Friends don't let friends ride-on Kendas. Try Shinkos for a lower-price point with traction. Did you see that deal on-here, a front & rear for $133?
Also, unsettling the bike's dynamic attitude by chopping the throttle like you describe isn't anything which you want to-do, regularly. Consider taking the MSF 'Better Biking' course, that's what it used-to be called. It's for a rider with time under his belt, to learn more about how to use available traction, the use of countersteering, emergency braking, etc.
In riding there are several groups of people. One is the show-off, who has to behave like an idiot because they crave attention, "look-at me!" They cut-between rows of cars, even at-speed, they never ride at or below the speed limit, they weave in and out of a column of traffic, etc. I'd generally refer to them as 'accidents waiting to happen.'
The rider who leaves room between his bike and the vehicle in-front of him, and who watches his mirrors, stopped at a light/traffic control device; who gaps himself in traffic, who allows the aggressive vehicle operators to go by, or who moves-away from them; a person who travels with the flow of traffic, and who isn't constantly grabbing a fistful of throttle or brake, is someone who isn't likely to be surprised by ending-up sliding across the road sans bike, wondering, "how did I get here?"
Practice smooth riding inputs to the throttle and the brakes, choose lines which avoid the oil-soaked pavement at intersections, check your mirrors constantly, scan farther down the road, to notice other drivers' behaviors, all those people suddenly braking and changing lanes may be avoiding a piece of furniture which fell-off someone's vehicle, or a carcass of an exploded truck tire, lying in the road.
It doesn't take much to upset our rides, after-all, they're inherently-unstable. They fall-over if you stop and don't support the stationary bike. Hit a patch of sand, gravel, anti-freeze, oil, coolant, ice, or any-other traction-eliminator, and you could be that guy sliding-across the pavement, sans bike.
Reg Pridmore was a very-successful rider, he won championships in Superbike, and he operates the CLASS riding school. Here's a great example of what the careful rider gets to witness: