Expert Showdown: Top Motorcycle Coaches Weigh In on the Best Tips, Tricks, and Techniques
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- Опубліковано 1 вер 2022
- Riding instructors talk a lot about proper riding techniques, but they don't always agree.
Let's look at one reason why.
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I want to thank you for this channel Kevin. After returning to riding a motorcycle after several decades your advice has helped me be a safer Auto driver as well. I now turn off the radio to reduce distractions. When I am driving my car, I imagine my self on my motorcycle and how I would react to a situation. A good road strategy works for a car as well as a motorcycle. The only problem is that I get strange looks from drivers when I open my car door to put out my foot to keep the car from falling over. Fate introduced me to a 2020 Moto Guzzi that I fell in love with. Thanks again Joe
You nailed once again Kevin! Your instructions and techniques are the only ones I follow, thanks for all your do!
I recently attended a training day where we rode on a wide variety of different types of road and practiced our skills. I was encouraged by my first instructor to use all of the lane to maximise visibility to other road users and ahead up the road. The instructor on this occasion encouraged me to stay within the centre third of the lane, and to ride in the centre of the lane as the primary position. While I can see that if you ride to the extreme extent of the lane it may cause you to be too close to other traffic or if caught by wind could cause to to move outside of your lane, even off the road into the safety barrier.
At the same time sitting in the centre of the lane could potentially limit your visibility up the road, potentially reducing the time you have to react to an incident.
For me, a balanced approach combining these different approaches seems best, adjusting to the circumstances and applying a flexible but common sense approach to each part of you ride as roads and conditions change.
Yep... ran a saltwater tank for several years. After getting the details figured out, it ran pretty smoothly. We gave it up when my wife went back to school... we no longer had enough free time between us to look after it. The lesson I took from it was research, research, research... then research some more. Never stop learning. Never be afraid to listen to new information, but never be afraid to disregard it if it conflicts directly with something you already know to be right. Never stop applying the things you've learned. So, yeah... a LOT like riding!
Thanks for the information Kevin.
Not that I am an expert on the Salt Water Fish hobby but I recommend you get a rod, reel, and frying pan and take a trip down to the Gulf for a few days. You are so correct too many experts out there. We referred to those experts in the Marine Corps as "Sea Lawyers".
I want to thank you. I'm sitting on the side of the road right now, waiting for my father in law to come get me with a trailer. I was doing about 55-60 and came out of a corner and lost my front tire, flat and off the rim.
I've been riding for 2 weeks, but listening to your videos for much longer. I put them on and put phone in pocket and listen at work, have probably listened to most of your whole channel. The tips I've engrained in my mind from listening to you kicked in and I was able to get through the corner and get bike over to the side of the road without wrecking. No injury to myself or my bike.
There's a fair chance your advice saved a life today, so thank you. Keep putting out more content, I'm sure I'm not the only one who is going to put it to use.
More excellent advice.....thanks Kevin!
Great message, Kev
Very good advice buddy im just starting to leun how to ride a motorcycle
Thank you kevin for another great youtube clip! really appreciate the way you put across your wisdom / experience to us, the viewers.
May the Lord bless you richly!!
I appreciate that!
Good advice, you're the Man...
Spot on, some advice directly contradicts other advice. The bike doesn't always go where you look, but it does always go to where you steer it. Of course, if you don't steer consciously then you'll steer it to where you look, but you don't have to.
Hello. This is an excellent analogy. The difference in advice between one professional instructor or motorcycle dealership can vary in so many ways. But for them their advice is sound and it works for them, but maybe not for you or I. The word "technique" was used many times in your video, and that is without doubt the optimum word. We can all agree that advice is a marvelous form of communication and understanding. But unless we challenge the advice with a continuation of practising, we will never find the right technique that will suit our style of riding and above all maintain our safety and a non-complacency of comfort on the roads.
Excellent advice, as always!
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for a great discussion.
Glad you enjoyed it!
