Skip to content

Fatigue, and Managing Motorcycle Riding Risk

By Craig Olsen, Originally published in the IAMC Newsletter, April, 2010

The
science
of
riding
a
motorcycle
is
intrinsically
linked
to
the
art
of
safely
identifying
and
managing
risks.

The
more
 skilled
we
become
in
the
proper
techniques
of
riding
by
learning
and
practicing
good
riding
habits,
the
more
we
can
 safely
enjoy
this
sport.

As
we
ride,
we
continually
scan
ahead
(as
well
from
side
to
side
and
behind
us)
to
assess
our
 riding
conditions,
identify
potential
risks
(curve
up
ahead,
oncoming
traffic,
entering
side
road,
rock
or
rut
in
our
 path,
deer
or
pedestrian
at
the
side
of
the
road,
vehicle
closely
following
us,
etc.),
and
then
appropriately
respond
by
 minimizing
the
risk
or
eliminating
it
when
possible.

Regardless
of
how
skilled
we
become
as
a
rider,
the
universal
element
always
working
against
us
–
incrementally

 impairing
our
ability
to
appropriately
identify
and
manage
risk
–
is
fatigue.


Fatigue
is
an
umbrella
term
covering
 internal
states
and
performance
decrements
associated
with
a
need
for
sleep,
tasks/environments
that
are
mentally
 or
physically
demanding,
and

 tasks/environments
 that
are
 insufficiently
stimulating.
[1]
For
purposes
of
 this
 discussion,
fatigue
has
two
components:

1.

Sleepiness/drowsiness
‐
a
propensity
to
fall
asleep,
have
micro
sleeps
or
make
related
task
errors.

It
is
caused
by
 an
acute
or
accumulative
lack
of
adequate
sleep,
circadian
effects,
sleep
disorders
and
various
drugs
or
medications
 (alcohol,
tobacco,
caffeine,
marijuana,
antihistamines,
etc.).

Generally,
there
is
a
subjective
state
of
sleepiness
or
 drowsiness,
but
the
rider
may
not
be
aware
of
how
close
he
or
she
is
to
falling
asleep
and
task
errors
may
occur
 before
the
subjective
state
becomes
apparent.

2.
Excessive
task
demand
(ETD)
–
a
propensity
for
reduced
performance
caused
by
continued
mental
or
physical
 effort
at
a
demanding
or
prolonged
task,
or
in
an
uncomfortable
or
hostile
environment.

It
may
be
accompanied
by
a
 subjective
state
of
exhaustion,
weariness
or
physical
discomfort,
but
performance
decrements
may
occur
before
such
 states
become
apparent.


 We
have
internal
physiologic
clocks
that
regulate
our
body’s
automatic
functions
including
our
sleep‐wakefulness
 cycle.

Each
is
programmed
with
his
or
her
own
requirements
and
cycle
times,
and
our
internal
clock
tries
to
keep
us
 on
a
“normal”
24
hour
sleep
rhythm
synchronized
to
light‐dark
(day‐night)
cycles.
[2]

Just
traveling
through
different
time
zones
shifts
the
internal
clock
forward
or
backward,
temporarily
disrupting
the
 normal
circadian
rhythm.

Accommodation
generally
takes
one
day
for
every
time
zone
traversed.


The
sleep
urge
(circadian
rhythm)
has
a
normal
bimodal
distribution
with
the
strongest
need
to
sleep
occurring
 between
midnight
and
6am
and
a
second
but
small
need
occurring
2‐4pm,
referred
to
as
a
rider’s
“post‐lunch
dip.”

 Corresponding
to
this,
studies
have
shown
a
higher
incidence
of
single
vehicle
motorcycle
crashes
occurring
in
the
 afternoon
during
the
time
period
of
2‐4pm.

It
is
generally
considered
that
fatigue
is
more
common
in
single‐vehicle
 crashes
than
multivehicle
crashes.
[3,4,6]

The
factors
contributing
to
rider
fatigue
are
both
environmental
as
well
as
intrinsic
and
are
conceptually
summarized
 in
the
following
diagram.
[3,6]


As
 the
 level
of
 fatigue
 increases,
 the
ability
 to
 identify
 risks
and
appropriately
 respond
 to
 them
 is
delayed,
 characterized
by
slower
decision
making
and
longer
reaction
times.

The
greater
the
fatigue,
the
greater
is
the
 tendency
to
underestimate
the
amount
of
fatigue
and
the
magnitude
of
the
rider
to
sleep.

This
adds
to
the
danger
of
 unrecognized
fatigue
effects.

At
night,
these
effects
are
exacerbated
as
our
darkened
surroundings
provide
fewer
 clues
to
reality
and
we
have
less
data
with
which
to
make
proper
decisions.


