What Is The Hardest Skill To Learn When Learning To Ride A Motorcycle?

[@geraldscott4302]

Dealing with traffic is BY FAR the hardest part of learning to ride a motorcycle. I started riding at age 10 on a Bultaco Lobito 100 dirt bike. I learned how to control the bike fairly quickly. I learned jumps, slides, and wheelies. Those are things that should NEVER be done on the street. If there were no traffic on the streets other than other motorcycles, riding a motorcycle would be safe and easy for most people (yes there are people out there that cannot be trusted with a dull pair of scissors, I don't count those) But toss in all those four wheelers, most of them driven by complete idiots who have no clue how to properly operate them, and things become about 1000 times more dangerous. I have been riding on the street for 49 years and over a million miles. 99% of the danger of riding a motorcycle on the streets comes from four wheelers, and the most important skill by far is learning how to NOT get killed by them. I have yet to have a single accident.

[@streetsean]

That is awesome. I'm lucky, where I live I can go the opposite way of where most cars are going so it does lessen the car traffic around me. The first thing I told both of my kids when I have been teaching them to ride or drive is "ride/drive like no one else on the road knows how". Make sure you see them because there's a big chance they don't see you. My daughter has been doing great (only a small tip over on some rocks by herself) and my son will hopefully have the same experience. Continue to Ride Safe!

[@bobbreton1019]

I think proper braking technic . Using your front and rear brake in the right proportions

[@streetsean]

I'm still a heavy rear brake user

[@TopSpeedTommy]

Stopping very rapidly using front brake...street riding... Clutch was super easy to learn

[@streetsean]

I was more afraid of the front brake as I had a bunch of non-riders tell me I'll go flying over the handlebars...haha

[@freddyacevedo4915]

I’m in 100% agreement the clutch is the biggest obstacle for me along with the doings everything at ones. Navigating and maneuvering the bike is relatively easy once I get going.

[@streetsean]

I know I still stall the bike every once in awhile still... Slow speed friction zone takes some work as well.

[@MotoAgentHelper]

Motorcycles are not for everyone but I believe everyone can learn to ride a motorcycle with proper instruction and time - It takes on average 10 hours per activity to get it right and embed into someones squishy item sitting inside their head. Stop start with 1st gear (with clutch) 10hrs, start add more gears and stop - 10 hours, stop u-turn stop - 10 more hours. Anyone can give it a go, but getting it smooth and natural does take time and all these little things are just micro routines you combine to match the situation you need to manage. The biggest issue is proper rider advice and access to practice each combination of activities before getting a license and participating with public traffic... Winds me up when I see riders getting new riders on open road straights, nothing happens, the bike stands up and goes forward and when you have to manage a carpark or a set of lights it all unfolds as the essentials of how to ride were never done to start with. What stops new riders completing the license or ability to ride is not a clutch but rather the lack of time to commit to the motorbike education for themselves (including the clutch). This raw control of a motorbike is what sets groups of riders apart, those that want and choose do ride (seek out a new way to work, visit family more often, hang out with friends with the same vibe, more smiles per mile etc), and those that don't want ride as it still doesn't make sense why they want to ride a motorcycle in the first place. Every day I ride, I feel alive and make all my decisions to be pro active to support this outlook, anything else to me is passenger mentality, be responsible or depend on others - A little harsh perhaps but mistakes are not in my daily diet so best we make sure who ever we help that is new to riding a motorcycle does not get any poor information and they take control of their own life by not being a statistic by better rider techniques - time is your friend when learning to ride, no need to rush. ("smooth is fast") How long does it take a toddler to walk the first time and then how long till walking is natural? If you have never ridden a Motorcycle it can be time consuming at first but the reward like a toddler re walking we get new freedoms with this education path, they can be cheap no thrills bikes, sports bikes to large touring or offroading motorbikes... regardless that is the reward each of us can choose once we are confident to progress further. Don't let learning a clutch stop that choice! If that challenge alone doesn't scare and excite you at the same time, then stick to four wheels (Some cars still have a clutch too!) For the rest of humanity that still wants to sit in a metal cage with four wheels everyday and dismiss motorbike riders as a reckless lunatics, thats ok as it leaves more room for those that want to ride our motorbikes.

