Rider Reviews of The Rider's Workshop

Rod Kilduff
Lieutenant Colonel
US Army (Retired)

Smooth Riding (con't)

After trying some of Jim’s suggestions on the way home from the Rally I was very impressed with the improvements in my technique, so I decided to take Jim’s Workshop to learn more. By the end of this weekend I was riding smoother and faster than I ever have before and I was having fun doing it! I wasn’t trying to go faster, it occurred as a result of being smoother.

The Syllabus covers everything from just finding the good roads to how to sit properly, lane positioning for maximum safety, reading the road, “seamless” shifting, power control using the engine and transmission to stay in the “Power Band,”  and entering and exiting the curve.

We rode through some of the most scenic back roads of Pennsylvania. We stopped periodically to take breaks and for meals. We discussed what we were trying to learn, and had the opportunity to ask questions and for Jim to introduce new ideas. We had a good time and I met and rode with some great folks.

As we rode we rotated through the lead position where Jim worked with us each individually in turn. The first day he led and we tried to “follow in his tracks.”  The second day we were in front and Jim rode as our wingman. We were wired, and Jim kept up a constant string of instruction, explanations and corrections, coaching us as we rode along. We each rode at the tail end of the line part of the time as we rotated out of the lead. By the end of the second day, I observed that our line of bikes appeared like a precision drill team. We were spaced about five motorcycle lengths apart, following the same “line,” maintaining position and “dancing” through the turns and down the road.

At the end of all this I discovered that although I was tired, I was also relaxed and having a lot of fun. I learned what I was doing wrong, several things actually, and I learned what I needed to strive for. I don’t have it all down yet, but now I know what to work on to keep getting SMOOTHER!

MORE RIDER REVIEWS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS and ANSWERS
About The Rider's Workshop