What is the #1 Riding Skill you have learned?

[FL-STRIDER]

Was just wondering which riding skill you value the most? I realize this is a broad question. You might want to state the driving condition. For example while driving at night or in the rain. We all might pick up a few good pointers.
So guys and gals what are they?

[Computer Nerd]

Pay attention to what is far ahead. (While using your other set of eyes to keep an eye out for the bozo about to intrude into your lane)

[HankSTer]

Hmmm an interesting question, maybe should have had a poll with an "other" option?

I became an MSF instructor to discover what I could improve to "help" me the most.

Buck mentions a part of it, I think maturity plays a big role in "understanding" what other drivers might do.

Skills wise, emergency braking is huge, I don't think anything could be more important could it? The technique isn't that difficult to understand and implement.

Proper cornering technique would have to be considered critical too I think.

Regards,

[jasonJonas]

don't ride farther ahead than what you can see/interpret or quicker than it takes to change your mind.

[fitenfyr]

"Head on a swivel" approach to riding.
Always expect them to do something stupid in front of you. :D
PROPER BRAKING!

[Blrfl]

Patience with all of the BDCs.

--Mark

[George]

Jason said it: Don't go where ya can't see.

I still find it nearly impossible to crest a hill without backing off the throttle. Also, look to the vanishing point in a turn, keep yur head up, be able to STOP before ya get there! We pretty much all kid ourselves on this. I've head to run wide or onto the shoulder more than once to avoid sumpin' I couldn't stop for.

ABS on my next bike, fur sure.

[BigBadblue]

Pay attention to what is far ahead. (While using your other set of eyes to keep an eye out for the bozo about to intrude into your lane)

BINGO!

[redst05]

This is a good Question. Before I became a MSF RiderCoach my answer May have been different. But having been trained a bit. I agree with hankster.

There is no such thing as the most important. It is the sum of all the parts that makes riding safe and fun.

There is a lot to master to be a defensive rider.
1) Like looking ahead, scanning for potential problems.
2) Being able to stop quickly
3) Mastering cornering.
4) Knowing your limits as well as the bikes limits.
But one that some forget is of mental fitness. I mean that you must be able to react as soon as a reaction is required. We must have a clear head while riding, this will increase reaction times.

This is just my 2 cents.

[4INer]

Attitude wise (which IMHO is more important than skill) I'd say learning to take in the big picture and see everything around you. People always used to say that Larry Bird was such a good B-Ball player becuase he could see the entire court and knew what everyone was going to do before they even knew what they were going to do. Riding safe takes the same kind of court (or road) sense. Skill wise though, it has got to be emergancy braking, with swerving a close second. Both of them have got me out of a few jams. But in all but a couple of them, I got myself into the situation by not following rule number one.

[unchargedken]

Just remember your invisible and everybody is talking on a cell phone
ken
Blue ST 1300:04biker:
79 GS 1000s

[STinner]

all these tips are great............
i think its all about keeping your head in the game. these wonderful machines will kill us if we dont. i think one must know their limitations and not let any one wimp you into a situation you cant handle...........



dave

[Computer Nerd]

Also, I think this is a good one...

If you swerve, don't brake. If you need to slow first, brake, and then release the brake and then swerve.

[tommyboy]

Fear of Death.

[Chris]

Be present in the ride.

Everytime I get on the bike I say a little mantra that goes something like this:

"OK meathead, we are on a motorcycle now. WAKE UP!. This is NOT THE CAR! Twelve seconds ahead. Three second bubble. They'll kill you if they can! PAY ATTENTION!!!"

Then I let out the clutch.

I still find myself driting out of the ride occasionally: playing with the Avg and real-time MPG funciton, looking at the trip mileage, Checking out the sights to my left and right.

Some STs I've seen with GPS, NAV, CB radio, FM radio, etc. etc. make me wonder how the rider keeps it all together. Too many distractions for me.

As I posted a few weeks back, I visited the sight of an ST fatality here in NH. Guy rode into the back of a dump truck at a flashing yellow intersection. Straight wide road with good visibility on all sides and not a single skid mark.

What he was looking at before impact?

cb

[patentcad]

This is a good Question. Before I became a MSF RiderCoach my answer May have been different. But having been trained a bit. I agree with hankster.

There is no such thing as the most important. It is the sum of all the parts that makes riding safe and fun.

