Tips for a good start in the new riding season

Tons of tips are available on the internet.  Some are good- some are bad… real bad.

Actually so bad, that it might end up in a disaster when you follow half-knowledge people.  Advice number one… don’t listen to someone on a forum who thinks that using the rear brake makes more sense today as it made sense 20 years ago…. no- it still doesn’t make sense, because rules of physics don’t change.  I understand that all of these “good” advices sound plausible for the newbie, and especially this is why you should spend less time listening to them.

If you are all set for the new riding season comes down to three factors;

1) riding experience;  The experience (and this includes also close calls, crashes, and tons of feeling) is the only thing can’t be taught, but all of it makes the rider. You gotta go through this on your own.

2) knowledge;  Can be taught in schools (there are good and bad ones), videos (not on youtube though), or books (good source)… and you’ll learn only if you admit to have to learn- even if you think you’re a heck of a rider.  I’d prefer a school, because reading about climbing is kinda different as really hanging on the edge of a cliff and look down where you supposed to gonna die… correct?!

3) and practice;  This is something you should never stop. Ask experience riders (careful) what to work on, or attend riding classes- but keep on practicing that stuff frequently.  I always notice that students try to get away with the knowledge an practice drills.  That ain’t work!

Emergency braking for example… well trained with these skill can save a life… but pretty much no one is really practicing it

before riding season starts. In my Road Skill classes, I reduce braking travels of my students by 40% in average in only 2 hours- by gaining more control over the bike.  Why skipping on resources like that?!  Hopefully not for investing 70 bux in useless aftermarket stuff instead.

So my advices for having a good season start…

Do warm up drills on a p-lot: learn smooth steering (less corrections)- emergency braking (25 mph drills- challenge yourself making shorter braking travel as before)-  ride behind the most experience rider on trips (most people let the newbie’s go ahead… really?!  Let him/her ride behind you and give them a comfy pace and let them learn from your body language. Ride only well known roads with them. That builds confidence and is more fun as being that observed newbie in the front.

Riding a Motorcycle isn’t driving a fn car to the grocery store… this is all about feeling.  If you can’t build this connection to your bike with these 3 factors… take the fn car and forget riding motorcycles!

Headcoach Can Akkaya