As someone who had a saltwater tank for over 10 years, you are spot-on my friend. I ended up giving the tank to a friend who owned an auto repair shop. They had a professional come in weekly to take care of it, and it flourished under their care. They also spent $700/mo for that service. Eventually they bailed as well! Great advice on fact vs technique.
Good advice Kevin. I've never tried to raise salt water fish but I do know it's different. Keep the good stuff coming buddy.
Thanks 👍
Great advice! I haven't ridden for a while. So, I am ordering my new HD FatBoy today, which will take 6 weeks or so to be delivered, and I will take the Motorcycle Safety course at least once and maybe twice on a 250 CC before mine arrives. When my bike arrives, I will take the more advanced course on my own bike. Thanks!
Have fun, and keep training!
Always a thumbs up, brother.
One such technique would be standing in light holding the rear brake. I have found it safer to hold the front. You do stop with the rear, but then hold the front and plant both feet firmly in the ground. When you have only one foot, the bike is slightly leaned left. When you take off, you will need to do a minor correction to go straight. I learned from racing that if you want to take off straight, you have both feet on the ground and the bike balanced. This also helps when you're watching the mirrors to see if someone will rear-end you at the stoplight. Having both feet down gives you the option of quickly escaping left or right, depending on the best escape route to avoid what's coming. Of course, you always leave enough space between you and the car in front, but that's something everyone agrees on.
Thanks Kevin, you're a better riding coach than a salt water tank hobbyists! God bless.
True words Kevin. True words 👍
Wise advice
Your advise when generalize is fit for life not just motorcycle riding. It has served me well for decades! Really enjoyed the “it is like raising salt water fish” experience.
My experience with mystery dead saltwater fish is that they were being stealthily killed by other fish that were supposedly safe tank mates, ha.
Great video topic! Absolutes can be a real issue in the world at large, as they generally discourage nuance. As for moto technique, it took me a while to get beyond just always "following rules", to actually understanding the reasons and/or bike mechanics behind techniques so I could apply them at the right times.
(But geez I really wish the world was better at nuance in general!)
Sage advice👍
Hi Kevin you have so much to offer new, young, and oldies like me. Because I’ve responsibilities for caring for my wife I’ve become ultra careful ( if you can be that) but it’s always the unexpected that can catch us out. Last night I went for a evening ride around our back lanes in North Uk on the way home I’ve got to pass a couple of miles of very twisty hair pin bends with dense verge brush, past experience had taught me that sometimes vehicles get caught out on these corners so last night on the tightest one I trail braked down to 10/15 mph and took it as wide as I could just coming around as the bend opened up was a van right on my side of the road luckily there was a bit of grass verge and I took my Tiger acx onto that. But if I had been going just a few mph more I think the results could have been mucho worse. To sum up there is a limit to being ultra cautious when riding motorcycles we can’t always presume that every situation is dangerous but the fact is we have to bear that in mind. Or is it after my seventy six years with nearly sixty riding it’s time to get my bum off my motorcycle.
Have a great Weekend. You & Family Kevin.
Thanks 👍
with most things in life there are many ways to achieve the desired outcome
its extremely rare for there to be only one right way, or only one right answer
Brilliant !!!!
Technique and practice. 👍
As always, very good advice. I think one of the biggest problem we have is one, not following the advice of the best out there and two, listening to all those coffee stop instructors who are only to willing to give advice based upon their experience. I always say to myself, you can get away with all kinds of poor technique when negotiating a curve on a track or the street if you are doing say 80km/hour. If you increase the speed significantly, all of a sudden you learn very quickly that certain techniques are the “correct” techniques regardless of speed you find yourself doing.
What a great analogy, yes fish can be a lot of work and expensive. It's easier to stick to riding.
