Surviving the Streets ?????

N

NightShadow

Well-known member
Has anyone tried this course . What did you think of it . It is for every type of bike . I did this on a Cruiser . What a blast - Now I know why so many are into the racing side of it.
It is very addicting . Info I have posted below .


Course is called - Surviving the Streets

Head person who runs this - Donald

cost is 145 plus HST = 163 or 164

Sign up on line

https://www.torontomotorsportspark.com/raceway/motorcycle_school.html

sign up by Phone
Info on this page

http://www.torontomotorsportspark.com/raceway/surviving_the_streets_instrtn.html

Some info and how it runs

This course is not for a new rider - as in just got your Lic . If you have a
year under your belt and a good knowledge of how to handle your bike then
you are set to go. They only allow 15 peeps in the course at a time . The
instructors are all racers and know what they are doing. Any question you
ask them they will glady answer and help you out. At the start of the course
you do an in class for approx 45 to hour long to learn some things. (easy stuff)

Each instructor has 3 peep only. You start out following the instructor around
to see where the line is and just follow in his foot steps or his bike trail.
This is done at a fairly slow pace to allow everyone the chance to see the track
and where the pylons are . It is set up so when you start your turn you head
towards the other pylon - (head up looking around the corner) to the next Pylon.

After that you pick the pace up a bit if you can ( Just ride your own limit) not
the other peeps you are with . Then they put you in a group of similar riders
as your self. They will switch the riders around so that you get your turn behind
the instructor to see his line. They do that on every lap . Near the end you
are basically chasing down the instrutor. (Don't worry they have no problem
Staying in front of you )

When you are on the front straight part way through the course he will tell
you to make sure you take it to full throttle if you want. Trust me on this
one - Most of us were doing it. Just make sure you slow down about 3/4 the
way down to make the first turn.

The braking part of the course is done at your limit - they don't want you to
ride above it . So you need to see what you can do on this part of the course.

The 3 other riders I was with our friends of mine - 3 Cruisers & 1 sport bike.

The saturdays are for sport bikes and Sundays is for Cruisers. When I talked
to Donald who runs the course he will tell you it won't make any difference
if you go on the Sunday with a sport bike . The woman who was with us was the
only sport bike there .


With this course you are going to learn - Won't matter how long you have been
riding or how old you are .


Once you pay and they will send you a conformation email with stuff you need.
Basically ignore it . Most of it is for the racing side.


What you need to do the course is

- full face helmet - no exceptions
- Jeans at the least - but leather chaps or pants - jeans & riding pants - no exceptions
- Leather gloves - Gautlets or at least leather that covers your wrist - no exceptions
- leather boots or shoes that cover the ankle - no exceptions
- If they are shoes with laces - then bring duct tape or masking tape to cover the laces

The rest of the stuff you can ignore - If you have a throttle lock on your bike he may
disable it .
They do an inspection when you get there so no need to worry . Make sure tank is full
of fuel and your tires are not bald .

Then it is just up to you to have a great time . Trust me it is a blast .

Just to let you know I have received emails from all that went with me and the
word they used was Blast . They were all still smiling the next day that is how
much fun they had . At the end of the course You go back inside and talk for a few mins.
You could see it on every ones face. How they really enjoyed it and they wanted more.
 
Based on the name, I was expecting something else from this course. It sounds like a 'lite' version of a race class. I was expecting more about problems you would find on the street, like quick avoidance, hard braking to a stop, slippery surface.... more of what you would see in a car control type of course. Not so much 'how to drive fast around a corner'.
 
Gaining more confidence through a corner is a common complaint for students who graduate an M2 course.

If you think about it, the M2 Exit course is the most challenging thing some will ever do on their bikes.

This course sounds very much like FAST phase 1, and I learned a ton of pointers that I've used while riding over the last four years, most notably last weekend when I was on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and survival included negotiating unmarked reducing radius corners on the mountains.

Give it a shot then come back and tell us what you learned doesn't apply on the street to some degree.
 
Rotten_Ronnie said:
Give it a shot then come back and tell us what you learned doesn't apply on the street to some degree.
Click to expand...

I didn't say it didn't apply to some degree, and I've already taken an actual race course. This wouldn't teach me any more than that. "to some degree" can be applied to anything, and based on the name I expected something a little different than track day lite.
 
Hard braking to a stop is covered
Emergency swerve is covered
Just as you expected.

It is tailored to each bike individually and is not just how to go fast around a corner.




TheDirty said:
Based on the name, I was expecting something else from this course. It sounds like a 'lite' version of a race class. I was expecting more about problems you would find on the street, like quick avoidance, hard braking to a stop, slippery surface.... more of what you would see in a car control type of course. Not so much 'how to drive fast around a corner'.
Click to expand...
 
here is another review from a Road Captain:

Just wanted to post an interesting course I went down to on Sunday. Getting there of course was half the fun as it was a bit wet going through the Hamilton area.

http://www.torontomotorsportspark.com/raceway/surviving_the_streets_instrtn.html

I met up with 2 friends from CMC London and also met 2 other folks from CMC, I think the Markham area, and everyone's overwhelming response was it was an incredible course which let everyone, regardless of their skill levels to push themselves "Safely" from their comfort zones and to learn a bit more about this sport which we all love.

A lot of people think the idea of Cruisers on a race track makes no sense, but I have to say that it is an amazing environment to practice emergency stops... any where from 3rd gear to 5/6 gear. Emergency swerves and stops again at your comfortable "Pushed Limit" Also a track which has 12 curves per lap in which everyone, I do mean everyone, scraped their floor boards repeatedly until being taught how to turn even sharper and faster and not scraping, well it was fun, interesting, and probably the most fun you will every experience in one afternoon on your bike. Probaby in one afternoon you will do more curves then you will in a whole season.

