how would you rate your riding skills ?

just wondering . . .if you had to assess your overall riding roadcraft skills - how do you think you would do ?

how do you think you compare to other riders out there - and why ?

what makes you so safe compared to others ?

think about slow speed control, use of acceleration, use of clutch and gears, observation skills, positioning in different cirumstances, lane discipline, use of signals, cornering, overtaking, smoothness, and the ability to make progress (im sure there are some on here that i have missed)



what can you think of in your everyday riding that needs improving and working on ?

I'd say my slow speed control is the only thing I am almost completely happy with.

I can't say as I would be able to write a book, but you do get pretty proficient at riding skills with seat time, with 115,000 on the SV, I dare say I can do about anything on a SV, some of my skills are good on any bike, but I don't think I can ride many bikes as well as I can the SV

Average. Still a hell of a lot to learn. Been riding for a grand total of 3 years.

I voted 'IAM test standard' but only because that's what they've told me!

Being honest, their assessment of my riding did surprise me - I thought that with no post-test training for 18 years I would be a veritable collection of bad habits and poor riding. Needless to say I was pleased to find that so-called 'professionals' think otherwise.

I would say that my really low speed control is my weakest point. It was my strongest when I took my test, but since have found such skills being used directly day to day is a comparitively rare occurance. So they need polishing and I simply haven't put in the practice time. My bad.

I have to say as well that I'm talking about 'text-book' good riding here - not the vaguer peer-qualification of being a speed demon, getting my knee down at every turn and treating the road like a track.
I consider myself a conservative biker if you want to be polite - a complete nancy wuss whose knees, when biking, are anti-gravity devices that are actively repelled by the ground, if you're being mean.

I'd say my strongest point is forward observation - which kinda lends itself to other stuff falling into place I guess. That and the fact that, if I sit and think about it in front of a computer, I realise that I don't actually think about my riding when I'm actually doing it - I just 'do stuff' and it feels like the most natural thing in the world.
That's why I don't generally like to give advice to others about riding, or ways to improve - cos I don't actually know what I'm doing, I just kinda 'do it'.

My personal rating would be 'Cautiously OK'.

I'm definitely an average rider - compared to the people on the PM July 9th rideout I'm definitely slower - but I think I'm safer - overtaking on 90 degree corners isn't my bag, nor is doing 100 mph on a road I've never been on*.

*Not that I'd ever do that speed anyway.

I put average.

I think my positioning and observation are good and I'm generally pretty safe, but I'm not especially quick and I could be smoother at times.

I went on an IAM "taster" session and they said that basics were there - just needed some polishing.

Sounds "average" to me.

What is DAS?

I have some time to go before I would consider myself to be confident. I sometimes loose confidence and have to go quite slow around corners, other times I am fine. It will come in time. I have only done 670 miles on my SV so far. I expect when I've had it for a few months I will be in in harmony with the bike and throwing it about like a crazy man.

In terms of safety, I am over cautious. And do everything with lots of time to spare like braking. And leaving huge stopping distances.

Originally Posted by muddycoffee

What is DAS?

You speak German

Sorry - DAS is Direct Access Scheme, where those over 21 years old can take their test on a "big bike" (I think it's >46.5bhp, so Honda CB500/Suz GS500/Kwak ER5 territory) and gain a full licence from the off.

I did it, and I'm sure many others on here did.

Oh, and you're far better riding as you do then going "plums out" from the word go.

iv just got back in the seat after a 12yr break from being on a bike .having being a courier(many moons ago) and spending loads of time on the bike i thought i would fall back into riding no prob,,,how wrong ,,,i can still ride ok i suppose,but nothing like i thought.i think im far more aware now(prob cos im an oldie now) and ride accordingly.i suppose its a good thing but i still feel that i could get a LOT btr ,. on rideouts im the slow one whereas yrs ago i would prob be the fast(ish)one.i still like the acceleration but i have to admit its a wee bit frightening above 70/80 wheras yrs ago it wasnt.must be the self preservation instinct gtng stronger as i get older ,i cant be the only one ,must b loads of b.a.b who r the same ,just dont admit it.will b taking it easy