Co-Rider Seminar - Motorcycling Co-Riders

[A few years back, Pat Hahn asked me to write the bit for passengers on Minnesota's Department of Public Safety motorcycle page.  I took him seriously and did it.  He edited the crap out of my article and, mostly, published it.]

Before I get into nuts and bolts of being a motorcycle passenger/co-rider, it's important to discuss the philosophy you should have before mounting up on that rear bike seat. Being a passenger on a motorcycle requires considerably more skill and concentration than riding in a car. There is no safety belt, shoulder harness, air bag, or ton of steel and glass between you and harm's way. The only thing insulating you from the pavement and the other obstacles on the road (including cars) is the skill of rider and whatever protective gear you're wearing.

However, passive safety systems (helmet, gloves, jacket or riding suit, boots, etc.) aren't the most important safety consideration you need to think about.  Riding a motorcycle at almost any speed, in normal traffic, is as close to depending on life-support equipment as you are likely to experience outside of sky and scuba diving, bungie-jumping, or rock climbing.  None of those activities relegate the activity's control and safety to another person.  Being a passenger on a motorcycle is a high-risk, semi-passive activity.  The first thing you need to do, to be a motorcycle co-rider/passenger, is to choose your rider carefully. 

After I had volunteered to write this section of the instruction guide, I realized that I have practically no recent experience riding motorcycles as a passenger, or with a passenger.  My wife, who used to race her own off-road motorcycles, only occasionally rides with me and, mostly, for short distances.  In fact, I've carried very few passengers on my motorcycles in the past decade.  I've only been a passenger twice in that period. 

There is a reason for that inexperience.  Being a passenger on a motorcycle is an exercise in extreme trust and it puts the passenger in a position of nearly complete loss of control.  Most competent motorcyclists are control freaks.  I am a control freak and I'm proud of it.  There are only two people on this planet who I trust to be in control of a motorcycle when I'm a passenger; my brother and my best friend.  Otherwise, I'll walk back.  Thanks for asking.

The point in all this is that I practice what I'm preaching.  Personally, I think it's only reasonable to be that critical of who you ride with.  Otherwise, you're gambling with your life and skin and that's simply stupid.

Almost 30 years ago, a friend with whom I regularly raced dirt bikes, bought a brand new Kawasaki 900 Z1.  Since his wife wasn't stupid enough to take a test drive with him, he asked me if I'd be interested.  He gave me a hard time over my insisting that I go home for my helmet and riding jacket, but he put up with it.  We headed out of town, toward a local lake, and he cracked the throttle wide open.  On my first ride as a passenger on a street bike, I witnessed a speedometer zipping past 120 mph before he slowed down to return home. 

In the middle of his U-turn, I wrapped my arm around his throat and said, "Anything over 50 and you're a dead man."  I suppose I ruined his maiden voyage, but he got over it.  I didn't.  The only way I'll be a passenger is if I absolutely trust the rider.  Otherwise, I walk or take the bus. 

It's worth being picky about who you accept as a passenger, too.  Being in control of a two-up bike isn't a terrific improvement over being the passenger.  A terrified or foolish passenger can really ruin your day.  Years ago, an acquaintance took a friend for a ride on his brand new motorcycle.  After she suddenly freaked out and wrapped her arms around his face at 70 mph in the midst of Santa Monica Freeway traffic, they ended up spending several days in a hospital and a lot more time in rehabilitation. 

I'd estimate that a typical passenger contributes somewhere between 10% and 25% of the combined vehicle-occupant over-center-of-gravity weight and balance.  In a critical situation, that contribution, if misused, can be the difference between a safe ride and mortality.  So, if you still want to be a passenger, or ride with one, what follows is my best advice on how to survive that adventure and to minimize the risk.

I.        Motorcycles and Passengers

The Passenger's Job

A motorcycle passenger can't contribute much to the stability of the motorcycle, since any bike is easier to ride without a passenger.  No matter how skilled the passenger, this is true.  Motorcycles are, by their basic principles, a single-person vehicle.  Even the giant road bikes are much safer, more stable, and more comfortable without a passenger.

But a passenger can certainly destabilize a motorcycle, even without trying.  For example, a 400-pound motorcycle with a 150-pound rider and a 110-pound passenger creates a vehicle where the passenger represents almost 20% of the vehicle's total weight. Even at the opposite extreme, an 800-pound bike with a 220-pound rider and a 120-pound passenger, the passenger still represents more than 10% of the total vehicle weight. When the bike is at highway speeds, weight shifts of a few pounds will cause the vehicle to turn.  At low speeds, the same weight shift will cause the bike to topple.

So, the passenger's primary job is to destabilize the vehicle as little as possible.  The best way to do that is to mirror the actions of the rider as smoothly as possible.  The easiest way to do what the rider does is to be attached to the rider.  Women riding with men seem to automatically know this and wrap their arms around the rider's waist. 

Men riding with men seem to forget everything they know about motorcycles and attempt to balance themselves on the seat, using the back of the seat for a grip.  This is a terrific starting position, for a reverse 1 3/4 gainer after an abrupt acceleration, but it's a worthless riding position.  If you have that Minnesota allergy to touching other guys, consider gripping the rider's shoulders.  This position gets you in contact with the rider, so you can communicate through hand signals.  It is also about as stable as you would be riding a bike with pull-back handlebars.  It's a good compromise.  If this is too much male-to-male contact for you, consider calling a cab or taking the bus.

The secondary job of a rider is to act as a second set of eyes and ears, connected to a second brain.  If two minds are better than one, anywhere, it's true on a motorcycle.  Their are obstacles and hazards coming toward you from every direction on a motorcycle.  A good rider can cover about 180 degrees of hazard observation.  A good rider with a good passenger can almost double that. 

Motorcycles are poor places for daydreaming, even as a passenger.  You should be watching, listening, and smelling for hazards and changes in the riding environment any time the vehicle is in motion. If you keep in mind that you're traveling on a life-support mechanism that needs constant attention, you may save your own life.

Before you go into motion, you should have a basic communication system in place.  Don't count on being able to talk over the wind noise, unless you have a headset communication system.  Headsets fail and you may need to quickly get the rider's attention in an emergency, so, you still need a basic manual system.  If an intercom is not used, the co-rider and rider need to establish communication signals.  Suggested signals could be:

·       Right turn - squeeze or tap the right arm

·       Left turn - squeeze or tap the left arm

·       Stop or slow down-squeeze or tap with both arms

With all of these precautions in place, we go riding.

