Once you earn the freedom of the road with a motorcycle licence, your learning doesn’t stop. In fact, this is just the first stage in what is likely to be a lifelong passion. You’ll naturally learn and improve your skill while out on the road. New traffic situations and environments undoubtedly broaden your knowledge. A great way to speed up your learning process is with advanced motorcycle training.

Along with improving your safety on the road, advanced motorcycle training enhances your enjoyment. Greater confidence and assurance in your skill translate to better decisions. Feeling safe and sure of your skill can only improve your riding experience.

Why choose motorcycle training to develop advanced skills

There is a certain satisfaction in doing something well. Whether it’s building, cooking or guiding your machine on one of the UK’s top 5 motorcycle rides, doing it well feels infinitely better than simply getting it done. Advanced motorcycle training puts that level of satisfaction within your reach on every ride you take.

That’s because advanced motorcycle training helps riders gain greater confidence in their riding ability. That inevitably improves safety on the road and reduces the chances of accidents. You’ll get better at cornering and navigating different traffic scenarios, improve your overall performance and be able to master some of the more complex riding manoeuvres. That lets you become more comfortable with faster speeds, which opens the door for UK track days and even amateur racing.

Motorcycle training for advanced skills will teach you how to use your motorcycle better in different scenarios. You’ll cultivate greater control over your motorbike. That drastically increases your enjoyment when navigating challenging terrain or moving at faster speeds.

Will advanced motorcycle training make me a safer and better rider?

In a word, yes.

Advanced rider training develops the skills and knowledge needed to become more proficient at cornering, navigating different traffic scenarios, and riding in hazardous conditions. And because confidence is key to safe riding, it will reduce the chances of a road accident.

Confidence has a central role in motorcycle safety because it enables you to stay focused and anticipate potential risks. When you’re confident in you’re abilities, you’ll react quickly and respond effectively to situations. The skills you learn in advanced rider training become second nature and that helps prevent accidents. Conversely, a lack of confidence can lead to hesitation and anxiety when navigating challenging roads or high-traffic areas. Indecision and slow reactions increase your chances of an accident.

3 Advanced motorcycle skills that improve enjoyment (and safety)

It may seem like you learned all you needed to know to ride a motorcycle safely when you took your licence test. And the truth is, you did, and you didn’t. Skills are developed through practice and experience. How you gain that experience is completely up to you, but advanced motorcycle training will help you build your skills and enjoyment faster.

These three rider skills will improve your enjoyment and safety remarkably.

#1 Countersteering

This technique involves momentarily leaning into a turn by applying force to one side of the handlebars. This helps riders execute tight turns quickly and smoothly. Countersteering is sometimes called push steering as it involves putting weight onto the handlebar on the side that you want to turn. This manoeuver is used at speeds above around 15 miles per hour.

The more confident and competent you become at countersteering, the easier it is to handle your motorcycle. Not to mention the higher level of enjoyment you’ll get from winding roads!

#2 Quick braking or emergency braking

This kind of braking manoeuvre helps riders slow down quickly when needed. Situations like moving through traffic or just before entering a corner may require quick braking. It involves squeezing both brakes in a well-timed way, ensuring that the rear wheel does not lock up and skid out.

Motorcycle brakes are different to a car in that the front brakes have 70% of your braking capacity, the back has just 30%. This makes it easier to lock up the back wheel and unintentionally skid. To avoid this, firmly and with a steady force, pull the brakes smoothly toward the handlebar grip.

Obviously, practising this in a controlled environment with a skilled instructor providing feedback makes this manoeuvre easier to master. Data visualizations from the motorcycle training for advanced skills, StreetSKILLS 101 course make it simple to see exactly how you’re applying your brakes.

# 3 Throttle Control

This simple-sounding skill is essential for maintaining speed throughout turns without losing grip or risking sliding out. To master this, you’ll need to carefully modulate the throttle and adjust your body position to shift weight as you enter and exit turns. Using your throttle like this improves your motorcycle’s stability and enjoyment as you power out of turns.

Many of the skills taught in motorcycle training for advanced riding techniques can, and should, be practised outside of a training environment. Of course, you should choose your moments and conditions wisely. Other motorcycling skills such as emergency swerving, straightening and stopping, slow speed manoeuvring and crossing obstacles such as road debris or cattle grids are covered in some motorcycle training for advanced skills courses.

Which advanced motorcycle training is best for me?

There are many different types of advanced motorcycle training. Which advanced rider course you choose should depend on your current skill level and what you want to learn.
The enhanced rider scheme is perfect for returning motorcyclists and those who want to boost their skills after gaining their licence to ride. Rider Plus or BikeSafe are both good choices for developing all-around rider skills. Diamond and Blue Ribband advanced rider courses award successful riders with certificates to prove their new qualification and level of skill. Whichever advanced motorcycle training you choose, you’re sure to improve your skill, safety and enjoyment of motorcycle riding. Why not get in touch to chat with our staff about the best advanced motorcycle training course for you?