[ST] Advanced rider training

["Mike Bostock" <mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Monday I was lucky enough to have a day, one-to-one, with a chap called
Mike Waite, who is thought of as being the guru of road riding here in the
South West of England.

Mike was the trainer for Police motorcyclists in the West Country.  He
teaches the Police method - for those of you who have read 'Motorcycle
Roadcraft: The Police Rider's Handbook' The Stationery Office Books; ISBN:
011341143X.

His philosophy is that motorcyclists are going to ride fast, as this is,
after all, their primary reason for buying a high performance bike - he
attempts to train them to ride fast safely.

It would take me too long to cover all the ground he covered on this day. 
The course is normally two days long BTW but I could only take one day off
as I slipped into a late cancellation at less than 12 hours notice. 
He rides a Triumph (Daytona 1200) and most of the time he is about 6 inches
(or so it seems) from your back wheel.  He can tell if you roll off the
throttle the slightest amount and if/when you apply the rear brake (as
opposed to 'front only' which I tend to use in the dry). He seems to know
what you are thinking before you think of it :-) and has excellent powers
of observation.

Before I did the course my cornering technique was not the best, tending to
go in too fast, slam on the brakes and stop braking just before I reached
an early apex and then throw the bike over and power out of the bend.  I
didn't cut the bend off, however.  I thought this was the fast way to do it
- - not so, as I discovered.

Remembering that there is a world of difference between road riding and
track riding since the track doesn't have cars coming in the opposite
direction and sometimes crowding onto your side of the road round a left
hand bend, reverse cambers, junctions, gravel and potholes.

He concentrates on:
1.  Awareness of other road users and presenting yourself to them in the
most visible fashion possible (by virtue of your position) so they are
aware of your presence.  This includes other users travelling in the same
direction, the opposite direction and exiting from junctions.

2.  Positioning on the road to achieve '1', above, and to achieve smooth
but fast cornering whilst maintaining the best possible picture of the road
ahead including eliminating any dead ground where hazards can lurk.

3.  Judging the direction of the road by buildings, telegraph poles, lay of
the land etc.

4.  Slowing on the straight and applying power smoothly through the bend as
soon as the intersection of the nearside and offside edges start to move
away from you.  Much faster and smoother than I was previously achieving.

5.  Moving from an extended following position to close the vehicle ahead
to be in exactly the right place to overtake as soon as you exit the bend. 

6.  Moving the point of your gaze upwards - further up the road.

All this achieved through a one way radio link with Mike seeming to be
sitting on your shoulder constantly talking to you to an making you perfect
these bullet points time and time and time again.

Although I knew all the theory, having read 'Roadcraft' it was of
inestimable value having someone as experienced as this forcing you to
concentrate on getting it right.  After 7 hours of this with 45 mins for
lunch I was knackered but starting to get it right.

- -- 
Mike Bostock
mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.toothfairy.co.uk/
Wales and SW ST Riders
http://www.sprint-st.org/

'99 Red ST

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