You want to avoid the left lane in germany unless you are going atleast 100mph or you may end up on the hood of an Audi.

I'm a trucker, and my ability to see around me is unparalleled by any other vehicle. So the "blind spot" thing is overplayed. However, when I'm on my bike I get by trucks as fast as possible. Two reasons, blowouts on a truck tire are an explosion with alot of debris. The sidewall of a truck tire is about an inch thick so you wouldn't believe the force of a blowout. Another reason is as a trucker, I would rather you didn't linger next to me. If you're going to pass, pass and get it over with.

An excellent blow by blow demonstration of how to survive city traffic on a motorcycle! Many of the principals advocated are commonly encountered but when actually demonstrated on a bike in traffic they are much more easily understood and appreciated. Nice job, thanks!

“These are good people, mostly good drivers.” Yea... maybe in Canada. Certainly not in Florida.

I've been riding on the street for over 30 years, and developed your same habits in my 20s: always have my thumb on the horn, always a finger on the brake, don't be in blind spots, flash the brakes in urgent situations, always watch the mirrors and have an exit plan when stopped at a light. I think this is a large part of how I lived to see my 50s! Thank you so much for making this video. I'd love for you to make a video focusing on street smarts, without mixing the topic with a bike review. Your videos are the best I've found anywhere! Cheers!

Additional tip for riding in the city: keep both hands on the bars at all times, Ryan! ;p

I swear, between FortNine and Motojitsu i have been able to learn AND PRACTICE more motorcycle safety than i thought possible. Both have made me practice good riding habit from the get go so that i dont ever even start to form BAD habits. If your a beginner rider like myself, BOTH channels are an INVALUABLE source of information.

I learned to ride in Los Angeles. Literally, a daily intro into new risks.

Also, something that has always saved me from many dangerous situations is to always look at least one or 2 cars ahead of me. So instead of reacting to a dangerous situation... I would either react ahead of time than the car in front me or at the very least, at the same time.

Great video as usual Ryan… few more tips: - I always try and drive in the vehicles mirrors of the person ahead of me - What about upgrading the stock horn (which always seems weak) to something louder - Sounds a bit dark, but developing the defensive mindset of “everyone is trying to kill me” helps to stay sharp, and aware Anyway, thx for posting!

ryanf9 is about the only guy anywhere who could make a video about something this basic that i'd actually take the time to watch. insightful and entertaining. great work as always honorable sir

I feel sooo proud of myself, I implement all these practices Everyday I ride! 👏🏿

That MEME game is strong. Props to the guy/girl/cyborg that edited this thing, frame by frame.

Someone is getting better at premiere pro :p

"Mostly everyone is a good driver," he says. It is something I wish I could say of driving in Southern California. I cannot.

UK bike and car tuition and tests include a 'Hazard Perception' module, which you must pass to get your licence. It helps riders and drivers learn that what you're coming up to is most important for safety. Motorcycling is 'Continual Dynamic Risk Assessment'.

To the editor who put the Big Bang Theory in the video when he said hell, you deserve a raise. So Good. Meme Game strong

So, lane splitting is illegal in Canada but driving/riding on the left lane (with no apparent reason) is completely legit? Interesting, it is completely the opposite in most of the European countries..

You’re videos, production and creativity are excellent! You’re channel has quickly become one of my favorites... Don’t change what you’re doing... it’s great!

Just yesterday I had to use my escape route from P1 down the left side. There was an accident on the right shoulder and everybody was rubbernecking. Suddenly everyone stops..and I had to emergency stop...but a quick glance in the mirror spotted a woman with her head turned chatting up her friend. I bumped the throttle and slipped down about a foot back and to the left of the car in front of me as the woman behind me slammed her abs so hard it still skidded for a moment. She stopped about within 6 inches of the car next to me. I would have been toast. She didn't apologize or even look my way....when the traffic started moving she didnt even let me go...she just drove on past me...the car behind me waved me back in. Another driver looked at me and said, "Holy Shit! She almost killed you!"

Hey Ryan, love your tips. I'd like to share something I do. Having the acceleration and maneuverability of a bike often means that I'm at the rear of a pocket of traffic. When that pocket approaches someone waiting to turn left, crossing our lane of traffic, that puts me at exactly the point where the waiting driver may try to cross. That's when my desire to live overpowers my desire to be a decent person with which to share the road. I flash my brights a few times as I approach. Stay safe out there, and do what you can to not be invisible.

