Spring has sprung, the riding season has begun!
If you are like me, and many others, you have been anticipating the start of another year of riding.
Like many of us you have taken the bike out from under its cover, checked it out and cleaned it up.
This time of preparation is rewarding, fun and necessary. A safe bike is mandatory.
My question is what have you done about your riding skills? We have been off the bike for a while. We are another year older, and maybe a little out of shape. The question is not if we know how to ride- we do. The real question is how good are our techniques.
Last year my wife wanted to learn to ride. I told her to sign us up for a class and I would attend the class with her. I didn’t want to be her instructor, and besides why teach her my bad habits. Here is my bride at the MSF Class last spring.
Honestly, she did better in the class than I. She was learning the proper techniques for riding the first time, while I was having to forget my old ways and train myself in the correct ones. The instructor told me I really didn’t have any major issues, just a few bad habits. The problem is the combination of a few bad habits can translate into one bad day!
My question to you is have you ever taken a riding course? If not, why not commit to taking a course this year? Sooner rather than later would be my encouragement. If you have taken a course how long ago was it? Have you recently taken the time to renew your skills? Have you taken a detour into that vacant parking lot and practiced your slow speed skills?
This month I was able to observe a class given by Florida First Coast -Ride Like A Pro. It was amazing to observe how a student that had been riding for a while, transformed in confidence and ability in just two hours of focused technique riding. This really challenged me to take the time to focus on my own techniques and improve my own riding skills.
So my message is prep the bike, but do not neglect dusting off and cleaning up your riding skills and techniques.
See you on the Open Road,
Moto-Tec Tim