I took the weekend college course back in '83. We were given choice of ride, either a 250 Rebel or a endure style XT125. Beyond this, it's quite a bit different than the current curriculum I've been told. Yes, we had many of the same obstacles and maneuvers to complete with: slow speed cones, applying brakes in corners and at speed left/right or front wheelie stops that compare. I'm not saying that todays course doesn't offer great training, but when I compare full notes with newer riders, they can't believe what I had to PASS over... literally.
There are two obstacles I was required to ride that strike fear in some of the new trainees I speak with. One, was the large diameter gymnasium climbing rope snaked on the asphalt. This obstacle was placed within the slow speed cone maneuvers. We were required to follow the curves of the rope and drive both of our tyres over the 20-25' length of if it, all the while NOT putting our feet down. Keep them on the pegs or you fail. Slow speed, not fast either. Slip your clutch, keep your weight evenly distributed, and your ass lightly floating, wiggle wiggle. I recall it gave me the feeling of MONSTER tar repair strips. This rope obstacle freaked many trainees out as it slipped your bike left and right. Threatening, as it played havoc with your centre of gravity, throwing you and the bike off. I attribute this obstacle as to why tar strips on the roads don't phase me much.
The second obstacle that I find isn't used today is the teeter totter. It was a wooden narrow box platform, about a foot to foot and a half wide, maybe about 7-8 feet long and a foot to a foot and a half high in the centre. With the pyramid of the totter facing down, we were required to slowly drive up the ramp, using our rear brake stop in the middle, hold balance briefly as the totter canted forward with our forward momentum to touch down our exit ramp side, release brake, slip clutch and slowly drive off. Always under control otherwise we failed.
LMAO some of the failures on this obstacle were stellar! Some figured they could "quickly" maneuver over the totter at speed. They ended up launching themselves off like a ramp. Unless they were aware they needed speed and were to land on their rear tyre first doing this. LMAO. Evel Knievel style. Down hard on the front wheel, lost control and wiped out. Gosh I recall more than a few without proper clutch and throttle control landing hard, and thus failed the course. Some even made it to the pinnacle, but couldn't hold balance and literally fell off to the left of right a foot and a half down. Bike sometimes crashing down onto them.
I recall a cocky guy and his girlfriend on separate Harleys. She was enrolled in the course. Ooohs and ahhs chit chat from some of the students... yeah, not much. She ended up falling off the teeter every time, and failed the course. The boyfriend ended up in a heated argument with the instructors about how this obstacle was bullish*t and it needed to be removed.
They retained the teeter totter, as I went back for a couple of years after to watch the new student riders. A good choice in my opinion.
I swear by my rider training. Shhhh don't tell anyone I was under age by a couple of months when I took the course at about 15 2/3. Before the course, I'd never ridden a motorcycle a day in my life. Peddle bikes, yes, TONNES of them. Had NO clue what counter steering was either.
The training, and ALL of the elements I have seen, and applied on the street. Saved my ass for certain as I kept my cool while on the seat and under pressure.
+++100 to proper rider training before out on the street. Good rider training is not only about your awareness and others around your bike. It's also about being able to control your ride too, big size or small.
There are two obstacles I was required to ride that strike fear in some of the new trainees I speak with. One, was the large diameter gymnasium climbing rope snaked on the asphalt. This obstacle was placed within the slow speed cone maneuvers. We were required to follow the curves of the rope and drive both of our tyres over the 20-25' length of if it, all the while NOT putting our feet down. Keep them on the pegs or you fail. Slow speed, not fast either. Slip your clutch, keep your weight evenly distributed, and your ass lightly floating, wiggle wiggle. I recall it gave me the feeling of MONSTER tar repair strips. This rope obstacle freaked many trainees out as it slipped your bike left and right. Threatening, as it played havoc with your centre of gravity, throwing you and the bike off. I attribute this obstacle as to why tar strips on the roads don't phase me much.
The second obstacle that I find isn't used today is the teeter totter. It was a wooden narrow box platform, about a foot to foot and a half wide, maybe about 7-8 feet long and a foot to a foot and a half high in the centre. With the pyramid of the totter facing down, we were required to slowly drive up the ramp, using our rear brake stop in the middle, hold balance briefly as the totter canted forward with our forward momentum to touch down our exit ramp side, release brake, slip clutch and slowly drive off. Always under control otherwise we failed.
LMAO some of the failures on this obstacle were stellar! Some figured they could "quickly" maneuver over the totter at speed. They ended up launching themselves off like a ramp. Unless they were aware they needed speed and were to land on their rear tyre first doing this. LMAO. Evel Knievel style. Down hard on the front wheel, lost control and wiped out. Gosh I recall more than a few without proper clutch and throttle control landing hard, and thus failed the course. Some even made it to the pinnacle, but couldn't hold balance and literally fell off to the left of right a foot and a half down. Bike sometimes crashing down onto them.
I recall a cocky guy and his girlfriend on separate Harleys. She was enrolled in the course. Ooohs and ahhs chit chat from some of the students... yeah, not much. She ended up falling off the teeter every time, and failed the course. The boyfriend ended up in a heated argument with the instructors about how this obstacle was bullish*t and it needed to be removed.
They retained the teeter totter, as I went back for a couple of years after to watch the new student riders. A good choice in my opinion.
I swear by my rider training. Shhhh don't tell anyone I was under age by a couple of months when I took the course at about 15 2/3. Before the course, I'd never ridden a motorcycle a day in my life. Peddle bikes, yes, TONNES of them. Had NO clue what counter steering was either.
The training, and ALL of the elements I have seen, and applied on the street. Saved my ass for certain as I kept my cool while on the seat and under pressure.
+++100 to proper rider training before out on the street. Good rider training is not only about your awareness and others around your bike. It's also about being able to control your ride too, big size or small.
