Center of the road motorcycle riders.... WTH?!?

[SleepyC]

Ok, so when I was learning how to ride a motorcycle in 1988 on the road, I had to take a class. The class taught to always pick a tire track in a lane of traffic to ride in. The reasons being...

1) The car tires are constantly cleaning the area of small rocks, gravel, nails, etc etc. (car really help in sharp turns)
2) Car engines leak fluids 90%+ of the time in the middle of the lane
3) During rain, the car and truck tires basically "Dry" the tire lanes for you, or at least keep standing water from accumulating.
4) During rain, the oil and fluids dropped from car engines can get very slick in the middle of the road..

And yet I see almost every newer style (adv, sportbike, naked) motorcycle rider riding right down the middle of the road.

But most Harley guys use the "tire track" rule, and all the guys I've ridden with over the years use the "tire track" rule.

I have been riding in tire tracks for 30 years and it seems to work. Never hit bad unexpected gravel, or caught a screw or nail.

Also when you pull up to traffic at a stop sign or red light, if you are in a tire lane, and you angle your motorcycle out from the lane, if you were to be rear ended you would be pushed forward and not smashed between the cars.

I'm just posting this to see how many of you follow these old rules and how many just ride the middle..

 

[Techrat]

Riding in the "Tire Track" also gives you higher visibility to the car in front of you, because a car driver when looking in their rear view mirror is instinctively seeking to get a look at the driver of the car behind them. If you are in the "tire track" their eyes will automatically be drawn to you because they are so used to seeing a car behind them that they have to take a second look when they realize that the person behind them is not in a car.

I believe that there are two kinds of people that ride in the middle - Non-Class, people who ride who never took an official riding class & Squids, who are not obeying the rules of the road anyway.

 

[670cc]

Riding dirt trails teaches one to constantly seek out the best line. There's no hard and fast rule for me on the street, but I'm always looking for the best line. That usually is the tire track, but tar snakes, broken pavement, potholes, debris, etc will alter that line as needed. I also position the motorcycle in the lane as needed to give me the best visibility around other vehicles, and to make myself more visible to other drivers.

When on two lane roads with no oncoming cars, I usually position in the left tire track to stay farther from the road side (animal threat). When oncoming traffic approaches, I shift to the right track to put more space between me and the oncoming car. With extreme side winds, I position such as to have a buffer zone should an extreme gust try to move me into traffic.

 

[dduelin]

Best lane position in traffic is constantly changing but center of lane is usually not a good place to be for reasons mentioned.

Depending on pavement type and conditions I won't chose the center of the left or right tire track but instead just to the sides of it yet still avoiding the lane outside or middle. Concrete for instance becomes 'polished' by countless tires and affords less traction than the rougher surfaces to either side of wheel tracks.

 

[GregC]

Picking a side is how they taught us in the BRC 2 years ago and how I ride. I stay out of the middle for all the reasons mentioned.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[670cc]

And then there's the idiotic side by side riding pattern (think CHiPs), with two bikes abreast in the same lane. I can't think of anything more stupid from a safety standpoint. When I'm riding with a buddy or group, I try to ask that they stay at least 50 feet away from me, much more if possible. If I need/want to make an evasive maneuver, that last thing I need to worry about is where the other motorcycle is.

 

[SleepyC]

You guys all are correct in your thoughts that it's not a 100% rule as exactly as mentioned by members above, tar snakes, slick cement etc.. it's an ever changing landscape, I was speaking as more of a general rule... also the point about being seen better is a very good one. Cage drivers use their side mirrors much more than the rear view, not to mention trucks and such that don't even have the ability to see the rear view.

 

[anglachel]

You guys all are correct in your thoughts that it's not a 100% rule as exactly as mentioned by members above, tar snakes, slick cement etc.. it's an ever changing landscape, I was speaking as more of a general rule... also the point about being seen better is a very good one. Cage drivers use their side mirrors much more than the rear view, not to mention trucks and such that don't even have the ability to see the rear view.

Except lots of cagers use their side mirrors to check and make sure the side of the car is still there rather than looking for other traffic. (I've seen drivers ed. teachers push this idea... no idea why this is a thing... it makes no sense.)

My consideration for lane position is based off of a number of factors already mentioned...