There is a lot to master to be a defensive rider.
1) Like looking ahead, scanning for potential problems.
2) Being able to stop quickly
3) Mastering cornering.
4) Knowing your limits as well as the bikes limits.
But one that some forget is of mental fitness. I mean that you must be able to react as soon as a reaction is required. We must have a clear head while riding, this will increase reaction times.

This is just my 2 cents.




Mastering cornering on a motorcycle - and part of that is knowing when you can apply the brakes and when you can't - is what has kept the shiny side up for me for my first three years on the ST, mostly thanks to the MSF courses (2) that I have taken.

All that 'see the whole road, look ahead of you' stuff I sort of have ingrained in my in large part due to 20 years as a daily road CYCLIST (as in road bicycles) riding and racing. You do get used to cages trying to kill you on a bicycle, maybe even moreso than on a motorcycle. Very similar road survival skills and instincts between a motor powered and human powered bike when it comes to dealing with cages.

[OlDrifter]

Good question- good answers!

All are true.

I've been noticing lately that I can tell, very objectively whether or not I'm riding in a safe zone or not. That probably sounds dumb, but I'll try to explain.

I guess it's that thing about keeping your head in the game.

There really is a very, VERY fine line between riding in a safe zone and riding on the edge. I'll be riding along and all of a sudden realize that for any of a dozen reasons I'm riding that fine line where I'm not in any sort of safe zone- perhaps a little too fast, mind wandering a little, not using my eyes, etc. Maybe it's just as subtle as being "unfocused" and suddenly realizing it.

At other times, when my head is "in the game" I'm hyper-aware of what's going on around me, KNOW that I'm at an appropriate speed for circumstances, am taking in and processing information, covering brakes when it's appropriate, etc.

What did the judge say about pornography? "I can't define it, but I know it when I see it!"

I guess that's what I'm trying to describe. I can "feel" the times I'm in that "safe zone" and when I'm not. It's probably the most important riding skill I've learned.

STeve

[Bobbydog]

In flying there are "old pilots and bold pilots, but no old, bold pilots".

Motorcycling is, in many ways, just the same.

Skills I have learned?

1) If you need to go fast make sure you know the road and the conditions
2) Don't stay in the 4 o clock and 8 o clock position around a car for long
3) Don't drink & ride. Don't let your friends drink & ride.
4) Deer come out at dusk...but keep an eye out all the time

...and the biggest thing my dad always told me when I was learning how to drive way back when...?

....don't go faster than what your headlight can see

[Raven]

1) Always think ahead and don't get caught thinking behind.

2) Swerving can avoid a car size obstacle quicker than braking for it so look for escape routes and practice swerving.

3) Body positioning for cornering to reduce the necessity of excessive lean angles.

On getting stuck thinking behind:
I tell MSF BRC folks that the u-turn box in the skills test is worth the least amount of points but it's usually a make or break exercise for most people on the skills test because if they don't do it as well as they wanted. They then spend the next three exercises thinking behind, how poorly they did the u-turns, instead of thinking ahead and blow the three "life-savers" (swerving, braking, cornering).

Same thing happens on the street. I've had two major crashes that, while technically not my fault, probably could have been avoided if I'd not been thinking behind about something that had happened earlier.

Thinking ahead also applies to planning your ride, getting more training, riding in groups, etc.

[ShinySideUpAZ]

Two Number one skills in two categories.

General Skill: Trail braking

ST specific Skill: Low Speed maneuvers, I pride myself that I can do the Arizona figure 8 box in half the length and 4/5ths the width. Basically Lock to Lock almost scraping pegs, walking speed.

[newbornst1300]

Skills wise, emergency braking is huge, I don't think anything could be more important could it? The technique isn't that difficult to understand and implement.


I just took an ERC yesterday and I would definately agree that emergency braking and avoidance are important skills to master, but in order to avoid something you have to notice it so awareness and paying attention has to come first.

[ChipSTer]

...ST specific Skill: Low Speed maneuvers, I pride myself that I can do the Arizona figure 8 box in half the length and 4/5ths the width. Basically Lock to Lock almost scraping pegs, walking speed.
Man, I wish I could do that... Any hints on learning that technique?
:cool:

[naturally wired]

#1 ...for me is always knowing where the other drivers are around me ...and judging there intentions...like if someone see's me or there pulling out in front of me because they don't, or the guy that just entered the freeway two lanes over to my right is going fast and may come over my way quickly and may not see me?...I try to always remember my close calls and try to avoid letting that whole situation happen again!

