20/06/2025
What learning to ride a motorbike has taught me:
Life's a lot more like a motorbike trail through the forest than a motorway.
Sometimes you're speeding along in 5th gear on a clear open track.
Sometimes you're in back to back mud ruts.
Sometimes you're switching between the two over every hill or around each corner.
Your bike is key to your riding and looking after it will keep it running well.
Sometimes you need to upgrade to a larger size as you outgrow a smaller bike. Give yourself time to adjust to the new way of going.
Everyone is riding their own line over the same trail.
Everyone is going at their own speed. Everyone is on their own size bike.
Don't let their pace make you feel bad about yours.
Some people will speed past you, spraying dirt and rocks or rushing wind past you. Some people you'll pass easily.
Just keep at your own pace and skill level, it doesn't matter what they're doing, this is not a race.
You have gears for a reason, learn to pick your gear according to the part of the track you're on.
Many sticky situations will be best gotten through in 1st or 2nd gear.
Many muddy, boggy ruts are best gotten through at speed: pick your line, keep the front tyre facing forward and keep the power on and you'll get through fine.
Keep the power on as you head up a hill. Down a gear or two if you need to to keep going.
It's scarier to be heading down the otherside of the hill. Take a breath, take your time and trust your forward momentum. Your engine is your best ally here.
Sometimes your bike will stall, from someone in the way, too big a hill, too deep a bog, hitting a bank, or it just does. Take a breath (or 10), kick start and get into gear 1 again.
It's frustrating to stop when you've been flowing along well beforehand. That's not the end of the ride, hop back on and get moving again.
Some days your bike won't even get out on the track, you'll only get one lap or your bike breaks down.
Rest, heal, recuperate, service your bike. You'll get back on next time, ready to go again.
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