Most important riding lessons?
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,056
Likes: 251
From: Connecticut
-Know your bikes capabilities. How quickly can you stop your bike stop at cruising speeds.
-Know your capabilities. Don't put yourself in situations that you can't handle until you're ready to handle them..
-We all "zone out" from time to time while riding. Remind yourself to stay focused. If you crossed an intersection without anticipating what could happen and how you would try to get out of it, you were zoning out.
-When in doubt, throttle out.
-Know your capabilities. Don't put yourself in situations that you can't handle until you're ready to handle them..
-We all "zone out" from time to time while riding. Remind yourself to stay focused. If you crossed an intersection without anticipating what could happen and how you would try to get out of it, you were zoning out.
-When in doubt, throttle out.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 5,947
Likes: 5,153
From: Louisiana
Now on my 2002 RKC it takes a bit more practice....
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,602
Likes: 721
From: Bellevue, NE
I practice emergency braking several times every time I do parking lot practice. I do my maneuvers then bring up my speed to about 40 mph and lock em down while shifting down to first gear before I stop. But on my new bike, I have ABS and linked brakes. Emergency stopping is a breeze.
Now on my 2002 RKC it takes a bit more practice....
Now on my 2002 RKC it takes a bit more practice....
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 561
Likes: 311
From: Depends on the season
I periodically lock up my brakes. That way I know what happens when I exceed the capability of my ABS.
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Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,128
Likes: 51,461
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
This could be a list. Never took a riders course, my first bike the guy pulled out a garage 2 miles from my house handed me the key and drove off, I knew exactly zero about motorcycles or riding one, didn't know where the key went of how to turn the gas on. Sharp learning curve but I got it home on Baltimore city streets 2 hours laters missing the mirrors, both knees and most the *** of my jeans.
Lessons learned,
Know and understand the machine you are riding, while the same they are all different and need to be treated as such. Reacting without having to think about can save you greif.
Learn situational awareness, be very aware of what's going on all around you particularly as far ahead as you clearly can see, most road hazards can be avoided or safely rode over if you see them in time, pay close attention to what's going on IN the cars ahead of you, people project and you can learn to read them fairly accurately. This has saved me many, many times over.
Don't overthink every move, if you haven't ridden enough it's muscle memory by now either spend more on it or park it.
Not everything needs a detailed plan, route or schedule, to me the whole point of a motorcycle is to get away from that mindset. Couple of the best road trips started with a coin toss as to which direction we going to take.
Pay attention to the regular stuff on the bike, not as much of an issue with today's machines as it was back when but a good habit nonetheless.
Lastly enjoy it. These are big basics the rest is just details
Lessons learned,
Know and understand the machine you are riding, while the same they are all different and need to be treated as such. Reacting without having to think about can save you greif.
Learn situational awareness, be very aware of what's going on all around you particularly as far ahead as you clearly can see, most road hazards can be avoided or safely rode over if you see them in time, pay close attention to what's going on IN the cars ahead of you, people project and you can learn to read them fairly accurately. This has saved me many, many times over.
Don't overthink every move, if you haven't ridden enough it's muscle memory by now either spend more on it or park it.
Not everything needs a detailed plan, route or schedule, to me the whole point of a motorcycle is to get away from that mindset. Couple of the best road trips started with a coin toss as to which direction we going to take.
Pay attention to the regular stuff on the bike, not as much of an issue with today's machines as it was back when but a good habit nonetheless.
Lastly enjoy it. These are big basics the rest is just details
