On this page we will be giving regular safety tips.

Reading A Bend;

We find one of the main causes of accidents is that riders who have difficulty in reading a bend over estimate their ability to take the bend at a certain speed. Only when they are half way around the bend do they realise that they are travelling too fast, but by this time it is often too late. It is important to be able to read the limit point, (sometimes called the vanishing point) of the bend. It is only this which can tell you if you are approaching and entering the bend at the 'correct' speed for the curve.

The Limit Point

The Limit point is the optical point where the offside kerb appears to meet the nearside kerb. It is the furthest point along the road to which you have an uniterrupted view of the road surface.

To ride safely you must be able to stop on your own side of the road within the distance you can see to be clear. That is, the distance between you and the limit point.

Your ability to stop on your own side of the road in the distance you can see to be clear detertmines how fast you can go. The closer the limit point, the slower you must go. The more distant the limit point, the faster you can go. Quite simply because you have more space to stop in.

As you approach the bend you will see that the limit point appears to move in relation to your position on the road. If it moves away from you, you can increase your speed, (providing you can still stop in the distance you can see to be clear). If the limit point appears to remain static or move towards you then you MUST reduce your speed as you are travelling too fast.

Don't forget that there is no such thing as a 'Blind' or 'Nasty' bend. It is the excess speed at which we approach them that makes them blind or nasty.

So many motorcyclists are brilliant at riding half way around a bend.....it's the second half of the bend that's difficult. It's only because they have entered the bend at too high a speed they find themselves having to brake or change gear in the middle of the bend, when what they should be doing is applying gentle acceleration to follow the limit point out of the bend as your view opens up, and getting ready for the next one.

Putting it into practice

A good way to practice this is to find a bend that you know well, and you know that there are no hidden dangers, such as driveways or junctions. Then ride the bend ridiculously slowly, but concentrate on the limit point. Obviously you must do this when the road is quiet so as not to inconvenience any other road users. Watch how the limit point moves in relation to the speed of your approach. If you are travelling very slowly the limit point will appear to whizz off and leave you behind!

Now ride the bend again, adding 10 mph to your speed and again watch the limit point move. Keep doing this, adding 10 mph on your speed, until you can see that your speed matches the speed of the limit point, and your view is always opening up.

This will be the fastest SAFE speed that you can take this particular bend.
Once you have mastered the ability to read the limit point on a bend that you are familiar with you should then be able to apply it to every bend you come across. Only this time you should be able to get it right first time, every time!

Now all you have to do is lean the bike over, apply gentle acceleration and enjoy yourself!. Happy riding and stay safe.

If you want to learn how to perfect this and other important riding techniques why not join us on one of our tours and learn whilst you're having fun?