehicles around a LH corner; ‘making good progress’ – taking every opportunity to overtake (when you should never be in a hurry); going straight on from a RH turn lane; filtering up to the front of traffic queues as a routine; using cross hatched areas to overtake; going past ‘stop’ boards at road works when the lights are red etc. Some are Highway Code ‘should nots‘.
There are two basic rules for the public. Is it safe? But is it necessary?
If this wasn’t bad enough, ‘trail braking’ into corners has now been added rather publicly on National Highways BikeTek website via a video on Braking. This is standard racing practise, but really risky on the road, significantly reducing safety margins.
It comes from road racing. Most racing crashes are due to trail braking. ABS, particularly earlier versions, may not save you from a skid and fall and will not prevent the bike running wide.
What is more worrying is that it is presented as being safer, showing a total misunderstanding of the physics, which I think should be obvious to anyone.
Is braking while cornering in any vehicle safer? Of course not. To be fair, you could be mistaken on a motorbike, as the suspension dips noticeably, but this is grip being used up not created. Bikes also ‘yaw’ when the front brake is used when banked, which requiries an even greater lean angle.
The front brake also sits the bike up making it run wide or needs a steeper lean angle.
RoSPA and the IAM discourage braking in corners. You would fail any test if you did. But there are a number of independent advanced trainers and companies promoting it.
At the moment, absolutely anyone can set up themselves or even a large company providing advanced trainers, sometimes at eye watering costs. There are currently absolutely no barriers to entry.
They are probably acting unlawfully, as car, truck and bus trainers have to be DVSA licenced. Nobody cares or can be bothered.
Madness.
Do not be fooled by clever marketing, or assume ‘Police Class 1’ is a training qualification. It isn’t. It’s an out of date riding qualification. It’s now ‘Police Advanced’ but again it’s not a training qualification.
So we now have racing techniques in addition to the use of police ’emergency response’ and ‘pursuit’ tactics being promoted.
Fatalities were up 8% last year. This isn’t helping.
Time for The Law on commercial trainers to be enforced?
What do riders learn by experience – trial and error?
What is not learned by experience, for which additional training is needed?
Summary
The background is a 8% increase in PTW KSI’s last year, and a recent 50% increase in young rider KSI’s. It’s currently aĺl going the wrong way.
The DVSA data below indicates that it currently takes around 25 years, on average, for 80% of riders to master riding a motorcycle competently.
Far too long?
In order:- ‘Cornering‘, ‘Planning‘, ‘Defensive Riding‘, ‘Use of Speed‘ and ‘Overtaking – were found as the major rider shortcomings
‘Braking‘ and ‘Filtering‘ also stand out as particular extra training needs.
We now know what additional training is needed, and where current learner training and testing is falling short.
The Enhanced Rider Scheme looks to be effective, well managed and subject to continuous improvement.
In contrast, no benefits were found from current ‘Advanced’ training. (Agilisys).
Government action should be considered to make DVSA ERS licensed training far more available in the interests of public safety. This could easily be achieved by making DVSA trainer licensing compulsory for all commercial trainers. This would ensure, that the training is properly and safely conducted, and focused on the priorities.
The charities working in the sector, with volunteers, should also all be working to the same official standards.
History
The DVSA Enhanced Rider Scheme (ERS) was launched in 2006. It was to provide additional safety training for licence holders, particularly those returning to riding in later years.
Up to 1989 the examiner stood by the roadside, so it is only after this date that examiners followed riders on their test.
Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) was not introduced until 1990.
Currently most riders over 50 years old will not have had any training, nor been subject to a ‘pursuit’ licence test.
Findings
This is the data supplied by the DVSA following an information request. The speed of the response shows that the DVSA have clearly been closely monitoring the ERS Scheme, on an ongoing basis.
This is, I believe, the latest 5 years of data. The first observation is how relatively few riders are attracted to the scheme. This is the only post-test training in the UK delivered by qualified licensed trainers. That it is such a small number of riders, is a concern.
The vast majority of post-test training is performed by volunteers, or untrained unlicensed trainers, mainly to Police Roadcraft standards, but also sometimes encouraging ’emergency response’ and racing practises, such as trail braking by commercial trainers.
(A recent review by Agilisys found no benefits from traditional ‘Advanced’ training).
There is no other published rider assessments that I can find.
DVSA Data
The bar graph shows the number of riders who needed, or who did not need, additional training following their riding assessments.
Green is needed training, Red is didn’t.
If you compare ERS attendees to the population of riders by age, you get this:-
Young riders look neglected? These are at the highest risk, so it looks like an opportunity?
The ERS scheme was aimed at ‘returning riders‘ and has hit the mark.
Training needs diminish up to 45, where the number of riders peak, then increases again. Strange?
There are are also two large peaks in training needs. 17-30 and 51-65 years – the Red bars vs the Green bars.
Training needed by age
If you present the data as the percentage of riders, by age, requiring training, a rather odd profile emerges.
Having stared at it for some time, and initially considering it as two separate distributions, a ‘light bulb’ moment.
You might have come across Dunning-Kruger before. It’s the journey from:-
‘Unconsciously incompetent’ to ‘Unconsciously competent’
The theory has been applied across many different fields. In this case the ‘Y’ axis is ‘training required’ – incompetence not confidence. However, it does look like younger riders don’t seem to be looking for more training, so could be over confident?
If you flip the graph, competence is shown to peak at 41-45 years. It then deteriorates as we move into later life.
It maybe a bit misleading, as the scheme is aimed at ‘born again‘ bikers, who have a big experience gap. And these will be riders who mainly felt they needed more training.
