Three Skills

There are three techniques taught in a parking lot class that a good rider will use and incorporate into their riding skills on the street. Each technique has its own relationship with the bike and all three are needed to gain a real feel of control of your machine. When all three skill sets become part of your daily riding you will have reached a level of riding skill you can be proud of.

HEAD and EYES… The first skill Grasshopper is something you are already doing, but maybe not correctly, maybe you’re not soaking in twelve seconds ahead of you, or maybe you are not positioned correctly in a curve and you keep going wide because you are looking at the shoulder. In a curve look ahead at the exit of said curve, and use your head and eyes to plan ahead where you want the motor to go. Practice using your head and eyes at a slow speed practice session, look two feet above the fifth cone in that cone weave, and turn your head and look at your exit in a U-Turn. If you look down you will go down, look where you want to go.

The FRICTION ZONE… This is the area of your clutch where the lever isn’t all the way out, or all the way in. When you squeeze the clutch in there are several friction plates that are separated, and as the lever is released the plate’s press together making the bike go. Use the friction zone anytime you are under 15 mph like in a parking lot or slow traffic, leaving the clutch completely out at a slow speed will result in the bike jerking or maybe even kill the motor leaving no control.

CONTROLED BRAKING… Believe it or not, the rear brake a.k.a. the controlling brake, is not just for stopping anymore. In a rolling panic the first thing most will do is stomp on the rear brake causing a slide, learn to use both brakes at the same time without any tire squealing going on. The rear brake also has an effect on the lean angle of your scooter. Visualize going into a curve too hot, if you hit the rear brake the motorcycle will want to stand up and go straight. This braking phenomenon called Gyroscopic Stabilization can be applied in any slow speed maneuver to keep from falling over as well as on the city streets to help with a tight turn. Combine using your Head and Eyes, the Friction Zone, and Controlled Braking and you will always have full control of your bike on the mean streets we ride on, or in a crowded parking lot where everyone is watching.

John ‘Hammer’ Hanzlik                                                                                                

ALR Road Captain                                                                                                          

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