I am scheduling training tour dates during the week when possible, but a weekend day is not out of the question. Ken teaching an MSF course.
Group Training Tours
Personal Training Tours are designed for one or two riders, which allows individualized training. However, group days can be arranged. Last season, we conducted a two-day tour with the Women’s Motorcyclist Foundation Road to the Cures Program. If your group of friends or a club wants to talk about a training day (or weekend), Give me a shout. Read more HERE. Also, read the Personal Instruction web page to learn all about the Program. If you have any questions, Contact Me.
Tell this guy that learning ain’t fun. As a motorcycle skills and safety professional, I am often frustrated and even saddened by the seemingly complacent attitude toward real skill development. It pains me to see riders who ignore the importance and benefit of learning to ride their motorcycle with more skill. Not only do sharp, well-developed skills make motorcycle riding safer, it also makes riding more engaging and way more fun.
Shut Up and Ride
I get that motorcyclists don’t ride to be safe. We ride to have fun, which means that focusing on “learning” can risk turning an enjoyable pastime into something that starts to feel like work. I’ve seen many, many motorcycle riders run away when I mention “Training” or the dreaded “S” word…Dare I say it…SAFETY. “I just want to enjoy the wind in my face and the feeling of freedom, dude. Besides, I ride just fine.” Maybe, but could it be that riding can be MORE FUN if you learn how to ride better? Hmmmm? Skill development benefits all types of riders.
Don’t Kill My Buzz With the Truth, Man
The repulsion toward safety and skills development is one reason why it’s nearly impossible to get experienced riders to attend an advanced riding course. The other reason is that most riders don’t see the value in developing their skill. And it’s certainly not as fun as simply going for a ride. Why “waste” a Saturday or Sunday riding around a parking lot when there are open roads to explore…and for some people, bars to hop. Did I say that out loud? I was at a motorcycle expo earlier this year, helping to man a booth for the Massachusetts Rider Education Program (MREP). They had a riding simulator set up for people to try their hand at dealing with challenging riding situations. Jeannine on the Smart Trainer simulator. One guy (and I’m sure he wasn’t the only one) exclaimed proudly that he didn’t need to use the simulator because he’d been riding for 30 years. OK, said my colleague, show us what you know. The look on his face showed sudden anxiety. He kinda laughed as though we couldn’t be serious and then walked away. He was clearly afraid that he might be exposed as a mediocre rider. This happens all the time. New track day riders are afraid that they won’t be as fast as they think they are (they’re not), and this scares them. Egos are sensitive, I get it. But, if they can man up (sorry ladies) and take the plunge, they soon discover that it doesn’t matter how fast they are, rather it’s how skilled they are at controlling their bike that counts.
What’s My Point?
You probably aren’t as good at riding a motorcycle as you think you are. “So what”, you say? Well, the last time I looked, riding a motorcycle is dangerous, even deadly. If that’s not enough to motivate you to spend a bit of cash and an afternoon brushing up on your skills, then maybe the fact that better skills means more fun will motivate you. The vast majority of people I’ve trained over the last 20 years experience MORE ENJOYMENT after a training session. That’s because they are now more confident in their ability to manage their bike, corners and traffic. Seriously. It’s worth the effort.
Training Opportunities that are Fun
Track Days are fun and increase cornering and braking confidence. I can’t say that the MSF courses offered around the country are exactly fun. You ride around a parking lot at 25mph as you go through specific drills that are designed to efficiently deliver vital information. Although there is a lot of laughing when groups of friends attend these parking lot courses, it’s usually all business. When it comes to combining “fun” and “training” together, there are two venues to consider. A track day and on-street training tours. Sport bike riders are the likely people to take advantage of track day training, but some organizations cater to all types of bikes and riders. Tony’s Track Days regularly sees sport tourers and adventure bikes at their days. But, to encourage cruiser riders and tourers to attend, Tony is offering a “non-sport bike” track day for 2014. Now, even cruiser-types can ride around a curvy ribbon of pavement without the risk of hitting a car or sliding on sand, or getting a speeding ticket. Another fun training opportunity is on-street training tours. Stayin’ Safe has been providing training tours and I am offering tours as well. This combines scenic rides with experienced people who can offer tips for learning how to be safer and in more control.
