A couple weeks ago I found an empty parking lot in decent shape (not too many cracks, few sand patches) and practiced figure 8's for about an hour and a half. I did low-speed (<5mph) and higher speed (20+mph) turns.
Though I've been riding for three years, I've never learned the full potential of my bike since it's foolish to ride hard on the street. In that hour and a half I finally dragged the pegs and turned low-speed figure 8's at nearly-full lock. I'm a MUCH better rider now and take on ramps with full confidence, an improvement from my previous wobblyness.
For newbies interested in really learning how to ride, I highly recommend getting in some practice time accelerating, braking, and turning in an empty, well-maintained parking lot.