Advanced Safety Course LLC

Then our mouths were filled with laughter and our tongues with joyful songs.
—Psalm 126:2

I enjoy telling dad jokes. Once he even laughed.

Send a message to learn more

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
—Matthew 14:28-29

How do you know the gender of an ant? Drop it in water.
If it sinks – girl ant.
If it floats _ _.

Send a message to learn more

FALL 2024—TRAFFIC STOPS & TICKET AVOIDANCE (part 2 of 2)

LAST MONTH’S article on HOW TO AVOID GETTING PULLED OVER ended with, “Way to go Rickey Racer, you got yourself squeezed by the man anyway. So, now that you’ve got the pretty blue lights in your mirrors, and you’re the main attraction for all the rubber-neckers passing by, you’re reduced to trying to cut your losses.” This month we’ll discuss some thoughts about where we go from there.

WEAR THE GEAR—"ATGATT”. Of course, we should all do this before heading out on every ride, as Police Officers like to know that we’re safety conscious. Some riders do like to exercise the “right to ‘bare’ arms” (and heads); however, wearing all the gear will not only save your hide during an unscheduled dismount, but it will also demonstrate that you purpose to ride responsibly and take motorcycling and its risks seriously. And since you obviously care about your own safety, you probably also care about the safety and well-being of other motorists as well. When Officers realize this, they may not be quite as hard on you. A Motor Officer once told me (and others in the meeting) that the least likely motorcyclist to get a second look from a Patrol Officer is someone who’s dressed like a highlighter in high-viz gear, and riding a quiet touring bike.
For we are each responsible for our own conduct. (Galatians 6:5)

PULL OVER SLOWLY. When you see all those lights come on, you know they mean business, so it’s hard not to panic. Just slow down a bit, look for a safe place to stop, use your turn signal to let the Officer know you’re pulling over, and decelerate smoothly. If it takes a few minutes to find a safe place to “face the music”, he or she won’t mind at all.

ASSUME THE POSITION. Police Officers want to know that you’re not a runner—or worse—a “gunner”. Of course, you're an upstanding citizen who escorts elderly ladies and their poodles across the street, but they don't know that yet. Put the Officer at ease by turning the motorcycle off, removing the key, and taking your gloves and helmet off. Remember to keep your hands in plain sight and sit still.
Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:11)

HAVE YOUR DOCUMENTS HANDY. You should always carry your current license, registration, and proof of insurance with you, but don’t start rummaging around for them as soon as you’ve stopped. Tell the Officer where you keep your documents and ask if it’s okay to get them—never block his view of your hands, and where you’re putting them. If you carry—good for you—just hand your CCP to the Officer along with your other paperwork. Legally, you don’t have to do that anymore but do it anyway because you’ve just shown him or her that you’re among the most upstanding, responsible, law-abiding citizens in the country, and have had a thorough and clean background check.

DON’T BE A HOTHEAD. Don’t suck-up, but genuinely appreciate the officer for what he or she does—you can even offer to pray for them. If you give the Trooper a bad time, it probably won’t go well for you. Even if you’re outraged at some injustice, you still want to be as polite and respectful as possible. Then when you challenge the ticket, defer your court date for as long as possible. This way, the officer may not remember enough by that time to warrant following through on the ticket. Plus, there’s always a chance the officer won’t appear in court, and the ticket could be dismissed.
Watch your words and hold your tongue; you’ll save yourself a lot of grief. (Proverbs 21:23)

RIDE AWAY SLOWLY. If you do get a ticket, don’t go squealing off in a rage. Just put on your turn signal, look for oncoming traffic, and pull out slowly and calmly. If you don’t receive a ticket, be grateful!

Hopefully you’ll be able to avoid serious consequences by following the steps listed above. The big take-away here is that our Police Officers have a difficult, and sometimes dangerous job, and they will literally risk their lives to keep you safe. They deserve the utmost respect, and by pulling you over to get you to slow down and ride more safely, they may have just saved your life.

Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God’s emissaries for keeping order. It is God’s will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you’re a danger to society. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government. (1 Peter 2:13-17 MSG)

<
God bless you with His Most Amazing Grace,
Kurt Repsher

09/2024 TRAFFIC STOPS & TICKET AVOIDANCE PART 1

HOW TO AVOID GETTING PULLED OVER:
In next month’s Part 2 of this article, I’ll offer tips for dealing with an encounter with a police officer; however, the best scenario is obviously to avoid getting pulled over in the first place. To begin, let’s get a few things cleared up right away:
- I’m not advocating speeding here—the purpose of this article is ultimately to promote rider safety. Traveling at excessive speeds on public roads is incredibly irresponsible and could easily become deadly.
- Technically, riding at even 1 mph over the posted speed limit is speeding, and you can be ticketed for it—but there’s an expected, and even “unofficially acceptable” speed that’s somewhere between 5 and 15 mph over the posted limit.
- Speed is not always the cause of an accident, but often the more significant hazard is created by vehicles moving at different speeds as they travel together on the same road.

