Let's Ride_ Sonny Barger's Guide to Motorcycling Part 3

by Gene Anthony

Chapter Three.

The Fundamentals of Riding You may think the next logical step would be to buy a bike. After all, how can you learn to ride if you don't have a bike? For most of the time I've been riding, the answer was that you couldn't learn to ride unless you had a bike, but over the past twenty or so years that's changed, thanks to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. Originally formed in 1973, the MSF started out as a trade organization that promoted motorcycle manufacturers as much as it furthered safety. In some ways it still is that; its current sponsors are BMW, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Piaggio/Vespa, Suzuki, Triumph, Victory, and Yamaha, and ultimately the MSF serves those companies.

But early on the major bike companies figured out that one of the best ways the MSF could serve them was by helping to keep as many of their customers alive as possible. You'd be hard-pressed to find an organization that has done more to promote motorcycle safety than the MSF, not just in the past thirty-some years since it was founded, but ever. Back in the early years of the MSF, motorcycle fatalities were on the rise, and they had been for the previous decade. In 1980 motorcycle-related fatalities in the United States peaked at 5,144 deaths. That same year the MSF sponsored the first International Motorcycle Safety Conference. This marked the beginning of serious research into the causes of motorcycle-related deaths. The following year the government published Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures, Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures, which is usually referred to as the "Hurt Report," in honor of its primary author Harry Hurt. which is usually referred to as the "Hurt Report," in honor of its primary author Harry Hurt.

Among its findings, the Hurt Report noted that 92 percent of riders involved in accidents lacked any formal motorcycle training; they were either self-taught, or they'd learned from family and friends. Apparently the riders' friends had pa.s.sed on their own bad habits, because the report noted: "Motorcycle riders in these accidents showed significant collision avoidance problems. Most riders would overbrake and skid their rear wheel, and underbrake the front wheel, greatly reducing collision avoidance deceleration. The ability to countersteer and swerve was essentially absent."

Clearly someone needed to develop a formal motorcycle training course, but there was no obvious organization to handle that job. You might think the government would step in, but it seems that motorcycle riders are a low priority for most elected officials. The Hurt Report did nothing to light a fire under the government's collective a.s.s to start developing and funding rider training programs.

Thankfully, the MSF stepped up and did what all levels of government were unable to do: develop a rider training program. The MSF's RiderCourse made its debut in California in 1987. Within a few years it had spread across the country. Not only do all states offer MSF RiderCourses, but the majority of them use some form of the RiderCourse curriculum in their licensing tests. Many states allow completion of the course itself to fulfill the riding skills portion of the licensing exam-complete the RiderCourse, get your motorcycle endors.e.m.e.nt.

One of the best aspects of the RiderCourse is that in most states the program provides the motorcycles you'll use to complete the course (and often earn your motorcycle license). That means that you can learn to ride without even buying a bike, which is why I put this chapter on learning to ride before the chapter on buying a motorcycle. Many of the programs that offer the courses even provide protective gear, which will save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Taking a RiderCourse is the best way to find out if you even like riding a motorcycle before you spend a small fortune buying a bike and all the a.s.sociated gear.

I'm going to provide you with the basics of motorcycle riding in the following pages, but first I'm going to give you the single most important piece of advice in this entire book-complete the MSF RiderCourse.

And if you're already an experienced motorcyclist who hasn't taken the basic RiderCourse, take one of the advanced training courses. If you're self-taught, or if you learned to ride from a friend or family member, chances are you've developed some bad habits over the years. Riding is an extremely high-risk activity and even if those bad habits haven't caused you problems so far, sooner or later your luck will run out. It's best to rely on luck as little as possible; one of the best ways to do that is to get formal training. It's the most important thing you can do to avoid getting maimed or killed. I advise you to use what I write here to help familiarize yourself with the operation of a motorcycle to help you pa.s.s the MSF RiderCourse.

THE SIX BASIC CONTROLS.

OPERATING A MOTORCYCLE IS a complex activity. You'll need to use both of your hands and both of your feet to operate the controls, and you'll often be using all of them at the same time. Remember, you'll also need to use your feet to hold yourself up when the bike is stopped. Believe it or not, I've seen people forget this and fall over at a stop. a complex activity. You'll need to use both of your hands and both of your feet to operate the controls, and you'll often be using all of them at the same time. Remember, you'll also need to use your feet to hold yourself up when the bike is stopped. Believe it or not, I've seen people forget this and fall over at a stop.

