I've been thinking...

**Mom** · 5th August 2009, 08:21

Always a bit of a worry with me to be fair, my mind tends to wander all over the show. I love mulling things over in my mind, one thought leads to another and… I forget what I was originally thinking about. Sadly this happens during conversations too, but that is another story altogether.

Have you seen the cost of registering a motorcycle these days? Wow, we are certainly paying for the negative statistics generated from our high ACC claims and accident rates. That got me to thinking (and doing a bit of research) about the reasons why we feature so highly, and that in turn led me to thinking about music. Well, technically not about music per se, more about my relationship with it.

Stay with me here.

I am a classically trained musician and although I don’t play so much these days, I can play a bit of music reasonably well at first glance, provided I have the score in front of me. Give me a bit of practise and I can produce some very lovely stuff. Ask me to pick up and play a tune without the score then I fail miserably. Now, I have a friend who is a fantastic trumpet player. When he plays he is fully capable of bringing tears to your eyes. While he can read music, he almost never does, he somehow instinctively can play the most complicated music by ear. He reckons I am a great player, I say the same of him. I remember my teacher despairing of ever turning him into a great player, because he played his way, not the right way. Guess who ended up making a very good living playing trumpet?

So one thing leads to another and I go back to figuring out a way to reduce my registration costs. I think about riding lessons and rider education and reduction in accident rates for the BAB’s (Born Again Bikers) that seem to be the highest rating accident statistic generators.

Surely we should all be taking lessons? Learning all we can about the right and wrong way to ride, the technical details, the absolutes to becoming a great rider? This will undoubtedly reduce our accident rate. Then again, perhaps we should embrace the instinctive rider inside us and let it all hang out? Who is the better rider? The educated and practised one, or the one that has natural skill, or is a combination of the two the way to go?

Talking to a friend of mine the other day and this subject came up. He had just had a lesson with a respected motocross expert. He laughed when I asked what he gained from his lesson. The biggest thing he learned was that he has spent the past 20 years perfecting the art of doing it wrong.

Thinking on this a little further though, what makes a better rider? One who has been taught to ride “properly” or one who has that natural skill, and rides really well despite not having lessons?

**Usarka** · 5th August 2009, 08:27

Someone who has natural skill and receives training in the basics right at the beginning so they're pointed in the right direction and can concentrate on "perfecting doing it right"....?

**madbikeboy** · 5th August 2009, 08:40

Mom flexing her intellectual horsepower...

Adding $0.02...

There are some people, regardless of how many lessons or attention they recieve, who will forever be unable to ride well or correctly. Most of these people seem to also be in middle management, talk loudest at parties or meetings, and drive an "executive" car. They have an inability to grasp finer concepts, and fail to use the humility that one needs to begin the learning process.

There are others, who throw their leg across, and for whom the mechanical sympathy and ease of flowing with the bike is somehow inherent - your example of the trumpet player is an excellent visual.

The point is, that some people are more sensitive and tuned into their world, and when they get on a bike, they are able to process all the available information, and make forward rapid progress. With education, I think this group end up being excellent riders - and in my experience, this group also has enough humility to want to improve, and therefore, they seek more more information.

Okay, this is a gross oversimplification, attitude, experience, etc etc all have an effect. But, when you picture a born again, the one you saw drinking at the CoroGlen, or Puhoi - wasn't he dressed in the Harley accessory catalogue, talking too loudly, everything shiny and new. Wasn't he harping on, not listening, doing all the talking, like he does in his middle management job? Isn't he the same guy, with wife on the bitch pad, who can't ride in a straight line, or who turns in too early, hits the brakes halfway through the most modest bend, and then rips the throttle as soon as he can get the crusier pig stood up? Hmm. Thought so. All the quiet advice in the world, all the lessons, all the time spent giving advice - wasted for sure.

**MSTRS:Me** · 5th August 2009, 08:41

Training without an innate ability is no guarantee of making a great rider. Passable, yes. Safe, yes. Considerate, yes. Great....nope. But then few of us want (or need) to be great.

**crazyhorse** · 5th August 2009, 08:43

Natural skill obviously plays a huge part in it. But also being taught by someone who is a great rider also comes into it.

Being shown where to corner, taught that smooth is best, and then of course, being able to put it all into practise.

**boomer** · 5th August 2009, 08:51

Originally Posted by madbikeboy

Mom flexing her intellectual horsepower...

Adding $0.02...

There are some people, regardless of how many lessons or attention they recieve, who will forever be unable to ride well or correctly. Most of these people seem to also be in middle management, talk loudest at parties or meetings, and drive an "executive" car. They have an inability to grasp finer concepts, and fail to use the humility that one needs to begin the learning process.

