Riding skills and technique section?

I have read Codes books Parks book, taken Penguin school from old man Wood and again with his son. (Even have a set of their tire warmers) lol. But what I do find is if you have a thread like Misti's is that you can ask questions and get answers perhaps examples in different ways that might click for you. Many people learn in different ways. I learn best from example and experience but can learn a lot from dialogue too. Many years ago a friend of a friend who I met was a ski instructor at Brekenridge. We talked on line a bit about where I was at in sking ability. At the time I could ski just about anything on the mountain. After our chats he recommended a few things for me to try next time out. That led to a big leap in my sking, I still skied the same whatever but could do it substantially faster and with much less effort.

I know a lot of you older experienced gentlemen roll your eyes when a thread pops up like this but don't let that stand in the way of others that may benefit from someone who is a good teacher and does it only because they love the sport.

 

There is now. Looks like Reg Pridmore was involved with this book.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/smo...way-reg-pridmore/1102586787?ean=9781884313462

 

Okay I can't help myself. I like the concept of a skills section and the books and the videos. They are all great, but putting to practice is another story. I consider myself an accomplished street rider. I can tell buy watching others what they are doing and not doing. I can guide them if they are interested. But for me putting to practice what I have read, watched and advised others on, is difficult.

Why? Nobody is watching me and telling me if it is right or wrong. What do I need to change.

Hands on in a class, whether it is on the track or through someone like Lee Parks. Yes I have taken his class. More help than you can imagine. More for me on the horizon this spring. Maybe Jason Pridmore's class.

But at the end of the day no matter how many books, videos, classes, riding time, etc. it is Perfect practice that makes perfect. Practice just helps you make the same mistakes habit.

 

I would like to add to grabcon's statement in regards to print vs real conversation or observation but that is not to say I don't think having a skills/technique section is a bad idea. Case in point, I had a stranger approach me while I was getting ready to hop on my bike, he said that he read in the DMV manual that it says to approach and cross rail road crossings at a 45 degree angle. I said "That is correct", he adds "But why would you lean at a 45 degree angle, wouldn't riding perpendicular be safer?" As he was saying this he was using his hands to show me the angle, which in this case was on the vertical axis.

After a quick chuckle, I proceeded to explain that it wasn't on the vertical axis but on the horizontal axis that they were referring to. Using my hands in the orientation of what I was talking about gave him the understanding of what the manual was referring to. That being said, I believe they do show an illustration but I just thought this was funny and a good example of what someone reads does not always translate as well as a visual reference.

 

photos, graphs and illustrations along with printed text also help.

 

I think there are enough knowledgeable and level headed people here that if bogus info is spoken it would get corrected. There could be some good conversations about other aspects of racing/riding like mental awareness and how each deals with it and stuff like that.

Might be an interesting forum. At least for awhile. Then once we all learn everything there is to learn it may dry up.

 

This tread is already wavering. How fast do you think a real tips tread would dissolve into the standard fight club?

 

I don't know, I haven't been here that long but find most threads informative and instructive and level heads seem to prevail. (Tiger Tiger- not so much).

Like GreyVF750F says, it would most likely be self-policing.

My vote is to quit talking about it and just start the thread. I imagine it could be changed to a forum if it's popular.

2 cents

 

Ok ok.......

 

It depends if people want to be positive and contribute or not. Other forums I have been on much longer have been very successful with threads and forums like this. VFR's are a bit of a mixed breed being a sport tour bike so the use and interest in them vary a lot it seems. But I think no matter if your ripping in the mountain twisties or touring or commuting there are a lot of skills that can be shared.

 

Lots of topics.

Situational awareness in a variety of conditions.

Off camber turns.

Reducing radius curves.

Reducing radius curves that are off camber. ( not often but there are some messed up engineers out there) lol

Riding in mixed conditions.

Braking with linked brakes in mixed conditions.

And on and on. None of us know it all. Sometimes it's easy to get jaded in our old age. And that is a shame because the older often have much more knowledge and experience. I'm getting older and still do track days. I learned a lot this weekend riding at Barber from some fast young bucks that love the sport and have good communication skills. As always it's up to members to make it or break it.

