Misti
Active member
Is it important to get formal training for riding motorcycles? What kinds of training have you had and how did it help your riding?
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To train or not to train?
- Thread starter Misti
- Start date
I assume you are talking about riding on the street.
Short answer. Most insurers require you to take a training course before they will insure you.
Longer answer. You do not need to take a course (provided you can find insurance without it) but the course will drastically improve the ability of a new rider and may help experienced riders fix some of their bad habits. It is very likely that what you learn/practice in the course will save you from an incident down the road (not that you will be invincible, just you will fall over less).
If you already have done basic training, advanced courses like track courses, dirt courses or *** (name escapes me, Cutekill is part of a course run in a parking lot in mississauga) help. All of the courses help you explore/practice riding scenarios that aren't normally encountered or practiced on the street but when they are have a high failure rate.
Short answer. Most insurers require you to take a training course before they will insure you.
Longer answer. You do not need to take a course (provided you can find insurance without it) but the course will drastically improve the ability of a new rider and may help experienced riders fix some of their bad habits. It is very likely that what you learn/practice in the course will save you from an incident down the road (not that you will be invincible, just you will fall over less).
If you already have done basic training, advanced courses like track courses, dirt courses or *** (name escapes me, Cutekill is part of a course run in a parking lot in mississauga) help. All of the courses help you explore/practice riding scenarios that aren't normally encountered or practiced on the street but when they are have a high failure rate.
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at a minimum take the M1X course. It will pay for itself in insurance savings your first year – most insurance providers won’t insure an M2 rider without it and if they do you will get charged a premium.
I came from a pretty extensive cycling background + grew up riding dirt bikes before jumping to street motorcycles. I took the course for the insurance break and expected to learn nothing. It ended up being pretty informative and you will learn a bunch of critical skills. Just being forced to spend 2 full days at low speed drilling in common maneuvers will make you a much better rider. It is a sport that is very unforgiving to the inexperienced / overconfident.
I came from a pretty extensive cycling background + grew up riding dirt bikes before jumping to street motorcycles. I took the course for the insurance break and expected to learn nothing. It ended up being pretty informative and you will learn a bunch of critical skills. Just being forced to spend 2 full days at low speed drilling in common maneuvers will make you a much better rider. It is a sport that is very unforgiving to the inexperienced / overconfident.
Motorcycling is very dynamic. Putting the same input can give you very different results. For example using the brakes in a corner will tighten your line or widen your line depend how fast it is performed. Any good quality school will not only teach you how to become proficient with techniques, but teaches the reason that they work. Riding a motorcycle is a skill. All skills are perishable and only perfect practice makes perfect. Why would you not want training ? CUTEKILL is involved with Sharp Rider Motorcycle Training, which teaches Total Control. By far the best training i have ever taken. I do a refresher with Total Control every year. It has been 8 years since I first took the level 1 course. It has also been 8 years since I have had a holy s##t experience on a bike. I wonder if these two events are related? Please Please take some type of training.
Iceman
Well-known member
Even the most accomplished rider will learn something and have a take away from participating in rider training. Even folks that have ridden two wheels for years before venturing out on the streets.
There is the occasional nay sayer and that’s ok.
I am speaking from experience myself
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
There is the occasional nay sayer and that’s ok.
I am speaking from experience myself
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Road King
Well-known member
Don't just rely on the M2 Exit training. It's not enough in my opinion. I take a rider skills training course every Spring (usually April). It's helped me tremendously and I'm a much better, safer rider for it. There is always something you can improve on and it takes a qualified instructor to point out exactly what that is and how to fix it.
JFD
Well-known member
You don't know what you don't know.
Courses are always a good idea despite the faction that will say to save your money and just practice.
the standard m exit courses are a must. There are advanced riding that hones your skillset a bit more that are offered by schools. Yes these are great courses to take, and learning more is never a bad thing.
I've taken the exits in my past, plus some technical and advanced riding courses as well. I don't regret a single thing.
Courses are always a good idea despite the faction that will say to save your money and just practice.
the standard m exit courses are a must. There are advanced riding that hones your skillset a bit more that are offered by schools. Yes these are great courses to take, and learning more is never a bad thing.
I've taken the exits in my past, plus some technical and advanced riding courses as well. I don't regret a single thing.
FLSTC
Well-known member
The context of this question is important to consider -
Hi there,
My name is Misti and I'm an ex Canadian Nationals and AMA racer, current coach with the California Superbike School, mom of two little ones and writer for Motorcycle Mojo Magazine. Just stumbled upon this site and thought I would say hello
Misti
Misti
Active member
Yes, conversation starter
When I'm not riding I like to discuss riding technique and find out more about how people think and talk about motorcycle riding techniques and skills. It's also helpful to talk to groups of people about riding in hopes of encouraging them to ride as well and safely as possible and sometimes I get great article ideas out of meaningful conversations I did start a thread about learning a new track quickly, curious about if people have methods or not or they just wing it. I'm talking about any kind of formal rider training, how did you learn, what courses did you take, have you thought about advanced riding classes etc.....
