Learning to Ride (Track vs Street)

[Trip]

Originally Posted by DLIT

Different for everybody. Before doing any track day I was reading up on form, body postioning and all that. Then I would go out on a twisty road (the one in my sig) and practice it. I first dragged knee on the street. Granted, I was hanging so far off the bike to do it, obviously not practicing my form, I just wanted to drag a knee for the first time.

I'd say you can learn a lot of basics and fundamentals for the track on the street. Even holding lines. As long as you're between the white and yellow, hold the line. There's a shitload of variables when on the street though. Road surface, other riders/drivers, stuff you can hit if you ever come off the bike, etc. But you can apply a lot of the stuff they teach you in certain books and track day schools on the street. You just gotta keep your head on and don't push it like you would on the track. But to perfect most things, you can only do it on the track.

The more you learn on the streets (for free), the more familiar you will be with the class discussions and while you're out on the track. I think street riding can benefit track riding and vice versa.

Is that really street riding though? I would say no, just an extension of track riding. I would also say a higher percentage of harley riders are better street riders than sport bikers. Why? Because they obey the rules of the road and are generally safer riders, where we are hooligans.