Start the Season with Training
The snow is finally melting and now is the time to plan your season. Do yourself and your loved ones a favor and get your skills sharpened. You won’t regret it. Share your thoughts below on your most valuable training experience. Subscribe to the mailing list! Buy the Book!
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I’ve been thinking a lot about traction lately, partly because it is kinda scarce around my house with ice covering my driveway and walkways, making every step a leap of faith. The other reason I’ve been thinking about traction is because I’m putting the final touches on a presentation on Traction Management at the new Thompson Speedway next week. Writing the presentation outline made me think how much traction management is a part of almost every moment of our lives. Walking, driving, and even showering all require a certain level of traction management. We don’t always think of these mundane things as tasks that require “traction”. But, our brains are constantly calculating whether our footing is secure enough to prevent us from slipping in the shower, or sliding down stairs, or careening off the road.
Traction Senses
Having enough available traction is critical for safely riding a motorcycle. But, are you as sensitive about your tire’s traction level as you are the traction level of your footing when you step into a shower? Most people would have to answer “no”. That’s partly because when you are riding a motorcycle, the interface between your nerves and the ground is insulated by tires, suspension, a frame and a seat. When you’re standing in the shower the nerves in your feet are almost directly connected to the tub so that it is easy to tell whether the surface has enough grip to not slip. If you’re not sure, you simply move your foot along the surface to determine whether you must take extra care. Once you’re out of the shower and dressed, your shoes separate the bottom of your feet from direct contact with the floor, which adds a level of complexity when determining traction. In this case, we rely more on the whole nervous system to tell whether our shoes have enough grip or not. Your proprioceptive senses are the senses that communicate with your brain and muscles to keep you safe. Proprioceptors tell you about the relative position of body parts and strength of effort being used as you move. They are located in your muscles and joints and help you perceive your body in space. A slight slip will trigger your proprioceptive senses to tell your brain and muscles to react to regain balance. Riding stiff in low traction situations is a bad idea.
Get a Grip
On a motorcycle, you must develop the ability to sense whether your tires have enough grip on the road for you to remain upright. But, how is this possible? First, you must learn to “read” the information being delivered by your motorcycle’s tires and chassis. Your bike’s components are speaking to you through the language of slip angles and aspects of balance that include roll, pitch, and yaw. As your bike leans, dives and squats, your nerves are calculating whether your bike is in balance and on the intended path or at the beginning of a loss of control. A relaxed posture allows clear communication between you and your tires. You feel this through the footpegs, handgrips, and seat. Keeping firm, but relaxed contact with the grips and pegs and riding with a relaxed posture will allow the best transference of information between your tires, the suspension and your nervous system. Everyone who rides has a traction sense, otherwise we would never be able to trust that we would make it out of our driveway, let alone negotiate corners at speed. A rider who is able to manage less-than-ideal traction situations is highly proficient at sensing what the tires are doing. The information is there, you just have to listen. Share your thoughts on developing a traction sense.
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Damn you, Polar Vortex! Polar Vortex Express photo by Jeannine Condon Nobody can deny that this winter has been a doozy! Even as March has arrived, it’s well below freezing and the snow cover is still measured in feet where I live. Thankfully, the sun is noticeably higher in the sky and the days are longer, which points to the inevitable spring thaw. This means that it’s almost time to ride! But, wait. Before you thumb the starter there are a few things you need to take a look at before your first ride of the season. The first step is to make sure your bike is ready to roll. Next up is the importance of getting your mental and physical skills in shape for the new season. Adjust and lube your chain
Bike Prep
Here’s a quick list of pre-season maintenance tasks. I’m not going to go into detail about how to perform these duties, because that would be a very long post. Most of these things are covered in your owner’s manual. If you do not feel comfortable tackling these projects, find an experienced friend to help you with any of these jobs that you can’t do yourself. Put a gauge on those stems before you ride! Do these things:
Charge your battery
Check your air filter
Check your tire pressures and condition
Check your drive system
Change your oil and filter
Check your brake pads and fluid
Check your lights
Put a wrench to all fasteners
Lube cables
Wipe her down, Start her up!