#1a...almost as important is high speed maneuvers....remember its always faster to steer out of trouble.....even with the great brakes on the ST ...they are still much slower then steering!

[Sink]

AH... AH... AH.... AH.... STAYIN ALIVE.... STAYIN ALIVE!

All of the above mentioned skills are VERY IMPORTANT! There is no one skill that will keep you safe on a motorcycle. You have to incorporate ALL of the riding skills. Braking, cornering, looking ahead, knowing what cagers are going to do, low speed manuvers, high speed manuvers... and on and on.....

Motorcycle riding is a risky business... Experience is your best friend... and PRACTICE! Know how to ride your bike. Look, think and be CAREFUL!

Always have a way out. Look ahead and think what you would do if THIS or THAT happened.

Did I mention ATGATT???

[ShinySideUpAZ]

Man, I wish I could do that... Any hints on learning that technique?
:cool:

Shift your butt to the outside of the turn, put heavy peg pressure on the outside peg. Keep RPMs at 2k. Feather clutch in friction zone. Rear brake only when braking is needed. Turn your entire head and body looking over the inside turn shoulder to the inside tail of your bike. Lean the bike. Throttle stays constant. Control your speed with the clutch. If the bike starts to fall, open the clutch to accelerate the bike back up. Remember, "when in doubt, gas it out."

When practicing, remove bags, remove covers off front tip over wings, remove mirror covers, turn mirrors all the way in. YOU WOULD BE FOOLISH TO TRY THIS WITHOUT REAR TIP OVER BARS. Take 12 inchs of old garden hose, split long ways, and tape around your tip over bars.

[CaST]

Obeying the speed laws. Two tickets later, I can't afford not to.

[Craig]

Maintain a steady pace so that others on the road know that you are there and not Over There all of a sudden.
Also,
Secure your lane whether it is an outside or inner lane.
Know where to be...even if you are in a middle lane of a 3-5 lane hiway....
if a car is ahead to the right, be in the right side of your lane when approaching it...if in the left, be in the left side....
And,
Lastly,
Do not ride when hung-over!

[DeSTy]

THE most important skill you can learn that will keep you alive on a motorcycle is....






Judgement.

[tdeboeser]

All good advise here. An awareness skill I've learned is " ... you will go where you are looking..".
Another skill I've learned ... the difference between fast and slow speed turning.

Oh yeah, learning to move yourself on the bike for better lean angles...


So many...

Tom de

[2005RedRider]

I don't believe that there is a #1. Everything becomes important when driving "riding" a motorcycle. There might be a specific skill that you would like to master, but they are all important. As taught in an advanced driving school that I attended:

Aim high while steering.
View the total traffic picture.
Keep your eyes moving.
Leave yourself an out.
Make sure others see you.

Dale :)

[Sink]

Shift your butt to the outside of the turn, put heavy peg pressure on the outside peg. Keep RPMs at 2k. Feather clutch in friction zone. Rear brake only when braking is needed. Turn your entire head and body looking over the inside turn shoulder to the inside tail of your bike. Lean the bike. Throttle stays constant. Control your speed with the clutch. If the bike starts to fall, open the clutch to accelerate the bike back up. Remember, "when in doubt, gas it out."

When practicing, remove bags, remove covers off front tip over wings, remove mirror covers, turn mirrors all the way in. YOU WOULD BE FOOLISH TO TRY THIS WITHOUT REAR TIP OVER BARS. Take 12 inchs of old garden hose, split long ways, and tape around your tip over bars.

Gee... I leave all my stuff on when practicing, (OK, bags come off for competition) I lean into the turn, I don't use friction zone, I ride my rear brake all the way through slow speed manuvers... BUT... I DO look where I'm going, maybe even past where I'm going, and I DO accelerate out of trouble...

You have to find the right slow speed riding style for you. They all work, just some things work better for some.....

[GRN]

See & Be Seen

[fitenfyr]

A bit of rain splashed us here the last couple days after a couple weeks of dry weather and it reminded me of one.

When the road is wet ESPECIALLY fresh wet...SLOW DOWN.

The fog line almost low sided me yesterday after a fresh rain even going 10 mph slower than normal in this corner.
Stupid rubberized paint. :D

Then not more than 1/2 block away I was riding through some HUGE oil sheens. Nothing better to pucker your butt cheeks than knowing you are riding on oil with nowhere else to go. :(
Thankfully it was 35mph city streets.

[Carl_T]

I was going to wise crack 'keep it on two wheels without hitting anything" and leave it at that, but in truth what I value most is the following single word.

