What is the best thing you have learned?

OK, here is another winter thread question for all of you in VFRWorld!

First let me give some history. When I first started riding I was totally self trained...which of course is a bad thing. I lived in Maryland and the MSF course was impossible to get into at the time. By the grace of God I did not die, but I came close to having a crash in a corner when I bought my first VFR. Because of ignorance I thought I could go blazing through a turn and the bike would do all the work. In a way that is true, if you properly tell the bike WHAT to do first. As I entered the sweeping left hander I turned the handlbars so the front tire went left........WOW! that was close!!! I damn near ended up in the ditch! I was on the white line!!!!

I pulled over after the turn shaking and scared to death! After I settled down I realized I must not be doing something correct. So off to the bookstore and that's when I purchased Twist of the Wrist II. I'll never forget when I first read about "countersteering". So the next day I went back to that wonderful left hander with a posted 35 mph speed limit and went through it at about 25mph. I was looking as far as I could to the left in the corner and then pressed left on the handgrip. The bike snapped right over and I sailed through the turn and the 93 felt like it was riding on a rail. HOLY SHIT that was cool I said in my helmet. And I turned around and repeated the process in that turn adding a couple MPH's each time till I was entering the turn at 35 mph. I remember pulling over and noticing my back tire was worn out to the left further than I had ever done before, which really wasn't that much now that I look back, but the true learning had begun and that was a pinnacle moment in my motorcycle learnings! And that is when I truly fell in love with riding. I finally started to feel in control.

As an MSF Coach it scares me how many newbies and oldies come to the class not knowing about countersteering. I tell them I once was blind too, but I have been to the Church of Countersteering and I have seen the light! Many chuckle at me when I say that, but the reward is when they all start talking about the church of countersteering after a certain exercise and they believe LOL!

Keith Code will always be someone influential to me since he was the first to show me the light. So my fellow riders, what was the one thing or two things that were big moments in your motorcycle learning?

BZ

 

I agree: COUNTERSTEERING!!

A firm & decisive Countersteer alone will get you out of so many hairy situations and save your bacon more than probably anything else.

Two other aspects of this whole thing are Vision Skills (look where you want to go, and physically Turn Your Helmet), and simply trusting the machine.
Correct Vision Skills minimize Target Fixation and "slow down" the scene so your brain can interpret and manage things more effectively.

Of course, yet another associated aspect is Panic Control.

But, when you enter a blind corner too fast, or it unexpectedly turns into a downhill decreasing-radius, remembering to Countersteer, looking through the turn, and knowing the bike will do what you need it to do (within reason), go a long way towards controlling panic.

Sometimes tho', Panic Control needs to be conscious.
You gotta just tell yourself "Don't Panic" (in the great words of Douglas Adams), and remind yourself what you need to do to ride out the problem.

Then again, Focus and Relaxed Posture (don't tense up) are also critical when pushing the limit.
Part of that are little things like Keep Your Elbows Bent, Steer With The Hips, etc.

It all kinda melds together, no?

And it's all from riding basics from the MSF, or as I like to refer to it "Making The Motorcycle Do Exactly What You Want It To Do".

So, it all comes down to "Mastery Of The Machine", to lend a sense of absolute control, and reduce Panic when things get dicey.
When you feel completely in control, you are confident, relaxed, and able to "think ahead of the bike" - No Surprises = Less Panic, which lead to confident control inputs, focus ahead, and Smoothness.

Being smooth increases the amount of tire grip and suspension action you are able to exploit - higher limits.
When on the ragged edge of control, being smooth at the controls may be the only thing that allows you to bring it back from the hairy edge and keep motoring down the road.

Panic Control allows smoothness, which comes from Confidence, which comes from Control, which starts at Countersteering.

Somehow, it all comes back to Firm & Decisive Countersteering.
That's my answer!
#2 would be Vision Skills

My first MSF Course was in 1982, and to this day, and all these (many, many) miles later, I still think about and practice basic MSF tenets every single time I swing a leg over a bike.
It works!

FWIW, I've been thinking about becoming an MSF RiderCoach, but this local area seems inundated.
Maybe someday...

 

I learned that even if cops are not around some dickhead with a cell phone can call you in and you'll get ticketed by troopers!!

Keith Code....you need to read and think about what he's communicating several times: 1 read it
2 read it again
3 try it on the street
4 realize you haven't quite got it
and read it again
5 try it again and keep practicing

Watch MotoGP or AMA racing on tv and see techniques in action!

 

Good topic, like yourself was self trained in the '80's but after a 15 year gap when started riding again in Jan 2003 went through and re-licenced which here was 2 days of basic rider training counter steering and practice was included with them. Word of warning remember in the '80s my front wheel nearly washed out more than once by being too exuberant (stupid) with countersteering with only young reflexes and dumb luck saving me.

