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The physical practice is always a good idea but for me it is the mental stuff that I have to constantly practice. The need to stay 100% focused on my riding. I tend to daydream a lot; you can get away with that in a cage but on two wheels its a distraction onto death. dayll

I took the class after riding for years and found that I was doing many things wrong and learned better techniques to arrive at the same results. I practice almost all the time that I ride. If I can find an empty strip of blacktop, I weave through the dotted lines. Unfortunately, I have to practice my stops frequently also -- idiot drivers and deer.

dayll wrote:The physical practice is always a good idea but for me it is the mental stuff that I have to constantly practice. The need to stay 100% focused on my riding. I tend to daydream a lot; you can get away with that in a cage but on two wheels its a distraction onto death. dayll

Mental practice is actually a good chuck of the new Advanced Riding Course- Sportbike Techniques class available from the MSF. It's the civie version of the Military Sportbike Ridercourse and it's open to all types of bikes.

Rode a 1200 Sportster until March of this year. Took my new Dyna out to a parking lot to get used to the handling of it the day after I got it. Must admit that I haven't done that in a while...like Thumper says, trying to do circles at a walking pace can be fun.

question: is there any specific way to practice a quick, emergency stop? Should I test the stopping power at varying speeds? After repeat practice, do you begin to stop faster and achieve a greater response and feel for the maximum brake usage before a front wheel lock up on dry pavement?

The BRC had us stop within a specified distance traveling 15mph on their nighthawk250's, but I'm assuming it's wise to test the brakes at varying speeds from 15mph-45mph, ..?

matthew5656 wrote:question: is there any specific way to practice a quick, emergency stop?

Oh there are plenty of ways.
-Stop using a cue cone. Keep a steady speed and once your tire passes the cue cone come to a quick stop.
-Stop using a signal from a friend. Keep a steady speed and upon signal, come to a quick stop.
-Stop on your own. Keep a nice steady speed and when you're ready, do a quick stop.
-Targeted quick stops. Have cue cones for stopping. Approach at a set speed and perform a quick stop in the shortest distance you safely can. Ideally your front tire is between the cones.

Should I test the stopping power at varying speeds?

Why not? You're going to be riding those speeds anyway. There are times on the interstate when I'm not in a congested area, no one is behind me and no exits are around. It's a great place for me to practice a quick stop from 80 mph.

After repeat practice, do you begin to stop faster and achieve a greater response and feel for the maximum brake usage before a front wheel lock up on dry pavement?

Yep, but remember that this is a perishable skill and if you don't practice regularly, it goes away!

The BRC had us stop within a specified distance traveling 15mph on their nighthawk250's, but I'm assuming it's wise to test the brakes at varying speeds from 15mph-45mph, ..?

I think it's wise, I guess it depends on what you think of me

I do go into a parking lot once in awhile and just practice over and over different things. I also do just about all of things as a matter of survival here in NJ I am sure there are others that can attest to the lunacy of the animals behind the wheel our fine Garden State and Metro area.

Thinking now storysunfolding, I travel faster than 15 a lot of the time, so I'll agree with you that high speed braking is an important part of the game to keep anyone's mind on. So my front tire's tread is getting lower by the day, and I haven't replaced it since I bought the bike, so it's at least 2 years old. But I suppose locking her up isn't as bad as everyone assumes. One time the front locked up on me going through a heavy intersection with plenty of cars around me, which above all else, must have been very interesting from the pedestrian's perspectice watching a guy on a supposed cool sportbike wobble to a nasty stop and have to restart the motor while acting like nothing happened. At least I didn't crash.

But do they have a school dedicated to defensive riding tactics specifically for motorcyclists? I had to take the defensive driving course after an expensive speeding ticket, but I think there is much more involved with rider's safety as far as overall strategy, avoidance tactics, and dangers to look out for. I think it would be a fun course to attend for any experienced rider to share their ideas, learn some new ones, and practice them in a controlled situation.

Check the msf website for the new perception online module. Strategy is covered in most classes but David houghes books are a great reference too