The following is an Air Force film on motorcycle safety. The film is from 1967 and starts out with a doctor doing some kind of surgery on a motorcyclist. The doctor after the surgery engages the motorcycle traffic officer “Rocky Rockwood” and they have a cup of coffee where they discuss different aspects of operating motorcycles. Those who have taken the Motorcycle Safety Foundation class will take issue with braking techniques discussed, the steering techniques as discussed and various other elements. Before thinking you know so much more than the motor officer of 1967 look at the technology of the time and the thinking about road habits. I think it is instructive that the officer redirects the doctor away from learning escape maneuvers to not getting in trouble in the first place.
The “see and be seen” mantra suggested should be recognized by MSF graduates. The scanning and active looking element of the driving task as discussed is also interesting. The human component of the motorcycling activity has not significantly changed. The technological advances have altered the activity. I do look at the kick starting demonstration and think that straight legging a v-twin is a good way to get launched. Perhaps it has merely been to long since I had to kick a bike over.
Amazing. Much has changed but so much is the same.
I felt intimidated by the underpowered bikes, also the guy just seemed so big for that bike and the mirrors… so small and it seemed like his body blocked the view.
It honestly felt like he was going to topside the bike in the curves. They didn’t mention a thing about counter-steering and, having starting riding in the 70s, I never encountered that term until much later.
But the see and be seen mantra still holds. I also can’t count the number of times anticipation riding has saved my tush, drivers seem to be staring right at me and pull out in front of me at highway speeds. *argh*