All that being said, here are some ways to help you stay safer and ticket free:

CONSIDER USING A “SCOUT”. Keep some vehicles ahead of you, and if they start slowing down—maybe you should too. Look for brake lights as far ahead as possible—there could either be a hazard or a speed trap down the road; and if you spot a big rig slowing down for no apparent reason, the driver may have heard something over his CB radio indicating he should do that.
When Moses sent them off to scout out Canaan, he said, “Go up through the Negev and then into the hill country. Look the land over, see what it is like. (Numbers 13:17)

BE A TRAFFIC “INSIDER”. If traffic is moving faster than the speed limit (and when isn’t it?!), try to stay within a similarly paced group—most likely, the first or the last vehicle in the group will be the ones that are pulled over.

IS IGNORING THE SPEED LIMIT ILLEGAL? Yup, but with no other traffic around, try to stay closer to the posted limit—too much over, and the local police will almost certainly want to get better acquainted with you. Conversely, if you’re the conservative rider who’s always traveling exactly at, or below, the posted limit, law enforcement can interpret that behavior as a red flag, or even a hazard, since most traffic exceeds the posted limit. Trying to remain unnoticed can often bring you the kind of attention you’d like to avoid—because they’ll be watching for signs of impairment, distractions, or other possible shady activity.
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge…” (Hosea 4:6)

WHERE THERE’S SMOKE, THERE MIGHT BE FIRE. Sometimes there are multiple speed traps on the same road, so if someone tries to run, they’ll be stopped by another patrol car right down the road. So, if you pass a police officer who already has a customer, stay alert—there might be another one somewhere up ahead.

KEEP YOUR BIKE LEGAL. Improperly mounted license plates, excessively loud exhausts, inadequate or illegal lights, etc., etc… will give the police excuses to pull you over. More unwanted attention….

GET OUT OF TOWN. If you’re itching for a spirited ride, head up to the mountains and find some good switchbacks and twisties! Hopefully there won’t be as much traffic, and the speed limits won’t change as often, which makes it easier to keep track of and comply with them.

WAY TO GO RICKY RACER, somehow you got yourself squeezed by the man anyway. So, now that you’ve got the pretty blue lights in your mirrors, and you’re the main attraction for all the rubber-neckers passing by, you’re reduced to trying to cut your losses. So, what do you do now?!
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

STAY TUNED, AND DON’T CHANGE THAT CHANNEL! Next month, we’ll discuss HOW TO (HOPEFULLY) AVOID THE TICKET, or at least reduce the likelihood of getting one, if you get pulled over anyway…

<
God bless you with His Most Amazing Grace,
Kurt Repsher

August 2024: RIDING A MOTORCYCLE WITH A PASSENGER

Riding your motorcycle alone is a great time, though sometimes it’s even more fun to share the riding experience with someone else—but that comes with its own set of rules and responsibilities. The most common term is “passenger”, some may say “pillion rider”, but my favorite is “co-rider”. Like a co-pilot, there are some things a co-rider needs to do, so here are some tips that will make the experience more enjoyable for both the rider and co-rider.

ATGATT: All The Gear, All The Time:
Always ensure that your co-rider is properly equipped with a helmet, armored riding jacket, full-fingered gloves, armored riding pants, and boots. With an unscheduled dismount, co-riders probably won’t see it coming, and won’t have time to brace themselves. Just like you, the better protected they are, the safer it is for them.
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. (Ephesians 6:11)

ARMS & HANDS:
On smaller bikes, some recommend that co-riders rest their hands on the tank, but leaning is easier and less restricted if they put their hands on the rider’s waist. Bigger bikes usually have passenger grab rails, which are the best choice if the bike is equipped with them.

THE HOT STUFF:
If your muffler and exhaust is exposed, make sure your co-rider is well aware that it’s hot! It can severely burn them before they even realize they touched it. While we’re warning them about hazardous bike parts, please also make them aware of the chain and sprocket (or pully & belt), that can quickly devour shoestrings and other loose clothing, and cause certain disaster.

