Better Riding: Does Motorcycle Tech Make Us Better Riders?

Proactive vs Reactive: How Rider Mindset and Motorcycle Tech Shape Safety

Whether you've been riding for two weeks or 52 years, there's always room for improvement. That’s the ethos behind this Bennetts BikeSocial Better Riding series. In this episode we, in conjunction with professional motorbike coach, Mark McVeigh, explore the critical difference between proactive and reactive riding where motorcycle technology is involved. Do the plethora of recent rider aids make us better riders?

Read on for an overview of the accompanying video or watch it in detail here:

Better Riding: Does Motorcycle Tech Make Us Better Riders?

Mark and Michael discuss the advancements in motorcycle technology and how they affect our riding ability positively vs reactively.

Motorcycle Safety: A Story of Tech and Terrain

Mark kicks us off with a real-world example from an off-road adventure ride. While leading a group on a tarmac section, his bike’s traction control (TC) suddenly intervened, halting forward motion. The culprit? A diesel spill he hadn’t spotted. Even though he was riding on 80% off-road tyres, the tech likely prevented a slide.

Michael shares a similar experience from a press launch in Portugal, where sand on the road caused a seasoned racer to crash, despite advanced tech. These stories highlight how rider aids can be lifesavers, but also raise a key question: Are we relying too much on technology?

The gyroscopic effects of cruise control plus a little body movement on an Africa Twin

The Rise of Motorcycle Tech: A Double-Edged Sword?

Modern motorcycles are bristling with sensors, algorithms, and data-driven systems such as IMU’s (Inertia Measurement Unit) – a bike’s electronic brain that controls the likes of cornering ABS, adaptive cruise control, and more. But does this tech make us better, safer riders?

While the tech is already impressive, and improves with each incarnation, crash statistics suggest it’s not enough. The missing link? Mindset, part of a training philosophy revolving around three pillars:

• Skill

• Craft

• Mind

And at the heart of it all is the rider’s approach: proactive vs reactive.

Proactive vs Reactive Riding: What’s the Difference?

Courtesy of thousands of data points collected at Mark’s own riding academy, the evidence points to a clear distinction between the two types of rider:

• Reactive Riders wait for problems to occur - grabbing brakes mid-corner or relying on electronics to save a slide.

• Proactive Riders anticipate changes - scanning ahead, adjusting speed early, and setting body position before corners.

The key takeaway? Proactive riders use tech as a tool, not an afterthought.

Honda’s Gravel riding mode in action on the Africa Twin Adventure Sports, and its offers plenty of rider aid adjustment

Understanding Ride Modes: A Conversation with Your ECU

Modern throttles aren’t just cables - they’re conversations between your wrist and the bike’s ECU (it’s computerised brain). Riding modes can modulate and translates rider inputs into machine behaviour by adjusting the likes of throttle response, traction and wheelie control, ABS and braking, suspension stiffness, even engine braking.

Though each manufacturer’s modes are likely to behave differently. Ducati’s Enduro mode isn’t the same as Honda’s Gravel mode, for example, so riders must understand their specific bike’s settings to ride effectively.

Yet beneath the surface there’s further tech behind these rider aids. Deeper systems include cornering traction control, cornering ABS, wheelie control, semi-active suspension, hill start assist, quick shifters and blippers. Some of this tech is reactive by design, stepping in when something goes wrong or alerting a rider with warning lights. Proactive riders aim to stay ahead of these interventions.

ARAS: The Next Frontier in Motorcycle Safety

ARAS (Advanced Rider Assistance Systems) is motorcycling’s answer to the automotive version, ADAS. Using radar, cameras, and AI, ARAS aims to predict and assist rather than merely react. Current ARAS features are more modern and include adaptive cruise control, forward collision warnings, and blind spot detection.

Companies like Bosch are pioneering these systems, creating a 360° safety zone around the rider. Mark sees ARAS as a game-changer, especially when integrated with rider training.

Mark’s own data-based rider training company, MotoDNA, uses its platform to overlay rider performance data with tech interaction. Riders who anticipate braking zones and adjust early consistently score higher. Training that includes understanding tech boosts both confidence and skill scores.

It’s a three-way partnership:

1. Human – proactive mindset and decision-making

2. Machine – reactive systems like ARAS and TC

3. Training – the bridge that aligns both

When these elements align, riders enter a flow state - where awareness, technique, and technology work in harmony.

In 2017 Honda even unveiled a self-balancing concept

Predictive AI: The Future of Motorcycle Safety

Like most of the world right now, the 21st century offers a glimpse into the future, and motorcycling doesn’t escape Artificial Intelligence with predictive motorcycle AI systems set to:

• Analyse riding style

• Monitor fatigue and heart rate

• Adjust traction control dynamically

• Detect distraction via body position

OEMs are already integrating biometric data into prototypes. But no matter how advanced the tech becomes, the human factor remains both the strongest and weakest link. Mark’s coaching emphasises mental calibration between rider and machine. In controlled environments, riders can learn how far they can lean before TC intervenes or how braking pressure changes with cornering ABS. Aviation-style drills can be used recreate crash scenarios safely and, in the case of those utilising MotoDNA’s data approach, if riders score low initially it’s not because the tech fails, but because they don’t engage it properly. The most important sensor? The one between your ears… which thankfully is not AI-controlled.

Embrace Tech, But Stay in Control

There’s no hard and fast answer to whether technology actually makes us better riders, and while the crash stats don’t lie, the theory is that more rider aids should offer an advantage, so:

• Use technology as an ally, not a master

• Be proactive - anticipate the environment, not just rely on electronics

• Understand your systems - read the manual

• Train deliberately - mastery takes time

The future of motorcycling isn’t riderless bikes, it’s about enhancing the riding experience and making it safer, not replacing it.

This Better Riding series is brought to you in partnership with Honda Motorcycles UK and is a collection of self-help videos and written guides packed with practical tips, expert advice, and simple yet effective exercises. Designed for riders of all levels, it aims to boost confidence, improve machine control, and complement traditional post-test training. Because when your skills improve, so does the fun.

I’ll often commentate to myself when riding to remind myself of potential hazards and what my responses are to avoid possible danger. If you don’t already, why not try it?

Or, if you have an action camera (here’s a link to our reviews of the most recent 14 options), record your ride and review it afterwards looking at possible areas to improve. And if you’re not sure then ask us over at BikeClub or on our private Facebook Group.