Interesting MC article - Motorcycle-Journal Forums

**Louis** · 11-04-2004, 07:05 AM

SHAG-ging for Safety
Sep 23 '00

There are two parts to riding a motorcycle. The first are the technical skills of knowing how to make the bike go, turn and stop. The other half is knowing how to apply that knowledge in specific situations to keep yourself alive. They work together but having "midwifed" over a dozen people through the Motorcycle Safety Foundation RiderCourse program, I've noticed an interesting pattern in the learning curves for each. When a rider is in the first few thousand miles, the technical skills of riding are more intimidating than the application knowledge. It makes sense if you think about it. The new rider comes to motorcycling with the cultural opinion that the bike can (or will) hurt you and the skills of countersteering and threshold braking are different than what they've used in a car. By comparison, the MSF does a terrific job of applying the technical knowledge in a way that is easy to understand. It all comes down to SIPDE-Scan for potential hazards and threats, Identify them, Predict what they are going to do, Determine your response or escape from the threat, and Execute your plan. Compared to trying to master the clutch with one hand while the other works the throttle, SIPDE is easy

The rest is here

**inspiron** · 11-04-2004, 07:11 AM

I'm sure our UK members are going to have fun with this one ...

"Hey honey, I'm just going out for a SHAG ... don't wait up"

007 · 11-04-2004, 12:07 PM

Thanks for pointing out the article Louis.

I also talk to myself during the ride - it really keeps me alert, and also helps me fight the stupid instincts: like "Lean further! Lean further!" when in fact your stupid instinctual fear tries to keep you upright, or make you use the brakes. I think this system helped me avoid 2 crashes already, in some very nasty curves.

LayinLo · 11-04-2004, 02:42 PM

Interesting, Louis. Good read.

tlwisner · 11-05-2004, 02:22 PM

THe MSF has replaced the SPIDE with SEE (Search, Evaluate, Execute). I guess shorter acronyms are better - although we still have to remember T-CLOCS and FINE-C.

11-04-2004, 07:05 AM	#1 (permalink)
Louis Administrator Joined: Sep 2003 Bike: SV650S '05 (Blue) Location: Gatineau, QC, Canada Posts: 10,657	Interesting MC article SHAG-ging for Safety Sep 23 '00 There are two parts to riding a motorcycle. The first are the technical skills of knowing how to make the bike go, turn and stop. The other half is knowing how to apply that knowledge in specific situations to keep yourself alive. They work together but having "midwifed" over a dozen people through the Motorcycle Safety Foundation RiderCourse program, I've noticed an interesting pattern in the learning curves for each. When a rider is in the first few thousand miles, the technical skills of riding are more intimidating than the application knowledge. It makes sense if you think about it. The new rider comes to motorcycling with the cultural opinion that the bike can (or will) hurt you and the skills of countersteering and threshold braking are different than what they've used in a car. By comparison, the MSF does a terrific job of applying the technical knowledge in a way that is easy to understand. It all comes down to SIPDE-Scan for potential hazards and threats, Identify them, Predict what they are going to do, Determine your response or escape from the threat, and Execute your plan. Compared to trying to master the clutch with one hand while the other works the throttle, SIPDE is easy The rest is here __________________ Louis

11-04-2004, 07:11 AM	#2 (permalink)
inspiron Muscle Biker Joined: Jul 2004 Bike: Blue Suzuki GSX 1400 (2003) Location: Canton Basel-Land, Switzerland (47.4493, 7.76536) Posts: 12,073	I'm sure our UK members are going to have fun with this one ... "Hey honey, I'm just going out for a SHAG ... don't wait up" __________________ There is nothing worse than aggressive stupidity. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe blog: gsx1400

11-05-2004, 02:22 PM	#5 (permalink)
tlwisner Throttle Jockey Joined: Apr 2004 Bike: '05 Boulevard C50 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 3,208	THe MSF has replaced the SPIDE with SEE (Search, Evaluate, Execute). I guess shorter acronyms are better - although we still have to remember T-CLOCS and FINE-C. __________________ Tim Wisner AMA, SCRC Happiness is something we create

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11-04-2004, 12:07 PM	#3 (permalink)
007 TurtleWax Taster Joined: Jun 2004 Location: Boston. MA Posts: 592	Thanks for pointing out the article Louis. I also talk to myself during the ride - it really keeps me alert, and also helps me fight the stupid instincts: like "Lean further! Lean further!" when in fact your stupid instinctual fear tries to keep you upright, or make you use the brakes. I think this system helped me avoid 2 crashes already, in some very nasty curves.

11-04-2004, 02:42 PM	#4 (permalink)
LayinLo Flipper ( Don't Ask ) Joined: Jul 2004 Bike: Crunchy 02 GSX-R 750 Location: Alabama Posts: 3,936	Interesting, Louis. Good read.

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