How to learn motorcycle riding in India

Three high speed crashes yesterday with a category of bikes that I associate myself with- bikes with a lot of cc, a lot of HP- this side of a helicopter turbine, a lot of Nm or torque- easily the most this side of road rollers.

A Daytona 675R went down with its rider- fatally just north of Mumbai.

Another just as expensive or twice so- Ducati Hypermotard 821- literally broke into two around Lavasa, with news that its rider is alive- and then as if it wasn’t enough a bike twice that cost- a S100RR HP4, went down in Hyderabad again taking its rider with it- to heaven.

Time and again- too much, too little training, too little time acclimatizing to the throttle- and hanging with the wrong kind of people.

The fragile human ego- is easily challenged and at the drop of a hat ready to compete in a show of faster, further, stronger- at anytime. I think ego sometimes doubles up as a pimp for the God of Death.

In sequence- you have to find the right guys to learn from, observe, and train with- and in this only your karma can guide you. After that its your hand that guides you and your upbringing that tempers you- and the sense of what is right and wrong, inculcated in you that will prevent you from chasing people who are more proficient than you- and your judgement that there will always be someone better than you- eventually. And that its ok.

A commercial airline pilot, trained to handle emergencies and save the lives of the hundred who fly with him- if he could fall prey to the lure of being quick, being ahead- then others with far less training, I dread the coming days on the highways.

I call out to group leaders, riders who are looked up on be younger and newer fraternity to encourage good riding, and to be able to cultivate a sense of capability of different motorcycles, that a SuperLow will not stop on braking in even twice the distance of a Ducati Diavel. Racing on NH17 is not the same as flying low between Kolhapur and Belgaum.

I call out to new riders and wish to tell them that there are no older riders- every day is new- every ride is a challenge- there are just wise riders- try and find them and learn from them.

With my riding partners- Sushant and Osborne and the full family at #bombayharriers

Riding in the wet- Monsoon riding In India

Ride Safe in the Rains

2013v

The first showers have hit the city and here are a few points for all of us to keep in mind for a wonderful riding season.

1. Invest in good gear- there is no substitute for good riding wear. A jacket with adequate padding at the shoulders and elbow and preferably on the back as well. Inner body armor like the kind made by Icon or Dainese would definitely be an added plus. Knee guards and above-ankle shoes, should be almost mandatory. Jackets come with detachable inner waterproof liners, make sure you carry them, the HD Sling Bag can do just that. If you examine good gloves, you will find they have a 'squeegee' kind of ridge on the thumbs that works wonderfully to clear muck and grit on the windshield.
Riding while wet and cold is one of the surest ways to fall sick- therefore it is imperative that you are adequately geared to ride comfortably.

2. Clean your gear- send your jackets and body wear for wash, along with your helmets inner liners. Look up the cleaning instructions for your gloves and similarly for your shoes. In case of an emergency clean gear makes it easier to remove and not to mention healthier for your own selves.

3. Mumbai has been hit by the first rains this morning- RAINBOW PATCHES- on the road are what you should look out for and study them on your way to and from work… The initial rains will eke out the sludge left behind by vehicles and all the oil and grease accumulated from last monsoon will surface- making the first week of riding in Mumbai a very tricky affair. The emergence of bubbles on the tire marks left by vehicles ahead of you is also another sure shot indicator of the surfactants and detergents added to fuels and indicating a very high 'slippery' quotient to the roads.
This not only will happen in the first week of monsoons, but also to a smaller degree in the first 10-15 minutes of every downpour through the season, so be careful- pull over and stop, get your rain gear on, and let the rains wash off the crud. Ride again.

4. Apart from rainbow patches, out government uses a very dangerous plastic emulsion paint with reflective capabilities to warm you of junctions, bridge ramps and speed breakers (Some of them atleast)- this plastic emulsion paint has a very poor coefficient of friction and will result in a slip or skid when you need traction the most- to slow down or stop. Please ride aware of these stripes in the city and more so on the highways.

5. Everytime you stop your bike and dismount- you should keep a cloth handy to clean your headlight, tail light and indicators. You will be surprised how the road spray hits the hot headlight and almost dries leaving a layer of dried mud on the glass. Even if you ride 5 mins in the rain, or on a wet road and dismount, please clean your lights.

