Police Riders Handbook: Motorcycle Roadcraft

[RoadSprock]

So I've been riding since I got my first bike 8 years ago, learnt a lot of things by experience and recently purchased a book to learn more.

Got to say I'd recommend it to anyone, new riders or old riders. Great advice on all topics for improving your riding skills from control, positioning, mental mindset (how to get rid of stress/ frustration etc) and everything between.

The books called Motorcycle Roadcraft, the police riders handbook. It's a studying book for UK police motorcyclists, so there is a few things focusing to policing specifically i.e. Emergency response/ incident scene awareness. But the majority is good information for most which can be put into use on the road, even if you rag the hell out of roads there's a lot of information there on how to do it safely.

It is very helpful for advanced riding tips, I've not picked up any book etc for riding since the Highway Code 8 years ago.

You can pick it up on Amazon/ eBay for around a tenner.

 

[Lurch]

I own this, as will @Shifty .

It's a very good source of information, but it's meant to make you think rather than blindy apply. It's best in conjunction with IAM/RoSPA training.

 

[RoadSprock]

I own this, as will @Shifty .

It's a very good source of information, but it's meant to make you think rather than blindy apply. It's best in conjunction with IAM/RoSPA training.

Its a good read, have you done the IAM/ rospa?

 

[Shifty]

Yes, I refer to it and dip in and out. It's a great reminder of some important points @Lurch. Some of the most important points to me is about your own mental attitude. Takes a long time to get from learning the system to making it flow and second nature. (Only managed it once and that was on my test thank god!). But all joking aside if your reading it and thinking about your riding it's already a good sign.

 

[MartinT]

In blue light trained and it is a good read, another heads up is to learn exactly what all signs and road markings mean, this allows you to know what's coming up way before you get there so can be ready.

 

[Shifty]

Yea, it's amazing that the double bend sign (twisty road) is left or right handed depending on the first bend being left or right...Amazing how many people don't know that when you point it out.

 

[Lurch]

In thought it was taught on the test? I've known it since I was small....

Its a good read, have you done the IAM/ rospa?

Doing it. Had my mock test in March

 

[MartinT]

Yea, it's amazing that the double bend sign (twisty road) is left or right handed depending on the first bend being left or right...Amazing how many people don't know that when you point it out.

Yer, its bad when your going down a road with your mates that non of you have done but they all think you know it as your getting into the right positions. - also handy knowing where side roads are as could be a car about to pull out and knock us off.

 

[RoadSprock]

In thought it was taught on the test? I've known it since I was small....


Doing it. Had my mock test in March

How are you finding it so far?

 

[Lurch]

Pretty good. They were pleased with my pre-test assessment (mock exam), but I was far from happy as I can, and do, ride better.

 

[RidingWRon]

After riding for... well many more years than I wish to discuss, I joined a Drill team and was trained by a retired Motor Cop how to ride like the police do. I learned that it is mostly a state of mind, friction zone, and back break for the tight, slow maneuvers. Then riding faster is all about looking where you want to go and not where you are! It was very eye opening!

 

[Shifty]

After riding for... well many more years than I wish to discuss, I joined a Drill team and was trained by a retired Motor Cop how to ride like the police do. I learned that it is mostly a state of mind, friction zone, and back break for the tight, slow maneuvers. Then riding faster is all about looking where you want to go and not where you are! It was very eye opening!

There is often a misconception that it's about riding slow, but you can corner a lot better, faster and also it brings some more enjoyment, like another motorbiking skill.

 

[RidingWRon]

I can't tell you how much more fun riding is after that, I can pull up to a stop and sometimes actually forget to put my feet down. I know it sounds strange but when you rev up a bit and use the friction zone you can actually balance for a few without moving forward. It freaks people out behind me, especially other riders.

 

[Lurch]

I've heard of people track standing motorbikes before but never seen it done other than on a bicycle.

 

[Shifty]

I can't tell you how much more fun riding is after that, I can pull up to a stop and sometimes actually forget to put my feet down. I know it sounds strange but when you rev up a bit and use the friction zone you can actually balance for a few without moving forward. It freaks people out behind me, especially other riders.

I could sit happily feet up on my ZZR 1400. On my Rospa test, I always pulled up to junctions feet up, look left right and carry on. I got a gold, a lot of that was the command of the bike at low speed. But that bike and I gelled over 6k miles in 10 months. My Multistrada is a bitch though, so I'm back to looking like a dodgy learner!!! Plus pulling away on a twin is a little ropey too!!!

 

[Lurch]

I'm doing OK on my Sprint, although a few unfamiliarities show now amd then.

Should really do some mod1 type stuff on it. Slow riding is good 99.9% of the time!

 

[RoadSprock]

I can ride with feet up @ 2-5mph, also stop for a second with feet up and comfortably place a foot down from it without feeling i'm about to land on my backside. Used to be able to ride around with no gas/clutch on my ZX6R on tickover.

 

[JonJeoprdy]

Learning to ride slow forces all the fundamentals. I rode trails on both vintage and a newer style bikes. I learned everything with much more precision than just riding motocross or on the street. I could do tight figure 8 turns at slower than walking pace. It's been a while and I don't feel as smooth on my new GS, so I've been starting to go through my trials routine on my big bike... it hasn't been easy!