The most satisfying and enjoyable ride is not always the fastest or quickest, but the one where you develop a pleasant, flowing and almost musical rhythm.

Rhythm generally means a “movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions”.

It’s all about finding a suitable rhythm in the twisting sections, relaxing on the straights and not startling the grannies or alerting the police with unnecessary and pointless redline sprints.

On the racetrack you need to give 100% all the time in acceleration, braking and lean angles.

On the road, you need to give 100% in concentration which can lead to an ebb and flow of speeds.

These can provide a satisfying rhythm with “strong and weak” moments.

Strong rhythm

The strong moments can be flicking through a succession of corners or taking a double-apex bend in one swooping motion rather than jerky corrections with harsh late braking and sudden throttle after the apex.

On the racetrack, riders straight-line a succession of bends for the best lap times.

On the road you can make these twisting sections more fun by simply staying in your lane as it makes the corners tighter. And aren’t corners what riders enjoy the most?

Weak rhythm

The weak moments on a ride are those places where you take a breather, stretch your legs, relax cramped muscles and shake out tingling hands.

Anyone can go fast in a straight line, but the straights are where you can relax and take in the sights, sounds, smells and scenery of your ride.

You can also try riding a series of bends at a slower speed without using the brakes to practise your engine braking techniques, matching gears with engine speed.

It’s all about the journey

Why do some riders claim it’s all about the journey, not the destination, then ride as fast as they can to reach the destination?

There’s no point in getting there quick.

To enjoy the rhythm of your ride you need to learn the difference between fast and quick.

Fast is acceleration and speed. Quick is doing something in the least amount of time.

Surely we want to stretch out our enjoyment of our ride fr as long as we can.

You can still enjoy the rhythm with strong moments of fast acceleration and good speeds by adding in some weak moments on the straights.

Do you ride to a rhythm? Leave your comments below.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Riding in a group can be fun, but it also has its hazards, not the least being how to pass other vehicles on the road and whether you should pass other riders in your group.

These issues involve tactics, patience, safety and courtesy.

One of the great joys and advantages of riding a motorcycle is being able to quickly, efficiently and safely overtake slower vehicles.

Click here for our guide on safe overtaking manoeuvres, mainly as an individual rider.

Pass one at a time

We only briefly touched on passing as a group.

Our main point is to pass one at a time.

Following riders do not have sufficient visibility to overtake at the same time as the first rider and it is not advisable to simply trust the lead rider’s judgement.

We also don’t believe you should trust the first rider who waves to indicate the coast is clear for others to pass. 

That may be courteous, but you should never put your safety in the hands of someone else.

Even if you know and trust the rider, their judgement on speed and distance could be impaired.

Circumstances may also change as they pass. For example, a roo could stray on to the road or the vehicle that has been passed may indicate a turn.

Each passing rider should make their own judgement, based on what they can actually see.

But they should also allow a little more time to overtake as returning to the traffic queue after passing could take longer because the bike in front can cause a bit of an obstruction.

After passing

That is why it is important that each bike that overtakes should assume another rider may follow.

Don’t look for them in the mirrors when passing. Keep your eyes ahead on the job and wait until you have rejoined the queue of traffic to check your mirrors.

Allow plenty of room for following riders to join the queue in front of the vehicle they just passed, even if that means keeping up the passing pace for a few more seconds.

Graphic supplied by the Motorcycle Legal Foundation

There is differing advice on where the overtaking rider should position themselves when they rejoin the traffic queue.

Some say they should move to the left passenger wheel track to give the following rider room.

However, we believe a lead rider should always stay closest to the centre line and “own” the lane to prevent other vehicles squeezing alongside.

Whatever you believe, make sure everyone in your group is on board with the strategy.

Passing within a group

As for passing other riders in a group, this is something that should be worked out and agreed to before heading off.

If it’s a group that has been formed by a social media invitation, there will likely be riders in the pack who you don’t know nor trust.

In that case, we suggest no passing.

However, egos usually get in the way and riders will try to fight their way up to the front.

Some say it’s safer up the front where you get away from the less experienced riders.

But you may also end up among riders who are too fast for you and tease you out of your comfort zone.

Be aware of your surrounding riders and treat them all with an equal dose of courtesy and suspicion.

If you are in a group of friends, make some rules about passing that overtone can agree to.

We recommend that you use your mirrors to observe approaching riders and give them a wave past with your hand or boot.

Passing riders should signal their intention to pass with a courteous double-toot on the horn.

Courtesy, patience and a few agreed tactics can go a long way to ensuring your group rides safely.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com