You'll have to master six basic controls to ride most motorcycles. For the first twenty or so years I rode motorcycles, manufacturers used different layouts for these main controls. I only rode Harleys, but even though all the bikes I rode were built by the same manufacturer, the location of the brakes, shifters, and clutches varied from model to model and from year to year. Having to relearn the controls each time you bought a new bike annoyed the h.e.l.l out of us, and it could even be dangerous at times, but for the 1975 model year the U.S. government pa.s.sed a law standardizing the location of many of those controls. Since the U.S. motorcycle market was the most important one for most manufacturers, virtually all of them adopted the layout specified by U.S. law.

The main controls on a motorcycle are as follows: - Throttle: On a motorcycle the throttle is a twist grip that controls your speed, located on the right end of the handlebar. On a motorcycle the throttle is a twist grip that controls your speed, located on the right end of the handlebar.

- Front brake lever: This is a lever that controls the front brake, mounted on the right side of the handlebar, in front of the throttle. This is a lever that controls the front brake, mounted on the right side of the handlebar, in front of the throttle.

- Rear brake lever: This is a lever that operates the rear brake, located near the right footpeg. This is a lever that operates the rear brake, located near the right footpeg.

- Clutch lever: This is a lever that operates the clutch, located on the left side of the handlebar, in front of the left handgrip. This is a lever that operates the clutch, located on the left side of the handlebar, in front of the left handgrip.

- Shift lever: This is a lever that shifts gears in the transmission, located near the left footpeg. This is a lever that shifts gears in the transmission, located near the left footpeg.

- Handlebar: Anyone who's ridden a bicycle knows what this is. Anyone who's ridden a bicycle knows what this is.

SECONDARY CONTROLS.

IN ADDITION TO THESE six primary controls, you'll have to operate a variety of secondary controls when you're riding on public roads. The locations of these aren't as standardized as are the locations for the primary controls, but the vast majority of motorcycle manufacturers use the same basic layout. Secondary controls include the following: six primary controls, you'll have to operate a variety of secondary controls when you're riding on public roads. The locations of these aren't as standardized as are the locations for the primary controls, but the vast majority of motorcycle manufacturers use the same basic layout. Secondary controls include the following: - Ignition switch. This can be found in all sorts of odd places, from up by the instruments, to the top of the tank, to below the seat. This operates much like the switch in a car, except that it doesn't actually start the bike, as it does in most cars. For that you'll need to use . . . This can be found in all sorts of odd places, from up by the instruments, to the top of the tank, to below the seat. This operates much like the switch in a car, except that it doesn't actually start the bike, as it does in most cars. For that you'll need to use . . .

- The electric start b.u.t.ton. This b.u.t.ton, which engages the electric starting motor, is usually found on the right handgrip. This b.u.t.ton, which engages the electric starting motor, is usually found on the right handgrip.

- The choke or enrichment circuit. This is a lever, usually on the left handgrip, that engages a choke on carbureted bikes or an enrichment or fast-idle circuit on fuel-injected bikes. Up until just a few years ago all bikes had these, but as motorcycle fuel-injection technology advances, more and more bikes skip this control. This is a lever, usually on the left handgrip, that engages a choke on carbureted bikes or an enrichment or fast-idle circuit on fuel-injected bikes. Up until just a few years ago all bikes had these, but as motorcycle fuel-injection technology advances, more and more bikes skip this control.

- Engine kill switch. This is an emergency shut-off switch for the engine. I rarely if ever find the need to use this. This is an emergency shut-off switch for the engine. I rarely if ever find the need to use this.

- Turn signals. Like cars, all modern street bikes have turn signals. The location and method of operation used for these varies a bit among some manufacturers-particularly Harley-Davidson and BMW-but on most bikes the control consists of a switch on the left handgrip that you push left to engage the left turn signal, push right to engage the right turn signal, and push straight in to turn off the signals. Unlike all modern cars, many bikes don't have self-canceling turn signals, so you'll need to remember to shut these off or you'll be riding down the road with your signal flashing. In addition to being embarra.s.sing, this can be dangerous. Like cars, all modern street bikes have turn signals. The location and method of operation used for these varies a bit among some manufacturers-particularly Harley-Davidson and BMW-but on most bikes the control consists of a switch on the left handgrip that you push left to engage the left turn signal, push right to engage the right turn signal, and push straight in to turn off the signals. Unlike all modern cars, many bikes don't have self-canceling turn signals, so you'll need to remember to shut these off or you'll be riding down the road with your signal flashing. In addition to being embarra.s.sing, this can be dangerous.

