Danger Zone Look Before You Leap
DANGER ZONE LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP
IGNITION
RIDE SMART
Minimizing risks at blind jumps-and blind turns
John L. Stein
THERE IS A BLIND DROP-away jump at my local track—sort of a lover's leap for MX jockeys. But more than just jocks use the track, and on a recent Saturday, a gradeschooler crashed at the bottom. Then, as the boy stood beside his fallen Kawasaki KX65, commercial jet pilot Shane Murphy launched off the top aboard his KTM 350 SX-F. "Don't hit that kid!" he flashed. Murphy instantly braked upon landing, and the ensuing sky-ground rag-doll left him writhing trackside with a broken hip. Fortunately, the heroism saved the boy from harm.
It's easy to see what could have happened here: A rider down on a blind jump is collected by the next bike to come along. So the mystery isn't why such accidents happen but why we let them happen. Pilots don't fly through foggy canyons. Snake wranglers don't hunt diamondbacks blindfolded. And truckers don't speed into tunnels with their headlights off. Motorcycle riding is dangerous enough when we can see what's ahead. But the actuary tables upend when we can't.
Regardless, we sometimes ride blind. We leap off tabletops and doubles, unable to see the landings. We sling around mountain turns on sportbikes, uncertain whether there's dirt—or a deer—on the line. But what can we do? Since not every track uses flaggers, and rockslides can happen anytime, self-reliance suggests we look before we leap.
[l] If you're going to the track, spend a few laps studying the layout, noting any features that block your immediate field of view. Choosing an alternative line here can exponentially reduce your exposure to colliding with an unseen downed rider.
SEE CORNERS AT NIGHT
BMW's K1600GT/ GTL has a centermounted Xenon (HID) low beam with dynamic leveling system, which bounces its beam off of a computercontrolled mirror to compensate for brake dive. An optional adaptive feature uses bankangle datato point light through curves when the bike is leaned.
[2] On winding roads, make a practice of apexing corners later. Waiting longer to turn in expands your line choices later in the turn, so if there's sand or a sleepy chuckwalla in the way, you'll have more escape paths.
[3] Whether on the road or track, make other riders your personal "canary in the coal mine," riding at their pace but several seconds behind. If you can still see them up ahead, there's a stronger likelihood that all's clear.
[4] Be extra vigilant when entering a blind zone by making readiness a continual game: "Is the pavement wet under these trees?" or "What if some dimwit is making a U-turn just beyond this bend?" Eventually, when a real situation develops, you'll be ready.
