Motorcycle Riding School/ Body position

The proper body position in doing a motorcycle riding school is something overlooked by most riders. Proper body
position is the foundation for better riding and control. Even in giving my son motorcycle training I have been sure that
his body position be correct first before any other fundamentals were talked about, because I knew that with
the proper body position he would have better control over the motorcycle and be able to learn the fundamentals easier.
The first thing I address while teaching a motorcycle course is proper body position.

The proper body position for sitting is first to grip the handlebars by over gripping, meaning while sitting on your bike
grab the handle bars like you normally would now loosen your grip and rotate your wrists forward and grab the bars. This
should help make it easier to keep your elbows up. But now I want you to grab the grips like you would when you are
grabbing a tennis racket or a golf club. Let the bars lay across your hand on an angle. This is crucial because if
you hold on straight and put your elbows up you have a kink in your wrist that is uncomfortable. By holding the grips on
an angle you eliminate the kink in your wrist and have a feeling of better leverage. Also lets talk about why elbows up
is so important. Keeping your elbows down at your side limits your control of the motorcycle, because you only have
your shoulders, but if you keep your elbows up and out and away from your body you now add your elbows along with
your shoulders into it giving you better control and allowing you to react better when you go over an obstacle.

Okay, well now that we have established the arms and hand position, now lets discuss the position of your head.
When accelerating your head should be forward up over the handlebars. Because this causes you to lead the motorcycle
rather than the motorcycle leading you. With your head forward you also create momentum, by forcing the motorcycle to
catch up to you. Your head being forward also weights the front end. Which is crucial to putting the front wheel where you
want it and keeping it there. So you lead the motorcycle by putting your head forward up over the handlebars when accelerating
and now when braking you put your head back a bit off the bars.

Your but should be position primarily in the center of the seat, sliding forward to weight the front end in a turn,
and sliding back when unweighting the front end for an obstacle. Butt position is crucial but not as crucial as your legs.
Be sure to keep your legs tight against the motorcycle at all times. Keeping your legs tight will help reduce some of
the fatigue on your arms and help you steer the bike better as well as feel more one with the bike.

For more information on motorcycle lessons or motorcycle safety you can go to www.rlafferty.com
motorcycle riding schools