3 of the riders taking the course were experienced Riders getting ready for a trip to the Dragon's Tail. They were there on recommendation of their friends who did the trip the year before.

There was one fellow who had about 30 plus years of riding and he said after the course he found things out he never knew.

The course starts out with a talk, orientation, basic info which is good to remember and then we go out on the track. After a few laps we were broken down to smaller groups of maximum 2 or 3 per instructor and then the fun began.

If anybody wants to know more about the course, or has general questions, send me a note and I will certainly give you my opinion.

I guess my opinion is we all need to learn, we all can improve our skills and I know we all want to be safe.
icon_e_smile.gif


This was on a Race Track but it was all about SAFETY.

Brian
CMC006
Road Captain
CanadianBB
 
this looks very interesting, and for approx $150 seems worth it. Its always great to keep learning you'll never know what skill you will need to know until its to late. Its all about skills that have become instinct. Training/practicing will embed these instincts and tuck those bad habits away.
 
I am one of the ones going to the Dragon mentioned above for 9 days on June 11 . As Rotten Ronnie mentioned ( when I was on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and survival included negotiating unmarked reducing radius corners on the mountains.) I took this course to improve my cornering and also the Dragon Trip . I happened to learn a bit more - that you won't learn in a M2 course or on the Road . It also gave me the understanding what the racers go through . So if it helped me out in some little way to make me a better rider and I happened to enjoy it - So be it . I am always up for learning. ( Besides that I always wondered what it would be like on the track - Now I know )
 
This is what is needed here:

http://www.advanced-motorcycle-training.co.uk//

These are accredited courses in the UK that take place on the road for advanced riding skills. Either 1-1 instruction for a short 6h course or longer weekend type courses all run by ex police motorcycle riders.

I'd sign up for something like this if anyone offered it.
 
another review

a couple of my riding buddies with cruisers asked me if i would be interested in doing a course at the cayuga racetrack titles "surviving the streets-advanced riding course for touring bikes and cruisers"

since i have a suzuki bandit i thought that it would not be geared toward my ride. I also thought "what the heck it can't hurt"

a little about my 2010 season and why i needed to do a course-any course

a guy reversed out of his driveway at about 40km onto the road-actually he reversed straight into me. His tailpipe sliced open my boot,sock and some of my foot. toes bent back to almost breaking point and my right hip slammed into the read portion of his pick-up bed as i was "trying" to swerve out of the way. Bike totaled.

so i bought the bandit and went for a ride out to Port Perry. it was raining and i found the oily spot on the road!! Wipeout

fun times eh:(

This past off season has been a long one and i was terrified of getting out there. And so i signed up.

My key goal was to build a relationship with this bandit of mine. In a sense you could say i wanted to get to know the machine-i have all the specs memorized but that tells me nothing of the handling potential- this takes rider knowledge and skill

My wish list was as follows

1)how much lean do i have
2)what my speed should be in a corner
3)how do i approach a corner
4)how do i handle coming out of 1 corner and then head straight into another
5)if i come out of a curve and there is an obstacle what do i do
6)what are my braking capabilities-ratio of front and back brake
7)gearing down quickly and not locking up tires-everyone and their mother has a story about this one!!

and here is what i took from this course

1)holy heck can that bandit lean-i mean REALLY REALLY LEAN- and i was soooooooo ok with that
2)I now know how to visually prepare for and enter a curve AND then another in the opposite direction. i learned how to properly position myself and the bike for a successful curve- and a successful cure is a fun curve:)
3)swerving to avoid an obstacle and then doing an emergency stop- the proper sequence of moves to safely accomplish this
4)I now am comfortable with the emergency braking and the way it feels physically to stop very quickly-a little daunting at first but with practice it gets fun real quick. And my stopping on a yellow light is much smoother. As well my approach to stop signs is much better. i don't start slowing down a 1/2km away anymore!
5)gearing down quickly can be done in a very smooth manner and if done properly i won't lock up that rear tire

I have found that when i get out there with guys that have been riding for 10+ years they all have advise to give. The thing is this- it's what they have picked up along the way and while some bits of advise are sound a course like this opens your eyes to the fact that they don't have a clue about some things. Let's not forget courses did not exist until recently.


I had an hours ride home from the course on Sunday evening and i immediately noticed a difference in my skill with the bandit. The confidence boost was amazing. And i have only gotten off my bike to eat,work & sleep!!!!!!

I am now excited to get out there-not nervous.

That in itself makes me a safer rider on the road- for myself as well as for others.

As for doing this course again i will. I got so much out of it and I know if i do it again there will be even more nuggets to take home.
But for now this rider is signing up for "intro to track"

For those of you out there thinking "race track- well that's not for me" look at it this way.

Its simply 3km of road laid out in curves and straights instead of a small square parking lot. There are no potholes, over filled potholes,sand or debris to throw you off. You have lots of room to focus on what you are doing rather than the typical course with far too many riders crammed together so then you ultimately focus on them as well.

Another huge bonus- one instructor and 3 students max. That's a ratio that rocks!!! It's much more hands on that any course i have ever done. The instructors focus on where you need to improve and you do it at your own pace. As well they provide posite feedback on what you get right-they build your confidence. To me it shows that they have respect for what you want to accomplish and they respect that you are investing hard earned dollars in your choosen sport.

If you are looking for way to tie that adventurous spirit of yours to your awesome ride this course is a fantastic way to do it.

I invested in a good bike
I invested in proper gear
I took this course and invested in me


if it's too much feel free to shorten it up-
But it's pretty much my thoughts on it and Rob is thrilled that he did it as well. We haven't stopped talking about it.Trying to get a few of the folks at work to sign up.
 
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