Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126402
team. If you don't have an extinguisher, try to smother it quickly any way you can - with dirt) sand. mud or your jacket. But if it persists. get away l But troubles along an enduro trail don't always put your bike out of commission. Maybe it's OK but you're not. Maybe you've lost the course and there are no roads nearby. What ' shou ld you do? The most logical answer is to backtrack until you find the arrows again , or until you cross a , road that might take you to where you can pick up the trail. There's danger in going backward -on a marked trail . though . You can't always see the arrows (they're on the opposite side of the trees . posts or rocks) so you don't know immediately when you've picked it up again . Suddenly, riders may be coming at you very fast. not expecting to meet anyone coming the other way. Just such a thing happened in 1976 at a two-day qualifier in Oregon, and the rider going the wrong way was killed. So if you have to backtrack. be alert and don't ride too fast. Getting pinned under your bike after you fall is another hassle you have toendure sometimes. It happens quite often if there's much running in deep sand or muddy ground. and it not only louses up your schedule, it can hurt. Lots of riders start yelling for . help the instant they realize they 're pinned to the ground if they see a spectator or photographer nearby , but ifyou lie there a few seconds figuring out if you're hurt and whether you can work one leg free. you can usually esca pe without assistance. Your arms are seldom underneath your motorcycle following a wipe-out , yet you ' can't use them to lift it ' off you because you're on the ground where you can't raise up enough to get the leverage necessary to move over 200 pounds. Try instead to work one leg ou t if it's not already free , using your hands to help if you need to . Then by pushing with your free foot on any part of your bike that's slightly off the ground. like the seat or handlebars, you can usually relieve the weight on the other leg enough to slide it out. If you're injured But what if you're hurt from a fall or collision and don't know if you can get up and ride to where you 'll find help? If you 're along the enduro route where other riders can see you're in trouble, someone will stop and assist you or send help back when he reaches the next gas stop or checkpoint. Some meets have members of the National Motorcycle Patrol riding right along with the entrants, spread out through the run so one of 'them is always close by with first-aid training and equipment. But even if there is no ' organized on-trail medical help , at a meet..rhe organizers are ready to give assistance promptly when it's needed. Word of a " rider ' hurt moves surprisingly fast along the course; and the organizing club is very familiar with · the area and the location of. nearby doctors and hospitals . -You're in a more serious situation if you're off the course far enough so,you can't be seen easily . Then it's up to you " to attract attention some way . Yelling might' not do much good because of the noise of the 'bikes running by so you'll probably have to try something else if you can't get yourself over to where the People are. After the last rider has gone throughthere is always a clean-up rider who sweeps the course , to. make sure there's no one left out there who needs help. After that you'll be pretty much on your own, - depending on your location , but the chances of this happening at an enduro are almost zero . In fact , injuries are not even common and are seldom serious. • (To be continued) , " " ". Suzuki JUNIOR SIZE Leathers, Jerseys, Boots: Bjll Walters - Stackables Denims - Hi-Points - RG 30% Discount ', (213) 884-0413 Subject to prior sale I No special orders 31. .