- Horn. This is a b.u.t.ton located on one of the handgrips-usually the left-that activates your motorcycle's horn. Many people are afraid to use their horns because they think it's rude, but it's not nearly as rude as getting mangled by a car. If other drivers don't see you, don't worry about being rude; use your horn to let them know you're there. It could save your life. This is a b.u.t.ton located on one of the handgrips-usually the left-that activates your motorcycle's horn. Many people are afraid to use their horns because they think it's rude, but it's not nearly as rude as getting mangled by a car. If other drivers don't see you, don't worry about being rude; use your horn to let them know you're there. It could save your life.

- Headlight dimmer switch. This works the same as the dimmer switch in your car. I don't use this much because I always leave my headlight on high beam during the day, when I do most of my riding. This works the same as the dimmer switch in your car. I don't use this much because I always leave my headlight on high beam during the day, when I do most of my riding.

- Speedometer. This indicates your speed, just as it does in your car. Unlike cars, which usually feature a.n.a.log speedometers, a lot of motorcycles use digital speedometers. This indicates your speed, just as it does in your car. Unlike cars, which usually feature a.n.a.log speedometers, a lot of motorcycles use digital speedometers.

- Tachometer. This indicates your engine rpm, again just as it does in your car. Because almost all motorcycles use manual transmissions, these are much more useful on motorcycles than they are in cars, which mostly use automatic transmissions. This indicates your engine rpm, again just as it does in your car. Because almost all motorcycles use manual transmissions, these are much more useful on motorcycles than they are in cars, which mostly use automatic transmissions.

PRERIDE INSPECTION.

MOTORCYCLES HAVE COME A long way since I started riding, but they still require more care and maintenance than cars. Even if a motorcycle was as reliable as a car, you'd still want to be extra diligent about making sure everything was in working order because the consequences of a system failing are much more extreme on a bike. long way since I started riding, but they still require more care and maintenance than cars. Even if a motorcycle was as reliable as a car, you'd still want to be extra diligent about making sure everything was in working order because the consequences of a system failing are much more extreme on a bike.

The MSF Experienced RiderCourse, which I have taken, teaches the following preride inspection technique, called "T-CLOCK": - T: Tires and wheels - C: Controls - L: Lights and electrics - O: Oil and fluids - C: Cha.s.sis and chain - K: Kickstand I'll be honest; I check these items fairly regularly, but I don't check each one every time I ride. Some items I do check, if not daily, almost every day. If I rode a bike with a chain, I'd check that every day, but I don't: my bike uses a belt, which requires very little maintenance. I also check my tires and wheels every time I ride. I look them over to make certain they're not damaged or low on air. I'll visually inspect them to make sure they haven't picked up any nails or gla.s.s, but I only check the air pressure once every two or three days unless I suspect one of them might have a leak.

Similarly I don't check my oil level every day, at least on my Vision, which doesn't burn a lot of oil. If I'm riding a Harley that I know burns some oil, I'll check it often, sometimes more than once a day if I put on a lot of miles.

I'll check my lights fairly regularly to make certain they're working, especially my taillight and brake light, which I can't see while I'm riding. The consequences of a malfunctioning taillight or brake light may be getting rear-ended by a car, and as you might imagine, that falls under the category of "really bad." It seems like every car driver who has. .h.i.t a motorcycle has said "I didn't see the motorcycle." Most of the time the real story is that the driver wasn't paying attention, but in my opinion, if your taillight or brake light isn't working, you're as much at fault as the driver who just hit you.

I'm always paying attention to how my controls are working, but I can't say I check these things every time I ride. Controls and cables on modern bikes are far more reliable than they were back when the MSF devised the T-CLOCK method. I do check for loose bolts in the cha.s.sis every now and then, but that was a bigger issue when I rode Harley-Davidson motorcycles, which vibrate much more than my Victory does. If you ride a Harley, you'll probably want to check the bolts and nuts on a daily basis.

CHECKING TIRES.

THE ONE THING I do consider critical to check frequently is the air pressure in my tires. I've had tires go flat while I was flying down the road. I don't want it to happen again if there's anything I can do to help it. Besides, a motorcycle handles best when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. Riding with the proper air pressure in your tires also ensures that your tires will last longer. This can save you a lot of money over time. I do consider critical to check frequently is the air pressure in my tires. I've had tires go flat while I was flying down the road. I don't want it to happen again if there's anything I can do to help it. Besides, a motorcycle handles best when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. Riding with the proper air pressure in your tires also ensures that your tires will last longer. This can save you a lot of money over time.

