Who/what was to blame?

[King Nicholas]

I just got back from a group ride this evening and one of the riders was unfortunate enough to come off in the twisties in Warandyte.
He was ok but his pride and farings did not come off so well.
It was amazing at how many opinions of how it happened were being thrown around the place.

Some of the "expert opinions" included:
a) there was dirt on the road
b) he was riding his clutch around corner
c) the road was damp
d) he got nervous on the corner and straightened up
e) he was following someone elses line rather than taking his own
f) small bikes have narrow tyres
and from the man himself...
g) the corner got sharper as he went into it

With all of these different opinions, I was wondering, for those who have come off before or had an incident, what propotion of the time have you blamed somthing other than yourself and what did you blame?

[robracer]

Sounds like he has confessed to running wide, after many stacks I am happy to say the only one was my fault but I still blame the bus the others can be readily explained with the proportion put down to dumb arse cagers ........ the most recent was an oil slick (from a car) at Eastern Creek.

[photomike666]

It is difficult without seeing the road, how and where the bike landed, and what damage the bike suffered. These are usually the tell tale signs of what happened.

He says the corner tightened up, but what did he do? If he grabbed a hand full of brakes, the bike would have straight lines out of the corner. If he tucked in to turn sharper and the front slid out, there would be a gradual arced slide mark, if he had ridden the clutch, he would have run wide without sliding on the road and skidded once off the road.

It could be a whole bunch of contributing factors.

If you put it all together he went into the corner, saw that it was damp and muddy and shut the throttle (or rode the clutch) in order to scrub off speed (not the best way to do this). Bikes tend to run wide cornering without power, so the rider, now finding himself running wide grabbed the brakes and guarenteed he would not make the corner.

[Wattie]

target fixation....

look where you want to go. not where you're about to crash.

[aardvark]

We have a simple saying when training riders:

Observation, observation, observation.

Lack of observation skills is the primary cause of crashes for bike riders. A greater understanding of the type of observation skills you need to ride a bike well will improve your riding ability out of sight!

[mike-s]

only time i went down it was my own stupid fault. Trying to roll start a dead cold engine and changed from neutral to first as i was cornering out of my driveway and the stiction on the clutchplates caused my rear wheel to momentarily lock. That was enough to cause the bike to drop .

[dilligaf]

was it the right hander at the bottom of a hill with another uphill just after the corner?

[Smitty]

was it the right hander at the bottom of a hill with another uphill just after the corner?

which follwed the lefthander just past the crest after the long straight???

[MickLC]

...
f) small bikes have narrow tyres...

Narrow tyres are better at going round corners than wider ones.

[98ninja]

i blamed target fixation and stomping on the rear brake for my crash a few years back.
the guy who i was following ( whos really quick) said he went round the corner and thought i wouldnt make it.
he said by the time he stopped after it he couldnt even hear the engine running cos i was already down.

[ezzazrx]

Came into a left hander coming down Mt Baw Baw way to hot ---grab some frontbrake, wheel skidded on a bit off stone , so i stood her up and off the road we went. The Stay-Upright course that followed has added much enjoyment to my riding, Ezza (not to mention the book Twist of the Wrist)

[King Nicholas]

There were some sections of road where I had the high beams on and still could not see very well as it was too dark and/or my visor was getting foggy.
What did I do? Slowed down. Not rocket science really.
I find that when I night ride I look much closer in front of me as there is nothing but black around the corner.
This would be worse if I didn't have a naked as my light would not point around the corner as I turn the bars but even so, you lean more than turn the bars.
It was definitely his fault and I would guess he was just going too fast for his ability and conditions.
I was pleased that we got him on the road again, he was level headed about the situation and didn't blame something else like a wanker.
He manned up, took responsibility and then did what I would do: at the end of the ride, ask everyone where the wreckers, best places to get parts etc are!

[myk1979]

The only time i've come off it was entirely my fault, target fixation followed very quickly by a panic and hand full of front brake.........followed by a low side and me sliding alongside the bike trying to hold it up off the road! haha i was trying to save my shiney fairings!

[timmyrocks]

when i come off on the road, i saw a 4wd on a tight road (that cauld barely fit 2 cars in my defence )panicked and went way left, hit some bumps in the road as i tipped in and boom front end gone,
my fault i shoulda stayed on my line .
awwww well these things happen, worst is when you dont know what you did wrong cause you never learn

[Duane]

I had a car come on the wrong side of the spur and collect me. Does that count?