What is 'target fixation' and how do you avoid it?

Target fixation is the documented phenomenon that motorcycles (and bicycles, and cars to a lesser extent) tend to track toward where the rider is looking. When a rider stares at a hazard — a pothole, a pole, a stopped car — they often steer right into it, even while trying to avoid it. The defense: actively look where you want to go, not at the obstacle. If a deer steps into the road, look at the gap to the left or right of the deer, not at the deer itself; the motorcycle follows your eyes. This skill is trained through practice: in a parking lot, set up cones and practice looking through them, around them, past them. The MSF Basic RiderCourse spends substantial time training visual habits because they are foundational.