Balancing the Motorcycle

Since the first line of defense between road rash and your finely tuned, free-of-pain body is staying upright, the first thing we're going to discuss is that: balancing the motorcycle.  Staying shiny side up (and rubber-side down) and moving in the direction you planned on going is the topic of the third section. 

II.      Mounting and Dismounting the Motorcycle

A.      Mounting

·       Prior to mounting the motorcycle, the co-rider should be properly attired in protective gear. (helmet, gloves, jacket or long sleeved shirt, eye protection, pants, over-the-ankle footgear)

·       When the rider is mounting the motorcycle, the co-rider should stand away from traffic and 5-6 feet away from the motorcycle in case it falls.

·       After the rider has started the motorcycle, made all the necessary adjustments, and has the motorcycle pointed toward a clear path, the co-rider will be instructed to mount the motorcycle.

·       The co-rider should mount the motorcycle from the left side.  This is a hold-over from our humans-on-horseback past, but it still applies.  The co-rider should place the left  hand on the shoulder of the rider, step on the footpeg and then either swing the leg over the seat.

·       Co-rider’s who have difficulty mounting the motorcycle may need assistance from another person.   You may be able to use an object to step on, to make it easier to get a leg over the saddle.

·       The co-rider should inform the rider when he is ready to go.

B.       Dismounting

·          The rider will communicate when he is prepared for the co-rider to dismount.

·          The co-rider must make sure that any wires (Communication, electric vests etc.) will not interfere with the dismounting procedure.

·          The co-rider should place her hand on the rider’s shoulder and then carefully swing her leg over the seat, and dismount on the left side of the motorcycle.  Ideally, the dismount will be on the non-traffic side of the motorcycle.

·          After dismounting, the co-rider should stand 5-6 feet away from the motorcycle and stay clear of traffic while the rider dismounts.

Optional Dismount

·          First, the rider extends the side stand and dismounts. 

·          Then, the rider grasps the handlegrip with the left hand to steady the motorcycle and uses the right hand to assist the co-rider in dismounting.

III. Maneuvering the Motorcycle

A. Riding a Straight Line with a Passenger

You'd think that starting off a program like this, with one of the most difficult tasks a rider and co-rider have to do, would be poor planning.  Unfortunately, to get to the easy stuff, you have to go through one of the hardest.

Low Speed, Straight Line Riding

To get out of the parking lot and into the flow of traffic, you first have to get the bike rolling.  Usually, that means moving at low speeds in a straight line. 

Motorcycles are unstable at low speeds. The two primary inertial forces contribute to stabilizing the bike (the forward-moving inertia of the overall vehicle and the gyroscopic forces produced by the rotation of the wheels) are reduced with the vehicle's speed.

·       Inertia - this is the tendency for object at rest to remain at rest and an object in motion to stay in motion.  Newton's First Law of Motion comes into play when the motorcycle loses speed and seems to require more changes in steering to keep on a straight path. 

·       Gyroscopic force - this inertial force is generated by the rotation of the wheels and it tends to hold the vehicle's axles stationary.  This characteristic helps the rider keep the vehicle held vertical and moving straight ahead.

With only two wheels on the ground, it's not hard for other forces to change the stability of a slow moving motorcycle.  Shifts in weight by the rider or co-rider, uneven road surfaces, steering inputs by the rider and wind create cornering forces, which cause the motorcycle to lean.  When the motorcycle or rider leans, the vehicle's center of gravity shifts.  The center of gravity is the point where the weight of the motorcycle and riders is balanced.  The force of gravity and the weight of the motorcycle and riders acting through the center of gravity pull the bike toward the ground. As soon as the bike begins to lean, the rider must make adjustments in the steering and/or counterweight to balance the motorcycle.  This often results in low speed wobble.

A motorcycle with a high center of gravity is more difficult to balance because the leaning force created by the vehicle's gross weight (the motorcycle, the fuel, and the co-rider) is greater.  A rider and passenger are often the most obvious source of a motorcycle's high center of gravity.  Yet another reason to exercise and diet. 

The role of the co-rider in low speed, straight line riding

·       At low speeds the co-rider should remain stationary and as vertical as possible.  Sudden moves by the co-rider can cause extreme instability.

·       The co-rider should keep their feet on the pegs, knees against the seat and hands on the rider's waist.  An alternative grip is on the rider's shoulders. 

2.         High Speed Straight Line Riding

This is the easiest riding situation for both the rider and co-rider.  The vehicle is reasonably stable because physics is on our side.  We're moving and the wheels are gyroscope-ing, so the bike tends to stay upright and moving straight ahead. 

Balancing at higher speeds is easier for the rider. 

In fact, the bike practically balances itself at speed.  The force of inertia and the gyroscopic force produced by the rotation of the wheels increases with speed and aid in stabilizing the motorcycle.  The motorcycle is more resistant to change and it takes more effort to change the balance and direction of the motorcycle.

The role of the co-rider in straight line riding

·       Minor shifts in weight will not seriously affect the handling of the motorcycle.  However, quick movements can be distracting and, even, dangerous.  Changing the center of gravity will cause the bike to turn, sometimes, quickly.

·       Keep your hands, arms, and legs close to the motorcycle.  Movement that creates wind drag or lateral shifts in weight can alter the path of travel and make controlling the motorcycle more difficult. 

·       If you need to stretch or alter your position, inform the rider to help him/her prepare and be ready to compensate. 

B.       Cornering with a Passenger

1.         Low Speed Turns

This is often the hardest riding situation for both the rider and co-rider.  The vehicle is not stable because we're intentionally unbalancing the bike for the turn and physics, inertia, is not on our side.  We're barely moving, so we have almost no gyroscopic stability and an object beginning to lean tends to keep increasing that lean.  It takes concentration and skill to manage a low speed turn with a passenger.

Motorcycles with a higher center of gravity will require more effort to keep the motorcycle balanced and maintain control.  A bike with the additional load of a passenger and luggage may have a considerably higher center of gravity than the vehicle's designers considered.  This is often a critical maneuver.

Depending on the sharpness of the turn, the rider may need to counterbalance the weight of the motorcycle in order to increase the lean angle of the motorcycle.  If you're in close contact with the rider, you will feel this shift in position.  Be as smooth as possible with any movements you make and do try to counteract the rider's weight changes.  If you're not an experienced rider, it is best to remain absolutely stationary during this maneuver.

