High Side Crash "Ouch"

Wow, that is a really impressive sequence of photos. So close and clear! It's amazing, I raced for years (and crashed plenty) and I never ever got one photo of me crashing :(

On a different note, highsides are pretty nasty crashes. I find however that a lot of riders don't really know what causes a highside or how to prevent one from happening.

How might you describe a "highside" to a new rider and what would be the advice you would give them to avoid having one?

Misti
 
Misti said:
Wow, that is a really impressive sequence of photos. So close and clear! It's amazing, I raced for years (and crashed plenty) and I never ever got one photo of me crashing :(

On a different note, highsides are pretty nasty crashes. I find however that a lot of riders don't really know what causes a highside or how to prevent one from happening.

How might you describe a "highside" to a new rider and what would be the advice you would give them to avoid having one?

Misti
Click to expand...

Misti, since I gather from one of your other posts that you're an instructor and I'm a straight noob, I'll give it a shot :).

A high side is losing rear wheel traction while cornering and being ejected from the bike when the bike suddenly gains traction and rights itself violently.

How to prevent one? Gee, short of spending some time on a dirt bike to learn to drift the rear wheel, I'm not sure considering I'm sure there's a lot of practice and feel involved. I suppose staying on the throttle to keep the rear from gaining traction too suddenly and steering "into the skid" as they say. The fact that staying on the throttle is so counter-intuitive is why I think it'd help to practice this one in the dirt. Also, it looks like the rider in this situation could have had his body moved off of the bike more to allow it to remain further upright. Looks like quite an extreme lean angle.

Me, I corner like a grandpa, so I don't have to worry about it.
 
hoverbikecopy.jpg


:D

Love it.
 
Wavex said:
Instead of asking, why don't you tell us Misti?
Click to expand...

what would be the fun in that? :D besides, real teachers teach by asking and getting the class to think.


i don't have anything coherent to offer so i'll be the dumb student who sits in the back of the class waiting for the answer. :BLAA:
 
I see it as being the regaining of traction of the rear tire with the front and rear tires out of alignment. This causes the rear to 'snap' back into alignment with the front, also 'snapping' the bike upright, which if severe enough can catapult you from the bike in a "I CAN SEE MY HOUSE FROM HERE!" kind of crash.:BLAA:

Avoiding it? Don't lose traction...lol. Don't chop the throttle if you do. Drift both wheels at the same time (might take a little practice:D).
Wear a parachute?:thumbup:
 
Misti said:
...How might you describe a "highside" to a new rider and what would be the advice you would give them to avoid having one?

Misti
Click to expand...

Here is my shot at the answer. Low-side: rider and bike crashes down in the direction of the bike's lean. In the sequence of the photos posted above, the rider and bike where leaned left - if he fell to the left it would a lowside.
High-side is where the back tire continues sliding to the point where it is almost perpendicular to the direction in which bike was traveling (coming around) and the rider is thrown over the opposite direction of the initial lean and over the tank, thus a high-side crash.

How to avoid it? Well if you feel your rear wheel sliding the fear reaction usually is to let go of the gas (chopping the throttle); one must not do this. Stay on the throttle or slowly continue accelerating - fascinating no?
Do I get a cookie? :rolleyes:
 
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Misti on another note, the answer to the following question will be useful to me and others. While on track and before a turn I noticed I don't always automatically prep my body (1 butt cheek off the seat) prior to the turn. Can you please suggest any training exercises so this body positioning becomes 2nd nature?

In judo we would do many repetitive entries (uchikomis) for a throw- just stopping before the actual execution of the throw. If you will, are there any "uchikomis" we can practice for body positioning?

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcqrE8LJIaw&feature=PlayList&p=63784B8B0690313C&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=11]YouTube - JUDO Le perfectionnement d'uchi mata 2[/ame]

This was my favorite throw :D
 
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Explaining a High Side Crash to a new rider?

I try to keep it simple, explaining that a high side crash is when the rider is violently thrown over the front of the motorcycle which usually results in serious injuries.

And one way and probably the most common way for a new student to do that is when your rear tire is out of alignment by locking up the rear brakes and releasing them. So we tell them to just keep them locked the entire time until they come to a complete stop. I hate filling accident reports out.
 
kyle said:
Misti, since I gather from one of your other posts that you're an instructor and I'm a straight noob, I'll give it a shot :).

A high side is losing rear wheel traction while cornering and being ejected from the bike when the bike suddenly gains traction and rights itself violently.

How to prevent one? Gee, short of spending some time on a dirt bike to learn to drift the rear wheel, I'm not sure considering I'm sure there's a lot of practice and feel involved. I suppose staying on the throttle to keep the rear from gaining traction too suddenly and steering "into the skid" as they say. The fact that staying on the throttle is so counter-intuitive is why I think it'd help to practice this one in the dirt. Also, it looks like the rider in this situation could have had his body moved off of the bike more to allow it to remain further upright. Looks like quite an extreme lean angle.

Me, I corner like a grandpa, so I don't have to worry about it.
Click to expand...

Pretty good explanation and I appreciate you joining the discussion :)

Your definition of a high side is spot on and your suggestion to head out on a dirtbike to practice drifting and sliding the rear is a good one (it has helped me in the past).

The natural reaction of most riders (myself included) is to chop the throttle and tense up on the bike when we feel the rear end slide and this is what actually causes the bike to regain traction and you to fly off. That being said, the solution to preventing a high-side is to not chop the throttle. Easier said than done.

You don't need to steer into the direction of the slide either (works in cars but bikes are different)

I ask these questions to facilitate discussion and to get everyone thinking about their own riding so I appreciate everyone chiming in.

To fully answer my own question I'm posting this link to an article I wrote that was published both in Motorcycle Mojo Magazine and Roadracing World.

http://www.mistihurst.com/files/J_F_07.pdf

I hope it helps :)

Misti
 
nimzotech said:
Misti on another note, the answer to the following question will be useful to me and others. While on track and before a turn I noticed I don't always automatically prep my body (1 butt cheek off the seat) prior to the turn. Can you please suggest any training exercises so this body positioning becomes 2nd nature?

In judo we would do many repetitive entries (uchikomis) for a throw- just stopping before the actual execution of the throw. If you will, are there any "uchikomis" we can practice for body positioning?


This was my favorite throw :D
Click to expand...

Ahhhhh, fellow martial artist :) I did Aikido, Karate and Kickboxing and really want to get back into it.

As for your body position, are you comfortable with the position you want to be in but just have difficulty remembering to get into place before the turn? If that is the case it really just comes down to "uchikomis". You just need to practice it over and over again (or have a coach like me ride behind you and kick your butt when you forget to set up early :)

I remind myself to look into the turn BEFORE I actually turn the bike by yelling in my helmet, "LOOK........TURN....." so maybe you need to yell "GET YOUR BUTT OVER EARLY!" or something like that :)

If your question is more around HOW to achieve good body position then let me know. In the mean time, practice those Uchikomis!

Misti
 
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