Month One after getting my first motorcycle was a wild ride.
Even after taking the MSF course and spending time riding with my dad, I was nervous every time I thought about taking the bike out by myself.
My friends would always tell me, “Seat Time, Seat Time, Seat Time”. It made perfect sense but I still struggled to bridge the gap.
After talking myself out of riding countless times, I finally decided to start taking baby steps. And ended up stumbling onto, what I think, is the perfect way to gain confidence as a new rider.
- Mentally Prepare for Each Ride
- Get the Right Gear
- Practice Braking and “Parking Lot” Drills
- Gradually Increase the Difficulty
- “Seat Time, Seat Time, Seat Time”
It really is that simple.
But let me break it down.
Mentally Prepare for Each Ride
I have two rules for every ride that I swear by, and they’re a cheat code for new riders;
- I WILL NOT Ride When I’m Not “Feeling It”
- I ALWAYS do a Pre-Ride Ritual (hear me out on this one)
I remember seeing this article about pre-ride rituals. It had a picture of Valentino Rossi (The Goat) squatting by his motorcycle, almost like he was praying with it. The article listed some of the things riders do to get in the zone before a race. Some racers put on their gloves in a specific order, some would kiss the gas tank, and some would eat eggs the morning of every race.
While the concept of a pre-ride ritual seems weird at first, it is underrated.
The pre-ride ritual helps ground you in the moment and puts you in the zone to ride your motorcycle.
And what’s crazy is most people naturally adopt some sort of ritual without even noticing it.
One of my riding friends likes to weave and wiggle his bars every time we’re about to hit some back roads. I realized that I tap the sides of my gas tank, almost like how you would pet a horse.
Ninja Tip: Start with your Pre-ride Checklist, you will have a ritual before you know it.
Whatever you do, you should have some sort of mental ritual you go through before every ride that puts you in the zone and helps you lock-in.
Rule number 1 is a lesson from my first crash.
I got target fixation on an unfamiliar road, at night, less than a month into owning a motorcycle. The biggest lesson from that night? I was already familiar with that feeling from all those times I forced myself to ride, even when I felt “off”.
It really made me look back and realize how close I could have been to crashing all those times before.
Now, it’s non-negotiable, if I’m not feeling up to riding, I don’t.
Get The Right Gear
I’m going to be honest, I made the mistake of spending all my money on the bike and not saving anything for gear. Other than my gloves and high-top shoes, I was going full squid.
But I understood the importance of gear and knew I needed to get it ASAP.
What I didn’t expect was the confidence boost that gear gives you. I only had enough money to buy one piece of gear at a time and my first purchase was a motorcycle jacket – but it was a game-changer.
That’s when I realized.
Knowing you’re protected automatically gives you more confidence, and this allows you to start focusing on getting better on the bike, which compounds the confidence.
Yeah, any fall on a motorcycle is bad, regardless of the gear you have on. But I am 100% more confident in gear than without it, and the minute I upgraded my gear, my riding got better and better.
For a more detailed breakdown and a few ninja tips, check out our Guide on The Essential Motorcycle Gear For New Riders.
Practice Braking and Slow-Speed Drills
Want to accelerate your progress on a motorcycle into the stratosphere? Start by slowing down.
I’m serious.
Slow speed and emergency braking drills are the fastest way new riders can gain confidence with their motorcycle.
As a new rider, your motorcycle is going to feel like it is out of your control. Like it’s pulling you along and one false move could send you flying.
We all know what it feels like to twist the throttle for the first time. I took my MSF course on a 250 and it felt like a rocket.
But the motorcycle IS in your control, and there is no better way to prove that than by practicing braking and trying to master your figure 8s.
One of my best rides to date was to my local park where there’s a big, empty parking lot. I had planned to go through all of Motojitsu’s slow-speed drills…but I got bored and only did some emergency braking practice and attempted a few figure 8s. 10-15 minutes of practice, tops.
The minute I pulled out of that park it felt like I was riding a completely different bike. The throttle didn’t “pull” me anymore, didn’t feel as sensitive as before, and I immediately felt confident that I could stop the bike fast. I wasn’t stiff like a board and I wasn’t looking down at my controls every two seconds. I felt in control.
