Advanced Motorcycle Classes in the Bay Area

There are so many different factors that affect traction, from cornering and acceleration forces to the design of the tires and the weight of the bike; riding a motorcycle is really an exercise in traction management. The purpose of nearly every skill taught in our Advanced Riding Clinic is to help you understand what traction is, how it works and how to effectively use the limited amounts of traction available on a motorcycle.

The single most important control on your motorcycle is the throttle. This is because—beyond speed and acceleration—it applies forces to so many aspects of your bike's handling including traction, suspension, weight transfer, steering, stability, and ground clearance. Knowing how to skillfully apply the throttle is one of the major distinctions between good riders and great riders.

You know what it is like when you are 'in the zone', everything just seems to flow, one corner seamlessly blending into the next, and you are always in the right place on the road. You also know when you are not in the zone, because everything seems to go wrong, the ride is harsh and jerky, cars take a swipe at you and it just feels like you are having a generally bad day. During our Advanced Riding Clinic, you will learn how fear and concentration can have such a profound effect on your riding and what simple steps you can take to ensure you have a perfect ride every time.

Vision is, without a doubt, the most fundamental skill for proper riding. The majority of decisions made while riding are based on information coming in through your eyes. The main reason for vision being so critical is that you go where you look but even experienced racers struggle with maintaining proper vision through the corners. At Total Control you will learn why riders go where they look and how you can use your eyes to your advantage and safety during every ride.

Unlike cars, motorcycles can take a lot of different lines through a particular corner. Some of these lines will help you make a safe and serene progression through the bends, while others will ruin your perfect ride! During our Advanced Riding Clinic you will learn exactly how to plan and follow proper lines on every corner of the road.

No matter what you ride, the way you position your body on your motorcycle has a profound impact on how it will handle during a corner and also determines how much physical effort you will need to control it. Our Advanced Riding Clinic uses a ten step technology to ensure you achieve the right body position—every time. We call it a technology rather than just a bunch of tips, because ALL the ten steps combine to give you consistent results.

Having the right suspension setup is one of the keys to riding fast and safely. No matter which shock or fork you have, they all require proper adjustment to work to their maximum potential. The knowledge about how your suspension works—and how to properly adjust it and maintain it—will work together with proper riding skills to improve your overall ability to manage traction.

You know what it is like when you are 'in the zone', everything just seems to flow, one corner seamlessly blending into the next, and you are always in the right place on the road. You also know when you are not in the zone, because everything seems to go wrong, the ride is harsh and jerky, cars take a swipe at you and it just feels like you are having a generally bad day. During the Advanced Riding Clinic Level 2, you will learn more about how fear, concentration and attitude can affect your riding and what simple steps you can take to ensure you have a perfect ride every time.

Even many experienced riders take too much time to shift. Shifting efficiently is important because during the time between shifts, the rider is especially vulnerable. When a sudden change in speed is required, like when a car pulls into your lane, it's vital to be able to accelerate immediately. If you're caught up in the shifting, you won't be able to speed up in an emergency. During our Advanced Riding Clinic Level 2, you will learn how to upshift and downshift quickly and skillfully.

Because emergency stops can be scary due to the limited amount of traction you have and how much it would hurt to kiss the ground, very few riders practice quick braking and even less have the actual knowledge and skills to do it safely. At our Advanced Riding Clinic Level 2, you will learn and practice the right technique to achieve the shortest stops possible so you become prepared when you need to brake hard and avoid a hazard.

New riders are usually taught to do all of the braking before making a turn. This is sometimes good advice, but there are times when it is preferable—or even necessary—to continuously brake before and while entering a corner. While many people consider this a racing technique, during our Advanced Riding Clinic Level 2 you will learn that there are even more benefits to using trail braking on the street than there are on the track.

Not all curves are created equal and there are times when you need to tighten your line mid-turn. Whether it is because you unexpectedly found yourself in the middle of a decreasing radius turn or because you need to avoid a hazard in the curve, knowing how to skillfully reduce the radius of your line can save you from crashing and getting hurt.

There is more to handling than just suspension setup—chassis geometry also plays an important role. Because your idea of the ideal handling characteristics for your motorcycle may be different from the ideas of the engineers who designed it, tailoring your chassis specifications can make a dramatic improvement in how your bike handles.