Things you wished a motorcycle course taught | GTAMotorcycle.com

Things you wished a motorcycle course taught

wearelopey

wearelopey

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Hey everyone,

So what were some things that you wished you had learned while taking the m1 exit course (the one that gets you your m2 in thr envelope, parking lot only etc etc)?

We teach basics, but ive been curious as to what tidbits riders would have enjoyed learning from the start.

As a side question, for those that got their full M license through a course, what intermediate/advanced skills would you have loved to learn? For instance my instructor taught me how to do tight Uturns by counterleaning and looking behind myself etc.

Im a newer instructor and looking to hone my skills. I realize basic course basic.knowledge but id really like to give information that would allow my students to progress into the intermediate level, such as cornering skills and what have you.

So, what did you wish you had learned at your motorcycle licensing courses?

Thanks in advance


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I wish we could have taken the bikes even for a lap on city streets. The first time I rode on city streets it was very different dealing with people who are just clueless about other bikes.

I guess it's probably an insurance issue but still...
 
Like the guy above said: Maybe more city street speed experience for the riders?

The low speed course in the parking lot definitely helped me out, but when I picked up bike from the mechanic for the first time and rode home.. I was scared as hell. It felt like a different dynamic.

Also, how to utilize gears on a low end bike. I had a Suzuki GZ 250, and found the first gear to be weak and would switch to 2nd gear as soon as I started going and was not able to utilize the power as well. I'm talking about like 10km/h. But after months of riding, someone told me to just crank the first gear to about 30kph and then switch to the 2nd. I was able to beat most cars off the line with my tiny cruiser.. Yeah, I guess teach the riders to not be afraid of the first gear on a low end bike.
 
How to park properly on a street beside other bikes.
 
My gf just took course in Kitchener and I think it would be good if schools had different
types of bikes to learn new riders on.. Like some cruisers, sport bikes...When she rode my
SS for the first time she found it very different from what they taught her on and took
some time to get used to... Sorry I know it's not an answer to the question you asked
I just think it would be good for new riders to try some different types of bikes..
thanks
 
I think that reasoning behind holding onto the tank with your knees (opposed to using the bars to support yourself) would have been awesome to know. I know they mentioned it but they said it was so you wouldn't hurt the family jewels... (I learned that after watching twist of the wrist 2)
 
Trip Planning (things you need, route planning, etc)
Making yourself visable to motorists
Know where you are in relation to other motorists to be able to "get-outta-dodge" if need be
 
A few minor things that I didn't feel were covered well or at all during my M1 exit course.
Parking: real world situations like mall lots, uphill/downhill, with other bikes, etc.
Pivot rotating bike: Helpful when I have the space to do it.
Body position: Hugging tank with legs, weight off bars (this would have saved me some sore wrists during the course)
 
Well, this probably be course dependent but at Humber they did not mention anything what to do in case your rear locks up.

They've told us about the procedure for the front locking up but failed to mentioned that it's best to hold rear in locked position if it's already locked. I only found out here what was the reasoning and why should I always hold the rear in emergency brake in case it locks up.
 
Realistically there is only so much you can cover -- and have absorbed -- in a 2.5 day course. Everyone was at such different skill levels going in and coming out.

I took mine in May at Centennial and it was really terrific. Before the course I had zero experience riding a motorbike, and the day after the course I drove 100kms home from the dealership. Yeah it took me 5 hours, but I learned what skills I needed to develop with the new bike which was significantly different than the one I used in training.

Based on my experience, if there were some things I would emphasize to complete newbs they would be:

- fan the clutch when low speed cornering so you don't stall it leaning at 5 km/h in 2nd (how I dumped my bike the first time)
- be VERY AFRAID of streetcar tracks that are wet (how I dumped my bike the second time)
- Agree, loosen the death grip, you don't have to balance your bike at speed and you won't blow off
- adjusting the suspension and how it can make a world of difference to your bike's handling
- riding off road...err, on downtown Toronto streets. Handling rough pavement, esp when coming to a stop, was unnerving the first few times
- +1 on ride like you're invisible - the only philosophy I subscribe to
- braking, braking, braking. Or the potentially life saving advantages of ABS for new riders
- how low-siding (dumping) to avoid a collision will likely only make you hit harder (at higher speed) and maybe under someone's wheels
- the proper way to wave to other bikers
- how to get spotted in "I Saw You" on GTAM
 
How to pick up your downed bike properly without injuring your back :) With the right technique everyone is able to pick up even a heavy Cruiser. Those techniques could be taught in the M1 exit course.
 
MotoBini said:
How to pick up your downed bike properly without injuring your back :) With the right technique everyone is able to pick up even a heavy Cruiser. Those techniques could be taught in the M1 exit course.
Click to expand...

+1. RTI instructor dropped bike to his foot with 1 hand ( he was strong) and then picked it up....I wish he would have placed it on the ground and asked us to pick it up one by one...
 