With the exception of something "just not passing the stink test", I'm game to try ALL the techniques. I start "at scale" which is frequently starting in the parking lot or some other wide-open space I can "fart around" with approximately the conditions for said technique, and not be running triple digits on the speedo' or whatever the technique's been explained for (see things like "backing it in" or "knee dragging")... This is to get a sense of what (exactly) the technique requires of me, on the bike, and how it feels to accomplish it. Usually there's a "butter zone" sensation that once you've found it, you know instantly... It just FEELS right.
I also practice many of the parking lot drills on a gravel parking lot. It's a dodgy enough surface to force me to reduce my casual approach and focus on the techniques for appropriate practices and maneuvering constraints. I can't quite cut a U-turn as tightly on gravel as I can on pavement, but it's pretty close, and it certainly keeps me on my toes... ;o)
As someone whose been through the same, I loved the salt water tank story! Sorry for you trouble, but glad to hear I'm not alone! lol 🤣😂
I religiously watch you and Dan Dan The Fireman. It's like I'm going to a Church service. I'll catch others here and there. We all can agree don't drink and ride, ride defensively, follow the speed limit, etc.
Some guys have excellent information but prohibit listening to music. They have excellent points as to why it's not a good idea and we all should be focused on riding. However music is something I love and it, for me, goes hand-and-hand with riding. I understand the risk involved but I'd go crazy riding without music. It calms the soul.
Great topic
Kevin you have a scammer telegram+ lurking around…
Yeah I know. I block one and two more pop up. 🤷♂️
There is more than one way to skin a cat, as the saying goes. I’m sure some are safer than others. Excellent points made in this video. As they say you hit the nail on the head. By the way I love my cat and would never hurt him as I know you love and care about your fellow riders. Thanks again for sharing this wonderful information with us all. 😻
Great advice. I've only been riding for 3 years. Some of the info available online contradicts one another and the MSF course that I took. I have narrowed the list of those I take advice from. I am now a much more confident (and hopefully safe) rider
with MSF, as is in general, one should keep in mind who they teach. Advice for a rookie might not be same as for experienced rider, just for the safety reasons, not out of malice.
@@adrianalexandrov7730 I agree 100%. I think I understand some of the different approaches. As an example, MSF encouraged us to use both front/rear brakes while stopping. Some say rely on the rear. As I recall, the MSF instructor stated that you should ensure the handlebars are straight, but that's not always possible! I had a car pull out in front of me at a parking lot (with my handlebars turned) I hit both brakes and nearly went down. I now focus on rear brakes in slow speed situations....I still use the front, but sparingly.
@@RidingandWrenching I believe there was a video on McRider about trailbraking and how it might be beneficial.
I can see how and why they would teach total newbies to rely on the rear training them in a parking lot, but if you're riding yourself -- use advice in this video: test it.
Just measure your stopping distance from reasonable speed, say 40 mph, with the rear brake only. Then moderately using the front. No need to master it to see the difference.
Why most motorcycles have bigger brake disks on the front? Why sportcars and most regular cars have bigger disks on the front and some cheap ones still has drum brakes on the rear?
Why you can lock your rear wheel braking on a mountain bicycle, but enough front brake will try to throw you over the handlebars?
Cause front brake is more powerful.
Sure you can focus on the rear brake, but you're wasting a lot of your bike's potential. And to be safe only with the rear you'd have to master it, which is not easier then mastering the front, and still you'd have lot less stopping ability then your peers who focused on the front and use only half it's abilities.
I get saying "focus on the rear for now as we're learning other important stuff" -- that would be kinda valid teaching technique not to overload trainee with a lot of new things at the same time.
But saying "focus on the rear" pediod -- that's not a thing motorcycle instructor should say.
And even using that "technique" above I'd give a short context that actually front brake is what stops motorcycle effectively, explain why and suggest a ways for a trainee to learn to use it properly depending on situation:
it might be videos, if I was just asked for some short advice;
might be some group trainings I know of; might be personal training;
might be pointing trainee to a group of enthusiasts riding motorcycle gymkhana regularly etc.
