No matter how careful you are, there will be times when you find yourself in a tight spot. The chances of getting out safely depend upon your ability to react quickly and properly. Accidents often occur when a rider is not prepared or skilled in accident-avoidance maneuvers.

Know when and how to stop or swervetwo skills critical to avoiding an accident. It is not always desirable or possible to stop quickly to avoid an obstacle. Riders must also be able to swerve around an obstacle. Determining the skill necessary to the situation is important as well.

Studies show that most accident-involved riders:

• Underbrake the front tire and overbrake the rear tire.
  
• Do not separate braking from swerving.

The following information offers some good advice.

QUICK STOPS

Use the front brake, it supplies most of your stopping power, just don't "grab" at it. To stop quickly, apply both brakes at the same time. Squeeze the brake lever steadily and firmly. Apply the front brake as fully as possible without locking the front wheel. If the front wheel locks, release the front brake and then reapply. At the same time, press down on the rear brake. If you accidently lock the rear brake, keep it locked until you have completely stopped. Even with a locked rear wheel, you can control the cycle on a straight length of road if the motorcycle is still upright and going in a straight line.

If you must stop quickly while turning or riding a curve, it may not always be possible to straighten the motorcycle and then stop. If you must brake while leaning, apply the brakes and reduce the throttle. As you slow, you can reduce your leaning angle and apply more brake pressure until the motorcycle is straight and maximum brake pressure is possible. If you "straighten" the handlebar in the last few feet of stopping, the motorcycle should be straight up and in balance.

SWERVING OR TURNING QUICKLY

Even stopping quickly may not be enough to keep from hitting something in your path. A piece of debris or a pothole might appear suddenly in your path as the car ahead passes over it, or the car ahead might stop suddenly. The only way to avoid an accident may be to turn quickly, swerve, or ride over the obstacle.

A swerve is two quick turns, one right after the other. The trick to making a quick turn is to apply a small amount of hand pressure on the handgrip in the direction you wish to go to get the motorcycle to lean quickly.

The sharper the turn, the more the bike must lean.

Press on the inside of the handgrip in the same direction you want to turn. Then press on the inside of the opposite handgrip to return to your original direction of travel. Do this after you are clear of the hazard. To swerve to the left, push the inside of the handgrips to the left, then push right to recover. To swerve to the right, push right, then push left to recover. Keep your knees snugly against the tank and your feet on the pegs. Make your escape route the target of your vision.

If you need to brake, do not brake while swerving. Brake before or after–never while swerving.

Try to stay in your own lane in an emergency. The moment you change lanes, you risk being hit by a car. You should be able to squeeze by most obstacles without leaving your lane. This is one time when the size of the motorcycle is in your favor. Even if the obstacle is a car, there is generally room to pass beside it. Change lanes only if you are sure there are no vehicles in the other lane.

RIDING OVER OBJECTS

Sometimes, there is no choice but to ride over an object in your path. A length of tailpipe may be too close to you for you to steer around. Riding over an object is a lot like riding over an uneven surface. Try to:

• Hold onto the handgrips tightly so that you don't lose your grip when the front wheel hits the object.
• Ride a straight course. This keeps the motorcycle upright and reduces the chance of falling on impact.
• Rise slightly on the footpegs. This allows your legs and arms to absorb the shock and helps keep you from being bounced off the cycle as the rear wheel hits the object.

The three steps above let you ride safely over most of the obstacles on the highway. It is a good idea to check your tires for damage after riding over an object.

There are a few other emergencies that motorcycle riders should be prepared for. While they are not dangerous, they happen often enough to be problems.

FLYING OBJECTS

From time to time a motorcycle rider can be struck by insects, cigarette butts thrown from car windows, or pebbles kicked up by the tires of the vehicle ahead. If you ride without face protection you can be struck in the eye, the face, or the mouth. If you are wearing face protection, it can become smeared or cracked, making it difficult to see. Whatever happens, don't let it affect control of the motorcycle. Keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the handlebars and as soon as it is safe, pull off the road and repair the damage.

ANIMALS

Do everything you can to avoid hitting a small animal. However, if you are in traffic, don't swerve out of your lane to avoid hitting an animal. You have a better chance to survive an impact with an animal than you do in an accident with a car.

