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The Pace - a must read

S Smith

S Smith

Northeast Area Director
Member
The Pace by Nick Ienatsch was originally published 1993 in Motorcyclist magazine. IIRC, Nick republished it years later with extras.  The article shows up on many motorcycling web sites and forums in both versions, and some modified beyond the original.

Click here to do a Google search for the article, or check out one of the links below.

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/flashback/122_0911_the_pace_nick_ienatsch/index.html
http://www.sportrider.com/ride/146_9306_motorcycle_pacing/index.html
 
This is one of the best "descriptions" of what safe street riding should be!! I always enjoy reading it. Thanks for posting it.
 
SSmith, thank you for this link to the article "The Pace"  Having just survived from a motor vehicle accident with, miraculously little long term damage to me (though my Connie :(  is totalled) I have been replaying the incident in my mind.  I was not at fault, per se, but "The Pace" brought up something I was lacking:  my state of mind.  I love to go fast, in whatever vehicle I drive, but I have started to 'push' my Connie when the opportunity presents itself.  "The Pace" is almost a Zen philosophy of mind and machine and I find myself lacking.  This just shows me that there is more to riding than going fast. 

Thank you and God bless!

Cesar Ocampo
 
Yes, the article opened my eyes when new to riding the 1998 Conk. Article goes back to 1991.
I try to use this explanation at the riders meeting when hosting the big twisty like NWCOG The Volcano Ride.
 
danodemotoman said:
Yes, the article opened my eyes when new to riding the 1998 Conk. Article goes back to 1991.
I try to use this explanation at the riders meeting when hosting the big twisty like NWCOG The Volcano Ride.
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Dan I think that they should have this posted on all the gas pumps in Cougar,WA. I've seen way to many unnecessary crashes on the way up to the mountain. Riders just don't seem to realize how small of margin there is for error. And speed/ego always complicates things.
 
Brady said:
Dan I think that they should have this posted on all the gas pumps in Cougar,WA. I've seen way to many unnecessary crashes on the way up to the mountain. Riders just don't seem to realize how small of margin there is for error. And speed/ego always complicates things.
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Even if it became mandatory reading, the weekend warrior phenomenon would still be prevalent. The combination of ego, testosterone, horsepower, and two wheels is not always a pretty mix.

Still, crashes happen to nice guys/gals who are riding their ride. Some riders become complacent with the combination of their riding skills and environment. While they may be good riders in their everyday situation, take them a rider out of their normal environment and placed into a more technically challenging one can have devastating results.  For example, many "flatlands" riders have been bitten when riding the Dragon or other technical roads in the Smoky Mountains. 

Just my $0.02
 
Hey, Steve...who you callin' a flatlander?  :)) We have hills in Florida. Well, if you can call 348 feet a hill! And we even have a few curves. It's just that the hills and curves aren't together. That's what confuses me!!

Eddie
 
Curves are not where you swerve to miss alligators and hills are not overpasses.  Same here in Texas in parts.  Curves are because the farmer would not sell his property to the hwy dpt.  Hills are where we buried.... never mind.
 
Used to chuckle at some former bosses of mine when I lived briefly on the Georgia coast.  Their method of training for running in the annual Peachtree Road Race up in Atlanta (where they have hills) was to run back and forth over the Turtle River Bridge, as it had the only major change in elevation for 30 miles (to allow freight ships to cross under Hwy 17).  My jogging days were great there = 5 miles/day was no problem.  Even took up cycling - but never had to use all 10 gears until I went to Knoxville for grad school.  Yep, I'd say it was flat...
 
Good read.  I read both versions of the article.  The pace is similar to what my sports car driving friends call spirited driving.
 
I enjoyed reading this book, and there are many good things to be learned from it.  My take on it, is that the author encourages speeding around corners and intersections. This is where there is usually gravel and debris from the trucks and trailers that go off the pavement. You are encouraged to speed through these turns then grin and drive slower on the straight portions of the road. I find most accidents happen at intersections and don't understand speeding through them.
 
"...My take on it, is that the author encourages speeding around corners and intersections. "  I think I'm going to have to ask you to point me to those recommendations, Speed Racer.  I've read both articles numerous times and never gotten that impression.
 
From Sport Riding Techniques, Ch. 10, "the rhythm that Mitch and I had fallen into was this: cool on the straights and fun in the corners. ...Big speed usually happens in a straight line, and the police have that figured out. Our new pace took away that straight-line throttle-happiness, and saved the fun for the corners.
A corner is an intersection. I have never called a curve in a road a corner. I have never had anyone refer to a curve anywhere in the mountains where I ride, Dragon or anywhere, as a corner. It's not 318 corners in 11 miles now is it? I have never said, what a sweeper corner! But I have seen word artists turn the corner away from truth, as in this thread. I'm calling BS on the corner.
 