For me, before ANY technique or skill action can be applied, before and space cushion can be implemented, before any life saving thought can be thought, the core skill is...

The secret of life in a single word; "Attention!"

I would think no one needs an explanation of what that means, but I told this to my daughter when she was 9yrs. old and she thought I meant getting people to pay attention to you. Come to think of it even that interpretation isn't a bad thing in traffic. :-P

SO many good things mentioned here, but without attention taking in information in the present moment, everything falls apart.

Don't know if this is useful to anyone else but I'll stick it here just in case.

Something I repeat to myself when I roll out of the driveway and from time to time on the ride to keep my head right, and my attention up.

Environment, Judgment, Position, Right Action.

Environment: Real time AWARENESS of what is happening in the knowable space around you, awareness and melding experience of the ebb and flow of change within the environment. The bike is also environment, so have an awareness of the flowing forces within the bike, an awareness of the flow of forces acting on the bike at every changing moment in time. Head out of your butt (or head out of "itself" more likely, then put into the environment) and day dream free. Full sensing awareness of the environment. Also the ability to experience what "is" happening "now" and LET THAT GO to experience the NEW "what is happening" AS it happens, ad infinitum. That is important. You can't allow your head to get caught in the past. Indeed "think ahead," but be fully aware of your experience in the "now" - release the old now to experience the new now, again and again and again and again etc. etc. etc. Be In The Flow, sensing it in the present.

It has been said and IS important, Mind Ahead Of The Bike, PULLING it Along to your "Position" to be, while experiencing "now" in awareness. NEVER mind behind the bike, NOT EVER!

Mind behind the bike WILL eat you.

If you feel it, get yourself slowed ASAP and get a new pace, new position etc.

Judgment: Boy you need Excellent judgment on the bike at all times in all categories within the ride. Good judgment in regards to what you sense of your environment (all categories of your environment), present and potential. Good judgment in regards to "potentials upcoming".

Position: Always looking to put your bike in the BEST position within the environment in relation to what is going on. Also looking to put YOURSELF in the best position on the bike in regards to what is being done riding wise, or in relation to what is happening.

Right Action: In any situation there is one or more possible actions available to you that will work better than others, to keep you and the bike intact. There are one or more potential "actions" on your part that will fit the situation in a way that gives you the best chance of coming out OK. THEY are what you need to put every ounce of your focus on doing in an emergency, NOT your fears at that point.

"Right Action NOW" then be scared later.

Look where you need to go falls into this, focus on what needs to happen for you to handle the situation with a result of bike and rider getting through OK. Focus on the path of actions and positions to get you through.

Right Action (to me) also means, "take right action NOW, immediately. The danger happening that you perceive is NOT a movie to be watched, it IS a stimulus to "Right (or best) Action sooner than ASAP. When things go wrong there is a tendency to disbelieve and "watch" the unfolding of environment, rather that react properly, early. The earlier you react (if you react properly) the more likely you will come through unscathed. So, focus on right action the instant things start to go sour.

Of course it helps to learn about numerous potential situations so you have an idea of what right action may be given the circumstances.:D then practice maneuvers that will allow you to take right action.

For me personally,

The secret of life in a single word; "Attention!"

Environment, Judgment, Position, Right Action. I say them to myself with a feel for what each means to me. They help me leave the lazy every day mind behind and step into my "Ride Mind".

[pdxpan]

As I am laying around the house with a broken collar bone in a vicodin haze,I'm looking out the window at my st1100 that I can’t ride for at least another month. I find this thread to be very helpful. I just went from riding an old Silverwing to an old ST and I love the ST.

What I would like to add to this thread is, that no matter how good of a rider you think you are, you are only one brain fart away from wondering what just happened, and why am I on my back on the freeway.

I would just like to remind everyone that the transition period between a bike you are used to and the new toy can be a very dangerous time. Unfortunately, I am speaking from experience. Fortunately I am able to speak, and I am glad to have found this group and I find it very helpful and therapeutic.

I am looking forward to getting back on my bike and spending some time practicing some of the basic skills and understanding the machine and all it has to offer. Meanwhile, my bedside reading book is Proficient Motorcycling, and plan on scheduling myself into a Team Oregon class as soon as I can use my left arm again.

[AZST]

What I would like to add to this thread is that no matter how good of a rider you think you are, you are only one brain fart away from wondering what just happened, and why am I on my back on the freeway.