The role of the co-rider in low speed turns

·       Keep your hands, arms, and legs close to the motorcycle.

·       Do not shift your weight or make any sudden movements.

·       Lean with the rider.

2.         High Speed Turns

The stability of the motorcycle increases when the speed increases.  Highway speed turns are not only much easier than low speed maneuvering, but they can be a lot of fun.  This is where you get to feel the power of the earth's gravity, and centrifugal force, acting against the motion of the vehicle.  A well-executed corner is the most entertaining thing you can do on a motorcycle. 

A motorcycle makes a high speed turn when the rider counter-steers (presses against the opposite side of the handlebar from the direction of the turn)  and the rider and co-rider lean with the motorcycle.  The combination of the steering and weight-shift causes the bike to alter its direction. The motorcycle is balanced when the force exerted by the weight which causes the motorcycle to lean to the inside of the turn is offset by centrifugal force or the force that makes the motorcycle want to lean to the outside of the turn.  A motorcycle turns, when one, or both, of those forces is unbalanced. Simple physics.

The role of the co-rider in high speed turns

·       Look over the inside shoulder of the rider and lean with the motorcycle.

·       Do not lean in the opposite direction. This is important because:

·       Leaning to the outside will make it more difficult for the rider to achieve and maintain the desired lean angle.

·       Leaning to the outside will cause the motorcycle's lean-angle to increase.  Parts of the motorcycle could scrap the ground or the tires' traction limits could be exceeded, resulting in a potential loss of control.

·       Don’t Panic!  The motorcycle must lean to turn.  It may feel unnatural and somewhat scary, but you'll get used to it. 

C.       Braking with a Passenger

The co-rider ‘s weight adds to the energy of motion that is generated when the motorcycle is moving.  This means that the braking force needed to stop the motorcycle will be noticeably greater than what is required for a solo rider.  Depending on your bike, your weight, your passenger's weight, and the weather, you may be very surprised (shocked, even) at the change in your motorcycle's braking capacity.

It's a good idea to do some test braking, immediately after taking on a passenger, to find out how much greater braking force you will need in an emergency.  The result of that testing will help you determine how much sooner you need to apply your brakes for comfortable stops and how much extra strength you'll need to apply for emergency maneuvers. 

When a motorcycle’s brakes are applied, the weight of the motorcycle shifts to the front.  The co-rider’s seating position places more weight on the rear wheel and thereby increases the amount of traction that will be available for braking on the rear wheel.  However, the net effect is that it still requires more distance to bring the motorcycle to a stop if a co-rider is on board.

The role of the co-rider in straight line braking

·       The co-rider must be careful to sit upright while braking.  If the co-rider leans to one side, the motorcycle will also lean and the amount of traction available for braking will be reduced.

·       The co-rider must also be in control of the shifting of his/her body weight to the front when the brakes are applied.

·       Slamming into the back of the rider could affect the rider’s ability to maintain grip on the handlebars and apply pressure to the front brake lever.

·       Sudden weight shifts toward the front will also lighten the weight on the rear wheel and could contribute to a rear wheel skid.  To prevent this from occurring, the co-rider should be alert for conditions that may arise requiring hard braking.

·       The co-rider should place his/her hands on the waist of the rider to help brace him/herself from slamming into the rider.

·       It is also helpful to lean rearward from the shoulders.  This will help prevent head butting.

·       A final technique is to use the footpegs as a brace and exert pressure on them while squeezing your knees against the seat.  Keep your feet on the footpegs.  Do everything you can to keep from transferring your weight to the rider's arms.

The role of the co-rider when braking in a curve (normal stop)

·       Mirror the action of the rider.  Lean with the motorcycle through the curve.

·       Use the same techniques for posture mentioned in straight line braking.

·       As the motorcycle slows and is almost at the stopping point, the rider will straighten the motorcycle.  The co-rider should sit upright and not lean into the turn at this point.  Again, mirror the position of the rider.

The role of the co-rider when braking in a curve in an emergency

·       There may come a time when the rider is going through a turn and will need to come to a rapid stop.  In this type of situation the rider will attempt to straighten the motorcycle quickly and then apply the brakes.

·       The co-rider should mirror the posture of the rider and stay in an upright position when the motorcycle is straightened.

·       Use the same techniques cited for braking in a straight line.

D.      Swerving

Swerving is accomplished by steering the motorcycle quickly.  The timing of this maneuver will depend on when the obstacle is identified by the rider.  This is one of the many reasons it's important for the passenger to pay attention to road conditions.  If the passenger resists the lean of the bike, the maneuver will be less effective and may cause an accident.

Role of the Co-rider

·       To accomplish this both the rider and co-rider will need to remain seated in vertical position while the swerving maneuver is occurring.

·       Do not attempt to lean in any direction, simply allow the motorcycle to move freely underneath you.

E.       Surmounting (riding over) an Obstacle

Surmounting an obstacle occurs when the rider is unable to stop or can not swerve to avoid it.  This happens more often than you'd like to believe.  On warm spring days, the road may heave, dramatically, creating one of nature's speed bumps in the highway.  Something may fall from a vehicle, just ahead on the road, and there won't be time to avoid it.  I, once, had the thrill of riding over a spare tire that came loose from its mounting at highway speeds.  Motorcycling is a never-ending source of exciting experiences.

Ideally, the rider should forewarn the co-rider prior to surmounting an obstacle to prevent being catapulted from the seat.  More often, the rider is doing everything he can just to stay on the bike, himself, and there was practically no time for a warning or evasive maneuver. 

Role of the Co-rider

·       Rise, slightly, off of the seat, placing your weight on the footpegs. Bend your knees and squeeze them against the seat This assists the motorcycle's suspension, a little, and prepares you for the shock.

·       Hold on firmly to the rider’s waist.  If there was any time to exactly mirror the rider's position, this is it. 

·       Try not to transfer your weight to the rider. 

IV. Handling the Motorcycle in an Emergency

A.      Location/Operation of Motorcycle Controls

In order to handle a motorcycle in an emergency, the co-rider should have knowledge of the location and operation of the motorcycle’s controls. At a minimum the co-rider should know the location and operation of the following basic controls:

·       engine cut-off switch ("kill" switch),

·       ignition switch,

·       throttle,

·       front and rear brake,

·       clutch lever,

·       gear shift lever, and

·       starter button

It is also helpful to know the location of the horn, the hazard lights, and how to operate the CB if so equipped.  The best way for a co-rider to obtain this knowledge is through the Basic Riding and Street Skills Course.