Mental Maintenance
After you’ve taken care of the motorcycle, then the next thing to give some attention to is your mental and physical skills. With all the anxious anticipation of the first ride of the season, it’s easy to forget that motorcycling is a challenging endeavor that requires you to be on top of your game. Starting your riding season without considering the consequences of rusty skills could end your season prematurely. If you’re like me, you’ve probably been spending the winter months getting around town behind the wheel of a car. This can cause you to forget that your survival instincts and riding “edge” are dulled. It’s easy to become oblivious to motorcycle issues like visibility or road surface hazards when you’ve been off the bike for a while. It’s likely that you haven’t been too concerned about being seen by others the way you are when riding your bike, because it’s easier for others to see you when you’re driving a 3-ton vehicle. Now is the time to get that mental radar fired up so you can deal with all the distracted and complacent drivers. Remember that drivers haven’t seen bikes on the road for several months or weeks and won’t be looking for you. Also, you probably haven’t been too concerned about road surface hazards, because most surface conditions are of little concern when you have four wheels beneath you. Get your road surface sensors sharpened before you roll out of your driveway.
Thawing Your Skills
Formal training courses are a great way to sharpen your skills. Some riders begin their season by taking a refresher course with their local motorcycle-training program, which usually offer the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) suite of courses. Others take some time on their own to brush up on their emergency skills in a parking lot, but most simply take it easy until the cobwebs blow away. Whether you choose to attend a formal rider course or go it alone, I recommend that every rider practice critical skills by performing some cornering and braking drills. Skills are perishable, which means you have to keep practicing whenever you can. Not just at the beginning of the season! That’s why I include drills in my Riding in the Zone book and DVD. Subscribe to the mailing list!
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I included this pledge in the post about Tommy Aquino, but thought it was worth making it a standalone post. Earlier this past year, I included a pledge in one of my MCN columns to encourage readers to think about their responsibility to be the best they can be. Take this pledge for yourself AND for the ones who love you. If you won’t commit to safe riding for yourself, then think of your loved ones who will grieve your demise if you die or be forced to clean your oozing wounds and look at your disfigured face if you live, but didn’t wear your riding gear. Just sayin’
Proficiency Pledge
I will expand my knowledge of motorcycling safety and control through continual reading, and by taking a formal safety/skills course.
I will continue to practice my physical skills to keep them sharp.
I will develop mental strategies for managing traffic and other hazardous situations.
I will never ride while intoxicated or impaired in any way.
I will choose not to ride if my ability to manage hazards is compromised.
I will choose not to ride with others who do not share my commitment to safety.
I know not every reader of the Zone Blog follows motorcycle roadracing, so you may not have heard about the recent death of 21 year old young gun Tommy Aquino who was involved in a collision with a fellow rider while training at a motocross track in California. Even though Tommy’s death occurred on a motocross track, it is one more example of the sad realities of riding a motorcycle, whether on the dirt or the street.
It Happens
I don’t know the details of Tommy’s crash, but knowing that he was a very skilled rider begs the question, “If it can happen to him, what chance do I have?” Of course, most of you aren’t training to become a future world champion, but that doesn’t mean that you are immune to a similar fate. The fact is that the public roads present as many or more dangers as a motocross track. Safety guru Larry Grodsky died while riding home from a safety conference. My friend and coworker, Chappy lost his life commuting home after work. My wife’s cousin died on a Sunday ride with a friend. The list of street riders who have died goes on and on. I often say that most crashes are avoidable, and I stand by that statement, but the reality is that even the best riders can find themselves at the pointy end of a bad crash. Larry Grodsky is an excellent example, but there are many others. Fred Rau, a colleague at Motorcycle Consumer News wrote a poignant column in the latest issue about a fellow rider who met his end on a group ride. The article illustrates the cold truth that sometimes shit happens even to the best riders. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time is the only reason his friend is dead now. Hopefully, you all understand the realities of motorcycle safety and act accordingly. Not that you should ride scared or never push the envelope from time to time, but one key to survival is to know the real risks of riding and how to manage those risks. Unfortunately, many riders don’t take risk management seriously enough.
Don’t Give Up, Get Smart
I’ve been riding motorcycles for almost 40 years and have survived this long partly because of luck, but mostly because I am very conscientious of where and how I ride. I don’t take my safety for granted. I’m not saying that those who have met their demise were not conscientious. What I am saying is that life is unpredictable. But, we can minimize the risks. Read this post to learn how. And this one.