MOUNTING & DISMOUNTING:
Make sure your passenger knows to only get on or off the bike when you tell them it’s okay to do so. If they jump on or off unexpectedly, it could easily lead to your dumping the bike! Then, after they’ve gotten off and moved out of the way, they should tell you it’s okay for you to dismount.
If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. (Ecclesiastes 4:10)

BE SMOOTH:
Pay a lot more attention to being smooth with the clutch, throttle, and brakes. What you think might be a normal transfer of weight under acceleration, shifting, or braking might be very disturbing for the passenger. It’s probably safe to assume they have no idea what you’re about to do—because odds are, they don’t. Riding 2-up is a good reason to use skills like trail braking and clutchless shifting to keep things moving along smoothly.

LEANING:
Tell your co-rider to simply look over your shoulder in the direction of the turn, or to just sit straight up. When passengers move their heads to the rider’s shoulder that’s on the inside of the curve, the center of gravity remains the same. Moving to the outside of the corner might make the bike wobble, and it will lose ground clearance that could come in handy in helping to avoid a wreck.

WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION:
Let your co-riders know they should transfer some of their weight from the seat to the pegs when the road gets rough, and they should also stay relaxed, and not hang on too tightly, or make any abrupt movements. If you have adjustable preload on the rear suspension, you may want to crank it up. You’re adding enough weight to the bike to drastically change the way it corners, stops and accelerates, but adjusting the preload will make it more manageable and predictable. Also, mention to your co-rider that they need to remain still when you’re slowing to a stop, or in the middle of a turn, because shifting their weight will have a greater effect on the way the bike handles at slower speeds. Before hitting the streets, maybe start out by practicing with them in a vacant parking lot.
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24)

THE WAVE:
Don’t forget the biker wave! Co-riders usually have a lot of fun with this, especially if they’re new to riding. I still enjoy it myself, even after almost 45 years!

When riding any kind of motorcycle, it’s always better to be safe than sorry—but when you add a co-rider, it's even more important because you’re accepting the responsibility for someone else’s safety. Make sure you know what you’re doing and are comfortable with giving them instructions concerning how to ride safely as well. Once you have that figured out, all that’s left to do is to enjoy the ride and the companionship!
And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (Hebrews 13:16)

Kurt Repsher
Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. (3 John 1:2)

Why Clutch so Much?!

Riding well just doesn’t happen without being smooth—and seamless, clutchless shifting plays a big role in that. It seems strange that clutchless shifting is almost unheard of, and with an increasing number of motorcycles either being automatic, automatic-“ish”, or they have a quickshifter on them, the opportunities to learn about this technique are becoming even more scarce. Apart from being wonderfully satisfying there are some real benefits to using the very simple riding skill of clutchless shifting.

BENEFITS OF CLUTCHLESS SHIFTING:

#1- SIMPLER LIFE: My guess is that the first and most obvious benefit would be the fact that it’s simply one less thing to think about. Though it’s not really that difficult, the usual procedure of rolling off, pulling the clutch lever in, clicking to the next gear, releasing the clutch and rolling back on the throttle again requires more attention than a clutchless shift.
The Lord preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me. (Psalm 116:6)

#2- EASIER MID TURN SHIFTS: While you’re cornering on our amazing curvy mountain roads, your left hand may not always be in the best position to pull in a clutch lever. But if you’re not using it, that’s one less thing to occupy your brain, which frees up some space to concentrate on other things (like the upcoming ice cream stop???).
For God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. (I Corinthians 14:33)

#3- LESS POTENTIAL TO DISRUPT THE BIKE: Clutchless shifting is so seamless that it doesn’t upset your bike’s suspension (which you really want to avoid when the bike’s in a big lean). Shifting gears in a straight line isn’t really an issue, but being banked over in a corner is definitely where we don’t want to be experiencing stability issues. When using the clutch to run through the gears, it’s simply not possible to shift gears as quickly, efficiently, or smoothly as you can when not using the clutch.
I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. (Psalm 16:8)

#4- MULTITASKING: One thing I can do very easily while shifting without using the clutch—that I can’t do when I use the clutch, is the life-saving technique of trail braking. It’s easy to quickly blip the throttle while maintaining steady pressure on the brake lever, but I’m just not able to keep even a single finger on the brake lever while I fully close the throttle, clutch, release, and open the throttle back up again. This reason alone is enough for me to shift gears without using the clutch.

