Riding a motorcycle is an act which your subconscious masters over time, once you understand the basics of keeping a bike upright while making it roll forwards. However, for those who are new to the art, there are some basics which must be followed. It’s like dancing, where some are naturally good at it, while some need to know how to get those moves right.
So by now, if you have started shaking a leg, you probably are aware that there’s a more graceful, faster and safer way to do it. Here are five tips which will help you to ride a motorcycle faster and safer:
Since it is a physical act, your fitness and flexibility play a key role in how efficiently you can ride while being safe and going fast at the same time. Along with that, sharp focus and the right vision is necessary when your right wrist decides to twist the throttle. The first basic principle one must be aware of is that a motorcycle isn’t steered using its handlebar unless you are manoeuvering it in tight spaces at crawling speeds. It is your lower body which does the job.
Also Read: What We Learnt From Riding And Racing Motorcycles At The Race Track: Part 2
So what you must strive to achieve is keeping your upper body loose, especially your shoulders, while your palms grip the bars like they are wrapped around a delicate chicklet. Now, when you’re turning left, your right leg must pull the bike into the corner as you shift weight while your foot stays firm on the peg, and your left palm must push the handlebar in the opposite direction of the corner. The latter is called ‘Countersteering’. It might defy simple logic, but it works.
They say you go where you look and it is a golden rule one must follow when deciding to go faster. Before every turn, know where you have to brake, mark your point of entry and if the corner is blind, follow through to look as far as you can into the distance to know where you and your motorcycle exit. Riders usually panic when they realise that they’re about to enter a corner too fast. It usually happens when you aren’t looking further up and your vision extends only till a few feet ahead of the bike. Do watch the video where we’ve tried to explain these things through a visual representation.