Personally there're few requirement when I train people in city riding, and those are solely people with licence in my country (they don't legally allow to teach unlicenced people on the streets like in the UK).
Those are:
- be somewhat comfortable maneuvering at slow speeds
- be able to ride in more or less straight line at speed
- and be able to use front brake. Not to it's full potential, might be a bit abrupt, but even quarter of front brake on a pavement is better then the rear.
Without that, we're going to an empty parking lot first. It's just too dangerous to ride in a city for someone who can't reliably stop in the distance any SUV driving instagram posting soccer mom easily can.
Slam the brakes and that SUV is 40-0 in 40 feets.
You can't do that with a rear brake. It's hard to do even with front (and maybe some rear if you're on a cruiser).
And in five years of teaching I've never had anyone saying "I'll just stick with the rear" after being taught how to use the front.
Be safe, bro!
@@adrianalexandrov7730 got it. I was specifically talking abt slow speed. I use both brakes at all speeds, but release the front brake around 7mph. I also focus on straightening my handlebars if I need to stop abruptly at slow speed
@@RidingandWrenching Oh, that's great, then. Misunderstanding on my part ))
How exactly is straightening the handlebars justified? Did they teach some extra stuff with that or provide some explanations or boundaries to use it?
Not a dangerous stuff at slow speeds, but IMO straightening the bike would be focus.
Say if you're in a slow speed U-turn and need to stop in the middle, I'd assume that turning your handlebars even more to the left to straighten up the bike would make stopping much more controllable and holding the bike easier.
While if in the middle of such a turn you'd straighten the handlebars while braking... well you'd have to hold it as it will try falling to the left.
So did they provide any extra explanations in the MSF?
Just professional interest from across the Pond )))
Yes, like being told to put your left foot down at a red light thus making the gear shift pedal unavailable without switching feet. Always interesting and informative, thanks!
LOL, I am a left foot down rider but always stop the bike in the first gear (no need to switch feet)...works for me and I am ready to move out if needed.
My mind set is that you should not need access to the shifter because you should be in first gear every time you come to a stop, so you are ready to take off in case of an emergency, and having your left foot down to hold up the motorcycle will allow you to have your right foot on the brake pedal keeping the motorcycle from rolling forward or backward. May be just my opinion that fall under "It's like raising saltwater fish". Be safe and when life throws you a curve, slow, look, press and roll.
His advice is sound, I have yet to see one piece of information that isn't. Nice try though...
@@thomasbertram6303 Won't the front brake (right hand) keep you from rolling? Have you ever stopped at a red light and forgot to shift into first gear? Then when you take off you find out your in third gear and stall out? If a concrete truck comes barreling up behind you at a red light, do you plan to run the red light to try to escape and risk getting T-boned by a soccor mom yelling at the kids? Also if you don't brake your rear tire and get bumped by a drunk driver the rear wheel will be free to roll forward or up the bumper possibly reducing the impact on your spine/bike. Safety is a never ending quest.
I thought you had gone off tne rails to begin with but analogy is great one!
I have been seen off the rails from time to time.
Good advice, but now I'm curious: The fish that ate the other one, what species were they?
Well ridding styles also depends where u r riding.. in US the roads may not have so much gravel and leaning with the curve is good but in india on gravel I suggest leaning against the curve
That's kinda my experience with Thailand and Vietnam as well. On clean pavement -- lean in. On dirty on or gravel -- ride like on gravel.
Lean against the curve, to increase the lean angle of the motorcycle? Why?
@@ntdscherer no we have a lot of gravel on our roads so leaning with the curve (racer style) increases the chances of a fall .. but leaning against the curve (off road style) reduces the chances of a fall as your weight is more central to the bike rather than all the weight being on one side of the bike
Good advice as always 👍
Thanks 👍
MCrider the legendary fish slayer!
I agree with the point of your message. I have noticed many discrepancies lately from the various motorcycle expert channels I follow. There is advice from racing experts all the way down to heavy bagger experts. The only conclusion I can get is that they are all correct, but in their specific domain of knowledge.