You'll need to consult your owner's manual to find out the proper pressure for your tires. On the sidewall of your tire you'll find text saying something like: "Maximum Air Pressure 43 PSI." That means that 43 pounds is the maximum air pressure your tire can safely handle, but that doesn't mean that your bike was designed to operate with tires pumped up to 43 PSI. More likely your bike was designed to run in the 3438 PSI range, and inflating your tires beyond that point will adversely affect handling and also cause your tires to wear out faster.

I always keep a tire pressure gauge in my motorcycle tool kit. I've found that it's difficult to get a gauge on the valve stems on some motorcycles with a lot of luggage and bodywork. The area in which you will be working can be tight, and a long gauge can be difficult to seat properly on the valve stem. I carry a small round gauge with a dial instead of a long one with a stick that pokes out to indicate the air pressure; I find the smaller gauge is easier to maneuver around the tire and wheel.

When you check the air pressure, you should take a few seconds to make sure all the axle bolts and pinch bolts on the fork and shocks are tight. I once was riding with a buddy when the bolts securing the clamps that held his front axle in place came loose. His front wheel fell off and his bike went end over end in the ditch. Amazingly, he seemed all right after the incident, and so we continued on our way to the rally we were attending. But to this day he remembers nothing of that weekend.

COUNTERSTEERING.

YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND countersteering before you think about starting up your motorcycle. If you've never ridden a motorcycle, you're going to find it's unlike any other vehicle you've ever ridden or driven. You control a motorcycle by leaning into corners rather than turning into them. The closest thing to riding a motorcycle is probably flying an airplane. Like a plane, a motorcycle rotates on a central axis. Imagine a line running through the center of the motorcycle-rider combination. This is the central axis. countersteering before you think about starting up your motorcycle. If you've never ridden a motorcycle, you're going to find it's unlike any other vehicle you've ever ridden or driven. You control a motorcycle by leaning into corners rather than turning into them. The closest thing to riding a motorcycle is probably flying an airplane. Like a plane, a motorcycle rotates on a central axis. Imagine a line running through the center of the motorcycle-rider combination. This is the central axis.

To initiate a turn, you countersteer the bike. No subject in motorcycling generates more debate than countersteering, and most of the people doing the arguing don't really understand the principle. Even though they don't understand it, they use it every time they ride. Most of them just don't realize they're doing it.

You countersteer a motorcycle every time you ride at any speed faster than a slow jog. It's the quickest and most efficient way to lean a motorcycle into a turn. It's pretty simple when you get down to the mechanics of it: you press the handlebar on the side in which you want to turn. If you are turning left, press the left handgrip. If you want to go right, press the right handgrip.

This may seem backward, and it would be on a different type of vehicle, like an ATV or a snowmobile. If you press the left handgrip of an ATV it would turn the front wheels to the right, thus causing the ATV to turn right. The same thing happens when you press on the left handgrip of a motorcycle; this also makes the front wheel move slightly to the right. But unlike a four-wheeled vehicle like an ATV, when the front wheel of a motorcycle moves to the right at any rate above a fast-walking speed, it leans the motorcycle to the left and initiates a turn to the left. Once the motorcycle is leaned over at the correct angle to complete the turn, you release enough pressure for the front tire to fall to the left and the bike goes to the left.

In other words, once you've initiated the lean with countersteering, you steer through a corner as you would any other vehicle-countersteering only gets you leaned into the turn in the first place. The thing is, the turning you do after you're leaned over is so slight that you won't even notice it; you just notice the countersteering pressure needed to initiate the lean in the first place. In fact, you'll probably feel like you're countersteering all the way through the corner.

In some instances you will continue to use countersteering in a corner. If the corner tightens up-if it's what is called a "decreasing radius" corner-you may need to use countersteering to lean the bike over farther so that you turn sharper. This is where understanding countersteering will save your life. If a corner surprises you and gets tighter midcorner, you have two choices: turn sharper and make it through the corner, or run wide and either ride off the road and have a terrible crash or ride into oncoming traffic and initiate a head-on collision, depending on which direction you're going. If you can't sharpen up your turn by countersteering and leaning the motorcycle farther over, the first option won't be available to you.

Larger bikes require more pressure to make the bike bend into its initial lean. You may feel like you need to pull on the opposite handgrip as well as push on the original handgrip. That's because the larger a bike is, the more pressure it will require to initiate countersteering. This is a good reason to start out with a smaller motorcycle.

CRANKING IT OVER.

WHEN YOU FIRST RIDE your new motorcycle, make sure you do so in a safe place where there's not any traffic. I recommend finding an empty parking lot. Even if you have your license, it's still a good idea to familiarize yourself with your new machine in a place where you don't have to worry about other people hurting you so you can concentrate on not hurting yourself. your new motorcycle, make sure you do so in a safe place where there's not any traffic. I recommend finding an empty parking lot. Even if you have your license, it's still a good idea to familiarize yourself with your new machine in a place where you don't have to worry about other people hurting you so you can concentrate on not hurting yourself.

