Speed Comes from your Left Hand.

One of the things that I really wish my MSF instructors would have gone over is just how important clutch control is. The clutch is your do-it-all control on any bike. Consider the dreaded figure-8 box: It may be counter-intuitive, but it's easier to control the power to the rear wheel - and thus the handling of the bike - by judicious clutch application than by trying to use the right amount of throttle.

Had I figured that out during the class, I probably wouldn't have blown the figure-8 on my test.

The clutch isn't only good for low-speed maneuvering, however. You can accelerate a lot faster, and more smoothly, by gradually releasing the clutch than by letting the clutch go and grabbing a handful of throttle.

Case in point: Say you have a limited amount of space to get to freeway speeds. Metered on ramps during rush hour are a good example. To get the bike moving with a quickness, give it enough gas to get into the powerband (it kicks in around 7,000 RPM on my bike, and really picks up at 10k), and ever so gently release the clutch while applying a little more gas proportionally to how much you release the clutch.

The first time you do this, you'll likely find the way your lips peel back disconcerting. Don't worry, you'll get used to it.

Repeat for each shift, and you'll be amazed at how quickly you reach super-legal speed. I can almost reach freeway speeds in first gear, and I expect most motorcycles of the sport persuasion can as well. Keep an eye on your speedo, or count to four-one-thousand, to know when to stop accelerating, unless you like explaining why you were going so fast to officers of the law.

If you really want to improve your riding, pay attention to your clutch.