Motorcycle stunt riding is a growing sport in the United Kingdom and the United States. However, United States law prohibits "stunting" motorcycles on public roads and it can even get you in jail quickly.
If you're buying a second-hand motorcycle, check if the bike has been stunted. Check for flat spots on the front tire which shows you that the bike has done some wheelies and also check for scratches which could have resulted from a crash. Stunting can trash engines, transmissions and the suspension, so beware unless you intend to use your bikes in the same way, as a stunt bike.
Robert Craig Knievel, Jr. is probably the most famous American motorcycle daredevil. Now considered as both an icon and a legend, he started his career as an entertainer somewhere in the late 1960s. He performed numerous motorcycle jumps which are televised in the entire country. His attempt to jump the Snake River Canyon located at Twin Falls, Idaho back in 1974 was among the most watched (it ranks number 4) event in ABC's Wide World of Sports up until this date. He died last year, November 30 at age 69.
Some Motorcycle Stunts & DrillTeams in the US include the South Florida Bike Crew, D-Aces Stunt Riders Motorcycle Team (Wasau, Wisconsin), TenNinety6 (Kalamazoo, MI) and the Hardly Angels (a Women's Motorcycle Drill Team).
Bob Duffey, a professional Motorcycle Jumper was dubbed as "The Fastest Man on Two Wheels Backwards". He's got an ET of 11.71 seconds and a trap speed of 122 mph. The man is untouched on the dragstrip riding backwards. This record was done on a 1979 stock Kawasaki Z1R-TC, his favorite bike, at an IDBA (International Drag Bike Association) sanctioned event.
Debbie Evans - The Queen of Trials was the first woman to successfully ride in the US Trials during the late 1970s and is generally considered as the best female rider in the history of the sport.
Australian Robbie Maddison now holds the record for the "Longest Motorcycle Jump". He broke it earlier in January this year at an exhibition event sponsored by a big hotel. He leapt 322 feet, 7 inches (98.34 meters) totally and ended up smashing the Guinness World Record of 277 feet, 6 inches (84.58 meters) set in 2005 by Trigger Gumm.
Perhaps the most widely known sport bike motorcycle stunt is the "wheelie". It is a trick where the front wheel or wheels come off the ground and the vehicle is balanced on the rear wheel or wheels.
Other Popular Bike Stunts include the handstand (The rider does a handstand on a moving motorcycle), the Endo (a stunt which lifts the motorcycle's rear tire off the ground while balancing the bike on the front wheel or wheels while still rolling), the Stoppie (stopping a moving motorcycle, so the rear wheel is raised in the air while the machine is balanced on the front tire and comes to a complete stop), 12 O' Clock Wheelie (a kind of wheelie that is straight up and the rider scratches the tail of the motorcycle on the street), Circle Wheelie (wheelie while driving in a circular motion), and Combo Wheelie (a wheelie that features multiple rider maneuvers while on one wheel).
A full range of protective gear should be worn when attempting a stunt in a high powered motorcycle. Some popular brands include Alpinestars, Teknic, Icon, Sidi and Joe Rocket whilst Arai, Bell, AGV, KBC, Icon, Shoei and Suomy are some of the popular helmet brands.
Motorcycle Stunt Riding Facts and More By Nail Khazen
Motorcycle Stunt Riding Facts and More
Motorcycle Accidents – Typical Causes
When you’re out and driving, there’s nothing worse than getting in an accident. Whether it’s just a fender bender or a windshield-cracking, door-shredding crash, accidents are horrible things to witness and worse to experience. If you’re on a motorcycle, accidents become even worse. More than three thousand motorcycle accidents resulted in death last year in the United States alone, and the numbers are just as terrifying in the United Kingdom. With nothing between you and the other vehicle to absorb the impact, motorcycle accidents can be much more injurious than those sustained in a normal car or truck.
Motorcycle accidents are sometimes caused by poor maintenance—because a motorcycle only has two wheels, it is inherently more unstable than cars or trucks, and requires more careful maintenance to ensure safety out on the road. A slightly misaligned tire can result in a fatal crash, as can an engine or brake failure, so always make sure your motorcycle is in top shape.
Also, check the tires themselves. If you leave your tires too long without getting them replaced, the treads can wear away. These bald tires can lead to fatal motorcycle accidents, especially in snowy conditions or on wet roads where bald tires are more likely to hydroplane. Have your mechanic check your tires and make sure they’re still good to ride on.
Bad roads can lead to fatal motorcycle accidents as well. The government can only repair so many roads at a time, and some roads go for years without ever seeing the attention of a road crew. These roads can be treacherous enough to normal cars and trucks, with loose gravel and big potholes that can swallow a tire whole. If you’re on a motorcycle, that pothole can flip your motorcycle over and throw you onto the street, so you have to be a lot more careful. On bad roads, slow down and keep your eyes open, and avoid otherwise very painful motorcycle accidents.
There are plenty of other conditions which may lead to bad motorcycle accidents. Watch out for debris on the road – a nail in the tire at sixty miles and hour could lead to a potentially fatal blow-out. Also, sometimes things get spilled on the road – say a truck has an oil leak and is spilling oil onto the road as it drives. Oil isn’t the most friction conducive material it’s possible to put on a road, and driving over a patch could lead to a slide out and loss of control over your motorcycle. Watch for dark patches on the road that indicate spilled oil.
Then there’s ice. With as much rain as Britain gets, ice is fairly common whenever it gets cold, and when it’s present you have to be especially careful. In a car, a spinout could lead to ending up in a ditch. In a motorcycle, loss of control usually leads to a motorcycle accident – at the best, bruises or broken bones, at the worst, death. The human body isn’t made to slam into asphalt at sixty miles an hour, and won’t react well if it does. If there is ice on the road, drive slowly and very carefully, and you’ll come through all right.
Alcohol and drugs, of course, are an obvious problem. They impair judgment and turn otherwise good drivers into dangerous ones – the only good part of driving a motorcycle drunk is that when you crash you probably won’t take anyone else with you. The bad news is, you’ll still be just as dead. Sleep deprivation is nearly as bad, so make sure you’re always well rested before driving. Remember, because of the small size and low profile of motorcycles, drivers of cars will have a harder time seeing you. The responsibility of safety is up to you, so take it seriously.
Accident claims for the UK market contact Accident Consult for your no obligation consultation. They are experts in dealing with motorcycle accident claims
Motorcycle Accidents – Typical Causes By Carolyn Clayton