You don't use advice targeted for bikers who ride 1,000+ pound bikes carrying passengers, when you are on a racetrack.
And you surely don't use advice targeted for MotoGP racers, when riding your heavy bagger.
Context matters.
Great point!
Wise words an also a phylosophy I use in life and my Christian journey
Your fish story sounds like Jackson Mississippi, "bad water," right now in August/September 2022, except it's the people they're finding upside-down in the water. Good to hear from you Brother Kevin. J. Borges from 34205usa -- Peace in Christ.
Reminds me of the saying, “Opinions are like a$$holes. Everybody has one.”
And more often than not, they stink!
I call it underwater crack! Once you get into doing reef it gets really fun and expansive!
It's funny, doing this video has me watching videos on the subject again...the last time I tried it was pre-UA-cam. :)
I watch you tube and learned to never use my front brake in a corner!!! 🤣😉
LOL, there are some truths to riding...and some nuance. ;)
👍
It really is all about proper balance isn't it 😉
Sorting out advice etc is always a challenge and advice should should never be taken and applied without proper consideration. Even when somebody says always do this they aren’t necessarily thinking of different circumstances where that rule might not apply.... how many times do people say this ALWAYS happens but in truth it only happens SOMETIMES
If I had a dollar for every time my dad told me I was going to burn up that clutch on my Harley I’d have 4 more Harleys in my garage
Had to laugh when your $20 fish instantly became a $70 fish. 🤣
A sharp knife will get the work done faster and with better quality than a dull one which has to be forced to accomplish the same end.
Many reasons why instructors disagree, and here's just a few:
1. Bikes are not all the same. Some run out of lean angle, prematurely. Some don't. That creates a difference in technique. It's foolish to try to distill technique into one method for all bikes. (Unless you incorrectly assume no one is going to ever ride fast enough to appreciate the difference).
2. People who only ride fast on a track assume the technique for cornering fast on the street is the same thing. It's not, because the lane is much narrower on the street. It's obviously not sufficient to just tell people to ride slower, because single vehicle crashes still occur. It would be beneficial to teach people how to survive when they enter a corner too fast, whether they are doing it on purpose or on accident due to momentary lapse of attention or misread. And not very many instructors even know how to do that.
3. For some reason, instructors in the US ignore/mask/deny/don't-know-themselves the actual mechanics of steering. They prefer to insist that you simply have to look where you want the bike to go, and it will go there. I've even had one instructor reveal that he doesn't even know how to steer in a corner. He literally believed the only way to tighten your line midcorner was with brakes.
Basically, our instruction is not very good. We spend an awful lot of time and energy focusing on the icing vs the meat and potatoes. Instructors should spend more time on teaching steering. The actual mechanics of steering with the bars. And by "more time" I mean at least some time. The most important part of riding a motorcycle is completely glossed over and taught as "just look there, and the bike will go there." Or "you get it or you don't!" (Some instructors don't get it, but they're teaching people how to ride, anyway).
How did we get here?
Try fish food :)
What is that? ;)
Mc Rider, where salt water fish go to die. Lol
LOL, that has been my experience.
Raising a motorcycle is a lot more rewarding than the salt water fish hobby.
This guy does a lot of talk. Very few videos of him riding though. His videos are great backing tracks to doze off too. 💤💤💤
Thanks for the kind words.
Try them at 1.25 speed.
@@ntdscherer now you’re talk’n. 👍🏻
@@MCrider let’s see you demonstrate, instructor sir.
There are tons of videos of me riding.
You can start here.
ua-cam.com/video/GKX6rdmTdu8/v-deo.html
Or you can do a search on your own.
I have hundreds of videos over the last 6 years. I taught riders in MSF and Total Control classes for years.
You watching me ride will never make you a better rider though. You practicing on the parking lot will make you a better rider. That is what I try to encourage in my videos.