- Been riding less over winter? Your skills might not be quite as sharp as you think
- We revisit BRM junior rider Taine’s experience on a Ride Forever Silver course before he gained his full licence
- With Motorcycle Awareness Month taking place in September, now is an ideal time to brush up on braking, cornering, observation and road positioning
A while ago, we sent BRM’s junior rider out with Pass Masters Rider Training for a Ride Forever Silver course as a way to brush up on his skills (or lack of them…) before going for his full licence. With riding season approaching and Motorcycle Awareness Month in September, we look back at Taine’s experience on Ride Forever.
With spring just around the corner, plenty of motorcycles are about to emerge from sheds after spending much of winter tucked away. But while the bike might only need a battery charge, tyre-pressure check and a bit of TLC before hitting the road, what about the rider?
September is Motorcycle Awareness Month, making it a timely reminder that after a few months away from the bike, brushing up on your own skills isn’t a bad idea either.
A couple of years ago, that’s exactly what we did with BRM’s then-junior tester, Taine. He was approaching his full licence and we sent him along on a Ride Forever Silver course with Pass Masters Rider Training. He’s since got that full licence, but here’s what he discovered during a day that proved there’s always something more to learn. Take it away Taine…
Going Big!
After a couple of years of being BRM’s junior tester, i.e. the person handed all the LAMS-approved bikes, the time had finally come when I was able to go for my full licence. And I can tell you that I couldn’t wait to finally be able to ride some of the bigger bikes that came through the BRM shed – how about a go on the Kawasaki H2, aye, Paul?!
“What disadvantages are there to spending a day riding on some cool roads with like-minded people while picking up a few tips and pointers that might just make you a better rider? I can’t see any.”
Anyway, after speaking with Chris from Pass Masters about doing my licence, he suggested that I first do a Ride Forever course as a bit of a refresher before actually going for my test. And he also mentioned that he had a Kawasaki Z650 sitting there for me to spend the day on, so it was looking like a win-win for me.
Training Day
If you’ve not done a Ride Forever course yet, it really is worth it. And what disadvantages are there to spending a day riding on some cool roads with like-minded people while picking up a few tips and pointers that might just make you a better rider? I can’t see any.
Our day started at 9am in a car park in Pukekohe, where our small group got to know one another and met our instructor, Rob. With Rob running through a brief outline of how the day would progress, he then fitted all our helmets with Cardo intercoms so we could hear what he was saying and also talk back – I was wondering if that was going to be a good or bad move…
Paul is always keen on saying, ‘You don’t know what you don’t know’, and while I thought I already knew everything when it came to, well, everything, I was quietly looking forward to upskilling.
With our group heading east from Pukekohe, it wasn’t long before we were over the motorway and heading down the twists and turns towards Mangatāwhiri, which is a popular biking route.
Rob explained the procedure before we left, with one of our group called to the lead while he sat behind, offering tips and directions while the rest of us followed. That way, we could see what the lead rider was doing and also hear the advice Rob was giving.
After a decent spell at the front, Rob would ask the lead rider to pull to the left, and the bike behind would come up and take their place. It’s a simple system but effective.
After a while, Rob instructed us to pull into a quiet country road with a decent stopping area, where we then proceeded to watch him demo emergency braking at 60 and then 80km/h.
Then it was our turn, with varying degrees of braking performance showing who practises and who doesn’t. As I’d recently been on a training course at the Hamilton Go Kart track, I was confident enough to progressively get up to 100 percent braking, which was enough to get the rear of the Z650 showing a bit of air underneath.
Snatching the brake usually results in the ABS kicking in and increased stopping distances, whereas the correct technique is a progressive pull, giving the forks time to compress and really digging the front tyre into the road as you reach maximum braking. And with modern ABS there to help prevent the wheels locking, it’s the way to stop in a hurry.
After everyone had given it a go, we headed off once again, crossing the motorway at Mercer and beginning our trek west to our lunch destination of the café at Nikau Caves.
Again, I was informed this is a popular biking route, and I could see why, with almost endless twisting turns greeting us as we worked our way along SH22 before turning onto the tight, narrow Waikaretu Valley Road heading down to the café.
“Whether you’ve been off the bike for a few months or a few years, there are plenty of reasons for wanting to sharpen up your riding.”
With the local area still showing the effects of a recent cyclone, Rob focused a lot on road position as we approached corners to get the best view of what was approaching. And this also helps with one of the weaknesses that can catch motorcyclists out – running over the centreline and into the path of oncoming traffic.
Splitting the lane into three segments – left wheel-track, centre and right wheel-track – Rob instructed us where to be sitting when approaching a corner, i.e. left wheel-track when coming to a right-hander and the opposite for a left.
Watching for the vanishing point of the corner then gives you information about when to start getting on the throttle and accelerating out of the turn. And it wasn’t long before we’d all got our road positions sorted and the entire group started making faster, smoother progress despite sticking to the speed limits.
Not Just Lines
With a large contingent of bikers at the Nikau Café, including a group from IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorcyclists), we spent lunch going through some demonstrations on Rob’s iPad and discussing the reasons why we were on the course.
For one rider, it was encountering loose gravel on a roundabout that had ruined his confidence on right-handers – something he quickly started to master again on the course. For another, it was coming back to biking after a long lay-off. And then there were a couple of us who were on our restricted licences but looking to move to a full.
That mix of riders is also a good reminder of why a course like this isn’t only about progressing through the licensing system. Whether you’ve been off the bike for a few months or a few years, there are plenty of reasons for wanting to sharpen up your riding.
After lunch we continued south, eventually ending up in Ngāruawāhia for a quick top-up of the tanks before crossing back over to the excellent SH22 and heading for Puke.
And it was during these periods of sweeping through the seemingly endless twists and turns that I was picking up knowledge that I didn’t even know was a thing.
From looking at the powerlines running alongside a road to get a rough indication of what turns are approaching, to studying the gaps between the white lines in the middle of the road to see how tight a turn is.
As you’re riding up to a turn, look at the white lines as they follow the corner around. As the lines follow the road through the turn, the gaps visually change in size, with how big the gap appears giving another indication of how tight the turn is. Bigger gaps = tighter.
For my impending test, the day was also a good refresher of basics such as the sequence of mirror, indicator and then safety check before turning – something that can easily get forgotten when you don’t have an instructor following you.
And the ride showed me some awesome roads that I didn’t know even existed, which I was eager to go back and revisit. At the time, I was just hoping that the next time I rode them it would be on a non-LAMS bike.
Worth Another Look
That was Taine’s view immediately after completing his Ride Forever Silver course. He subsequently went on to get his full motorcycle licence, so the LAMS restriction he was so keen to escape is now firmly behind him.
But the lessons from that day are just as relevant now – and not only for riders working their way through the licensing system.
Coming back to motorcycling after a winter lay-off can mean your reactions, observation and general feel for the bike aren’t quite as sharp as they were at the end of last summer. And sometimes the habits you’ve picked up over years of riding aren’t necessarily the best ones either.
That’s where having an experienced instructor following you and actually looking at your riding can be particularly valuable. As we like to say at BRM: you don’t know what you don’t know.
With Motorcycle Awareness Month taking place throughout September and another riding season about to get underway, there probably isn’t a better time to find out.
Head to the Ride Forever website if you want to find your local provider at www.rideforever.co.nz. And also there’s the benefit of a 25% reduction in the levy part of your rego if you complete a Gold Course.
Thanks to Pass Masters for putting up with Taine. If you want to book in with this awesome team, check them out at www.passmasters.nz