When I first learned to ride I learned from friends and never took any formal classes. I started racing and doing track days almost immediately and while I was reasonably good and fast I had no idea what I was actually doing and I crashed a lot without knowing WHY. It wasn't until I took all four levels of the California Superbike School as a student (before becoming a coach) did I actually begin to understand HOW to ride well. Since then I've continued to explore different training options, I've taken the Rich Oliver Mystery School, Texas Tornado Bootcamp with Colin Edwards, a local Enduro course with Pacific Riding School and the Race Academy in Spain with Troy Corser. I think there are aways ways to improve and get better with your riding but that there needs to be intent and focus on improving. Hence the questions
Just wondering how people work on their own riding, what training they seek and why and how it helps them 
I didnt recognize your name immediately Misti, as I didnt expect to find you here.
You should wander over to the ABS thread, there's a brain trust in there that could help you alot in your quest for useful commentary. High points include ' if the front end washes out, you just ride it on the rear wheel' and 'ABS is bullcrap"
You should wander over to the ABS thread, there's a brain trust in there that could help you alot in your quest for useful commentary. High points include ' if the front end washes out, you just ride it on the rear wheel' and 'ABS is bullcrap"
100% encouraged and highly recommended. Even more important in our geographical region since we almost start back from square one every spring due to winter cutting our season by 25-50%. As life continues, I take every chance I get to go riding. Even if I only have 30 minutes, I'll go to a big lot, drop a few half cones, and practice super low speed control, emergency braking, etc.
One can quickly identify incompetent riders from their low speed control coming to/departing from a stop. I especially enjoy the entertainment when the incompetent rider also broadcasts their lack of skill with a very loud pipe (piss poor clutch control, not-clean down/upshifts, lack of rev matching).
Learn from my mistake, if you see any of the above, stay far away. And DEFINITELY give them x2 or x3 the regular space during a group ride.
One can quickly identify incompetent riders from their low speed control coming to/departing from a stop. I especially enjoy the entertainment when the incompetent rider also broadcasts their lack of skill with a very loud pipe (piss poor clutch control, not-clean down/upshifts, lack of rev matching).
Learn from my mistake, if you see any of the above, stay far away. And DEFINITELY give them x2 or x3 the regular space during a group ride.
RacerX
Well-known member
Misti Hurst has been spreading knowledge on motorcycle forums for years, she is polite and knowledgeable as can be and definitely deserves much more recognition than she gets. I've spoken with her on riding technique many times before (on different forums) and you would be hard pressed to find better feedback as far as riding/racing technique is concerned.
All her questions are designed to provoke thought about riding technique/approach to help riders grasp concepts that most might struggle with.
Thank you Misti. There's a question I've been thinking about lately so a PM is imminent
All her questions are designed to provoke thought about riding technique/approach to help riders grasp concepts that most might struggle with.
Thank you Misti. There's a question I've been thinking about lately so a PM is imminent
Misti
Active member
Misti Hurst has been spreading knowledge on motorcycle forums for years, she is polite and knowledgeable as can be and definitely deserves much more recognition than she gets. I've spoken with her on riding technique many times before (on different forums) and you would be hard pressed to find better feedback as far as riding/racing technique is concerned.
All her questions are designed to provoke thought about riding technique/approach to help riders grasp concepts that most might struggle with.
Thank you Misti. There's a question I've been thinking about lately so a PM is imminent
Thank you so much.
. I look forward to your PM and will do whatever I can to help. Thanks again for the shout out! I'm super passionate about what I do and enjoy talking to like minded people so forums like this where I can help facilitate quality conversation are awesome!
Always train.
Motorcycling has a far higher skill floor, but similar skill ceiling to operating a car. The stuff they teach you on the M2Exit does not result in what I'd call a sufficient skill floor (not saying it's useless; it is perfectly valid for the time they provide.) You can acquire a sufficient skill floor by understanding the physics and how things work (hanging off, traction, target fixation, rake and trail.) Once armed with the base line knowledge of how things work, you can reach for the infinite skill ceiling through practice and failure.
Vast majority have too much ego to subject themselves to failure, so assume what they know is sufficient, and proceed to do a whole lot of bullshitting.
Bottom line: I am always a student and never a master. I will continue to train, reflect, and fail to become faster and stronger than the me from yesterday.
Motorcycling has a far higher skill floor, but similar skill ceiling to operating a car. The stuff they teach you on the M2Exit does not result in what I'd call a sufficient skill floor (not saying it's useless; it is perfectly valid for the time they provide.) You can acquire a sufficient skill floor by understanding the physics and how things work (hanging off, traction, target fixation, rake and trail.) Once armed with the base line knowledge of how things work, you can reach for the infinite skill ceiling through practice and failure.
Vast majority have too much ego to subject themselves to failure, so assume what they know is sufficient, and proceed to do a whole lot of bullshitting.
Bottom line: I am always a student and never a master. I will continue to train, reflect, and fail to become faster and stronger than the me from yesterday.
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