Expert Showdown: Top Motorcycle Coaches Weigh In on the Best Tips, Tricks, and Techniques 

You nailed once again Kevin! Your instructions and techniques are the only ones I follow, thanks for all your do!

Glad it was helpful!

Glad you enjoyed it!

I appreciate that!

Thanks 👍

Have fun, and keep training!

Kevin you have a scammer telegram+ lurking around…

Yeah I know. I block one and two more pop up. 🤷‍♂️

Thanks 👍

Thanks 👍

with MSF, as is in general, one should keep in mind who they teach. Advice for a rookie might not be same as for experienced rider, just for the safety reasons, not out of malice.

@@adrianalexandrov7730 I agree 100%. I think I understand some of the different approaches. As an example, MSF encouraged us to use both front/rear brakes while stopping. Some say rely on the rear. As I recall, the MSF instructor stated that you should ensure the handlebars are straight, but that's not always possible! I had a car pull out in front of me at a parking lot (with my handlebars turned) I hit both brakes and nearly went down. I now focus on rear brakes in slow speed situations....I still use the front, but sparingly.

​@@RidingandWrenching I believe there was a video on McRider about trailbraking and how it might be beneficial. I can see how and why they would teach total newbies to rely on the rear training them in a parking lot, but if you're riding yourself -- use advice in this video: test it. Just measure your stopping distance from reasonable speed, say 40 mph, with the rear brake only. Then moderately using the front. No need to master it to see the difference. Why most motorcycles have bigger brake disks on the front? Why sportcars and most regular cars have bigger disks on the front and some cheap ones still has drum brakes on the rear? Why you can lock your rear wheel braking on a mountain bicycle, but enough front brake will try to throw you over the handlebars? Cause front brake is more powerful. Sure you can focus on the rear brake, but you're wasting a lot of your bike's potential. And to be safe only with the rear you'd have to master it, which is not easier then mastering the front, and still you'd have lot less stopping ability then your peers who focused on the front and use only half it's abilities. I get saying "focus on the rear for now as we're learning other important stuff" -- that would be kinda valid teaching technique not to overload trainee with a lot of new things at the same time. But saying "focus on the rear" pediod -- that's not a thing motorcycle instructor should say. And even using that "technique" above I'd give a short context that actually front brake is what stops motorcycle effectively, explain why and suggest a ways for a trainee to learn to use it properly depending on situation: it might be videos, if I was just asked for some short advice; might be some group trainings I know of; might be personal training; might be pointing trainee to a group of enthusiasts riding motorcycle gymkhana regularly etc. Personally there're few requirement when I train people in city riding, and those are solely people with licence in my country (they don't legally allow to teach unlicenced people on the streets like in the UK). Those are: - be somewhat comfortable maneuvering at slow speeds - be able to ride in more or less straight line at speed - and be able to use front brake. Not to it's full potential, might be a bit abrupt, but even quarter of front brake on a pavement is better then the rear. Without that, we're going to an empty parking lot first. It's just too dangerous to ride in a city for someone who can't reliably stop in the distance any SUV driving instagram posting soccer mom easily can. Slam the brakes and that SUV is 40-0 in 40 feets. You can't do that with a rear brake. It's hard to do even with front (and maybe some rear if you're on a cruiser). And in five years of teaching I've never had anyone saying "I'll just stick with the rear" after being taught how to use the front. Be safe, bro!

@@adrianalexandrov7730 got it. I was specifically talking abt slow speed. I use both brakes at all speeds, but release the front brake around 7mph. I also focus on straightening my handlebars if I need to stop abruptly at slow speed

@@RidingandWrenching Oh, that's great, then. Misunderstanding on my part )) How exactly is straightening the handlebars justified? Did they teach some extra stuff with that or provide some explanations or boundaries to use it? Not a dangerous stuff at slow speeds, but IMO straightening the bike would be focus. Say if you're in a slow speed U-turn and need to stop in the middle, I'd assume that turning your handlebars even more to the left to straighten up the bike would make stopping much more controllable and holding the bike easier. While if in the middle of such a turn you'd straighten the handlebars while braking... well you'd have to hold it as it will try falling to the left. So did they provide any extra explanations in the MSF? Just professional interest from across the Pond )))

Great point!

I have been seen off the rails from time to time.

LOL, I am a left foot down rider but always stop the bike in the first gear (no need to switch feet)...works for me and I am ready to move out if needed.

My mind set is that you should not need access to the shifter because you should be in first gear every time you come to a stop, so you are ready to take off in case of an emergency, and having your left foot down to hold up the motorcycle will allow you to have your right foot on the brake pedal keeping the motorcycle from rolling forward or backward. May be just my opinion that fall under "It's like raising saltwater fish". Be safe and when life throws you a curve, slow, look, press and roll.

His advice is sound, I have yet to see one piece of information that isn't. Nice try though...

@@thomasbertram6303 Won't the front brake (right hand) keep you from rolling? Have you ever stopped at a red light and forgot to shift into first gear? Then when you take off you find out your in third gear and stall out? If a concrete truck comes barreling up behind you at a red light, do you plan to run the red light to try to escape and risk getting T-boned by a soccor mom yelling at the kids? Also if you don't brake your rear tire and get bumped by a drunk driver the rear wheel will be free to roll forward or up the bumper possibly reducing the impact on your spine/bike. Safety is a never ending quest.

That's kinda my experience with Thailand and Vietnam as well. On clean pavement -- lean in. On dirty on or gravel -- ride like on gravel.

Lean against the curve, to increase the lean angle of the motorcycle? Why?

@@ntdscherer no we have a lot of gravel on our roads so leaning with the curve (racer style) increases the chances of a fall .. but leaning against the curve (off road style) reduces the chances of a fall as your weight is more central to the bike rather than all the weight being on one side of the bike

LOL, there are some truths to riding...and some nuance. ;)

It's funny, doing this video has me watching videos on the subject again...the last time I tried it was pre-RU-vid. :)

What is that? ;)

Basically, our instruction is not very good. We spend an awful lot of time and energy focusing on the icing vs the meat and potatoes. Instructors should spend more time on teaching steering. The actual mechanics of steering with the bars. And by "more time" I mean at least some time. The most important part of riding a motorcycle is completely glossed over and taught as "just look there, and the bike will go there." Or "you get it or you don't!" (Some instructors don't get it, but they're teaching people how to ride, anyway). How did we get here?

LOL, that has been my experience.

Thanks for the kind words.

Try them at 1.25 speed.

@@ntdscherer now you’re talk’n. 👍🏻

@@MCrider let’s see you demonstrate, instructor sir.

There are tons of videos of me riding. You can start here. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-GKX6rdmTdu8.html Or you can do a search on your own. I have hundreds of videos over the last 6 years. I taught riders in MSF and Total Control classes for years. You watching me ride will never make you a better rider though. You practicing on the parking lot will make you a better rider. That is what I try to encourage in my videos.