Going fast on a motorcycle is fun. Carving the perfect line through a corner is fun. Riding smoothly and well is fun!

But at some point, you are going to need to scrub off a *lot* of speed *very* quickly. It's a technique that, if not performed properly, "can end in tears" - not to mention and banged up bike and body.

Whenever I get the opportunity, I practice braking. I want to know how my bike reacts - how does it feel with the front tire heavily loaded? Is the rear getting light? How much pressure do I need to apply? How smoothly can I pull in the brake lever?

All of that and more needs to be practiced as often as you can. These two articles give you some tips and techniques to practice on your next ride.

Advanced Riding Course: Braking Techniques

Street Savvy: Smooth Motorcycle Braking Tips

33:07 minutes (7.62 MB)

What's the longest you've ever ridden in one day? Two days? Four?

How about 5566 miles in 86 hours and 31 minutes. Do the math - that's under 4 days!

John Ryan did exactly that. From Prudhoe Bay, on the North Shore of Alaska to Key West, Florida, Ryan traversed the entire North American Continent - and that included the 400-mile long gravel Dalton Highway!

The folks at 2WheelTuesday.com have a press release about John's ride that you can read while you listen in to the interview. Hope you enjoy it!

The Slime Power Sport Tire inflator is the world's most versatile, compact inflation system. It features interchangeable power connectors that allow for multiple power sources. Everything stores easily in the rugged carrying case.

The inflator is sold on the Slime site for $36.99 and on Amazon for $29.99. Autozone has it for the same price but there's a $20 mail-in rebate to bring the price down to just $10!

This is a piece of kit every rider should have in their garage and it's small enough to carry with you on the bike.

The Marine Corps will premiere “Semper Ride,” an exciting new motorcycle training film, at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., and Camp Lejeune, N.C. on 19 May and 25 June, respectively.

“Semper Ride” is a fast-paced, action-packed film with an overall responsible riding theme, instructional material, and mentoring from some of the motorcycle industry’s most talented riders.

“Semper Ride” explores and educates riders on a wide variety of motorcycle riding disciplines, from motocross to sport bikes, street bikes, and dual-sport machines. Different riding styles and terrains are reviewed in-depth with an emphasis on those who pursue riding motorcycles for sport and thrills; the “high risk population.”

Wandering through the industrial neighborhood of West Oakland, You'll find more than a few warehouse art studios, each one filled to the brim with all manner of projects; from giant robots to huge metal art - and of course steam machines. A few days ago, I was fortunate enough to be invited into the studio of one of the artists that reside there; a fine chap by the name of Tom Sepe. After sending out a call for willing subjects (aka, interview-ees), Tom contacted me and, with but a few words, lured me into his studio. Those words were simply: "Want to come see my electric-steam hybrid motorcycle?". He calls it the Whirlygig Emoto.

What self-respecting grease monkey could possibly refuse? Sure, it meant a long haul across water and land. But I put my nose to the grind-stone for you, and for science.

Motorcyclists be warned: Thieves in St. Joseph are not afraid of carting motorcycles away in the middle of the afternoon.

The St. Joseph Police Department is looking into a string of motorcycle thefts involving usually two or three people loading parked bikes into their trucks and taking off.

“(The thefts) aren’t totally original, but it’s not overly commonplace,” Cmdr. Jim Connors of the St. Joseph Police Department said. “I think it says something about how much people pay attention.”

Mr. Connors said both bikes were properly parked and locked at the time of thefts.

“Each of the motorcycles were locked. They had done all they could,” he said. “It’s just one of the dangers of riding a motorcycle and leaving it in what basically is an open situation.”

(YBL Comment: What do you do to protect your bike when you're not on it?)

If there were ever a need to be proactive, assertive and in control, it is while riding a motorcycle. Motorcyclists and scooter riders are arguably the most vulnerable motor vehicle operators on the road.

Because of these and other realities, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) has evolved a system for managing the many risks riders face. The system is based on the premise that you are the one most responsible for your own safety. As a rider, it is your job to look out for yourself, and not fully trust others any more than you have to. No one has your best interests at heart more than you.

Had every intention of heading out today to go riding - maybe to the Catskills, maybe MA...who knows....life sometimes require you just get the hell out of the house and away from The Crazy.

Left the house around 11am and was immediately uncomfortable on the bike. Usually, I get on the bike and feel great right off the bat and enjoy myself immensely. This was the first time I wasn't even a little comfortable.

And to make it worse, it was all mental. I couldn't get into the "riding mind set". I was thinking about too many other things (basically, my life is going to hell in a handbasket) and wasn't focusing on the bike and my technique.

Rode around for a few miles and even tried to force myself into riding well by heading into a couple of turns hot. I could feel the wheels, front and back, really sliding around - and not in a good way.