If your bike has a center stand, place it up on that. A lot of j.a.panese and European bikes have center stands; unfortunately most American bikes don't have them. I think this is one area where the other countries have us beat, because a center stand is one of the handiest features a bike can have. They make most maintenance jobs a lot easier, and they're much less p.r.o.ne to sinking into the tarmac on hot days.

Center stands are easy to use, provided you use them the right way. The trick is to follow the proper procedure: 1. First, stand beside the bike, facing it from the left side, and grasp both handlebar grips.

2. When you have a firm grip on the bike, take your right foot and lower the center stand until you feel both its feet resting securely on the ground.

3. While keeping downward pressure on the center stand with your foot, balance the bike by the handlebars so that it rests perfectly upright.

4. There will most likely be some kind of handle down below the rear part of the saddle (some newer bikes will have a retractable handle); grasp the handle. If there's no handle, grab the frame below the saddle.

5. Lock the center stand tang (the metal tab sticking up from the bottom of the center stand) in place with the heel of your boot so that it doesn't slide around. Make certain you have a good bite on it with your boot.

6. Push downward and rearward with your boot while rolling the bike backward with your arms.

As long as you're using your leg to do the actual lifting and just using your upper body to roll the bike backward, the bike should roll right up on the center stand. If you're not lifting with your leg but rather lifting with your arms, you probably won't be able to get the bike up on the center stand. It's easy if you do it right; it's impossible if you do it wrong. It doesn't even matter how big the bike is. If you do it right, it's almost as easy to lift an 1800-cc Gold Wing as it is to lift a 250-cc Rebel. If you do it wrong, you'll have your hands full with the Rebel, and you can forget about the Gold Wing.

If your bike lacks a center stand, straddle the bike (remember, you always get on a motorcycle from the left side because the kickstand is on the left, so it will be leaning that way), hold both handgrips securely, and squeeze both the clutch and the front brake lever. You'll need to hold the clutch lever in to start most motorcycles, and holding the front brake lever in will keep the motorcycle from rolling when you start it.

If you don't have a center stand, you'll have to climb aboard the bike and hold it up yourself. When you're standing securely over the bike with one leg on each side, raise the bike up so that it stands upright. Once you've comfortably balanced the bike, you can rest your weight on the seat. Remember to raise the kickstand up, since many bikes won't run with the kickstand down. Even if a bike doesn't have a circuit that kills the engine if the kickstand is down, you still want to make sure you raise it up because if you ride off with it down it could catch on something and cause you to crash.

Next, turn your ignition key to "on" and make sure the kill switch is not in the "off" position. I've seen more than one person wear out a battery trying to start a bike while the kill switch was in the "off" position.

With your left foot, make sure the bike is in neutral. You will see a green light on the dash that indicates the bike is in neutral, but a word of warning-don't always trust that light. I've ridden many bikes that have a neutral light that will come on when the transmission isn't completely out of gear. I trust my left foot more than I trust my neutral light. I make sure that I can feel the bike is in neutral before I start it. If you haven't yet developed a good feel for the shifter, release the clutch and brake levers and carefully roll the bike back and forth to see if the rear wheel spins freely. If it does, the bike is in neutral. (Don't forget to squeeze the clutch and front-brake levers again once you've gotten the bike into neutral.) Once you've determined the bike is in neutral, turn on the choke or fast-idle circuit if your bike is so equipped, especially if the engine is cold. If it's been warmed up, you shouldn't have to bother with this. On a properly tuned modern motorcycle, you should now be able to push the starter b.u.t.ton and start the motorcycle with no drama.

If the motorcycle doesn't start immediately, don't hold the starter b.u.t.ton down. This will wear down the battery and can flood the engine or even burn out the starter motor. Instead, check for obvious problems. If there is a problem with your electrical system, you'll probably be able to hear the starter motor turning over sluggishly. If your bike is in good running condition with a good charging system, chances are that the problem is something as simple as your having b.u.mped the kill switch into the "off" position. This is very easy to do.

Another possibility is that you may have a bike that needs just a bit of throttle to start properly. This indicates that something is not quite right in your carburetion or fuel-injection system, but the problem might be so minor that you'll never be able to track it down. Usually it's best to just figure out how much throttle you have to give your bike to start it.