Great video! I live in San Diego and pretty much ride everyday in traffic, been doing it for years now and I still learned something from watching this video. You make excellent points and the thumb on the horn (something I didn't think of before) is solid

“…I need to be ready” (ready) lmao Your editing in of the effects and snippets is the best. Thanks for the video.

4:55 - 5:00 breakin gifs is why I subscribed. Its the icing on the cake for this channel.

Your in the left lane while getting passed on the right. Wrong.

I ride about 4 days a week in Los Angeles traffic and thought you had some good tips. I myself have struggled to find the horn when I've needed it. Covering the horn is something most people don't think about. Any lane splitting in Canada? It's the only way to get around rush hour here.

I have a couple of tips you didn't mention: ALWAYS check your mirrors when braking for a stop, that guy behind you might be asleep. Weave a little when approaching intersections, you're WAY more visible to the left turners. And my personal favorite - if you wear all black, you'll be looking good when that dude doesn't see you.

Hearing you comment about how hot it is to ride that Harley makes me so glad I don't own one anymore. I used to have to stop and take breaks to cool myself and the bike off. It was like riding around with a volcano between your legs.

Year of watching motorbiking videos and this is the first one I've seen that shows how to ride safely in such a way. Awesome video, very enjoyable to watch. =)

Great video with good tips. I disagree with downplaying ABS though. ABS keeps the average rider from eating asphalt in a panic stop. Also, bike mortality stats strongly favour ABS-equipped bikes. Off road hindrance is not a consideration for most bikers.

I know not all motos have this feature but my 2014 VFR800 has a “flash-to-pass” button on the left grip, and I use it as I approach most, if not all, intersections - ESPECIALLY when I have the right-of-way and see other vehicles waiting or approaching. Getting others’ attention is another good habit and like he said in the video, knowing your bike’s brakes, and being ready to use them can help prolong our vital signs. (Another great FortNine video!)

Man, you are really good at this. Managed to fit a concise tip video with a bike review in the same time. Great job.

I've subscribed. I'm doing my second CBT lesson on Saturday so watching videos like this really helps. thanks for the upload. :)

RYAN: how to Ride a motorcycle in city traffic. me in south Asia: *TEACH ME*

As a truck driver and motor cycle rider I can tell you that the only blind spot on a big rig is directly behind them. they have convex mirrors that give them a full view of their sides. It's up to them whether or not they use them. As a motorcycle rider I prefer the fast and nimble approach to city riding. I'm still alive with two bikes, my favorite is my '07 GSXR-1000

Love the street 750, absolutely great bike to ride around in a busy city

ABS ALLOWS YOU TO TURN UNDER FULL BRAKING!! You cant turn to avoid obstacle if you’re skidding. Just like a car - that’s the magic! Antiblockiersystem. 🏁

2 years from then, nothing change in Montréal (5:33). C'est la vie...

4:22 Such valuable and uncommon sense, I've seen too many helmet cam videos of riders getting distracted by a car driver's mistake that upset them, only to cause a crash themselves because they got emotional about someone else's mistake that didn't really matter.

A few extra things that I do. 1. Look as far down the road as you can. (you give yourself plenty of time to react) Or look at the horizon. Look for break lights as far down the road as you can see. If there is something in the road or an accident it is good to know about it as soon as possible. 3. Use peripheral vision. It's easy to get tunnel vision on anything you do. Why only use part of your eyes ability?4. Do a quick lane check look. I've had a couple of times early in my riding where I looked too long only to look back forward and someone has hit their brakes or decided to make a lane change. It doesn't take a long look for your brain to process what you are seeing. 5. I go with the flow of traffic of course and don't really care about how fast I'm going. I will only give my instrument cluster a quick glance to make sure engine temp and fuel is good and there are no check engine lights. I also have a Scorpion AT950 helmet that allows me to look down with just my eyes instead of having to bend my neck. Very functional helmet with a visor that gives a wide field of view. 6. I like using the left lane as much as possible. But if someone is coming up on my rear fast and it feels safe I will move over till they pass and then get back in the lane. It is nice to put all of the danger to the right and not have extra things that I have to think about. I would say don't be one of those people that camp out in the left lane. 7. I always look for exits and gaps to remove myself from harm. I will not hesitate to take the next exit if I have an encounter with a motorist. I think egos can get in the way and you want to stay on the road no matter what so that you are not inconvenienced with getting lost and having to find a place to turn around and get back on your route. I will take the inconvenience over being seriously injured or dead thank you. 8. Lastly. Don't do road rage. You don't know what type of person you are dealing with, what kind of day they have had or if they forgot to take their meds. It is simply not worth it. If someone gets enraged and tries to take it out on me I will get away from them at all costs. I will slow down or take the next exit off the freeway or road if I have to. Slight inconvenience, but not worth the escalation that could happen. Too many accidents happen just because of this issue. Be safe so you can go home to your loved ones that need you and depend on you.Ride safe.

