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Q & A with Fred

How long have you been riding and what do you currently ride?

Fred - Hmmm, I've been riding for about 26 years but I still have tons I can learn. Right now in the garage I have a 2007 Yamaha R6, 2016 Ducati 959 Panigale, and a 2020 BMW S1000RR MSport. “Yeah, life is great!!!”

How did you first get interested in riding a motorcycle?

Fred - Growing up I was into cars but always had a taboo fascination with motorcycles. The minute I could afford one, I got one and never looked back!

What is your dream bike?

Fred - Jeez…You would think, with all the riding experience I have, this would be an easy question. Every bike!

What is the farthest trip you’ve done on your motorcycle?

Fred - Pensacola, Fl to Brooklyn, Ny on a 1989 Suzuki Katana 750. It was mid February, cold & rainy and I didn’t have the proper gear…But I loved every minute of it.

Where would you love to visit on a motorcycle?

Fred - Without hesitation, ISLE OF MAN!

What is your most memorable experience on a motorcycle to date?

Fred - It would have to be when I crashed my Ducati 848…I was on a SoCal mountain road riding spiritedly, when an on coming car crossed the double yellow mid-turn. I tried to adjust, ran wide, and ended up doing a front flip when I impacted the embankment. The results were, cosmetic damage to my beautiful Ducati but I came out unscathed (even road the bike the rest of the day). I learned two of many valuable lessons…1. Riding gear is worth every penny, I had on full race gear. 2. Good motorcycle training will save your life, even though I still crashed…had I not been on the brakes mid-turn I would have had ahead on collision with the car.

Do you prefer group rides or solo rides?

Fred - With the right riders…Definitely group rides. There’s something about sharing a back road with 5-10 riders that just makes you smile and forget about what’s behind you.

What is the toughest thing you learned on a motorcycle to date?

Fred - Brakes are your friend. I rode a long time thinking “don’t touch the brakes while turning”. When I attended Yamaha Champions Riding School, I was quickly taught to continually apply the brakes until I was happy with speed and direction. Once I adopted this technique, it was scary to think back to all the riding I had done over the years without applying it. “It’s truly confidence inspiring to feel control over the speed of the bike mid-turn.”

Name an inspirational riding figure you look up to, and why?

Fred - MCN’s Chief Road Tester Michael Neeves. Over the years I’ve found his reviews to be some of the most helpful. He is an accomplished motorcycle rider but comes off as just a regular guy, letting you know that anyone can get to that level of riding.

What’s your advice to newer riders?

Fred - Take your time but don’t let yourself plateau. Try to gain a new technique every 6 months, then spend the next 6 actively working on it. Remember this is a beautiful sport and the more you learn the more beautiful it becomes.