How Many Practice?

[JMHJ]

Like, the stuff learned in the Basic or Advanced motorcycle courses? I had a go yesterday afternoon in a big parking lot, just some slow speed maneuvering, a little swerving. Didn't have cones out or anything.

I'm kind of wanting to take an advanced course when one's open, with 2 of my boys ideally. My last and only course was in '97; I had to start with the Experienced Rider, or advanced course since that's what was available to me at the time on base. I remember messing around with some of the stuff taught periodically, but eventually got lazy and didn't really practice anything that wasn't part of my normal rides.

I rode for 20 years, took 4 1/2 years off, and just got back into it in December. I've already got over 1,800 miles on the bike I bought, and that's with it being broke down several times, lol. But do I have 20+ years of experience, or 1 year of it 20 times? I'd probably enjoy it more if I refreshed some of that.

[Rich82GS750TZ]

If courses are lacking in your area, try this guy’s videos.

https://youtube.com/@MotoJitsu

[JMHJ]

Ok, thanks. I watched one out on the street video the other day, which was the culmination of lots of parking lot training apparently, and he said "guys" so many times (like some of them do on YT) I don't think I could watch his stuff, lol.

[Baatfam]

Anything to improve your skills is going to be worth it. I did the Lee Parks course years ago, and learned a lot.
Track days will really improve your skills, if you have any in the area. I've done one a few times in Michigan with some of the members here.
Who you ride with matters, also. Spend a day with some serious, experienced riders, will teach a few things.

[Jedz123]

I hit our athletics parking lot once a week for a bout an hour. After the winter its surprising how much rust you need to shake off. I do in parking spot U-turns, tight full lock figure 8's, swerve n' go's and emergency quick stops. Good practice and I'll work the figure 8's until I'm grinding hardware hard. The first few weeks I feel it in my arms, shoulders and core... You strengthen right up, especially if your ride daily and practice weekly for an hour or so.



Cheers.

[Sandy]

Anything to improve your skills is going to be worth it. I did the Lee Parks course years ago, and learned a lot.
Track days will really improve your skills, if you have any in the area. I've done one a few times in Michigan with some of the members here.
Who you ride with matters, also. Spend a day with some serious, experienced riders, will teach a few things.

Yeah, what Bob says and I'll add the more seat time you get the better also. It's also great to go by yourself and practice stuff you normally wouldn't do when riding with others. I used to sport ride lots including a Keith Code school in the mid '80's and quite willingly gave up that lifestyle in the mid '90s. Things were getting too crazy. Any training you can take no matter how experienced you think you are is worthwhile ....even back to basics. On weekends when we tired of doing stupid shlt we practiced highspeed braking. We called it brake races ...see who could get stopped the quickest from a goodly rate of speed. Sounds kind of crazy but it has saved our bacon a few times when cresting a hill and seeing road full of deer or somebody pulling out of a driveway with boat trailer. As I figure whether it's a car or motorcycle trying to figure out emergency maneuvers during an emergency is really poor planning. Sure glad that for the last 30 years all I ride is a stodgy old GS1000. LOL.

[trevor]

I find riding my dr650 off road all winter is key for me to be ready when spring hits...and it's a blast!

[Brendan W]

Most likely I have fallen into bad habits and from dinghy racing I know that nothing improves handling more than racing, which I don't do on the bike, so I have a skill gap and behave accordingly.
I take it out in the rain sometimes just to stay current. Simulating clutch and or total brake failure can be a bit of fun. Can you pick a point to shut off power and nail the speed limit exactly at the sign without brakes. Pick a mark at 60mph, allow just under a second for reaction time then brake to a stop. Mark the stop point and then double back and see what that distance looks like when hitting the original mark at 60mph.

[argonsagas]

Like, the stuff learned in the Basic or Advanced motorcycle courses? I had a go yesterday afternoon in a big parking lot, just some slow speed maneuvering, a little swerving. Didn't have cones out or anything.

I'm kind of wanting to take an advanced course when one's open, with 2 of my boys ideally. My last and only course was in '97; I had to start with the Experienced Rider, or advanced course since that's what was available to me at the time on base. I remember messing around with some of the stuff taught periodically, but eventually got lazy and didn't really practice anything that wasn't part of my normal rides.

