Motorcycle course

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PLau said:
The very first time I was ever on a bike was at a course. Which happened to be Learning Curves. First day there was a rain storm and second day where we did the test, there was a snow storm. Kind of ironic cause the original date I booked for got cancelled due to forecasted snow which turned out to be a nice sunny day.
It is true what the instructors told us that day. After riding in those conditions, we have pretty much ridden in the worst of weather around Toronto. On top of that, we didn't have to worry about dropping the bike too much on those days :P

(This course took place 1 year ago)
Overall, I think the worse the conditions are during the course (other than hail cause that sucks), the more you get out of it.
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You were there for my second apprentice weekend :) That was when I learned our rule of thumb is we dont stop till it starts sticking to the ground. Our bodies dont count haha.

fshafique said:
This weekend is going to suck! I have rider's training at Humber, and the weather forecast looks like it's going to snow and rain.
Curses!
I wish I had reserved for the RTI course downtown a month ago, so I would've taken the course last week.
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Best weekend to learn. How perfect that you have your first bad weather experience with teachers there to guide you and our bikes at risk rather than yours.
Plus there is a slight time allowance for weather (it is very minimal but it exists)
 
Dayao12 said:
If you don't have a bike, you can omit this post...
BUT If you DO have a bike, I would suggest learning how to ride it ahead of time.
Yeah, I understand that's why you're there - to learn how to ride...but from my experience and observations, the students that didn't know how to ride beforehand or didn't understand the concepts of clutch/gears had a much harder time with the course. Not only are they teaching you how to operate a motorcycle, they also teach a lot of techniques(emergency maneuvers/riding positions/etc...) and it all is just thrown at you. It's a lot to take in.
So, like I said, I suggest learning how to ride your bike beforehand so that way you can focus on the other important technique that could come in handy in sticky situations. Otherwise your brain will be juggling all this new information and just make it frustrating if you can't keep a cool head.
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I disagree with this. I never operated a bike before my course and by the end, I got a perfect score on the test. The course is designed for those that have 0 hours of riding experience.

Bring some light snacks and plenty of water. Don't beat yourself up if you make mistakes, stay calm, listen to the instructors and have fun. By Sunday night, you'll wonder why you didn't start riding earlier.
 
Hey cat, what type of bikes do you guys have at the beaches course?
 
Lots of good info here. I'll toss in my 2 cents...

1) Utilize your instructors as much as possible. you pay for the course and their time, and there's no such thing as a silly question. Pay attention to them.
2) work on your friction zone with clutch and get really comfortable with it.
3) throttle control - in 1st & 2nd gear, you are really not going fast in a parking lot. Don't let the wind at your face & chest intimidate you. The noise from the exhaust is loud, but a rock concert is louder. Don't be afraid to rev it high and loud and ride the clutch out, just don't pop the clutch.
4) do not death-grip the bike - squeeze with your knees if you need to squeeze and keep your hands relax. If you do have to apply pressure with your hands, try practicing using your thumb & index finger to tighten the grip. For twisting throttle, again use your thumb & index finger to make a circle and make that circle smaller (easier to show in person). Try to avoid hold the bar ends.
5) dress warm and have items to keep yourself dry - bring a few plastic bags just in case it rains.
6) Look where you want to go - if you keep looking down, you will drop the bike. Don't even pay attention to the speedometer. Look up.
7) Don't slam on the brakes, front or rear - nice and gentle, apply more force gradually when it's needed
8 snacks, water and light lunch - avoid heavy lunch that'll put you to sleep or get you sluggish
9) if you make a mistake, don't beat yourself up - that's what the course provide... a safe environment
10) Have fun - remember you are doing this because you choose to ... for fun.

