We switched to the big bikes after a couple of hours riding trials bikes, which don't have seats at all. Standing up for that long on these super light weight, powerful and very twitchy machines pretty much wiped me out, so a chance to ride BMW's latest evolution of the legendary GS was a nice change. It was a blisteringly hot day well into the mid-thirties Celsius and I was drenched after the trials gymnastics, so I did what I usually do and stand up on the pegs once we got moving to air out a bit and get a feel for how the bike moves.
Clinton doing pre-flight checks on the BMW - it's a digital machine. |
I've frequently stood up on the pegs while riding in order to maintain a level of comfort by cooling off or stretching that would allow me to ride with better focus. I've only done this on adventure bikes designed for it and there is no intention of stunting in this. At other times I've done it to navigate particularly gnarly pavement and construction or provide greater situational awareness by better seeing what's ahead. The types of bikes I ride are designed to use this variation in rider position to actually enhance control of the vehicle. Ignorance of the law is no excuse, but ignorance of riding dynamics and best safety practices are evidently par for the course.
The only place 'motorcycle' is mentioned in the law is around wheelies, otherwise generalizations about cars are all we get. |
I'm very conscious of how physically challenging motorcycle riding is and consider it a priority to retain maximum focus and control of these potentially dangerous vehicles. In Ontario, where riders can't split traffic and filter, and where temperatures in the summer can easily hit danger levels, the unprotected motorcyclist under the baking sun is forced to sit in stationary traffic and fumes and isn't even allowed to stand up to get some air when things move? It's like Ontario wants to kill people who ride.
I've gone on rides at various times where road conditions are such that standing on the pegs actually helps me navigate circumstances and manage road hazards more safely. Standing on the pegs can, as CycleWorld describes it, turn "you into a dynamic part of your bike" and "an active part of the suspension." Thanks to Ontario's vague laws and officious police force and judiciary I can get had up for stunt riding when I stand up to correctly navigate terrible road surfaces (of which Ontario has many), road construction (of which Ontario has lots) or if I simply need a better look at what is happening ahead. Situation awareness is just another one of the many benefits of standing on your pegs, but Ontario is more interested in charging citizens with harsh, non-specific generalizations that can financially cripple them than it is with focusing motorcyclists on safe operation.
The general advice online is if you need to stand just lift your butt a bit so you can make the argument that you aren't standing - you are and you're breaking the law, but at least you're putting your life at risk doing it wrong so it looks legal. This doesn't offer you optimal control, but safe operation of a motorcycle isn't what we're going after anymore, is it? The other way out is to have a nice, amiable chat with the officer and assure them that what you're doing is pertinent to the nature of the multi-disciplinary machine you're on. You might not be able to make that argument with sports bikes or cruisers, but if your bike has any off road pretensions, standing on the pegs is something it was designed for that actually helps a rider manage difficult terrain while offering real benefits in situational awareness.
Next time I'm on an atrocious Ontario road getting my teeth knocked out by a loose and dangerous surface I imagine I'll do the safe thing and stand up to better manage it, but I better keep an eye out for the law while I do it. Wouldn't it be something is safe vehicle operation was what drove our laws instead of vagaries that allow officious cops to make criminals of otherwise law abiding citizens?
LINKS & RESOURCES
https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/070455
Ontario's Traffic Act in relation to 'stunt driving'
https://www.orangeville.com/news-story/10125681--blatant-disregard-out-of-towners-dominate-list-of-drivers-charged-by-dufferin-opp-on-hwy-10-airport-road-near-orangeville/
"Under the Highway Traffic Act, those convicted of stunt driving or street racing could face a fine ranging from $2,000 to $10,000, a prison term of six months and a driving suspension."
https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/off-road-riding-tips-when-to-sit-stand-or-paddle
"Standing while riding does more than make you look cool and allow you to stretch your legs – it will keep you balanced and in control of your motorcycle." Marisa McInturff, Motorcycle Safety Foundation
https://www.cycleworld.com/2015/09/18/cycle-world-tips-and-tricks-stand-up-on-your-motorcycle/
"your feet are crucial points of contact with and control of the bike. Standing up on the pegs turns you into a dynamic part of your bike rather than just dead weight. It makes you an active part of the suspension."
https://advrider.com/f/threads/standing-on-pegs-illegal.1232572/
Ontario isn't the only jurisdiction where the law is out of whack with vehicle dynamics and common sense.
https://onewheeldrive.net/2012/05/03/standing-illegal-bc-new-motorcycle-safety-laws-and-flaws/
More insanity, this time from BC, where the majority of roads aren't paved by you can't stand up and provide better control and safety while riding! "a majority of BC’s roads are unpaved and by the letter this law does endanger, if not make outlaws of, responsible dual sport, & adventure riders."
https://www.gearpatrol.com/cars/motorcycles/a501251/skills-for-adventure-riding/
"You want to be standing up straight, but with a slight bend in your knees and elbows, in order to keep good control over the bike’s movement."
https://www.rideapart.com/articles/254197/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-motorcycle-body-position-for-sport-riding/
"because of the physics of a motorcycle and the percentage of the weight of the bike the rider makes up, leaning off the bike in a turn has a huge effect on the bike’s handling" - in Ontario (and elsewhere) making effective use of that high percentage of control your body mass affords you on a motorbike is illegal.
https://motorcyclelawyer.ca/hurt-report/
"Conspicuity of the motorcycle is a critical factor in the multiple vehicle accidents" - I hadn't thought of that, but standing up does make you more conspicuous.