B.       Incapacitated/Unconscious Rider

In the event the rider becomes unconscious or incapacitated while riding, the co-rider, will need to take control of the motorcycle.  The co-rider should:

·       Grasp the handlegrips to gain control of the motorcycle’s direction.

·       Turn the engine off using the engine cut-off switch.

·       Apply the brakes to slow.

·       Steer toward a soft area.

·       Squeeze the clutch lever.

·       Maintain balance and control of the motorcycle as it stops.

If the co-rider is not be able to balance the weight of the motorcycle after it slows, do the following:

·       Raise his legs to prevent them from becoming trapped underneath the motorcycle.  Motorcycles with engine guards or saddlebags may help to keep the rider and co-rider’s legs from becoming trapped under the motorcycle.

·       If possible, the co-rider may want to dismount the motorcycle in the opposite direction of its fall, just prior to its crash.

V.       Raising a fallen motorcycle 

A. Safety Precautions

·       Get Help!  Even a light weight sport bike can be impossible for two people to lift, when it's stuck in an awkward position or loaded with luggage.

·       Avoid touching hot motorcycle parts.  Exhaust temperatures are hot enough to melt lead and more than hot enough to burn skin.

·       Watch for gasoline that may have spilled, creating a fire hazard or a slippery surface. 

·       Battery acid may leak from the battery's vent holes.  Flush and wash any skin or material that has contacted the acid.

·       Brake fluid will damage paint and plastic.  Wash affected areas with soap and water.

B. Raising a Dropped Motorcycle Equipped with Engine Protection Bars

·       If it is on a slope, pivot the bike to point uphill.  Shift into first gear.  If the bike is on its right side, extend the sidestand.

·       Position yourself where you can firmly grasp the handlebars and rock the bike toward you, on the engine protection bars.

·       Use the rocking motion's momentum to roll the motorcycle upright, while bending your knees and using leg power to push the bike upright.

C. Motorcycle without Engine Protection Bars

·       Pivot the bike to point uphill if it is on a slope.  Shift to first gear.  It the bike is on its right side, extend the sidestand.

·       Grasp the low handlebar (the handlegrip nearest the ground) and turn the front wheel toward you.

·       Grasp something solid along the frame with your other hand.

·       Work your knees up under the saddle to help lever the bike upright.

E: Optional Lifting Techniques

·       If bike is on its left side, turn the handlebars to the left.

·       Grasp the right hand grip, push forward and use your legs to lift the bike.  The handlebars will act as a lever to assist in lifting the bike.

·       If another person is available, it may be helpful to have that person stand on the right side footpeg to help counterweight the bike.

V. Practical Assistance the Co-Rider Can Provide

A.      Navigation

It's almost impossible to control a motorcycle and read a map, at the same time.  Co-rider can be a great help reading maps and locating critical information. A co-rider who can read a map and provide directions is a rare and wonderful thing.

Co-rider can also use traditional hand signals to communicate to other motorists:

·       Left (left arm pointing left) and Right (left arm bent and pointing up) turn signals

·       Stop signal (left arm pointing down)

B. Identifying Hazards in the road

Co-rider can act as a second set of eyes to identify hazards.  The location of the hazard i.e. right side, left side, center; should be calmly communicated to the rider.

C.       Packing and Loading Gear for Two

·       Place critical gear where it can be readily accessed.

·       Evenly distribute the stored weight in the saddlebags and trunk. Store heavy items as low as possible and toward the center of the motorcycle.

·       Properly secure the gear.  If you don't, you won't even know when it's gone till you stop for lunch.  The other possibility is that you'll find out something has come loose when it tangles itself in a wheel and brings your vacation trip to a quick stop. 

D.      Time Savers and Common Courtesy

A truly considerate co-rider pays for gas stop expenses.  My wife hasn't accepted this rule, but I keep trying.  A co-rider can also obtain receipts and perform whatever record keeping that needs doing.  The co-rider should have proper change available to pay for tollbooth fees.  A co-rider can reserve restaurant seats while the rider parks motorcycle or refuels.

The typical co-rider will insist the rider stops to ask for directions when lost!!  Thanks Mom.

E.       Keep the Rider Alert and Yourself Alive

There are some things a co-rider can do to make a long trip a lot more pleasant:

·       Guard against highway hypnosis that results after extended hours of riding on boring roads (most freeways and all of Iowa). 

·       When you communicate, try not to distract but do it to keep rider mentally alert. 

·       Occasional shoulder and back massages will reduce the rider's stress and increase alertness.  I'm not making this up.

·       If you've shopped and packed well, you can keep the rider supplied with energy producing snacks.  It's pretty hard to get anything more complex than candy through a helmet visor, so don't be surprised if the rider refuses a meatball sandwich. 

Ride safe and have fun.

Disclaimer Statement

The information contained in this presentation is offered for the benefit of those who have an interest in riding motorcycles.  This information has been compiled from publications, interviews and observations of individuals and organizations familiar with the use of motorcycles, accessories and training. Although the Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Program will continue to research, field test and publish responsible viewpoints on the subject, it disclaims any liability for the views expressed herein.

#18 A Horned Dilemma

All Rights Reserved © 2002 Thomas W. Day

I don't fish, but I used to shoot fish (spearfishing, not a .22 from the river bank). I do know the feeling of having a favorite fishing spot and not wanting to give it up to the rest of fisherdom. Duluth and observed trials is my favorite motorcycling fishing hole.

Twice, in the last four years, me and a handful of lucky folks have had the national trials riders in our backyard and had the pleasure of watching them do their magic without much competition from the rest of you so-called bikers. I wrote about both events for this magazine and, maybe, you read my meager attempts of being there. There is no way, in print or on camera, to capture an observed trials. It's the world's most incredible motorcycling spectator sport and you can be just a few feet from where it happens. Compare that to watching tiny little motorcycles buzz around a micro-motocross track from the nose-bleed seats at the Metrodome.

I'm not trying to talk you into seeing it for yourself, though. Personally, I'd just as soon you all stay home this coming June.. However, some really committed and incredibly nice folks have gone out on a financial limb to bring a World Round to Minnesota and I'd be more geezerly than normal if I didn't at least try to help them get the word out. June 1 & 2, Spirit Mountain. Duluth. World Trials Round. There, now you know. Deal with it.

