It's all in your head?

[@KipBurbank1]

When I went to Motor school in 1996, the Road King was the biggest bike I’ve ever ridden. There was a short girl, already achieved motorman status a year before. She did ok, too. When I had time, after training, I made up my own training in what I thought was my weakest point, leaning the bike. I found a good, sand free parking lot and rode in a circle continually making smaller circles until they were tiny and tight. Then go in the other direction. That help me so much to make me comfortable making tight turns.

[@joelbelec9032]

I’ve learned to replace the urge to pull in the clutch with increasing the rear brake pressure instead

[@jackvanderpool4288]

This is one of your best videos. I am a pretty high anxiety person so I can totally relate. You are completely correct, if the anxiety and frustration are setting in the best thing to do is go back home and ride another day. General when I go out riding I stop by a parking lot by my house and practice some of the techniques you teach. If I can nail the exercise with confidence, I go on with my ride, if I get timid or anxious, I go back home. It only takes 10 minutes or less, and the ride after so so much more enjoyable when I feel confident vs anxious. In my mind there is no shame in admitting you just do not have it one day and going home. The shame comes in pushing your luck and riding mad, frustrated with a lack of confidence. Doing this almost every time, you will quickly find the days you go back home are less and less.

[@bullbarnes9300]

I have had moments in a day when I totally lost confidence in my ability to make a u-turn or turn from a stop, and moments later, having distracted myself, execute just fine. Sometimes your brain gets in the way. 🤯

[@Master_Nightstone]

"Sometimes your brain gets in the way" Couldn't have said it any better myself!

[@johnastreet]

I went and did this course with Jerry while I was on holiday in Florida. Great day and taught by a great man. 👍🏻

[@findyourinnertube124]

Jerry I think this applies on motorcycles and many aspects of life where we get frustrated and beat ourselves up, making things worse and it just goes downhill from there. "Take a break" is great advice. You're a good teacher.

[@dmcg7793]

I just subscribed. I'm happy I came across your site! Thank you. It's time to start restraining

[@virginiatrailcameravideos]

I did my local RLAP course recently and boy can I relate. The offset-cone weave and the intersection messed me up. I wasn't sure what I was doing wrong. I got fairly frustrated as well and decided to take a break.

[@lilymcalister1825]

I like how you continue to stay positive fir him. Yes, coming back to it at another time is awesome advice. Ty for being si supportive, always.😊

[@Digger456437]

I really benefited from Jerry's videos. I set up my own course per his instructions. This was last year. I got lazy and quit practicing. Several weeks ago I was in a Poker Run I had been looking forward to. Had my wife with me which in my mind makes maneuvering a little harder. But that wasn't it. Suddenly lost all of my confidence. Group came up to a right turn from a stop. Started totally over thinking it. Ended up veering left and leaving. Couldn't even make a U turn. Pulled into a parking lot and had to duck walk around to head back. Practicing what you learn is essential.

[@carver7689]

Man, I feel that guy's mental process. You get into a training or assessment situation and you don't want to screw up anything. But as the situation goes on, you start to slip up a little here or there - like anybody does - and that's it. You get distracted with feeling humiliated and pissed off at yourself, and your performance suffers more, which prompts more hard feelings, and it just turns into a feedback loop. Like someone else already said, when it gets like that, it's time to stop and just plan to ride another day. Don't psych yourself out! Instead of expecting world-class ballet precision, let yourself rattle and roll through the program a little. Loosen up those tolerances a little. I'm no expert in anything with bikes, but that's how I try to talk to myself when I notice that psych-out feedback loop starting.

[@BruceConstantino-h1q]

Great advice officer Palladino

[@viking670]

I know one thing I've learned so far, don't look down because if you look down, down goes your bike. Am I making any sense?

[@HD24680]

Only when you are riding it. Otherwise, it’s ok to look down. 😂😂😂

[@6582rg]

Thanks Jerry.

[@locoocho2415]

Thanks for the info Jerry 👍

[@FriedBalonyPony]

Unfortunately I can relate. Thanks for sharing and also thanks to that rider for letting you post this up.

[@jennygirton3345]

It really is all mental. I have taken the brc passed, got my license and i still cant psych myself up enough to actually get a bike on the road.

[@carllink-nx8rt]

Yet again, more insight to an already great series of videos. Love your videos!

