Advanced Slow Riding Techniques
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Joined: May 2013
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From: In my house
Advanced Slow Riding Techniques
This is a question for any motor officers or advanced slow riders. I've noticed that the top motor officers have a different technique for head and eyes. For example, in a U-turn, a beginner is instructed to whip their head and eyes all the way around and focus on their target so they steer the motorcycle through the turn correctly. But, if you watch an advanced motor officer, they'll be looking sort of down and out in front of the motorcycle.
Where are you advanced riders focusing and how do you not drop the motor or run into the cones?
Not that I'm going to run out and try it... well, maybe, but I'm sure this is a technique that needs to be taught under the watchful eye of a qualified instructor. Just curious is all.
Where are you advanced riders focusing and how do you not drop the motor or run into the cones?
Not that I'm going to run out and try it... well, maybe, but I'm sure this is a technique that needs to be taught under the watchful eye of a qualified instructor. Just curious is all.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Bellevue, NE
I just think that the more you do it, the more you might turn your eyes as opposed to your entire head. I'm sometimes used as an example of what NOT to do when instructors are training new motor officers, because I actually turn my head very little. I remember my instructors saying that I was one of very few who could pull off the maneuvers while looking at the cones!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Bellevue, NE
I should also add that it might be due to the fact that we've run all of those patterns so often that we know them like the back of our hand. When I get to do something new, especially something very difficult, I FORCE myself to scoot up in the saddle and turn my head/eyes dramatically.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2012
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From: Texas, USA
Neil Harris is a retired motor officer. He offers a free booklet that he wrote called Motor Lessons. Through his generosity, he will email it to you. Request it at motorlessons@hotmail.com.
You can also see videos of him riding. It is the ConeDown series on YouTube.
ConeDown Series
This is one of his videos pertaining directly to your inquiry:
You can also see videos of him riding. It is the ConeDown series on YouTube.
ConeDown Series
This is one of his videos pertaining directly to your inquiry:
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,533
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From: Sparks, NV
I should also add that it might be due to the fact that we've run all of those patterns so often that we know them like the back of our hand. When I get to do something new, especially something very difficult, I FORCE myself to scoot up in the saddle and turn my head/eyes dramatically.
If a motor cop isn't turning his head and eyes exactly like you described, it's because he's riding through something he could essentially do with his eyes closed. When you ride all day at bar lock, you get used to the balance aspect of it enough that you can cheat a little bit with your head. But that is NOT the proper technique.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 306
Likes: 2
It's not that motor cops, or those with a lot of practice and experience, can do the exercises with their eyes closed, or that they are "cheating" and going by memory.
What happens is that, as one's skills improve, the rider realizes that he needs to look across all parts of the pattern. For example, in the keyhole exercise (the one in the video above), I absolutely remember when I was first learning it. My technique then - and the technique pretty much everyone uses at first - was to try to get into the exercise, then turn my head like an owl to look all the way out. That worked for a while. Then, like everyone else I've trained since, I started clipping a cone on the exit. What caused this was that my head and eyes were going straight out the exit, and - as my skills progressed - I was making the turn too tight (not using all of the pattern). The fix was to conciously slow down the turn of my head, looking across (not at, but across and above) the entire route.
As far as looking own goes, sometimes a rider's helmet or something gives that appearance. and some riders can get through the pattern looking or glancing down. However, the better technique is definitely to look up and out, across the obstacle. This allows for better motor placement, and more awareness of your total situation. This is also an important way to learn, since the real point is not to be able to ride cone patterns, but to handle a motorcycle safely in congested situations in the "real world". if one focuses on a single obstacle in that environment, he misses both other hazards,a nd potential better routes.
The reality is, if you're looking past your shoulder, you're probably turning your head more than you need too. Here's another video, where you can see more clearly the amount of head turn:
In both videos you can see that, when my head is turned to the furthest point, I'm more or less looking across my upper arm.
Harris
Denver, CO
www.youtube.com/conedown
What happens is that, as one's skills improve, the rider realizes that he needs to look across all parts of the pattern. For example, in the keyhole exercise (the one in the video above), I absolutely remember when I was first learning it. My technique then - and the technique pretty much everyone uses at first - was to try to get into the exercise, then turn my head like an owl to look all the way out. That worked for a while. Then, like everyone else I've trained since, I started clipping a cone on the exit. What caused this was that my head and eyes were going straight out the exit, and - as my skills progressed - I was making the turn too tight (not using all of the pattern). The fix was to conciously slow down the turn of my head, looking across (not at, but across and above) the entire route.
As far as looking own goes, sometimes a rider's helmet or something gives that appearance. and some riders can get through the pattern looking or glancing down. However, the better technique is definitely to look up and out, across the obstacle. This allows for better motor placement, and more awareness of your total situation. This is also an important way to learn, since the real point is not to be able to ride cone patterns, but to handle a motorcycle safely in congested situations in the "real world". if one focuses on a single obstacle in that environment, he misses both other hazards,a nd potential better routes.
