What to do about potholes when riding motorcycle?

Question

Say you are riding at the speed limit of 50mph on a 1 lane dual carriageway road and you see a pothole, big enough to be very unpleasant bouncing over it, and you think it may be too late to safely avoid it.

Question 1: What would your natural reaction be?
Question 2: Do you know what is the proper way to handle it?

If you have had this experience before, what did you do? Afterwards, how did you feel about the way the handled it? Could you be better prepared and handled it better next time?

Answer 1

First, try to avoid it, that would be my natural reaction and the safest course of action Second (if the pothole is unavoidable), slow your speed, in your scenario to about 30-35. Stand up slightly with your knees bent on your pegs, they will act as shock absorbers. Upon overtaking the pothole, accelerate slightly and smoothly. Regain your normal riding posture and smoothly increase your speed after you ride over the pothole. If swerving is not an option, attack this and every obstacle at a straight on or 90 degree angle if possible. This will help you avoid a nasty loss of control if a wheel gets snagged. Oh, the point of accelerating is to trasfer weight and, in turn, grip to the rear wheel and lighten the load on the front wheel, thereby lifting it up slightly. Some people will tell you to lift by your arms, this will not cause as much lift and is very potentially unstable to steer like this. You want to be as solid as possible.

Answer 2

Give the points to Matt B, his is the best answer.

I did in fact ride into a pothole the size of the Grand Canyon, or at least it looked like it at 50mph. The pothole took up the whole lane(gotta love MDOT), and in the next lane there was a car along side of me. Directly in front of and behind me were cars. I was in rush hour traffic and riding stupid.

I heard the car in front of me scrape the other side of the pothole when it bottomed out. I looked up and the Grand Canyon emerged from under the car before me. I had nowhere to go-hence riding stupid.

Honda's advertising shows the Honda name with wings, and I could have used a set of wings then. I basically followed the instructions that Matt has given above and came through just fine. Except for that sudden warm feeling in my chest(a.k.a. FEAR) as my heart was trying to abandon ship when I saw the pothole from hell.

I should have been paying closer attention and not been following a car so closely. A little more space and attention to the vehicles around me and I might well have missed that pothole. I should have left myself a way out, but that day was a nightmare from beginning to end. Better still, I should not have been commuting during rush hour.

Actually, looking back, I should not have been riding at all that day. My head was not in the game and that can get you killed.

Oh, to be young again.
NO WAY!!!
Ride Safe

Answer 3

Motorcycles are quite maneuverable, and if you can see it soon enough, it's no problem to move the bike in your traffic lane to avoid a pothole. If you absolutely can't avoid hitting it, then you should transfer your weight from the seat of the bike to your footpegs by slightly standing up on the pegs and pull back on the handle bars to lighten the weight on the front wheel.

This lowers the center of gravity to help you maintain control, and also reduces the chance of damaging your front wheel when you enter the pothole.

Answer 4

First off learn to panic brake on your bike. Go to a large empty parking lot or deserted road and (starting off at slow speeds and gradually working up to faster speeds) learning how to control your bike and to learn how the bike will react in a panic stop.
After you are comfortable clamping on your brakes at speed (Front and back simultaneously) you are ready for a pothole.
When you are suddenly faced with a pothole at 50 on a narrow road, panic brake, slowing down your bike as much as possible before you reach the hole, letting off the brake just before you go in, standing on the pegs dirt bike style and ride it out. You might want to kind of lean back as you are doing this to take some of the weight off the front wheel, pulling up your bars as the wheel hits the opposite side of the hole. Go dirt bike riding if you have the chance. That's where you really learn to ride. Good Luck

Answer 5

Yes, it happened. This past spring. At 65mph, this wide hole suddenly appeared from beneath the bumper of the car in front of me, at an expansion joint. After the initial "Oh, Shi...", I did exactly like the posters above me. Transfer weight to pegs, so legs absorb shock. Also releives some of the pressure when the bike hits. Slight acceleration just before contact, weight transfer lightens front end. Keep it straight, and cross your fingers (figuratively).
I made it, with minimal damage (I guess). Blew the seals in both rear shocks, had to replace them. I was lucky. A friend had hit a similar hole, his rear wheel broke.
If there ever is a next time, I'll handle it the same way. There is no other.

Answer 6

It is important to always be on the lookout when on a bike, to answer your questions
1. first reaction is "oh sh*t"

2. The best way to handle it is to lean around it, however you dont want to be leaning through it, so if there is just no avoiding it the best thing to do is stay straight dont accelerate or slow down just hold your speed and hold the bars tight while keeping your feet planted on the pegs with some pressure and go over the hole, unless its a crater you should stay up and have no problems.

Answer 7

You apply the brakes to soften the blow. If you are going to hit the hole, then at least this will help you keep control. If at the point of impact you are still traveling too fast, then hold the handle bars tightly and lift your butt off of the seat. Do not stand up, but use your knees to cushion the shock. This will also help the bike absorb the hit, and with some luck, you will follow through. After the incident, have your forks, and suspension checked out to see if all the parts survived.

Answer 8

Matt B. gave the perfect answer. Go to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation web site Library and you can read some great manuals & rider info on your computer. Here is the link:

http://www.msf-usa.org/index_new.cfm?spl=2&action=display&pagename=Library

Answer 9

Report potholes to road maintenance.

Answer 10

kick down your stand, turn off your key, keep it in first so that you are able to come to a gradual slow without the use of a brake. That way, you will be able to stand on your tank to do a front flip. When you land, put your coat over it and gently push it to the other side.