These are actually some really helpful tips! And great job with the editing. Lol my first motovlog was so basic and that took me forever to edit, I can't imagine how long this took you to do. Keep up the good work! 👌

I like how you talk here like an actual human. its real. You aren't doing your fake business voice. its like a mix of vsauce michael and chills

Hey man, first timer to your channel. I’ve been riding for more that 35yrs and I agree with everything you said about riding in the city. Keep up the good work.

i wish i could like this video twice. great point about not expecting anything from the drivers and taking matters into your own hands. that's the kind of thinking that prevents personal problems

I ride a motorcycle for 10 years now, I could say I am pretty experienced, I also worked as a courier, I also ride offroad and race... But I wanted to take a look at this video because I adore your work. I am so happy to be able to say that I know all of these techniques. But I really enjoyed the video, it is really helpful for all kinds of riders. All the best!

I’ve had to panic stop once. Thankfully I was riding my grom that day and it just looked like I was doing a massive stoppie LMAO.

I learned to ride through Pacific Riding School. I was taught to ride in the lane to what is best for you for the road circumstances. Tip. When approaching an intersection. If you are in a lane where there is/are a/or vehicles beside you and there is a left turn lane in the opposite direction. Be in lane position 3 (right side). This not only allows you to see any potential opposite left turners soonest, but gives you a greater escape area if necessary.

2:50 this is something NOBODY does here in scandinavia. People only use their horn if they're literally 1 second away from a 200km/h fatal chain collision... lol But after spending a few years in china, and seeing literally EVERYONE, from the largest SUV to the tiniest scooter, blipp their horn every SINGLE time they approach or pass someone, car bike or pedestrian, i picked up the same habit. It is SO much better for giving other people better awareness of where you are located, and what your intentions are. Just blipp the horn anytime you come up against a pedestrian at a crossing, to signal you intend to keep going. Or anytime you approach a car from behind, to signal you intend to pass them. It actually gives you a sixth sense of awareness. You can just walk straight into traffic to cross the road without fear, because you know if ANYONE approaches too fast to stop, or does NOT intend to stop, you would have heard that blipp 5 seconds ago. And as a driver, you know whenever a bike approaches on the left or right from behind, every single time. We in the west really need to get used to that habit, because if everyone did it, it'd be so much easier to avoid collisions due to "invisible bikes". Thats why they can have 50 bikes in an intersection in india without anyone hitting each other. Because they constantly twitter at each other like birds relaying sonar pings. Birds dont use sonar? Fuck it, you get the point!

Beautiful things happening in the mirror around 5:50!

Please don't stay in the left lane. It's to be used to pass people. You shouldn't be over taken by people in the right lane. Otherwise, your video is great!

ABS on my dyna low rider s 100% kept the bike upright when a car ran a stop sign at an intersection on a rural road. I was full breaking from 65mph, ABS working on the front and rear, and I came to a stop about 5 feet from the car. I regretted trading in my 1997 dyna for the 2017 for a long time, but after that, the payment for the new bike was worth every penny.

1:20 was the best piece of advice I never, ever, thought about. Thank you.

"insanely hot" *emilia clarke pops up* ;)

That little cloud in the mirror. I was fixated. Nice review

Man, I love your videos. Very informative. You cover such a wide array of knowledge and topics. Extremely useful. You can tell you love it. Thanks for your time and efforts

7:11 the left car’s front tyres synced perfectly

The car at 3:17 turned on their blinker when they were already in the other lane lmao

SPECIAL NOTICE:- THESE TIPS ARE NOT APPLICABLE TO INDIAN ROAD CONDITION. u jst ride like craaazy

This edit makes me soo happy!!!! The ammount of times I paused to giggle!

Six years ago, eh? Lovin' the videos you made while you were in my home town Montréal. Cheers!

