In my career, my police motor slammed the pavement exactly five times when deploying the kickstand and dismounting the bike. And yes, it was on par with that dream we’ve all had where you show up at school with no pants and all the kids laugh at you. Exceedingly embarrassing for sure, but thankfully I’m still alive and riding because every single time I dropped my bike, I was following the Golden Rule: “Always and forever mount and dismount your motor from the high side.”

That’s right, folks. It turns out there’s a correct side of the motorcycle to get on and off from, and it isn’t the side most of you use. Sounds ridiculous, right?

Now, I know you’ve successfully accomplished the task of resting your motorcycle on its kickstand thousands of times. Heck, you’re almost psychic when it comes to surface appraisal and road camber when you boot that stand out. In fact, you’re probably cursing me in your head, arguing that which side you mount or dismount from ultimately depends on where you park your bike or which hand is holding your Milk Duds. But in motor school, I learned the best way to get on and off a motorcycle: from the “high side.” 

Perhaps it’s obvious, but in case I lost you, allow me to explain. For the most part, kickstands are deployed from the left side of the motorcycle. If you put your motorcycle on its kickstand, the bike will settle, or lean, to the left. Therefore, if you were to stand directly behind the bike, the “high” side is the right side of the bike, or the side where your throttle and front brake lever are located. Since the bike is leaned over on the stand, the seat is higher on the right side. Make sense?

Keep in mind that all vehicles in the United States travel on the right side of the road, with opposing traffic on the left. Now, let’s imagine you are riding along and need to get that super tight blue sweatshirt that you love to show off out of your saddlebag. You pull to the side of the road, kick your stand down, and start getting off the bike. But on this particularly cruel day, your bike begins to roll off its kickstand, resulting in the bike falling to the left – or “low” side – and toward traffic. 

Adding chaos to the scenario, it turns out your right leg is the one with a wonky ACL and two meniscus surgeries, so you decided to plant your left foot on the ground and started your dismount on the left (low) side of your bike as it began to fall. Regrettably, your bike starts falling directly onto your one good leg, potentially knocking you into oncoming traffic as it wraps you up and takes you down with it. Not great.

Now let’s put on our mirrored rainbow glasses and imagine you dismounted from the “high” side as your motorcycle started to fall off the kickstand. Not only will you look fabulous, but your right leg will remain planted so your left leg can gracefully swing over the seat like a gazelle’s, safely clearing you from the bike as it ponders what parts and pieces to destroy as it slams to the pavement. Embarrassing and costly? Absolutely, but pretty low risk to you physically.

The good news is this technique pays dividends not just when parked on the road but also in parking lots, your driveway, or anywhere else you throw that kickstand down. I can’t promise that your buddies won’t find some other reason to make fun of you, but like I’ve said a thousand times, you bring that crap on yourself.  

So, from now on, follow my little parking ritual: Shut off the bike, put it in 1st gear, deploy the kickstand, turn the handlebar full‑­lock left, gently ease the bike over onto the kickstand, and step off the high side of the bike. If you need a little assistance with your dismount, grab the front brake and use the handlebar for leverage. And while the process is simple enough, give it a few dry runs in the garage first. Practice makes perfect, though I can’t promise you won’t get weird looks from your friends.

Bonus Motor School Tips

As the late, great Billy Mays used to say, “But wait, there’s more!” Here are a couple more tips to help you out there on the street. 

Curb appeal: If you find yourself in a situation where you need to ride your big heavy bike off a curb, accelerate off rather than tiptoe and duck walk the front wheel off the drop where the lower fairing, oil pan, or pipes could get smashed. I’m not suggesting you channel your inner Daniel J. Canary, the man who invented the wheelie, but ride off like you would accelerate from a typical stop: in a straight line with smooth, assertive throttle (as shown in the photo below). 

And yes, I know firsthand what a great tip this is because I once watched a fellow motor officer gingerly roll his new BMW R 1250 RT‑­P off a tall curb at a DUI checkpoint. After hearing a gut‑­wrenching pile‑­driver concussion, I watched as hot oil spewed out onto the pavement. Oof. 

Brake time: If your bike has been sitting unridden for a while, be sure to work your brake levers and pump up the calipers before you take off. When I first heard this suggestion from an old motor cop, I laughed out loud. But then he walked me over to my bike, gently pushed on my front brake calipers with his boot, and asked me to grab the front brake lever. With a cocky gleam in my eye, I pulled the lever, only to have it bottom out at the throttle grip – the brakes didn’t work at all. Turns out the fluid in your brake calipers can be forced back into the master cylinder if bumped or pushed hard enough, causing the brakes to need some pumping up before they work again.