If brain surgeons were worth a damn, there would be a conscience-ectomy for people like me, to prevent this kind of mental torture. I really don't want you all there. I want to hang with Dougie Lampkin and the guys, all by myself. I love being able to stand inches from the exit point of section seven and watch Geoff Aaron wire-walk his Montesa on one wheel (not necessarily the rear one) through the rocks. I loved getting to pester the observers into considering five'ing an occasional non-compliant national rider.

If you're not there, you'll miss seeing the most incredible motorcyclists in the world in a world-class setting. I'm fine with that. I'll be there if I have to crawl around the course, dragging my IV and bedpan behind me. I think you should go to a movie, read the paper, clean the cat box, and rearrange your sock drawer.

Just getting to look at competition trials bikes is a treat. They're art. They're the most specialized, precision bikes you'll ever see. Sure, they cost a bundle, considering that they are only 350-350cc two-stroke singles, but that's the way art is. Trials bikes are a steal compared to custom-made guitars, stained glass, or 25th anniversary jewelry. All of the trials manufacturers, put together, sell somewhere between 5,000 and 8,000 bikes a year. That's barely a model run for any of the major motorcycle manufacturers. We're talking specialty market, here. A tiny little niche market with dedicated, fanatical riders who know the purpose of every nut and bolt on their bike and are as finicky as audiophiles or surgeons about their machinery. And these manufacturers build motorcycles that meet the demands of these wackos, right out of the box. In fact, two years ago Geoff Aaron won the Duluth national round on a Gas Gas that was uncrated just a few days before the event.

But you've probably seen art and obscure technology before. This stuff bores you and you'd be missing the X-Files on Sunday and god knows they'll never rerun that. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, Fox TV on Sunday in June, you wouldn't think of missing it? I agree. You should stay home.

And the riders, good lord the riders. You can't believe what they do, even when you see it with your own eyes. Even when you see it several times from just a few feet with your own eyes. It's freakin' magic. Some of these guys can, honest-to-the-kahuna's-toe-jam, levitate their motorcycles. They can leap small buildings from a standing start and sail over large ones with a pebble for a lunching pad. They can turn on either wheel, balanced on a stepping stone, and roll up cliffs that I can't scale with climbing equipment.

Of course, why do you care? If you were interested, you could buy the video next year at the Cycle World Bike Show. The Harley needs polishing and the trash needs to be rolled to the curb. Just wait for the July MMM issue, I'll tell you what you missed. The only down side, for us fat folks, is that you have to walk quite a bit to see every section. The upside is that the view from Spirit Mountain is worth the trip, so when you're taking a rest stop you won't be bored. But this year, even hiking is no problem. Spirit Mountain is a ski park and ski parks have ski lifts. For the World Round they are cranking up the ski lifts, so that us fat folks don't have to walk nearly as much. The Duluth planners have worked hard to make the path to the sections as spectator-friendly as possible. They've even tried to organize the event so you'll be able to see someone doing something at every section most of the time. Never a dull moment.

Still, I think you should stay home and plant flowers or mow the lawn. You probably won't like all that motorcycling or the scenery or downtown Duluth the evenings after the event. The worst thing about Duluth is all that designer beer you have to drink and the damn live music they insist on making you suffer through at the downtown bars. Not to mention radio stations that don't play the same three songs continuously. Stick with disco, ducky, it's comfortable.

However, if you miss an observed trials World Round that was held in your own neighborhood, hang up your biker badge. This really is one of those "be there or be square" moments. Miss it and you're not a motorcycle enthusiast, you're a poser. The worst kind of poser, too. A dumb one. A freakin' idiot who doesn't know enough about motorcycling and motorcyclists to be allowed to own decent riding gear.

And I'm glad you are who you are. The more there are of you, the more room there is for me at Duluth. I don't like sharing my toys or my fishing holes.

MMM May 2002

Be Cool

Another Incredible Weekend in Duluth - 2004 World Championship Trials, Wagner Cup, Duluth, Minnesota

All Rights Reserved © 2004 Thomas W. Day

[Due to a website snafu of entirely my own making, this beautifully written, totally professional article (Geeze, I'm joking.) didn't see the light of day until nearly a year after it was written.  However, I still like it and proudly present it here, in its original glory for your consideration.]

Last year, Takahisa Fujinami told us that he likes the United States “very much.” He says it’s because he likes American food, especially breakfast (“ham, eggs, and toast”), but I think it’s because he can beat World Trials Champion Doug Lampkin here and has done it three out of four times in the last two events in Duluth. Victory adds a positive aftertaste to just about any meal, even, or specially, breakfast in Duluth.

Due to the success of the 2002 and 2004 events, the Duluth trials organizers were awarded with a third FIM World Trials event, that will be held early this June. The Spirit Mountain course went through dozens of tweaks during the weeks before last year’s event. Steve Alhers and his team combined natural terrain and two “stadium sections” to reduce the hiking spectators would have to suffer. Friday, the FIM inspectors made a lap around the course and did some tweaking of their own. I was amazed that anyone would think this course needed to be more difficult, but they did. Later in the day, the riders made the same lap and there were comments on how the course was “too easy.”

The Iron Range accommodated the riders by providing ten hours of hard rain from early Saturday morning until a little before the last rider struggled through section fifteen late Saturday afternoon. Lampkin’s press release called it a “torrential rain,” but it just seemed like a normal Minnesota drizzle to me. One section was so hard core (submerged in 4’ of fast moving water) that the FIM closed it after the first rider practically drowned. By the second loop, all of the top riders were “taking fives” on at least one other section because it was impassable, even for the world’s best.

One section that they did ride, section three, was so complicated that Doug Lampkin, the world champ, crashed into a wall, broke his forks, and injured his right leg. That crash cost him a dozen points as he recovered, five’ing the next section and following it up with a five on ten and a pair of threes on six and eight. When the day was finished, Lampkin was still only eight points back of Fujinami (45 points to 53), but he was off the podium and the championship race tie was broken with a Fujinami lead of seven points. England’s Graham Jarvis (49 points) finished in second and Spanish “rock star” Adam Raga (52 points) finished third. The only North American competitor, Chris Florin, finished with 158 points).