Camp in the left lane while people pass on the right? That doesn't make sense.

You are a clever young man, Ryan. I always enjoy your videos. I am happy to note that I do a lot of what you advocate, plus some extra stuff on my own, like flashing my lights when I go through intersections to increase presentation, that sort of thing.

The editing combined with the commentary had me laughing pretty good. Y'all are awesome.

My first bike, in the middle 1980's, was a Suzuki SP125. I got it as a commuter for going to high school. My first real lesson in motorcycling came a week after I got my bike. A young lady in Kodiak Alaska, with a well established family name (they're local "royalty", eye roll here) must have been having a bad day. On my way home from school, I made a right turn off Rezonof and onto 13th avenue. At the same time a big, wide, heavy, baby blue Cadillac made the turn at the bottom of the hill, coming towards me, about 50 yards away. Rather than continue in her own lane on the opposite side of the road, she turned into my lane and floored the Cadillac right at me. I took evasive action to the right which forced me to endo my bike in the ditch on the right side of the road. The cadi slammed on the breaks and skidded to a stop in the wrong lane, half way into traffic on Rezonof. I got up and charged at the car with the intention of dragging that woman out of there and beating her into a coma for trying to kill me. I hollered every swear, cuss and curse word I knew, rushing to grab the door handle, yank her out and throttle her until she saw images of God. I threw my helmet, striking the rear door on the driver's side and, just before I could get to the car, she peeled out, doing a hard right down East Rezonof. I watched her disappear from view and turned back to my poor, innocent, brand new bike, now featuring a busted mirror, scrapes scratches, bent handlebars, a mangled clutch lever and a stuck throttle. It was then that I realize there were 20 little kids watching me with their eyes and mouths wide open. I had crashed 6 feet from the playground fence at the "Small World" daycare center. They saw, and heard, the whole thing. What I learned about riding from this: Take nothing for granted and ALWAYS ASSUME THAT SOME RANDOM @$#%HEAD IS OUT TO GET YOU. Over the years of riding since, this "lesson" has stuck with me and it has paid dividends. I guess I owe that much to that miserable little bee-yatch.

Hello, I really like the detailing and thoroughness of your videos. :) Keep it up man. You are damn on point with the mental calculations and the mirror thingy. Just that I am from India and the heavy traffic and danger zones that you mention in the video is low traffic zones for us :) For us, it like calculating the gaps+ left vehicle +right vehicle + mirrors for other bikes and cars + power of the current bike +pedestrians :D For now didn't consider the wild life that may also come in consideration sometimes :P Cheers! ATGATT Ride safe!

I'm 5'7 and couldn't ride that bike was brutal. And my right knee was all bruised after 15 min.

These two are entertaining, I don't even ride or like motorcycles, but I still enjoy watching the videos. Thanks.

When I'm going through those roads (stroads) that have a lot of cars turning left across my path of travel I make sure I don't hang out in a gap between cars going in the same direction as me. If the gap is big enough for a turning car to squeeze through, the rapid acceleration they use in their rush to get across the lanes is going to be too fast to stop from when they realize there's a hunk of flesh on two wheels in their way. If my direction is one lane I'll speed up and get closer the car in front of me taking the #1 position in my lane giving the turning car the best chance of seeing me. If my direction is 2 or more lanes I'll pull up next to another car and use the fact that the turning driver has a much higher chance of seeing the car next to me than a lone motorcycle to my advantage.

went a little heavy on the editing but great vid as usual

I truly hope that your advice to stick to the left lane was sarcasm. Ride left if you overtake. If not GTFO ! Good show, I'm a fan.

Good tips. I teach up and coming Paramedics driving emergency traffic. I'm one of the few who teach to look at the front tire as you are running code three and passing. You're the only other who've Ive heard mention it.

I think this video is especially good. I haven’t ridden bikes since the 70s but I’m going to get back in. Great food for thought.

wow, how you improved in 3 years editing filming wise lol

02:32 love how he calls that wide open 3 lane one way road a “High Danger Zone” 😂 try riding in London, every road would be a high danger zone haha

Lingering in the Left Lane in Texas can be just as hazardous, as we frequently have left-hand exits which people will serve over for just as they would right-hand exits. Choose a middle lane, and you can keep an eye on everything.

A better example of the city-bike character of your street rod might be Dustin Hoffman in Midnight Cowboy. “HEY! I’M WALKIN HERE! I’M WALKIN HERE!!!”

