Advanced training [Archive] - Kiwi Biker forums

MementoMori

23rd January 2007, 16:28

Hey, I'm wondering if there are any advanced motorcycle training courses available in NZ that you can take?

Thanks!!

justsomeguy

23rd January 2007, 16:31

Hey, I'm wondering if there are any advanced motorcycle training courses available in NZ that you can take?

Thanks!!

Depends on what you mean by advanced.

Attending local rides alone will go a long way towards improving your riding.

Then there are trackdays where an experienced racer supervises a group - like the Honda Riders Club trackdays.

On a more informal basis there is the KB Mentoring programme.

Sparky Bills

23rd January 2007, 16:37

What about SpeThal training?

Im speThal!

Hitcher

23rd January 2007, 17:19

Without wanting to dispel any benefits from controlled riding environments, or to denigrate the skill that competent track riders clearly have, I remain to be convinced that track riding adds meaningful value to road riding: no on-coming traffic, all other traffic moving at similar speed, no need to use the brakes in anger or even stop at all, no need to stay in a lane, no roadworks, sheep, etc.

I would definitely be a starter for an advanced skills course based on the needs of a rider wanting to survive on the road.

Ixion

23rd January 2007, 18:02

What Mr Hitcher said. I suspect that track days are good training experience for racing, but contribute little or nothing toward improved safety on the road. They may even be negative - a rider goes to a track day, determines that he can take corners at speed, goes out on the road, attempts to take corners at the same sort of speed - but - oh no, on the road the corner has a pothole or bump mid corner, or over night has aquired a scattering of gravel - and BANG. Track days encourage riders to dispense with the safety margin that is indispensable on the road.

dawnrazor

23rd January 2007, 19:09

Hey, I'm wondering if there are any advanced motorcycle training courses available in NZ that you can take?

Thanks!!

I'll echo hitch and ixion here wrt the track days, a great way to experience the limits of performance in a reasonable safe environment, but of little practicle application on the road.

I assume the original question was enquiring after a professionally run advanced road craft training programme, of possibly a one on one tutorial nature or small intensive classes, held in a number of road situations including theoretical practices as well as practical applications for improved safety on the road.

I think its a GREAT question and if anyone knows of such a course then let me know, doesn't matter how long we have been riding we ALL can learn more.....

There are a tonne of courses like this in the UK, some better then others - I did one a few years ago and I learnt heaps in a very short time...epic.

Someone start an "advanced riding school", and save some lives......

quallman1234

23rd January 2007, 19:24

roadsafe.co.nz

justsomeguy

23rd January 2007, 23:23

I remain to be convinced that track riding adds meaningful value to road riding.

Simply put, it doesn't.

Almost all of us who do trackdays don't give an iota of care about being safe, we just want to learn to go fast. Then we road race as it's more dangerous and gives us better kicks - and that my dear oversensitive, paranoid moderator is the unvarnished truth.

I would definitely be a starter for an advanced skills course based on the needs of a rider wanting to survive on the road.

That's where the BRONZ ride right ride safe course comes in.

MementoMori

24th January 2007, 02:02

Just found the link for that here. (http://www.rrrs.org.nz/index.html)

Seems pretty interesting as I desperately need to pick up on my theory stuff... even if it is all the way up there in Auckland!

Some interesting sites and advice given, so thank you. I shall look into these further. :)

Hillbilly

24th January 2007, 02:08

That sounds like it sux! Here there are schools that teach advanced riding, and it's one on one tuition. You get sharpen your skill, and have an instructor point out bad riding technique, and how to correct mistakes. You can talk to the instructor about what you think you need to brush up on or would like to learn. But the tuition is taylored for the individual. The tuition also includes riding on the road in traffic! If you don't want to use your bike, you can hire the schools. Only costs $125 a day too.

Now if you wanna race, there are two superbike shcools! The one at Eastern Creek used to have 20 or so Daytona 600s, but have switched to 22 new K7Gixxer 600s! These are fully set up race bikes, and you can hire the leathers as well.

MementoMori

24th January 2007, 02:52

Yeah, there were police-organised advanced training courses (some encouraged speeding where it was safe to do so), wheelie and stoppie schools and superbike schools back in the UK.

But I'm not there any more, so it no longer matters lol.

Ralph

24th January 2007, 02:56

This is the only place that I know of that offers Advanced training, expensive but sounds like it might be worth it,
I plan on doing it hopefully in the near future.
http://www.riderskills.co.nz/
The others are right to about track days and riding with others its helped my riding and confidence a lot!

Hitcher

24th January 2007, 07:53

and that my dear oversensitive, paranoid moderator is the unvarnished truth.

Hey! I represent that.

