Progression Courses? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Progression Courses?

mimico_polak

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Reading the thread about one of the riders on here wiping out I realized that I want to get better at riding and increase my skill and speed through corners as well as generally improve. I've got about 40k under my belt but all street riding with zero track and zero advance training. I'm comfortable on the bike, however there's a limit as to how much I will lean, and mainly because I'm not sure how much more I have left in the tire, and lack of confidence to get down to knee level (especially on the street).

Question is, what do you guys recommend for courses to improve riding technique, skill, and confidence for someone that's done this for a few seasons but wants to get better (safely). I think this season most of the courses are basically finished, so starting in the spring I'd like to sign up somewhere and either use my bike or theirs. Thanks.
 
If you want to increase you cornering ability nothing beats track riding.

That said, if you're not interested in track then I would suggest you look into the Sharp Rider program. They teach based on Lee Park's Total Control and it's applicable to all types of bikes. When I took it we had sport bikes, cruisers and enduros groups in the class. They tailor the technique to your ride.
http://www.sharpridermotorcycletraining.com/

For track specific, there is Racer5 (http://www.racer5.ca/) and Fast (http://fastridingschool.com/)

All three that I mention have progressions from level 1 to 2 to 3 etc.
 
Total control, racer 5, fast, or a technical course offered by one of the licensing schools like RTI. No matter what you choose, you will improve by leaps and bounds.

There still might courses available at all above - check them out!
 
Cool thanks for the tips guys. This year will be tight as work has us working weekends each week (except long weekends). For next year I'll definitely take some courses. Plus in 2 weeks I'm planning on doing the Cannonball 500 on Saturday and don't want to miss that as I've missed the spring one already :(

As for track day...I'm a bit scared that I may enjoy it too much and with a baby on the way it would be hard to convince myself and my wife of the need to buy a track bike!
 
Reading the thread about one of the riders on here wiping out I realized that I want to get better at riding and increase my skill and speed through corners as well as generally improve. I've got about 40k under my belt but all street riding with zero track and zero advance training. I'm comfortable on the bike, however there's a limit as to how much I will lean, and mainly because I'm not sure how much more I have left in the tire, and lack of confidence to get down to knee level (especially on the street).

Both overrated aspects for street riding, IMO. A bit of the pejoratively-named "chicken strip" is nothing to be ashamed of; to me, it shows you're riding with safety margin and respecting the fact that you're on DOT tires and that public roads are more often than not littered with surface irregularities, dropped oil, broken asphalt and run-off areas punctuated by concrete curbs and Armco.

By all means, take a course, but work on things like smoothness and technique, not specifically on getting low enough to erase 'strips and drag knees or even touch down hard points on the bike. Ride like that on the street and you're more likely to crash than if you just keep doing what you've been doing for 40K kms.
 
Both overrated aspects for street riding, IMO. A bit of the pejoratively-named "chicken strip" is nothing to be ashamed of; to me, it shows you're riding with safety margin and respecting the fact that you're on DOT tires and that public roads are more often than not littered with surface irregularities, dropped oil, broken asphalt and run-off areas punctuated by concrete curbs and Armco.

By all means, take a course, but work on things like smoothness and technique, not specifically on getting low enough to erase 'strips and drag knees or even touch down hard points on the bike. Ride like that on the street and you're more likely to crash than if you just keep doing what you've been doing for 40K kms.

Well said. Not planning on dragging knees or going all the way down on the street but I feel it'll help confidence in corners and overall ride ability.

Here are my chicken strips for fun...roast away GTAM!
 
I feel the same; I think the important thing is to learn the limits, so you know what they are and what they feel like. Saying a chicken strip shows margin is true if you know how to use the remaining tire; which I assume myself and the OP don't. I bought Lee Parks book and learned a bit from that, I think I would like to sign up for the course.


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Take the Total Control course. I guarantee you. You won't regret it. I took it and I'm glad I did. It has helped me in so many ways. I have some things to work on from the Level 1 but will definitely be doing TCARC2.
 
I did an ERC course this year, but it concentrated more on slow speed stuff, which many people have trouble with. There was some higher speed stuff, but lots of full wheel lock turns, slightly faster dipping turns etc. If I get the time, or the Total Control course gets closer to here, I'll probably take it. I went for an off-road course last year, but was told the day of, that they didn't have a bike for me.
 
I did an ERC course this year, but it concentrated more on slow speed stuff, which many people have trouble with. There was some higher speed stuff, but lots of full wheel lock turns, slightly faster dipping turns etc. If I get the time, or the Total Control course gets closer to here, I'll probably take it. I went for an off-road course last year, but was told the day of, that they didn't have a bike for me.

Where is closer to here?
 

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