The wet weather was especially hard on spectators slogging through intermittently marked trails, sliding and stumbling from section to section, often arriving at the section in time to see the last champ rider vanish into the mist. However, Martin Lampkin, the ex-champ and father of the current champ, said this was “real trials” weather and commented that spectators were privileged to see the world’s top riders struggling with the weather and terrain. He wasn’t being politically correct or condescending to the even. I heard the same sentiment repeated by Spanish, Japanese, and other international trials experts.

Lampkin was still limping as he walked the early Sunday sections. But he was back into his game quickly and Sunday was a totally different day, weather-wise. Sunday’s fog and rain were replaced with bright sunshine and considerably more heat than I’d expected for early June in Duluth. That did a lot to reduce the problems for the riders, too. Fujinami’s 45 Saturday score earned Marc Freixa a seventh place finish on Sunday. A little change in surface conditions goes a long ways in world class trials.

Saturday’s section-by-section battle between Fujinami, Lampkin, and Raga was unbelievable from the first section to the end. The lead changed several times and spectators were running from section to section to see the action. Scores of the top three riders, through two laps around fifteen sections, were 15 and 17 points. Lampkin misread a section and crossed the tape, thinking the section was the same as the previous day. In the press conference, Fujinami admitted he would have made the same mistake if Lampkin hadn’t gone first through the section. That mistake cost Lampkin 5 points, which more than gave Fujinami the points he needed to win the day and the Wagner Cup for the total event win. Saturday ended with Fujinami in first (15 points), Lampkin in second (with 17 points and 23 clean rides), and Raga in third (with 17 points and 21 cleans). Fourth place was Albert Cabestani with 33 points, to give you an idea of how tight the top three positions throughout the day. Chris Florin, again the only North American rider, finished 16th of 16 champ riders with 133 points.

I was told, repeatedly, that US riders don’t participate in world events because they don’t want to be embarrassed or jeopardize their endorsements. Florin is the #4 US Champ rider and if his finish was an embarrassment, you’d think those who didn’t find the time/motivation/guts to take a shot at competing with the world’s best would be even more embarrassed by their absence. Last year’s standing US champ, Geoff Aaron, was in Duluth, putting on a stunt demo at Grandma’s Sports Bar and trying to obtain a press pass to the event. If the other top US riders were in town, I missed seeing them, but they were missed in more ways than they know. Chris was cheered every time he rode, regardless of how he finished the sections. He wrestled with terrain that was impossibly more difficult than typical US champ sections and never gave up. By the end of Sunday, he was more angry than defeated when he failed to complete a section and was riding with more confidence and purpose at the end of Sunday than at the beginning of Saturday. The only way to be the best is to compete with the best.

For the spectators who braved Saturday’s rain and fog and Sunday’s mud and heat, this was the most incredible Spirit Mountain trials event yet. When I got home, I shagged out in front of the idiot box and saw an ad for a new Jackie Chan movie; and was bored. After a moment, I realized I’d seen all those moves, live and on a motorcycle, dozens of times through the weekend. Real life tops Hollywood special effects every time the world’s best trials riders are in Duluth.

VBR3 Lurker Report

We went, we saw, we enjoyed the hell out of the 2013 Aerostich Very Boring Rally III, but we barely rode. I felt like a "lurker" all weekend because I trailered my WR250 to the event, stayed in the RV both nights, and didn't once show up at the rally on two wheels; we always walked across the lot from the campground.

My wife has been complaining about my solo "adventures" for four decades, but she's about as adventurous as Jerry Lewis or Dean Martin (Anyone remember them?). So we bought an RV and a trailer (Yeah, I know. Rub it in.) and off we went to Duluth to pretend to be motorcyclists at the third Very Boring Rally. I felt about as comfortable as I would have at Sturgis on my WR250. Between the air conditioning, the super-convenient bathroom, the go-along dog (at least she isn't a miniature poodle), and my general lack of motorcycle-ness, I don't know if I ever felt older than this past weekend. But my wife had fun and I had some.

We did test the WR250X as a two-up rider for a trip into Duluth Friday night. It did fine, keeping up with traffic at 70mph+ and handling pretty much as expected with about 75 pounds over the recommended gross weight load. So far so good with the plan to use the 250 as our convenience vehicle on the RV road trip we're planning for this winter.

The weather was nearly perfect for the first two days of the rally. Sunday was hot and most everyone hit the road early. Breakfast "brunch" started serving at 7AM and was pretty depleted by 9AM. The trials guys could have fooled themselves into believing spectator interest turned around on Saturday, but Sunday was back to normal after the Aerostich crowd left.

#17 When Chickens Come Home to Roost

http://www.amazon.com/Geezer-with-A-Grudge/dp/B007RPQJ24

All Rights Reserved © 2002 Thomas W. Day

The last time a member of my family owned a Harley Davidson was in 1966. It wasn't even a real Harley. It was a 250 Harley Sprint. which was made by an Italian company with an unpronounceable name and as much chance of surviving international competition as my last three employers. My brother bought the Sprint for $75, after the original owner decided it didn't make much of a farm maintenance vehicle. The Sprint was a two-year-old disaster, but it was a lot cooler than the Cushman scooter that we'd been riding before the Harley came into our lives. After my brother cleaned off the farm mud, the bike sat in my parent's garage for most of a year, suffering teenage mechanical inabilities and general neglect, before my he managed to get it running well enough to ride it to my place. My father wanted that corner of his garage for something useful. My brother mistook me for someone who would be willing to donate yard space without expecting something in return. Man, did he mess up!

In almost no time, we got the Sprint together and running and I put it on the local scrambles track. The Spanish two strokes arrived near the end of the Sprint's last summer of life and it didn't take very long for me to get tired of the taste of dirt. A year and a dozen races after the bike's rebirth, you never saw a more wiped out motorcycle. During the following 30-some years, other than my occasional run-in (usually, run-away) with real Harley bikers, that was my family's last experience with Harleys.

Sure, during the 80s I knew guys who had a Harley backed against a wall in their garage, leaking oil and waiting for a custom paint job that might never happen. In the 90s, just about every middle-aged, recently-divorced guy bought a shiny new bag of Harley garage candy, hoping that expensive American iron really was a babe magnet. But members of my family either hated motorcycles or rode rice, fish-and-chips, or pasta-burners. Bean-burners, more accurately, two-strokes, the three of us who rode loved off-road bean-burners. Later, we burned synthetic beans.