Find Quinn at Police Motor Training. Send feedback to [email protected].

See all Motor School with Quinn Redeker articles here.

The post Motor School with Quinn Redeker: How’s Your Dismount? appeared first on Rider Magazine.

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When I was 9, I spent every single day riding my dirtbike in the hills north of Los Angeles with all my delinquent buddies. Rain or shine, light or dark, we burned so much premix I’m pretty sure they will find traces of Golden Spectro two-cycle oil in my tissue if they ever do an autopsy on me.

But these days, I just don’t get seat time like I used to. Yes, I was a motor cop and rode with my buddies every day, but that was different because it was merely the platform for a host of other responsibilities: traffic enforcement, collision investigation, emergency patrol support, and so on. It lacked that element of exploration, freedom, and discovery you get when there are no strings attached.

And the worst thing? When I finally do get time to hit the track, tackle some challenging single-track, or sign up for a local club race, I have these painful moments of reckoning that my skills are nowhere near their peak. So there I am trying to enjoy an experience muddled by a crappier version of myself. I try to maintain a glass-half-full mentality, but I swear every time I take my eyes off that damn glass, it loses a little more water.

But I’ve been doing some proactive things around the house to slow the leak, and trust me, they’re helping. What types of things? I’ll give you a hint, they all revolve around one primary goal: improving my balance. I agree it’s a bit obvious and I probably won’t be doing a TED Talk on the subject, but without spinning a single lap, balance drills vastly improve my core strength, reaction time, breathing, on-bike focus, and indeed, my generally souring self-image. They can do the same for you.

What tools do I use for the job? I just finished my morning self-affirmation ritual, so now I can set my mirror down and go over them with you. They’re listed below, from easier and more accessible exercises to those that are more challenging and require some investment. A word of caution: While these exercises will surely improve measurable performance metrics and enhance your overall riding abilities despite less actual time in the saddle, they can also get you hurt. If, like me, you’re of a certain age, bones are easier to break, and muscles can get pulled just doing the dishes. If you question your ability to perform one of the activities listed below, err on the side of caution and skip it.

Spin Training: Crazy as it seems, all those wasted hours you spend spinning around in your office chair might just pay dividends. Here’s why: Spinning around in a circle increases your inner-ear activity, which, in turn, improves the information your inner ear feeds to your cerebellum. And it’s the cerebellum that controls movement, so better information (in the form of a more active inner ear) will improve your overall motor skills. To reap the benefits, you will need a swivel chair. The goal is to slowly increase your spin speed and number of spins over time. Start slowly and keep your eyes open. As you gain comfort, try it with your eyes closed for greater challenge and benefit. The good news here is that even if your riding skills don’t improve, at least you can feel like you’re doing something productive at work.

Balance Board: Using a balance board in the comfort of my living room and office has noticeably improved my balance, coordination, motor skills, and leg strength. And guess what? It all translates when I swing a leg over my bike. Instead of hunting for a used board on Craigslist, I recommend going with a new unit from a trusted manufacturer due to some boards being of questionable structural integrity. Mine is a Vew-Do El Dorado ($169.95 at VewDo.com), which is strong as hell and American-made.

There are plenty of YouTube videos to help get you started, but make sure you practice by holding on to a solid surface as you gain confidence and ability.

Slackline: More than any other tool, the slackline has been the best at improving my body control and breathing while I ride. If this is the only tool you employ, I feel confident in saying you will go from a midpack guy in your riding group to crushing all your buddies, including “Big Ronny,” the resident fast guy who still brags about his 10% racer discount back when he won a local Novice race. A slackline is a taut line tethered between two points, running a few feet off the ground and spanning 15-28 feet in length, or the approximate length of the sun-bleached jet boat in your neighbor’s yard.

It’s fairly intuitive, but again, there are plenty of YouTube videos out there should you need coaching. As for recommended brand and setup, Amazon is your friend – you’ll find a variety of indoor and outdoor versions. Mine is just a long ratchet strap I got from a local hardware store and tied between two trees in the yard.

