YouTuber Lists Seven Traits of Good Riders
Take these pointers to heart, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a great motorcyclist.
Last month, we featured a video by YouTuber Yammienoob that listed seven traits of bad riders. Today, we’re going to look at another one of his videos. This time, it’s a list of seven traits of good riders.
First off, Yammienoob discusses developing a “sixth sense” when it comes to motorcycling. That means paying close attention to traffic, and being able to tell when someone is a potential threat to your safety.
For example, Yammienoob says “If you’ve ever seen a car inching forward at a stop sign and thought, ‘I know he’s going to take off,’ then you already have your gift.” To sum it up, he adds, “Ride like no-one sees you, because in reality, they probably don’t.”
That leads to sign number two, observation. As much as we like to rip on car owners for driving distracted, motorcyclists can easily fall victim, too. Bikes now have a ton of potential distractions on board, from GPS to stereos to Bluetooth.
When you were a beginner motorcyclist, you likely had to think very hard about what you were doing all the time. By this point in your motorcycling career, you may be operating on muscle memory. While you may be paying close attention to what the cars around you are doing, you should be paying close attention to what you’re doing as well.
Coming it at number three is the age-old axiom of “practice makes perfect.” If you think back to your beginner rider course, you were taught a lot of low-speed maneuvers that you may or may not use anymore. Take some time to go to a parking lot and practice those techniques again. It will make you a better and more confident rider.
it’s important to make sure that you don’t reinforce bad habits, though. It just so happens that that’s the fourth point in Yammienoob’s video. Even the best riders pick up bad habits sometimes.
Maybe you skip the pre-ride inspection more often than you’d like to admit. Perhaps you use the brakes too much during cornering. As Yammienoob says, “Get in the habit of identifying your bad habits, and then mindfully and deliberately correcting them.”
Speaking of cornering, that’s good rider trait number five. Yammienoob says it best. “Out of everything that makes a motorcycle different than any other forms of transportation, nothing stands out more — or is more unique — than how a motorcycle turns through corners.”
Contrary to what many sportbike-riding squids would tell you, smoothness, not speed, is what’s important when it comes to cornering. Even for experienced motorcyclists, finding the best blend of speed, lean angle, and handlebar pressure is a challenge. Think back earlier to when we wrote about being more deliberate. Remember, practice makes perfect!
With that said, know your limits. Don’t try to impress anyone on a bike. If you’ve never tried a particular maneuver before, or you’re not used to riding at those speeds, don’t give in to peer pressure. It could save your life.
Yammienoob’s last tip is “Don’t Stop the Experiences.” Try new things (just be safe and sensible). Take new classes, ride new bikes, and try different routes. Keeping motorcycling fresh and exciting as you progress through your riding career is the key to continuous improvement. Now get out there and ride!
