What riding schools have some of you attended?

[ballisticexchris]

What are some of the different street/track/off road/adventure bike schools some of you have attended? I had no formal training other than racing at novice club level until I was in my 40's. Just the basic MSF courses and as of recent Jimmy Lewis riding school. I thought about Rawhide but was not comfortable jumping on an adventure bike, off road with no experience.

Here are a few short videos of Jimmy explaining balance and another of some of his drills and training curriculum:

This is the one I attended. At least I did good in the sand!!

My 2 favorite drills were the braking with locking up front wheel and riding with it locked up and the panic stops. When it came time to accelerate hard, stop, quick lock to lock turns with balls up on the tank and do it all over, I struggled. For me I would highly recommend his school. What I liked about Jimmy Lewis school is you use a light bike to train and practice on and it directly crosses over to the heavy bikes. The panic braking drills have already saved me. I automatically do a few panic stops when I first get on the bike before hitting the highway. What's really really cool is he can even make a pro level rider fail the basic drills. Every single one of them have unlimited levels of failure.


What other good schools are out there that some of you have experienced? Or do you disagree with riding training all together? While I'm out of the saddle I am on my balance board a lot and lifting a leg, eyes closed as long as I can.

 

[Sierra1]

When I was in the Navy, every time I changed bases, I had to take the MSF course; total of three times on my bike. But, they were a combo of the basic, and advanced. I had to take the basic MSF course one last time before I went to the Dallas PD motor school, but that was on a Honda CB125 T (for training); a bike specifically made for MSF courses. It was like watching a monkey humping a football.

The Dallas school was three weeks long, with the last week being primarily spent on braking. They wanted max braking without lock up. I did slide 10' with the front locked. . . . and didn't crash. The school was conducted at Fair Park, where the state fair is held. In between the cone courses, the instructors took us on "follow the leader" training. Up the ramps of the Cotton Bowl, through the rodeo arena, sideways up grassy slopes, and anywhere else they thought they could crash us. At the time my ride was the KZ1000P. The KZ was NOT designed for deep sand. But, it was built like a tank. Lay it down, pick it up, clear the carbs, kick the crash bar forward enough to get it off of the foot brake, take off. . . . and do it all over again. And, there was a ton of balance training; stop-n-go, and stop-n-turn. . . . no foot down. I think the Tenere would have been perfect for the course.

 

[Cycledude]

As far as I know the only motorcycle school around here is MSF, I have taken the advanced rider course 4 times locally but last I heard they moved the class about 120 miles away and tripled the price So it’s pretty unlikely I will be taking it again.

 

[moto.monk]

The school of life. Joking but signed for the advanced msf after putting off but it got cancel due to covid and I also signed for a free rider for slow maneuvers by a local law enforcement agency but im on a wait list. I took a 5 day course of offroad riding for adv bikes but the group was special set up for military veterans out in AZ(not me in the photo). It explained the basics of body position, weight shifting and getting comfortable with locking the rear. I think the instructor was a graduate of rawhyde . I had some experience offroad but mostly on sand on a crf 250r. Well some of the training was imo of the other schools seem more hardcore and are things probably never do offroad. I am interested in doing my first track day through.

 

[Kurgan]

Going back to the 90's, all pavement oriented..

FAST Riding School taught by Michel Mercier at Grattan Raceway
CLASS Riding School taught by Reg Pridmore at Mid-Ohio
California Superbike School taught by Keith Code at Mid-Ohio

 

[Cantab]

Ive done an Advanced , Silver and Gold courses over the last 8 years , been riding for 35 + years but ya know you can always learn new stuff and iron out any bad habits.
It would've been awesome if whats available now training wise was about when i was 15 when i got my learners licence....would've saved some skin and busted bones.

Rider Training: Ride Forever Courses | Ornsby Motorcycle Training

motorcycletraining.co.nz

 

[thughes317]

Advanced low speed handling. Great course taught by Motor Officers that compete nationally in their spare-time.

ProRider MC

 

[ballisticexchris]

Ive done an Advanced , Silver and Gold courses over the last 8 years , been riding for 35 + years but ya know you can always learn new stuff and iron out any bad habits.
It would've been awesome if whats available now training wise was about when i was 15 when i got my learners licence....would've saved some skin and busted bones.

I hear you there!! I was amazed how much I learned at the school. I too wish they had this kind of training when I was younger. Going to the school reminded me of just how much improvement can be had by a few simple drills.

 

[Sierra1]

. . . . but last I heard they moved the class about 120 miles away and tripled the price . . . .

Some time back, Texas made it mandatory that the MSF class is taken to get a motorcycle license. When that happened, the price went nuts, and there's always a waiting list.

 

[ballisticexchris]

I noticed that too!! All the MSF classes have gotten way more expensive over the last few years.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Went thru the MSF instructor course and missed the last class (2?) when work sent me off on a trip.

