No courses yet. I starting riding again last year after 40 yrs away and thought I might try an advanced course (I may still).
What I did do was read a couple of books (David Hough's "Proficient Motorcycling" was very good) and take it slow while getting back into it. I've got about 20,000 miles so far and try to practice safe braking and turning techniques at speed regularly and stay alert and forward looking while riding. Helps to relax and pay attention to what's important on the road.
So far so good.
I'm wary about MISinformation and DISinformation put out there - and armchair experts are everywhere, even in the MSF. I could relate some, but it would erupt into a flame war, and I'm not interested in that.
Let it suffice that I've put upwards of 70,000 miles on two wheels; had one bad wreck which would have been worse if I hadn't instinctively done the right thing. I know ATGATT, and live it about 70 percent of the time - like everyone else. The helmet, to me, is as critical as the ignition key.
I can ride, I can read the road; I can lean, I can look around curves. I know when the deer and the antelope play, and I park it after sundown.
There's always more to learn, but I don't accept someone's advice just because he wears a shirt stenciled EXPERT.
I listen, blind acceptance is not what is required or desired.
Sometimes you have been riding around your individual faults without being aware of them.
I've done the one course around 5 years and doing another next month.
No earth shattering, epiphany style moments but some different perspectives and a greater awareness of the mechanics of the road and the machine that brings me so much pleasure.
Riding 30 years plus, no idea how many k's, there is always something more to learn.
You spend a day doing something that's just plain fun with a group of people that share your enthusiasm, highly recommended great day out.
There's idiots in every field, they never outnumber those that aren't.
I have taken several. Prime reason was I want to be able to practice, in a controlled environment, emergency handling of my bikes. I want to be able to deal with situations on the road as best I can. I think I can only do this if I know how the bike will react to the inputs I need to do this. I need to know how the bike will react to hard braking while leaned way over, emergency braking and simultaneously turning, learning to keep looking at where I want to go rather than what I don't want to hit, how it feels to slide each end, etc etc etc. Yes, you can do all of this on the public roads if you want but I find it much safer to do it on a track and it is especially useful to have someone, who is a better rider than I am, give me tips on how to do it better.
I have 3 different bikes and all 3 handle a bit different so I took them all to the track to learn.
And besides.......it is a whole lot of fun!!!!!
The other thing I do, on a fairly regular basis, is practice. There is a good stretch of road nearby that allows a certain (not extreme) degree of practice. I make it a point ride it as often as I can.
I'm not opposed to classes - especialy for n00bs. But given my own experience, both on cycles and with armchair experts...I take it all with a great big cake of salt.
I was young once too and thought I could ride. Many of us here have 5 to 10 times that 70K miles in the saddle. Motorcycle instruction is just like any other instruction, you will only get out of it that which you accept to learn. Many instructors are current or former motor officers, any many others learned from them. Unfortunately, students that attend classes with a know it all attitude tend to learn the least, therefore fueling their position that they don't need a class. Interesting physiology.
Well, I'll resist the flame bait. Unless you live in the saddle, it would be hard to hold a job and log more than, say, double my miles. I did take a 20-year break between my big crash and my 50th birthday...so I'm a bit down on miles.
When I was young I taught myself how to ride. The hard way, with some nasty stuff. Fortunately no crash, and aside from when I was run off the road...long story here, and no need to get into it...I learned well.
I'm now 59, and have been laid off repeatedly in the last eight years. So, I've had the time to tour about 35 states...mostly on Blue Highways.
Now, I don't have all the answers, nobody does. Including the genetically smug. :wink2:
When I learnt to ride back in the 60's there was no such thing as motorcycle instruction. You just learnt by doing it. Now I guess that I have learnt, or fallen into, many bad habits along the way. But, I have never had a crash or dropped a bike so perhaps my bad habits are survivable.:wink2:
Anyway, I am too stubborn to go and learn, or even find out, that I can do it better, so I will just puddle along and muddle through while I can still enjoy the ride.:grin2:
Yes. I took the Lee Parks Total Control course 3 years ago. Money well spent. I wanted to corner better and knew I had much more to learn as a rider. I enjoyed learning from a professional how I could improve my skills and be a safer rider. I think anyone can benefit from one of these courses.
Nope.. But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night... Sorry.. Had to do it..
Been riding for 35 years and have many 100k miles under the bridge with no formal rider training... Started out totally the wrong way on a 1100cc heavy beast and in hindsight am probably lucky to be alive today. These days I find that staying alert, positionally aware, being aggressively defensive, and keeping ones ego in check when following faster riders goes a long way in arriving safely at your destination.
At this point, rider training probably wouldn't make a significant difference in my future safety record, but with the ease of finding training courses these days, if I were just starting out as a noob, I would definitely go that route.
I just finished a six-week class followed by an all-day class led by the Arizona Precision Motorcycle Drill Team. These guys are not theorists but demonstrate an inordinate amount of skill by which I was truly awed. They spent twenty hours coaching us in the disciplines of slow riding. When the class is offered again next year I will be first in line.
I had taken ERC and MSBC but that was years ago. Wouldn't mind talking refresher but they jacked prices to stratosphere and from what I heard last the ERC always gets cancelled not enough enrollment.
More interested in dirt riding class at this point.
