Have you ever had a client claim he or she attempted to steer his motorcycle in one direction; however, it went the opposite direction?  How many have claimed this occurred and it has caused them to crash?  How many times were they told that they were crazy?

Motorcycles have special operational characteristics that automobiles do not have.  They are articulated vehicles, which means they are hinged.  The majority of them have dual braking controls: one for the front wheel and one for the rear wheel. Only two wheels support them, so they exhibit gyroscopic characteristics. These and other characteristics cause a variety of unusual behaviors.

One of these phenomenons is called reverse steering. Your clients were not crazy.  What they experienced is actually quite common. Reverse steering usually occurs during panic maneuvers. The rider presses the handlebars to turn, and does this without leaning the motorcycle. This action causes the motorcycle to lean in the opposite direction, thus causing the motorcycle to steer in the direction of the lean.  Most riders do not know of this problem and many other handling scenarios.  Therefore, the most common origin of motorcycle traffic collisions is the inexperience of the riders. 

Effectively slowing a motorcycle, or bringing it to a stop, requires a great deal of practice and experience. The average rider can stop in normal conditions with no problems. However, when a panic situation arises, they are unable to properly control their motorcycle because they do not fully understand it’s braking capabilities. One common mistake is the failure to use the front brake. A trained investigator can usually tell when only the rear wheel brakes were applied. This is done by examination of the rear wheel skid mark. When braking is applied to only the rear wheel, the skid mark will be thick and dark. The width will usually be over 2 inches. This is because there is no deceleration force on the front wheel, and minimal weight transfer to the front wheel. Therefore, there is greater weight on the rear tire allowing for more of the tire to contact the road and causing a wider and darker skid mark. 

Rear wheel braking only contributes approximately 30 percent braking efficiency.  This means that riders using only the rear wheel brake probably could have stopped prior to the collision, or slowed significantly prior to the impact. This would significantly reduce the severity of any injuries. Most novice riders fear using their front brake because they feel it may cause the motorcycle to flip over or cause them to be thrown over the handlebars. 

On the other hand, an experienced rider knows how to apply the front brake to obtain maximum braking without locking the front wheel.  In fact, it is quite difficult to lock the front wheel until the motorcycle has reached slower speeds due to the amount of force required.  While correctly applying only the front brakes, an experienced rider can obtain approximately 80 percent braking efficiency.  A good investigator can usually tell from the braking pattern if the front brakes were applied. The rear skid mark will be thin and light, usually no wider than 1-ΒΌ inches. 

The best and most efficient mode for stopping or slowing a motorcycle is to properly apply the brakes such that the tires do not skid. A skidding tire provides much less stopping force than a non-skidding tire. It is for this reason that some modern motorcycles utilize an antilock braking system (ABS) to keep the wheels from locking up. It is crucial that a motorcycle rider properly apply both the front and rear brakes such that the motorcycle does not skid.  The braking efficiency for a motorcycle with properly applied brakes (both front and rear) is 110 percent or greater than the braking efficiency provided by skidding tires.  A motorcycle will experience a much larger stopping force if the brakes are applied without locking the wheels.

It is clear that many motorcyclists are not familiar with these facts. We have investigated numerous motorcycle collisions where the insured driver pulled out in front of the motorcycle, and the rider was not able to slow or stop prior to the impact. In many cases, we were able to show that an experienced rider could have avoided this collision, and therefore the rider is contributory.

There are many other problems that can cause a motorcycle collision. There are issues involving steering, braking, controls, and handling. It is important that an investigator be familiar with the operations and characteristics that are unique to a motorcycle.

A good rider must know how to brake, how to accelerate, how to corner, and how to avoid obstacles in an emergency situation. They will respect the laws of nature and will operate their motorcycle safely. They will use a helmet.
 
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