This will be tricky, because the bike will likely just require the slightest pressure on the throttle return spring; anything more than that will flood the engine with gas so that you won't be able to start the bike at all. Developing a feel for dealing with your throttle on start-up is an art, one you'll only be able to perfect with time and practice.

I've actually seen this procedure turned into art-I saw a professional comedian in Reno do a hilarious routine in which he reenacted the process of starting a carbureted Harley-Davidson. The bit lasted half an hour and was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Fortunately for you, this is a novelty act that isn't performed very often out in the real world, thanks to modern motorcycle technology. As fuel-injection systems get better, this sort of problem is becoming increasingly rare.

ENGAGING THE CLUTCH.

CHANGING GEARS WHILE RIDING a motorcycle is similar to driving a car with a manual transmission, except that you use your hands on a bike to do what your feet do in a car, and you use your feet on a bike to do what your hands would do in a car. The clutch works the same in a bike as it does in a car: it disengages the transmission from the engine. You just operate the lever with your hand instead of your foot. When you have the clutch lever pulled in all the way to the handgrip, the transmission is disengaged. As you let the clutch out, the plates in the clutch come into contact with each other and connect the transmission to the crankshaft. a motorcycle is similar to driving a car with a manual transmission, except that you use your hands on a bike to do what your feet do in a car, and you use your feet on a bike to do what your hands would do in a car. The clutch works the same in a bike as it does in a car: it disengages the transmission from the engine. You just operate the lever with your hand instead of your foot. When you have the clutch lever pulled in all the way to the handgrip, the transmission is disengaged. As you let the clutch out, the plates in the clutch come into contact with each other and connect the transmission to the crankshaft.

The area in the travel of the clutch lever where the plates start to come into contact with each other is what the MSF calls the "friction zone." As the plates engage, the motorcycle starts to move forward. To find the friction zone, pull the clutch lever toward the handgrip and shift the transmission into first gear. To do this, push the lever down with your foot. Then, with both feet planted firmly on the ground, keep holding down the front brake lever and slowly let out the clutch lever. When the bike starts to move forward, you're in the friction zone. As soon as the bike starts to roll, pull the clutch back in and stop. If you don't, you'll kill the engine because you're still holding the front brake lever. Do this a couple of times to get a feel for where the friction zone begins.

HITTING THE BRAKES.

YOU'RE JUST ABOUT READY to start your parking lot practice, but before you start riding, you need to make sure you can stop. Stopping will require you to use both of your hands and both of your feet, all at the same time. In one motion you'll pull in the clutch lever with your left hand, let off the throttle, squeeze the front brake lever with your right hand, push down on the rear brake lever with your right foot, and downshift with your left foot. And when it's all over, you'll have to remember to put down your feet to hold up the bike. Again, it's not that different from stopping a car, except that you have one more brake control to deal with and you'll need to hold up the bike once you've stopped. to start your parking lot practice, but before you start riding, you need to make sure you can stop. Stopping will require you to use both of your hands and both of your feet, all at the same time. In one motion you'll pull in the clutch lever with your left hand, let off the throttle, squeeze the front brake lever with your right hand, push down on the rear brake lever with your right foot, and downshift with your left foot. And when it's all over, you'll have to remember to put down your feet to hold up the bike. Again, it's not that different from stopping a car, except that you have one more brake control to deal with and you'll need to hold up the bike once you've stopped.

It's critically important that you use your front brake when stopping. An average motorcycle relies on its front brakes for 70 to 80 percent of its stopping power. Bikes with a more rearward weight distribution, like long cruisers, rely a bit more on their rear brakes, but the front is still the most important. Short wheelbase sport bikes barely rely on their rear brakes at all. In fact, if you watch a motorcycle race, you'll see that the rear wheels of most of the bikes are slightly off the ground as they brake hard for a turn. On a racetrack, you mostly use your rear brake to settle the cha.s.sis in a corner; you use it very little, if at all, for stopping duty.

You'll want to develop a good feel for your brakes because good brake control will save your life more than any other skill. The Hurt Report mentioned earlier in this chapter found that not using the front brake and locking up the rear brake was a factor in the majority of fatalities, and recent reports by various state agencies have found that this is still the case.

Motorcycle manufacturers have recognized how deadly this problem is, and some high-end motorcycles now use linked braking systems with valves that direct a percentage of the braking force from the rear brake pedal to the front wheel. This makes it much easier to engage in quick, straight emergency stops, but the technology is generally used only on the most expensive motorcycles, like my Victory Vision, and Honda's Gold Wing. Most likely you'll have to develop your braking skills on a bike that isn't equipped with this technology.