6. When you are riding, and you see rainbow patches or small bubbles in tire marks, please very gently carry out a traction test. Tap both your brakes simultaneously and see how the bike reacts at the slowest of speeds. This will allow you to know the condition of the road as well as your ability to control the bike with the minor shivers that you may experience- better to know this in advance than to realize that the shiver i going to result in a complete loss of control.

7. While riding, remember to 'chase a taillight-' this will simply mean that you do not ride in line with someones number plate- this allows for two things- one is a good nd clear view of the brake light of the car in front, and secondly to allow you to swerve right or left to avoid hitting the car and giving you a precious few seconds to avoid contact or damage. Given the width of the brake lights these days, you can stay in that zone and avoid the spray from the cars tires, to a large extent- and if you think the spray is hindering your progress, you are too close to the car in any case. Back off.

8. Horizontal and Linear Seperation- is what I remind all newcomers when they ride for the first time- Do not chase in a line… When riding in a group, Never chase in a line. Keep in the same lane and ride in a staggered fashion- so this allows you to see obstruction or hindrance coming up fast and also what is it that is making the rider in front brake--- and if you notice its a dog running from right to left, you will know which way the biker ahead is going to swing to avoid it… and therefore those precious seconds to ensure your personal safety and that of fellow riders. The distances of H/L separation is best decided by your earlier checks for rainbows and bubbles- and of course the traction tests.

9. In turns- we do a few things on dry roads-
a) brake before the turn
b) steady throtte while entering the turn and
c) increasing throttle while lining up for the exit
d) Shifting body weight through all of the aboe steps
while it is raining, or on wet roads, restrict yourself to one of the above at a time- it may sound difficult to do, but even if you are able to remind yourself about it, your riding will be much safer than it used to be. It encourages caution and increases your awareness of the road condition, and almost forces you to pay more attention to turns, and this results in a better and safer ride for you and those with you.

10. On Group rides, be firm with these rules, they are for everyones’ safety. Riders who don't adhere to your group riding style, have the freedom not to ride with you, and also to lead and carry on on their own, without being an hazard to other riders who wish you have good time, rather than compete against the clock.

I wish all our riders a safe and wonderful monsoon riding season, year on year.

Ride safe.
-KD.

PS_ written over two years ago- somehow this missed making it to my blog.

IBW 2015 Safe Riding- the lecture

http://youtu.be/6mQ7semx6s0

Many thanks to the Seventy Event Media Group, and especially Thanush Joesph and Shrijit Patil for encouraging me to take on this topic of riding safe in India. (http://seventyemg.com/aboutemg.php)
grin emoticon and their daring to let me wield a mic on stage.
Many thanks to Karishma and Srinivas for the video
Most and foremost - to the entire Bombay Harriers' family- for doing a fantastic job from Bhutan to Mahabalipuram and The Rann of Kutch to Chandigarh... Without you guys none of this was possible.

