Page 34
NOVEMBER 2020 • BACKROADS
Performance Upgrade words: Dan Bisbee • images: Ken Condon & Ailton Santos One of the first things people do after they purchase a motorcycle is to purchase some sort of performance upgrade. It could be an aftermarket pipe, a performance chip or tuning, or a suspension upgrade. Yet most folks fail to consider a riding class as an upgrade to their performance. I recently spent the day with Ken Condon for a one-on-one rider coaching class and I was humbled beyond belief. But then, that was the whole point. Ken runs Riding in the Zone, a business and web site dedicated to motorcycle rider training. During our time together, he easily pointed out everything I was doing wrong – mid corner corrections, lazy shifting, missed apexes. And then he showed me how to improve my technique. Motorcycles run in Ken’s blood. He’s been riding since 1976 and began racing in 1986. He worked as a freelance illustrator and then as a graphic designer before becoming the marketing manager for Twisted Throttle. He has also had columns in Motorcyclist Magazine as well as Motorcycle Consumer News. He has been running Riding in the Zone since 2014. In addition to one-onone rider coaching, he also does group training, parking lot courses and is the lead instructor for Tony’s Track Days. My class started with an hourlong video chat the night before, a concession to Covid-19 and social distancing. During our virtual class, he went over cornering lines and
reading the road. He asked me about my riding and where I thought my weaknesses were – trail-braking and parking lot maneuvering immediately came to mind. I met Ken the next morning and he mounted a Bluetooth communicator to my helmet. After some pointers, I followed Ken down the road. A few miles later, we stopped at a vacant parking lot where he watched my cornering technique, coaching me via the communicator. Slow, look, lean and roll. Slow down. Look through the corner. Lean into the turn. Roll on the throttle. After a dozen or so passes, he had me add in trailbraking, carrying some brakes into the corner to settle the chassis. He coached me through a couple of corners until I started getting it, picking up speed as we went. Back on the road, with Ken following, he coached me through the curves. Outside-Inside-Outside. Brake into the corner. Find the apex. Roll on the throttle coming out. Slow, then go. Set the chassis. Settle the bike. Ride smooth. Riding, which had become second nature to me, was now unfa-
The Boat House Restaurant Perfect in Any Season Brunch, Lunch or Dinner on Swartswood Lake
Excellent Ride Destination
Wed-Sun 11A-8P Closed Mon+Tues Beautiful Outdoor Garden Dining on the Lake
1040 Cty Rd 521 • Swartswood NJ 973-300-0016
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT We hope to see you soon!
OPEN FOR DINE-IN or TAKEOUT. Visit webpage for menu See daily specials on Facebook. Curbside Delivery Available. Tues: 4-9 • Wed: 12-9 • Thurs-Sat: Noon-10 Sun: Breakfast 9-1/ Lunch-dinner Noon-8
RivertonHotelandRestaurant
The Riverton Hotel and Restaurant At Belvidere-Riverton Free Bridge, Riverton, PA
610-498-4241 • www.rivertonhotel.net
Member of