#5- IT SAVES MONEY: Whenever I’m asked about quickshifters, my response is always the same. “Don’t waste your money. You ‘are’ the quick shifter.” Also, it’s not often that a clutch needs to be replaced, but if you don’t use as much, it should last for the life of the bike.
A wise man saves for the future. (Proverbs 21:20)

#6- IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS: While you’re riding with your friends, they might think you installed a quickshifter on your bike. Then when they realize you didn’t, they may regret wasting money on theirs, and missing out on some of the fun of riding.

CLUTCHLESS SHIFTING IS AS EASY AS “1-2-3”
STEP 1: As you get close to your desired shift RPM, apply a small but firm amount of pressure to the shift lever.
STEP 2: When you’re going to shift, very quickly and slightly blip the throttle, then immediately get right back again. It just needs to be enough to unload the transmission. To upshift, throttle down. To downshift, throttle up.
STEP 3: Move your foot completely off the shift lever, otherwise you may not be able to go into the next gear.

It might take you a few times to get right, but with the sheer simplicity of the technique it shouldn’t take long. And when you do get it right, oh how sweet it is! To see how nicely this works without even using the throttle blip—while you’re slowing down to come to a stop, apply light downward pressure on your shift lever, and just stay off your throttle. When you reach a certain RPM, your bike will shift down a gear just as smoothly as running your hand over new chrome. If you’re doing it right, you’ll soon arrive at the point where using your clutch feels awkward and clumsy.

Something to consider is that different bikes will need different amounts of shift lever and throttle movement, and it also varies at different speeds. You’ll know when you get it right because the bike will pop right into the next gear with basically no effort—or the deceleration that occurs while engaging a clutch.

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.” (John 3:36)

<
God bless you with His Most Amazing Grace,
Kurt Repsher

The 33rd Annual Motorcycle and Scooter Ride To Work Day is Tuesday, June 11. Worldwide, more than an estimated million riders become two-wheeled commuters to demonstrate riding as a fun and practical form of utility transportation. Over 100 American cities formally recognize Ride to Work Day by proclamation, and riding clubs around the world encourage their members to participate in this annual demonstration.

According to the Ride to Work nonprofit organization, for hundreds of thousands of U.S. workers, riding is a socially beneficial form of transportation that provides a broad range of other public benefits. According to the United States Census Bureau and the Department of Transportation, over 80 million cars and light trucks are used every day for commuting, and only about 200,000 motorcycles and scooters are a regular part of this mix. On June 11, the practical side of motorcycling and scootering becomes more visible as a higher percentage of America’s 8 million cycles and scooters replace automobiles.

The first Ride to Work Day was July 22, 1992. For several years, various motorcycle businesses informally promoted every third Wednesday in July as Ride To Work Day. These early advocates included Road Rider magazine, Dunlop Tires and Aerostich/Riderwearhouse. The event continued to grow as an informal grassroots demonstration every year until 2000. That year a nonprofit organization, Ride to Work, was formed to help organize and promote Ride to Work Day. The first Ride to Work Day led by this group was the third Wednesday in July of 2001.

Starting in 2024, the day was changed to the second Tuesday in June to avoid conflicting with Juneteenth, a United States federal holiday, going forward. This day was chosen because A) it breaks up the workweek better than a Monday day does (RTW Day is a demonstration day), and B) a midweek day is more likely to receive media coverage than a Monday or Friday. Ride to Work is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, all-volunteer effort. Organizers include Andy Goldfine and Lynn Wisneski.

NHTSA Report Shows Increased Motorcycle Fatalities

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released its most recent report that shows an increase in motorcycle rider fatalities. According to the NHTSA Motorcycle Safety website (https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/motorcycles), 5,932 motorcyclists were killed in 2021, which represents a 7.7% increase over 2020, which is 14% of all traffic fatalities of any kind in 2021. It is also the highest number of motorcyclists killed in one year since 1975.

Riding while intoxicated accounted for 29% of all riders killed in 2021, which is 19% higher than the year before. Riders without a valid motorcycle license accounted for 36% of motorcycle fatalities. Speeding-related fatalities went up by 7.9%.

The good news is that you’re probably exempt from these statistics, simply because of your interest in reading this type of content. One that’s harder to escape from is the number of fatalities caused by distracted drivers, which increased by 12%. And even when they’re not driving distracted, the greatest risk to motorcycle riders in a multi-vehicle accident is when they don’t see us and turn across our path. Here are a few tips to help motorcycle riders stay safer and ride longer.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people". (Luke 2:10)

#1. BE VISIBLE: Wear brightly colored riding gear. Avoid riding in the blind spots of other traffic. When you can, flash your brake light when you slow down or stop. (Sue and I each wear a Brake Free helmet light that flashes when we stop.)