If you lock up the brakes and go into a skid, it will be something of a miracle if you don't crash. If you're lucky, you'll just fall down and slide down the road. If you're not lucky, you'll have a high-side type accident, as discussed earlier.

TAKING OFF.

NOW THAT YOU'VE GOT a handle on what you need to do to stop and where to find the friction zone of your clutch, you can finally start riding your motorcycle. To get moving, find the friction zone of your clutch once again, only this time you're going to release the clutch lever all the way and move through the friction zone. To do this you'll have to release the front brake, but remember to cover the brake lever with at least two fingers from your right hand so you can grab the brake and stop quickly in an emergency. Covering the brake is a good habit that you should have throughout your riding career. a handle on what you need to do to stop and where to find the friction zone of your clutch, you can finally start riding your motorcycle. To get moving, find the friction zone of your clutch once again, only this time you're going to release the clutch lever all the way and move through the friction zone. To do this you'll have to release the front brake, but remember to cover the brake lever with at least two fingers from your right hand so you can grab the brake and stop quickly in an emergency. Covering the brake is a good habit that you should have throughout your riding career.

As you ease out the clutch lever and get into the friction zone, twist the throttle to give the engine just enough gas to start moving smoothly. Too little throttle and you'll stall the engine; too much throttle and you'll spin out and crash or even wheelie over backward, which are both terrible ways to start out your first ride. If at any time you feel you are not in complete control of the bike, pull in the clutch and apply the brakes to stop.

Because almost every motorcycle has a manual transmission, you'll need to shift gears once you get rolling. It works just like in a car-when your engine reaches a certain rpm, you need to shift up a gear to avoid overrevving. When your engine drops below a certain rpm, you need to downshift to avoid stalling the engine. Your goal is to keep your engine in what's known as the "powerband," which is the rpm range in which an engine generates power most efficiently.

Overrevving can cause your engine to blow up in extreme cases, but underrevving an engine can do damage, too. It can lead to detonation, which is when there are tiny explosions inside the engine that can damage components, and it can also cause the buildup of unburned carbon deposits. But the main problem with letting the rpm level drop below the engine's powerband is that when this happens you won't have the ability to accelerate out of danger.

If your brakes are your primary tools for avoiding crashes, the ability to accelerate runs a close second. Sometimes it's better to accelerate out of the way of danger than it is to brake to avoid it. If your engine is running below its efficient powerband and is bogging down, when you twist your throttle, there will be a pause before the engine reacts. If you're trying to get out of the way of a speeding car and this happens, you're probably not going to live very long. It's best to just make sure that your engine is in its powerband at all times so you'll always have the option of accelerating should you need it.

To shift up, roll off the throttle at the same time you squeeze in the clutch lever. When the throttle is fully closed and the clutch disengaged, move the shift lever up with your left toe in a firm, smooth movement until the lever stops. If you hesitate, your shifter might get caught between gears so that when you release the clutch and twist the throttle, your transmission will be in what's called "false neutral" and your engine will just spin without moving you forward. This can be deadly if you are trying to get out of the way of something, or if some jacka.s.s is following you too closely on the highway.

To downshift, roll off the throttle and squeeze the clutch. Firmly press down on the shift lever, and then apply a small amount of throttle as you ease out the clutch lever. You do this to match your engine speed to the speed of your rear wheel. If your rear wheel is going faster than your engine is spinning, you'll get wheel hop, which can lead to a dangerous skid.

When coming to a stop, you might shift all the way down to neutral without releasing the clutch, but you'll want to do this gradually because you can damage your motorcycle's transmission by shifting down into too low a gear while you are moving, even with the clutch lever pulled in. This is especially true if your bike's clutch is starting to wear out.

This sounds a lot more complicated than it is. In recent years there's been a trend toward motorcycles with automatic transmissions, but I think this is happening because people think riding a manual-transmission bike will be too complicated. It really isn't. You'll quickly get the hang of it, and once you've got a few miles under your belt, shifting-and everything else a.s.sociated with riding a motorcycle-will come as naturally to you as breathing.

GEARING UP.

BEFORE YOU DO ANY of the preceding activities, you'll need to have proper riding gear. The minimum gear you should always wear when you ride includes the following: of the preceding activities, you'll need to have proper riding gear. The minimum gear you should always wear when you ride includes the following: - Helmet - Riding jacket - Full-finger gloves - Long pants - Over-the-ankle boots Helmets A lot of people are surprised when they find out I never ride without a helmet. Like most people my age, I did ride without a helmet for decades. We didn't even have helmets available to us when I started riding, so we never even gave them any thought. Then in 1983 I had throat cancer and had a laryngectomy. After that I didn't have a choice. The air pa.s.sing over my laryngectomy made it impossible for me to breathe unless I wore a full-face helmet, so I either wore a helmet or I didn't ride. For me that was no choice at all-I started wearing a helmet and using a windshield.