The riders over 50 will likely not have had training or a pursuit licence test, so are essentially a different group, who are mostly untrained.
But their apparent ‘lack of competence’ is not reflected in the accident figures at all. So there looks like there is no relationship between competence, as measured, and the risk of a collision.
Modules taken
So what additional training was found to be needed to get riders up to standard?
You can see there is no particular training needs identified. They are various. Training needs are across a wide spectrum.
‘Cornering‘ tops the chart, followed by ‘Planning‘, ‘DefensiveRiding‘, Progress and Overtaking.
This is where rider needs are identified, that needed extra training.
This identifies ‘Braking‘ as the main need – more than a third of riders, and nearly twice the demand of the next module. Braking from higher speeds is not part of the licence test – just from 30 mph.
Probably circa 50% of riders cannot meet Highway Code braking distances from higher speeds, and many skid and fall in an emergency. It is encouraging that this is recognised and is being addressed.
‘Filtering‘ is the second most popular training module, which is widely known to be hazardous.
Training vs Casualties (KSI).
If you add casualties by age (orange line), you now have a complete data set.
Young rider vulnerability is very clear. 10% of riders but 28% of the casualties.
After 30 years of age, KSIs roughly follows the rider population, with a divergence from 40-50, where the accident rate halves, before moving back to a standard KSI percentage.
So is the 40 – 50 group showing the results of experience? Or the peak of physical or mental ability? How much are older new riders part of the problem?
The answer is probably the lack of compulsory learner training and pursuit testing for the older riders, which only became compulsory in 1990.
If you look at the downward slope of the orange KSI line, there is an upward bump at 50 years which coincides with the introduction of CBT. It then continues downwards at the same slope but displaced upwards.
It will be interesting to see if this bump moves further along in the coming years.
Conclusions
It’s difficult to draw firm conclusions, but the data seems to confirm the positive impact of CBT from 1990. The ‘bump’ currently at 50 years should move along year by year?
But that currently leaves older riders at relatively high risk, which still needs addressing.
The high level of KSIs for younger riders is graphically illustrated, with a steep circa 10 year learning curve which also needs urgent action. This surely should be the priority?
The most obvious risk, which could be quickly addressed, is in young riders moving from a moped to a geared 125cc motorcycle with no additional training, despite the massively increased risk.
After 30 years old, the graph shows a steady decline in KSI’s which is probably continuous learning by experience, but at a lower steady rate.
This would seem an ideal opportunity to review learner training and testing (which will be ongoing internally within the DVSA) to address identified shortcomings in training.
Although inevitably, any major changes will have to be a political decision. This to balance the accessibility to PTWs, which are currently very high risk, with public safety.
The ERS scheme is currently poorly promoted and consequently very under-utilized, with far too few riders trained to likely have any effect. Only circa 1,000/year based on these figures.
The graph also suggests that ‘advanced’ training doesn’t currently fill the lack of learner training within older riders >50 years.
This would appear to support the recent Agilisys report, which found no benefits from advanced training.
Unqualified and unlicensed advanced trainers are currently allowed (probably illegally) to train riders commercially. This puts properly trained qualified and licensed DVSA trainers at a financial disadvantage, but more importantly potentially puts riders at risk,
The argument has always been that The Law states ‘driver‘ not ‘rider‘ trainers have to be DVSA licensed. However the CPS definition of ‘driver‘ is whoever is steering – by legal precedent I understand. This would include ‘riders’.
This could be implemented today.
The Enhanced Rider Scheme has been around for 19 years and is collecting data which will be used to improve training. The scheme has trained, tested, qualified, licensed trainers. They have a syllabus and standards to work to:- ‘Ride – The Essential Skills’. They are also regularly check tested whilst delivering the training.
It only costs around £1,000 for a week’s training to obtain a DVSA trainer’s license.
Government action is needed to make this compulsory, in the interests of public safety. Motorcycle riders are the most vulnerable road users by a margin, so need the best training available.
The ERS scheme is established and proven, so just needs fully implementing, as I believe was always intended.
We now know what is needed to get riders up to standard, and what the priorities are.
Police BikeSafe assesses circa 7,500 riders per year, with 20% or 1,500 going in to take further training. RoSPA and the IAM also provide ‘advanced’ training although the total numbers are not published, nor any findings.
Are they focussing on the same identified rider’s priority needs to stay safe, and shortcomings?
And as only 1,000 riders/year are being been ERS trained, with a population of 1.7 million, we’re all just scratching the surface.
Feedback and opinion encouraged.
Mike Abbott MBA, RoADAR (Dip), DVSA RPMT 800699, ACU Coach #62210
It means that you can accelerate the hardest at 45 degrees of lean, which seems odd, but have to roll back the throttle as your lean angle decreases and the front of the machine starts to lift.
Riders need to be acutely aware of the dangers of ‘High Siding’.
The ‘Fox’s Nose’.
This also shows a rider can brake (briefly) at up to 1.5g when upright(ish). This is twice as hard as the Highway Code standard.
This is probably from top speed due to the drag on the rider and bike preventing it flipping over. 1g tips most bikes at lower speeds. You can also briefly brake harder as energy is dissipated rotating the bike during weight transfer.
The ‘Fox’s Jaw’
The ‘jaw’ show a linear relationship between lean angle and braking, up to the extremities of banking – red lines. So track riders can brake deep into corners using the front brake, gradually releasing it proportionally as the lean angle increases.
Riders need to be aware that grip levels on the road can vary considerably, and the dangers of a front wheel ‘wash out’ and ‘Low Siding’.
The DVSA advice, which should be taken, is for road riders to complete their braking before corners, and only use the rear brake in an emergency. Applying the front brake mid corner, as opposed to carrying it into the corner, flips the machine up. This will make it run wide, potentially through the scenery or into oncoming traffic.
