technique | Riding in the Zone

Blog Archives

How to Survive Downhill Curves

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Ken Condon — 5 Comments ↓

Cornering errors are responsible for at least half of all fatalities. And of those corners, downhill curves are the most challenging. But, with some knowledge and practice you can master these tricky turns. Before I describe how to deal with…

Posted in All Things Motorcycle, Motorcycle Safety, Riding Technique & Tips Tagged with: Braking, Cornering, countersteering, crash, motorcycle, Motorcycle tips, technique

How to Not Suck at Cornering

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Ken Condon — 3 Comments ↓

Hot on the heels of the The Power of the Quick Turn article is this followup post about what happens after you tip into a corner. Too many riders struggle with cornering, not necessarily because they are afraid to lean,…

Posted in All Things Motorcycle, Riding Technique & Tips, Track Days Tagged with: Cornering, countersteering, mistakes, Motorcycle tips, riding, Safety, technique, Tony Foale

The Power of the Quick Turn

Posted on September 17, 2014 by Ken Condon — 8 Comments ↓

Most motorcycle riders initiate lean in a somewhat lazy manner. In most cornering situations and at normal street speeds it is perfectly fine to gradually ease into a corner with light pressure on the handlebars. But, when the pace picks…

Posted in All Things Motorcycle, Motorcycle Safety, Riding Technique & Tips Tagged with: Braking, Cornering, countersteering, Motorcycle tips, quick turn, technique

Guest Writer: Just Go Faster

Posted on August 22, 2014 by Jeff Meyers — 2 Comments ↓

“Just go faster, Jeff,” my track riding guru Ken Condon says after asking him what I need to do next as a track day rider. I am flattered, because Ken says that my track form is very good. He says…

Posted in All Things Motorcycle, Guest Writers, Motorcycle Musings, Track Days, Track Days & Racing Tagged with: Cornering, technique, Tony's Track Days, Track Days

Get your Shift Together

Posted on August 13, 2014 by Ken Condon — 5 Comments ↓

Shifting is a significant part of the riding experience. It is satisfying to smoothly click through the gears with a barely detectable interruption in forward drive as your hands and foot perform seamlessly with perfect timing and minimal effort. Shifting…

Posted in All Things Motorcycle, Riding Technique & Tips Tagged with: Motorcycle tips, shifting, technique

How to Not Suck at Braking

Posted on July 26, 2014 by Ken Condon — 10 Comments ↓

This is the first installment of the “How Not to Suck” Series. I wanted to start the series with braking, because people seem to really suck at this important skill. The Scenario: You are riding along “minding your own business”…

Posted in All Things Motorcycle, Motorcycle Safety, Rider Education, Riding Technique & Tips Tagged with: Braking, motorcycle, Motorcycle tips, Safety, technique

10 Reasons Why Street Riders Should Ride in the Dirt

Posted on July 23, 2014 by Ken Condon — 2 Comments ↓

You’ve probably heard people say that dirt riding can help improve a road rider’s skill, but can it really make you a safer and more competent street rider? The answer is yes. 1. Improved Traction Sense Managing traction is one…

Posted in All Things Motorcycle, Dual-Sport Motorcycling, Motorcycle Safety, Riding Technique & Tips Tagged with: adventure, dirt, dirt riding, Motorcycle tips, off-road, Safety, technique

Ground Clearance & Grip

Posted on July 11, 2014 by Ken Condon — 2 Comments ↓

I just received another letter from a Motorcycle Consumer News reader, this time about a situation he encountered when riding on a twisty back road in Cali on his Street Glide. Here’s his story, followed by my response. “Ken, your…

Posted in All Things Motorcycle, Motorcycle Safety, Rider Education, Riding Technique & Tips Tagged with: clearance, Cornering, crash, dirt riding, Harley-Davidson, mistakes, motorcycle, Motorcycle tips, off-road, technique, traction

The “No Countersteering” Myth

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Ken Condon — 17 Comments ↓

A MCN reader recently wrote telling about his enthusiasm for Reg Pridmore’s “body steering” method of initiating lean for cornering. What follows is my response. “I have 44 years experience riding and currently ride six days a week commuting and…

Posted in All Things Motorcycle, Motorcycle Safety, Rider Education, Riding Technique & Tips Tagged with: Cornering, countersteering, motorcycle, Motorcycle tips, pridmore, riding, technique

Harley Goes Electric! Will it Fly?

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Ken Condon — 3 Comments ↓

Bob Dylan went electric at the Newport Folk Festival back in 1964 and his diehard fans nearly fell out of their Birkenstocks. Well, history is repeating itself with the release of the Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle. We haven’t heard too…

Posted in All Things Motorcycle, Motorcycle Reviews, Motorcycle Safety Tagged with: Electric, Harley, Harley-Davidson, Live wire, motorcycle, Safety, strategy, technique, Zero

Countersteering Will Save Your Life!