But I watch mirrors to... particularly when passing a cage, lane positions can put you inside or outside of their field of their field of vision.... look for the driver or some part of the driver in the mirror, if you can see something to that effect they can probably see you in that mirror... if you see sky, or ground, or car door, they probably can't see you...

As for new riders... I was one only a few years back, yet every spring I shake my head as a brand new harley ride up and down my street (dealer isn't to far off from my house) they can generally handle going straight, but the corners seem to be to much for them, and in the first good rain after a nice day I watch them struggle as they hit the painted patches of road and slide unexpectedly... panic and put their feet down... and usually manage to recover and go back to riding in a straight line...
I don't suspect the folks buying the brand new harleys around me are taking the MSF courses...

 

[SleepyC]

I don't suspect the folks buying the brand new harleys around me are taking the MSF courses...

Or most new riders. I'm not a fan of harlys, don't hate them but would never want one. (maybe that 1000VR race bike) but the old school dudes that have ridden for 40 years some have learned a few things.
But again I agree with you 100%.

 

[dduelin]

This was a good thread similar to this one.

https://www.nc700-forum.com/forum/n...learned-experience.html?highlight=tips+tricks

 

[GregC]

I don't suspect the folks buying the brand new harleys around me are taking the MSF courses...

In my class of 10 (2 years ago), 8 said they were getting Harley's. I was looking at the F800GT, the NC700X, and the Wee Strom, and another guy was looking at a 650GS. That 8 included a young woman who could not flat foot the nighthawk we were learning on. [emoji57]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rippin209]

And then there's the idiotic side by side riding pattern (think CHiPs), with two bikes abreast in the same lane. I can't think of anything more stupid from a safety standpoint. When I'm riding with a buddy or group, I try to ask that they stay at least 50 feet away from me, much more if possible. If I need/want to make an evasive maneuver, that last thing I need to worry about is where the other motorcycle is.

View attachment 34836

Bike cops still do this in real life. In San Jose I was on my lunch break and watched 20+ bike cops take a left hand turn side by side like that a bike length apart front to back, a mix of BMW and Harleys and a handful of enduros. It was kind of impressive but I was more hung up on how easily that could be a pile up because of stupidity. Has anyone ever heard of a logical reason for this riding such as being able to keep an eye on each other for protection reasons or something?

 

[GlennC]

I agree with what's already been said, but the Colorado motorcycle rider's manual, which is actually quite good, now says that riding in the center of the lane is often the best option. It points out that the center of the lane normally has plenty of traction and is often the best choice for general visibility and reducing hazard potentials from both sides.

I find myself riding anywhere from the extreme left to the extreme right of the land depending on conditions, usually to minimize exposure to hazards, but this also makes sense.

One key I think is that the center of the lane typically used to be very greasy. These days, it's really not, at least not where I ride. I guess newer cars are just a lot more oil-tight and we no longer have oil slicks down the center of every road.

(By the way, I learned most of this type of safety stuff by reading MC mags in the eighties, which often had excellent safety articles and even special issues. One issue I remember in particular had letter-length sections from maybe a dozen well-known very high-mileage riders, each sharing their best advice. Very informative stuff. I don't see any of the same these days. I later took an MSF Experienced Rider Course and it didn't really break any new ground.)

 

[dduelin]

I agree with what's already been said, but the Colorado motorcycle rider's manual, which is actually quite good, now says that riding in the center of the lane is often the best option. It points out that the center of the lane normally has plenty of traction and is often the best choice for general visibility and reducing hazard potentials from both sides.

I find myself riding anywhere from the extreme left to the extreme right of the land depending on conditions, usually to minimize exposure to hazards, but this also makes sense.

One key I think is that the center of the lane typically used to be very greasy. These days, it's really not, at least not where I ride. I guess newer cars are just a lot more oil-tight and we no longer have oil slicks down the center of every road.

(By the way, I learned most of this type of safety stuff by reading MC mags in the eighties, which often had excellent safety articles and even special issues. One issue I remember in particular had letter-length sections from maybe a dozen well-known very high-mileage riders, each sharing their best advice. Very informative stuff. I don't see any of the same these days. I later took an MSF Experienced Rider Course and it didn't really break any new ground.)

Maybe you are thinking of David Hough who wrote for Motorcycle Consumer News, for BMW Owners of America, and also guest featured in Rider and other popular rags. His columns were called Road Science IIRC. His compilation books Proficient Motorcycling, More Proficient Motorcycling, and Street Strategies all Bowtie Press belong on every rider's bookshelf.