However, with training and practice, road riders can be trained to carry the front brake into corners in an emergency, which can be a life saver. But braking into corners routinely just significantly diminishes your safety margin, and likely increases impact speeds.
It’s not sensible to ride on the road anywhere near the limits of grip. However, on a track, it’s necessary, with care, for fast lap times. You need to know where the limits are.
We tried applying the standard traction circle maths to motorcycles in 2015, looking to see what traction should be available for braking as the lean angle increased.
If you use Mohr’s Circle, you get what we called the ‘Cats Claw’ which is the shape of the calculated additional area of grip.
It didn’t look right, and showed far more grip when banked than was available in practice. The question was why?
We looked at Cossalters ‘Motorcycle Dynamics’ which shows an oval, which looked better, but not perfect. 1g on one axis for braking and accelerating, 1.6 g for the other when banked.
There was a recent post on LinkedIn from Mikko Bartolossi, a MotoGP Engineer, introducing a paper from Biral, Francesco & Lot, Roberto from 2009, showing an alternative traction circle for motorcycles.
The diagram shows the lateral and tangential g force acting on a motorcycle when cornering, and either braking or accelerating at the same time.
The left and right hand areas show the g force acting on the machine when it is banked. The braking force is shown on the lower half, and accelerating on the top half of the diagram.
The tip of the ‘fox’s nose’ shows that a rider can momentarily brake at around 1.5 g as long as the machine is nearly upright. This will be very briefly as the bike will flip forward otherwise, and is probably from top speed relying on wind drag to stop the bike from tipping fotwards. But shows how a high level of skill can reduce stopping distances. Most motorcycles will flip forward at 1g. (For E-Scooters it’s only 0.4 g). The Highway Code assumes 0.67g.
Riders need to be aware of the dangers of snatching the front brake and skidding and falling, or on machines without ABS. Also somersaulting, when can also occur with earlier ABS systems without pitch control
The red lines at the bottom show a linear relationship between lean angle and the maximum braking force that can be applied, when you’d probably expect the grip to diminish exponentially as the lean angle increases (Cat’s Claw).
This will be using mainly the front brake, as the rear brake will have little effect due to the weight transfer forwards, making a rear wheel skid very likely.
But what is even more interesting, are the ‘fox’s ears’. Accelerating on a motorcycle is limited to 0.9g not by tyre grip, but because the machine will flip over. This time backwards, not forwards as in hard braking.
It shows that motorcycles can be accelerated harder when banked, the peak shown at 45 degrees of lean. Why is this? It’s probably because the centre of mass is lower and to the inside of the corner, and the front of the machine is held down partly by the centrifugal force. The weight is transferred to the rear tyre from the front tyre at the same time, giving more grip at the rear.
This is where racers can gain an advantage, but for trackday and road riders this is where ‘Highsides’ happen. The rear tyre loses grip, slides sideways, then grips again when the rider instinctively snaps the throttle shut in response. The rider is usually thrown up into the air, often over the top of the machine.
We know traction control will not necessarily prevent this. It’s too quick and too brutal. However, modern bikes with Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) are better and can sense tbe limit aporoaching.
Modern MotoGP and WSBK bikes have traction control, (BSB bikes don’t) so it very rarely happens now in world racing, but many older road going sports bikes also don’t.
This makes older sportsbikes quite difficult to ride safely, particularly as grip levels on the road, as opposed to a track, can vary considerably. There are also two generations of traction control for road bikes, the latest being IMU’s are ‘lean sensitive’ which makes them more effective and safer.
We know from experience at ‘The School’, that riders can still lose traction by accelerating too hard at extreme lean angles., even with traction control. However, the newer systems seems to prevent ‘high sides’ (so far), with the bike ‘low siding’ and the rider just slipping off the side of the machine.
The new Yamaha R9 and other top end bikes now have 6-axis IMUs (Inertial Management Unit) which makes them ‘lean sensitive’, so should be safer in this respect, although the Laws of Physics will eventually intervene at the extremes.
So a 10-year mystery solved, it’s not a ‘Cat’s Claw’, it’s a ‘Fox’s Face’.
Were now working with Prof Owen Williams on a 660 Aprilia fitted wirh a 9-Axis IMU. Next step?
These are what I believe are the common issues with ‘Advanced Training’ from the unqualified and unlicenced, and the charity sector observers and tutors exceeding their roles, trying to provide training not assessments, ignoring official riding advice and standards, thinking they know better.
The source is probably, at least in part, old police ‘pursuit’ and ’emergency response’ practises – usually on a marked bike but could also be unmarked surveillance:-
You will probably not receive any training to brake from high speed, so you need to master this before you go.
The key thing is not to snatch the front brake lever, so you need to continually practise so you automatically just squeeze it in an emergency with increasing pressure. Practice braking from higher speeds until it becomes automatic.
Use both brakes and cover the front brake with your two inside fingers when you can. This should reduce your reaction time by around 1 second – 88 feet at 60 mph. The difference between stopping and a 40 mph, probably fatal impact. Use a phone App such as iAccel Lite with care. The standard is 0.67 g average. I went though all my training and trainer training without anyone ever checking I could stop from high speed.
If you are presented with a two-way radio, walk away. This is in direct breach of DVSA standards. Radios should be one way only, for obvious safety reasons. The trainer would probably not have been trained in the correct instruction protocols to keep riders safe.
If you are shown the ‘suicide swoop’, which I have by an ex-police rider – overtaking an HGV on a LH bend – forget it. Unnecessary and very dangerous.