There is always something for me to learn. Every time I get on my motorcycle I experience something new and important. Even when it is up on its center stand in the garage, lol. This is one of the things I find so enjoyable and fulfilling about riding. Without exception, the right teacher for the student will expand and enhance ability and perspective to a higher level, not to mention build survival skills. Living in New England I am fortunate to be within a few hours ride of the Berkshires and Ken Condon. Check out his website. Go for it! There is a bit of sticker shock when looking over the training options but it is completely worth the $$$'s. Just put off buying that new jacket until next year...... Riding in the Zone | Advanced Motorcycle Training Tours- Riding in the Zone, LLC
I started riding at 10 years old (1963 Bridgestone BS7), rode for 42 years on various bikes and had to take the advanced course to ride on military bases, I even learned something that I did naturally but didn't realize, the more you turn your head, the sharper you can turn your bike. I took the course on a full dress Harley and learned I could turn in the space of two parking spaces and about 1 1/2 spaces scraping floor boards.
I've briefly considered taking an advanced course and I'm sure there are things I could learn but I have riding pretty much figured out and I would probably give off signals of "this is beneath me." I would like to go through a road racing school though.
I took the basic rider course and a year later took the experienced riders course a year later. The only different was the experienced course did all the riding in the basic course in one day w/ no classroom.
When I returned to riding 5 years back, I took a one day highway group riding session. Wanted to be safe riding in groups as I had not done much group riding in the past. Learned a bit. Two years ago I took a one day off road session at Horseshoe valley (Ontario), SMART training with Clinton Smout. Half day on a Yamaha 250 and half day on a single cylinder BMW 650. Was looking to improve skills on gravel, sandy roads and in bad weather.
Learned a lot as I had never done true off roading beside gravel and sand and most importantly it was FUN! These skills definately carried over to regular riding on the Strom even though I would not be taking the Strom over huge boulders, fjording deep streams etc as we did with those Yamahas.
How did you like Clinton? I saw some of his YouTube videos and it looks like fun and he is a nice guy. Liked some of his advice like using a sock to lock front wheel when lifting bike or tips on towing bikes..
I've taken several over the years due to Big Green saying that I had to attend. I've been riding for close to 20 years and have 100,000 or so miles under my belt. Having said that, I've always enjoyed attending both basic and advanced courses as I always learn something and sometimes I can share something with the other riders.
I've taken the Total Control course and a locally taught technique course on a road race track that was not a race day. I learned a lot from both due to the techniques taught and the careful eye of the coaches. I'm a better and safer rider because of the training.
When I got back into riding I took a basic MSF type course and then followed it with an advanced course held at a go-cart track. We did most of the basic stuff again, then had training on riding the curves. Corner entry and exit options and things like that
I would offer that if you have never been off road, consider some type of basic dirt bike class. The benefits are experiencing power slides, front and rear brake slides and poor traction conditions on a bike that can handle being dropped repeatedly.
I have years of off road experience and it can help a lot when you hit some gravel or have to leave the pavement for some reason or lock your brakes. On a dirt bike you can lock you rear wheel at 20 mph and see what happens. You'll find you can still steer.
I took the advanced rider course in 2008 to be able to ride my bike to work on a military base. I would not have taken it without the military requirement. But it was an easy course for an experienced rider.
New here and thinking about a V Strom 650. I am coming off of a HD Road King and have had BMW and Honda road/touring bikes in the past. I am now downsizing/simplifying things in my life. I was wondering if anyone knows of a good course for riding dirt roads. I don't have an interest in back country riding/dirt riding. I know the Ride Like a Pro course for me was excellent and I highly recommend it for anyone dumb enough to get a BIG touring bike (HD or GW):wink2:. Oddly I have found a u-turn on the V-Strom to be easier than on my RK, go figure. I don't want to get out and start building bad habits and have to break them. I live in New England so if anyone knows any let me know.
Your in luck! As part of Americade they are including a dirt oriented event that has all different levels of rides and training programs you can sign up for.
I am a new enough rider I need the courses. In Pennsylvania the MSF courses are free for Pennsylvanians, so assuming you don't hate spending a day on your bike with other riders it is kind of a no brainer. But really, even if I were a more experienced rider, I would take the courses. I am an experienced driver and an experienced shooter, but I take driving and shooting courses whenever I get the chance. I spend the day doing what the instructor suggests and at the end of the day disregard what doesn't seem to work for me and adopt that which seems to be an improvement. I have learned a lot from driving instructors and self defense instructors who were probably less experienced than me, because sometimes an idea is good regardless where it comes from.
I totally agree with drrod. I have taken one advance course, it was a lot of fun. The advance courses really concentrate on slow riding maneuvers, emergency braking, proper U-turn technique and swerving. Learn new ways to practice. The other real advantage is meeting other advance riders and getting their tips and tricks. Practicing in a parking lot is a real key, making sure that when I need my riding skills it will be muscle memory.
I take an advanced full day riding course 2x/yr with the local police and taught by the local police motorcycle squad. All the skills are focused on low speed riding including the u-turn course, intersection course, off-set cones, strait cones, emergency stop as well as others. I love the see the new folks that have never taken a class but ridden for 35+ yrs act before and after. Most are humbled pretty quickly.... A lot of bikes get dropped pretty quick.
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