I just happened to be passing by a high school and there were a bunch of kids doing a car wash. I love taking my bike to these things because the kids love washing the bike (even though they usually do a really crappy job) and I love supporting their efforts.

While they were washing the bike, I took a look at the tires:

Oh oh....that ain't good....

Another first time - I'd never worn out a tire like that before. The front still had some life to it but I wasn't about to ride around any more with a bad mental attitude *and* a bad rear tire.

So now I'm trapped in the house until I can get new rubber....

The Isle of Man TT is one of the few races in the world I've always wanted to see in person but have *zero* interest in running a bike on the track. The guys who race in the TT are some of the most insane racers in the world - at no time should *both* your wheels be off the ground!

"Redlegs" has written down some of the tips he's learned, discovered, re-learned and put to use on rides up and down Colorado's roads and the roads of several other states.

He says, "First and foremost, take care of your motorcycle and it'll get you home. I do my own services where I can, not only to save money but to get to know my motorcycle more closely in case it ever breaks down. Not only that, but when I do a service, I know it was done and done as right as I can possibly do it."

He makes some other really good points in the article. "Speaking of working on your motorcycle, try and do the work with just the tools you normally carry on your motorcycle. You obviously won't have that fully stocked tool chest in your garage with you when riding, will you?" I hadn't thought of that. :)

Another excellent point is to "carry a tire puncture kit and know how to use it, heck, practice using it on an old tire. The side of the road, in the rain and late at night is not the time to try and read the instructions that came with the kit!" I'll admit, I've got a puncture repair kit but I've never practiced using it. :(

Read the article for even more great ideas.

Arai helmets have taken the no.1 spot in J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Motorcycle Helmet Satisfaction Study, followed by Shoei in second place and Icon in third. Arai has come out on top in this study for the 11th consecutive year.

With a score of 830 on a 1,000-point scale, Arai ranked highest and performed particularly well in the ventilation and design and styling factors. Shoei followed in second place with a score of 815 and performed well in the face shield parameters. Icon ranked third overall, with a score of 806.

The study finds the proportion of helmet owners who purchased their helmet online has increased – up to 17 percent in 2009 from 14 percent in 2008. More than 50 percent of these helmet owners researched online, prior to their purchase, and 22 percent of them made their purchase online.

Motorcycle enthusiasts are always looking for ways to meet new riders and avenues to share the passion that only two wheels can bring.

The latest way to meet fellow riders comes courtesy of Honda as it opens the doors to its riders club, offering free membership to the Honda Riders Club of America. Introducing a new membership format for the popular Honda Riders Club of America, effectively immediately, new members may join the HRCA free of charge.

Riders interested in joining the Honda Riders Club of America can go to the website, enroll in minutes and have access to the club's exclusive magazine, Honda Red Rider magazine and take advantage of special discounts.

The special discounts offered to all HRCA Members includes select events such as the 2009 USGP races at Laguna Seca and Indianapolis, the AMA road races at Barber Motorsports Park, the Hangtown Motocross races and more.

Woke up saturday morning and the weather looked pretty lousy. But, I knew a bunch of riders from a local forum were meeting up in Great Barrington, MA this afternoon. I knew I needed to get out for a ride (lousy week) and figured I'd take a chance it wouldn't rain too hard.

I was so glad I did! I had a really fun ride up to MA, met a lot of great riders and saw more FJR's in one place than I ever have before!

Click here to see all the pictures from the "Northeast ST.N Meet & Greet"!

26:01 minutes (5.99 MB)

Leslie Porterfield is the 2008 AMA Racing Female Rider of the Year, holds three land-speed records and is a member of the Bonneville 200 mph club. She is also the owner of High Five Cycles, a successful, used motorcycle dealership in downtown Dallas. She has been riding and racing motorcycles for sixteen of her 32 years.

I had a great time chatting with her about racing and her runs at over *234mph* on a motorcycle!

40:14 minutes (9.24 MB)

YBL had a great time talking to columnist and author Ken Condon, author the new book "Riding in the Zone".

44:36 minutes (10.21 MB)

I had the great pleasure of talking to my good friend, J Curtis this past week. I started riding shortly after J did and we've had some great times together.

On this episode, he talks about how he volunteered to work the pits at an AMA race down in Road Atlanta.

YBL had a great time talking to Wayne Chen, CEO of Adaptiv Technologies.

The Adaptiv TPX is the world’s first fully-integrated, portable motorcycle radar and laser detection system designed for American and Metric Cruisers, Sport, and Touring bikes.

The season is officially upon us, so it’s time to do what we love to do, which is get the fans in the action early and often.

This week’s victim/guest is Shawn King, Executive Producer and Host of Your Bike Life. We sent Shawn some questions and he was gracious enough to give us his thoughts and impressions of the upcoming race and season. We’ll have a new fan every Friday so be sure to check back every week. There’s no such thing as a right or wrong answer so relax and enjoy!

