Riding Tip: Intro to Throttle Control (p3)
Riding Tip: Intro to Throttle Control (p3)
Controlling our throttle precisely provides huge benefits. The biggest benefits aren’t typically considered by most riders. In this article we break down the benefits to being a rider with silky smooth throttle control.
MANAGING TRACTION
We say this often in our advanced courses. When we boil down motorcycle riding, most of the rider work being done is for managing available traction. The throttle is one of the biggest influencers of how much traction we have as riders. Too much throttle can cause our tires to exceed the available traction we have. Imprecise throttle can shake our confidence and understanding as to how much traction we have available. Snapping the throttle shut at an incorrect moment can have a traction defying effect as well. A portion of throttle control is understanding how we are delivering load into our tires so they can make the appropriate transfer of energy with the road surface.
Of course, having precise throttle control can allow us to access traction when we are most vulnerable: cornering, swerving, crossing obstacles, and more.
MANAGING SUSPENSION
Say what?! Our throttle manages our suspension? Anyone who has attended our Total Control Advanced Riding Clinic understands this principle well. In the course we do a deep dive as to how our throttle controls our suspension’s position and speed of movement, how we can work with and against our motorcycle’s geometry, and how this new-found knowledge is critical towards maximizing available traction. Our very first range exercise works on developing rider throttle control in a way that is unique. Quite frequently riders have a paradigm shift after this “simple” exercise. It is no understatement to see riders walk away from the exercise with a new understanding of what throttle control means.
MANAGING COMFORT
Nobody wants to be turned into a human milkshake. Haphazardly slamming the throttle open and shut can make for quite the bucking bull. We can reduce the amount of energy we expend on a ride if we have more precise throttle control. When riding up the Coronado Trail, or hitting our favorite road with twisties, we can conserve our body’s energy merely by making smooth throttle inputs.
MANAGING THE FUTURE
The best riders plan ahead. We like to say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Being able to make minute throttle adjustments requires us to plan well into the future. If we don’t leave ourselves enough time and space, we can quickly find ourselves making abrupt throttle adjustments. Therefore, actively managing our throttle means we increase our planning ahead and reduce the probability of being in a crash.
Can you think of additional benefits to having precise throttle control? Fuel economy? Being successful in a competitive situation? If you think of more send me an email! Bill@MotorcycleTraining.com
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Bill Seltzer has been a Motorcycle Safety Foundation RiderCoach since 2003 and a Total Control Advanced Riding Instructor since 2011. He currently serves as the Marketing Director for TEAM Arizona and is a member of the Arizona Strategic Highway Safety Planning committee. Have questions or comments about the article? Email him: Bill@MotorcycleTraining.com
