Invest in your motorcycle driving skills for a happier and safer ride.

When you get your motorcycle license, you may think that it’s enough and that you don’t need to continue learning new things about riding – but you would be wrong. Even the most experienced riders can improve their skills to avoid accidents and even death, so it’s important that you stay dedicated to mastering the art of motorcycle riding even after getting your license. Continue reading to discover why it’s so important to invest in your motorcycle riding skills and how you can start today!

Why should I invest in my motorcycle riding skills?

The most important and obvious reason is that by training your skills, you will become a safer motorcycle rider. You will reach a point where you understand the impact of physics on your riding and will more easily recognize potentially dangerous situations. Another advantage is that you will have more knowledge about your motorcycle mechanics and can reduce maintenance and repair costs. This can also save you a lot of energy, especially if you are a beginner, often when we are less prepared, we are tenser and tension leads to fatigue. For example, you might learn to choose a better line that will make a climb easier, you will not only save energy, but you could potentially save wear and tear or a blowout of your tire and also reduce the risk of injury. Finally, being a better rider will make you faster and potentially avoid a lot of frustration on the road.

What to consider before taking to the road

There is a commonly held theory that it takes 10,000 hours to master something. Let’s do some math here… In Quebec, we can ride 7 months a year, let’s say we ride 10 hours a week during the (7 months x 4 weeks) 28 weeks of the season… I will therefore ride 280 hours per year. It will take me 35 years to master my ride… Wow! That’s a long time…

One of the ways to improve your riding is to take classes and lessons, watch videos, read books, and talk to more experienced riders. There is no shortcut to building muscle memory, you have to practice, practice, and finally practice some more.

How should I practice?

Practicing motorcycle riding skills may seem intimidating at first, but there are ways to make it fun and safe. The best way to train is in an empty parking lot… But you’d better have some exercises you want to perform. If you speak French, there is a great YouTuber named Tom Barrer, he specializes in big adventure motorcycles and has lots of great tutorials. If you speak English, there’s also Mototrek (adventure motorcycle) or Motojitsu (street motorcycle) that can help you with a lot of training and information. For safety, there is DanDanTheFireman’s video that will make you consider the driving environment and other interesting things.

Although videos are an excellent way to learn, it is important to remember that the ultimate goal is to get out on the road and practice what you have learned in a controlled environment. This is where you will build your muscle memory and develop your skills as a rider.

Improving on real roads

Yeah! After riding in a parking lot for a few hours, it’s always nice to translate your new skills onto the road. Be patient, bad habits return quickly and it can become quite difficult to implement new techniques on real roads.

One of the best ways to be a better rider is to ride with more experienced motorcyclists. They can give you tips and tricks, but know that there is a lot of misinformation out there. While some motorcyclists are quite skilled at riding, many of them don’t know exactly how the physics of two-wheeled driving works and may give not-so-logical advice.

Conclusion

I hope I have convinced you to invest in your motorcycle driving skills. Start by taking the basic course, then take a day or two of private lessons, and then just enjoy riding for a while. Become an expert motorcyclist by taking advanced courses, riding on a track, practicing on your own bike, and making as many trips as possible. As motorcyclists, we are not only responsible for our own safety but also for the safety of others on the road.