If you’re shown ‘off siding’ – taking a LH corner from the RH gutter – forget it as above. These are two old ‘pursuit’ techniques. Never cross the centre line except when overtaking, and don’t cut corners.
Be aware if you move out near the offside kerb to get a better view, you may not see RHS hazards, and emerging vehicles from your right will not be expecting you. You could also be in the blind zone of the vehicle in front, which could pull out.
If you’ve been pressurised into overtaking at every opportunity – don’t. You shouldn’t be in a hurry. Only overtake when you are absolutely certain there are no hazards.
Be very careful filtering. It’s not necessary and it’s hazardous. You may well be encouraged to do it at every opportunity. The training is usually to look for a gap ahead so you can get back in, but there’s no guarantee it will still be there when you get there, and you could be ‘hung out to dry’. Also, if there is a gap it’s often for another road user. This could be for a pedestrian to cross, a car to emerge etc. The gap is very unlikely to have been left for you.
When filtering, treat every vehicle you pass as a separate overtake, and make sure there is the space to slot back in, in front of them.
Only filter past stationary vehicles or vehicles travelling < 10 mph.
Don’t filter up the inside between the traffic and the kerb. Drivers and others won’t expect it, and gutters are often full of debris.
When filtering in between two lines of traffic, or when using a bus lane, be aware of hazards appearing from the RHS as well as the LHS.
Don’t filter right up to the front. If you’re in between two lanes the RH driver may not see you and you may get squeezed on take off. You might also get some competition at the ‘traffic light Grand Prix’ as you will probably need to get immediately ahead to stay safe. This can be very dangerous. Look out for sports cars and hot hatches – (and anyone with his cap on backwards). Stop in a space one car back from the front.
Be very careful filtering down the outside, particularly on narrow roads.
Don’t filter up front by using the RH turn lane unless you are sure that you can get back in. Don’t go straight ahead from the RH turn lane. Other road users will expect you to turn right, and if there’s a RH traffic light filter, you’ll be blocking the lane.
I’ve been deliberately pushed into oncoming traffic when filtering, in one case over a double white line by an irate driver who thought I should stay behind him. Got very close to an HGV coming the other way. The drivers had all moved over to give me room. The driver in question did the same until I appeared. He then seemed to realise why everyone was doing it. He then pulled back out just as I was almost next to his car. Many years ago we had a driver opening his car door in front of a group of us, standing in the road trying to stop us passing him.
The lesson is, even if you think a driver has moved over to let you past, you may be mistaken.
Many police riders appear to have been taught ‘pursuit’, are hugely experienced, but they have one other big advantage over the rest of us – a marked bike. From my experience they still ride the same way on a civilian bike when training the public, although it’s usually white, and they often wear a police hi viz jacket with chequered stripes.
Be very careful cornering. You may be following your trainer, and he could be going very quickly. He may be encouraging you to ride at the same pace, potentially taking you out of your comfort zone, leaving you very vulnerable to a panic induced crash.
You may be encouraged to routinely trail brake into corners using the front or rear brakes. If you have to brake into a corner then you have entered it too fast. It makes very little difference to your journey times, but increases your entry speed and uses up some of your safety margin. DVSA and Roadcraft advice is to brake before the corners for obvious safety reason. There is currently a widely publicised MCN video promoting front wheel trail braking into every corner by an ex-police rider from a well known training company. Ignore it.
If you have to brake into or mid corner, DVSA and Roadcraft advice is to carefully apply the rear brake only. This is difficult and risky to practise on the road. However, you can with care, and you can also make sure that your foot is ready. You can also make sure you are using the rear brake regularly as you are stopping normally. Some riders never use it.
Police riders have also done far more riding than almost all civilians, being on a bike most days, so are hugely experienced and have been very well and continuously trained over many years. They are used to riding at high speeds well above the speed limits. I’ve had a couple of ex-police riders come on the DVSA Enhanced Riders Scheme. They didn’t say they were ex-police, and were both surprised when I asked them when they left. They are easy to spot from their attitude and the way they ride – usually at circa 85 mph when they get the chance.
Passing on their knowledge tends to be difficult for many police riders and others. Most are handicapped as they’ve never been taught how to train and pass on their knowledge properly. We used to have a number of police track coaches at The School. Not now. They are trained to be unemotional, impersonal, remote and aloof, so have to overcome this. A large part of the DVSA post-test trainer’s course is how to train using a well-established modern teaching method known as ‘client centred learning’.
The ex-police and some civilian trainers will often check where the speed cameras will likely be before they plan your route. This info is publicly available from some forces, so they would not be overly concerned of being caught speeding. You should adhere to speed limits, so don’t be encouraged to speed.
You may be encouraged to ride on motorways and dual carriageways at 85mph next to the centre barrier. There are some good reasons for this, but be aware that cameras on motorways are far more common, some mobile sitting on the bridges. Stick to or close to the speed limit – probably an indicated 75. You are probably at least as safe on the inside lane at 60 mph with the hard shoulder as an escape route.
Never do anything that you feel is unsafe. Ever. Ride away.
There are an extraordinary number of internet posts on tyres and tyre wear, particularly on track bikes.
And very varied and often contradictory diagnostic advice on make, suspension setting, tyre pressures etc.
Tyre Type
You can use road tyres on track days, but avoid using track tyres on the road.
They have very little grip when they are cold, and are very unlikely to reach their operating temperature on the road.
You can get ‘cold tears’ in the rubber if you don’t warm them up properly.
We have constant issues at The School with riders failing to warm up their tyres, and falling on the first lap. You need two full laps at a gradually increasing pace to be safe.
This applies to road tyres too, although 1 lap should be enough, dependent on type.
