Cycle Torque Jan/Feb 2017

EDITORIAL cycletorque.com.au JAN/FEB 2017 I 18
A New Year’s Resolution
THE summer season is a great time to be out riding: spending
time with your mates, your family and other acquaintances.
Maybe it’s a jaunt along your favourite stretch of road, a run
to your favourite pub or café. It might even be a day out in
the bush. These times we cherish the most. The weight of the
world is off your shoulders - there’s less pressure to be back
by a certain time and little (or hopefully no) work stress. Have
you ever felt like you could be anywhere in the world in the
middle of a ride? Not much beats it - knowing the lay of the
land, being in tune with your machine and stringing sections
of corners together. Cares disappear. It is just you and the
moment on a two-hour holiday. To rob Paul Simon, ’These are
the days of miracle and wonder.’
And while it may be true, by being such a great time to ride
we inherently see lots of returning riders on the road. Maybe
they have a shiny new toy for Christmas, have been invited
out at a get-together by one of their mates, or are just feeling
the good vibes of summer, like everyone else. It’s also a great
time of year for more experienced riders to take-five and
evaluate their own ability.
While I am certainly not discouraging returning riders or
anyone else to get out there and enjoy themselves as much
as the next person, I think most riders need to be careful,
because the increased feeling of freedom felt at this time of
year puts us at risk.
Quite a lot of motorcycle fatalities are single vehicle accidents,
roughly 40-50 per cent. Half of those involve excessive speed
for the conditions and most are due to rider error. This is not
to mention loose gravel, potholes, oil or other road surface
hazards.
Let me introduce you to a phenomenon known as Thomas
dictum: If men (or women) define situations as real, they are
real in their consequences (or actions). This means actions
are affected by an individual perception of the situation. A
returning rider’s perception will be much different to that of
an experienced rider. At the end of the day: these perceptions
create different outcomes. I vaguely remember learning
about it at university, but it was reaffirmed in a classroom
session with track-based rider training group, motoDNA.
Take my own riding for example - on long-distance rides I
don’t stop as frequently as I should. A stop for fuel, a quick
drink, stretch, leak and a snack and it’s time to saddle up
and repeat. I, like everyone else, am fallible under fatigue.
Thomas dictum says it takes a certain level of competence to
understand while you are under fatigue, that you are actually
fatigued, and should either slow down or stop for a moment’s
rest. Actions are affected by perception (whether real or false).
It was under fatigue at motoDNA that I understood how it
affects my riding.
Summer time is the perfect season for conversations to
happen, whether you are planning a trip with friends or
family or even chewing the fat at a backyard barbecue. It’s
a time when we let our guard down and allow ourselves to
become excited easily. When you invite a returning rider on a
ride with you, can you vouch for their ability? Are your mates
inviting their mates? Will they be able to keep up with the
group? Will they try too hard keep up? Will they shoot off into
the distance? Or will they ride at their own pace? It doesn’t
take much for these things to converge and turn into a pearshaped
trail of destruction and heartache. Aforementioned
loose gravel and potholes are a spanner in the works for
any rider. Returning riders also have to factor in rusty line
selection and/or braking technique and target fixation.
Sometimes riding a bike is not like riding a bike.
Please don’t think I am not trying to impede anyone’s
autonomy, discourage anyone from riding or tell you inviting
a mate who hasn’t ridden in some time is a bad idea. By all
means. Go on every ride you can and invite whomever you
like.
But have you ever thought about getting rider training? Not
post-learner or refresher courses. Advanced rider training?
Going with a group of mates is a seriously fun day out
because you share the experience. It makes the day equally
as good as your favourite jaunt because you essentially get
to do on the track what you aren’t allowed to on the road. It
doesn’t matter where your skills are at, you are encouraged
to progressively move out of your comfort zone and start to
realise how much more capable you are on a motorcycle by
using proper techniques. This enables riders to read situations
with higher perception, inevitably linking corners and ride
smooth. Or to know when to slow down or stop altogether.
Basically you will equip yourself with the skills to avoid
becoming a statistic: the same techniques you pick up in a
controlled environment inevitably help you on the road.
When you are out with friends this summer, plan those trips
away, be excited by it and go with as few or many people
as possible. But be honest. Ride to the conditions. Ride to
your ability. And look at becoming a better rider this year, no
matter how experienced you are. Sharpen your perception
and it will provide safer outcomes.
Have a great 2017! I look forward to seeing you out on the
road this year.
– Ryan Grubb
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