Back to Basics

[MadPoet]

Forum Sponsor

Im good enough and confident enough to not need to practice basic riding skills from the M1 exit course. I think everyone should be at that level after their first or maximum second season. Dont we "practice" this stuff every single time we ride anyway?

That depends a lot on where you ride and for how long. I ride downtown all the time, now that is an "eventful" environment that can be very different than taking highway 7 for 4 KMs to work and back everyday. So if you do feel rusty on unused skills then would you not brush up on them should the opportunity arise?

 

[MadPoet]

Your analogy is absolutely ridiculous.

How many people on the planet put in a full day at work and then go home and do it all again just because its "practice"?

Maybe you should tell the guy at McDonalds how its "necessary" to practice counting change correctly or dropping fries into the oil.

I would not call it "absolutely ridiculous", it is occasionally ok to think "even for lawyers".

Many mathematicians, musicians, sports players, and many others will beg to differ. Even a macdonalds burger flipper will need to practice to avoid burning the burger, the difference is that his life may remain unaffected if he does burn the burger, on a bike your concern is dropping your bike and it will have a far more of an impact "at least financially". I never called it necessary for the record, but it can be, and that depends on your skill level on whatever it is you are doing.

I write programs and yes after a long day at work, I might do few exercises or tutorials, or sometimes on the weekend if I need to brush up on old concepts. Is it necessary? Occasionally yes, can I do without? The rest of the time yes. Would I ever call it a waste of time? Absolutely not.

 

[DOHC1]

No problem! My panties are not "in a bunch". But, you are still missing the point by saying "parking lot practice of M2 drills is unnecessary". In life, just about every activity requires continued "practice". That is how we become more proficient.

So you admit you're wearing panties? Lol sorry couldnt resist

 

[MacDoc]

I seriously hope not, because thats achingly rudimentary stuff that every rider should know and have a good grasp on.

seems me you said to ignore the rear brake...or has that changed now....

been on dirt or gravel lately???

 

[油井緋色]

This has probably been brought up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5erdy08i_s

I want to see the guys saying they are masters of "slow speed stuff" doing this. Thanks.

 

[mmmnaked]

seems me you said to ignore the rear brake...or has that changed now....

been on dirt or gravel lately???

I have no idea what you're talking about buddy. I use the hell out of my rear brake and advocate that everybody learn to use theirs too.

 

[bennyskywalker]

This has probably been brought up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5erdy08i_s

I want to see the guys saying they are masters of "slow speed stuff" doing this. Thanks.

This type of practice would be worth it, but as the thread states, the people practicing are probably just redoing the exercises from the M1 course. That's fine, but if they don't make it harder then their skills won't increase. Like hopefully they aren't pushing each other around, or trying to find the friction zone.

Regarding practicing your profession. Not sure they call it "practise". I'm a coder, and I don't come home and practise. I will come home and learn or refine techniques, that's not practice. Practice to me implies repetition of a skill to become an expert at it. So you learn a new skill, repeat (practice), become expert, and learn another.

How that applies here? Practice your M1 stuff by all means, be able to turn and brake, slow lefts, rights, swerve, emergent braking ect. Become proficient, but don't stop there, ride in more different situations - offroad, downtown, in the rain, in high winds, take a training course, ect... This will make your riding grow in all situations, while still reinforcing the base levels skills as well.

 

[iegod]

Just wondering if anyone ever goes back to an empyt parking lot to practice the basics in low speed? I mean, practicing the techniques we learned during the M1 exit course.

All the time, and then some. Some friends and I were aiming for a once a month session that has kind of been put on hold since we got kicked out of a parking lot. We're still scoping out for new ones that are both in good condition and won't kick us out.

 

[wearelopey]

Im good enough and confident enough to not need to practice basic riding skills from the M1 exit course. I think everyone should be at that level after their first or maximum second season. Dont we "practice" this stuff every single time we ride anyway?

I agree that yes we practise basic riding as we actually ride on the street. But one could argue that the parameters are much more forgiving.

For instance the road is pretty wide and within corners or even straights we can use the whole road. Why would someone try and stay in a 2 foot portion of the road (lets say, a tire track), when they could easily use the entire road to navigate around.

My argument would be that because the course gets you riding in much tighter areas, that they are superior, strictly for practicing bike placement, than people would practice on the road, especially because riders have to keep attention saved for riding hazards (including other drivers).

Once you start placing your bike more securely and accurately, which is attainable (arguably) moreso in parking lot where you can measure distance and place markers for accuracy, your street riding should improve.

 

[mmmnaked]

My opinion, of course, is based on my own (and my friends over the years) early progression of learning to ride motorcycles. I had never gone back to parking lots to practice specific M1-exit drills. I rode around city streets and used my bike to commute from time to time, and things fell into place on their own. You still do low speed stuff every time you park the bike, every time you go into a mall parking lot, every time you hit traffic, etc etc. U-turns pop up into daily riding from time to time, as do most situations. If you log enough kilometers of city riding in your first and second season, I really can't see a need to practice the drills over and over again in parking lots. And that's exactly what I initially stated; once you have experience under your belt, that practice isn't necessary at all.

What I did do in various parkings lots was wheelies and endos, as well as circles and 'courses' to get the bike leaning further and further. The fact that I wanted to know how to do this stuff at the end of my first season contributed immensely to my confidence and experience. If I was just doing M1 exit drills instead of that fun stuff, I would've been worse off as a rider.

I think new riders who are older will take longer to learn because they'll naturally be more apprehensive and 'careful'. New riders who are afraid or clumsy will also take a lot longer to learn. I think people need to push the boundaries in order to get confidence and experience on a motorcycle. If all you do is putter around town and practice M1 drills in parking lots, that's all you'll ever know how to do.

 

[Redrock]

Just wondering if anyone ever goes back to an empyt parking lot to practice the basics in low speed? I mean, practicing the techniques we learned during the M1 exit course.

Actually, one of the things my buddies and I would do if we were in a parking lot were slow races. Setup a little course and see how slow you can make it around. Last person wins. Lots of control required and a great little excerise to work on slow speed manuovering. Makes practise fun, Give it a try

Forum Sponsor