Generally speaking, the more tread, then the quicker they heat up due to tyre flex.
Tyres have a relatively narrow range of temperature at which they are designed to work.
Slicks in particular need great care to warm properly. Even with tyre warmers, after you’ve waited in the collecting area for a couple of minutes, the tyre would have lost much of its temperature.
‘Wets’ are usually only needed when there is standing water on the track. Otherwise, intermediate or sports tyres are usually better. Wets wear very quickly if the track dries, and can become very slippery.
Tyre Pressures
Consider using the manufacturer’s suggested tyre pressures, but reduce the cold pressures by 2 psi front and back on trackdays.
This to compensate for the increases temperature and pressure.
Running with lower pressures may sometimes give marginally more grip, but causes very high wear rates.
Tyre Wear Patterns
This is a typical early tyre wear pattern on a track bike with rubber building up just behind the grooves.
‘Graining’ has just started, with rubber being worn off the surface of the tyre and getting stuck back onto the edge or the carcass.
Tyres ‘slip’ on cornering, moving sideways as they rotate, which can cause strange wear pattens on treaded tyres.
This is my R6 front tyre from Donnington a couple of years ago. It has started to melt, due we think to the tyre being just 1 psi lower than was recommended.
Different makes and models of tyres can weather very differently.
Tyre Compound
On track days, you could change to an optimum compound of tyre to suit the conditions, but you’d have to be on race pace to make this worthwhile.
If you’re not, the tyre may not get to temperature and you’ll end up with worse grip.
The Theory
If you want to know how tyres (and suspension) work, look at ‘Motorcycle Dynamics’ by Vitorre Cossalter, which covers this in great detail and is based on lab tests, not opinion.
You’ll need degree level maths to fully understand it all, but even without, you can see the factors involved.
The relationship between suspension settings and tyre wear is very complex. As tyres, riding speeds, riding styles, and bikes vary considerably, be aware of suggestions based on tyre wear patterns alone.
This approach discourages riders from entering corners at high speed and high lean angles. The aim is SIFO – ‘slow in fast out’.
You enter corners on a closed or light throttle. You are at a steady speed and a modest lean angle. You can turn tighter towards the apex when you see it’s safe.
When you can see a clear exit, turn tighter and briefly increase your lean angle to turn the bike. Pick the bike up again on a smooth, continuous throttle after the apex. This minimizes the chance of a slide or high side.
If you’ve misjudged the radius of the corner, or your entry speed, you can instantly just turn tighter earlier. You can also do this if you meet an unexpected hazard. Or just stay wide for longer if it’s safer. You have options and escape routes.
Use the rear brake if you need to. This will allow you to slow and turn even tighter, as a last resort, but it needs to be applied gently, and reduced as your lean angle increases.
Introduction
We are responding to the MCIA’s call for a new approach to motorcycle road safety. We have posted on ‘Braking‘ before. This seems to be the priority issue.
The second problem is ‘Cornering‘ on the roads. Riders can lose control on corner entry. They can also lose control mid corner and crash. On exit, the rear wheel can slide. This can cause a potential ‘High Side’ that throws the rider into the air. Alternatively, they might just run off the road.
66% of fatalities are on rural roads. 58% of crashes are reported as not occurring at junctions.
I started as a RoSPA volunteer civilian accessor for BikeSafe in Lincs. The police told me that they get over a dozen biker fatalities in Lincolnshire on corners every year. Not because riders were speeding, but that they were apparently unable to make the corner, panicking and crashing.
I’ve ridden on the road, cornering like this since I started racing in the early 90’s. When I did BikeSafe in 2008 I expected to be criticised for it. And again when I did my RoSPA training and their Advanced Instructor’s course. And again when I had my DVSA riding test to become a Post-Test Trainer. No one ever has. (My ACU Road Race Coaching assessment wasn’t a problem either).
I am sure many others ride like this. But many don’t, having trained over 500 road riders in the last few years.
The advice is ‘Slow in Fast Out’ – ‘SIFO’
Background
We organized a classroom session and an on-road training course on cornering in 2010. We had been delivering RoSPA ‘RideSafe’ courses for 2 years, subsidised by Notts CC.
Rupert Paul from BIKE magazine joined us, and gave the day an encouraging write up. The drawing below then appeared in his book ‘Pass the Bike Test and be a Better Rider‘.
This is ‘squaring off’, made popular by Noriyuki Haga 25 years ago. It’s also similar to Keith Code’s earlier ‘hook’ turn for track riders, which is more brutal. (Twist of the Wrist).
We’ve edited it to add the escape zones that this technique provides for riders, which are critical. These zones are available at any point through the corner.
In 2012 we moved to track-based training for cornering, as it was clearly safer, and started ‘The School’.
The Method
Finish your braking before the corner.
Select a lower gear before entering if appropriate.
Keep your foot just over the rear brake.
Set your speed so you can turn more tightly when you can see the road is clear.
Use a light or closed throttle.
Enter the corner on the outside of the bend for the best view – if it’s safe.
Look through the cornerand turn more tightly towards the apex, when you can see your exit line is clear.
Roll the throttle on smoothly afterthe apex, to pick the bike up
Take as much of your lane as is safe on exit.
You always have the yellow ‘escape zones’, at any time.
If you like leaning a bike, then this is your opportunity to do it safely. You can run as deep into the corner as you want. You can turn as late and as sharply as you want (within reason).
(You actually do this automatically by pushing on the inside bar – counter-steering).
Try and keep your head horizontal, but lean your body with the bike. It’s your eyes that contribute most to balance.
