How many of you have had professional coaching to improve your road riding

[Horse]

"I've realised that I can't just arrive at corners and deal with them, i need to plan for them."

Says who ?

Beancounter said it.

But I'll take a guess at what he meant The alternative (at least, to what we covered during the day) might include:
- braking late, into the corner (no, not trail braking, or comfort braking)
- having to change gear mid-bend
- not using the throttle to balance the bike and drive through
- not looking through the bend

[weeksy]

"I've realised that I can't just arrive at corners and deal with them, i need to plan for them."

Says who ?

Beancounter said it.

But I'll take a guess at what he meant The alternative (at least, to what we covered during the day) might include:
- braking late, into the corner (no, not trail braking, or comfort braking)
- having to change gear mid-bend
- not using the throttle to balance the bike and drive through
- not looking through the bend

I've moved on fella, I should never have posted.

[Horse]

I'm not even slightly surprised to find out that you started on old mans bikes

And I'm not in the least surprised by your attitude.

I think he was fishing and he got a little nibble

I didn't bother listing my bikes. First BMW (and catheter) aged 23

[Horse]

Says who ?

Beancounter said it.

But I'll take a guess at what he meant The alternative (at least, to what we covered during the day) might include:
- braking late, into the corner (no, not trail braking, or comfort braking)
- having to change gear mid-bend
- not using the throttle to balance the bike and drive through
- not looking through the bend

I've moved on fella, I should never have posted.

Ok, no worries.

But I hope that, when moving forward, you're pointing your chin

[Yorick]

I think what pisses off the average rider, is the experts giving their opinion without bring asked.

I never give track advice unless asked.

[Horse]

I get asked why I want to join RoSPA.... then he says “What about being safer?”;

You can't teach or learn 'being safer', however it's worded. That really only comes from doing other stuff.

For example: cornering speed. Simplistically, change nothing else, go slower = safer. But slower than 'what' speed?

Improve your braking performance and reaction time, then you might be 'safer' at the same speed should you have to stop.

Use the throttle well Vs trailing throttle at the same speed. One is 'safer' because the bike is probably more balanced.

If the bike grounds mid-corner, knowing to lean in could get you around - but closing the throttle could lose more ground clearance.


So next time you're asked that, suggest that by going out for a ride you have actually increased exposure to risk so potentially reduced your safety

[The Spin Doctor]

I think what pisses off the average rider, is the experts giving their opinion without bring asked.

I never give track advice unless asked.

And I almost never post* on the run-of-the-mill "I was out riding and sh!t happened" posts unless someone says "I don't understand what happened" or someone posts some completely rubbish advice.

So what happened on VD and TRC? I got told I never stuck my head out of the Survival Skills / Staying Alive sections so was 'elitist'. I'm trying to be more inclusive here

*This one's a bit different... it's on topic

[weeksy]

I think what pisses off the average rider, is the experts giving their opinion without bring asked.

I never give track advice unless asked.

And I almost never post* on the run-of-the-mill "I was out riding and sh!t happened" posts unless someone says "I don't understand what happened" or someone posts some completely rubbish advice.

So what happened on VD and TRC? I got told I never stuck my head out of the Survival Skills / Staying Alive sections so was 'elitist'. I'm trying to be more inclusive here

*This one's a bit different... it's on topic

There's very few rules here fella, there's even less people who make them and not many who enforce them.

You post away

[Noggin]

When my missus went to do a refresher day with the same CBT instructor she happened to mention that I'd been "banging on" about vanishing point and pointing her chin in the direction she needs to go, her instructor was very dismissive and said she didn't need to know any of that at her level.

It doesn't matter whether it's CBT, DAS or IAM; there are the good, the bad and the ugly instructors. (I'm not saying who's ugly )

IMO, it's an essential and basic riding skill to point your chin (or at least look) in the direction you need to go. And why is the vanishing point not even mentioned in the Riding: the Essential Skills book?

This is kinda what some of my posts have been - I didn't have good instruction at test level. I learnt the vanishing point from the friend that I went out with. I learnt a lot more from him that in my Direct Access course

Sure, the instructors 'should' have taught me the basics. Yes there were quite a few things I 'should' have learnt in that week

But I did just learn to pass my test. The rest I learnt as I went along. Regardless of the posts saying I learnt the basics etc, IMO the basics were how to pass my test! I mist have had the bad or the ugly!! It was a long time ago though!

[Whysub]

...........
- braking late, into the corner (no, not trail braking, or comfort braking)

Please explain what you mean by "comfort braking"? Thanks.

[Skub]

So what happened on VD and TRC? I got told I never stuck my head out of the Survival Skills / Staying Alive sections so was 'elitist'. I'm trying to be more inclusive here

Coming in here and stealing all our arguments.

[Yorick]

So what happened on VD and TRC? I got told I never stuck my head out of the Survival Skills / Staying Alive sections so was 'elitist'. I'm trying to be more inclusive here

Coming in here and stealing all our arguments.

Yeah. Burn the witch.

[Horse]

...........
- braking late, into the corner (no, not trail braking, or comfort braking)

Please explain what you mean by "comfort braking"? Thanks.

"I'm not really comfortable, so I'm just going to rest my foot on the brake lever" with the result that the brake light flashes.

Or, sometimes, a half-hearted bit of late braking that doesn't actually achieve anything, but suggests that the rider isn't comfortable opening the throttle.

Does that make sense?

Another edit: as well as the brake light showing, if you're following then you get a feel for how the ride usually uses throttle through a bend.

[The Spin Doctor]

This is kinda what some of my posts have been - I didn't have good instruction at test level. I learnt the vanishing point from the friend that I went out with. I learnt a lot more from him that in my Direct Access course

Sure, the instructors 'should' have taught me the basics. Yes there were quite a few things I 'should' have learnt in that week

But I did just learn to pass my test. The rest I learnt as I went along. Regardless of the posts saying I learnt the basics etc, IMO the basics were how to pass my test! I mist have had the bad or the ugly!! It was a long time ago though!

Fair enough... I wasn't there etc. I know what SHOULD be covered... and I know what may get skipped too. So fair enough sounds like you got some poor basic training. And when it happens, not only is the trainee short-changed, but the negative comments about training generally set the tone for the way people see post-test training as "more of the same"... which isn't necessarily true.

[The Spin Doctor]

Yeah. Burn the witch.

[Bigyin]

I must be doing something right as i make a big deal of this on CBT ..... i have an onboard video of Jonny Rea in wet race from Magny Cours from a camera mounted on the dash looking back at him with a clear visor. Superb example of " look where you want to go"

From waaaay before the technology to show that, I had a magazine photo of Jamie Whitham demonstrating what was described as his 'chin in the weeds' riding style.

I also have a more up to date picture of Taz Mackenzie doing similar ....... wet races/practice are great for clear visor pictures for instructors

[Skub]

I also have a more up to date picture of Taz Mackenzie doing similar

He's looking to see where O'Halloran went.

[Yorick]

I also have a more up to date picture of Taz Mackenzie doing similar

He's looking to see where O'Halloran went.

Not like you to be funny

[weeksy]

And my missus


2018-09-08_02-07-24 by Steve Weeks - Flickr2BBcode LITE

[Horse]

wet races/practice are great for clear visor pictures for instructors

Looked for the Whitham pic, can't find it. But you've reminded me that you can see his eyes.