Did you realize what mistakes you've done today? (Part 2)

The first step to becoming a better rider is to recognise the mistakes. This is 15 of the most common ones and how you can avoid them.

MISTAKE: HOLDING TOO TIGHT/BEING TOO TENSE

There's no need for a leotard or a Yoga class, but to be fast, smooth, safe and focused on a bike you need to be relaxed. Remember the time you got buzzed by a rapid rider passing you? When the red mist descended you got more than angry, you got tense. You may have felt fast because your riding was erratic, but you didn't go faster. He got farther and farther away. Relax and start to flow and you're more likely to reel him in, even if you feel like you are going slower. Tensing up is an all too natural response. Almost overshoot a corner and the fear makes arms and legs stiffen. Your rigidity hampers the movement of your bike's suspension (you are effectively fighting back against its movement) which makes the risk of you losing control even greater. You fear this, get even more tense and, if you don't break the cycle, you'll end up breaking your motorcycle. You may feel this doesn't apply to you. To find out, do this simple test. Find yourself a corner and, while you ride round it, try waggling your elbows up and down. If doing this " funky chicken " upsets your bike, you are holding too tight. Holding on too hard also increases your risk of having a tankslapper.