[@rickayres9049]

Absolutely agree 👌 It all takes time but it’s worth it if you love riding 🤛🏍️

[@streetsean]

100%. My daughter wanted to get her motorcycle license as it provided her a chance to go anywhere by herself, 8 months before she could go anywhere with a car. Little did she know she only got her license to ride, she didn't get her permission from her dad to ride...haha. I spent another month with her just going through our subdivision on the bike before she graduated to being able to go along on a ride with me around our town. Then she was able to go on longer rides with me outside of our town. Finally she was able to go on her own. It was still sooner than what she could do with the car but it was no where near 8 months sooner. She had to prove to me that she was capable before she could go on her own. She didn't have to be perfect, just safe and capable. I have already started doing the same with my son, will be easier for him as we already have a bike he can use before getting his license, but it will be the same process. Ride Safe!

[@icyGrip666]

I drove manuals for years so it surprises me when you say your wife struggled with it cause I thought it was easier than my 6 speed sense it's sequential. My issue was throttle control.

[@streetsean]

It had been almost 15 years since she had driven a manual (as it was with me), but yeah, I was surprised that's what tripped her up.

[@johnsshed995]

When I started to ride the kickstart technique was the hardest to learn along with the decompressor leaver and the timeing leaver not to mention the air leaver .then the tickler and rembering to turn the petcock(petrol tap) on and off.Thankfully by then the manual oil pumps had been replaced by mechanical pumps .

[@streetsean]

Man, and here I'm complaining about the clutch... I've watched videos of people starting old bikes and there's no way I'd know how to do all of that.

[@Mister420ca]

I feel it's the process of putting all the individual skills together smoothly, while remembering to put you feet down when you stop. 👍

[@streetsean]

Been there, and sometimes when I'm around a lot of riders I still get "stage fright" when stopping...

[@gordon985]

First motorcycle i had the clutch was stuck not working so after riding it without for a while it started working. Rev engine pop it in gear and go.

[@streetsean]

That's how my wife was trying to use the clutch...only it was working at the time..🤣

[@veganchris2923]

I think probably throttle control. But as I teach my gf… for her it seems to be getting scared slow speed. She seems scared when the bike starts to feel unbalanced ever. So maybe that is “learning how a bike feels under you” for her. Honestly probably the same for me. I started on a dual sport with knobbies and tried to practice trail breaking and leaning in turns on it. Which was absolutely dumb. I should send sports bike KZbinrs my hospital bills. 🤣

[@streetsean]

Haha... maybe you should! I always think of the phrase "you don't know, what you don't know". I've been guilty of seeing some guys do things on their motorcycles and think I could do that, not really thinking that it's different on my heavy harley than whatever bike they were using...

[@briangibbs5703]

Stopping and starting on a steep hill.

[@streetsean]

Haha...that reminds me, it took me forever to even think about using my back break for those...🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@stephenpiasecki7984]

You either have a passion for riding or you don't. Learning how to drive standard has been around for years no biggie!

[@streetsean]

I would have said the same, except my wife's first car was standard and she couldn't figure the clutch out. Mind you that was many years after and to your first point, she wasn't that interested in getting her license. She loves riding as a passenger and doesn't really see a need to ride herself.

[@HarleyGurl114]

Not to be a foot dragger! An easy habit to make and hard to break!!

[@streetsean]

Yes...and can be a very painful habit as well!

[@HarleyGurl114]

@@streetseanIt’s goes with slow maneuvering and yup that front brake!!! Ouch

[@markgreene6349]

Get a enduro..or dirt bike..you will be better

[@streetsean]

My instructor told us the best way to get better was to go off road. Makes sense.