The reality is, if you're looking past your shoulder, you're probably turning your head more than you need too. Here's another video, where you can see more clearly the amount of head turn:
In both videos you can see that, when my head is turned to the furthest point, I'm more or less looking across my upper arm.
Harris
Denver, CO
www.youtube.com/conedown
Last edited by motorlessons; May 25, 2013 at 01:39 PM.
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From: In my house
Thanks Harris!
I do have a copy of Motor Lessons and I've used it to set up practice courses. I also have the New Ride Like a Pro DVD. It was an okay introduction and somewhat helpful, but there was no way I was going to be riding like a pro with 4 hours of practice. Wait, scratch that. If you took all the time I spent in the cones and added only that up, then it might come out to four hours. So I guess that's an accurate claim.
It wasn't until I went to a school taught by retired motor officers that I was able to actually make respectable maneuvers at slow speeds. In almost every exercise, we were taught to keep our heads and eyes up and fixated on where we wanted the motor to go. Once we started doing that, 100% of the time, we were getting through the exercises clean. But it is incredibly tiresome to whip figure 8's and crane your neck around, especially with a full-face helmet. I fatigue quickly and this cuts down on my practice time which is holding me back from becoming an awesome rider.
On the drive home from motor school, I thought back to how our instructors demonstrated all of the exercises and couldn't once recall a time when they were whipping their heads around to get through. When I got home, I watched a couple of their videos on YouTube and my suspicion was confirmed. The keep their heads up, but they don't turn their heads as much as I would have to in order to execute maneuvers.
Harris, what you said makes a lot of sense. I couldn't imagine getting through something like the pitchfork, looopty-loop, or any of those other crazy exercises by turning my head as much as I do to do a basic figure-8. The turns happen too quickly and you would lose "sight" of where you were putting your wheel in the exercise.
I'm definitely going back to motor school for the more advanced classes. Getting through cones is crazy addictive!
I do have a copy of Motor Lessons and I've used it to set up practice courses. I also have the New Ride Like a Pro DVD. It was an okay introduction and somewhat helpful, but there was no way I was going to be riding like a pro with 4 hours of practice. Wait, scratch that. If you took all the time I spent in the cones and added only that up, then it might come out to four hours. So I guess that's an accurate claim.
It wasn't until I went to a school taught by retired motor officers that I was able to actually make respectable maneuvers at slow speeds. In almost every exercise, we were taught to keep our heads and eyes up and fixated on where we wanted the motor to go. Once we started doing that, 100% of the time, we were getting through the exercises clean. But it is incredibly tiresome to whip figure 8's and crane your neck around, especially with a full-face helmet. I fatigue quickly and this cuts down on my practice time which is holding me back from becoming an awesome rider.
On the drive home from motor school, I thought back to how our instructors demonstrated all of the exercises and couldn't once recall a time when they were whipping their heads around to get through. When I got home, I watched a couple of their videos on YouTube and my suspicion was confirmed. The keep their heads up, but they don't turn their heads as much as I would have to in order to execute maneuvers.
Harris, what you said makes a lot of sense. I couldn't imagine getting through something like the pitchfork, looopty-loop, or any of those other crazy exercises by turning my head as much as I do to do a basic figure-8. The turns happen too quickly and you would lose "sight" of where you were putting your wheel in the exercise.
I'm definitely going back to motor school for the more advanced classes. Getting through cones is crazy addictive!
Last edited by ConeMagnet; May 25, 2013 at 02:23 PM.
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 306
Likes: 2
It's sort of difficult to explain on line, but an important thing is that "looking where you want to go" doesn't mean looking at your final destination. It involves looking everywhere along your path. Hopefully in my videos you see that my head is always moving, and always facing further along my planned route. Seldom should you see my face and front tire in alignment.
As soon as you stop looking forward, you can just about assure you've focused on a spot on the ground. As you move toward that spot, the angle you're looking at sharpens, and you're looking more and more down.
Look at everything, fixate on nothing.
Harris
Denver, CO
www.youtube.com/conedown
As soon as you stop looking forward, you can just about assure you've focused on a spot on the ground. As you move toward that spot, the angle you're looking at sharpens, and you're looking more and more down.
Look at everything, fixate on nothing.
Harris
Denver, CO
www.youtube.com/conedown
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 5,282
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From: Northwestern Nevada
I have both the Motor lessons booklet and the Ride like a pro videos, and I'd suggest getting and practicing the lessons contained in them, and not attempt to emulate what you think pro riders are doing.
My
but your a grown man...enjoy.
My
but your a grown man...enjoy.