Online Video Clip....What happened here?

[hobbner]

  I like watching videos of bike wipe out wrecks, reminds me not to ride stupid and to play it safe and wear all the gear plus i hope to learn something from someone elses mistake.
Did the biker hit a patch of gravel here? he doesnt seem to be even in that much of a lean but his bike obviously was upset at something either that he did or on the road beneath him. he is way over too close to the shoulder of the road and little to zero saftey margin for the turn ahead.  Anything else he could of done to prevent this accident?
http://www.break.com/index/biker_hits_brick_wall.html

[Jeff N]

We've seen this video before, but it's always good to bring it up again.

He's on the far right of the lane on a mountain road, and if you play it slowly you'll see he's kicking up some dust as he gasses it upon entry. Loss of rear wheel traction leads to his bike's demise. Good thing he didn't go over the bridge.

One must always be aware of road conditions.

[Y.B Slo]

I have seen this before, that a nasty wreck! What happened? I don't think it was gravel or sand. I think he downshifted too fast and slid the rear tire making the rear end step out about "6. Then he paniced and rode the into the wall. I think it's cool that you want to learn from other peoples mistakes. I think his mistake was not being smooth. The guy wasn't going that fast or leaned over very far. Get your downshifting and braking done before you lean into the corner. Just being smooth can keep you out of that kind of trouble.

[rselin]

Loss of rear wheel traction leads to his bike's demise.

Plus the subsequent target fixation on the wall he was heading directly toward.  I mean the bike was completely vertical when he hit the wall, no attempt to gather his wits and steer back onto the road.

[DNA]

Plus the subsequent target fixation on the wall he was heading directly toward.  I mean the bike was completely vertical when he hit the wall, no attempt to gather his wits and steer back onto the road.

+1 for target fixation.
He saw hit target and smacked it dead center.  Watch his head.

[cbsnbiker]

I'll add to what others have already mentioned.

The initial problem started before the camera zoomed out to show the entire bike. Something caused the rear tire to lose traction. It may very well have been road debris, or a botched downshift, or perhaps too much rear brake, or a combination thereof.

Once the problem started, the rider did not handle the situation well. Note that the bike started fishtailing once the rear tire regained traction. Also note that the rider put his left foot down while riding. This may be a legitimate technique for motocrossers, but not advisable for street riding.

The already noted target fixation, looking down at the wall, pretty much sealed the fate of that bike.

The rider was wearing all the gear.  

The rider wasn't riding at stupid lean angles, or stunting, or otherwise misbehaving. It goes to show that things can go south pretty quickly.

[servicerifle]

You guys feel free to correct me, as I might learn something from you, but it seems to me that the more I ride, I do LESS if I have a slip and the results are always BETTER.  When I first started riding I had a slip and I shut off the throttle immediately and kinda wigged out, all resulting in a crash.  Now (not that I am even CLOSE to perfect), if there's a slip, I don't seem to do anything...it seems to be over before I even realize it...I think it might be from NOT doing anything rash.

Thoughts?

[DNA]

I make quite a lot of mistakes as well, but like Service, the results seem to be lessening over time.
I believe that the results are not from doing nothing, they are from not doing too much.
If the rear slips, I do not chop throttle, I let off some, but not all the way.
More experience = greater control of the response and less over bearing panic responses.

[foosnut]

Whats the old rule? When in Doubt, gas it!!!  

[scott-sts]

If I get a rear end slide, I usually chop the throttle or, at least, back off on the throttle.  I think it's important to do this before the bike gets sideways but hopefully, this is obvious.  IMO, riders who crash from chopping the throttle were probably kicked out quite a bit and one could argue that NOT chopping the throttle probably wouldn't have helped much.  I think it depends on the bike too.  If you start sliding a busa and don't chop the throttle, you'll be seeing the tops of the trees shortly.
Why do I chop the throttle?  Because I would never assume that my tire isn't covered in oil, or I rode over some anti freeze, sand, gravel, etc.
Some riders will tell you that if you maintain throttle, the rear will come back.  For the most part this is true but if you are riding on something slippery, you are gone.    

[denydog]

You guys feel free to correct me, as I might learn something from you, but it seems to me that the more I ride, I do LESS if I have a slip and the results are always BETTER.  

I kind of agree with that, in a lot of situations. Although as DNA said, not doing too much is probably a better description.

I was riding some twisty roads one day, with my buddy following behind me, when in mid turn I came upon a large amount of gravel across the entire road.  I did nothing and just rode through it, you might even call it freezing up,  figuring that anything I did at that point would only lessen the amount of traction I had.  Unfortunately, I watched in my mirror as my less experienced buddy go crazy out of control and crash.  I've always thought he may have had a little slip, and then overreacted.

