Loose Gravel on a Downhill Bend
At 16:20 you are riding a 200cc motorcycle alone down a curved hill at 65 km/h. The road is damp after a brief shower. On the outside of the bend there is a patch of wet leaves and loose gravel about 12 m long; on the inside line there is a pothole 30 cm wide and 10 cm deep. An oncoming commercial motorcycle with two passengers begins to overtake a parked car, crossing slightly into your lane. Your rear tyre is at 20 psi against 29 psi recommended, and the front brake lever travels almost to the grip before biting. The bend tightens halfway through. You are in fourth gear and the engine is lugging slightly. Decide your speed, braking point, road position, and what to do if the oncoming rider does not return to his lane.
1. Prioritise the hazards and explain where you would reduce speed.
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The oncoming motorcycle is the first priority because it can cross into your lane within seconds and leave no room. The gravel and wet leaves are second because they limit your braking and steering, and the pothole is third because it is fixed and visible. The tightening bend and your low tyre pressure raise the speed at which the bike will feel unstable, so ride to the limit point: the furthest point you can see the road to be clear. Roll off the throttle early, use engine braking in fourth, and let the speed fall before the bend rather than braking once leaned over. The lugging engine tells you that you are already in too high a gear for the speed; change down before the bend so you have control without a sudden surge.
2. How would you brake and corner given the spongy front lever and low rear tyre pressure?
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With a spongy front lever and 20 psi rear tyre, do not rely on hard front braking, especially on gravel. Brake mostly with the rear gently and use engine braking; if the front lever comes back to the grip, treat the front brake as degraded and test it at low speed before you need it. Slow down in a straight line before the bend, then release the brakes and set a steady throttle through the cleanest strip. Keep your body upright relative to the bike, look through the bend, and avoid sudden lean changes. The low rear tyre makes the bike slow to turn and more likely to wallow, so use a wider entry and a gentler line. If the surface is uncertain, reduce speed further rather than trying to hold a racing line.
3. If the oncoming rider stays in your lane, what is your escape plan?
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If the oncoming rider does not return to his lane, do not swerve blindly. Your escape is the clear strip you can see, but between gravel on the outside and a pothole on the inside you cannot assume the strip is wide. Brake progressively while upright, sound the horn, and move only as far as the clear surface allows. If there is no safe gap, stop in your lane rather than ride into the gravel at speed; a low-speed stop or a controlled fall is better than a head-on. Do not target the pothole or the leaves. Once the oncoming rider passes, re-assess the bend and continue at a speed that lets you stop within the visible road. The key is to decide early, not to improvise at the last metre.