 

[GlennC]

Actually I was thinking mainly about the mainstream mags, particularly Motorcyclist magazine around the time Nick Ienatch was on the staff. It was actually quite a good magazine at the time IMO. Rider has always been good about having some safety-related copy. I subscribed to MCN much later, maybe late-nineties/early-oughts or something (the time... it flies), but felt it had gone downhill after a while.

 

[dduelin]

The Pace described by Ienatch has legs and many riders have heard of it and practice it. Next to Hough's books sits my copy of Inenatch's Sportbike Riding Techniques, David Bull Publishing. Another good book on riding but that isn't really a how to ride book is The Upper Half Of The Motorcycle by Spiegel, Whitehorse Press.

 

[GlennC]

Absolutely. It's a very intuitive concept. Never try to "go fast." Find a comfortable pace, get into a condition of "flow." No need for reckless speed between corners. Certainly my approach.

 

[netizen]

Reminds me of an incident when I was at Fort Bragg. I was living off post and heading in to my unit. It had been raining lightly for about 10 minutes. I pulled up to a stop light and was waiting for it to turn green when I noticed a smaller motorcycle that looked like a Honda Rebel coming towards the intersection to my left. The rider was wearing regular pedestrian gear (not motorcycle) and I immediately realized he was not slowing down early for the rainy conditions... To my shock I noticed also he was coming to the red light right in the middle of the lane. Alarm bells went off in my head and I began muttering .... less than kind words as to the intelligence factor of the rider. I remember thinking he's gonna hit that slick spot right in front of the stop light where all the oil and antifreeze is...freshly pulled up from the light rain... I was saying move over! Move over!! But of course he didn't... and yep... you guessed it.. when he finally applied the brakes (in a manner normal for dry riding conditions) he began to slide and the bike came out from under him.
Once I got my left turn arrow I turned left then turned left again into the Burger King parking lot right next to his side of the road and ran out into the street to see if he was ok and help him up.
First thing out of his mouth was.... "I hit a slick spot and it just went out from under me!"
Realizing he was a new rider, I just responded by saying there is ALWAYS a slick spot in the middle of the road ESPECIALLY where traffic stops and cars leak oil and antifreeze onto the road. When it rains it draws that oil to the surface making it slick as ice. I then told him that he should ALWAYS stay in one or the other tire track... preferably the track that protects his lane from other cars encroaching into his lane to "share" it with him since he is a motorcycle and only takes up half the lane.
He was just a bit shaken but not hurt and I moved his bike into the Burger king parking lot and helped him look it over to see what damage was done. It was really still rideable, but he was shaken and not up to the task of getting back on it yet... especially considering it was still raining. So I asked him if he had someone he could call to pick him up... which he did.
I told him to wait until it was dry weather and come back... I told him what I could tell was wrong with his bike... I think it was just handlebars out of alignment and maybe brake lever or shift lever bent.
Told him it was an easy fix and he should be able to fix it with some tools in the lot and ride it home as long as he felt comfortable doing it.
I mentioned when he could afford it, he should try to find some actual motorcycle gear that would protect him better. He assured me he had learned his lesson about riding in the middle of the lane and wouldn't be making that mistake again.
I think when you see someone doing that, it is usually just an inexperienced rider, or possibly a rider who has too much on their mind and is making mistakes they should know better than to make. I think though that with experience you automatically would stay out of the center of the lane... at least coming to a stop in the rain. It should be a automatic reflex, you do without thinking about it.

Good post and reminder to all of us, and informative to any new riders in the forum.

 

[eastbayandy]

even in dry weather you have to be careful where you put your feet when stopping. Here in FL the car's AC drips a lot of water so there can be slick spots.

 

[Hank]

1. Older guys grew up with cars that leaked more oil, so we are cautious about that. I rarely see much oil on the road now.

2. The cheap asphalt roads we build in Oklahoma develop grooves quickly in the tire tracks. These collect water in the rain. In severe cases they can turn your handlebars a little when exiting them.

3. Nowadays I am more concerned about riding where drivers can see me, and at intersections I think about both getting rear ended and where I need to be to avoid people cutting the corner. Corner cutting seems more common now, I suppose because driving with one hand while talking means wide turns are easier.