[IrishFazerBoy]

Coming home one day, my neighbor started to wave at me.   I didn't think anything of it and continued to ride toward him.   Only as I approached him did I realise that I was on black ice.   I just rolled right over it, too late to do anything about it.   If I saw it 20 feet before, i probably would have tried to brake and probably would have lost it.   Panic is definitely a big factor in solo crashes.

[Ruefus]

My best advice in situations is: 9 times out of 10, the answer is more throttle....not WOT....just more throttle.  The answer is almost never chop throttle.

If you don't know WHAT to do - do nothing, don't brake, don't chop/add throttle.  Look where you want to go and let the bike run.  It knows how to ride better than you do.

It's counter-intuitive, but it's worked for me.  It's a long way of saying "Relax"....but when you put it into a process, it makes more sense to some folks.

[photomd]

Riding dirt bikes helps with stuff like this. Depending on the amount the rear steps out, you can pull in the clutch, let the bike settle down and look where you want to go. That was a very small slip in the video. Pulling in the clutch removes any input from the engine and leaves all available traction to steering.

[rselin]

Riding dirt bikes helps with stuff like this. Depending on the amount the rear steps out, you can pull in the clutch, let the bike settle down and look where you want to go. That was a very small slip in the video. Pulling in the clutch removes any input from the engine and leaves all available traction to steering.

  Sounds like this would destabilize the motorcycle more than anything, possibly even lead to a highside if the tire stepped out enough.  On the street the tire typically slides on loose crap for a brief moment and then hooks up again on clean pavement.  In most of my slides, they were too brief to even think about pulling in the clutch.  I doubt the guy in this video could have pulled in his clutch in time unless he already had his hand on the lever.

Ruefus got it right, keep on the throttle and keep the rear tire spinning.  The gyroscopic inertia of a spinning tire will help to keep the bike up, and ensure you don't highside when you regain traction.

[photomd]

  Sounds like this would destabilize the motorcycle more than anything, possibly even lead to a highside if the tire stepped out enough.  On the street the tire typically slides on loose crap for a brief moment and then hooks up again on clean pavement.  In most of my slides, they were too brief to even think about pulling in the clutch.  I doubt the guy in this video could have pulled in his clutch in time unless he already had his hand on the lever.

Ruefus got it right, keep on the throttle and keep the rear tire spinning.  The gyroscopic inertia of a spinning tire will help to keep the bike up, and ensure you don't highside when you regain traction.

OH...it depends on ones experience, how much it steps out, but pulling in the clutch leaves all available traction to steer...if that's your route of escape. It works. Try it sometime.

Problem here is that it has to be instinct. If you think about the result, it's too late, IMHO. I think the rider fixated on the bridge and he went there. The bike was fine after the wiggle. As always, your result may differ, my way isn't the only way, riding is dangerous, stay home, lock the doors, yada, yada, yada.  

[crfox21]

Some wrecks could be avoided by staying calm.  When I had my first wreck I was simply going straight down a normal road doing the speed limit.  All of a sudden a car pulls out from the right side turning left across me.  If I would've stayed calm and not done anything I wouldn't have locked the front and went down.  Of course, at the time I didn't think the car would see me and stop.  Since it did, though, I could have simply turned sharply and went in front of it.  I didn't want to risk this at the time because that could have turned out much much worse.  I have found that you have to get used to riding close to other cars to some extent and you should definitely practice emergency braking not panic breaking when riding a different bike.  

Also, it may be helpful to note.  If you are going to attempt a u-turn and don't think you have enough room go half-way and stop, then back up and take the rest of it.  Don't wait until you are almost done to realize you can't turn that sharp.  Which brings me to my next point, while driving at low speed, do not stop while leaning.  This will result in a drop.  You need to realize the need to stop well before it happens so you can stand the bike up first.

[info]

With summer coming... tar snakes can do that as well. Although, I've never had that result.

[hig4s]

You guys feel free to correct me, as I might learn something from you, but it seems to me that the more I ride, I do LESS if I have a slip and the results are always BETTER.  When I first started riding I had a slip and I shut off the throttle immediately and kinda wigged out, all resulting in a crash.  Now (not that I am even CLOSE to perfect), if there's a slip, I don't seem to do anything...it seems to be over before I even realize it...I think it might be from NOT doing anything rash.

Thoughts?

I somewhat agree, over reacting can be a very bad thing, but usually not as bad as not reacting at all. Roll off the throttle instead of chopping it, ease on the brakes instead of grabbing a handful, and stay in your riding position instead of sitting up in a panic.