People who are attracted to motorcycling are usually drawn to the spiritual feeling of being in the breeze and the visceral attachment to nature and the machine. Quite often the description you hear goes like this: “If I had to explain it, you wouldn’t understand.” It is common that it becomes a lifestyle and the conversations inevitably leads with great passion and enthusiasm to discussing the last ride or the next.
What may be missing in the conversation is a discussion about how riding a motorcycle does take a bit of skill and understanding of the risks involved. It is certainly physical and more importantly greatly a mental exercise in all aspects of its character. Motorcycling exists by being a more vulnerable and less stable form of recreation and transportation, and that is just the way we like it!
Individual judgment and understanding of personal limitations, the motorcycles limitations, and traction limitations are key to developing on a motorcycle as a skilled rider capable of making safe and independent lifesaving decisions. Those decisions are based on repeatedly changing conditions more so than other vehicles because motorcyclists deal with less stability and the need for better traction to maintain it.
It most always returns to the very basics of Braking, Cornering, Limited Space Maneuvers, and Swerving to avoid obstacles in the path of travel as presented in Motorcycle Safety Foundation® Courses. Without a full understanding of how to deal with the afore-mentioned limitations of avoiding obstacles on the path of travel, there will inevitably be a moment where one of the basics could have saved some heartache or pain.
Refreshing the skills are just as important as developing them in the first place. There is a reason why pilots are evaluated each year on the skills that are required for them to safely fly a plane. Motorcyclist should equally refresh their skills often. No, I do not recommend mandating such checks but I do personally believe that a motorcyclist who mentally thinks and searches for a higher skill level, will also show the judgment to improve and will more likely survive a ride when things do not go as planned.
Originally Published October 29, 2014 on LinkedIn
© 2017, Donald L. Green, Rider Choices
