The first time I took a rider training course, I had already been riding a motorcycle for over 10 years. I took the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s Experienced Rider Course, and it rocked me to my foundations. I couldn’t believe how much I still had to learn, and how my assumptions about proper riding were so wrong. How had I managed to stay alive? I vowed then and there to learn as much as I could about motorcycle safety, and to become the best, safest rider possible. That quest continues to this day. I still read about the latest in safety, upgrade my safety equipment, and work on my riding skills for continuous improvement.
I have never felt the call to motorcycle racing, but a few years ago, I decided to try track training. I attended a three-day course at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah, conducted by the Yamaha Champions Riding School. Much like my revelation with the MSF course, riding on a track for the first time opened my eyes. I will never be a racer, but the opportunity to get real-time coaching from great riders on a safe, closed course gave me a chance to hone my skills quickly and efficiently. I learned so much about how to control a motorcycle near its limits, and how to position my body weight on the bike to get the most out of every corner. I learned about brake management, traction management, and most of all, mental management – maintaining focus on every ride.
Which leads to the next frontier: motorcycle track days. Every riding skill must be practiced to stay sharp, and track days may be the safest environments for practice. They’re also less expensive than classes, since instruction is not part of the deal. I now recommend that every serious street rider should spend some time at the track at the beginning of riding season to tune up their skills before risking life and limb in traffic.
Riding a motorcycle is an exercise in managed risk. We all know that a life on two wheels is potentially dangerous, but we’ve decided that the risk is worth the reward. But there are ways to reduce the risk. One is with the right safety equipment and a well-maintained motorcycle. Another is by riding in safe places, under controlled conditions (like on a closed course or track) in good weather. But in all cases, the best way to reduce risk is by using common sense, honing your skills, and riding safely at all times. Training helps; practice works to implant the lessons of training into your riding habits. Don’t ride without a good measure of each, and apply a healthy measure of common sense to every ride.