Unicycle: I get it. They look impossible to learn, and more importantly, you can’t imagine ever becoming one of “those people.” Get over it and pick one up on Craigslist for cheap. A 20- to 24-inch wheel will do fine, and you can watch some YouTube videos to learn. Within a few weeks, you will have balance like you’ve never had in your life, and trust me, it translates. Too old you say? I have buddies in their 70s that I bullied into riding unicycles, so borrow my mirror, hold it in front of your face, and repeat after me: “Yes, I can.”

I don’t want you to start feeling overwhelmed with any of this information, like I just dropped loads more work for you to do. We are having this discussion because both of us have less time to ride, so think of these tools as supplements. Any amount of effort on your end will pay dividends on the bike, so remain calm and bite off a little bit as you go. If it helps, I’ll even let you keep my mirror. 

Find Quinn at Police Motor Training. Send feedback to [email protected].

See all of Quinn Redeker’s “Motor School” articles here.

The post Motor School with Quinn Redeker: Ride Less and Ride Better appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Source: RiderMagazine.com

We’ve known each other for a little while now, so let me just come out and say it: Deep down, you’re a sensitive person. It’s no secret you get misty-eyed every time you watch Titanic. We all know it, and nobody thinks any less of you. It’s one of the things we really like about you.

When it comes to riding your motorcycle, however, where’s that same tenderness? Remember that early ’80s ballad by the Pointer Sisters about having a slow hand and an easy touch? I’m not saying you’re unsafe or dangerous; it’s just that when I watch you ride – mashing the controls and strangling the life out of the handlebar – it reminds me of a grizzled old garbage man beating helpless metal cans into submission as if he’s trying to settle all of life’s injustices. All that blind fury isn’t necessary, and it makes for a lousy ride up the coast.

Similar to your ability to get in touch with your emotions while watching a tearjerker movie, your riding would greatly benefit from cultivating a little more sensitivity to what your bike is doing beneath you. If you’re unable to truly connect with your motorcycle, you’re likely to miss cues and clues – some of which are quite subtle – that will give you better control and help you get more enjoyment out of riding.

Obviously, you understand the basics of using the throttle, clutch, and brakes, but how well do you listen to your motorcycle when it goes, stops, or turns? Are you sensitive to how your bike reacts when you demand action from it?

Case in point: Watch a pro motorcycle racer during a track test. The mechanics will change engine mapping, suspension, handlebar position, chassis geometry, gearing, and about 7,000 other little things to help the rider find comfort, confidence, and cooperation with the motorcycle. Every top-level racer has an incredibly sensitive feel for the smallest changes made to the bike. One minuscule clicker adjustment on the rear shock can be detected after only a few corners, and the rider will provide feedback to the mechanics to let them know if they are headed in the right or wrong direction.

How is this possible? Simple. They listen to the bike. They tune in to subtle communications from the engine, chassis, and tires until they feel and understand what each is telling them. Armed with vivid, unfiltered feedback, they learn how best to squeeze the most performance out of the motorcycle. And guess what? They also pay attention to the environment, including track surface, changes in camber, weather conditions, and more. Racers are constantly in the moment and tuned in to everything around them, yet they are also able to block out distractions and noise to focus on what’s most important.

You don’t have to be a pro racer to get valuable results from sensitivity training. At Total Control Training, where I’m an instructor, we have a drill in our Advanced Rider Clinic that helps students become better “listeners,” thereby developing more sensitivity to the ebb and flow of their motorcycle’s behavior. But before I walk you through it, understand that repetition is key. Unlike your New Year’s resolution to use those cool stretch bands, which you abandoned after a week, you need to stick to the program if you want to see results. You can’t just do it once and complain that it didn’t work. Do it repeatedly, and before you know it, you’ll get there.

Find a smooth, flat, empty parking area where you can ride at least 200 feet in a straight line. From a stop with your bike in 1st gear, accelerate up to about 20 mph in a smooth manner that minimizes fork extension and rear-end squat. Then brake to approximately 5 mph, doing your best to minimize front-end drop. Accelerate to 20 mph again before coming to a complete stop, making a concerted effort to minimize chassis pitch from start to finish. (Note the subtle differences in the photos below)

This drill gets harder as your acceleration and braking intensity increases, so start slowly and work up from there. See how sensitive you can be to the rising and falling of the front end, working to eliminate it completely.

Find Quinn at Police Motor Training. Send feedback to [email protected].

See all of Quinn Redeker’s “Motor School” articles here.

The post Motor School With Quinn Redeker: Motor (Sensitivity) Training appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Source: RiderMagazine.com