There are others, who throw their leg across, and for whom the mechanical sympathy and ease of flowing with the bike is somehow inherent - your example of the trumpet player is an excellent visual.

The point is, that some people are more sensitive and tuned into their world, and when they get on a bike, they are able to process all the available information, and make forward rapid progress. With education, I think this group end up being excellent riders - and in my experience, this group also has enough humility to want to improve, and therefore, they seek more more information.

Okay, this is a gross oversimplification, attitude, experience, etc etc all have an effect. But, when you picture a born again, the one you saw drinking at the CoroGlen, or Puhoi - wasn't he dressed in the Harley accessory catalogue, talking too loudly, everything shiny and new. Wasn't he harping on, not listening, doing all the talking, like he does in his middle management job? Isn't he the same guy, with wife on the bitch pad, who can't ride in a straight line, or who turns in too early, hits the brakes halfway through the most modest bend, and then rips the throttle as soon as he can get the crusier pig stood up? Hmm. Thought so. All the quiet advice in the world, all the lessons, all the time spent giving advice - wasted for sure.

Someone stook in a rut as a lackey..??!

**2wheeldrifter** · 5th August 2009, 08:52

Lost me after you said... " my mind tends to wander...."

Just kidding....

Good idea, but no one seems to care if you have a done a defensive driving course for rego purposes do they? It would cool if that was the case if you have done such a course and it would lower your rego bill! Now that would blow my horn

Who is a better rider, don't think there is a correct answer for that, to many variables like personalities.

**Conquiztador** · 5th August 2009, 09:00

Not sure where you want to take this?

There is no compulsory training that anyone has to do. When you get your license you only need to pass a written and riding test. The riding test much depends on where you are and who is testing. Then you are set to go.

When you stop riding as a result of work, kids, partner, mortgage etc thats it. You just stop. No keeping of the knowledge is required. Then at 40 you get a little extra $$'s and you remember how you enjoyed the biking and you buy something with 7 times the HP you ever had and you ride out of the shop.

Never anywhere is there a need to learn anything. Only the ones who want to can do so. For a price. No incentives to learn. All at a cost. To the rider.

No matter if you are a self thought trumpet player or a classically trained pianist. One size fits all.

Some of us have been riding copetetively bikes. Others not.
Some of us love our bikes and know the smallest details as we fix everything our self. Others could not give a shit what makes her tick as long as she can do 180k down the motorway.
Some of us are proud of our self made modifications. Others pay for the bling.
And some of us like to become better riders as the enjoyment increases. Others rather spend money on a bigger bike as surely that is all it takes to get better?

You only have two options:
- Legislation change so all have to do training.
or
- Change the way ppl think.

When/if this happens, guess what our guvernment will settle for...

**Hitcher** · 5th August 2009, 09:10

As an aspiring Ukelele God(TM), I realise that there is more to mastery of that King of stringed instruments than just grim determination. The same can be said of motorcycling.

In both cases the worst thing that can happen is delusional misrepresentation of one's ability.

I may feel differently once I have mastered my D to G transitions...

**madbikeboy** · 5th August 2009, 09:34

Originally Posted by boomer

Someone stook in a rut as a lackey..??!

Yeah, totally me. Today I'm the coffee bitch, and receptionist.

**dipshit** · 5th August 2009, 09:41

Originally Posted by Mom

Surely we should all be taking lessons? Learning all we can about the right and wrong way to ride, the technical details, the absolutes to becoming a great rider?

First you need to define what is a "great rider" with good skills..?

Is it someone like this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvsnGQchHn0

Or someone like this...

..???

**vifferman** · 5th August 2009, 09:46

And what good thoughts they were too!

I know Eggs Zachary what you mean; I'm a self-taught guitarist, not much natural talent, came to it late, can't read music (and not interested in learning). #2Son on the other hand, has quite a bit of innate ability, but also when he started learning (keyboard, guitar), he decided to learn "properly", and learned all the theory, can read music easily, has had lessons (keyboard, guitar, violin). OTOH, I taught him to drive (no professional lessons), and he resists all attempts to get him to take lessons or his full test, and has some awful habits. He's a very good driver, but with a few tips and lessons, he could be great.

My riding is all self-taught, plus what I've learned from books and the Interdweeb. Like with a bicycle, the very first time, I just got on and went.
I have no aspirations to take lessons, but I'm not sure if it's pride, complacency, or quite what. However, after 35 years of riding, I'm still learning, and still have things to learn.

**AllanB** · 5th August 2009, 10:25

Oddly enough the older I get and consequently the longer I've been riding (28 years now), the hardest thing I find to master is keeping near the legal open road limit.

No issues with this in the car - it's just a bike thing.

I blame modern bikes.