I was the first of my brothers to buy a street bike, and actually ride it on the street. Before that, the closest we'd come to being street legal was the moment before we stripped off the street hardware and "converted" what we'd bought to something closer to what we'd wanted. My first motorcycle with a legal and current registration was a 1979 Honda CX500 Deluxe. A twin, I grant you, but a pretty weird, Motoguzzi-clone twin. From that purchase until this summer, the three of us chugged along as untrendy and un-babe-magnetic as middle-aged men can be.

Belatedly, after the fact, with a combination of embarrassment and arrogance, one of my brothers informed me that this past summer he'd spent an incredible wad on a 2001 Dyna Wide Glide. He was recovering from--you guessed it--a high dollar divorce-inspired cash-ectomy and felt a burning need to do something rash and adventurous. I guess. To me, a V-Max or an R1 or a Hyabussa is rash and adventurous. It's tough to beat ten second quarter-miles or cranking it to near-200mph for rash and adventurous. But that's just my uninformed opinion.

My Harley-owning brother raved about the raw power of his new acquisition. Unless I'm misreading the spec sheet, the fuel-injected Twin-Cam 88 (1450cc) turns out a fairly benign 62 hp with a max torque of 72 ft/lbs., while his porker weighs in at about 650lbs (dry). That's a lot of pork per unit of torque. As a rash and adventurous comparison, the V-Max cranks out about 115hp with an 80 ft/lb. torque peak, while still weighing in at about 600 lbs. I still say there is nothing meaner looking than a V-Max. Harley's quote on the Dyna Wide Glide is "Going nowhere never made more sense."

Huh?

I can't help myself. How about rephrasing that to "Going nowhere quickly never seemed more impossible?" Or something equally sarcastic and appropriate.

"Power" isn't the reason my kid brother bought his new Harley. He bought a new Jeep, too. I never thought of a Jeep as a babe magnet, but anything's possible. I guess. The thing these two toys have in common is expense. That's the thing that most babe magnets have in common, come to think of it. Maybe I'm looking at this all wrong, but it seems to me that the last thing a guy who's recently received a divorce-court-reaming should be looking for is a woman who's attracted to his money.

I think somebody ought to be making a killing selling babe repellent to guys in this situation. But there's no accounting for human nature. Especially to me, since I haven't even figured out what people hear in country music, after 45 years of studying that phenomena.

There's a connection between Harley buying and country music, too. Country songs are all about a guy crying in his empty beer glass because some babe ran off with his guitar, pickup truck, hunting dog, and all his hard-earned money. Buying a new Harley seems to be about getting all that stuff back, plus some new stuff, so that some babe will want to do it to him all over again. Go figure.

MMM March 2002

Trials in the World Court - 2002 World Championship Trials, Wagner Cup, Duluth, Minnesota

[Originally published in Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly, July 2002 about the FIM Observed Trials World Championship rounds held in Duluth, MN. ]

Right here in Duluth, Minnesotans hosted a World Championship Observed Trials. Twice in the last five years, I've written up my experiences at national trials championships in Duluth. This event was my fourth professional trials event in the last eight years. After twenty years of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, it's been more than a bonus to have these events practically in my backyard. If this year's world round hadn't messed up my perspective on what I'd seen in the previous three trials, I'd be happy as a politician in a pork barrel.

The fact is there's not much comparison to be made between the world-class riders and the US-class guys. As good as our riders are, they don't come close to riding at the level that 6500 of us witnessed in Duluth, June 1^st and 2^nd. If you missed it, don't worry, we'll probably have another one in 10 or 20 years. Maybe. The last time a world round came near Minnesota was in 1979, when the event was held in Michigan. Around that same time, the United States' only world champion, Bernie Schrieber, was finishing up his career. I hope there isn't a connection between having a world champ rider in the country and having a world round in the Midwest. It doesn't look like there are any US champions on the near horizon for some time to come.

USA World Round Committee Chair Steve Ahlers designed the course and sections, with help from a lot of folks from the Upper Midwest Trials Association and the Wisconsin Observed Trials Association. Last summer, Steve visited the FIM technical people in California and attended world rounds in Washington and Europe for his training in world class trials course layout. He must have got it right because the FIM crowd visited the Spirit Mountain site a week before the event and approved nearly every section as Steve planned them.

Two days before the event, the riders began arriving for practice. On Friday they were given an opportunity to suggest course modifications. At the riders’ request, section 3, which was considered to be impossible for anyone except, possibly Adam Raga, was slightly modified. The FIM officials added some crash-protection hay bales to the bottom of section 12's monster jump. That modification was tested by some of the earlier riders and they found it to be useful. The riders were also allowed to position some "kickers," rock launch-ramps at the base of specially difficult steps.

4500 people attended the first US round, a pretty good turnout considering the couple hundred who usually spectate at US national events here. I heard several people comment on how few "locals" were at the event, Twin Citizens are not considered local. But even with non-Duluth Minnesotans counted, I think locals were pretty significantly outnumbered by visitors from as far away as our right and left coasts, Europe, Japan, South America, and, of course, Canada. I met reporters from Great Britain, El Salvador, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, France, and Germany in the pressroom and on the course. Thanks to MMM, Martin Belair, Steve and Sarah Ahlers, I got to hang out with those folks and step inside the tape for pictures and interviews.

One big difference between national and world events is the manufacturer participation. Every bike manufacturer was not only there; but there in force. Instead of a rider and his minder/mechanic and a U-Haul trailer, the manufacturers brought a significant portion of their engineering staff, a fully equipped 40' trailer, extra bikes, marketing and sales people, and one team brought their own chef. Honda-Montesa had a larger staff in Duluth than all of the 2000 US national teams, put together.

Saturday was a hot, dusty day in Duluth. The sky was slightly overcast, the sun bore down on the ski trails as if there was no ozone layer or atmosphere to protect bare skin, of which there was more than usual for this part of the frozen north. Even with the ski lifts running (taking passengers uphill only), walking a trials course is a workout. It was pretty easy to tell experienced trials fans from first-timers; the people hustling from section to section were the ones who knew how much there was to miss if you didn't get to see the leaders at each section on the first lap. The riders carefully walk the sections, the first time around, inspecting their routes and rearranging pebbles and dirt to hone their planned path. The second time around, they cook. You have to pick one or two sections to watch to see the best riders even once.