These are the kinds of statements that keep my perspective. Thanks and I hope you heal up soon.

--Bryan
041300A
:04biker:

[Snoweyowl]

#1, emergency braking. If it isn't automatic when you need it it will be too late to learn. Added to this is knowing when to swerve instead of braking.

[Phil]

I think the #1 riding skill is remaining fresh on your bike. Regardless of who you are, and how many years you've ridden, if you take a year off you will be rusty. If possible, ride as much as possible to keep your skills sharp.

That, and knowing how to clutch wheelie an ST while riding down the highway in shorts.

[NSWindRider]

38 posts and this asn't been mentionned yet? Maybe not the #1 skill, but an important technique in my opinion: Look where you WANT to go, not where you ARE going. It is a very basic technique, probably one of the first that any new rider will learn, but many tend to forget about it.

[Mellow]

I don't really have a single technique that I'd call #1... I actually have two. and the first one isn't really a technique.

1 - read all you can - learn about the physics of a motorcycle and what happens when you, accelerate, brake, lean etc.. learn what the tires are doing and what you can ask them to do depending on what you are doing at the moment. Almost all 'techniques' fall into this category.

2 - be calm - I saw a program once where they monitored Valentino Rossi during a motoGP race and another rider. His heartrate was very low, almost a walking slowly heartrate compared to one of his rivals that was way up there about 20 beats faster.. His heartbeat almost never increased even when he was passing, braking, winning... I have learned that staying calm can get you out of some tight spots simply because you don't jump and overreact. I practice being calm even when I'm riding aggressive... I just relax my whole body and remember what I learned from #1.. thinking about the percentage of weight distribution on my front/rear tires as I come to a turn and accelerate through it. I don't know if this is a technique as much of a state of mind but I know I've come up to 'surprises' in the road and rather than jump or twitch, I plan my line and think about the physics necessary to get me through that 'issue'.

That's a lot to say... not sure I said it right but I tried.

[dduelin]

All good stuff.

These are very broad, but I'll throw them in.

Be teachable.

Read and reread books that teach defensive riding skills. Proficient Motorcycling, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation rider's course text, and Ride Hard Ride Smart all come to mind - I'm sure there are others. Take the ERC annually. Practice "what if" scenerios while riding along. Visualize deteriorating situations and take action in practice time so when they really develop in front of us we know what to do.

Practice what we learn, and do practice one skill builder every time you get on the bike. Make an emergency stop or swerve before parking the bike for the day if you can.

Practice the Uncomfortable.

Folks learning to fly have to recover the airplane from unusual attitudes without thinking about it. Take a track day or find a safe place to grind the pegs so if you have to countersteer hard one day to swerve out of a situation the sound and feel of the peg hitting down won't startle you. In another safe place practice emergency stops from 75 mph to 0. At speed you can't hear the moan of the tires like you can at slower speeds.


Something I like to do is ride about 50 mph and practice smoothly weaving in and out of the standard dotted white lines on a long straight section of road. I weave just inches or maybe a foot off the centerline. At that speed it is possible to do it by countersteering alone. If 50 is too fast start at 35 or 40. Weaving the dotted line at higher speeds requires more violent countersteering in order to make it inside the next paint stripe. At elevated speeds I have to press knee and leg against the bike and weight and unweight pegs as well. Keep it smooth and and build speed. Of course find a deserted section of road for this. I have a spot where there are 4 lanes so I don't cross into oncoming lanes. It's in an industrial area that is deserted on weekend mornings. This practice makes countersteering swerves instinctive from low speeds to freeway speeds. Not only the swerve away from danger - but also the swerve back into a safe lane.

Ride, Ride Ride.

If you are logging 3 or 4,000 miles a year on a bike there is no way to stay on top of the game.

[STrep]

Quote:
Originally Posted by pdxpan

What I would like to add to this thread is that no matter how good of a rider you think you are, you are only one brain fart away from wondering what just happened, and why am I on my back on the freeway.

These are the kinds of statements that keep my perspective. Thanks and I hope you heal up soon.

+1,
Lots of good information

[CruisingDog]

Scanning and being patient. Always vigilant...

[Tor]

Shift your butt to the outside of the turn, put heavy peg pressure on the outside peg. Keep RPMs at 2k. Feather clutch in friction zone. Rear brake only when braking is needed. Turn your entire head and body looking over the inside turn shoulder to the inside tail of your bike. Lean the bike. Throttle stays constant. Control your speed with the clutch. If the bike starts to fall, open the clutch to accelerate the bike back up. Remember, "when in doubt, gas it out."