I first did it with RTI, couldn't find my ride for awhile and did a refresher with Learning Curves before I pick up my bike at the dealership.
Both are good schools with knowledgeable instructors, and I ride with some of them now or see them at meets.
Like EngineerJoe said above, the course is designed for those that have zero riding experience.
 
victorbrca said:
Hey cat, what type of bikes do you guys have at the beaches course?
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Cbr125s, a ninja 250 the instructors usually ride, and I believe a Virgo 250?
At least... If it didn't change since last year

I believe you can bring your own bike though. ( i could be wrong)Dropping it would be on you though :P

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
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My wife and I both took the course through Sheridan last August. It was a wonderful 2 days. Exhausting and fun. I fell during the push the bike with the engine off stage. Got teased by the instructors for the remainder of the weekend, all in good fun and I enjoyed the joke (Something about doing a "Chris Fall").

One instructor noticed my confidence was a bit shaky after my fall so he had me ride beside him as he walked and talked to me. He kept walking slower and slower until I was almost able to balance at a complete stand still. It was a fantastic lesson!

My wife had a habit of grabbing too much throttle then dumping the clutch. They were able to get her through that as well.

My advise will echo everyone else's dress appropriately, take plenty of fluids, don't skip breakfast etc.
Most of all Have fun and leave your ego at home, you'll learn more if you are receptive to constructive criticism.

Chris
 
PLau said:
Cbr125s, a ninja 250 the instructors usually ride, and I believe a Virgo 250?
At least... If it didn't change since last year

I believe you can bring your own bike though. ( i could be wrong)Dropping it would be on you though :P

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
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Thanks... probably won't be using my bike... it's a long *** ride from home. Plus, it will be nice to play around with other bikes. :)
 
victorbrca said:
Thanks... probably won't be using my bike... it's a long *** ride from home. Plus, it will be nice to play around with other bikes. :)
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Wouldn't really see a reason why anyone would bring their own bike (if they could) anyways as you'll probably be practicing new maneuvers that you haven't done before at a slow speed(which makes balancing harder).
 
victorbrca said:
Hey cat, what type of bikes do you guys have at the beaches course?
Click to expand...

PLau said:
Cbr125s, a ninja 250 the instructors usually ride, and I believe a Virgo 250?
At least... If it didn't change since last year

I believe you can bring your own bike though. ( i could be wrong)Dropping it would be on you though :P

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Click to expand...


Mostly cbr125s. We have a couple titans (the brazillians we call them because thats what they are jetted for) a johnny peg a virgo 250 and yes a ninja 250 which is open to students sometimes. Depends on the instructors and how we gauge the group. If we think there is one that might be an issue with the ninja we take it off the lineup as its better than telling one person that they specifically cannot use it. I think we have a couple dirtbikes this year also. Don is always aquiring new stuff.

We also have a cbr250 which is a gift from Honda but not for students but rather to show how ABS works on a motorcycle. I'm not a sportbike fan but I love that bike.

If you want to try out the course on your own bike during breaks, that might be ok depending on the senior on site. But otherwise you will be using our bikes. Think there is also an insurance factor to that. Plus isnt it nicer to break our bikes and not yours?

victorbrca said:
Thanks... probably won't be using my bike... it's a long *** ride from home. Plus, it will be nice to play around with other bikes. :)
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Some people ride to class (which I dont suggest for midnight madness classes since M1 = no night riding) and teachers will ride there. But you'll be tired after. One girl rode to class and what I thought was cool was a friend would show up after class each day to ride with her home to make sure she was safe.

cknowles said:
My wife and I both took the course through Sheridan last August. It was a wonderful 2 days. Exhausting and fun. I fell during the push the bike with the engine off stage. Got teased by the instructors for the remainder of the weekend, all in good fun and I enjoyed the joke (Something about doing a "Chris Fall").

One instructor noticed my confidence was a bit shaky after my fall so he had me ride beside him as he walked and talked to me. He kept walking slower and slower until I was almost able to balance at a complete stand still. It was a fantastic lesson!

My wife had a habit of grabbing too much throttle then dumping the clutch. They were able to get her through that as well.

My advise will echo everyone else's dress appropriately, take plenty of fluids, don't skip breakfast etc.
Most of all Have fun and leave your ego at home, you'll learn more if you are receptive to constructive criticism.

Chris
Click to expand...

I love it when a teachers passion for riding comes through their teaching :)
 
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