The thing is many of us are not as young as we think we are and our battered bodies don’t process the stuff we throw down our throats with as much gusto as they used to.

Could it be that the scenario played out above with a high carb meal and a few beers (staying under the .05 of course) has something to do with serious motorcycle accidents??? I don’t want to believe it so I did some investigating.

Motorcyclists aged 40-65 make up nearly 50% of serious motorcycle accidents (requiring hospitalization). Of these most are single-vehicle accidents occurring mid to late afternoons on weekends. Mmmfood for thought. Could it be that what we do OFF the bike is contributing to what happens ON the bike?

Armed with these new found facts and in the interests of science and because I am a team player I have been forgoing the beer over lunch and eating a much lighter meal than my fellow fuck it 40s and 50s (you can thank me later!).

What I have found is that

1. I don’t miss that beer that much- no one raises a grey eyebrow when I get a water or soft drink at lunch.
2. There are heaps of alternatives to the hamburger and high carb options at most destinations.
3. I don’t get hungry on the way home.
4. It could be just me but I think I am clearer when riding and enjoy the ride back far more. (Now this is relative and some would say I am starting from a low base when it comes to my abilities to think.)
5. I am not as tired when I get off the bike which means I can do the other thing I love with my missus better and more often but we will keep this PG for now.

As I said at the start, I love beer but maybe there is benefit in missing one or two and thinking about our ability to process large amounts of carbs, the impact on our thinking and whether a few small changes off the bike could result in generally having more fun on the bike.

Read More : ITALIAN OBSESSION

The post ALCOHOL AND MOTORBIKES appeared first on Next Level Motorcycling.

I currently own an Aprilia (Ariana) which is a great bike. Fast, flamboyant, sings like Pavarotti, looks great, and provides me with pleasures that I never take for granted.

You see my Ariana is sick. Well, not so much sick as just in need of running repairs- like any bike… only different.

Having booked my beloved in for new fork seals and waiting two weeks I called my dealer/ mechanic. Apparently, Ariana is so special that there are no parts for her in the country which means they have to come from Italy. Will be a 2-month wait. WHAT? TWO MONTHS? Can’t we go for after-market? (I was hoping to keep this a secret from her like buying the girlfriend a fake diamond ring) A week later I get the news that aftermarket is not available and that Ariana will be sitting idle for not two but THREE months whilst we wait for parts.

This is intolerable. I love her but she needs to do her part in our relationship and I need a bike. So into the bike market, I step and find myself back looking at Italians. Perhaps it doesn’t feel like cheating on her if I stay looking in the same country.

I have been to Japan, England and even to America in my quest to find the perfect match but the Italian obsession bikes keep drawing me back.

So who knows where this will end but I have a feeling that my Italian love affair will cost me greatly, be frustrating but like any dysfunctional relationship is totally fulfilling in ways that I can’t explain to anyone.

Read More: ALCOHOL AND MOTORBIKES

The post ITALIAN OBSESSION appeared first on Next Level Motorcycling.

A workshop has a number of key advantages for adult learning.

A workshop;

• can be flexible according to the group needs.
• acknowledges and draws on the experience of individual riders
• utilises the combined experience of the group- not just one person
• can happen anywhere and is practical to “real life” riders
• is more fun

You will be asked to share your opinions and techniques for braking, slow maneuvering, lane filtering, rinding gear, managing traffic, parking, hill starts, and a wide variety of skills required to improve and have more fun.

As you progress through the workshops the topics become more advanced but the sharing experience remains the same. The whole idea is not to offer “training” but to facilitate and share ideas for practice and then put into place the things you like whilst riding out on the road.

It doesn’t matter if you are less confident as we have found that everyone has rider training skills and techniques to contribute to and learn from each other. After which you will be more confident and have more fun on your motorcycle.

I hope that you will make the small investment in time and money to improve your motorcycle riding skills and ultimately HAVE MORE FUN.

Read More: ALCOHOL AND MOTORBIKES

The post What Is The Difference Between Rider Training And A Skills Development Workshop? appeared first on Next Level Motorcycling.