 

That's just it. Most people here don't know how to do a lot correctly much less the items you mention in your quote. But those same folk will share their opinions with the utmost confidence....I am going back to being a Decenter and I think those items should not be discussed in a thread. Too dangerous.

 

Most mature forums have knowledgable members to keep it straight. I agree that some forums have young know it alls spewing crap but this place seems to have more mature members. I see this on some of the firearm forums that I'm on too. Bullshit is quickly squashed.

 

I have an autographed copy of that book! Good info in it. Combining it with Twist book and videos and lots of careful progressive practice have really been a help for me. I am trying to work out how to get to the track and trying to figure out who to use. In a perfect world I would do Pridmore's CLASS, Code'a Superbike School and the Yamaha Champions class, but they are only in Jersey now I think.

I know where I am having trouble and that is usually the very tight stuff which may or may not be partially bike related or all rider related. I am friends with a guy that just won his class championship on Ducati so maybe he can give me some pointers. I rode with him today and he was two up on a Multistrada and still smooth as can be and fast. Hell of a rider!

I feel like I am at a point now where I really do need external help to guide/correct me into being smoother etc.

 

I hope this is considered fair game. How bout some wise words from those experienced riders for the dudes who have so many farkles, communication devices and other attention sucking stuff on their bikes that paying attention to the road becomes almost secondary.

Not having read all the books or taken all the classes I doubt that the top teachers and authors have little to say but "don't" aboot this type riding.

Then again if Y'all can direct me to a class that can improve my riding skills whilst watching my Oprah re-runs. I would be forever in your debt.

 

Fair enough. I don't totally disagree with you. But I have those farkles you speak of. Coms and music. Speaking for myself only, when I am in the thick of some tight fast twisties, I don't do much talking if any that I can remember. And I also cannot say that I even notice the music. I seem to loose that when I focus on the ride at hand. The music is there for the longer boring rides, and the coms if someone else is with me with coms, again on the more sedate portions of the ride.

Gotta say, when you are group riding in unfamiliar roads, the coms are great. Especially when suddenly your riding partners take a ramp to the right from the freeway while you are two lanes over. Like WTF man. I was able to maintain communications just long enough to tell them to stop and stay and I will find them before I road out of range.

 

Waving of hands is probably best for explaining things to harleydoods. Next best would be a protractor or a 45 degree equilateral triangle and making sure a train wasn't coming.

 

Could be that the dudes who get off the slab in your group might be doing it on purpose for any number of reasons. If your range is limited with the current farkles, I suppose you could text them at somewhere below the ton.. This then would necessitate communication with all the other riders in the group until the dude who bailed maybe got gas or had to even take a leak.

Addressing the point aboot riding on unfamiliar roads, the question might be, how did riders get along all those years before God invented solid state comms for motorcycles?

Making an imagined set of values fit a general situation is easy. The other way round is the more difficult unless one is a lawyer.

So as far as farkles go, how bout those gimbal gadgets that hang off the left bar to hold liquids of various types. My idea there is to someday invent an addition to one of those with a heating element to keep my Jo-jo's warm between stops.

 

I see that the bantering has begun. I kind of suspected as much. But here are a couple of more this to add to the list. And these are truly pet peeves of mine.

Slow speed riding under 5 or 6 miles an hour. (Mastering the slow race. I can speak from experience on this topic as my wife's high speed riding improved dramatically when she was able with confidence ride her ST1100 at 4 or 5 mph or less in traffic.)

Secondly. Is rider physical conditioning. (I have see many riders complain about their body after a ride, their soreness during and after rides, or the inability to maneuver the bike around, etc. Physical conditioning is a key aspect of being a good rider.)

 

Some of the basic riding skills needed and how to obtain them would be good topics. I think most of us know people who have been riding for years and still don't have the true basic skills to get them out of trouble if they encounter it.

Points of view from experience on proper braking, steering etc and backed up with quotes/info from MSF, Keith Code etc would help keep bogus info to a minimum if any. Or if anybody is having problems with a certain aspect of riding could get real experience from others in how they handle it. From different riding styles, cause people are all different, may just turn the light on and find the answer. Also if bogus info/myths do pop up, they could be corrected and explained why they are bogus/myths.

I think it's worth a try. Without trying you never really know...........