I need more skills

[VaFish]

So I spent the last couple of days as a volunteer judge at the Mid Atlantic Police Motorcycle Rodeo. Their skills are insane.

I always thought that police motor officer put a ton of miles on their bikes. From talking with quite a few of them they put probably 50-100 miles on their bike each day they ride. My commute is 54-86 miles round trip depending upon which route I choose. I put about 15,000 miles a year on my bike which is more than many of the motor officers. I've also been riding longer than most of them have. (I started riding before many of them were born) But too many of those miles are just rolling straight down the highway.

In talking with the officers most of them start and end the day with a quick cone course of some tight circles, u-turns, and quick stops.

I'm going to start putting more parking lot practice into my daily rides.

Of course those officers do have the advantage of the tax payers funding their motorcycles and any damage they do to them.

[Triple Jim]

Originally Posted by VaFish

Of course those officers do have the advantage of the tax payers funding their motorcycles and any damage they do to them.

If you damage yours, the repairs will be funded by a taxpayer too.

[VaFish]

Originally Posted by Triple Jim

If you damage yours, the repairs will be funded by a taxpayer too.

Yeah but I'm just one tax payer. The cops have a whole bunch of taxpayers funding them.

["A"]

Moto gymkhana skills are quite essential for my daily commute in NYC.
I utilize those skill far more than my ability to ride at triple digit speeds.

Link to original page on YouTube.

[Snake]

We all could do with some skills training.

As a pilot I have to do a bi-annual flight review so I can continue flying. The flight review, conducted by a flight instructor, consists of a written test of the rules and regulations of flying followed by a flight skills test.

Something sililar like that could be done with riders through The AMA.

[Triple Jim]

I wouldn't mind an annual required on-road skills test for all drivers on public roads. It'll never happen because of all the problems that would result from so many drivers losing their licenses and having to study and practice to get them back. As it is now you don't have to do any more than memorize the shapes of signs and a few rules of the road, and drive around a parking lot a little, and you're good for the rest of your life.

[Snake]

A lot of States just have you come in, pay the fee and take your mugshot and boom you’re good for another 4 to 6 years. WOW! Realy ?

[CrateCookie]

Originally Posted by Snake

A lot of States just have you come in, pay the fee and take your mugshot and boom you’re good for another 4 to 6 years. WOW! Realy ?

Until you get in the 70's age range, it is every other cycle that you have to go in to verify you can see and take a new picture. The other times, just pay online and go on. If they would cut down the lines at the DPS, it would make going in a lot more bearable.

[smoreschoco]

Originally Posted by Snake

A lot of States just have you come in, pay the fee and take your mugshot and boom you’re good for another 4 to 6 years. WOW! Realy ?

I have no problem with a system like that. Growing up in a city where driver's tests are a lot more serious than the ones in the US, I used to think the states' tests are a joke. I changed my mind eventually.

A pass in a driver's test does not correlate to how drivers would behave on the road anyway. Most people can discipline themselves in a test. Probably all of them will choose not to drive like they were in a driving school anyway.

If someone decided to take driving carelessly and ended up in an accident, there will always be consequences. If he/she ends up killing someone, a judge will decided how long to lock the driver up. If imprisonment and a criminal record does not scare one enough to behave nicely on the road, a 15 minutes road test will not either. So why bother sucking everyone up in the bureaucracy of road testing?

[DannoXYZ]

Well, it may lower the +50,000 deaths/year on our roads.... Throwing the perps in jail after-the-fact won't bring those brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers back...

[smoreschoco]

Originally Posted by DannoXYZ

Well, it may lower the +50,000 deaths/year on our roads.... Throwing the perps in jail after-the-fact won't bring those brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers back...

That appears to be a wishful thinking to me. If throwing the perps in jail doesn't scare them, a driving test, regardless of its difficulty, won't either.

[VaFish]

Well I contacted a local rider training facility, and got 5 of my Legion Rider buddies to sign up as well and they are running a private class for the 6 of us.

Half day intermediate riders class, on their bikes or if we want our own, a mix of Harley Street 500, Harley Dyna and Road King Police bikes for under $150 per person seemed like a pretty good deal to us.

[Koala]

That's awesome! The Harley Street 500 is what the local Harley dealer here uses for the their Moto Ohio class.

Do you know what drills you will be practicing in the class?

[VaFish]

Originally Posted by Koala

That's awesome! The Harley Street 500 is what the local Harley dealer here uses for the their Moto Ohio class.

Do you know what drills you will be practicing in the class?

Yes they sent us a class outline already.

It's mostly cone weaves, tight turns, 90 and 180 degree turns from stops, figure 8's, "The Little General", and a combination curve negotiating and swerve brake escape. They also may get more advanced if our group is doing well. The 6 of us taking the class have been riding for a while, so if we progress fast they may add some other drills.

[Misti]

I'm a coach with the California Superbike School and our schedule for the year has recently been posted. While I'm totally on board for any kind of further rider training and upping your riding skills whatever way possible, there is a difference between slow speed riding skills like tight cones, figure 8's u-turns etc and higher speed riding skills like throttle control, body position, line selection and visual skills.

Make sure that the skills you are putting attention on learning will help in real life riding situations

One of my fondest coaching memories was when I was able to instruct two Oklahoma Highway Patrol officers on their fully equipped Hyabusa police bikes from my Kawasaki 600. At first they were like, how the hell is that girl gonna teach us how to ride better? but after working through the super bike school curriculum and practicing their throttle control, turn points, quick turns, 2 step visual skills etc, they were pleased to have made some massive improvements.

They even gave me a Highway Patrol coin that has been in my wallet for over 10 years now! (thanks for reminding me of the memory ).....

Point is...get training....all sorts..... and keep training so you can be the safest and most confident rider possible