Posted on May 5, 2014 by Ken Condon — 16 Comments ↓

It’s hard to imagine that so many so called “experienced” riders either fail to understand the importance of countersteering or fail to recognize that countersteering is how motorcycle really turns. Let’s Get This Straight A motorcycle turns by leaning. Once…

Posted in All Things Motorcycle, Motorcycle Safety, Rider Education, Riding Technique & Tips Tagged with: Cornering, countersteering, lean, Motorcycle tips, Safety, technique

Top 5 Ways That Motorcycle Riders Screw Up

Posted on April 24, 2014 by Ken Condon — 15 Comments ↓

1.Thinking You Are Better Than You Are Overconfidence and an inaccurate, overinflated self-image is responsible for a lot of motorcycle crashes. This is certainly true with young men (the majority of crashes in MA involve young sportbike riders). But, you…

Posted in All Things Motorcycle, Motorcycle Musings, Motorcycle Safety, Rider Education Tagged with: attitude, Cornering, motorcycle, Motorcycle tips, Safety, strategy, technique

“Riding in the Zone” Personal Training

Posted on April 18, 2014 by Ken Condon — 2 Comments ↓

The Riding in the Zone Motorcyclist Training Program is kicking off it’s third season with the support of the American Motorcyclist Association and the Massachusetts Rider Education Program (MREP). I’m excited to see the RITZ street riding program grow. Students…

Posted in All Things Motorcycle, Motorcycle Safety, Rider Education, Riding Technique & Tips, Women and Motorcycling Tagged with: motorcycle, motorcycle travel Condon Blue Ridege parkway Family, riding, Safety, strategy, technique, women

Guest Writer: Track Day Rain Riding

Posted on April 11, 2014 by Ken Condon — 3 Comments ↓

Adam Butler is the first ever RITZ guest blog contributor. Adam is an expert level roadracer with the Loudon Roadracing Series and is one of my co-instructors for Tony’s Track Days. You can read Adam’s biography here Let’s see what Adam…

Posted in All Things Motorcycle, Guest Writers, Riding Technique & Tips, Track Days, Track Days & Racing Tagged with: motorcycle, rain, riding, Safety, technique, Tony's Track Days, Track Days, traction

Traction Seminar: Motorcycle Tires

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Ken Condon — 2 Comments ↓

Ken and Tony from www.tonystrackdays.com speak about tires at the Traction Management Seminar at the Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park. More video of the seminar to come. Thanks Eric R. for filming. Share your thoughts about tires and ask any questions…

Posted in Motorcycle Maintenance, Motorcycle Safety, Riding Technique & Tips Tagged with: motorcycle, Motorcycle tips, riding, Safety, technique, tire, Track Days, traction

Valuing Motorcycling Skill Development

Posted on March 19, 2014 by Ken Condon — 6 Comments ↓

As a motorcycle skills and safety professional, I am often frustrated and even saddened by the seemingly complacent attitude toward real skill development. It pains me to see riders who ignore the importance and benefit of learning to ride their…

Posted in All Things Motorcycle, Motorcycle Musings, Motorcycle Safety, Rider Education Tagged with: Cornering, Motorcycle tips, riding, Safety, strategy, technique, Track Days

How to Preserve Traction by Managing Load

Posted on March 17, 2014 by Ken Condon — 3 Comments ↓

Last weekend I conducted a seminar at the Thompson Speedway (in CT) and I thought I’d share a particular concept that came up during the presentation… the concept of “load management”. When I first verbalized the term, I thought it…

Posted in All Things Motorcycle, Motorcycle Safety, Riding Technique & Tips Tagged with: Braking, Cornering, motorcycle, Motorcycle tips, riding, Safety, technique, thompson, traction

How to Develop a Traction Sense

Posted on March 9, 2014 by Ken Condon — 6 Comments ↓

I’ve been thinking a lot about traction lately, partly because it is kinda scarce around my house with ice covering my driveway and walkways, making every step a leap of faith. The other reason I’ve been thinking about traction is…

Posted in All Things Motorcycle, Motorcycle Musings, Motorcycle Safety, Rider Education, Riding Technique & Tips Tagged with: mistakes, motorcycle, Motorcycle tips, strategy, technique, Track Days, traction

Is it Spring Yet? Get Ready!

Posted on March 2, 2014 by Ken Condon — No Comments ↓

Damn you, Polar Vortex! Nobody can deny that this winter has been a doozy! Even as March has arrived, it’s well below freezing and the snow cover is still measured in feet where I live. Thankfully, the sun is noticeably…

Posted in All Things Motorcycle, Motorcycle Maintenance, Motorcycle Musings, Motorcycle Safety, Rider Education Tagged with: maintenance, motorcycle, Motorcycle tips, Safety, spring, strategy, technique

How to Survive Hairpin Turns

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Ken Condon — 11 Comments ↓

The biggest problem riders have when dealing with hairpin turns is their anxiety about being able to make the turn. It’s a good idea to practice tight turns in a parking lot before you encounter challenging hairpin turns. Read more…