Risk versus Reward
I often tell people who are on the fence about whether they should ride a motorcycle to carefully measure the risk versus reward ratio. If there is not a big payback in terms of enjoyment, then I suggest they find something else to do. The reward must match or exceed the risk. This is what I told my daughter Jeannine when she first started riding on the street back in 2006. I wanted her to know that the decision she was making to become a street rider had serious consequences. Of course, intellectually, she knew this, but it is important that we remind ourselves frequently about the risks of straddling a two-wheeled machine and then riding it at speed. Is your risk to reward ratio acceptable to you?
Fight Complacency
If you haven’t evaluated your mental and physical skill sets lately, I suggest you do so. Why? Because it’s too easy to become complacent about the importance of excellent survival strategies and riding skills. As we ride more and more miles without incident, we gradually assume that we have this riding thing figured out and that the bad things won’t happen to us. Wrong! We can’t control everything, but we can hedge our bets by increasing our knowledge and skill and making sure our behavior is in line with minimizing the risks of riding a motorcycle. Take this post as a reminder to do all you can to be the best rider you can be.
Proficiency Pledge
Earlier this past year, I included a pledge in one of my MCN columns to encourage readers to think about their responsibility to be the best they can be. Take this pledge for yourself AND for the ones who love you. Feel free to add your own points.
Pledge:
I will expand my knowledge of motorcycling safety and control through continual reading, and by taking one formal safety/skills course per season.
I will practice my physical skills on my own to keep them sharp.
I will wear protective gear on every ride.
I will develop mental strategies for managing traffic and other hazardous situations.
I will never ride while intoxicated or impaired in any way.
I will choose not to ride if my ability to manage hazards is compromised.
I will choose not to ride with others who do not share my commitment to safety.
Signed:___________________________ Feel free to copy this pledge and print it out.* Then hang it on your garage wall and give a copy to each of the people who care about you. *Anyone wanting to distribute this pledge to more than their immediate friends and family should contact me for permission. Subscribe to the mailing list!
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Basic rider courses give newbies the foundation for safe entry into motorcycling. But, it is not enough. I encourage all would-be and experienced motorcyclists to take a formal rider training course. Training courses conducted by certified instructors are the best way for newbies to learn to ride and for experienced riders to identify and break bad habits and keep skills sharp. But, a fundamental question needs to be asked: do current methods of basic rider training meet the mission of reducing fatalities and injuries? Despite more and more people entering motorcycling through rider training courses, a recent report by the Governors Highway Safety Association states that the fatality rates among motorcycle riders increased in 2012 by 9%. “In the 14 years from 1997 to 2011, motorcyclist fatalities more than doubled, from 2,116 to 4,612, while total traffic fatalities dropped by 23%, from 42,013 to 32,367.” Part of the reason for this increase can be explained by more people riding motorcycles and an increase in overall miles traveled. This is due to an improved economy, as well as other factors. Even so, the increased numbers of riders and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) does not explain this significant increase in fatalities. Could continued rider training help riders avoid dying? Safety experts agree that current rider training courses are not affecting positive change in fatalities and injuries. This isn’t a big secret, representatives from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) have said as much at a recent safety conference.
Good for a While
Past studies have shown that formal rider training is effective in reducing crashes for the first several months after a rider gets his or her course completion card. However, the benefits of rider training seem to fade over time so that trained riders are involved in crashes at a similar rate as riders who did not take a safety course. So, what does that say about the current state of rider training? It says to me that new methods must be imagined and developed to keep riders interested in maintaining and improving their skills. If motorcycle riders could or would continue their skill development past basic skills, then perhaps fatalities would begin to diminish. But, too many riders let their skills get rusty and weak so that they become vulnerable to relatively minor hazards. Thankfully, a handful of safety experts from around the country are hard at work trying to develop the next generation of approaches to rider training that will hopefully meet the goal of reduced fatalities. Could peer mentoring be part of the answer to reducing fatalities?
Just “Shut up and Ride”
Unfortunately, a life-long learning model is a tough sell in the United States where motorcycle riders largely want to be left alone to ride the way they wish and not have to be reminded that riding a motorcycle safely requires commitment.
