EDITORS DESK
Iñigo S. Roces
Over the weekend, news spread of a rider couple who perished in an unfortunate accident. The pair are not newbies to riding, and set off on what appeared to be yet another routine weekend ride.
Unfortunately, a miscalculation led to their motorcycle overshooting the corner and colliding with an oncoming vehicle. Suffice to say, they didn’t fare very well. The couple is survived by their four children.
Shortly after news of their incident spread on social media, so too did the dashcam footage from the oncoming vehicle. It’s clear that the car was not at fault, driving cautiously and keeping to its lane while the motorcycle of the couple was going much faster. The force of the impact even caused the car to spin. Naturally, the video was inundated with comments on the rider’s approach to the corner: from taking the wrong line, carrying too much speed, and even the rider’s wrong body position in the relation to the motorcycle.
As a rider myself, I’ll admit the temptation of the adrenaline rush from a weekend ride on the Manila-Rizal-Laguna-Quezon (MaRiLaQue) Highway can sometimes be too tempting to resist. The mix of smooth roads, successive twisty corners, and spectacular views all within an hour’s ride make for a great spontaneous escape. Where else can you feel like a MotoGP racer for the price of little more than a few gallons of fuel and a reasonable breakfast? No surprise that the road is its busiest on weekends, with majority of those plying it on motorcycles. As one can expect, accidents are also highest on these days.
Not like a bicycle
However, many of those who ply those roads have done little to learn more about how to handle a motorcycle. Contrary to popular opinion, it’s not simply about balancing and leaning left or right to turn. Throttle control, grip levels, brake balance, weight transfer, and even the line around the corner play a much bigger factor than many realize. It’s not surprising these terms may seem alien to most, as the concepts behind them are more often taken up by competitive motorcycle racers.
The argument always goes, “I’m not planning to race, so why will I take those lessons?” The skills needed to race and ride defensively are exactly the same. After all, when avoiding a potential accident with other motorcycles or cars, the key is to make the most of a motorcycle’s available grip and handling to steer to safety. These can happen when you least expect it, whether at low speed or high speed. In addition, learning these skills can greatly contribute to better rides. It teaches the rider how to drive more smoothly, which is more comfortable for the passenger, saves on fuel, as well as reduces tire and engine wear.
Professional classes
There are many ways to improve one’s riding ability in the Philippines. Honda offers lessons on motorcycle riding (especially big bike handling) at their Honda Safety Driving Center (HSDC) in Bicutan. The California Superbike School (CSS, highly recommended) holds classes one weekend every year at the Clark International Speedway. The Ducati Riding Experience (DRE) is another one-day class (with schedules twice a year) that teaches quite a bit. Brands like Suzuki and Yamaha also hold occasional classes in key locations throughout the year. Granted, many of these classes can be pricey, ranging from ₱1,500 to as much as ₱80,000 (CSS). Yet it’s a small price to pay when the knowledge can mean the difference between avoiding an oncoming car or crashing into it.
Riding books
In-person lessons aren’t the only way, though the benefits of a coach giving you instant feedback can radically improve your progress. There’s also the option of self-study with many books available that can teach the same concepts. I highly recommend getting a copy of Keith Code’s Twist of the Wrist which is actually the basis of California Superbike School lessons. There’s also Lee Parks’ Total Control, which can teach key techniques.
Riding videos
Finally, for the absolutely lazy, there are also numerous videos on YouTube. Again, I can’t emphasize enough how much better in-person lessons are, but you can at least pick up a few lessons from these. Keith Code’s “Twist of the Wrist” videos can also be found here. Another channel called “Canyon Chasers” also has a whole playlist of helpful instructional videos. Please avoid watching videos of “top speed” runs as there is nothing to learn from these hooligans.
Finally, if you frequently ride with a passenger (sometimes called pillion), enroll them in the riding classes or at least get them to sit in. Even if they won’t be driving, understanding the concepts can truly help them position their body better in order to help the driver, rather than work against him.
Riding may seem like the ultimate freedom and an accessible way to get an adrenaline high, but it also comes with far more risks that more should be made aware of. Most important of all, don’t treat the road like a race track. You, or others on the road like you, still have families to come home to.
(Iñigo S. Roces is the Motoring Editor of Manila Bulletin)