View Poll Results: What is the biggest factor to riding well?
Equipment
1
2.44%
Skill
18
43.90%
Knowledge
4
9.76%
Courage
2
4.88%
Judgement
16
39.02%
Voters: 41. You may not vote on this poll
Most importantant factor for riding?
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Joined: Feb 2009
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From: Dirty Jerz
At the end of the movie "Faster," Valentino Rossi is talking, and he says that he doesn't ride on the street because it's too dangerous and unpredictable. Most of us won't go that far, but if possibly the most skilled rider in history feels his skills aren't enough to keep him safe on public streets, that should tell you something.
As for the OP's question, I'd say it's wisdom, which is kind of cheating because it's kind of a mix of a few of the options. However, I don't think any of those stand alone as being at all more important than the other. What good is knowledge if you can't get over your SRs(having courage)? What good is skill without judgment? What good is judgment without skill? etc. etc.
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Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Colorado, U.S.A.
Equipment ~ You can put a complete novice on the worlds fastest most advanced bike and they're still going to suck.
Skill ~ Although skill is important, it is only relative to the difficulty of the task one is trying to accomplish. Skill can only be strengthened through repetition. Like Clint Eastwood said, "Every man should know his/her limitations," meaning don't bite off more than you can chew. Follow this and you'll be OK.
Knowledge ~ Knowing how to do something and/or how something operates should be foremost, and the foundation from which all these others factors are developed on. Only a fool would attempt to begin to do something and expect success without first learning about every aspect and facet involved therein.
Courage ~ It's what's drives a person to do things that perhaps others would not under similar circumstances. Maybe not a good thing with a sportbike on public streets.
Judgment ~ This is what's going to save your hide. Good judgment will prevent you from putting yourself at risk BEFORE you commit to doing something stupid. This I believe is most important. Bad judgement placed before any of the above is likely to result in failure.
Skill ~ Although skill is important, it is only relative to the difficulty of the task one is trying to accomplish. Skill can only be strengthened through repetition. Like Clint Eastwood said, "Every man should know his/her limitations," meaning don't bite off more than you can chew. Follow this and you'll be OK.
Knowledge ~ Knowing how to do something and/or how something operates should be foremost, and the foundation from which all these others factors are developed on. Only a fool would attempt to begin to do something and expect success without first learning about every aspect and facet involved therein.
Courage ~ It's what's drives a person to do things that perhaps others would not under similar circumstances. Maybe not a good thing with a sportbike on public streets.
Judgment ~ This is what's going to save your hide. Good judgment will prevent you from putting yourself at risk BEFORE you commit to doing something stupid. This I believe is most important. Bad judgement placed before any of the above is likely to result in failure.
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Equipment - You don't need gear to "Ride Well", you just need it to save your *** when you don't "Ride Well". As for bikes "it's not the bike it's the rider."
Skill - Operating the bike is easy. The "skill" isn't hard to learn. Seen lots of "skilled riders" crash due to bad decisions.
Knowledge - What you know isn't as important as how you apply it.
Courage - In the sense that courage isn't the absence of fear but doing what needs to be done despite the fear (ie; not standing the bike up to try to brake midcorner when your worried you came in too hot is an example of doing what you need and fighting the fear). This ones more important than most are giving it credit for, but still not the most important. Don't confuse courage with bravery or bravado.
Judgment - This is along with knowing what's going on around you (awareness) is really the only thing that's going to keep you alive. A fully geared up, skilled and knowledgable rider on a brand new perfectly tuned bike throwing down standup wheelies past blind intersections is eventually going to end badly no matter how courageously he does them.
Skill - Operating the bike is easy. The "skill" isn't hard to learn. Seen lots of "skilled riders" crash due to bad decisions.
Knowledge - What you know isn't as important as how you apply it.
Courage - In the sense that courage isn't the absence of fear but doing what needs to be done despite the fear (ie; not standing the bike up to try to brake midcorner when your worried you came in too hot is an example of doing what you need and fighting the fear). This ones more important than most are giving it credit for, but still not the most important. Don't confuse courage with bravery or bravado.
Judgment - This is along with knowing what's going on around you (awareness) is really the only thing that's going to keep you alive. A fully geared up, skilled and knowledgable rider on a brand new perfectly tuned bike throwing down standup wheelies past blind intersections is eventually going to end badly no matter how courageously he does them.
Last edited by Hangfire; Jun 14, 2011 at 12:30 PM.
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 65
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From: Reno, NV
I think Judgement is the most important because it can save you whether or not you have all the other traits. Example. You don't have the skill to hang with some of your riding buddies, but you have good judgment enough to know that you should take it easy and not try to keep up with them, pushing beyond your limit. This logic goes well with all the other qualities as well.
Judgement is a skill. knowledge is a good base for skills. Courage can help to strengthen skills. Skills is how you put all you know into action and keep you from getting intimate with the ground. Equipment (like armor, boots, gloves, and helmet) is there for when your available skills let you down.
Without good judgement, a fair amount of knowledge, and a little courage...all you are likely to end up with is a lot of bad skills!
I voted skills...because without good skills you won't make it very far unless you got a crap-ton of luck!
Without good judgement, a fair amount of knowledge, and a little courage...all you are likely to end up with is a lot of bad skills!
I voted skills...because without good skills you won't make it very far unless you got a crap-ton of luck!
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Joined: Feb 2011
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From: Tulsa,OK
Judgement means not riding without the proper equipment, being able to realizing where your skill level actually is, ensuring you have the knowledge to execute that skill thus giving you the courage to advance your ability to ride well.
Ern
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