[vito]

Chances are you will be at the greatest risk while on the road...beyond parking lot speed. Many folks can ride fast....but can they stop in time if the sh!t hits the fan? I think that's a skill you should learn first.

Learn to do emergency stops from 30-->70 mph. True, hard braking emergency stops, not just slowing down a little quicker than usual. You can get away with duck walking at slow speed if you have to, you can't walk away from not being able to stop in time. Learn that first, then play in the parking lot.

 

[vito]

Good advice, and that is one of the games I do play in a parking lot. I can get up-to 55-60 before aping on the brakes, though 70 would put me squarely up Smokey the Bear's ass, as a Forest Service Public Notice sign dictates stopping-distance at that speed :lol:

Only reason I'm big on this is my only crash to date I saw coming but could not pull off the stop...locked 'em up and went down.

 

[vito]

Thanks Wolfenstien. I'd really like to try the cone course. Please keep me up to date.

And Mark, I often practice a swerve around man-hole covers. You'll laugh when I tell you that for me, doing a swerve on a five hundred pound bike at forty five mph is not the same as in my motorcycle safety course on a Korean 250 in second gear.

And yes emergency stops. I've already locked up the rear wheel in traffic and found out what fishtailing a shadow feels like. I need to practice that rather delicate touch on front and back brakes for quick stops without skidding.

You don't have to be as delicate as you think....just squeeze progressively harder/release...harder/release as you slow. I can stop fairly quickly now (still need to practice) and I only chirp the rear wheel once in awhile.