Motorcycles tend to attract dogs. If you are being chased, don't kick at the animal–it is too easy to lose control of the motorcycle. Instead, shift down and approach the animal slowly. As you reach it, speed up suddenly. You will leave the animal behind so quickly that it will generally lose interest.

MECHANICAL PROBLEMS

Things that go wrong with the motorcycle itself can also cause emergencies. Three critical emergencies are a blowout, a stuck throttle, and "wobble."

Blowouts

If a tire suddenly goes flat, react quickly to keep your balance. A front wheel air loss is particularly dangerous since it affects steering.

A tire will seldom blow with a bang. You have to be able to detect a sudden air loss from the way the motorcycle reacts. If the front tire goes flat, the steering will feel "heavy." Shift your weight as far back as you can.

If the rear tire goes flat, the back of the motorcycle may swing jerkily from side to side. Stay where you are.

If there is a blowout while riding:

• Hold the handgrips tightly and concentrate on steering. Try to maintain a straight course.
• Gradually apply the brake of the tire that is not flat, if you are sure which one it is.
• Wait until the motorcycle is going very slowly, then edge toward the side of the road and stop.

Stuck throttle

Sometimes when trying to close the throttle, you may find that it won't turn. If this happens when slowing for traffic ahead, or making a turn, you must react quickly to prevent an accident. You should:

• Twist the throttle back and forth several times. If the throttle cable is stuck, this may free it.
• Try to close the throttle. If the throttle stays stuck, immediately operate the engine cut-off switch and pull in the clutch at the same time. This will remove power from the rear wheel, though engine noise may not immediately stop. Once the motorcycle is "under control," pull off the road and stop.

Once you are stopped, check the throttle cable carefully to find the source of the trouble. Make certain the throttle is working freely before continuing.

Wobble

A wobble occurs when the front wheel and handlebars suddenly start to shake from side to side. This can happen at any speed.

Trying to accelerate out of a wobble will only make the cycle more unstable. Instead you should:

• Firmly grip the handlebars but don't try to fight the wobble.
• Close the throttle gradually to slow the motorcycle. Do not apply the brakes; braking could make the wobble worse.
• Move your weight as far forward and down as possible.
• Pull off the road as soon as you can to fix the problem.

Most wobbles can be traced to improper loading, unsuitable accessories, or incorrect tire pressure. Some other things that can cause wobbles are:

• a wheel that is bent or out of alignment.
• poorly adjusted steering.
• a windshield or fairing that is improperly mounted or not designed for the motorcycle.
• loose wheel bearings.
• loose spokes.

Chain Problems

A chain that slips or breaks while you are riding could lock the rear wheel and cause your cycle to skid. Chain slippage or breakage can be avoided by proper maintenance.

Slippage–If the chain slips when you try to speed up quickly or ride uphill, pull off the road. Check the chain and sprockets. Tightening the chain may help. If the problem is a worn or stretched chain or worn or bent sprockets, replace the chain, the sprockets, or both before riding again.

Breakage–You will notice an instant loss of power to the rear wheel. Close the throttle and brake to a stop.

Engine seizure

When the engine "locks" or "freezes" it is usually low on oil. If the engine's moving parts can't move smoothly against each other the engine overheats. The first sign may be a loss of engine power or a change in the sound of the engine. Squeeze the clutch lever to disengage the engine from the rear wheel. Pull off the road and stop. Check the oil. If you need oil, add it as soon as possible or the engine will seize. When this happens, the effect is the same as a locked rear wheel. Let the engine cool before restarting.

If you have to leave the roadway to check the motorcycle or just to rest for a while, here are some points for you to remember.

CHECK THE ROADSIDE

Make sure the surface of the roadside is firm enough to ride on. If it is soft grass, loose sand, or if you are just not sure about it, slow down before turning onto it.

PULL WELL OFF THE ROAD

Get as far away from the road as possible. A motorcycle stopped by the side of the road can be very difficult to see. You don't want someone else pulling off at the same place.

PARK CAREFULLY

Loose and sloped roadway shoulders make setting the stand difficult.

SIGNAL

Drivers behind might not expect you to slow down. Give a clear signal that you will be slowing down and changing direction. Check your mirror and make a headcheck before you take any action.

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