How to improve your riding skills

[Bizzarrini]

Currently I'm reading Total Control (great book!), and also bought this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Sport-Riding-Techniques-Develop-Confidence/dp/1893618072/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b

Seems to be a good read too!

[duc996]

Great tips!! that's what i do every ride is practice a technique or two,it's easy to loose focus when riding a bike.It's fun to practice though.

[misti]

Great tips!! that's what i do every ride is practice a technique or two,it's easy to loose focus when riding a bike.It's fun to practice though.

Certainly good tips here in this thread.  I especially advocate the "practice on technique at a time" when riding and always try to improve your skills.  For someone getting back into riding after a crash then some kind of riding school or track day may help get some confidence back.  Riding techniques books are good sources of information as well.

Cheers

Misti

www.superbikeschool.com
www.mistihurst.com

[misti]

Here is a question.  How do you know that the advice you are reading, or being given, is good and sound advice?  There are a lot of different books, riding schools, and people willing to give advice.  How do you really KNOW that it is good?

Misti

[Statler]

Here is a question.  How do you know that the advice you are reading, or being given, is good and sound advice?  There are a lot of different books, riding schools, and people willing to give advice.  How do you really KNOW that it is good?

Misti

Interesting question.   Likely lots of parts to the answer too....

Their history both in riding and in teaching.   This is important because on one hand you want someone who was successfull at riding well, but on the other the ability to transfer information... to see what someone is doing being able to identify and impart to the rider correct feedback is more usefull as an instructor than just being good yourself.

The joke of those who can't do, teach, works both ways, because some very very skilled people have no ability to explain what they are doing or see what someone else is doing at all.

Talk to riders whose skill you admire/seek to emulate, and ask them their thoughts on a book or school.   There are some great new people out there, but a lengthy history in a profession is usually a good sign. 

Try it....  Nothing better than reading something or going to school and then trying it yourself.   Some people like to push the bar, some like to pull the other.  Is one wrong?  maybe for one person one is better (can't imagine pulling outside bar, but some visualize it that way).   Trail braking is the biggie...some say never some say allways...  etc.etc.   If an instructor makes no sense to you and how you think, not much progress is going to happen.  Try someone else and see.

[Monsterlover]

Am I the only one that pushes the inside bar and pulls on the outside bar?

[ScottRNelson]

Am I the only one that pushes the inside bar and pulls on the outside bar?

Nope

[FortyTwo]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I picked up 4 books from the library today, inlcuding Twist fo the Wrist 2, and Proficient Motorcycling parts 1 and 2.  My local branch didn't carry the other recommendations, but I'll look for them elsewhere.