The use of the rear brake is easily one of the most contentious issues in motorcycling. Some riders swear they never touch it, while others claim it’s all they use because anything more would mean they are “going too fast.” So, what is the real answer? After 25 years as a professional coach and a Champions Certified Coach with Yamaha ...

How do you feel grip on a motorcycle? It’s a tough one, because “feel” is subjective. I can’t give you feel any more than I can give you a sense of humor. But I can offer strategies to help you develop it. Why is Feel Important? Feel is our connection to the bike, the terrain, and even ourselves. Crucially, it gives us confidence. With feel, ...

A Guide to Safer and More Confident Riding Leaning on a motorcycle—just the thought of it can make some riders nervous. It’s not uncommon to see that untouched strip of rubber on the edges of a tire, commonly referred to as chicken strips. In France, they call them les bandages de la peur—“the bandages of fear.” But are they truly ...

If you’re trying to integrate trail braking into your riding but keep hitting a frustrating snag—finding yourself over-slowing into corners and losing your flow—you’re not alone. Many riders encounter this issue, where they go to the brakes out of nervousness, slow too much, and then have to get back on the throttle just to maintain momentum. The good news? There’s ...

If you’ve never driven a car with a stick shift, the idea of managing a clutch can seem intimidating. You might have heard snarky comments like, “If you can’t figure out a clutch, you shouldn’t ride a motorcycle.” Let’s ignore the gatekeepers for a moment and get to the heart of the matter: understanding the clutch. Whether you’re new to ...

It’s the best day in any rider’s life—New Bike Day! Whether it’s your first motorcycle or your third, the thrill of bringing a new machine home never gets old. Today, I’m sharing the top three things I do with every new motorcycle the moment it arrives. These steps are essential to protecting your investment, customizing it to your needs, and ...

Mastering Trail Braking: A Guide for Public Roads Have you ever been told, “Never brake in a corner”? While it sounds like solid advice, it’s wildly impractical for real-world riding. What if the road tightens, a cow appears out of nowhere, or there’s a slippery cattle guard in your path? Let’s dive into the art of trail braking—how to use ...

Every summer, I coach what we call the A.R.T., the Advanced Rider Training. It’s a riding school taught at our local track, using a Yamaha Champ School-approved curriculum. The goal is to help riders become safer and faster in an environment where they can ride at real-world speeds without worrying about oncoming traffic or deer. Before spending the better part ...

Countersteering is probably the most misunderstood concepts in motorcycling. When I was learning to ride, it was widely dismissed. Then when I became a riding instructor, it was believed that it only worked above a certain speed. Now we know that it works at every speed. So it’s often cited as the one perfect solution to every cornering problem. Running ...

You want to be able to trust your tires? Yeah? You want to know what it feels like to be able to lean into a corner or go to the brakes and know they will stick. Tires are crazy complicated things that are constantly being improved. Nothing improved the quality of the motorcycle riding experience quite like the insane improvements ...