Today I'd wear a helmet whether I needed to or not, and not just because they are safe; I find riding is more comfortable and enjoyable with a full-face helmet. It reduces road noise, keeps the wind blasts out of my face, and keeps bugs and other debris out of my eyes.

That said, there's no doubt that wearing a helmet is a lot safer than not wearing a helmet. Harry Hurt, of Hurt Report fame, conducted a long-term study of helmet use for the University of Southern California's Head Protection Research Laboratory and discovered that you are five times more likely to suffer a head injury if you crash without a helmet as you would be if you crashed while you were wearing one. Every study conducted since has backed up Hurt's findings.

This doesn't mean that a helmet is some sort of magic totem that will save you in every circ.u.mstance. If you get hit by a bus or crash into a guardrail at 80 miles per hour, you'll probably experience so much blunt trauma to your body that you won't survive even if you have a helmet. But for every extreme example like that there are many cases where a person without a helmet died from hitting his or her head in a minor tip over; had he or she been wearing a helmet, the person would have suffered only minor embarra.s.sment.

Take Indian Larry, the custom bike builder from New York, for example. On Sat.u.r.day, August 28, 2004, while filming an episode of Biker Build-Off, Biker Build-Off, Larry was performing stunts for the crowd. He rode his stunt bike through a wall of flames and topped this off with his signature bike-surfing bit, standing up on the seat, his arms stretched out in a crucifix pose. But something went wrong. His bike was probably going too slow, no more than 30 miles per hour, and the front end began to wobble badly. Instead of leaning forward to grab the handlebars and then sitting back down in the saddle, as he might usually do, Larry fell backward off the bike and cracked his skull on the asphalt. Larry was performing stunts for the crowd. He rode his stunt bike through a wall of flames and topped this off with his signature bike-surfing bit, standing up on the seat, his arms stretched out in a crucifix pose. But something went wrong. His bike was probably going too slow, no more than 30 miles per hour, and the front end began to wobble badly. Instead of leaning forward to grab the handlebars and then sitting back down in the saddle, as he might usually do, Larry fell backward off the bike and cracked his skull on the asphalt.

Everyone expected Larry to get back up. When he didn't, friends and the film crew ran to his side. No one could quite believe it was happening. Larry had performed that stunt thousands of times. He knew what he was doing. Had he been wearing a helmet, he would have just been embarra.s.sed on camera, but he wasn't, and on Monday, August 30, Indian Larry died. The guy was a good rider with decades of experience. If it could happen to him, it could happen to any of us.

It doesn't matter to me if you wear a helmet for comfort or wear it for safety. It doesn't matter to me if you don't wear any helmet at all. It's a free country and what you do is your business, not mine. Just know that I think you should wear a full-face helmet. If you don't and crack your skull and kill yourself, don't expect me to feel sorry for you.

If you do the sensible thing and decide to wear a helmet, make sure you get one that is comfortable. If you're like me, you'll practically live in your helmet, so it's worthwhile to spend a little extra money to get one that fits and has good ventilation. The only way you'll know if a helmet fits will be to try it on.

Different helmets fit different-shaped heads. I find that Nolan helmets fit me the best. My coauthor, Darwin, is of Swedish and Norwegian descent. Some people call Swedes "round heads" and Norwegians "square heads." There might be some truth to both stereotypes because he has a hard time finding helmets to fit his misshapen head. He finds that Shoei helmets fit him the best. You'll have to try on a bunch of different helmets to see which brands fit your head shape the best.

As for ventilation, that's tougher to test when trying on helmets in a motorcycle shop. Generally speaking, the more expensive the helmet, the better ventilation it will have. A well-ventilated helmet will flow so much air around your head that when you're riding at anything above a walking speed your head will be cooler with the helmet than without it. Believe it or not, when the temperature hits 110 degrees here in Arizona, wearing a well-ventilated helmet keeps me cooler than I would be if I rode without a helmet. When it comes to quality helmets, you usually get what you pay for.

Riding Jackets and Pants When I started riding motorcycles, bikers had one option for a riding jacket: black leather. This was fine if you wanted to be Marlon Brando, but for those of us who identified with Chino there weren't a lot of options. That's changed completely now. Today you can get anything from one-piece Gore-Tex riding suits to fully armored mesh pants and jackets. To list all the options and features would take a complete chapter. At the very least you'll want a jacket with built-in armor to protect you in case of a crash.