Mastering motorcycle control……Okay. Confession time.
I once popped a wheelie by accident trying to impress a girl outside a diner in Arizona. Spoiler alert: I didn’t impress her.
I looped it. Like, back tire kissed the sky, and I ate it. Right there on the gravel.
My ego? Shattered. My tailbone? Also, kinda questionable for a week.
But that moment was honestly the beginning of me learning something that no YouTube tutorial could’ve taught: mastering motorcycle control is not just a “skill.” It’s an art. Like balancing a pizza box on your pinky during an earthquake kind of art.
So yeah, if you’re here to get real, gritty, not-so-perfect but totally life-saving motorcycle riding techniques… welcome. Let’s chat.
That Time I Realized I Couldn’t Actually Ride as Well as I Thought
So here’s the deal—I wasn’t new-new when I started diving into motorcycle control. I’d been riding for a couple years. Thought I had it handled.
But the truth? I was riding like someone who just got their permit and binge-watched “Sons of Anarchy.”
I was braking too hard mid-turn, overcorrecting in tight spaces, and I literally had no clue how to countersteer properly.
You ever try doing a U-turn on a narrow street, and end up doing that awkward little goose-waddle thing with your feet? Yeah. That was me. Every time.
Mastering motorcycle control wasn’t about ego. It was about not dying.
Also… about not looking like a baby deer learning to walk every time I hit traffic.
The Holy Grail of Control – Balance Is Everything
Let’s talk balance. And I don’t mean like spiritual harmony—though that probably wouldn’t hurt.
I mean actual, physical, full-body bike-and-you-are-one kind of balance.
H3: Slow-Speed Control = Secret Superpower
People always talk about fast riding like it’s the measure of skill. It’s not.
You know what’s way harder? Crawling through a gas station parking lot at 3 mph with a full tank and a pizza bungee-corded to the back.
Slow speed = full control.
Want to test your balance? Try doing a figure-8 in a tight parking space without putting your foot down.
(Hint: Use the friction zone and cover that rear brake lightly. It’s magic. Like finding fries at the bottom of the bag.)
Countersteering Is Not Just Fancy Talk
I swear I went a whole year thinking countersteering was optional.
It’s not. It’s literally how you turn at any speed over like… 10 mph.
Want to go left?
Push the left handlebar.
Want to go right?
Push the right.
It sounds like a riddle, but it works.
First time I really leaned into it—like really trusted it—was on a curvy canyon road outside of LA. I stopped fighting the bars and just gave them a little push.
The bike glided into the curve like butter sliding across a hot skillet.
I actually yelled, “WHAAAAT?!” in my helmet. Out loud. Like an idiot. But a happy idiot.
Body Position—Or, Why My Butt Matters More Than I Thought
Your body’s like a sail in the wind, or a bowling ball on the wrong side of the seat. It makes a huge difference.
Sit Up, Sit Down, Move Around
I used to think once you’re planted on the bike, that’s it. Lock in and go.
Nope. WRONG.
- Cornering? Lean your upper body into it. Get your chin over the inside mirror.
- Braking? Brace your knees against the tank to keep from sliding forward like a clumsy toddler.
- Off-road? Stand on those pegs. You’re not just along for the ride—you are the ride.
There’s a guy I met on a group ride—real laid back, beard like a wizard, sandals (??)—he said, “Your bike will follow your eyes and your a**.”
Still the best riding advice I’ve ever gotten.
Brakes, Baby. Learn to Love the Front One
So many beginners (me included) are scared of the front brake.
We treat it like a panic button. Or worse, don’t use it at all.
But the front brake? That’s your power move.
It gives you 70-90% of your stopping power, depending on the road and the situation.
Here’s a weird thing: once I stopped death-gripping the rear and started modulating the front smoothly, I felt way more confident in traffic.
Like I could actually stop when the Prius cut me off. (Looking at you, Glen.)
Practice Isn’t Sexy, But It Works
You wanna know the unsexy truth about getting better at motorcycle control?
It’s parking lots.
And cones.
And doing the same stupid turn 30 times while people stare at you from their cars.
I used to set up crushed soda cans as makeshift markers behind a grocery store. One guy actually walked up and asked if I lost my recycling.
But that stuff? It works.
- Practice figure-8s
- Emergency stops
- Quick swerves
- Balance drills with no feet down
It’s like gym for your throttle hand and confidence.
When Things Go Sideways – Learn to Laugh (and Learn)
Sometimes, no matter how good your technique is, stuff still goes sideways.
Wind gust? Gravel in the turn? Your foot slips on a wet leaf? Boom. Hello, grass.
I’ve laid it down twice (okay, three times, but one doesn’t count because it was in my driveway and nobody saw).
Every time? I learned something new.
Once, I forgot to look through a turn and fixated on the curb.
Guess where I ended up? Yep.
That curb was basically like, “Oh hey, you called?” https://bikelovezone.com/riding-techniques-for-motorcyclists/.
Final Thoughts from a Guy Who Still Messes Up with mastering motorcycle control
Look, I’m not some pro racer. I don’t have a trophy case or a Red Bull sponsorship.
I’m just a guy who really loves motorcycles, has eaten gravel more than once, and figured out that mastering motorcycle control is less about being perfect—and more about staying curious, humble, and just a little bit obsessed.
You don’t need the fanciest bike or to be the fastest.
You just need to keep riding, keep learning, and maybe, maybe, not try to wheelie outside a diner again.
Two (Actually Helpful) Things to Check Out
- MotoJitsu YouTube Channel – The drills that saved my butt, literally.
- Common Tread Blog – Great articles with zero fluff and lots of good riding technique breakdowns.
🏍️ Wrapping it Up about mastering motorcycle control
So yeah, that’s my rambling brain dump on how to ride better without being a total poser.
If this helped you even a little—or made you laugh—mission accomplished.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go adjust my mirrors. They’ve been wrong for like… three weeks.