Safety Gear- Everything other than Helmets

After the note put up on the Helmet, friends like @RajeevS and a few asked for pointers on safety wear for the rest of the body- here is my attempt at listing my thoughts on the same. These notes are focused on cruising and not for sportbikers, who face far more wind resistance, and need special clothing like full body suits to protect them against the elements. Their bike shoes dont fit on bikes like the Bullet nor suit most of the Harleys- bikes who's background I come from- so its by no means comprehensive- just my thoughts.
NECK- Go to any army supply store and purchase a round-neck warmer for about 80-180 bucks depending on quality, the kind that extends on the chest and over the upper back. The Army trusts it from uniform to ambush... you should too.
GLOVES- Leather palm lined, full finger, with mesh for air intake on the top side, knuckles made of hardened plastic or kevlar, so that if you run into a bush or -ugh- a wall, with your fist clenched once the front brake- you avoid smashing your knuckle. The leather lined palm- more than any accident, is to prevent leaving your skin on the ground, in case of an accidental fall or tip over in your building compound or at a signal when a foolish motorist tanks you from behind.
UPPER TORSO- Wear two or three light T shirts then go and try- Zeus, Rynox, Cramster from the Indian stables (5-7000) to AlpineStars, RJays, Joe Rocket, Rev'it, Harley (8-28000) from the overseas types. There should be lined pockets for armour- on the shoulders and the elbows, as well as a pad for the back. The jackets should come with a detachable rain cover inner, which can be removed and carried alongside to be worn when it rains. The slightly loose fit permits layered clothing in mild winters. The jacket should have adequate mesh and/or zippered openings to control entry of air to keep body cool in the 9 months that India has summer.
INNER WEAR- there are many companies like Icon Stryker and Thor Sentinel (about $110-140), that make products that provide 'hard' protection for the upper torso. There are various Indian companies that make variants, and a quick visit to stores that retail the jackets etc would help you see the range available in India. The strange effect is that this guard fits you like a cosset, and eliminated fatigue from wind and fluttering jackets and give your a nice and comfortable feel by holding your girth in place. Once you get used to this, no way you like riding without the inner guard.
LOWER BODY- My personal preference is to wear riding pants- the kind made again in India like Zeus (which is one of the pants I use) along with a Rev'it which I find more comfortable when riding for anything over 3-days. The pants come with rain-inners, but the main points are- padding for the waist, the rear, and thighs, not to forget integrated knee pads as well. The pants sit snug and secure and in case of an impact they resist tearing for those few crucial seconds more than your plain jeans. The Zeus cost between 5-6000 while the Rev'it came in for about twice as much. For those tasking about local riding- Wrangler came out with 2x and 4x jeans that seemed a reasonably good investment for the ride to office, or the local breakfast ride. Dainese D6, or Alpinestars Hellcat- my current favorite being the Draggin Kevlar Jeans. Price ranges from $130-200. Given the restricted use that could be foreseen- you should invest in riding pants and what follows below-
KNEES- Knee Guards- are a must if you don't have riding pants or riding jeans- Indian ones are available- dime a dozen, however stolen dies for the popular Alpinestars model have got the market flooded with cheap chinese imitations that you cannot tell- except when they shatter in a put-down. Funny, to recommend but here, again Thor Force or Icon Strykers that really don't cost much when you compare it to skinning your knees. Price ranges from 1400-4000 for most products.
SHOES- Any ankle high boot- starting from Caterpillar or Timberland to your Woodlands and Army 'type' boots anything to prevent small stones at high speed hitting your feet, and to prevent- as far as possible the skinning of ankle in a fall. Price range would be from 1500-7000.

Importance of safety gear while riding.

"Dress for the crash" and "You skin looks better on you than on the road" are slogans you hear every day or on the signature of many riders across Forums from Canada to Australia. 
This Sunday, on the Seven Islands ride to Igatpuri, about 110Km on NH 3 towards Nasik, we had an incident inspite of following a brilliant leader to sweeper team of 9 riders. 
Light drizzle, and absolutely just 'a' shower described the beautiful ride. Average speeds of 100-110 and light traffic with the absence of the usual jokers wanting to chase you to take pictures. The ride was as good as it could get.
So what happened next- Sachin, who was riding on a sweeping left hander coming down the Kasara Ghats, doing about 100- had a dog come across and his bike t-boned the dog- and Sachins bike fell to the right, into his angle of lean. The road was clear- no traffic, the Dog came from nowhere-
Amidst 10 riders, clear roads, dry downhill- fast- no reason to worry about gear- and that changed in a fraction of a second- and everyone who hit the brakes to avoid Sachins falling bike must have had their ways in blessing that everyone, save one, was dressed in almost as good as gear-cover can get.
Sachins crashguard- worked as his talisman- and it was amazing to watch for the 6 bikers behind him - that the FatBoy went skidding for about 25 meters or maybe more, before responding to Sachins endeavours to control the bike and it righted itself- and after stabilizing, the bike stopped about >100meters ahead of the stunned riders who braked to avoid running over the spill.
The rider was lucky, but the rider was geared well enough and i would even hazard a small bit that the subconscious knowing he was dressed well, allowed him to concentrate on regaining control rather than wondering which palm to ground to brace for impact.
Being involved with the Chapter here in Mumbai, I get to see riders who come in, barely dressed for the ride, let alone for the act. It feels so distressing and patronising when you tell them that these bikes weigh a good lot more than themselves- and that this one-degree of comfort that possibly allowed Sachin to look more for control than brace for the crash saved him from a nasty spill.
The Crash guard, which almost every rider tells a newcomer to the group did its job. The safety gear worked at a mental level- It is so important. So Important.