Text and Photography:
Kevin Schwantz and Lance Holst






 

 STAYING SMOOTH AND RELAXED

 Like the lessons we´ve talked about in previous
 Riding Skills Series stories, remaining relaxed and
 smooth on a motorcycle is something that sounds easy
 in theory but proves difficult in practice. Being relaxed
 is the body´s natural state but when we´re riding a
 motorcycle there are any number of distractions and
 concerns that cause us to tense up.

 Remember that smoothness is the foundation on which all
 the other skills depend. To ride a motorcycle effectively, we
 need to be smooth and to be smooth we need to be relaxed.
 Being mentally relaxed helps relax us physically, so let´s
 start with the mental aspect.

 Give It Time
 The most effective way to stay mentally relaxed is to give
 yourself the time to process information, make decisions
 and execute the proper inputs. The key to this goes back to
 the first RSS lesson: "Looking Ahead." By keeping our
 vision 2 - 6 seconds ahead of the bike, we give ourselves
 the time to keep from being rushed (and hence tensing up).
 We must also keep our concentration focused ahead of the
 bike at all times as well. It takes only a momentary
 distraction, from "What do I need at the grocery store?" to
 "How did I mess up that last corner so badly?" to get behind
 where the motorcycle is on the road and behind in your
 thinking. As long as the motorcycle is moving ahead, you
 need to keep focusing ahead with your eyes and your mind.

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