One Possible Answer
So, what’s the answer? In the UK and Europe mandatory rider training is a multi-level process that takes many months and a rather high price tag to receive a full license. Some training professionals believe that a customized version of this UK system may be possible in the U.S. through a mentoring program. New Zealand and the UK both have well-established mentor based programs that are well-attended. Can it happen here? Would it help to make peer mentors available at both formal events and on informal rides to share strategies to become a better and safer rider? Perhaps if respected riders share control skills and survival strategies, (including the importance of refraining from riding impaired) then maybe continuing ed can take hold in the motorcycling culture. Maybe. What are your thoughts on how to reduce fatalities? Does a mentoring program make sense to you?
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Say no more. The type of injuries sustained by motorcycle riders may not be what you think. We all know that a traumatic bonk on the head is the most likely way to become dead. The brain just cannot handle being bashed around inside your cranium without suffering some bleeding or bruising. That’s why those who understand the risks of riding a motorcycle wear helmets, and not those skull cap, yamaka, pseudo brain buckets, but a real DOT or ECE (“Economic Commission for Europe), or Snell approved unit; preferably one with really cool colors and graphics (if that’s your thing).
Legs and Feet
Take a look at the pie graph (mmmm, pie, source: CDC). While the head and neck are understandably high on the list of parts we injure. Statistically, it is even more likely that you will have some pretty beat up the legs and feet. I’ve experienced this first and second hand. I’ve broken a foot from a parking lot tipover (note to self: remove disc lock before flight, dumbass) and tore my ACL (it’s in the knee) from a dirt biking tipover. And Caroline broke her foot falling over in gravel on (or should I say “off”) the racetrack. This is why I wear armored boots and riding pants with knee armor. I guess most other riders in the U.S. have not heard this fact, because very few I see wear more than sneakers and jeans with the occasional person of questionable intelligence wearing flip-flops and shorts. Really?
Leg Protection
As a person who promotes track days, I often get questions about what riding gear is acceptable when riding on the track. Most serious riders have riding jackets that are decent enough to pass tech at some track days, like Tony’s Track Days. So, that usually isn’t a problem. But, invariably when I ask about what riding pants they have, they look puzzled and say “None. I ride in jeans”. Oops. I get it. I didn’t begin wearing riding pants until after I had been riding for about 15 years. That’s when I started thinking more about the risks of riding. Back then, there weren’t a lot of riding pants to choose from. I discovered that Motoport gave a discount to MSF instructors, so I bought an Ultra II overpant that I wore for several seasons. It provided years of comfort and protection. And from the looks I got from the ladies, it looked good, too. OK. there were no ladies, but I can dream, can’t I? I digress. Today, there are tons of options in protective pants that are not expensive and offer pretty good protection from at least minor leg injuries. Lookin’ good in my Motoport Riding pants. Now, I always wear leg protection when I ride, usually my high-dollar MotoPort Ultra II stretch Kevlar zip-on uber-pants. I know these look good because I’ve been told so (by my wife, but she counts, right?) These are undoubtedly the most comfortable and protective pants I’ve seen, except when it gets to be over 85 F. But now I have another option. Jeannine just bought me my first pair of Kevlar jeans (with knee armor). I was quite surprised at how well they fit and looked (maybe the ladies will notice me now). I haven’t worn them yet, but I like having the option of wearing protective pants that look “normal” when I walk into a store. Twisted Throttle (and others) sell armored mesh pants that offer great ventilation and enough protection for one small-to-medium sized crash. That’s enough to make them well worth their relatively inexpensive cost. Do yourself, your knees and your legs a favor and wear protective pants. Touring boots are comfortable with decent protection.
Foot Fetish
Caroline and my foot injuries happened even though we were both wearing motorcycle boots, which just goes to show you that not all boots are equal. Had I been wearing my Sidi race boots at the time I may have avoided the broken foot…maybe. But, I was on a street ride where I was doing a fair amount of walking, so I was wearing my touring boots. These are good, but are a compromise between protection and comfort. I’m in the market for new street boots and will be selecting one that leans a bit more toward protection than my current boots. Believe it or not, even with my history of foot injuries, I do ride wearing work boots from time to time. Convenience and practicality sometimes trump maximum protection. race boots aren’t made for walkin’ What injuries have you suffered? Is the pie chart in line with your experiences?
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This post is different than others you’ll find in the RITZ blog. It’s an announcement about a new personal training program I am starting for the 2014 season. The students of the 2013 on-street training program. Last season, I facilitated an on-street training program with the Women’s Motorcyclist Foundation. Nine women and one man met in my neck of the woods in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts where we learned, rode and laughed for two days. It was a great time and everyone learned more than a few things about cornering, slow speed maneuvers, and just how much fun the roads are where I live. While this was a great experience, it required a lot of effort and energy. So, instead of continuing with a program that involves large groups, I decided to offer individual training, with the possibility of up to 3 people in a group. Read the Personal Instruction web page to learn all about the Program. Ready for some personal training.
For Street Riders
Three years ago, I started an on-track personal training program with Tony’s Track Days, which is a satisfying and effective way to share my knowledge with others while riding on the racetrack. I hired some of TTD’s most experienced staff to join me in offering this instruction. The new on-street program carries much of what I have learned as a track day instructor and applies it to the street. This will not be a lesson on how to ride fast on the street. Instead, it will be about developing and refining skills that may be lacking. What you do with your newly learned abilities on your own time is your business. But, I will be insisting that my students always ride within the limits of the street. If you want to ride fast with me, sign up for Personal Instruction during a TTD track day.
What’s the Benefit?
I’ve become pretty good at identifying areas where people can become more proficient at riding a motorcycle. It’s one thing to sit in a classroom and it’s quite another to have an experienced instructor give immediate feedback about your specific riding strengths and weaknesses. We will work together to refine existing skills and to help you master areas that may cause anxiety. I will custom tailor the day to focus on those specific needs. I’ll be using two-way Bluetooth communicators to give real-time feedback. It’s a great way to apply concepts and make them habits. These are the same units we use on the racetrack. I expect most riders will want to take advantage of beautiful and challenging twisty roads to help master cornering techniques and confidence. Braking, accurate steering, throttle control and advanced visual acuity are all things we will work on to make you a better and safer rider. If riding in traffic is your concern, then we will head to the land of cars and trucks where I will share with you my strategies for surviving in traffic. Read the Personal Instruction web page to learn all about the Program. If you have any questions, Contact Me.
Linda Blair, The Exorcist? No doubt that being able to quickly and precisely flick a motorcycle into a corner can make you a cornering hero. However, the physical act of cornering is only one aspect of cornering mastery. Safe and skillful cornering also requires that you gather information about the corner—information gathered through your eyes. The Eyes Have It When cornering, your eyes alert you to any obvious hazards, help you determine how tight the curve is and allow you to identify any corner characteristics that might affect your safety. But, simply looking ahead isn’t enough to get the information you need. There is a difference between “Looking” and “Seeing”. Also, how you look is critical. A lazy gaze will get you nowhere fast. Aggressively scanning and searching for specific targets is much more effective. Look well ahead.
1. Look well ahead
The first thing to do is get your eyes up! The earlier you spot a hazard or identify a corner’s characteristics, the less likely you are to act out of panic. Looking well ahead also reduces “speed anxiety” by slowing down the landscape. A slower perceived rate of speed offers a greater feeling of control and minimizes the effects of speed-induced anxiety. When cornering, look as far ahead as you can, all the way to the corner’s exit if possible. How far ahead you are able to see depends largely on the environment. You can scan to the horizon in corners that are open, flat and unobstructed. However, in forested or hilly locations you will encounter many blind corners that provide little sight distance. This lack of visual lead time can make it difficult to see unexpected roadway hazards until it is too late.
2. Match Your Speed to Your Visual Distance
Ride at a speed that matches the amount of visual lead time you have. If you are riding too fast to process the information, you will be behind the eight ball and not have enough time to react. There are often roadside objects that hide critical information. Always enter turns at a speed that takes into account the lack of visual information and allows you ample time and space to avoid whatever might be around the bend.
3. Identify the Right Entry Speed
Skillful cornering requires accurate visual information about a corner’s radius, camber and surface quality so you can determine the right entry speed. A too-fast entry speed is responsible for the majority of single-vehicle crashes as the panicked rider target fixates and runs off the road or grabs the brakes and crashes. Use visual information to determine whether your pace is within your comfort zone. There’s a lot to look for on the street.
