Are you a safer rider if you can stunt!!??

[numark1]

I was thinking on the way home from work that most people that stunt (i.e wheelie, stoppie etc) should be safer riders on the roads because they have better control of their bikes and know the limits etc.

I am certainly have better control on my bike than most due to motocross. Can do u-turns even on my ninja a dodle. What do you guys think?

[dransy]

it depends where they do stunts really

[Dom]

The more time you spend on your bike the more you'll learn, and the more you're pushing your limits when you are riding the more you'll learn in the time you're on the bike. Imo, if that makes any sense. I reckon that goes for stunting, track riding and regular road riding.

[Gracie Jones]

I think in short, not necessarily.

I was out riding at the weekend with two guys, one on a bandit and the other on an SV 650.

The bandit bloke was not that great at slow speed control compare with me and SV, perhaps because we both comute in London and Bandit only rides for pleasure.

However, he was a bit of a demon on the twisties. I was very impressed and didn't fancy trying to keep up in all the places he was nailing it - bear in mind we've both been riding similar amount of time and I am on a better bike for what we were doing (ZX6R).

So, there is my answer...

[Git]

I think to a certain degree you have better control but I wouldn't say safer, the longer you have been riding the better you think you are and I feel you take more risks as you think you are billy big balls, hell, I have been riding since like 5years old, had a motorbike before a push bike, my crashes just get bigger and more spectacular

I'm 50/50 hanging up my leather at the moment beacuse if I carry on I will surely die

[G]

Not sure how much wheelies will help, but stoppies definitely teach you about hard braking and how to make full use of it.

Other things involving riding a bike 'on the edge' may help you to save a fall.

Obviously these won't make the rider ride more safely, but may mean they can avoid an accident where others might not.

[Akiraprise]

In some cases yes, other's no.

For example if they think they're invincible then that ushers a big problem with the 'power ranger' type thinking that they really have a chance against that big lorry...weird.

But yea I suppose it could give good control and you will know your bike alot better

[White Noise]

Agree with G, think that the more you arse about in safe conditions the more you learn about your limits!
i can't stunt but the first i want to be able to do is a stoppie as they seem to have a practical aspect on the road.
WN
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[Sparks!]

I think it helps a lot, but you can be a better safer rider and not even be able to wheely/stoppy.. I think it just depends how you ride and what your style is.

Wheelies and stoppies teach you bike control and confidence, comfort etc.. but that doesn't mean you're safe.. safe is defensive riding, taking the right lines, being observant and reading the road/traffic.

Just because you have excellent bike skills from stunting, doesn't mean you're a safe rider or vice versa, IMO.
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[Will87]

Knowing the limits of your bike and your abilities can make you a much safer rider, so maybe yes?

[Sparks!]

[Will87]

I said maybe! I covered my arse!

Knowing how the bike is going to behave can definately help but then you gotta react properly yourself etc. . .

[dotti]

It's catch 22 in my opinion. Knowing the limits of your (and your bikes) abilities can help you out of a sticky situation that might arise, but the best thing is to not get into that sticky situation in the first place.

In the past I've definitely gone through the stunting phase, and the one thing it has taught me is that if I'm ever in a situation where I have to lean more or brake harder that my bike and I have the ability to do so.

Without a doubt the thing that has made me a better rider is my hazard perception. My riding ability may have increased three or fourfold since I first got my licence 6 years ago, but my hazard perception has increased tenfold and maybe even more. This in my opinion is what has made me a better and safer rider. I may have more riding ability than in my younger years, but I'm very rarely in a position where I need to use it.
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[Method]

IMO its all about confidence... if you have the confidence in yourself knowing that you can pull stoppies and wheelies then you have the confidence to be able to take more evasive actions to avoid / prevent / escape from potential / happening hazards / accidents. I know that my speedway/grasstrack experience has helped me get used to the back end sliding out as thats how you get round the tracks, so when it happens on the road, i dont panic and have the confidence in myself that i know how to control it. My moto-x experience has definately made me more confident when going over nasty / bumpy stretches of road, because i have the confidence in my abilities to cope with things like that on the track, i handle it much better when the same situation occurs on the road...
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[bazza]

While you're busy looking good and (thinking you're) impressing the hell out of everyone else on the road, some drooling mingmong in a cage is getting ready to set you up with a T-bone.

Don't get me wrong, but knowing how to control your bike is only half the picture.

Because m4d stunt0r skillz don't mean Jack S. Hit when you're flying over a Volvo on your way to an asphalt faceplant...
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[G]

[BlueNinja]

[Kickstart]

Hi

As Yams said, the extra control helps but that is only a small part of it.

And doing a stoppie or wheelie has little to do with the best braking or acceleration technique and more about practicing the worst weight distribution.

All the best

Keith
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[Dusty]

[G]

As dusty said, I tend to leave my body position about the same for a stoppy. The bike tyres are good enough that it will hold you up, whatever position.
You may go for longer with forward biased weight, but you will also make the balance point lower, which may not be such a good thing.

A wheelie definitely isn't about maximum acceleration, it's usually about minimum acceleration.

May teach you a bit about throttle control etc, but not much that you wouldn't know already by the point you are trying to do bigger ones.

[Kickstart]

[Dusty]

[Kickstart]

Hi

Suspect you are right Dusty, it is more a flaw in the design of modern sports bikes.

All the best

Keith
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[G]

[Kickstart]