PERMANENT LEARNING: RIDE TO LEARN, LEARN TO RIDE

Knowledge from training, reading, discussing, experimenting and riding with attention is the primary element for making motorcycling more enjoyable and, within limits, safer.
Unfortunately, the position/title/certificate disease that infects the academic and business curricula entered the biker’s world: books, media and blogs like to persuade us that taking a course (four years or two days), passing the test/exam, completing KPI, acquiring a licence is all that is needed to obtain the necessary knowledge in any field. Bookshops and library shelves are full of “be what you want to be” manuals, while experts and teachers on the screen show us how immediate and easy it is to acquire expertise in off-road riding, portfolio management, self-medication, parachuting, etc.
We may be tempted to think that after an initial period of training, after one, two or three courses in advanced riding, after seeing the art of cornering in a few circuit sessions, we have sufficient knowledge to ride a motorcycle for the rest of our life. Once the certificate is obtained, the expertise is permanent.

Colonel Robert S. Mackie (Army and Bikers trainer) opened one of his articles with an imaginary conversation at a training centre for fighter pilots:

— “So, you’ve finished your introductory training in the single-engine, prop-driven plane which you have only ever flown in perfect weather with perhaps a light breeze and the odd cumulus cloud drifting by maybe a hundred miles away?”
— “Yes, sir.”

— “Good. That means you know where all the controls are, and you
know the difference between the wings and the propeller. Here’s the key to that F-16 sitting out on the flight line. Don't look so worried. All the controls are in the same place — well, kind of. Take it easy at first; you’ll get used to the power after a while. This is part of the Air Force’s new cost-cutting training program…
We figure being checked out in a light civilian aircraft is good enough, and it’ll save us billions. Happy flying”

This absurd and funny conversation shows the limit of “certification-based”
training or curricula, showing the need to move toward a constant learning
method that incorporates in one flowing program knowledge, trial, experience and feedback. A program that takes personal growth as the ultimate goal, considering changes that time, condition and experience bring to the education needs. Training regularly is good, while accumulating experience with feedback and evaluation is essential.

We need to recognise that without a certain amount of meditated experience, considerate hours on the saddle, and miles used to examine the personal level of knowledge and application, no training or educational plan can bring results.
Only hard work and intelligence applied to the job get knowledge results.
We took inspiration from Robert S. Mackie’s “Rules of the Game” article to
consider, once more, the importance of Training.
He writes: “The truth (about training) is pretty obvious to those of us who’ve put in thousands of hours of blood, sweat, study, and pain to be good at what we do. Shooters, pilots, ship drivers, whoever: we know the risk when we see it, and we know how hard someone has to work to get good at minimising risk and maximising results.”

Minimising risk and Maximizing results: this is what training is about. Biking is about having fun while practising a sport: as in any sport, you have to learn the rules, hone the skills and then practice, practice and practice. “Anything worth doing is worth doing well.” If you do it with the right level of knowledge & meditated experience, motorcycling is fun; otherwise, it is pure terror and, at the same time, apparent stupidity. This level of knowledge is only achievable with a significant amount of miles on the saddle and the road.

Minimizing Risks. The dictionary defines riding: “To sit on and
control the movements of an animal or a vehicle”.
To control the vehicle and safely perform the intended actions and
movements is the sole source of pleasure when riding. Moving
without (or with partial) control raises the level of risk above acceptable levels. “Motorcycling is a risky business”, and many sources of risk are partially outside of the pilot’s planning.

• Risks from the motorcycle. A tire puncture, a sudden engine seizure, or a brake line cut: catastrophic failure can happen from bike weaknesses.
• Risks from road and road conditions. Holes, bumps, gravel, and objects left by other users. Sometimes signalled in advance, these obstacles are
  sometimes unpredictable risks.
• Risks coming from other road users. It does not matter how well you
  anticipate “that driver’s” behaviour; he will still do something unexpected, illogical and lethal.

Meditated experience and feedback on many rides can anticipate or predict
most of these risks from clues and signs sufficient for effective planning. Plus, experience above 15,000 K per year on the bike teaches the attentive pilot how the vehicle reacts in many circumstances, increasing confidence.

Why add the pilot to the already long list of risks? How much fun can you
have on the bike if you are not in control? These two questions are the main
reasons for keeping a constant educational program, a “Ride to Learn” attitude. An experienced rider can gain partial control of external elements of risk by just learning how to gain more time. “The more time we gain, the more time we have to read the situation and select the appropriate reaction”. Safety is a matter of time at disposal.
More than time is needed for the biker new to motorcycling or new to the
recently acquired model. More than time is required for the occasional biker who took training but did not use the bike sufficiently enough: his vision is short, and everything comes to him unexpectedly. His attention is divided between controls, road, traffic, signals, feelings and millions of ever-changing information that are hard to process correctly.

Jon Taylor writes: “In the early stages of learning to ride, this increasing time-to-react happens instinctively with most, and is what may best be described as hesitation. The rider doesn’t have the experience to make quick decisions based on experience and, therefore, needs more time to react. (S)he does this generally by being more cautious, i.e. reducing speed. As experience (and confidence) grows, less time is needed for this decision-making process. But it’s still vitally important for the information on which this decision-making is made to be accurate. After all, just one wrong decision can prove fatal ultimately.”

It is not a simple experience, hours on the saddle and long-distance rides. It is more important to have a permanent learning plan where experience is constantly examined, meditated and discussed to acquire awareness and correct self-evaluation. Complacency, being sure of being an expert, bring sclerosis of the brain, presumption attitude and ignorant action.

The Director of the GWRRA Education program writes: “The only thing in life that is constant is change… but… we are a species that thrives on stability. We like to develop the same routine and maintain the same routes to and from work… we take some solace in this constancy.
Yet, within this solace, there are inherent dangers. Complacency can easily be disguised as solace and comfort. We reach a mental state that doesn’t prepare us for the change, for the unexpected… So, we must develop our process for continuous improvement and develop the capability to recognise, accept and embrace change. We must practice, focus and prepare ourselves continually. We need to be at the top of our game at all times… I can think of no scenario worse than riding at speed and being uncertain about handling a developing situation.
Uncertainty is a liability. Adaptability and knowledge are the greatest assets we can develop… So, you may want to reflect on how you view continuous improvement. Do you feel that no aspect of your game needs work? Are you prepared and adaptable for all that you encounter?”