Who rides motorcycles?

[dfkrug]

They had been doing stuff wrong all those years, and doing it over and over and some of it was hard to unteach them.

What are some of the common mistakes that noobies need to unlearn, from your experience?

 

[hunt4570]

What are some of the common mistakes that noobies need to unlearn, from your experience?

Oh man, what a question, and where do I start? Much easier to teach a full rookie that's never ridden than someone who is self taught.. there are always exceptions.

And its not just noobies, but those that have been riding forever.. they have polished their mistakes and bad habits for years.


Putting their feet down while the bike is in motion
looking down all the time
not looking where they are going
looking down
not looking where they are going
Yes I put those down twice on purpose!
Teaching the clutch hand and the friction zone
Proper attire (remember I was an MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructor) so a lot of what we taught was safety stuff.
Proper brake use, and knowing why..

There's a few off the top of my head.. lots of other stuff too relating to technique and situational awareness..

 

[Peter 315]

Oh man, what a question, and where do I start? Much easier to teach a full rookie that's never ridden than someone who is self taught.. there are always exceptions.

And its not just noobies, but those that have been riding forever.. they have polished their mistakes and bad habits for years.


Putting their feet down while the bike is in motion
looking down all the time
not looking where they are going
looking down
not looking where they are going
Yes I put those down twice on purpose!
Teaching the clutch hand and the friction zone
Proper attire (remember I was an MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructor) so a lot of what we taught was safety stuff.
Proper brake use, and knowing why..

There's a few off the top of my head.. lots of other stuff too relating to technique and situational awareness..

Like riding a horse never look down because that's where you will go ...

 

[hunt4570]

Like riding a horse never look down because that's where you will go ...

DA!!...

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I'm surprised they allow open headlights on a track. Anytime I've ever done track days they had to be taped off to minimize shattering in a crash.

I'm 45 and I've been riding bikes and ATV one way or another since I was about 4 years old. Trails, hillclimbing, motocross, street, or racetrack. It's all good! View attachment 642464

haha, that's Ruben Xaus on a Ducati Hypermotard.

It IS, all good!

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Oh man, what a question, and where do I start? Much easier to teach a full rookie that's never ridden than someone who is self taught.. there are always exceptions.

And its not just noobies, but those that have been riding forever.. they have polished their mistakes and bad habits for years.


Putting their feet down while the bike is in motion
looking down all the time
not looking where they are going
looking down
not looking where they are going
Yes I put those down twice on purpose!
Teaching the clutch hand and the friction zone
Proper attire (remember I was an MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructor) so a lot of what we taught was safety stuff.
Proper brake use, and knowing why..

There's a few off the top of my head.. lots of other stuff too relating to technique and situational awareness..

Best thing I can add is,

Put on the best tires for the conditions you will be riding in. And wear your helmet.

And have fun.

 

[tmcj]

Dress for the crash, not for the ride. Buy and wear the best protective gear you can afford.

Stunting is for empty parking lots, racing is for racetracks. There is no trophy at the end of a street ride.

Learn to use and trust your front brakes.

Even the best tires have limits. Acceleration, braking, lean angle can each be impressive but too much of either combined can lead to disaster. Learn the limits.

Be smooth. Roll on the gas, gradually squeeze the brakes, learn proper body position movement and learn to counter steer. Smooth doesn't mean slow. Smooth is key to being fast and always in complete control.

Always look where you want to go. Target fixation, especially in panic will take you right where you don't want to go.

Properly maintain your ride to avoid issues, and always fill up before heading out. You don't want to be "that guy" that runs out of gas and ruins the fun for the group.

Ride within your limits. Just because the guy in front of you made it through that turn doesn't mean you will.

And good gravy, put your kickstand up before taking off! Oh, and get on and off from the kickstand side so you don't look like a rookie dweeb, even if you are one.

 

[Tomtint]

Oh man, what a question, and where do I start? Much easier to teach a full rookie that's never ridden than someone who is self taught.. there are always exceptions.

And its not just noobies, but those that have been riding forever.. they have polished their mistakes and bad habits for years.


Putting their feet down while the bike is in motion
looking down all the time
not looking where they are going
looking down
not looking where they are going
Yes I put those down twice on purpose!
Teaching the clutch hand and the friction zone
Proper attire (remember I was an MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructor) so a lot of what we taught was safety stuff.
Proper brake use, and knowing why..

There's a few off the top of my head.. lots of other stuff too relating to technique and situational awareness..

As a Safety instructor, I'm surprised you are telling people to look where they are going.. While riding and racing motorcycles, rule 1 is look where you want to be..not where you are going.

 

[hunt4570]

As a Safety instructor, I'm surprised you are telling people to look where they are going.. While riding and racing motorcycles, rule 1 is look where you want to be..not where you are going.

That is correct, so if you are going up around a corner or something look up around that corner, not off the road at the ditch or something.. Maybe I should have said look where you want to go.. Look at the pavement between the pot holes, not at the potholes or you will for sure hit them.

What you said is what I meant, I talk better than I type..

 

[hunt4570]

Dress for the crash, not for the ride. Buy and wear the best protective gear you can afford.

Stunting is for empty parking lots, racing is for racetracks. There is no trophy at the end of a street ride.

Learn to use and trust your front brakes.

Even the best tires have limits. Acceleration, braking, lean angle can each be impressive but too much of either combined can lead to disaster. Learn the limits.

Be smooth. Roll on the gas, gradually squeeze the brakes, learn proper body position movement and learn to counter steer. Smooth doesn't mean slow. Smooth is key to being fast and always in complete control.

Always look where you want to go. Target fixation, especially in panic will take you right where you don't want to go.

Properly maintain your ride to avoid issues, and always fill up before heading out. You don't want to be "that guy" that runs out of gas and ruins the fun for the group.

Ride within your limits. Just because the guy in front of you made it through that turn doesn't mean you will.

And good gravy, put your kickstand up before taking off! Oh, and get on and off from the kickstand side so you don't look like a rookie dweeb, even if you are one.

Lots of good stuff there... And getting on of off from the kickstand side of the bike, not always the case. Watch a Motor officer mount or dismount a bike.. normally from opposite the kickstand, because if you are on the side of the road that is the side away from traffic. I do both..