Instructors generally do a great job in a very short span of time. So for every suggestion to add, something has to be taken off the schedule.
Only going by my RTI course of 2004:
Keep: Braking drills definitely saved my bacon because we did so much of it, the manoeuvres kicked in automatically in the real world.
Add: Target fixation avoidance techniques. Use up the whole parking lot as a big curve and put in distracting targets while presenting an objective they have to focus on, eg changing random numbers or colours.
At the same time pounding in that leaning a bike won't turn it. It requires push steering. It's more obvious to observe and modulate on a bigger curve for both teacher and student.
Way too many people running wide off roads, to the hospital or worse, is put down to not improving both those fundamentals.

To get some of that time, pull the time of demonstrating speed matching shifting by revving the engine with the clutch pulled in.
 
How to patch a flat tire. Essential skill for any motorist that too many dont know how to do, especially for motorcyclist as both our tires are crucial for operation
 
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Just reviewing this.
Maybe positioning in pulling out into traffic from gas stations etc - stay as far away from the intersection as possible when doing so and make it a practice to stop the bike at an angle that you can see traffic well and then pull out....

I'd also say dealing with angled surfaces which maybe does not come up in flat training courses ( that fits in with pulling out in traffic )
Too many riders get on an angled surface - maybe with some gravel on it under foot - typical for exits into traffic or country roads and down they go especially riders that cannot flat foot on level surfaces.

Slow speed practice is good but if it's always on flat grippy surfaces...the real world will bite. A bit of gravel and angles can panic a new rider, they grab front brake and down they go.

Not sure how you would incorporate but it certainly fits with the "real street" practice that was requested.

Experienced riders do the positioning and and angles without even being aware they do it.
Came to me when a relatively new rider I was with tried to pull out of a gas station at the exit nearest the corner and had some difficulty getting out.

I just automatically exited at the furthest end. Would not have thought about it except seeing him struggle.

My 2 cents.

••

How to patch a flat tire. Essential skill for any motorist that too many dont know how to do, especially for motorcyclist as both our tires are crucial for operation
Click to expand...

I disagree completely - CAA is cheap and patching a tire for a new rider is not something I would ever recommend for a variety of reasons.
43 years riding and I''ve had one front flat ( exciting ) and one rear flat.
Parked the bike and took the wheel in to get a pro to fix it.
These days CAA.
Sure middle of nowhere on a tour a plug kit is a good idea but I've never yet been on a ride that used it tho I know others who have. Not a newbie skill in my view.

A good thing for new riders is RideOn tho as it will take care of nearly every puncture situation without a worry for the rider.
http://www.ride-on.com/motorcycles.html
 
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Good stuff everyone, this is exactly what I was looking for!

A lot of the things you have talked about, are things that I've already incorporated into the course.
I've read a couple of race books and watched twist of the wrist etc. I really try and give students techniques that will transfer over to things like racing etc, because those are the skills that will allow riders to handle and manipulate their bikes in the most proficient way.

For instance I did talk specifically about being light on the bars, I also talked about lowering your center of gravity by standing on the pegs vs sitting on the seat for really sketchy roads. I talked about push steering being 90% of steering, and also about having late turn ins for a better field of view. I taught them about fifty pencing and about charging corners. I got them maintaining throttle or being on-throttle during turns, and made them understand that this stabilizes the bike.

At learning curves we do have a "street-proofing" course where we take you out on the street, but unfortunately it is not offered all the time (it is free however to students who take the course with us).

What sort of things would you have liked to learn about the street?

As well as anything else, I'm hoping this will turn into a big thread!

I've realized that a lot of what the ministry dictates we teach are things that make beginners feel more at ease, versus techniques that are widely accepted as the best/ most advanced way to do things.

For instance, we now have the sticky that outlaws_justice posted about braking in turns etc. This is something that we usually do not teach beginners. Same goes with hovering over the levers. But in reality top riders use these techniques all the time. Are they mandatory for advanced riding? That is debatable, but telling students to never brake in corners isn't the reality of the technique, because top riders brake all the time in corners, hell, I brake all the time in corners. It's how you approach the topic that makes it effective and viable to use in a beginners course, at least that's what I'm finding.

I think it's time for a paradigm shift for Ontario Motorcycle Training Schools!

In short, keep the suggestions coming! You just might change how the course is being taught!

And thanks!
 
sid_for_speed said:
+1. RTI instructor dropped bike to his foot with 1 hand ( he was strong) and then picked it up....I wish he would have placed it on the ground and asked us to pick it up one by one...
Click to expand...

This is a common request, and we try to accommodate it by having instructors demonstrate the technique. Unfortunately there are liability issues preventing us from allowing a student to do it.
 
To me, the whole system is backwards. You walk into the MTO office, pass the M1 knowledge test and without any further requirement you can ride away on a 1700CC bike and kill yourself in the city and/or non-400 series highways.

Then, you take the M1 exit course, where they teach you how not to kill yourself on the street. You pass the exam, and now you are allowed on the 400 series highway to kill yourself now at highway speed that is not 100 km/h but usually higher.

Then, you take the M2 exit course, where they teach you how not to kill yourself on the 400 series highway. Now you are allowed on the bike with non-zero alcohol level, that can impair you enough to - again - kill yourself.

To me it is all backwards. I'd make everybody to pass the M1 knowledge and M1 exit course before they hit the road in the city and I'd make the successful M2 exit test a requirement for 400 series highway riding. And zero tolerance regarding alcohol level on motorcycles.

My 2 cents.
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