Accelerating on Exit
You need to be careful when applying the throttle on exit. A ‘High Side’ is more likely on the road due to a poor surface. You could run wide and off the road. Or into oncoming traffic even if you have traction control.
Always roll the throttle on steadily, as the revs build up. If you do lose traction, the bike will slide to the side. You should be able to correct it. You will snap the throttle shut automatically. The wheels should come back into line.
If you have the throttle pinned, the revs will rise instantly. This happens if the tyre loses grip. The revs may even hit the rev limiter as the engine climbs up the power curve. The bike will slew violently sideways. When you shut the throttle, the tyre will dig in, flipping you off the bike and into the air.
You could rely on traction control if your bike has it – but I wouldn’t. The danger is you’ll come to rely on it, and come unstuck on a bike that doesn’t have it. You’ll never learn to ride properly. On earlier bikes we’ve found it won’t necedsarilystop a fall at high lean angles, but should prevent a ‘high side’.
If you have traction control, then on the road consider setting it at least one below the ‘race’ or the lowest setting. Like the ABS coming on, regard any activation as ‘rider error’.
Personally I never trust computers. When we went from analogue to digital in the last century, we were assured there would never be any errors…. It would either work or not.
God help us with AI (which is usually ‘machine learning’ – they’re not that bright).
Gear Selection
Consider changing gear before entering corners. Don’t be lazy.
Most rural corners are best taken in 4th gear on larger bikes, although you may need to go down to 2nd or even 1st just before a hairpin bend.
This gives you tighter control and a better drive out.
You can pull the clutch in and blip the throttle, matching the gear and revs with your road speed as you’re changing down. (Sequential down shifting). This makes life easier on the clutch and gearbox. It was also essential when racing, before slipper clutches, to avoid locking the rear wheel.
You don’t need to do this if you have a slipper clutch. But do it anyway as you need the skill to ride bikes that haven’t. And it saves wear on the clutch. In any event, always let the clutch out slowly to avoid locking the rear wheel.
You brake with your left two fingers and blip the throttle with two outside fingers.
It takes some practice to get right, but it is very satisfying. And makes some more noise for those of us with louder exhausts. (My old KTM also pops and bangs rather satisfyingly on the overrun).
It’s also ‘good practice’ to do this when you’re slowing at junctions too, if done properly. It assures that you’re always in the most appropriate gear.
Yes, I know you were told to ‘block change’ as you came to a halt. It’s simply easier, but poor practise.
You may need to accelerate briskly away from a hazard, which you can’t in a high gear at low speed.
Rear Brake
It is sensible to have your foot ready over the rear brake. Press steadily down if you want to reduce speed at any time in an emergency. This will also allow you turn even tighter if you need to. You’ll need to steadily release it as your lean angle increases to avoid skidding.
Bear in mind engine braking will also be working alongside the rear brake. A big twin or single with higher engine braking will have more effect. They will have more effect than a large 4-cylinder bike.
You should be able to brake quite firmly up to around 24 degrees of lean (0.4g grip). This will vary dependent on machine, tyres etc. Leaning further will need you to gradually release the rear brake, to avoid a lock up. This is rear brake only!
Using the rear brake also transfers some weight onto the front tyre, sharpening the steering and providing more front-end grip. This will also help to tighten the turn.
Front Brake
Avoid using the front brake in corners as it straightens the steering and stands the bike up. And a front wheel skid usually results in a fall. However, a rear wheel skid, can usually be recovered if the rider releases the brake.
You can use the front brake, but only in an emergency, leaving it on as you turn in. The bike will resist turning, and try to stand up, so you will likely run wide. Doing this routinely as racers do, puts riders at very high risk, due to faster corner entry speeds, a variable road surface, and no safety margin.
If you try using the front brake mid corner you will likely skid and fall, or the bike will stand up and run wide. The official advice is only use it if you have space to stand the bike up, brake and run wide. The problem applying the brake mid corner, as opposed to trailing it in, is the lack of weight and grip on the front tyre. So it needs a very gentle application and great care, or a skid and fall is very likely.
Using just the rear brake is safer.
Hopefully this method will avoid riders having to learn by experience (trial and error). It’s painful, usually involves visits to A&E, and lots of bits of broken coloured plastic – from experience.
This is the basis of cornering lines from our track training courses, on which the advice is based.
The advice is to consider using the green line.
The red line shows what happens when you turn in too early.
The yellow line tends to be the usual ‘fast riders’ line. The bike is at maximum lean for most of the corner. No room for error. No safety margin. You’re committed from the point of entry.
Cornering Issues
From experience, there are 4 main problems when cornering, which this method seeks to address:-
Misjudging entry speed – in too fast.
Turning in too early.
Taking RH corners leaning into the oncoming lane.
Failing to spot a hazard on the road surface, or having to avoid other mid corner hazards.
Misjudging Entry speed – intoo fast
Problems with corners often occur because riders misjudge their entry speed. They find the bend is longer, or tightens mid-corner. They try to brake and fall. Or simply panic and run wide.
There is a good section on judging entry speed using the ‘Limit point’ or ‘Vanishing point’ in Police Motorcycle Roadcraft. It is the furthest point of continuous tarmac you can see. A road hazard may be hidden in a dip. You might also be misled by looking at hedges, fences, telegraph poles, etc. You could wrongly assume they follow the road. Sometimes, they don’t.
There is one local junction where two riders I’ve trained ended up on the grass verge, luckily without falling. The hedge line is misleading, and the bend is on the brow of a hill at a junction.
The limit point starts to move around the corner as you approach it. With practice you can use this to judge the tightness of the bend and set your entry speed.
There is a tendency for some riders to want to go around corners as fast as they can. They assume that the faster they go in, the faster overall they will be. Wrong.