I waited more than a month to actually practice braking on my bike and it was the first time I felt in control of the bike.
The ride home was crazy, I immediately wanted to start cranking on that throttle and I haven’t stopped since.
But I also remember to practice, frequently.
Gradually Increase Difficulty
So you have your pre-ride ritual, the right gear, and a plan to practice your slow-speed skills, how do you build upon this?
The answer is gradually.
The secret is to start slow and just build up to all the things that scare you.
Even something like riding on the road for the first time can be scary.
New riders are still adjusting to the demands of riding a motorcycle, and it’s almost like you’re interacting with the world in an entirely different way.
All of a sudden traffic is scary again, interstate speeds are too fast, and that turn into your neighborhood, which you’ve taken a million times, is a completely different challenge on 2 wheels.
The fix? Just start slow and gradually increase the difficulty. An example would be like below:
- Practice in your neighborhood or local street
- Only ride when there is little to no traffic
- Ride to your nearest park or parking lot to practice
- Start to ride in traffic but only on local roads
- Start to ride further distances
- Start to ride on faster roads or interstates with minimal traffic
- Ride slowly through town with heavy traffic
- Ride on the interstate with regular traffic
- Start to practice more while riding
- Keep improving your skills on the bike
I know all this sounds boring, but you can easily speed up this process by sticking to the plan and remaining consistent.
This actually ties into the last step.
Seat Time, Seat Time, Seat Time
I finally understood what my friends were trying to tell me all along.
Seat time is the secret sauce to gaining confidence on your motorcycle.
I had all the gear, practiced once a week for a month, and built up to ride in various situations. Now it was time to actually get good at riding.
I finally took my friend’s advice and decided to ride everywhere I could for a week. If I wasn’t hauling groceries or people, I was on the bike. I was getting that seat time.
All it took was riding back to back for 3 days and I was already 100% more confident on the bike than I was 3 days prior and 1000% times more confident than the night of my wreck.
The fastest way for new riders to accelerate their confidence and skills with their motorcycle is to spend more time riding their motorcycle.
Tips for New Riders
If you follow the tips I list above, you can be confident in days as opposed to months.
Add in the Pre-ride Checklist and your confidence will skyrocket even faster.
And to help you even more, here are some extra tips to help you improve.
Find Your Tribe (Trust Me, It’s a Game-Changer)
Finding a good group of riders is the best way to improve your riding and fun on the bike. They’ve been where you are and can help you and give feedback.
- Join local riding groups (Facebook is great for this) that welcome beginners
- Look for “new rider” meetups in your area
- Find that one experienced rider who’s willing to be your mentor (they’re out there, and most are stoked to help)
Pro tip: Start with breakfast rides. They’re usually more relaxed, and everyone’s in a better mood with coffee and bacon involved.
Defensive Riding Is Your New Best Friend
Here’s something nobody tells you – being a good rider isn’t about going fast. It’s about being smart. Some game-changing habits I’ve learned:
- Treat every car like they haven’t seen you (because usually, they haven’t)
- Position yourself where car drivers can see you in their mirrors
- Leave enough space to make a coffee break between you and the vehicle ahead
- Make eye contact with drivers when possible (a little nod goes a long way)
I can’t tell you how many close calls these habits have helped me avoid.
Track Your Wins (Because Progress Is Progress)
Remember when you first learned to ride a bike? You probably didn’t think about how far you’ve come since those wobbly training wheels. Same goes for motorcycling. Start keeping track of your achievements:
✓ First time starting without stalling
✓ First smooth U-turn
✓ First time navigating rush hour
✓ First 100 miles under your belt
Conclusion
If you follow the 5 steps in this guide, you will greatly improve your confidence in your motorcycle. And you will be doing it safely.
Remember This…
Building confidence isn’t about being fearless – it’s about being skilled enough to manage the fears you have. Every single rider you see cruising down the highway started exactly where you are now. The only difference? They kept at it.
Now get out there and ride.