How to Master Specific Riding Skills

Whether you feel the need for more speed or just want to be more at ease on a motorcycle, the key starts with being present. It’s sort of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Riding. To begin, identify a riding skill you would like to improve. Just one at a time, please. Get one thing down really well and then move on to another.

Suppose you want to become better at scanning your riding environment. If you practice scanning when you are not riding, or when you are stopped, you’ll be able to focus on that one skill. Daily practice, even if it’s for a short time, will have you seeing improvement.

You can apply the same principle to other standard skills, such as hitting the throttle when you start. Keep a daily log of your successes and failures. Yes, you’ll have bad days. The key to changing habits and improving skills is determination and persistence. Those who succeed at anything push past their mistakes and disasters and get on with doing their best every day.

If you need help identifying the skills you need to improve, or you can’t quite figure out how to do it better, seek out a coach. Even expert racing bikers have coaches, so why shouldn’t you?

Stay safe out there!
- Mike