When practicing, remove bags, remove covers off front tip over wings, remove mirror covers, turn mirrors all the way in. YOU WOULD BE FOOLISH TO TRY THIS WITHOUT REAR TIP OVER BARS. Take 12 inchs of old garden hose, split long ways, and tape around your tip over bars.


+1, except I drag my rear brakes slightly any time I do full lock turns. Bike just feels a little better ;-)

[Blue STreak]

Lots of good info, but I take issue with the suggestion to forget about what's behind you. On the street, you'd better know what's ALL around you, all the time. If the guy in front of you slams on the brakes, do you swerve right or left, or brake hard yourself? All depends on what's in those lanes, not just next to you but coming up behind you. Sitting at a traffic light, or just stopped in traffic, you'd better keep an eye on traffic behind, and be prepared to move if traffic isn't stopping.

Yes, what's in front is, mostly, more important. But what's all around you very important. 360 degree awareness.

Similarly, don't forget what happened in the recent past, either. Just pass a big truck? That means he's behind you now, and big trucks take a LONG distance to stop. That's just one example. Again, be aware of what's all around you, all the time.

This is an excellent thread though, and should be required reading for all riders.

[thesmithiz]

I think that the number 1 skill was mentioned earlier in this thread, keep your head in the ride! Actually if you read most of the replies that basically imply that same idea. Remember when you brain is dead so are you, if your mind is elsewhere th bike becomes a very dangerous place to be as all of your control parts control the bikes control parts and if you processing unit (brain) is processing other things your control parts are getting at best delayed commincations which many times may be too delayed..... If I feel that I am not mentally in the ride I stop and clear my head.

[MrClean]

Knowing what time of day that has the lowest amount of drivers .
Like Saturday and Sunday morning , very few cars out then.

[Bones]

Situational awareness...not simply paying attention, but paying attention to the particular issues facing you now and just ahead. This is the integration of scanning (gathering information) and judgment (applying information).

Look where you want to go. Move your entire head (not just your eyes) where you want to go and you'll go there. It's quite remarkable how it works. The inverse is to avoid target fixation. If something is to be avoided, don't fix your attention on it, look for a way around or through.

Learn how to ride in control slowly. You can tell a lot about how well someone rides at speed by watching how they move around in a cramped parking lot or campground.

Be seen. Wear bright colors and reflectors, burn extra lights, and employ smart positioning. Assume no one sees you. On the off chance they do see you, assume they intend to run you down. (This last one has saved my bones more than once.)

Be courteous. I stop to let people pull out of a tough spot or walk across the street. If they see a motorcyclist that's looking out for them, perhaps they'll be more likely to look out for a motorcyclist. Perhaps that motorcyclist will be you.

[Biker George]

Aim high while steering.
View the total traffic picture.
Keep your eyes moving.
Leave yourself an out.
Make sure others see you.


That would be the Smith System of Safe Driving!

...I learned it when I became a drivers education teacher back in 1978. Of course, that was before I became a garbageman!

Riding takes it to a whole new level!

How about...WEAR A VISOR!
I find it useful in both daylight and dark; great for the sun glare as well as oncoming headlights.

Regards,

-Geo

[CrashTestDanny]

As others have said, this is a really good question and there are some good answers. However, I am surprised with the number of veteran riders we have here that the most important skill you can have and the one skill that can save your butt in any situation has not been mentioned yet.

I have worked on developing many of the skills named above and have gotten pretty good at some of them. However, I would give them all up for this one:

PRAYER

I know there will be those who don't believe it, but this one skill can save you from the situations that nobody would expect to survive. I was on my way home from college in 1985, driving a '71 impala with my Kaw CSR 650 bolted to the hitch. I had a dog (Iffy - short for Ifigenia) in the front seat to keep me company. Somewhere in the mountains around Ruidoso, NM, she suddenly started licking my face - to wake me up! I opened my eyes to see rocks all around me, trees flying by, but NO ROAD!!! I had fallen asleep and run off the road up there in the mountains - and those are some big mountains. I closed my eyes and prayed for deliverance from my folly - then I felt a huge bang as the car came to a very sudden stop. On the shoulder of the road - a section that had been built up to cross from one peak to another - drops on either side of the roadway. Bike was still attached and undamaged. Car was undamaged. Dog curled up and went to sleep. I pulled up to a scenic overlook and went to sleep. I believe in the power of prayer.