[@Simon-hf3lw]

Good lesson I always learn something new 👍

[@Gigatless]

I can only share my personal experience, during the study course I was usually getting better with time, the only moment when I started to get worse is only because of fatigue, my arms simply got tired of rotating the bars. I started to fall more, get worse on the turns etc. It might be hard to tell but he might be just tired, especially if he was putting a lot of unnecessary tension on his body during those exercises. I'd say he would do better the next time ;)

[@lindafreeman3803]

When the frustration 😤 level sets in, if you have trouble letting it roll off. Then it is time to stop ✋️. Tomorrow is another day 🙃! Practice, practice, practice!

[@Buzman66]

Overthinking is the biggest problem when doing these drills. I have executed these drills flawlessly when just thinking about nothing. Then, came back another day after thinking about these maneuvers and damn near dropped my bike. For me, the best thing to do is relax and enjoy being out there. If I think too much about the next turn, bam I come closing to crash and burn.

[@rezahooshmand2194]

Thanks for your time,

[@frankponte4031]

First thing I noticed was those bars being awfully high for good control and maneuverability.

[@DOMSGUITARS6140]

Its crazy! Ive been riding for 20 years and id say i have a good amount of time in the saddle and while I practice all these techniques in my daily riding routine,there r days we i feel very confident in my low speed maneuvering,slow ride,u turns,weaving and other days where i feel like i have no clue and feel really uncomfortable at slow speeds. Really is all in the head

[@bikerbrinrac]

Yeah he was doing really good at the start. Weird how he got worse. Great onboard video Jerry doing the intersection. Just shows how much u lean the bike. Very cool. Ps Hopefully that rider comes back another day and can learn the technique again.

[@07Convertable]

Such a pretty bike. I hope that he didn't scratch it up too much. I really want to take my Indian Pursuit to one of your classes.

[@montiebrooks4826]

Thanks for all the HELP 😊

[@jasong546]

Great job Jerry

[@retired-pipefitter]

He’s got the shanks, just mental. Can happen to anyone

[@MotoDude1967]

I wonder if physical fatigue plays a part in that? I took a dirt bike course, was doing ok, improving, but by the end I was so tired I was making lots of mistakes.

[@Gigatless]

Absolutely, I remember trying 750cc bike for the first time after doing 1 hour on a 125cc (I was killing it) and it absolutely drained me after 20 minutes, I started to fall pretty much every lap.

[@halyna0203]

Always Great! stuff

[@timothykelley9008]

I agree with you on that

[@thanosetsitty1896]

For me? Some days I do really good and some days it seems like I can’t get it right. This guy seems to have it in minutes instead of days like me. But I agree with you on stopping the exercise and trying it another day before you hurt yourself.

[@lukemarth8800]

100% agree

[@michaelf493]

At that age he may have been overpowered by fatigue and the Florida heat causing over exertion and not being able to execute as he did in the beginning of the exercises

[@stuartbear922]

The heat is definitely a factor. It's been a terrible summer.

[@tarynsanmartino8930]

Great video. I'm thinking the bars are not in the right position for clutch control. Perhaps the angle for the arms, wrists, and hands are off. That would mess me up for sure.

[@davidholbrook1118]

To me it looks like the handle bars are to tall and to far forward for him

[@motorman857]

They sure are. I told him that but, that's the bike he brought to the class. It can be done as I showed but ape hangers make it more difficult.

[@jonnycando]

@@motorman857I would bring my FXRS turned into an FXRP…handles terrific!

[@johnnygthedj]

As the exercise progressed, he seemed to tense up

[@VITDubya]

This could happen to any one of us. Be humble, ride safe everyone!

[@jdannug517]

Can this be done on a sport bike or a naked bike?

[@motorman857]

Yes of course.

[@kentshahan1735]

Motor man I would like to see you're throttle hand as you do these exercises , I Believe that would be a good show of how the throttle, half clutch works.

[@westernjeep4015]

Seemed like his bars were too high for his reach, and gradual fatigue wore him out.

[@bobhartman2571]

Maybe he was just going through the motions, but tired in executing the moves.

[@popopthepatriot]

😂I swear I thought you were talking about me because I know it’s all in my head!!

[@mldiode]

So you think the high rise handlebars attribute to his issue? Seems he is over correcting with those type of handlebars?

[@dancarlin5434]

Sounds almost like he is allowing his emotions to disrupt him.

[@edwardfaris8516]

Maybe he 'caught' covid during the course...😬...nah just kidding...

[@thomaslenzmeier183]

Wonder if ape hangers are more of a hindrance.

[@motorman857]

As I said in the video, if you're under 6'2'', they are a hindrance.