So, in the words of the great Nick Harris (who Shawn doesn’t listen to anyway, see below) “The red light is off, and we are underway!”

Click here to read more "MotoGP Talk Fan of the Week - MotoGP Season Opener Edition, with Shawn King"

YBL spent a little time talking to Liz of the Rippin Kitten web site.

Liz is a really good writer, quite the mechanic and has some strong opinions regarding women and motorcycles - and her opinions my surprise you!

Also, she has created a really cool logo for her T-shirt design:

She still has a few left so head over to her web site and grab one!

The WildKaT is the first motorcycle designed from the ground up for women riders. Seriously, do women really need specially designed motorcycles? Why don’t car manufacturers start building women-specific cars then? Oh wait, they do. It’s the mini-van.

Why are some women buying into the hype?!?! It makes me so angry to see droves of women gathering around the Ridley tent at rallies, sitting on those glorified scooters and to hear that ROAR has reservations piling up for this motorcycle that isn’t even produced.

I know that lots of people (women specifically) might not like my opinion. They might say something like”well, who cares what women are riding as long as they’re out there riding?”

Me. I care.

(YBL Comment: I can see both sides of the issue but Rippin Kitten has some good points)

Click here to read more "Women’s Only Motorcycles: Pandering or Genius Marketing?"

Sport Bike.

Hooligan. Stunters. Wheelies. Young punks. Too much throttle, not enough sense...

All of the above and much more has been said about sport bikes and their riders. All are true, in one form or another, at one time or another.

But I am here today to sing the praises of, if not sport bikes in general than one particular sport bike rider - Sport Bike Guy.

I don't know who he is. I've never seen him before in my life. I'll probably never see him again. But, if I do, I owe him as many beverages of his choice he can suck down.

My wife and I had planned on riding with a bunch of "online friends" through the Catskills but, due to her work, we had to bail. I spent that Sunday morning, moping around the house until she yelled at me, "Go riding!"

I was probably out the door before she took her next breath...

I am both a fairly new rider and new to the Danbury, CT area. I've been lucky enough to meet up with some fellow riders who know the area well. They've taken me on some wonderful rides and one in particular I really enjoy (mostly cause I can find it by heart now) is Marcus Dairy, CT to Carmel, NY and then on to Cold Spring, NY where I reward myself at one of the local pubs with a chilled adult beverage.

So off I go.

At some point, I "pick up" another rider. He pulls up next to me at a stop light. I don't get a real good look at him but he's wearing full (and seemingly custom designed) leathers and riding what I think is a older Ducati. He looks at me and jokes, "Where's all the thunderstorms we were supposed to have?" I replied, "Let's go find them!"

The British are nothing if not ingenious in their methods of taking something simple, like a garage door opener, and making it absolutely brilliant!

Your Bike Life talks to Lisa Johnson, Development Director for Riders for Health about their organization, the work they do preventing and curing disease in Africa and how they use motorcycles to accomplish it.

I absolutely love reading well written ride stories, whether they are around town or around the world.

A guy I've been reading for a while calls himself "Frenchy". He works for WWE (yes, the wrestling guys) as a technician. I've never met the guy but I absolutely love his writing style and his ride stories.

He's also a damn fine photographer.

His latest great story is about the "Milk Run" he took with a buddy through the mountains of California. Just reading his descriptions makes me want to move there!

Go. Read. Subscribe!

Click here to read more "Frenchy's Rants: Milk Run Marathon"

YBL had a great time talking to columnist and author Ken Condon, author the new book "Riding in the Zone".

Click here to listen to "Ken Condon, author of "Riding in the Zone!"

"Yea though I fly through the Valley of Death, I shall fear no evil for I am the baddest Mofo in the sky..."

Click here to read more "SR-71 Blackbird"

He at least saved me from a serious accident!

I was out riding on Tuesday. I had just finished Ken's *excellent* book, "Riding in the Zone" the night before and was looking forward to practicing some of the techniques he described.

One in particular that stuck in my mind was the idea of having a "Cornering Plan" - each corner we come to has a different method of travel through and, if you have a plan ahead of time, the corner becomes that much smoother. Another thing I was practicing is a bad habit I have - when I hit the apex of a turn, I'm often far too close to the centerline and sometimes my helmet/upper body is over it. It's never been an issue but I wanted to try and break the habit.

I was out on familiar roads, thinking about Ken's thoughts on approach, entry, apex and exit and make sure I had good lines into the turn. I was focusing on delaying my entry into a turn and making my imaginary apex point the center track and not the yellow center line as I have done in the past.

I come up on a fairly blind, left hand, decreasing radius turn - exactly the kind of turn I might be too close to the yellow line at apex in the past. I set up wide to the right, delay entry well past where I would normally have turned in and flicked the bike into the entry. Just like Ken teaches in the book, I've got a little throttle on to steady the bike, I'm looking through and leaning into the turn. This is fun!