What do you need to practice?

[OB_maui]

Kevtec brought up an interesting point. While teaching his son how to ride, he drilled (X-1) under abnormally hard conditions. While these are fine, in a father/son combination, today's legal system does not allow you to push people like this in an instructor/student situation. Every one is afraid of the lawsuit. Myself, I'm a big fan of learning in adverse conditions as it forces you to sharpen your skills. Drilling is also a very effective way to build conditioned response. This "conditioned response" is what saves us when we're in too deep, or when Road conditions suddenly change. We start calling it instinct, though I doubt it's in our genetic make up. Conditioned response is a well-proven technique. If you watch any good athlete, you see it. Even at the simplest level.

Does any one else drill them selves? What do you like to practice? What do you NEED to practice? I know that burnouts have saved me a couple of times. How do you practice distrust of the SUV? How do you practice for changing road conditions? How about a flat tire?

Even the most seasoned rider can improve. Riding schools are great, but what else is there?

While legally Kevtec can't tell you to follow his teaching method (that law suit thing), It certainly merits a read through if you're planing to teach someone. How about our other certified teachers? How about some tips on teaching? Like, how do you teach someone to ride a 160 BHP bike? Do you construct a giant slingshot and project them into a field? Take them to a NASA centrifuge and show them 6+ G's?

 

[Guest]

burnouts, stoppies, wheelies or anything that pushes the extremes for the bike is good to practice in some quiet safe place. Nothing worse that getting first time experience of something during heavy traffic where your life is on the line. The more you practice them the more instinctive your reactions get and hopefully improve your survival ability.

Also grabed every possible opportunity of driving my car in empty snow filled parking lots. A cheap and fun way to learn controlling a slide, reactions built up from that saved my skin on more than 1 occasion.

 

[OB_Buffalo]

I agree completely,practicing a situation until it is no longer a surprise allows you to react properly, without panic. Successful road riding is no more than proper reactions to a constantly changing situation. Conditioning one's self to react properly is the ultimate survival skill. All you have to do is practice. And remember to ride like you are invisible. Cause that lady that crosses the center line and hits you head on is going to tell the cops she did not see you whether she did or not. Never trust anything you aren't driving your self.

 

[OB_SlowHand]

The best training and the best practice time at the least risk comes from riding fast in the dirt. Ask Kenny Roberts, his two racer kids, and any one of the dozens of pro riders who have trained at Kenny's ranch near Modesto. Ca.
With proper protective gear you can work up to and beyond the limits of traction under various circumstances without risking life and limb. You can build the reactions in the dirt which will save you on the street. Trying to pick up the same experience on the street will give you a lot of time in Intensive Care.
It's strange but true that dirt experience transfers well onto the street or track, while the reverse is generally not true.

 

[OB_Dirty Pete]

Drilling...good question Maui. I know of two kinds.

Track days are a drill. Around and around the same track, the same corners, again and again, braking .05% harder every time you approach the hairpin, lap after identical lap, session after session all day long pressing yourself to do each of your 500 inputs per lap a hair better than last time, until you're so tired you're about to become a danger to yourself and others.

It's repetition at it's best and I believe it must be very effective at building up conditioned responses.

Second, when you're travelling, you can just rip yourself out of the headset of covering miles and slow doen to take 5 minutes to repeat a basic excersize like hard braking, hard launching, ultra slow maneuvering. It's like a pianist doing scales before giving a concert.

 

[OB_KEVTEC]

Thanks maui, reguardless of the legalities,I felt I had to drill my son to that degree,he's the only one I have.I remember when I was married I told my wife that my son is going to ride a bike when he is old enough,well when that time came,I must admit I was a little frightened,so I gave him as much experience thatI have acquired from riding & racing over the last 26 yrs in a compacted version. My son has been riding with me since he was 2 yrs old,been to Sturgis 5 times,heck I have only been there 6 times myself.This year he actually rode his own bike while he was there,kinda gave me a warm feeling inside to see him horse that machine up beside the old mans.One thing for sure,I was glad I drilled him the way I did, cause in Sturgis,you have 200,000-500,000 bikers there,most are drunk,crazy having a good time, and he did just fine.

[This message has been edited by KEVTEC (edited 27 December 1999).]