1.

Slower
reaction
times
‐
failing
to
slow
adequately
when
coming
into
a
sharp
corner
or
braking
too
hard
to
avoid
a
 hazard.
2.

Reduced
awareness/vigilance
–
riding
slower
than
normal,
being
surprised
by
a
passing
car,
tailgating
or
not
 seeing
deer
or
other
road
hazards.
3.

Impaired
decision making
–
not
stopping
to
rest
when
tired,
taking
an
inappropriate
route,
or
inability
to
choose
 from
a
dinner
menu.
4.
Impaired
memory
–
passing
a
gas
stop
when
low
on
fuel,
forgetting
your
wallet
after
fueling
or
forgetting
to
make
 an
important
telephone
call.
5.

Loss
of
situational
awareness
–
failing
to
recognize
a
stop
sign
or
signal,
failure
to
“go”
when
the
light
changes,
 not
putting
the
kickstand
down
when
getting
off
the
bike,
failing
to
put
feet
down
when
stopping
or
stopping
in
high
 gear.
6.

Performance
decrement
–
inability
to
calculate
purchase
amounts,
inability
to
formulate
routing
plans,
failing
to
 communicate
with
riding
buddies
or
fixating
on
a
task.


Every
rider
will
recognize
having
had
one
or
more
of
these
symptoms
at
one
time
or
another
during
a
ride.

It
is
 virtually
impossible
to
completely
avoid
fatigue
while
riding,
especially
on
multi‐day
rides.

The
best
way
to
handle
 fatigue
–
like
any
riding
risk
–
is
to
appropriately
identify
it
and
minimize
it.

Since,
as
already
discussed,
many
of
the
 ill
effects
of
mounting
fatigue
occur
before
the
rider
is
aware
of
being
fatigued,
it
is
wise
to
have
a
riding
plan
that
 continually
accounts
for
and
minimizes
fatigue.

Here
are
several
things
a
rider
can
do
before,
during
and
following
a
 ride
to
minimize
mounting
fatigue.
[1,2,3,5,6,7]


Adequate
sleep/rest
–
It
is
imperative
to
get
a
good
night’s
sleep
before
a
long
ride
and
especially
each
night
of
a
 multiday
ride.

Make
frequent
stops
at
least
every
90
minutes
and
no
longer
than
every
two
hours
during
long
rides
to
 rest.

Ideally,
these
rest
periods
should
be
at
least
20
minutes
long.

A
nap
of
5
to
45
minutes,
particularly
during
the
 “post‐lunch
dip,”
can
be
very
refreshing
and
even
life
saving.

Waking
from
a
nap
longer
than
45
minutes
but
less
than
 2
hours
can
cause
“sleep
inertia,”
a
state
of
groggy
disorientation
that
lasts
15‐20
minutes.

On
multiday
trips,
plan
for
 extra
rest
every
third
or
fourth
day
(either
no
riding
or
a
markedly
reduced
amount
of
riding)
to
let
your
body
and
 mind
recover.


Realistic
ride
planning
–
Have
everything
done
and
your
bike
packed
the
evening
before
a
long
ride.

You
will
sleep
 better
that
night.

Plan
enough
flexibility
into
your
trip,
especially
multiday
ride
trips,
to
account
for
weather
and
road
 changes
that
may
delay
you.

Allow
extra
time
for
the
above‐mentioned
rest
stops.

Avoid
riding
when
it
is
dark

(late
 night
or
early
morning).

Do
not
ride
beyond
your
ability.


Take
into
account
that
the
more
challenging
the
ride,
the
 more
fatiguing
it
will
be.


Ride
comfort
–
Configure
your
bike
to
produce
the
least
fatigue
by
eliminating
those
things
that
increase
the
work
of
 riding
or
contribute
to
developing
fatigue.

A
laminar
flow
windscreen
that
directs
air
up
and
over
the
rider
will
 minimize
a
motorcycle’s
aerodynamic
drag
and
will
sufficiently
reduce
wind
pressure
and
deflect
rain
to
considerably
 increase
 fatigue
 tolerance.

A
windscreen
should
not
distort
your
vision.

You
should
actually
 look
over
 the
 windscreen,
not
 through
 it.

Your
helmet
screen
or
sunglasses
should
also
not
distort
your
vision.

Earplugs
 significantly
decrease
the
din
of
motor
and
exhaust
noise,
as
well
as
road
and
wind
noise,
thus
decreasing
this
stress
 that
leads
to
fatigue.

They
also
protect
against
hearing
loss
associated
with
exposure
to
constant
environmental
 noise.


A
full‐face
helmet
cuts
down
more
on
ambient
wind
noise
and
wind
buffeting
than
a
half
or
three‐quarter
face
 helmet.

