Potholes are always dangerous because they are among the leading cause of accidents. It becomes difficult when the road user is a motorcycle rider because it is two-wheeled. The first problem that a motorcycle will have to work on is the damage meted on the front suspension. The rim also may be damaged, and the kick handlebars. However, the most impacted section is the suspension because it is where all shock will be absorbed. When you run into a pothole, your suspension of [your motorcycle ought to be laying at a sag point while the wheel moves into the pothole. That suspension extension will help in greater ways to ensure the damage meted onto your motorbike is lowered.
Also, a percentage of the damage is often shared when the motorcycle is trying to get out of the pothole, and the suspension will need to unload for the second time. The length of the pothole will play a key role in dictating the damage that your motorbike will be inflicted. In most cases, your motorbike will not be damaged to a serious point, but you need to know how to handle a pothole when you come across one.
When you hit a pothole when riding at high speed, two things will happen; first, your rims will be damaged, and secondly, you’ll lose control. Of course, as I said when I started this post, an accident will be inevitable when you lose control, which is often a major concern. Potholes will always become deeper when it is raining and during winter. Also, if you’re not certain about any road, it is a good idea always to be vigilant when riding to prevent sliding into a pothole.
How are potholes formed?
Potholes are also referred to as chunk holes. This dangerous road menace is often formed when a minor area of the road starts to deteriorate, and the car tires begin to push the part that is broken out of that hole. And the hole no time becomes broader and deeper during wet conditions since the tires that drive through the section allow water to collect on the depression. With more pressure on the areas, it becomes loose and detaches itself from the ground level. And potholes are hazardous for a motorcycle because the steep hole edge will turn the tire to move sideways and because the sharp edge may end up bending or even fracturing your wheel rim. Potholes are always a road menace that brings a lot of destruction and obstruction to good driving or riding.
When we think about the accidents that occur due to motorcycle accidents, we often think about motorbikes that collide head-on with other motorbikes or vehicles or even objects around the road. But, at times, a danger for motorcyclists emanates directly from the road itself. As we have sighted, Potholes pose an immense risk for people who use motorcycles, much more than other drivers who use the road. In this entire article, we’ll talk about the danger or the risk brought by the use of motorcycles and the potholes and how motorcyclists can take caution to avoid accidents related to potholes. Also, we’ll learn how motorcycles themselves respond to potholes and whether they can become dangerous to other road users.
What occurs in a motorcycle pothole accident?
Each and every motorist ought to learn the danger posed by potholes. In many situations, a driver of a car will take a pothole as a minimal annoyance. But very big potholes may cause great damage and even, at some point, endanger the life of a driver and even the passenger inside an old-model vehicle. On the flip side, the potholes are very dangerous for motorbikes users. As you know, motorcycles are very light compared to cars, plus, they only use two wheels. Worse yet, motorcyclists don’t have safety like that in a car, such as seatbelts, airbags, and metal frames. With many of these safety features, the chances of surviving when a motorcycle hits a pothole are less because it will fully hit and lose control. And in most cases, it can become deadly when it becomes an obstruction to other motorists.
Also, the danger posed by the pothole can vary. Keep in mind that not all potholes have similar depth, and shallow ones may cause less impact as compared to those that have a deep section. Wide potholes and shallow ones are less dangerous compared to deep and narrow ones because motorcyclists will hit with a speed.
Common reasons for accidents that occur as a result of hitting potholes
It is an everyday phenomenal to see motorcycles hitting potholes because of the following reasons;
-The potholes could not be avoided
This first reason happens when you can ride on a road and cannot escape the pothole because the road is busy and pedestrians are using another alternative highway. Also, other cars can prevent you from escaping the potholes, causing you to hit them.
-Underrating the deepness of the potholes
This is also a common reason for accidents occurring because the rider could be new on that particular road, and as such, they’ll end up hitting the pothole at a very high speed which will cause the accident. In this case, they might lose control and veer off the road.
-The pothole could not be visible
With the road becoming inclined, it could be hard or difficult to see the pothole, and as such, motorcycle users can end up hitting the pothole without prior knowledge, which may end up causing accidents.
-The pothole could be filled with water making it invisible
If the pothole is filled with other or other debris, chances of seeing it may be impossible and hence causing an accident to happen. Also, when the road is filled with water, you tend to have an impression that the road is okay, and before you know it, you’ll have hit a deep pothole, which will cause a big accident.
How do motorcycles handle potholes?
There are different motorcycles out there, and depending on the type of motorcycle you own, the response that you’ll see when it hits the potholes will vary. There are those with smaller wheels that will not be impacted a lot, while others with bigger wheels will have their rims bend. The design features of your motorcycle will dictate whether it is suited for potholes and off-road or not. So, you should first know the features of your motorcycle before you can decide to ride it on the wrong road.
Just like a bump, if you hit a pothole, an accident will be eminent, and you may endanger your life and other road users. The kick start of your bike may also be damaged, and you’ll have to do another alignment. Also, when your motorcycle hits a pothole, it will lose control because of a loss of stability. As I earlier stated, your motorbike is a two-wheeled motor machine, and its force of gravity can be lost within no time. So, if you want to ensure that your motorbike stays in the right conditions, you should avoid hitting potholes.
How can you prevent hitting potholes?
Before you can start riding your motorcycle on a new road, it is important to be vigilant on every step you go, else you’ll hit a pothole, and you endanger your life, and even damage your motorbike. There are various ways that you can take to make sure that you’re not hitting potholes. Check them out one after the other.
Don’t ride at a close distance with a car
If you want to keep a watch on the road, you should not ride your motorbike closely to another speed vehicle. We say so because if you’re obstructed by a speeding car and a pothole is on your way, you’ll not have time to evade it, and at the same time, you’ll highly cause a severe accident.
Always watch out during the rainy season.
Of course, during raining season, potholes typically develop on roads. And even water will fill the pothole and flatten it to look okay. And by bad luck, if you’re not vigilant, you’ll hit the pothole and cause a terrible accident. So, it is very important to be very careful.
Ride on the road that you’re familiar with
If you are not sure about any particular road, you should not ride on it completely. Or, if you have to, you need to do it with caution. Again, don’t make your conclusion thinking that the road has no potholes if you’ve not used the road before.
Conclusion
If you are an avid motorcyclist, you need to always beware of the danger that is caused by potholes and ensure your ride cautiously on all roads. Riders need always to become vigilant and observe all road safety measures to prevent accidents. Motorcycling is always fun and captivating when all the road requirements are followed and when you ride with vigilance. You should always strive to avoid potholes while you ride a long a road.