We see this on-track all the time.
We’ve nearly all been too enthusiastic at some time or another, or been caught out through not paying attention.
With this method you are already entering at a speed intending to turn in more tightly. You can do this when you can see the exit is clear. So a tightening bend, and most hazards, should be avoidable.
Turning too early
Turning in too early can lead to running wide on exit. It’s a problem both on road and track. It can also be a panic reaction when riders feel they are going too fast. Or due to a lack of confidence that the bike will turn in time.
The rider then cannot turn in as they are too close to the inside kerb. Or too close to the centre line on RH corners. Their view is also restricted.
As the bike gets to mid corner, it then starts to run wide, heading towards the scenery. Or across the centre line, possibly into oncoming traffic.
The rider now has to turn more sharply to stay in the lane. This is after they should have apexed and accelerated away. Dependent on speed, ability, luck and confidence, they may be unable to.
Leaning across the centre line on RH corners
The suggested method allows you to lean over into the opposite lane only when you can see it’s clear. But it’s safer to keep all of you and your bike in your lane. Never cut corners by riding over the centre line. It’s too risky generally and tends to become a dangerous habit.
If you are leaning into the incoming lane and a vehicle suddenly appears, you will be at serious risk. You have to immediately bring the machine upright, and then lean it back over again. There may not be sufficient room on the road for this.
If the rider tries to turn the bars to the left away from the oncoming vehicle, which they may do in panic, the opposite will happen and the bike will turn tighter into the oncoming vehicle (counter-steering).
Even if the rider has avoided the vehicle, they are still left heading towards the scenery. This will usually require the rear brake to be applied. You then need to get the bike back over again.
The alternative, only when the bike is upright, is to apply the front brake smoothly. If there is enough space to stop.
Best keep within your lane?
Failing to see a Hazard
This can be a simple lack of attention. Or an unexpected hazard – pot hole, gravel, mud, diesel, oncoming vehicle cutting the corner, etc. etc.
Sometimes surface hazards are not obvious until you get close. A pedestrian or vehicle can also appear ‘from nowhere’. A horse may be just out of sight. A dog. A deer. A scaffold board from off a truck. An oncoming vehicle may cut the corner or run wide.The list is nearly endless.
It’s the ‘unexpected’ nature of the hazard that is often the root cause of crashes.
The suggested method should allow you to change course quickly to avoid hazards. You have options. Both ways. You will probably be in, or close to, the RH or LH car wheel track, which tend to be clear of debris. But you may have to avoid turning tighter towards the apex and stay wide if there is mud etc mid lane.
Or you may have to turn tighter earlier to avoid a hazard on your path. You are planning to turn tighter anyway.
Below are two illustrations from the New South Wales Riders Handbook regarding oncoming vehicles.
If you’re in the habit of entering corners as fast as you dare, you will have few options.
Leaning the Bike
Many riders are worried about leaning the bike, and the tyres losing grip and sliding.
On a fairly decent road surface, you can usually lean the bike to 45 degrees safely, with a 30% grip safety margin. 55 degrees is probably the limit for most bike and tyre combinations – (not cruisers which can deck out at 25 degrees).
In an emergency, you can probably lean the bike until something scrapes. This is usually the footrests, which are designed to hit first as a warning. They then fold up to prevent the wheels from being lifted off the ground. Many have ‘hero blobs’ under the footrests that scrape first. These can be replaced.
When you lean far over for the first time, many riders seem to confuse the suspension sinking under the centrifugal force, with the tyres sliding. We’ve often heard riders saying they ‘lost the rear’, when it was just the suspension compressing.
However, it’s not sensible to habitually ride at steep lean angles. 35 degrees is probably the maximum for the road, giving you a good safety margin.
If you’re not confident of leaning the bike, you are at high risk.
Don’t Panic
There are two usual mid corner panic reactions.
The first is to hit the brakes. If you snatch the front brake, you will likely skid and fall. Even if you have ABS, if you squeeze the front brake, then the bars will twist, sometimes violently. The bike will sit up and run wide.
If you stamp on the rear brake it will also likely skid and you may fall. However, with ABS or gentle pressure the bike slows allowing you to turn tighter at the same lean angle.
The second panic reaction is to think the bike is falling inwards or sliding, and the rider jerks the handlebars into the corner to bring the bike up. Again, you will run wide.
If you find yourself going too fast, or needing to turn tighter, just look where you want to go, not where you don’t. Press gently on the rear brake and push on the inner bar to counter-steer the bike into the corner. Practice this carefully until it becomes automatic in an emergency.
Official Guidance
There is a lack of diagrams from the DVSA, or in the latest Police Motorcycle Roadcraft. In the 70’s version, this was simply the largest continuous radius back to the centre of the lane.
But look carefully, and you’ll see the danger if the bend is longer than you thought, or tightens. You’ll have to brake or run wide over the centre line, or through the scenery.
Maybe this was why it was dropped?
If you use the suggested method, you simply stay wide at a slower speed until you see the exit. Then turn tighter and accelerate away. Your maximum lean angle is for a short duration at the apex. Not all the way around the corner.
The main difference is the faster rate of turn just before the apex in our suggested later turn in. You can do this simply because frames are stiffer, steering geometry more radical. Tyres are far grippier and engines far more powerful. You can be back up to the speed limit in a second or two.
Maintaining higher corner speeds, which was the best route on older slower bikes when maintaining speed was the aim, is still used in the lower capacity racing classes.
An old DVSA videos shows the ‘Wall of Death’ line, around the outside of the corners, again leaving little room for error.
