I know I’ve read about this and at least one instructor I’ve had has mentioned it. I got nowhere doing a google search on it and so thought I would take a short moment to talk about this. How hard do you ride on the street??
One of my instructors put it this way: There are so many unknowns on the road. Is there gravel? Is there a car stopped or pulling out of a driveway around that corner? Is a deer about to lunge across the road? Are there two bicycles riding side by side on the side of the road? The list just goes on and on.
So, how hard should you ride when you’re on the road?? My instructor laid it out like this: If you think about your skill/ability level as a percentage, on the road you don’t want to be using more than 60-70% of your skill or ability in any situation. This reserves 30% for those unanticipated situations that may crop up.
Think of it this way: If you are riding balls out around corners, letting it all hang out, riding at the limits of your skill and confidence and something happens, you could be in a really bad situation.
If you ride with a reserve of ability, skill and confidence and you come across a problem, you’ve got lots left to deal with it.
We all want to have fun and sometimes fun means going fast and near our limits. Take a track course or pay for a track day or go find those roads where you can minimize the risks you may encounter. Alternatively, take more and more advanced courses, raising your skill/ability and confidence level. But, my opinion is that letting it all hang out on your local twisties can be a risky decision.
Ride Safe!