A
comfortable
seat
and
proper
riding
position
will
significantly
cut
down
on
muscular
and
body
stress
that
 contribute
to
fatigue.

By
having
appropriate
riding
attire
and
layers
a
rider
can
adjust
for
and
minimize
the
effects
of
 extreme
heat
and
cold
that
significantly
contribute
to
the
build
up
of
fatigue.


Physical
fitness
and
riding
ability
–
Dual
sport
riding
is
a
physically
demanding
sport,
especially
when
riding
 demanding
terrain.


The
better
physical
shape
you
are
in,
the
better
your
body
and
mind
will
handle
the
fatigue
 caused
by
a
demanding
ride.

The
more
comfortable
you
are
riding
challenging
terrain,
the
less
fatigue
you
will
have
 riding
it.

Practice
does
make
perfect.

Learn
good
riding
habits
and
techniques,
and
then
practice
them
regularly.

 Practicing
bad
riding
habits
and
techniques
will
not
help
you
ride
better
nor
will
it
lessen
your
fatigue.

Since
walking
 and
performing
mild
exercise
increases
alertness,
promotes
blood
flow
and
reduces
stress
in
fatigued
muscles,
it
is
 beneficial
to
do
this
during
your
riding
breaks
on
long
trips.

Nutrition
and
hydration
–
Maintaining
adequate
hydration
 is
essential
 in
 staving
off
 the
effects
of
 fatigue.

 Dehydration
significantly
decreases
mental
and
physical
function
and
dramatically
accelerates
and
magnifies
the
 effects
of
fatigue.

Water
and
electrolyte
solutions
(Gatorade)
are
best
when
taken
regularly
during
a
ride
through
a
 hydrating
system
(Camelback
or
equivalent).

While
riding,
smaller
more
frequent
snacks
may
lessen
fatigue
better
 than
a
heavy
meal
especially
just
before
the
“post‐lunch
dip.”

Caffeine
–
This
is
a
controversial
one.

While
some
studies
have
shown
a
beneficial
effect
from
caffeine
(coffee
and
 high
energy
drinks)
in
delaying
the
effects
of
sleepiness
from
fatigue,
the
best
countermeasure
for
sleepiness
is
 proper
sleep.

The
effects
of
caffeine
may
delay
the
effects
of
sleepiness
only
temporarily,
and
when
the
caffeine
effect
 wears
off,
the
rebound
sleepiness
may
be
much
more
profound.

If
you
use
caffeine
as
your
primary
means
of
dealing
 with
the
fatigue
of
riding,
you
are
living
on
the
edge
and
need
to
rethink
your
fatigue
management
strategies.


Alcohol
–
In
any
form
or
amount
alcohol
is
a
depressant
and
therefore
deteriorates
both
mental
and
physical
function
 (judgment
and
reaction
times).

On
multiday
rides
waking
up
in
the
morning
with
alcohol
fatigue
is
not
a
good
riding
 practice
for
the
rider
or
the
group.

Medications
–
Keep
in
mind
that
the
side
effect
of
some
medications
is
drowsiness
(such
as
antihistamines)
and
 should
be
avoided
when
riding.

For
more
information
refer
to
the
following
sources
from
which
information
for
this
article
was
obtained.



References:
1.

Horberry,
T.,
Hutchins,
R.,
and
Tong,
R.
(2008)

“Road
Saftely
Research
Report
No.
78
Motorcycle
Rider
Fatigue:

A
 Review”

http://www.roadsafety.mccafusm.org/a/50.html
2.

Authur,
D.

(2005)
“Fatigue
and
Motorcycle
Touring”
 http://ride4ever.org/news/fatigue.php

3.

Haworth,
N.,
and
Rowden,
P.

(2206)
“Fatigue
in
Motorcycle
Crashes.

Is
there
an
Issue?”
 http://www.eprints.qut.edu.au/6247/1/6247_1.pdf

4.

Ma,
T.,
Williamson,
A.,
and
Friswell,
R.

(2003)
“A
Pilot
Study
of
Fatigue
on
Motorcycle
Day
Trips”
 http://www.eprints.qut.edu.au/00006250/01/6250.pdf
5.

Gillen,
L.

(1998)
“Motorcycle
Rider
Fatigue
Survey
Results.

http://www.gillengineering.com/fatigue
paper.htm
6.

Haworth,
N.,
and
Rowden,
P.

(2006)
“Investigation
of
Fatigue
Related
Motorcycle
Crashes
–
Literature
Review
 (RSD‐0261)

http://eprints.qut.edu.au/6250/

7.

Kitchen,
B.

“Fighting
Fatigue
on
Long
Motorcycle
Rides.”
 http://www.suhog.com/sudnn/safetytip/tabid/73/default.aspx

0 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments