Assess my riding

[christopher]

I've just done a Bikesafe course with Cheshire Police and found it quite useful, 6 hours in the classroom (there were about 12 of us, I was the youngest at 23 and the oldest bloke was 70) split over two evenings, then a 2 hour observed rideout 1 to 1 which was this morning.

The classroom side of things is pretty basic and you'd hope common sense to most but it's suprising how little some people know/understand or what you forget over time. Not much to say here, but everything covered is in Motorcycle Roadcraft including all the diagrams, anagrams and techniques they use. Worth getting a copy of that book no matter what.

The rideout was excellent and the copper wasn't interested in my unbaffled Yoshimura (until we got going then stopped to talk when he took a decent look and just smiled), he honestly did just want to see me riding how I usually would so he could analyse it from a safety aspect (that's what the whole course is focused around, safety). He commented on a few little things but nothing serious, mainly just how overtakes could be done in a more step-by-step process. So he went ahead and (by exaggerating each stage) showed me how they would perform them.

Overall it was well worth doing, especially as mine was free which I think everyone's should be, not that it's not worth paying for just that the whole point is to push safety first etc. And if that's there goal then surely they'd get a much wider audience to push that message to if it was free.

Originally Posted by Talya

I never break the speed limit

Really? Never at all?..

Originally Posted by joshmac

Really? Never at all?..

Really.

im going take scoobs up on his offer to follow em as he is local ! Im going to approach the MoD police about the bikesfae today as i notcied they do one as as im part of a MoD establishment maybe i can jump on the bandwagon!

Ill Pm you scoobs to arrange a time thats good for you......

[Drew Carey]

Hiya mate

Few questions…….firstly, what tyres are you running at the moment? I found that changing the tyres was the biggest confidence boost I ever received. Secondly, roughly how many miles have you done so far? What bikes do the guys ride who you tend to spend most of the time with (and how long they been riding)?

Are you happy with counter steering (please lets not get into the argument of whether it exists or not). I only ask as I was taught this on my DAS but I know a lot of people don’t. The one thing I learnt above all else is that when going through the corners if you need to tighten up, proactive counter steering enables you to take the corner smoother and with more confidence. Also, as has been mentioned, try and not aim to keep up with the others, but ride for yourself and as smooth as possible. What you will find is that if you ride smoother and more relaxed your speed especially through the corners will pick up. The worst possible thing is following someone into a corner who you don’t 100% know the riding skill. It causes you to tense up and slow right down.

Agree with what others have said re bikesafe etc. If you can. Don’t worry about them slating you etc. That’s what they are there for, constructive criticism. Their aim after all is to make riders safer, so it is in their interests to help you as much as possible. But most importantly…..relax, ride for your self….no one else.

Drew

Originally Posted by Talya

Really.

Must be a pretty boring ride out with you then

[yorkie_chris]

Heh. I would think the same, but there are a couple of roads around here where you can do some serious feckwittery without exceeding 60.
I figure they're more guidelines.

[Scoobs]

Originally Posted by blueto

Ill Pm you scoobs to arrange a time thats good for you......

No worries buddy.

Originally Posted by Drew Carey

Hiya mate

Few questions…….firstly, what tyres are you running at the moment? I found that changing the tyres was the biggest confidence boost I ever received. Secondly, roughly how many miles have you done so far? What bikes do the guys ride who you tend to spend most of the time with (and how long they been riding)?

Are you happy with counter steering (please lets not get into the argument of whether it exists or not). I only ask as I was taught this on my DAS but I know a lot of people don’t. The one thing I learnt above all else is that when going through the corners if you need to tighten up, proactive counter steering enables you to take the corner smoother and with more confidence. Also, as has been mentioned, try and not aim to keep up with the others, but ride for yourself and as smooth as possible. What you will find is that if you ride smoother and more relaxed your speed especially through the corners will pick up. The worst possible thing is following someone into a corner who you don’t 100% know the riding skill. It causes you to tense up and slow right down.

Agree with what others have said re bikesafe etc. If you can. Don’t worry about them slating you etc. That’s what they are there for, constructive criticism. Their aim after all is to make riders safer, so it is in their interests to help you as much as possible. But most importantly…..relax, ride for your self….no one else.

Drew

hi drew. my bike has perelli corsas on it. they are really soft. I feel like they are letting me down slightly though and have a uncofident feeling about them. To be honest im not completly ofay with corners due to the leaning, (i think my bike will fall over) so that tends to make me steer into a corner instead which inturn causes issues by tightneing up and slowing down!!

the guys i ride with have a mixture of bikes....GSXR - Triumph crusier type thing. Never really understood the whole counter steering thing. Not sure if i even do it correctly (is there a right or wrong way?)

[Scoobs]

Originally Posted by blueto

hi drew. my bike has perelli corsas on it.

So does mine. Sounds like you are having the same issues I had. They do feel better the more you push them, but it is a vicious circle innit. If you don't have the confidence then you won't want to push them.

Originally Posted by blueto

Never really understood the whole counter steering thing. Not sure if i even do it correctly (is there a right or wrong way?)

Don't worry mate. You will do it subconsciously. The bike won't turn if you don't do it. We can do that as well when we hook up. We'll find a nice quiet road and practice countersteering. We can do it on a straight road. Don't even need corners to understand the principle of it.