Common Motorcycle Crash Modalities

It’s been said that there are two types of riders—those that have been down and those that will go down. I’m not sure I agree with that 100%, but I do think that there are old riders and bold riders, but not old bold riders. 

It’s not a topic people want to discuss, but understanding the causes and types of motorcycle crashes can help riders prepare for and avoid dangerous situations. I’ve got a working theory that I’ve been propagating for years. 

Motorcycle crashes boil down to two issues: the other guy and limited traction situations. As far as “the other guy” goes, all you can do is pay laser-focused attention. 

As for the limited traction situations, it pays to understand motorcycle tire traction, limitations, and failure modes. Two common types of crashes are low-side crashes and high-side crashes, which I will explore in detail, alongside other factors that contribute to crashes.