Advice: We're all individuals

We're all individuals

Heroes? Have 'em by all means, says Steve... Then ignore them...

It was with great interest that I read a recent article titled "Tips from the Top." This featured the viewpoints of Moto GP stars Valentino Rossi, Kenny Roberts Jr, Carlos Checa and Australia's own Garry McCoy on questions that ranged from sliding to braking to changing direction and many more.

I've always been intrigued by how riders 'see' what they do. I know and understand the physics of riding motorcycles fast as it has been my interest for 20 years and my job for eight of those. I've had the opportunity to talk to and listen to many successful racers over this time, including many world and national champions around the globe. Given that experience you would think that I'd no longer be surprised by the different ways they look at riding, but then you'd be wrong...

Let's take just one of the subjects covered. Braking. Author Michael Scott asks them what the best technique is for getting into the corner. The first point dealt with is how many fingers they use, Rossi uses three, McCoy and Checa use two, with Roberts using only one. So even on this point they differ. Then they talk about using front and rear brake. Rossi says he uses a little back brake for getting the bike to turn a little better by backing it in on some corners (although he mentions that mostly it's for show...) and also for controlling wheel-spin on the exit. The front brake is for stopping.

McCoy on the other hand says he uses the rear brake for slowing and even eases the front a bit. The one thing they do agree on though is that backing it in is mostly for show. Roberts talks about using the rear brake only to help the geometry to steer it in and Checa doesn't mention the rear brake at all. You think that's interesting... you should read the section on steering! I'm still not sure if they are all talking about what is basically the same motorcycle...

Each obviously feels more comfortable with his style (otherwise they wouldn't do it now would they?) yet each of these riders is a GP winner and two have won world championships. So who's right? You guessed it... they all are!

My fear when reading these sorts of articles is that I'll be faced with a rash of students over the next few months who are trying to follow some or even all of the viewpoints given. These viewpoints are not instructions. They are simply viewpoints. They are how each rider looks at the job of riding a motorcycle. You can certainly gain some insight into how they do it and you may find one or two of their views spark something in you and you can apply it. If so, great!

The difficulty in reproducing the information given is that we are now treating some totally subjective material as being universal. The information contained in this particular article is not universally applicable. If it were, they would all agree, because in all honestly they basically do the same thing with the same controls. The throttle makes it go, the brake makes it slow and the handlebars make it turn. They have the same controls. How they look at the way they use those controls is what makes them unique. How they push to the limit and attempt to bend the laws of physics is where their talent lies. Regardless of how interesting it is to hear what they think, what's really important to your riding is your ability to use the controls of your bike and get the result you want.

Sure, enjoy reading it and have a couple of "Aahhh" moments, I certainly did. But do just that. How you see riding may be different from Rossi and Co, but what is important is what is real for you.

Good luck with your riding...

Steve Brouggy is the owner of the

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