#2. BELIEVE YOU’RE INVISIBLE: You’ll develop a higher awareness of your environment, and you’ll notice more detail in your surroundings.

#3. GEAR UP FOR EVERY RIDE: Wear good motorcycles riding gear from head to toe. It will generally be made of abrasion-resistant material and provide more comfort and protection than riding without it.

#4. FOLLOW THE RULES OF THE ROAD: Ride respectfully, and legally, creating a safer environment for everyone.
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance. (1 Peter 1:14)

#5. CHECK YOUR BIKE: Do a pre-ride check, which includes looking over your tires and wheels, checking fluids, cables, your bike’s chassis, lights and electronics, and the stands. Use a “T-CLOCS inspection checklist” to help you.

Even without rider fatalities on the rise, and riding getting more risky, “tomorrow” isn’t promised to anyone.

A plan so simple, a child can understand. And we are all children in God’s eyes.
#1- Confess to God that you are a sinner deserving of judgement. (Romans 3:23 and 6:23)
#2- Believe in your heart that Christ died for your sons and that He rose from the dead on the third day. (Romans 10:9-10)
#3- Now pray this prayer: Lord Jesus, I am a sinner in need of Your salvation. I believe You died for me and rose from the dead. I now call on Your name and ask You to save me. Thank You. Amen. (Romans 10:13)
“… I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live…” (John 11:25)

<
God bless you with His Most Amazing Grace,
Kurt Repsher

TIPS TO REDUCE HAND NUMBNESS FOR MOTORCYCLE RIDERS

It’s not uncommon for motorcycle riders to experience forearm fatigue, and other hand/wrist/arm discomfort or numbness; but before we get into the tips on how to reduce it, let’s first ask: “Why does this happen?”

The Mayo Clinic says that hand numbness is usually caused by “damage, irritation or compression of one of the nerves, or a branch of a nerve in your arm and wrist". (The ulnar and median nerves run through the palms of those hands you’re using to hang on to and control your motorcycle). There are a variety of causes for numbness and tingling, but the most common cause is carpal tunnel syndrome, which usually comes from extended or repetitive bending of the wrist. Like any persistent condition, it’s always best to get it checked out by a medical professional, and you could need to follow up with some exercises, physical therapy, or surgery. In the meantime, here are some tips that might be helpful.

RIDER TECHNIQUE:
- Lighten up on the grip, and purpose to avoid the “death grip” on the handlebars.
- Put less weight on your wrists. Even while cornering, there shouldn’t be any weight on your hands. Shoulders, arms, and hands should stay relaxed, upper body loose, with your hands only lightly touching the handgrips.
- Squeeze/pump your hands to release muscle tension.
- Bring a small rubber or tennis ball (or something similar) on long tripps, and remember to squeeze it during breaks.
- Grip your gas tank with your knees to keep weight off your wrists.
- Shake your hands out every half hour or so. Flip the cruise control on and rest one hand at a time in your lap. (Pick a safe place to do this, because you’ll be giving up throttle and front brake control.)
- Increase (and be consistent in) doing exercises to improve overall fitness and core strength.
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

BIKE MODIFICATIONS & RIDING GEAR:
- Replacing stock grips with softer foam grips might be helpful.
- Try heated grips—it's like having a heating pad for the hands.
- If you don’t have cruise control, add a throttle lock, a throttle rocker, or a throttle palm rest.
- Wear padded gloves, like something with gel palms.
- Replace OEM bar end weights with heavier ones.
- Fill handlebars with silicone, or a Bar Snake, to absorb some of the high-frequency vibrations.
- Adjust the brake and clutch levers to a place where it isn’t a stretch to reach them.
- Position or replace your handlebars so your wrists are straighter.
- Use anti-vibration handlebar risers.
- Wear carpal tunnel wrist support braces.

Besides what your doctor (or PT person) tells you, you could need to look into other causes of hand numbness, forearm fatigue, and other hand/wrist/arm discomfort. Some of the above-mentioned suggestions might help, but every person, and bike, is different. Experiment—try some of the above-listed suggestions, starting with the easiest/cheapest fixes first, and see what works for you!

<
God bless you with His Most Amazing Grace,
Kurt Repsher

What a great weekend so far at NCBike, with N2 Track Days and Yamaha Champions Riding School.