SOOOO informative video ryan! Your channel really fills a gap in the moto youtube-sphere. Your bike reviews are like top gear(old one) meets guy reachy. What are your thoughts on Honda CB500X? I want to buy my first bike and I definitely want an ADV

Not gonna lie, I can’t remember the last time I passed a motorcyclist in a car.

As someone who is considering getting a motorcycle, not only am I finding your videos helpful, but I really appreciate the number of memes happening here xD

Don't cruise in the left lane. It's for passing and you could be ticketed. I live in Montreal and I've received that very ticket while driving on Hwy 40.

Do not camp in the left lane if people are passing you on the right. Left lane is for passing only!!

Why why why are you riding in the middle of the lane? I see so many riders making this mistake. Pet peeve of mine.

Mmm good call on the “look at the front tire” I sorta did this without thinking but that’s a really good indicator to be consciously paying attention to.

Great tips! So many people don't consider or refuse to believe that just because they aren't legally liable, there are usual things they could have done to prevent an accident. Getting the big picture of your surroundings and leaving yourself an out are 2 biggies.

Yep, love your videos my man, but primarily because of the intelligence, quality and production values you bring. Not a fan of the cheesy modern vlogger style on this one. Still love you long time.

Ryan is the man! Do you think it's a good idea to grow garlic in my parents front yard?

You shouldn't be so sure that the bike brakes better than the van. Even shitty cars tend to brake better than bikes. The reason is simple, it's rubber to weight ratio and the fact that driving a car you can slam that brake without even thinking about falling over, locking up your front tires. Not only that, you won't lift your rear tires as much in a car, so those are actually doing something. In Sweden, showing the fact that cars brake better than motorcycles, is a part of taking your license. When I did it, it was a small van against a sport bike. Both was prepared when to brake. Did it at 50kmh and 70kmh (about 30 and 50mph). The bike didn't have a chance. Regarding keeping your distance to the car in front of you, in order to avoid stuff on the road, that's great. If you are afraid of obstacles, follow the tires of the car in front of you. Keep a bit to the side. Then you won't be aiming for the things the driver in front of you avoids. About ABS? Just look at the video demonstrations for hard braking in wet conditions. The thing with ABS is, you don't choose when bad things happen. And since you don't choose when, you don't choose the grip conditions or have any time to prepare. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/js6Ca9GH0NyukY0.html (Do not that "corner ABS" is not something that every bike with ABS has.)

As a semi driver I can say professional drivers almost never change lanes without a signal and we dont turn it on as we get over like a four wheeler. Its usually a we will be comming over in the near future type of thing. Watch for the signal and make some noise if you are worried he cant see you. You really want to watch out for campers and box trucks that arent used to driving something of that size and limited visibility.

Cover the clutch lever or cover the horn? I prefer the former, what do you think it's better/safer? By covering both you kind of lose the grip on the handlebar

is it illegal to split in Canada?

who would think half a year after, i traveled from Chile to Canada and now i'm watching this in Montreal! Love your videos, they really instructives...

You've explained everything perfectly except one detail. When you change the lane or when you make a turn you need to turn your head to check the blind spot. I love your channel bro!!

Love the editing!!

Do an actual brake test with a few bikes and a few cars. You'll be surprised!

Another good reason for not hanging about when passing a truck is the risk of a blow-out. I was about 50 yards away from one last summer. It was not only deafening, but the bits of rubber and steel banding could have taken my head off if I’d been alongside it.

Truly the best motorcycle content KZfaq and perhaps anywhere.

It's probably somewhere on the internet, but can someone tell me how tall F9 is. It would be a good reference to have since I'm a 6'7".

I disagree with the thumb on the horn, that is why you commit your controls to muscle memory, if you hit a bump or a hole and your horn goes off, it can spook a driver into swerving into your lane or even worse, slam on their brakes in front of you.. Also you should be relaxed and confident when riding, if you focus too much you lose focus on other things if that makes sense. Before the hate starts I have been riding for 5 years so far so good. Oh and I survived the horrible drivers in Hawaii!

Good points. The only thing I would add when in traffic is don’t follow square in the middle behind the cage in front of you. Stay on left or right side of lane because of the debris the cars straddle. Usually the sides of the lane have less in it plus it allows you to see the car in front of them which is what I focus on. That prevents unnecessary break checks.

This is literally the best motorcycle video I’ve ever watched, ever