How To Ride with Miles Davis

This entry is part 12 of 22 in the series Adventure Rider Issue #10

Concentrate on being smooth and smart. Speed will follow.

Miles Davis

We live in one of the best countries in the world to ride an adventure bike. Mountains, deserts, beaches and rivers we have it all.

But when you look at a map, you can see the majority of the country is dominated by flat, open, barren landscapes. That being the case, in most parts of the country you don’t need to head too far from the coast to find some fast, open non-sealed roads. And when you find your ride heading this way you can almost guarantee riders will ride at higher speeds. The open landscape and straighter roads make it hard to stay focused and riders are often caught out by sudden changes in terrain. Usually sand, floodways or the odd corner are the traps.

Considering the crazy places some riders take their adventure bikes – steep hills, rocky terrain and twisty roads – it’s amazing how many accidents can take place on relatively basic roads. And one of the most concerning things is the severity of these accidents, mainly due to the quite high speeds those ‘easy’ roads allow.

So here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re tackling these conditions. They’ll improve your riding and hopefully greatly increase your chances of a safe arrival.

Stay focused

Riding big distances at speed takes a lot of concentration. If you aren’t used to that sort of riding be very cautious to start with. It can really catch you out.

You need to be very pro-active in your approach. It may sound like simple common sense, but gradually build up your stints on the bike. Don’t try and ride 1000km in a day if you haven’t ridden 500km previously.

Don’t get distracted. It doesn’t matter if it’s your GPS, buttons on your bike, maps in your tankbag or a loose mirror that you didn’t stop to tighten. If your concentration isn’t where it should be, it’s only a matter of time before you get that wake-up call. If you’re lucky you’ll have a get-out-of-jail ticket up your sleeve. If not, you could be sailing off your bike and the consequences might be severe.

Your GPS can be your best friend, but it can also bring you undone if it gets too much of your attention. Use it for what you need, and don’t fluff around with it when your focus should be on the road.

Disciplined riders finish rides

As riders we need to be able to make good decisions on the fly and we also need a good dose of discipline. There is definitely a balance between knowing when to go for it and knowing when to back off to have that bit extra ‘up your sleeve’. This gets easier with experience – hopefully – but it’s clear to see that some riders are overly cautious and others are not cautious enough. Like anything, it’s about finding a nice balance.

Be aware of your condition

For some riders eight hours on the bike is a nice bit of therapy. For others it’s like a solid session of bootcamp.

Riders need to know how to manage fatigue, read their body, know when they’re losing their edge and have the awareness to do something about it before things go pear shaped.

Hydrate

Unless you have a lot of riding experience or a background in endurance sports, most people are not good at staying hydrated. In fact, most people wait until they’re already dehydrated before they even think about doing some-thing about it, and then it’s too late. When you’re piloting a bike you should be drinking between three and five litres of water a day.

Make sure you’re keeping your fluids up or your muscles will lose strength and start cramping and feeling fatigue. At the same time your brain will lose its sharpness and you’ll become an accident waiting to happen. Most of the larger CamelBak bladders max out at three litres, so you should really be doing more than one fill up per day.

Snacks

Try to eat well.

It may take a little planning, but always having some small snacks on board can really make a difference. Dried fruit, trail mix, salami…it doesn’t really matter, but being able to have a small snack regularly through the day is a great way of staying on top of fatigue.

Avoid eating nothing, then having a massive lunch. You won’t be on top of your game digesting a megameal. Having regular snacks and then a lighter lunch will give you an edge. Even though energy drinks are like poison to the average Joe, a can of Red Bull in your kit could be the difference between you or one of your crew making it through the last 100km of a long day. Have one onboard, but don’t use it unless it’s really necessary. It won’t hydrate you but it might give you a slap in the face for the last stint when you really need it.

Stretch

Spending long periods on a bike isn’t natural, your body can tighten up and you can lose your agility.

One thing I really push when training riders is to get people to relax on the bike. A tight, stiff, tense rider has no chance compared to a relaxed, agile rider who can move around on the bike to maintain balance when the bike starts getting unhappy in rough terrain or sand. Do the funky chicken, shoulder rolls, take one hand off the ’bar at a time and shake it around when you hit some tar or smooth sections of dirt. Stand on the ’pegs and stretch your hammies, stretch your calves by putting the balls of your feet on the ’peg and driving your heels to the ground. Ride with one arm stretched out against the wind and feel your pecs stretch, or jump around on your ’pegs and get funky. Whatever it takes to stay loose.

I see it all the time. Riders who do some physical training can have a massive advantage over the guys who are unfit. Never underestimate how physically demanding riding an adventure bike can be.

Expect the unexpected

Wildlife, changes in terrain, oncoming traffic…it’s all out there trying to catch you out. It really helps to be alert and ready for the unexpected. Have something up your sleeve so when things change suddenly you’re not overcommitted.

Pick your speed carefully, try to read when you need to be going slower or have the luxury to run a bit faster.

Look ahead

This was covered in issue #07 when we covered vision. It’s so important and not really mastered by many riders. Learn how to read the terrain and surface changes.

Riders that can see obstacles or situations and react early will be 10 times safer than those who stumble across problems too late.

Know how to reduce speed quickly and efficiently

Riders who can wash off 50kph very quickly will have a huge advantage over riders who can’t. Practice braking skills! Know your limits, know your bike’s limits if it has ABS. This was covered in issue #06.

Use your body

When travelling at speed there will be times you’ll hit obstacles. If you don’t know how to use your body to take the sting out of impacts, you may crash or damage your bike. A lesser-skilled, static rider can hit an obstacle at 50kph and cause damage. A rider with good technique can hit the same obstacle on the same bike at 100kph and glide over it. Don’t blame your bike. The rider is the key in these situations.

Respect the speed

At the end of the day, you need to minimise unnecessary risks if you want to finish rides safely. You can ride fast when it makes sense, and you have to be very focused on what is going on around you. Being aware of all these points, and making good decisions, will give you a massive advantage. One loss of concentration or one moment of enthusiasm in keeping up can bring a rider undone and that dream ride can become a bit of a nightmare.

Develop skills and take your riding seriously and you’ll have an absolute ball!

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