I moved to a new area a few months back and everyone has cautioned me that the drivers around here are a little crazy and to be careful on my bike, maybe because its a popular summer vacation area? Not to be negative, but in the past 2 weeks I've heard of 3 motorcycle accidents involving a vehicle and a motorcycle, unfortunately 2 of them were fatal.

How many of you go to empty parking lots and practice quick maneuvers, exit strategies, short stops, etc.?

If you practice, have you gotten any beef from the local PD?

I looked up an advanced rider course but they only offer it twice a year.

 

I try to practice evasion, stopping, and low speed maneuvering at more or less monthly intervals in the local high school parking lot, complete with MSF traffic cones. No problem with local PD (yet), the lot is huge and completely empty on weekends. But there's a park with a small parking lot down the street from my home, and at the end of every ride I turn in and do a few tight U-turns just to stay sharp.

 

Yeah, but I live in a small farming town with lots of open space. Nobody has ever hassled me for that kind of thing. Even if they did, I don't think it would amount to much. Explain what I'm doing and the cop would probably let it slide and ask me to get off private property...or just let it slide completely.

 

I'm a big fan of parking lot practice; I set up courses at the school parking lot close to my home using cones based on the 'Ride Like a Pro' exercises and practice slow speed technique and threshold braking. Never had any issues with the local PD, if fact I've had them stop by a couple of times and tell me they wished more motorcyclists would practice their riding techniques.

I'm a believer in continuous training; I keep saying it and I'm sure some here are sick of hearing it but: motorcycling is not an instinctive activity but rather it's a learned skill; you ride on technique...

 

i practice every time i ride. in that i mean i ride like i'm always at risk.. because i am. i leave outs, monitor lane position, stopping distance, escape routes/stop light practices.. all of it. it only takes on mistake,deer,squirrel, slippery leaf, drunken werewolf, oil slick, hillbilly in a jacked f150, etc...

i thing practicing counter steering, braking, and constant scanning (looking at people inside vehicles, not just the vehicle itself, etc).... will protect you more than practicing bike-fu in a lot. but, i don't think bike-fu hurts either.


there are advanced rider courses available too. (oops, see you already mentioned it, need to fkn read fully)

be safe

 

I hope everyone on this forum sees this thread. I really do.
My playground~

 

Not near as much as I should.....

I try to when I'm riding with others not around. Sometimes in parking lots, but not near enough of that.

 

owwh





that looks fun

 

Wow, that's an impressive cone setup, I may just have to order some off Amazon.

I'm going to do this Saturday, I think I might even see if my lady would like to come along, we ride 2-up often so I like to stay sharp and be as agile as possible with her on the back.

 

Having taken one of the original MSF instructor courses back in 1978 while on Base, I can vouch for some initial cone training.... but frankly, if you don't practice 'bike-fu' (as cvaria puts it every time you straddle your ride... then in my opinion, you're assuming a risk upon yourself.

When I saddle up, I drive for everyone within 100 yards of me... I always assume I can't be seen, and 'that' person is going cut me off/pull in front of me... and look for the escape route... it's a constant 'on point'.