Early this year did an advanced Riders course which improved a lot of little areas and corrected 2 key parts of my riding.

One was full Emergency stops:

While Setup & squeeze was good it I was also busy trying to gear down at the same time to be in first for a quick getaway, fine for quick stop quick getaway but the recomendation for a full Emergency stop is the just pull the clutch in until halted concentrating on breaking, not quite locking and avoidance, once broken of the gear down habit did find my panic stopping distance was less and felt smoother clutch in.

Second was hanging off for safer cornering wet or dry, had previously thought I was hanging off but in reality it wasn't by much...When finally " got it " learnt to feel like my right shoulder was over my left bar around left corners and visa versa.

 

This suggestion may seem trivial , but it has helped me out a couple of times. We all scan for cars entering from side roads. Instead of seeing the entire car, focus on the front wheel of the car. You can tell more quickly whether or not the car is sitting still or beginning to pull out in front of you.

 

I'm a self-learner too (3 months so far!) with a little advice here and there by a fellow biker. I have to say the best and most significant thing I've learned is to "feel loose" on the bike.

When I first started riding I had the newbie death grip followed by rigor mortis arms and legs. The problem is that riding the bike isn't a rigid experience. There are bumps on the road, winds that blow you around, and an occassional rock hitting your helmet, etc... Over time I've learned to improve my riding by keeping a loose position so that when bumps and whatnot happen it's not such a jarring experience and it allows me to focus more on the riding.

For example if you have a strong side wind the worst thing to do is stay firm on your seat because you literally become a sail for the wind to push around. So what you can do is allow yourself to be flexible so that the wind doesn't have such a strong effect on you.

Hope that'll help and stay safe! It's better to go too slow than too fast!

 

Well been riding way to long, so I'm somewhat self taught thing is with that I never really knew, I mean ya I was doing ok on or off the track, but it wasn't till I took a course for fun due to a birthday gift I received that put me in Pridmores sights. Talk about a wake up call. Yes somethings I all ready knew ans applied, but the big one here was riding on the back of Jason Pridmores then 97 VFR all set up, as it was also his street steed. talk about what I didn't know in regards to just how well the VFR gets it done and how best to apply whats what, LOL two up to boot. Biggest thing besides now knowing what Me and VFR could do, was doing everything "SMOOTH" is where it is at.

 

Well my introduction to riding started with the MSF courses two years ago. I learned a great deal, but by the time I got my VFR, a few months had passed and I was a little rusty. I guess you can all tell where this story is going. I had one bad day and dropped her twice going around the same corner. No major damage but I realized that I needed to take the course over again and stick to the parking lots for a little longer. Not only have I taken the beginners course over but I also took the experienced riders course (ERC1) this past summer. The classes have improved my riding tremendously as well as my confidence. I plan to take ERC2 next riding season and eventually other riding classes like dirt bike riding and track classes.

Therefore, I guess the most important things I have learned are practice is a must and training is invaluable. Riding skills is something that should be constantly worked on.

 

I personally think looking through the turn is just as important as countersteering. You can't have one without the other. If you can train yourself to look where you're trying to go even though you are currently shitting your pants in the middle of a turn, chances are you'll come out OK sans BVD's. You have no chance the second your eyes leave your destination to a point right in front of you.

I remember clearly the first time I went into a turn, realized I was in trouble and instead of standing the bike up and hitting the brakes I kept looking through the turn and came out the other side without issue. After it's all said and done, it's a good feeling! You realize you have developed a skill that will help you the rest of your riding days!

 

Lot of good stuff there fellers.

One other thing I do when driving in town with a lot of cross traffic....

I resist the urge to pass cars and try to ride behind one in my lane (I don't tailgate) using the car as a kind of 'screen'. Cross-traffic will have a better chance seeing the car--and I can safely travel down that crowded city street.

Seems simple, but it works for me. :thumb:

 

I was sailing down 220 Southbound in VA in the nice hilly, curvy section south of Roanoke when I fell in behind a very spirited fellow on a Yamaha V-Max. Well, I sped up to match his pace (between 90-110) through there, and figured, "by god if he can do this on a V-Max I can just sit here and ride and enjoy myself".
Well, I passed a car entering into a tight left hand turn (posted 45mph) and that yellow line just pushed toward me. I couldn't look back to see if I was clear of the car, or I would have washed it, so I figured crossing the line was doom. I cleared the turn without crossing the line, but only barely.
I learned two things from this: 1: It may look silly for my fatass to do it, but I always hang off the bike in full MotoGP trim now for any spirited turn. 2: Check the damn tires. The biggest contributing factor turned out to be my rear tire, which I had embarassingly let slip to 18 psi.

