Lowside Crash
A lowside crash occurs when the motorcycle loses traction and slides out from under the rider, falling toward the inside of the turn. The rider typically slides along the ground in the same direction as the bike. While lowsides can cause significant road rash and damage, they are generally considered less dangerous than highside crashes because the rider is thrown at a lower height and in a more predictable direction.
Common causes of lowside crashes include: excessive lean angle for the available grip, braking too hard while leaned over, accelerating aggressively on a slippery surface, or hitting a patch of sand, oil, or gravel mid-corner.
To minimize lowside risk: be smooth with all inputs (throttle, brake, steering), especially when leaned over. Scan the road surface ahead for hazards. Reduce speed in wet conditions or on unfamiliar roads. And always wear proper protective gear — if a lowside happens, good gear is the difference between walking away with bruises and a trip to the emergency room.
Lowsides are so common in track riding that most race schools budget them into the curriculum. What surprises street riders is how little speed it takes to lowside on contaminated pavement: diesel fuel, antifreeze, or wet leaves can dump you at 20 mph in a gentle turn that you've taken hundreds of times. Modern sportbikes with IMU-based traction control and cornering ABS have dramatically reduced lowside crashes by detecting rear-wheel slip or front-end tuck milliseconds before it happens.
Related Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
What should you do during a lowside motorcycle crash?
Once the bike starts sliding out from under you, do NOT try to save it or keep your foot down. Let go, tuck your limbs in, and try to slide on your back or side rather than tumbling. Don't stick your hands out to catch yourself; let your gear do its job. After you stop, immediately get off the road to avoid being hit by traffic. Most lowside injuries come from secondary impacts, not the initial slide.
Can you prevent a lowside crash once the bike starts sliding?
Once both tires are sliding in a lowside, it's almost impossible to recover — attempting to save it usually results in a highside when traction suddenly returns. However, you can sometimes catch a rear-wheel slide if you feel it early: smoothly roll off the throttle, keep the bike upright with countersteering pressure, and avoid grabbing the brakes. Modern traction control systems catch these slides in milliseconds before you feel them.