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The Best Advice

by Jeanette
(Windsor Ont. Canada)

My First Bike

I see so many posts about dropping the bike during slow turns, be they right or left hand turns. I too dropped my bike the very first day on it, although it was in a parking lot and it was because I hit the front brake. Regardless, I was still banged up and my confidence was severely shaken. I got right back on and am so glad I did. I took the MSF course and failed the first test. I am so glad I did because I am a super confident rider now. Here is the Best thing that happened to me and I hope you all will take this as the best advice you could get.
I bought the Ride like a Pro dvd and book set to help me learn to ride. I don`t have any place that teaches that close by or I would have taken that class for sure. What I found was the MSF course is so quick and even if you pass the test at the end you really have very little skill to take with you on the streets. Since I had to wait 4 wks to do my retest (again so glad I had to wait as it made me practice) I took the book after watching the dvd a few times and set up the excersizes in a large parking lot. At first they were hard but as I practiced and learned to control my bike through these difficult maneuvres I gained confidence. I practiced 3x`s a week for a couple of hrs. It was draining and at the end even a little boring but I have complete control over my bike now at slow speeds. I can do tight turns no feet down most of the time, left or right, slow or with a bit of speed too.
Watching the dvd`s showed me how far the bike can lean so I didn`t panick when it did lean in a curve.
I have been riding on the streets for about 3 weeks ( I know not that long) but I feel so confident. I ride every day the weather permits. Alone and with my hubby. I have not had one issue in any circumstance. No turn has been uncomfortable and I owe it all to what I learned on the Ride Like a Pro dvd`s. No I don`t work for them and I don`t earn any commission.. LOL Be Safe and have a blast...

Comments for The Best Advice

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Aug 24, 2012

Safety first
by: Jeanette

I love all the comments here and would have to say absolutely practicing braking is very important. It is also part of the Ride Like a Pro dvd book set. One of the excersizes has you set up cones as if someone pulled out in front of you and has you stopping fast at various speeds. They also have you stop and swerve without putting your feet down.. I haven`t mastered that one yet but I will.... Always better in a controlled parking lot than the first time on the road. Ride safe

Aug 24, 2012

Braking
by: Lynn - FL

I agree with Turtle. Along with slow speed parking lot practice, emergency braking is also important to practice. A close friend of mine crashed at an intersection during an emergency braking situation because she paniced and grabbed her front brake, forgetting to use her back at the same time, ejecting herself off the bike. She sustained an injury to her knee requiring medical attention and bruising to her face. She immediately knew it was rider error and although shaky, months later after healing,she got back on her bike.

It all boils down to practice and experience like anything else in life. Keep up the good work!

Aug 23, 2012

Good Job!
by: Turtle

Sounds like you did exactly what you should have done and now you are able to control the motorcycle instead of the motorcycle controlling you. One other thing that I might recommend is practice your high speed breaking. Start off at 20, 30, 40 (then 50 mph if you feel confident) and stop looking streight ahead USING BOTH BREAKS. This is something most riders overlook practicing, but if you ever have a situation that you need to break hard you will be prepaired and not lock up the front or rear wheel. Great Job!

Aug 23, 2012

Congrats and Appreciated
by: Lexxia

Hi Jeanette,

Glad you have gained confidence in the areas you know are really important to get down, and are using that confidence/skillset to your best advantage. Keeping that fine line between awareness and confidence is important. I don't know if it was here that I read it, but someone said that it's always a good idea to have just that little bit of nervousness...keeps you attentive on every outing. I agree and I try to never leave home without it. I've known of two people whose over-confidence got them in situations that they didn't think could happen to them. One fellow hasn't ridden again since his dealing with gravel and a corner. Another woman has remained off her ride for a similar reason.

Keep practicing and extending your skills and pretty soon you'll be ready for any challenge and your respect for the road will remain a good relationship for a long time. Stay safe, stay aware and enjoy every ride.

I've seen the Youtube vids of Ride Like A Pro, good to hear they've been valuable to your goals enough that you've wanted to share not only your success but some of the tools that have helped you.

Can never stop learning, keep it up and enjoy the ride.

Lex

Aug 23, 2012

believe n yourself
by: Anonymous

I dropped my bike the first time I rode and for the same reason (darn that front brake!). Fortunately I too was in a parking lot. I took the basic rider course here in Vermont with excellent instructors and have been riding for over 4 years now.

The only recommendation that I would make to a new rider is to have faith in your ability to learn how. It took me 3 falls (all slow and all because of the front brake) and a couple of riding seasons to really feel like I owned it. Now I love riding both solo and on the back of my husband's bike.

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