So I enrolled in a motorcycle instruction course. It was named "Experienced Rider Course". Certified by the State of Connecticut. A Saturday afternoon in a very large parking lot. Class size was limited to 12 riders who supplied their own bikes. My class had 10 bikes participating. All riders were male. I brought my Honda which at 700cc's was the second smallest bike. I must confess that I brought that bike cause I was afraid I would drop the Connie.
I had wanted to take an rider instruction course for some time. Had a discussion with Steve Smith (Northeast Area Director) over BBQ once about things adults take lessons for so that they can improve their performance in one of their interests. Steve starting listing these different sports where perhaps hundreds of millions of dollars per year are spent on instruction. Golf, tennis, skiing, horseback riding, fishing and on. Motorcycle instruction didn't really make the list unless one counted the "in lieu of permit" classes that licensed drivers take to get their endorsement. Steve would know as he is a certified motorcycle instructor. The college where Steve teaches has a program managed by John Purdy that provides the different courses taken from MSF material as certified by the State. Most scheduled classes are for the "Basic Rider Course". Both Steve and John are COG members. Our class was joined by another certified instructor who rode as a student because he had never seen the "Experienced Rider Course" presented before.
The overview of the course is teaching safety skills that are needed in everyday driving conditions. It consisted of one of our instructors verbally describing the exercise, describing the objective and then walking us onto the range to see how the cones were arranged. Then the other instructor demonstrated the exercise until the class expressed understanding. We then rode our bikes as directed.
I'm not going to describe the entire course as that would be a disservice to Steve and John. My understanding could not possibly give a complete picture The skills they endeavored to help us with were, turning, stopping and emergency measures. The different exercises had a progressive learning curve. For instance; the 1st segment was a pause and go, a complete stop and a weave with 2 patterns. We were still employing the coaching from the 1st sement when we are being introduced to the 6th segment where we had to do 2 U turns (a left and then a right- like a figure 8) in a painted box, a stop then a sharp turn and a very tight "S" turn. All of these exercises were done at slow speed. One of my classmates put it best- slow speed magnifies your errors.
And slow speed did magnify my errors. I did some bonehead things but received a positive message to help remove my bad habit. None of my classmates were criticized. I felt this was the most important part of the class presentation. John and Steve were our coaches with a paramount interest in our safety. An example would be that the course allowed us to have a passenger and I talked my GF into signing a waiver. I had to ride solo in each segment through the cones at least once before my pillion could ride with me. My coaches presented this condition as a benefit for our understanding. She got to see the bikes going through the cones as I learned the path and nuances of each segment. Then we rode as a team. Completed every segment.
We were told that if we learned just one thing that would save our life; the course paid for itself. I seemed to learn 1 thing about my need to correct bad habits with each segment. The course cost $100 plus $20 for the passenger. I received a coupon for 10% off my motorcycle insurance for completing the course. It is State mandated. That's a $85 savings. Our coaches presented the material in a consistent manner that promoted safety, understanding and fun. And it was fun! Spent all afternoon on asphalt, stopping and going slow under a brilliant sun and no one said "No Mas". Including our coaches. The class was supposed to go from 12:30-6 PM. Our coaches were still on the range coaching with heart at 6:45. Thanks John and Steve.
I had wanted to take an rider instruction course for some time. Had a discussion with Steve Smith (Northeast Area Director) over BBQ once about things adults take lessons for so that they can improve their performance in one of their interests. Steve starting listing these different sports where perhaps hundreds of millions of dollars per year are spent on instruction. Golf, tennis, skiing, horseback riding, fishing and on. Motorcycle instruction didn't really make the list unless one counted the "in lieu of permit" classes that licensed drivers take to get their endorsement. Steve would know as he is a certified motorcycle instructor. The college where Steve teaches has a program managed by John Purdy that provides the different courses taken from MSF material as certified by the State. Most scheduled classes are for the "Basic Rider Course". Both Steve and John are COG members. Our class was joined by another certified instructor who rode as a student because he had never seen the "Experienced Rider Course" presented before.
The overview of the course is teaching safety skills that are needed in everyday driving conditions. It consisted of one of our instructors verbally describing the exercise, describing the objective and then walking us onto the range to see how the cones were arranged. Then the other instructor demonstrated the exercise until the class expressed understanding. We then rode our bikes as directed.
I'm not going to describe the entire course as that would be a disservice to Steve and John. My understanding could not possibly give a complete picture The skills they endeavored to help us with were, turning, stopping and emergency measures. The different exercises had a progressive learning curve. For instance; the 1st segment was a pause and go, a complete stop and a weave with 2 patterns. We were still employing the coaching from the 1st sement when we are being introduced to the 6th segment where we had to do 2 U turns (a left and then a right- like a figure 8) in a painted box, a stop then a sharp turn and a very tight "S" turn. All of these exercises were done at slow speed. One of my classmates put it best- slow speed magnifies your errors.
And slow speed did magnify my errors. I did some bonehead things but received a positive message to help remove my bad habit. None of my classmates were criticized. I felt this was the most important part of the class presentation. John and Steve were our coaches with a paramount interest in our safety. An example would be that the course allowed us to have a passenger and I talked my GF into signing a waiver. I had to ride solo in each segment through the cones at least once before my pillion could ride with me. My coaches presented this condition as a benefit for our understanding. She got to see the bikes going through the cones as I learned the path and nuances of each segment. Then we rode as a team. Completed every segment.
We were told that if we learned just one thing that would save our life; the course paid for itself. I seemed to learn 1 thing about my need to correct bad habits with each segment. The course cost $100 plus $20 for the passenger. I received a coupon for 10% off my motorcycle insurance for completing the course. It is State mandated. That's a $85 savings. Our coaches presented the material in a consistent manner that promoted safety, understanding and fun. And it was fun! Spent all afternoon on asphalt, stopping and going slow under a brilliant sun and no one said "No Mas". Including our coaches. The class was supposed to go from 12:30-6 PM. Our coaches were still on the range coaching with heart at 6:45. Thanks John and Steve.
