16. Squeeze with your knees. It's well known that a relaxed rider is a better rider. By being relaxed in your arms, it is less tiring on long journeys, and makes it easier to steer the bike. In fact, to get the best arm position, your forearms should be roughly parallel to the road surface, which in turn means bending your elbows. By having your arms flexed at the elbows, steering takes much less effort. And as an addition, your arms will also flex to help absorb bumps, helping your suspension. It is very difficult to steer a bike if your arms are locked at the elbows. So to get in this relaxed position, try making a conscious effort to hold onto the bike with your legs (squeezing the petrol tank), and relax your grip on the handlebars. The bike becomes more stable, and less twitchy. Your arms stop aching on long journeys. It's easy to steer. You feel more 'part of' the bike. Occasionally you may get the handlebars twitch around on uneven surfaces, but by being relaxed, the bike sorts itself out.