[@MiketheNerdRanger]

It sounds like there should be a fourth technique to riding a motorcycle: *breathe.* It seems like this person's performance was snowballing because he was in an ambitious, pissed off death spiral, and the more anxious he got, the more his performance suffered. After each fail, he should probably take a couple of moments to calm down before getting back on the motorcycle to try again.

[@2litrepeter.]

Those bars look a bit too wide too

[@rdbjr52]

Jerry, thank you for another lesson. When you rode his bike, it appeared that you kept the revs up with on and off throttle blips - I watched with the sound off. Is this correct? I’ve seen motorcycle cops use this technique before

[@motorman857]

Watch it with the sound on and you'll know exactly what I'm doing and why.

[@felixschmollgruber9823]

Jerry, is it because you had set up very small cup cones on the exits of the intersection legs. Maybe this rider was simply confused by not finding tall cones in the closing of his turns there …

[@motorman857]

He knew exactly where to go.

[@markanderson5077]

I'm going to try working the throttle more. I noticed your speed was pegged at 12mph and RPM danced between 1-2K. Are you holding the friction zone and rear break pressure steady? If so, then speed is maintained with jazzing the throttle. Just trying to wrap my head around the theory. Thanks

[@motorman857]

The speed is maintained by a combination of clutch, throttle, and a little rear brake pressure. With 2 people on the bike, I use a bit more RPM's and a little more brake pressure. Speed for most exercises is between 8 and 10 mph.

[@Abdal-RahmanI]

It's quite comical how when a Harley topples over, all the fixed luggage opens

[@motorman857]

It only opens if the person didn't close them properly. This rider had so much crap in his tour pack, it had to be forced to latch.

[@lsnetman]

Those high handlebars with a long reach cant help.

[@mikemarthaller8789]

"Mad at himself" Based on 50 years of teaching aviation and parachuting that male EGO monster is a "Killer"

[@rickyb4933]

handlebar is too high up for the riders seating height & arm length

[@motorman857]

Yes. That's why I mentioned that fact in the video.

[@Mjames55]

Hey Boss. What's the word on this rider? Did you ever hear from him since that day? I hope he got his head right.

[@motoryzen]

5:16 to 5:23 he could have let off the throttle enough To let the bike lean enough to easeling. Like to turn and just barely barely tap the throttle once or twice. To keep himself upright enough to safely make the turn.

[@motorman857]

Wrong. He simply had to slip the clutch while keeping power to the rear wheel. Once the clutch is disengaged, no power goes to the rear wheel, no forward momentum, down goes the bike.

[@bigg2768]

It’s a fact, not hating on anyone, but it is a fact….ability to ride a motorcycle well is a SKILL. Some can, some can’t. And yes, imho, it’s between the ears.

[@stuartbear922]

Get rid of the ape bars. His arms looked fully extended.

[@teriw56]

Jerry, you look like you are losing weight, hope you are well.

[@LarryI7498]

Your boys anxiety was ramped up by that monster energy drink he had, all that caffeine and junk, I guess he thought he was going to the Gym. I guarantee he was so tense once that stuff kicked in. No energy drinks on the course! You missed that Motorman

[@motorman857]

Energy drinks were the least of his problems.

[@LarryI7498]

@@motorman857 they really have a negative impact on concentration

[@MrSkriv-ku7ng]

Two great suggestions - stop practicing when things aren’t working and use a bicycle to learn basic riding skills.

[@quidable3626]

If you have never dropped your motorcycle you have never ridden one

[@Abdal-RahmanI]

Stop and drink sum water :)

[@motoryzen]

It's not Complicated. If you pull in the clutch even a little bit, you cut power to the rear wheel. If you are trying to keep the bike upright enough, meaning able to lean but not lean so far. To where you really risked dropping the bike, don't touch the clutch. Throttle tapping rebreach focus on those 2 things. As you learn to get comfortable, leaning the bike and looking where you need to go.. With just about any bike, You will find mastering these drills in these sub 30 and getting lower than 20 foot. Hard circle turns to be easier that way. If you're not the type, who can focus on mastering the frictions on first. I say this because if you never touched the clutch. And you're pretty much on level surface. Then that's one less variable. You have to focus on as a beginner learning these things.

[@motorman857]

You can't ride a heavyweight cruiser thru this course without the friction zone. With the clutch fully engaged, you'd be going too fast to make any of the turns. I've been at this for over 20 years. I know what works and what doesn't. Mastering the friction zone is the first thing a rider needs to learn.

[@nicolasb5613]

Just get a trike.

[@motorman857]

I think you win the dumbest comment on this video, so far. Congratulations.

[@terrylscobee5257]

Ain't that the truth