I've been looking for this thread earlier today and couldn't find it.
I know that my skills have improved because my attention was not stuck on my SRs firing off, checking my fun.
I commuted to work yesterday then back home, then to class. I'd forgotten that I had on my dark shield as I stopped by the motorcycle shop to check on my wife's bike, and I stayed too long. I had to race the remaining daylight. It was the most fun I've had in a long time.
I was smoother, faster and more in control of putting the bike exactly where I wanted and we were a better meld.