Intro course

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I know I'm new to this whole thing... but wouldn't the instructor's teaching techniques also help to know? Because everyone learns differently how would you know if they are aware if someone is having problems?
Also, thanks for having this type of informaiton for us new 'kids' (NOT!) lol
 
mstram said:
And just how do you objectively measure "better training" ?

The only reports here are from riders who have attended one particular school, and all usually say whichever school they attended was great.

None of the schools publish their curriculum.

From the little info available (heresay / Youtube etc), it seems the course content is similar.

Most of the schools don't publish bio's of their instructors.

And they all charge approximately the same amount.

So "closest location" is as good a reason as any other to choose a school
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Hold on Hold on! Complete research is what you can actually do . With something so critical such as rider training, doing just partial research is only cheating yourself. So dont limit your research to just youtube, hearsay, proximity and ending it there! Yikes.

Choosing a school:

1) First, I would start by going to the MTO website to find the list of the currently approved schools. Listen, things change, and things get updated - a school could be removed or added to the ministry's approved list. And you never know, maybe there is a fun new school available that you weren't aware of ....!!! http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/driver/gradu/motocourse.shtml

2) Then, I would check out each of the websites of the schools within my city and neighbouring cities. Websites show a lot,.. and it doesn't take long so why not look. And who doesn't make sure part of their research involves checking out a company's website first these days!??!! You can tell a whole heck of a lot by a company's website (quality of the school, feel of the program, style, how big the classes are, bikes they use, instructors, info (or not) on instructors, etc). I personally would also be willing to travel to a better quality school. Thats just a no-brainer.
(FYI - You will never see a schools curriculum published because these are actually all proprietary. Yes they all generally cover all the same things but some use very different methods to arrive at the same destination which can make all the difference; and some may also emphasize specific critical areas more than others).

3) Do they have a Facebook page? I would look into this and poke around on there also! You can tell a lot.

4) Do they post pictures? I would be sure to check out some posts of pictures from courses. These pictures would tell a story for sure!!!!

5) optional - Then I may even call the school and chat with them and to have any questions answered .. and to get a general feel.

6) Last I would check out the hearsay and see what people say - but with a grain of salt!!!
You are correct this can totally be skewed (so this would have to be kept in mind). A student likely may only have that school they attended as their only experience. So unfortunately they will not know any different. But by YOU doing your own research, you will have much better time making an informed decision on the best rider training for you

7) Go with your gut! You know what feels right for you.

Note: Cost - there is no price tag for safety - so personally cost wouldnt be any motivating factor for me. (And my time, and the perceived quality is more important also). Its all going towards laying down a solid foundation!!
 
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Thanks GeneralG!! I was asking the questions on what to do when looking on "Hello There" post. Do you know of anywhere that I can just get a couple of hours to see if I like it, or would I have to do a full course?
 
TotallyLost said:
Thanks GeneralG!! I was asking the questions on what to do when looking on "Hello There" post. Do you know of anywhere that I can just get a couple of hours to see if I like it, or would I have to do a full course?
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I believe Learning Curves offers a introductory (couple hours) session where you can do just that.
 
General G said:


6) Last I would check out the hearsay and see what people say - but with a grain of salt!!!
You are correct this can totally be skewed (so this would have to be kept in mind). A student likely may only have that school they attended as their only experience. So unfortunately they will not know any different. But by YOU doing your own research, you will have much better time making an informed decision on the best rider training for you
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One of the problems is that you might not hear all of the bad along with the good.
My neighbour took a course at a different school than I did, and came back claiming that he didn't have to do half of the test, but still got his license upgraded, because there was a serious crash at the site. All I have for evidence though, is his claim at the time, so I can't say anything, as it's a very serious charge I believe.

TotallyLost said:
Thanks GeneralG!! I was asking the questions on what to do when looking on "Hello There" post. Do you know of anywhere that I can just get a couple of hours to see if I like it, or would I have to do a full course?
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Humber offers these courses as well:
http://www.humber.ca/motorcycle/course/introduction-motorcycling
 
Baggsy said:
My neighbour took a course at a different school than I did, and came back claiming that he didn't have to do half of the test, but still got his license upgraded, because there was a serious crash at the site. All I have for evidence though, is his claim at the time, so I can't say anything, as it's a very serious charge I believe.
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Half of the school test is probably more demanding than the MTO test : http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/handbook/motorcycles/section8-0-0.shtml - Walk the bike around cones - Drive the bike "serpentine" - Straight line test
 
mstram said:
Half of the school test is probably more demanding than the MTO test : http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/handbook/motorcycles/section8-0-0.shtml - Walk the bike around cones - Drive the bike "serpentine" - Straight line test
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Since you're accumulating points as you go, your maximum potential points would also be cut in half.

It might depend on which half, lots of people with their licenses would have trouble with the serpentine

I know that they skipped the "braking in a curve" test.
That seemed to be the tipping point in my class for many.
 
Without first hand accounts from people you know and trust, there is no way of 100% knowing who's the best beforehand. What you can do though, is call around to the schools you are interested in and ask questions about their instructors qualifications, class size (instructor to student ratio), and just get a general "vibe". Does this school "care" about you, or are you just another number? A little research goes a long way. If ALL things truly were the same then yes, you COULD go with closest proximity here. But you are not buying a bag of milk here, you are learning skills that are going to make riding more enjoyable, and possibly save your life someday!
 
I agree going with the closest school is ridiculous!!! call the schools and talk to them!! this could be the best experience or maybe the worst for you if you don't do your homework. Who cares if it's close by??
 
blinky said:
I agree going with the closest school is ridiculous!!! call the schools and talk to them!! this could be the best experience or maybe the worst for you if you don't do your homework. Who cares if it's close by??
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And why is it ridiculous exactly? All of the schools are ministry approved. From what I heard, all instructors are great. I went to the closest school (Humber North campus) for my M1-exit course, it was great - instructors, course itself, etc. I took Learning Curves M2-exit course at Learning Curves, because it was cheaper and more convenient for my schedule - again, instructor (Ginny) was great, got my M. Now Ginny owns MotorSoul, so I can recommend that school too... So, that's 3 schools already. It's pretty rare that you will hear something bad about local riding schools.
 
ViperZ said:
And why is it ridiculous exactly? All of the schools are ministry approved. From what I heard, all instructors are great. I went to the closest school (Humber North campus) for my M1-exit course, it was great - instructors, course itself, etc. I took Learning Curves M2-exit course at Learning Curves, because it was cheaper and more convenient for my schedule - again, instructor (Ginny) was great, got my M. Now Ginny owns MotorSoul, so I can recommend that school too... So, that's 3 schools already. It's pretty rare that you will hear something bad about local riding schools.
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All the schools are inspected for quality of instruction, the only difference could be the individual instructor you get on that weekend and that may be the difference between getting a good basic instruction and extra qualities from a person who really cares. What's the difference? The best instructor is the one who encourages you to get more instruction after you pass your basic M licence!
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