Judd - Great picture there. May you ride and learn something new every time you mount the bike. Be safe and wear appropriate gear. Take it easy and speed will come with experience. Ride as if you are invisible. Most car drivers won't see you. Read ride safety columns in moto magazines and books to always increase your skill and awareness. Speaking of awareness - ALWAYS BE AWARE of where you are, traffic conditions, road conditions, and weather conditions. Be safe and ride well.
It's a big game of tag, they're all ''it', and they are trying to tag you. Ride with that in mind, you'll be prepared for the one that tries to 'get' you. And there will be a lot. And when they do, don't get angry, try to teach them a lesson or get revenge. Just shake your head, forget it and watch for the next one, and there will be one.
Treat every other bugger on the road as if they are trying to kill you. Imagine the stupidest thing people around you could do, and ride accordingly. Sooner or later one of them will meet those expectations and vindicate the thought process. Ride within the capabilities of you and your bike. That way if things don't go right you have extra 'wriggle room' to meet unexpected needs.
Ride you own ride, in a group dont push yourself beyond comfortable until ready. In traffic assume everyone else is a blind dickhead including cocky shit for brain motorbike riders, especially the CBT only delivery boys, dont filter until your happy to, look three times and have a bunch of fun
It's maybe not for everyone, and does rely a bit on gelling with your observer, but advanced rider training & test transformed my enjoyment of riding. I went for an assessment ride (2007) and didn't really get on with the guy who took it, but I signed up anyway. The guy I was then assigned as observer was brilliant and we really got on well. The examiner also very good bloke. Second most (all?) of what's already been said.
Look way ahead and give yourself the best opportunity to predict what's going to happen.... always be prepared to give way to/avoid all vehicles around. Be alert!!
Try to improve/perfect your riding skills, at all times. Think about how you're riding and how you could improve each action that you take. Best way to do this is to ride on the (race) track and off-road (i.e. muddy). Both these should teach you better bike control and once you are more confident in what the bike can do and what you can do, it leaves more brain power when riding on the road to deal with the road/traffic conditions. I.e. the less time you have to worry about how to control the bike, the more time you have available to deal with the surrounding conditions - and also of course to simply enjoy the ride.
As with many others the advice I’d give relates to being aware of other road users, pedestrians and animals. Get used to your bike on quiet safe roads... (don’t make the mistake of thinking a big retail car park is safe) ... and when the bike has become second nature you will ride it instinctively and have all your awareness focussed on the road ahead, the people and vehicle behaviours etc around you... and have fun as that’s what it’s all about... (and not the Hokey Cokey as some insist !)
#1 Install the LOUDEST HORN you can find that sounds like a MAC TRUCK and beep it at every car waiting to enter the road from a driveway or crossroad, before you arrive to their location - make them look twice for the MAC TRUCK before they pull out in front of you causing a collision and saying "I DIDN'T SEE HIM COMING" as you are laying on the ground waiting for an ambulance, and your bike the wrecker. Instead, you zip by just as they slammed on their brakes and see the astonished looks on their faces - about what they missed seeing, and would have hit if not for the horn. #2 Always have an escape plan, somewhere picked out to go if your space is invaded (space left/right/ forward). Do not follow other vehicles closely... When stopped: Keep bike in 1st gear with the clutch pulled in at stops, ready to burst forward if a car behind (texting no doubt) approaching too fast and you can escape forward or sharp turn away (learn how to make sharp turns from a standstill). #3 Always turn your head to look before changing directions to look for the damned other bikers who sneak up into your blind spot and wants to play formation rider without your knowledge, or the zoomer past you...not to mention cars in your blind spot too! #4 Get a front and rear bike cam system. #5 Take a motorcycle riders safety course, or two... #6. Learn how to countersteer at slow speeds (15 - 30 MPH) to avoid car doors opening on streets in your path. Like suddenly jabbing a punch on the handlebar side you want the bike to suddenly turn, and believe me - 1st time it will scare the shit out of you how fast this works! BTW- best to ride as far from parked cars as possible in the travel lane in the first place - aka room and escape planning! #7 Learn EMERGENCY BREAKING...and practice all these skills to keep them muscle memory fresh for when needed. On YOUTUBE look up McRIDER videos...and other with great tips... Keep the tires on the pavement....
Ride often, ride within your limits and do more training when you can, the one that most Police forces do 'Bike Safe' or what ever they call it in your area is a good place to start.
an old fella told me way back when I started riding; biking is a game with two buckets. You start off with a full bucket of luck and an empty bucket of experience. the goal is to fill up the experience bucket before you empty the bucket of luck.
Practice emergency stopping. NEVER tailgate. If you ride with others stay a proper distance between each other. JJ
Just been thinking about what an earlier poster said about sounding a really loud horn as you approach cars at side roads, as a warning to them. What would be better would be a machine gun just firing tracer rounds.