Check your Lean angle
You can check your lean angle using a phone App or a data logger. We use the KurvX system, which displays your maximum lean angle shortly after the corner. The display goes to red if you’ve leaned over 35 degrees.
You can then play back your route and back check your lean angles on corners, which are colour coded. Best to stay out of the red on the road.
This is a few steady laps at Cadwell Park, but it’s also useful to be able to check your road riding. Really useful feedback for training on road or track.
The problem has remained unidentified within the Government’s accident data of ‘contributory factors‘ probably within ‘loss of control,’ or simply not recorded.
These are the findings based on slide marks left on the road and the severity of the impact, based on the damage to vehicles and injuries to the rider, confirmed by traffic camera footage and GPS data from helmet cameras.
Riders falling and sliding down the road take far longer to come to a stop.
Published Research has also found that circa 50% of riders cannot even achieve Highway Code stopping distances.
The research also found that the difference between the best riders and an average rider braking from 60 mph, is the difference between stopping in time and a 30 mph impact, or a 40 mph probably fatal impact for the worst riders.
Research has also shown that the problem is not related to the level of rider experience.
The situation is not helped by conflicting and misleading published advice from the DVSA and in Police Motorcycle Roadcraft, on emergency braking.
The conclusion has to be that we as a training industry are failing riders, and this must be urgently addressed.
In the meantime, riders can brake test themselves (with care) using a phone App such as iAccel Lite which is free. 0.67g is the Highway Code Standard, 0.8g is achievable with practice (with great care). Advice on braking is below, but if in any doubt please contact your local training organisation.
Riders need to practice repeatedly until the technique becomes embedded and automatic. In theory, this takes 200 repetitions to create the required ‘muscle memory‘, enabling maximum braking without conscious thought.
Riders on machines without ABS should never practise on their own, due to the risk of a skid and fall.
Racers and trackday riders should mostly already be ‘pre-programmed’ and capable of close to 1g.
Background
At the end of 2023, the MCIA called for a new motorcycle safety strategy. ‘Speeding’ and ‘Think Bike’ have been pursued for well over a decade, but motorcycle casualties haven’t reduced over the last few years.
Adhering to speed limits and being aware of hazards is only part of the problem. It’s also being able to brake in time. Having trained riders for 14 years, we know that many if not most, with training, can reduce their stopping distances significantly.
What we didn’t appreciate was the extent of the problem and the very serious implications for road safety.
For car drivers, stopping in an emergency just requires the driver to stamp on the brakes even when cornering, as almost all vehicles have ABS (anti-lock) brakes. ABS has only been compulsory since 2016 for motorcycles >125cc.
The problem has remained hidden as ‘failure to brake properly’ is not a ‘contributory factor’ in accident statistics.
A failure to brake in time could also be incorrectly classed as ‘Speeding‘, which in the 2022 accident stats shows as 10x more likely for riders than drivers. It could also be lost within ‘Failed to look properly‘ when the rider anticipated the collision but couldn’t stop in time, or within ‘Learner/inexperienced‘. In addition, 30% of collisions have no recorded contributory factors, up from 14% in 2013.
This is primarily because most motorcycles, except for some 2013 Kawasakis, don’t have ‘Event Data Recorders‘ whereas many cars do. However, extracted post-crash data from traffic cameras and rider’s helmet cameras confirms that many riders cannot stop properly.
If you compare the stopping distances from published US research from Axion Forensics, the best ‘Magazine TestRiders‘, can stop at half the distance than the worst road riders.
From 60 mph, this is the difference between stopping in time and a 40 mph probably fatal impact, as braking obeys a ‘square law’.
It is hoped that the Government, trainers, road safety organisations and charities will look at new initiatives to address this root cause, to raise awareness, encourage practise, and provide additional braking advice and training nationwide. The most vulnerable group is +17 years teenage riders who move from a 50cc ‘twist and go’ to a 60 mph 125c geared motorcycle, not required to have ABS with no additional training, but riders, parents and non-DVSA licenced trainers need to be aware of child protection issues.
It is also intended to encourage more research into the problem and to address the differing and contradictory advice from the DVSA and Police Roadcraft, on how to brake in an emergency.
Advice on Braking
Riders on ABS-equipped bikes simply need to have the confidence to apply both brakes firmly, which is often a problem due to current or previous experience on bicycles, when riders can skid and fall, or go over the handlebars.
Based on racing experience, research and theory, riders require a high degree of skill and practice to brake effectively.
Shut the throttle, apply the rear brake, sit up and lean back, all at the same time.
Reach forward and squeeze – do not snatch – the front brake with increasing pressure.
If the front wheel locks, release immediately and reapply.
If the rear wheel lifts, release some front brake pressure to stop the bike tipping forward.
Disengage the clutch as you come to a halt
When banked in a corner, just apply the rear brake.
The rear brake should be applied immediately, but on non ABS machines, may need to be steadily released again to avoid the rear wheel skidding.
Riders need to avoid snatching the front brake, instead squeezing the lever with increasing pressure, just enough to avoid locking the front wheel, but enough to transfer the weight as quickly as possible onto the front tyre, then slightly reducing the pressure as the bike slows to leave the rear tyre just lightly touching the road surface.
Riders also have to release the throttle, extend their fingers, grasp the front brake lever and pull, which is thought to extend reaction time for another 0.5 seconds or 44 feet @ 60 mph. So covering the front brake with your first two fingers is recommended, as is using the rear brake, which will be applied sooner as the rider just had to press their foot down.
Riders can also ‘trail brake’ into corners in an emergency, braking and steering at the same time, as racers do, but it requiries a high degree of skill, and very careful instruction which is best undertaken on a track.
Feedback is welcomed, and further posts and advice are planned.
British Superbike School 