4. Identify visual clues
By looking well ahead you can evaluate a corner’s unique characteristics and come up with a cornering plan. Certain roadside features can help you identify a corner’s character and allow you to establish a plan to help you decide what line you’re going to take and where you’re going to get on the gas. One useful visual target that helps you make this plan is the “vanishing point” where the white painted fog lines or painted centerline visually converge. On the track, there are no lines, so use the edges of the pavement. How soon the lines or pavement edges converge in the distance help to determine how tight a corner is and which way the surface slopes. If the lines or pavement edges converge in the near distance, then you can count on a tightening corner radius. On the other hand, a distant vanishing point indicates a larger radius or a curve that is ending. This information can also help you determine road camber or slope. When a road is positively banked, the road edges do not come together right away. Look where you want to go.
5. Look in the direction you want to go
Looking where you want to go can help direct your motorcycle through the turn. This is commonly known as “visual direction control”. Visual direction control is essentially your eyes telling your mind where you want the motorcycle to go next. When cornering, point your eyes to the corner’s exit to help direct your motorcycle on the desired path. Riders who discover the benefits of looking well ahead when cornering often comment on how much easier their motorcycle seems to turn.
6. Keep your vision wide and your eyes moving
Your eyes must move quickly between the corner locations while at the same time scanning for surface hazards. Keep the majority of your vision well ahead into the corner, however you may need to look down briefly to monitor the surface condition as it nears. Do this by using quick downward glances. Continually gather information from near and far with upward and downward, and side-to-side search pattern. Scan aggressively to gather as much information as you can about the road surface and corner characteristics. Finally, look through the turn to the exit and identify what is in store farther up the road. Always be looking for reference points when riding on the track.
7. Look for Reference Points
Reference points help you place your tires exactly where you need them to be. Reference points are somewhat less helpful or necessary on the street, because speeds are low where precision is less critical. But on the racetrack where you visit each corner many times a day and where the speeds are much greater, reference points are critical and a relatively small miscue can result in an off-track excursion. Once you establish the best cornering line, you can then use reference points to make sure you are always on that line lap after lap. Cones, pavement stains and cracks, as well as distant visual targets (trees) can all be effective reference points.
8. “Ratchet” Your Eyes
To make visual direction control work for you, look into the curve and then continue to move your vision along the desired cornering path all the way to the corner exit as though your eyes are pulling the motorcycle through the turn. Your eyes cannot help but stop to focus on small targets as you scan ahead. Look around the room, trying to not have your eyes “flick” slightly as you scan. You can’t. So let this natural occurrence work for you. Imagine your eyes moving through a corner in a sort of ratcheting way, very briefly noticing visual targets and reference points along the way. Put all these “dots” together to make a smooth corner.
9. Look at the solution, not at the problem
Visual direction control can work for or against you. It can work against you if your eyes fix on a hazard that you need to avoid, which is what we tend to do under threatening situations. “Target Fixation” is the term used to describe this response. The problem is that if you look at a hazard, such as a patch of sand or the edge of the road, you will likely end up riding directly toward it. If a panicked rider were able to keep his vision and attention focused on the corner’s exit he will have a fighting chance of making it. I’ve seen time and again riders who give up on making a corner even when the bike is capable of leaning further and completing the turn. Focus on the solution, not the problem! The same goes with passing on the racetrack. If you fixate on the tail of the rider ahead you will have a harder time getting by. But, if you look past the slower bike and trust your peripheral vision to monitor the slower bike, then you can dispatch the backmarker much more easily.
10. Practice Your Visual Skills
Avoiding target fixation is easier said than done, because we are naturally wired to closely monitor threats with our eyes. It is therefore important to train yourself not to do what comes naturally and instead look away from a threat. On your next ride, consciously look away from road surface obstacles, such as a manhole cover, pothole or road kill and look toward an escape route. Continue to increase awareness of this problem and practice to make the solution second nature. When it comes to cornering, consciously look farther ahead. And don’t just look, but see the information that is most meaningful. On the track, look farther ahead. If an obstacle, such as airfence, or a cresting hill blocks your view, look “through” it so your eyes are where you need them to be in the next second when the obstacle is no longer in the way. What visual techniques have you discovered that help you?
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