I rode for 20 years, took 4 1/2 years off, and just got back into it in December. I've already got over 1,800 miles on the bike I bought, and that's with it being broke down several times, lol. But do I have 20+ years of experience, or 1 year of it 20 times? I'd probably enjoy it more if I refreshed some of that.

That is one of the best reality descriptions I have read.

For all of us who stop riding for a few months due to weather, the simple truth in your words is a lesson to be taken very seriously.

No matter who you are and no matter what your peak skill level may be, when you stop using it for a period of several months, your peak erodes and it is essential to rebuild it.

[Buffalo Bill]

I think it would be a really useful skill, to do a slow 180 turn around on a 2 lane road riding a GS1100G.
As it is I gotta do a see/saw back an forth getting the big thing pointed back the way I came.

[JMHJ]

I was reminded that the tight right turn is a little harder than left due to the position of your throttle hand. I couldn't quite do that one as tightly; mighta been going too slow for one thing. Yeah I'd like to get more confidence with stuff like that. I'd like to try a track too... My suspension's not up to it at the moment, but that would be fun.

The health/strength thing is so far so good. I've exercised regularly for a number of years, but I had to back off last September or so due to some shoulder pain. Then I tore my bicep (mild?) after I got the bike. Oddly enough the tear relieved my shoulder pain greatly (lol), but I'm having to be careful exercising still, and am not nearly back to where I was on the weights (which was just moderate at best).

Age is one reason I looked to, and got back into this when I did - kinda figured I'd better do it while I still can.

[Who Dat?]

I rode for 20 years, took 4 1/2 years off, and just got back into it in December. I've already got over 1,800 miles on the bike I bought, and that's with it being broke down several times, lol. But do I have 20+ years of experience, or 1 year of it 20 times? I'd probably enjoy it more if I refreshed some of that.

At one of the refresher courses I took (try to get to an official one every two or three years), the instructor hit on that very topic. He said "If you take your basic instruction, then ride for 20 years, you don't have 20 years of experience. What you have is ONE year of experience and 19 years of making the same mistakes."

[Suzukian]

Living in the Beehive of Fairfield County, in Connecticut, just surviving a ride is always practicing.

[Rob S.]

At one of the refresher courses I took (try to get to an official one every two or three years), the instructor hit on that very topic. He said "If you take your basic instruction, then ride for 20 years, you don't have 20 years of experience. What you have is ONE year of experience and 19 years of making the same mistakes."

It's not so clear cut, black and white. If someone rode for 20 years, but spent the last 19 repeating the same beginner mistakes, I would guess he/she rode only a few dozen miles each year. Or had a learning disability.

On the other hand, even high mileage types would do well to take advanced courses throughout the years. But the first thing to strike me about that instructor's statement is that it's self-serving. Is he going to say that it would be a waste of money to enroll in more advanced courses every few years?

That would be like a dentist saying it would be a waste of money to see him every year if you didn't have a toothache.

[Suzukian]

I guess some of those courses work for some people, and maybe some need them. I went to one to observe, and the guy asked me to do some slow turning stuff. Afterwards, he asked me if I would be willing to volunteer time at the classes. I said "No Thanks", I didn't want that responsibility. If you spend 20 years riding, I doubt you have been making any mistakes of consequence, or you'd be dead. Unless you live somewhere that is a straight road, and you live at one end, and you life is at the other end. The biggest mistake I see people make is not use their rear brake when slowing to a stop at intersections, or Red Lights, Stops signs, etc. You see their handlebars wobbling left to right, not knowing if they just dragged their rear brake a little, the bike straightens right up. Slow speeds only, combination otherwise, and mostly the front brake. The method I've seen on YouTube, where the guy lays his bike almost over the opposite direction of the U-Turn he is making makes me shudder. I can imagine someone just dropping their bike. Rear brake, clutch and throttle, slow speed U-Turns on a dime. That works for me, I've seen people take turns at full speed leaning the bike the wrong way, and leaning over really weird like. Hard to explain, but you'll know it when you see it.