Riding is something most people don’t have to do, but rather feel compelled to do, for a wide variety of reasons ranging from passion to practicality.
One of the most distinct things about riding is that nothing feels quite like a motorcycle; the thrill of being at one with a two-wheeled machine that weighs only a hundred and something kilograms is one of the purest ways to get from point A to B, and the risks involved sometimes even heighten that enjoyment. Perhaps Robert Pirsig said it best in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: “You’re completely in contact with it all. You’re in the scene, not just watching it anymore, and the sense of presence is overwhelming.”
If you’re a rider you know all about “the wave,” the pointed finger or wave of the hand that acknowledges another rider as he or she passes. Motorcyclists often feel like they belong to a big community, and that sensation gives us something in common; we share a bond that sets us apart from the rest of the motoring world.
In spite of the fact that motorcyclists are a part of a big group, we also tend to be more individualistic than the next person. Whether that’s expressed through our personal style or the way we trick out our bikes, motorcycling can be an outlet through which we can reveal our personalities.
There’s something about motorcyclists, isn’t there?
When a guy or a gal walks into a restaurant with a helmet under their arm, they invariably radiate a sense of cool that just isn’t the same as rolling up in a car. Whether or not you’re looking for the Peter Fonda or Brad Pitt effect, motorcycles take you one step closer to cool. What better way to escape than on a motorcycle? The sense of freedom feels more complete on two wheels, and riding doesn’t transport you to a destination; riding a motorcycle is the destination.
Though it’s true that some motorcycles can keep pace with a Ferrari, it can also be enormously dangerous when put in the wrong or unskilled hands. So while motorcycles are performance bargains that offer more performance per Rand than virtually any other vehicle, it’s best to be explored under controlled conditions.
All the above will have no value and don’t mean anything if you don’t know how to enjoy it with relaxed and confident emotions. To truly grasp the concept of safe motorcycling; you are not born with the skill, you can only teach yourself what you think you know and that alone is far too little, you need help. When you’re ill you go to a doctor or specialist when you ride a motorcycle and have had some training or nothing at all, you need help. You need a “doctor” or specialists to point out the “disease” in your riding abilities and put you through some exercises which will give you the skill to control your motorcycle with confidence and truly experience the freedom I highlighted above.
So, despite the obvious benefits of rider training, why do most people avoid it?
Well, it comes down to the following, and in this order: Mindset, Location, Urgency, Cost
The scary fact is, I was once told by a psychologist, that the average person only uses up to 25% of his/her brain, then add a generous 15% of common instinct (which is habitual), and the balance of 60% is left to chance. There’s our problem!
Like the body, the brain needs constant training to stay sharp, and develop good habits; thus, when trained consistently our brains build muscle or mental memory.
We are what we think, and we ride how we think … with only 25-40% of our mental muscle.
Change the way you think today, and you will change the way you ride tomorrow.
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