20 Riders Talk about Skills Training

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by Liz Jansen

As spring approaches, thoughts turn to riding – and training. I’m an advocate of regular, at least annual, skills training. We can never know enough when it comes to safety skills and it’s important to keep our skills sharp.  We asked our friends at Motorcycle Mojo Magazine about their thoughts on training. “When was the most recent time you took motorcycle skills training? What kind of training was it?”

skills training20 Riders Talk about Skills Training

  1. Mark K. I started late in life. That said I ride about 25,000 km a season. When I learned to ride 6 years ago I took the course. Ever since then it’s been through DVDs, books and parking lot time every spring when I get the bike back on the road.
  2. Mark F. I practice every time I ride. Last formal training was last summer with Smart. Or Cmts or whatever. Off road, great skills, great staff, great fun. It was Clinton and people like Clinton (well, that’s not really possible, is it?) that inspired me long ago – to never stop learning, never stop improving. Also I’m opinionated and outspoken and I need to be able to back it up, so I put a lot of pressure on my self to keep improving.
  3. Linda Y. Early 80’s. I think it was a old airport in the north west area of Toronto
  4. Rob D. I got a lesson from my buddy to close the gas cap he laughed the whole way back to the gas station as I smelled like a gas station.
  5. Paul B. we belong to the CMC group and we always talk safely before taking our Tuesday night rides. also looking to do a road captains course to help keep leaders informed. so if you have any information you can share on that it would be appreciated.
  6. Bob E. My spouse and I sign up for an “Experienced Rider” course at the start of the season (most years). Nothing like a course with other experienced riders to shake you out of your “comfort zone” and prepare for another year of touring. I never had a course Liz, when I started to ride in 1981 and I “taught” my wife to ride her first bike, a Kawi 440 LTD. Two decades later I asked an instructor friend what “push steering” was and he laughed! Said I’d be dead by now if I wasn’t doing it….just didn”t realize it. I realized at that point that it was time to take a course even though I averaged 25,000 km per year!!
  7. Kris G.  A month and a half ago I took the intermediate rider MSF course in Washington. I can’t wait until I’ve been riding six months and I can take the experienced rider course!
  8. Barbara M2 course in 2011 and M2 exit by this fall. Have watched many training videos online. Skills progressing but still working on improving.
  9. Juanita C. M2 Exit in Guelph…over 10 years
  10. Mike P.  After a 20 plus year hiatus from off road my son and I went to horseshoe valley riding adventures. Great course. I now ride a lot more off road than on road
  11. George A.  Our club sponsored a skills upgrading workshop a couple of years ago. We had two motorcycle instructors (qualified) put us through the paces. Excellent day, everyone worked hard . It was exhausting- no pun intended.
  12. Paul B. 2010 I took my M2 exit course at Loyalist College
  13. Brenda B.  I took the M2exit course at Loyalist College in 2010.
  14. Steve L.  I took the M2 exit couse at Conestoga College.
  15. Suhaymath N.  February, 2000, basic MSF course, Daytona Beach, Florida.
  16. Dean V. Last year–race school and CSC course to recert as an instructor (first time!!)
  17. Bryan F.  our chapter road captain is developing a safety course for group riding. we have gone through it 3 times last season with improvements to the course. our group riding is so much better safer and funner.
  18. Grant M.  When I got my M license, O 23+ yrs ago. Knock on wood only one drop and that was in my driveway, just one very stupid mistake.
  19. Sean W. Took my M2 at Humber last year – passed it and logged around 1000 km last summer but would like to take a refresher course before hitting the road this summer….any suggestions (GTA – Toronto West – Guelph)?
  20. John T.  Self taught when I was 8. Have been learning ever since. 42 years accident free tells me I have done a pretty good job!

How do you feel about training? How often do you take a skills course?

About

Author, writer, and student Liz Jansen combines her artistic mediums to create stories that inspire readers to embark on their own journey of self-discovery.