 

#1. dress for the crash, not the ride !
#2. Take MSF & any other schooling you can (street & track)
#3. always remember you are invisible !
#4. goes with #1, in that Asphalt & impacting cars hurts :crutch:
#5. You never can learn enough about street, track, & racing, no matter how good or long you have been riding, to read or take classes (or both) when you can to better yourself.
#6. you do see a bright light, when your heart stops on a operating table from an accident.
#7. going with #6-when hit with the defibrillator (paddles), it does feel like you have been hit in the chest with a baseball bat by Babe Ruth (3 times).
#8. bike is cheaper to fix than you :crutch:
#9. leaves are slippery on a full lean into a hard right/left/trailing turn
#10. any object you stare @ in the road, you will hit !

 

Fortunatly for me, I started riding when I was young (8 yrs old) and rode little dirt bikes on dirt roads and trails. I did crash a lot at first, but as I got older, I really wanted to ride the streets. I got my first taste of riding the streets in 82 on a tall Honda XL 500.

In 88 I bought Kawa 750R ninja and a year later my bike was stolen. So I bought a 89 ZX-7 and wanted to ride the tracks. In preparing to do so, I spent $1800 for a 3 day Keith Code school (The Art of Cornering) and from that the single best thing I really learned was the art of braking. I remember one instructor telling me "if you can learn to master your brakes, you will be more confident out there". He was right. In a panic brake situation, it is nothing new to me to get hard on the brakes and modulate them to keep me up right and riding. On the track, who ever can late brake the best can get into the corner first.

I still ride the dirt every once in a while and love drifting through the turns. I believe the dirt riding backgrond that I have has help in throwing my bike effortlessly in the turns.

As for riding the streets, just accecpt that you are invisable to the general population of motorist out there. Don't expect everyone to see you and play it safe by not riding foolishly in neighborhoods and heavily traffic areas. Never assume you will never be involved in a accident because there is some truth to that old saying, "There are two types of riders..."

 

I learned that this riding THING can COST!!

Like a couple of lapdancers in an all nite beerbar or
like that girlfriend you used to have before bikes .

 

I am certainly not as experienced as many of you and I have not taken any official courses (though a friend of mine and I are considering it this spring). However the "look where you turn" rule has saved me a lot already, especially when going at speed through a curve. Sooo important.

When I first read about counter-steering I tried to figure out the physics at work, and when I did everything clicked. It makes perfect sense and is so simple. The first time you point and shoot where you want to go, you can't help but smile.

Another thing I've learned to do is downshift while decelerating, all the way down to neutral if traffic is indeed stopping. I know some sources preach against going to neutral at a stop light or when traffic stops, but I feel much safer when I'm trying to stop and I know the engine is disconnected from the back tire. If I feel safer then I can spend more time worrying about what's happening around me. If it looks like someone is not going to stop behind me, I'll hopefully have an escape planned and ready.

 

That's by no means trivial, in fact it's a great bit of advice. You can tell so much about the intent of the driver by the positioning of the front wheels. It's like being able to see into their heads (scarey thought, lots of air space). I use the front wheel technique all the time, as it also allows you to see lane changes early.

 

I am one to preach about keeping the bike in gear at intersections - and far enough away from the car in front of me to maintain an escape route. The car behind you may or may not stop in time. IF you're looking in your mirrors, it will take you 1 to 2 seconds to recognize the danger and initiate a reaction before you get hit.

I'm in gear and the front wheel is already pointed in my escape route.
All I have to do is:
1. Release the clutch lever.
2. Rotate the throttle grip.

VS:

I'm not in gear, both feet on the ground, and front wheel is pointed directly at the car in front of me.
All I have to do is:
1. Shift my weight to put my left foot on the peg.
2. Grab the clutch lever and shift into first.
3. Turn the wheel the direction of my escape route.
4. Release the clutch lever and rotate the throttle grip.
That extra 1 second allows the vehicle to travel
10 mph: 14 ft
20 mph: 29 ft
30 mph: 43 ft.
40 mph: 58 ft. (probably the average speed on city streets)
50 mph: 73 ft.
60 mph: 88 ft.

If it only takes you 1 second to get moving since recognizing the threat, the vehicle has traveled almost 60 feet at 40 miles an hour.

If it takes you 2 seconds to get moving since recognizing the threat, the vehicle has traveled almost 120 feet at 40 miles an hour.

I stay in gear at intersections with the wheel pointed at my escape route until there are 3 cars behind me. I figure if the 3rd car gets hit, the car behind me will stop it from hitting me.

 

Going around a corner is more exciting and potentially satisfying than hitting top-end on a long wide road.

now, if I could just get the cornering down better...