 

[Sierra1]

I was going to be an MSF instructor when I retired. . . . and, then found out that they work weekends. Kinda lost interest . . . .

 

[moto.monk]

I was going to be an MSF instructor when I retired. . . . and, then found out that they work weekends. Kinda lost interest . . . .

was going to be msf instructor but after visiting them I couldnt do 12 hour days mostly standing + the weekends.

 

[ballisticexchris]

was going to be msf instructor but after visiting them I couldnt do 12 hour days mostly standing + the weekends.

That's another challenging part of the class is standing all day with just a lunch break. My helmet only came off once for lunch. I got my moneys worth!!

 

[WJBertrand]

I need to take an adventure bike off road training class but I've taken the MSF Advanced course and I helped Lee Parks develop his Total Control Advanced riders course when it was in beta phase while he was still at MCN. Also spent some time on local tracks (Willow Springs, Button Willow, Laguna Seca) supporting testing of bikes for MCN. I have a big hole in my resume regarding off road riding big adventure bikes. I've found that my experience novice racing a 250 Bultaco Pursang back in the early 70s doesn't really translate to the Super Tenere.

Any recommended ones that won't break the bank?

 

[ballisticexchris]

I need to take an adventure bike off road training class but I've taken the MSF Advanced course and I helped Lee Parks develop his Total Control Advanced riders course when it was in beta phase while he was still at MCN. Also spent some time on local tracks (Willow Springs, Button Willow, Laguna Seca) supporting testing of bikes for MCN. I have a big hole in my resume regarding off road riding big adventure bikes. I've found that my experience novice racing a 250 Bultaco Pursang back in the early 70s doesn't really translate to the Super Tenere.

Any recommended ones that won't break the bank?

I recommend Jimmy Lewis. It was about 700 bucks when I took it. I don’t have another school to compare it too. For a few hundred more he has a fleet of bikes you can rent. I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in town.

I can’t comment on rawhide other than Jim Hyde has been doing tours for a bunch of years.

I’m the opposite of you Jeff. I don’t have any advanced track training. Just a boatload of off highway racing and trail riding.

 

[EricV]

Rawhyde does a good job of working with all levels of students. I never felt pushed beyond what was safe. MSF is great for being reminded about basics and having an instructor catch the bad habits you may have picked up. The Advanced course, depending on where it's taught, can be very, very good and challenge you at different speeds, not just fast or slow. The PD slow courses have great reviews, but I've not done one of those. Bad timing and wrong areas for me so far.

Total Control is another good outfit. https://www.totalcontroltraining.net/

Bay Area Motorcycle Training - https://www.motorcycleschool.com/

 

[Bokerfork]

Watched the videos, read the responses and have a couple of questions.

What exactly is the whole balance drill supposed to do for me?

What is riding with the front wheel locked up supposed to do for me?

Oh, and riding a Bultaco Pursang does translate well to ADV riding. Riding any lightweight dirt bike will translate well. I think most ADV courses are aimed at people who have never ridden anything off road. Nothing wrong with that. Just not sure I'd get my money's worth. I'm not saying I wouldn't learn something, Just that I'm comfortable with my skills for the terrain I ride and/or intend to encounter.

And as for developing skills tests that even professional riders fail. Maybe those skill tests aren't really relevant to good riding.

 

[ballisticexchris]

Watched the videos, read the responses and have a couple of questions.

What exactly is the whole balance drill supposed to do for me?

What is riding with the front wheel locked up supposed to do for me?

Oh, and riding a Bultaco Pursang does translate well to ADV riding. Riding any lightweight dirt bike will translate well. I think most ADV courses are aimed at people who have never ridden anything off road. Nothing wrong with that. Just not sure I'd get my money's worth. I'm not saying I wouldn't learn something, Just that I'm comfortable with my skills for the terrain I ride and/or intend to encounter.

And as for developing skills tests that even professional riders fail. Maybe those skill tests aren't really relevant to good riding.

The drills can be tweaked to challenge even the best of riders. This way the same drills are effective for all skill levels in the class.

Balance drills are self explanatory. It is the base for all riding conditions regardless of speed. Slow speed balance is important and and will not mask rider deficiency. Speed masks rider deficiency and by the time it’s noticed it’s too late to save.

Locking up the front wheel is simply to put an out of control situation in a controlled environment. And balance really comes into play with this one!! With the front wheel locked up you have no rotating mass to mask any balance issues you might have as the speeds increase. Almost every single one of us had a wake up call with this drill.

Of course rider skill is very subjective until you get that moment of “now I get it “.

IMO it’s money well spent.

 

[Cantab]

Hmm 'front brake lock up' id rather not....ive been instructed to 'load up' the front first - this compress's the suspension and sorta squashes the tyre then PILE on the brake. Rather than just giving it a big handfull that immediately locks the front . But if i can find a pathway around or read the condition ahead to avoid the need that would be better.