My favorite day one sections, on day one, were the wet and rocky sections, 4 through 8 (Winterer's Wonderland) and 9, 10, & 11 (Deck's Landing). I didn't make it to 12 or 13 before the leaders had past those sections, so I saved them for Sunday. I specially liked the wet sections when the temperature sailed past 90 Saturday afternoon. The bugs liked those areas, too, and I lost a bottle of Gatorade that two mosquitoes mistook for a full vein. No kidding, Duluth blood suckers are that big. Really!

Watching the world champs climb, leap, bounce, fly, and slide over and through water, rocks, and boulders the size of a living room is my idea of a perfect way to spend a spring weekend. The most common phrase heard on section 8 was "no way!" or "impossible!" After watching the first ten riders (the lower ranked riders go first), fumble, fall, and end up drenched to the neck, the first guy to clean the section left the crowd speechless. He was checked, scored, and heading to the next section before we all snapped-to and started cheering. From then on, the section seemed as tame as a highway. The top ten riders barely slowed from start to finish in a section that was impossible, even for them, to walk.

The whole afternoon went that way, the lower ranked riders made sections look as impossible as they were and the top ranked guys rode over them like they were paved. Since the top ranked US guy is Chris Florin, at #40, that didn't give the home crowd much to cheer. Most of the uncomfortable-with-prime-time US riders didn't even show up. The general feeling was that they're getting old and intolerant of losing badly. Geoff Aaron had a conflicting Team Extreme event, but no one I talked to said they believed Geoff wished he was here, instead of hopping minivans and portapotties at a mall. The 2001 US champ, Fred Crossett of Belgium, is a privateer and, being unsponsored, he's ineligible for FIM competition. The US riders who were in Duluth represented the youngest, hungriest riders who were willing to risk their reputations to be schooled by the world's best. And schooled they were. Our best showing, for the two day event was Chris Florin, who finished 25th of 26 on Saturday and 21st of 25 on day two. As a quick reference of the level of riding we saw in Duluth, Chris collected 120 points on Sunday while Takahisa Fujinami and Dougie Lampkin touched rock for 11 and 15 points. Fujinami put a stabilizing foot to the ground 11 times in two rounds of 15 sections, including 5'ing section 4 in the first round! In-freakin'-human!

At the end of day one, the winners were Dougie Lampkin, Takahisa Fujinami and Adam Raga. Points-wise, Lampkin and Fujinami tied, with 21 points. They tied on the number of cleans. Lampkin had six "ones" vs. Fuhinami’s four, so Lampkin won the day's trophy with a technical knockout. It took a little while to be decided, too. There were rumors that political games were being played, that the Lampkin family were haranguing the judges. The issue was less vicious and messier. A section was contested and the original scoring stuck. Since both of these guys ride for Montesa, I‘d guess that serious protests are reserved for the competition.

Riders, dealers, observers, and organizers do this sport for love, in the US. There is practically no money in it. In Europe, it's another story. This is a real pro sport, there, with millions of Euros at stake on the outcome of every event. So the level of gamesmanship is increased proportionally. Riders, minders, and mechanics whine and moan about every lost point. They'll do anything to get an inch on the competition. You know that people this involved know the rules of the game, but if they think there's a chance of intimidating an observer into giving pack a point or five, they pretend they're completely unfamiliar with how points are scored.

In years past, I've been a little discouraged with and disappointed in at the consistency of our observers in national rounds. In my opinion, they've been a lot too Minnesota Nice. Not this trip. Every observer I observed was downright testy when their opinions were contested. They called points quickly and, apparently, knew the rules better than the minders or some of the corporate guys who were trying to squeeze a few points out for their riders. Still, the mushy quality of some of the rules trips up the casual fan. When is a stop a stop? A stop gets either a point or five points, depending on the . . . stoppiness? (Jim Winterer says: "Actually, a very, very brief stop gets zero points, but a total, undeniable stop gets just one point. Going backwards is a five, but it has to be a pretty clear backwards.") Ok, the horse is dead. It was fairly clear that most observers ruled rolling backwards as "cessation of forward motion." Newton and, maybe, Einstein would be happy to see that. I was happy to see the cranky Europeans didn't take advantage of the nice Minnesotans.

While it's always true that trialers are the most meditative of motorcyclists, it's less true at the world level. These guys take their time walking and surveying the sections, but they flat out cook on the second lap. Riding the press truck, we couldn't catch the leaders simply driving from the end of one section to the end of the next group of sections. We rolled in about the time the last riders rolled out.

The Duluth organization could have changed up to five sections for Sunday. They picked two for slight modification. They made the top of section 12 a little more difficult and the top of section 15 a little easier.

The second day was completely different from the first. Sunday was cold and sunny, but quickly turned colder and overcast. It must have been a die-hard day, because about half of the Saturday-sized crowd turned up. It was a perfect day to be hiking Spirit Mountain, though. About 1/2 way to my first section and I was unzipping my jacket. I, mostly, hung out at sections 12-15 for the first lap. Twelve was nicknamed "up, up, and away (to the hospital)" for its 15' first step, terminating in another wall about 20' from the first step with another 10' step. Again, the US riders appeared, looked at the section, and moved on without making an attempt. The first few world riders took at shot at it, all made the big jump, but most failed to clear the 2nd ledge. The first rider to clean 12 was Spain's Marc Colomer. He ripped up the mountain like he was riding a rail. After Colomer, we saw 12 cleans in a row from the world's best.

Being the predictable sort I am, I headed back to my favorite sections at the bottom of Spirit Mountain and watched the water rides. I still consider section seven to be impossible, even though I saw it cleaned a dozen times and, on Sunday alone, riders took 22 zeroes on the section. I don't care; it's still impossible. After wandering around in the rocks and water, I hustled back to the last four sections to watch the leaders roll through to the finish. In the end, #2 plate Takahisa Fujinami beat World Champ Dougie Lampkin by 4 points for the day's win and for the Wagner Cup. His expression as he cleaned and cleared the top of section 15 will be stuck in my mind for a long time. I have probably never seen a happier person.

I stayed for the trophy girl kissing and the Champagne-squirting, took some more pictures of beautiful motorcycles, and came home. For those of you who made it to Duluth, I know you're still trying to comprehend what you saw there. For those of you who didn't, I think I heard this quote almost as often as "no way," "(insert friend's name here) is going to be so pissed that he didn't come." And so he should be.

Aerodynamics or Butt Cracks