Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 11:29 am
Okay the course is over! I passed. Missed nothing on the written. Most people scored about 10-15 points on the riding evaluation. Nobody failed the class. Not to brag (okay, just a little) I scored the best with 3 points. Zero on the box. Zero on the swerve. Zero on the quick brake. And 3 points on the curve. The instructor said I "went in hot". On the last aspect of the curve he said I rolled off the throttle which is a deceleration. Oh well! I am not complaining. (By the way, I botched the box every time until the eval.)
I just can't express how great this course is! Everyone has read this and heard this numerous times! Even if I had failed, I would have walked away learning so much information.
How do you really drive this home to people? A friend of mine was going to take the course, but he got his bike a month earlier than the scheduled time. So he and a buddy taught himself. By the time the course came he withdrew to save the money. He said that most likely that the course couldn't teach him anything new since he had read Proficient Motorcycling (which I bought too and is a great book.) But nothing beats that one-on-one when a pro pulls you aside and says "You really got to turn that head sooner!" "You don't have good control in the friction zone- that is why you're putting that foot down in the box".
I too bought my bike 2 weeks ago. A Suzuki M50. But the dealer said he would hold it for me until I took the course. Yes it took some restraint to keep it there. And even now, I won't ride it home. I will trailer it. And I will go practice in some close parking lots as well on the range I took the course.
On one hand I wish the course became mandatory. But what the standards erode with time just to accommodate the increased student load? My instructors were phenomenal! So much so, that I said I would like to do what they are doing!
The good thing about the location I took the course: the markings are on the ground. We are allowed to use the course on Friday evenings (of course light permitting) and Sat/Sun afternoons when the outdoors of the course is over.
I hope everyone else had the great weekend I had! And I hope everyone takes the course!
I just can't express how great this course is! Everyone has read this and heard this numerous times! Even if I had failed, I would have walked away learning so much information.
How do you really drive this home to people? A friend of mine was going to take the course, but he got his bike a month earlier than the scheduled time. So he and a buddy taught himself. By the time the course came he withdrew to save the money. He said that most likely that the course couldn't teach him anything new since he had read Proficient Motorcycling (which I bought too and is a great book.) But nothing beats that one-on-one when a pro pulls you aside and says "You really got to turn that head sooner!" "You don't have good control in the friction zone- that is why you're putting that foot down in the box".
I too bought my bike 2 weeks ago. A Suzuki M50. But the dealer said he would hold it for me until I took the course. Yes it took some restraint to keep it there. And even now, I won't ride it home. I will trailer it. And I will go practice in some close parking lots as well on the range I took the course.
On one hand I wish the course became mandatory. But what the standards erode with time just to accommodate the increased student load? My instructors were phenomenal! So much so, that I said I would like to do what they are doing!
The good thing about the location I took the course: the markings are on the ground. We are allowed to use the course on Friday evenings (of course light permitting) and Sat/Sun afternoons when the outdoors of the course is over.
I hope everyone else had the great weekend I had! And I hope everyone takes the course!