Steve:

Reading that brings a couple of places in mind.  First would be Hwy 28 between Stecoah and the Fontana Dam cutoff.  Second would be Wayah Rd.  Now if I were only about to turn onto either of them, I'd be all smiles.
 
No where does Nick Ienatsch encourage "speeding through intersections." A "corner or intersection"  is not what he is refering to. Nick and his riding buddies developed "The Pace" back in '85 while he was working for Motorcyclist Magazine and riding in the mountains of southern California. It was meant for having fun in the mountain twisties, not in urban environments with corners and intersections.  I think you, Speed Racer, must be the first person to completely misunderstand what he was describing and encouraging.

I first read The Pace in Motorcyclist sometime in late 85 or early 86, and then a few years later got to ride with Nick in Utah and watch him demonstrate his method first hand.  Awesome is all I will say.

Although you have one point correct, and that is being aware of surface conditions. But if you are riding The Pace you'll be able to react to changing conditions, unlike blasting a straight, overcooking the curve and finding that the line you hoped to make is "dirty" and you have no options left.
 
Jim is ABSOLUTELY correct. No where in the Pace does the author advocate "speeding around corners and through intersections." He is using the word "corner" to describe a curve (it is called "cornering" not "curving" after all).  I also agree with Jim that if you're riding "the Pace" you'll have the time/space to react to road conditions (e.g. gravel, on coming traffic, etc.).
 
I no sooner read this and got news a coworker I've known for 20 years died Sunday on his 2010 ST1300............ Quite sobering for me.

I for one should read this regularly......................

 
Great article I have not seen in awhile. There is another great one on counter steering out there that is a must read also. If you hug the centerline today you will die. Cages wander way too much. Tough to navigate a turn in a car while you are on the phone or texting. A updated article on driving today would be helpful. Tim
 
Thank you for this post/repost. I have never read it before and now love it. Luckily after my early driving years didn't kill me I learned to Pace myself...This will help for my two wheeled fun and safety.
 
ConcoursKZ said:
...If you hug the centerline today you will die. Cages wander way too much. Tough to navigate a turn in a car while you are on the phone or texting. A updated article on driving today would be helpful. Tim
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Nowadays, this is more of a risk than encountering a patch of sand while negotiating a corner.  You stand a chance with your riding skills against a patch of sand.  A distracted driver - not so much.  When I am riding, my eyes are constantly scanning all directions, including the mirrors.  I'm also always riding at or below "the Pace".  If I'm riding with friends and I don't like the pace they are going, I'll ride alone.
 
Good stuff. Should send it with welcome letter and membership card. Great perspective!!
 
Eye opening article. I have needed to back off a little as to my aggressive riding somewhat and this article is great information. Putting the "Pace" into practice is challenging and fun, as it brings up the concentration level, improves riding skills, promotes safe practices, and eases the wear and tear on brakes, tires, rider and passenger. Gas mileage went up.

My wife's first comment after an 80 mile run through the WV mountains was "That was a smooth ride, that was nice!"
 
Undertaker said:
Eye opening article. I have needed to back off a little as to my aggressive riding somewhat and this article is great information. Putting the "Pace" into practice is challenging and fun, as it brings up the concentration level, improves riding skills, promotes safe practices, and eases the wear and tear on brakes, tires, rider and passenger. Gas mileage went up.

My wife's first comment after an 80 mile run through the WV mountains was "That was a smooth ride, that was nice!"
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:goodpost:

Riding The Pace combined with good group ride structure can lead for a fun ride for all... even the less spirited riders.

 
Nick Ienatsch's "The Pace" was an eye opener for a lot of weekend sportbike riders on how to have fun in the mountains while being safer and not worrying about getting as many points on your license. Now, Nick has a new initiative called "The Brake Light Initiative," that builds on "The Pace 2.0" in which he talks about going to the brakes at anytime and how to do it safely.

Go here to read "The Pace 2.0"
http://www.cycleworld.com/2013/09/16/become-a-better-street-rider-with-the-pace-motorcycle-safety-and-riding-skills/

and then here to read his "Brake Light Initiative"
http://www.cycleworld.com/2014/05/28/the-brake-light-initiative-treatise-on-motorcycle-control-using-your-braking-skills/
 
I've read "The pace" a number of times and always try to stay under my limits.  Thanks for the update. Good stuff.
My favorite line.... "Grabbing, stabbing, hammering, throwing, flicking, flopping, tossing… Those verbs need to be eliminated from your motorcycle-riding vocabulary".
 
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