How To Fall Off A Motorcycle

Ever wonder how to fall off a motorcycle? Guest blogger Happy Gilmore shares his tips so if you do feel like falling, it’ll go over a little easier.

When possible it’s best to avoid falling and keep the rubber side down. Most falls aren’t a choice though, so if you find yourself in a situation in which the decision is being made for you here are some things to keep in mind.

ATGATT – ATGATT stands for All The Gear All The Time. I haven’t met a single rider who has never broken this rule, but if you strive to dress smart and wear the protection as much as possible it could mean the difference between a simple embracing fall, a trip to the hospital and weeks wasted in bed rather than riding, or even death. Don’t let Darwin win.

Let It Go – If you feel your bike falling and you’ve tried to save it then just let it fall. A friend of mine broke his ankle trying to save his big Vulcan as it was going down. The ironic part was that his floorboards actually saved his bike after his ankle did a horrible job of it. This poor guy wasted the rest of that beautiful summer looking for pity and watching motorcycle movies when he could have been enjoying the real thing.

(The only bone I ever broke from motorcycling came from keeping a bike upright and striking a vehicle turning left in front of me. I never dropped the bike, kept it up, but broke a bone instead. Jumping off might have been a better idea. – Editor Adrian)

Stay Calm – The human body is an amazing thing, and often you will react the right away before you even know it. So relax. The more relaxed you are the less tissue and muscle damage you will experience as a relaxed body bends and flexes while a stiff arm or leg tends to snap. If you feel yourself falling at speed don’t stick your hands and fingers out to be chewed up, rather make a relaxed fist and keep your arms up and elbows bent to help reduce the impact to your chest and head.

The Right Gear – I can’t stress enough the importance of the proper gear, and with today’s selection you can get helmets in your favorite color and pants/jackets that fit just right and likely breath enough to keep the sport enjoyable even on hot days. That jacket may seem insanely expensive at $300 but the a quality brand has likely spent tens or hundreds of thousands in research and development so that your protective motorcycle jacket can do it’s job if/when the time comes.