90s

24th January 2007, 09:08

Look up the Ride Right Ride Safe course (RRRS) here in the forums - its a sticky in survival skills and someone has posted a link as well.
I have done this twice - both times attended by learners and by people on serious machines, some of whom had over 25 yrs experience and still thought they learnt a lot on the day. (I've got 20 yrs exp. but its very patchy with years off bikes then a recent jump from the 150 to a 600 with pillion so I found the course very, very helpful. Geared to road and reality not track and fantasy).

On the course I also talked with KBers who have heard about or taken other commercial courses and heard very mixed things about them. RRRS is non-profit by BRONZ and run by bikers for bikers. It's only $50 too - steal.

El Dopa

24th January 2007, 18:43

I'm running the risk of going against my elders and (possible) betters here, but I learnt two major things at the track that I think are applicable to road riding safely. You won't learn either of these on RRRS, and possibly not on other road safety courses.

In my opinion, both of these are very applicable to newbies. Possibly less so to more experienced people who ride closer to the limits of their machines, and are more aware of the machines limits.

1) It takes a lot of road to slow down from high speed.

Yes it's obvious, but unless you've actually had your bike up to high speed (as a lot of newbies will do on the road), and then had to slow down in a hurry, you might not actually realise how much room you need. Knowing the stopping distance has stopped me riding at speed along certain straights where farmer brown might pull out suddenly on his large immovable object within my safe stopping distance.

2) The bike will almost always lean more than you think it will.

Very useful if you end up in a corner thats hotter than you thought. Which can happen even when you're riding within what you think are your limits. I've been on newbie rides where exactly this has happenned. The rider has done what is instinctive to the newbie, and grabbed the brake. Result: bin.

I'm willing to bet there was more grip available on the tyres if they'd leaned the bike in instead of grabbing the brake. That way all they'd have needed was new pants, not a new front end.

silverado

24th January 2007, 20:19

Try Tricia. One on one training with bike to bike intercom.

SixPackBack

24th January 2007, 20:25

Try Tricia. One on one training with bike to bike intercom.

WTF silverado a woman?:shutup:

silverado

24th January 2007, 20:34

WTF silverado a woman?:shutup:

Sorry dude. My bad. Drunk as a skunk....

quickbuck

24th January 2007, 21:05

1) It takes a lot of road to slow down from high speed.

2) The bike will almost always lean more than you think it will.

Two very good points (and both true), and that is why I say riding on a track to gain experience is of huge benefit.

Also, you are not upsetting tourists/ commuters/ or farmer Brown if you go out on the track to "Try something different".

Steam

24th January 2007, 21:13

I'm doing the roadsafe course next weekend with Andrew, Buckbuck will be there too, and I'm doing a Street Talk / Defensive driving course too, which although aimed at cars still has a lot of good stuff in it. And 16-year-old teenage girls. I'm way older than anyone else on that course!

Tricia1000

14th February 2007, 11:10

Roadcraft School of Motorcycling does advanced training. Bike to bike intercom, and yes Sixpackback.......a Woman.
If anyone wants motorcycle training, call me on 021 269 3246. Auckland preferred, but will travel if there are a few interested people in the one area.

MyGSXF

14th February 2007, 11:21

I'm definately with quallman1234 on this one!!! Andrew & Lynne @ www.roadsafe.co.nz !!! :Punk: I very highly recommend them!!!! I've done a couple of weekends with them now, they're both a walking wealth of knowledge, highly trained, & the sessions are also very enjoyable!!! You'll learn HEAPS!!!!

check out my link...

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=38041&page=3

All the best MM with whatever you choose to do!!!

Jen :rockon:

Kinje

14th February 2007, 12:49

2) The bike will almost always lean more than you think it will.

I agree. Have found myself going into a corner too hot both before and after doing a trackday. Times before I braked to scrub speed, bike stood up and ran wide meaning I've had to work hard to keep it on the tarmac on right handers, and crossed centerline on left handers.

Since trackday I have gone through a couple of corners and thought- 'I'm not guna make it'...then thought 'oh no, I can just lean more, tighten the line and get round no worries...sweet'

In saying that tho, I am interested in some on road training. Track days have a place in helping to discover the current capabilities of you and your bike. But I would expect road based training to help you deal with the hazards one will encounter on average NZ roads, and the attention of an instructor would pick up incorrect techniques and help fix them to make you a more safe and capable rider. There was no such instruction at the track day I attended.

Toaster

14th February 2007, 14:03

Attending local rides alone will go a long way towards improving your riding.

If only. Watching race-bikes fly past doing wheelies at around 200kmh doesn't help me much when joining in on a 'group ride' cruising on a fatass M109R.

MikeyG

14th February 2007, 14:56

SixPackBack

14th February 2007, 15:35

Tricia1000

14th February 2007, 16:27

what colour bike do you have?

SixPackBack

14th February 2007, 17:53

what colour bike do you have?

Check my profile Tricia. Usually sport a back pack weekdays.

Biff

15th February 2007, 09:35

My 2c:
Track days are an invaluable opportunity to get to know your bike intimately. It's handling characteristics, braking, lean angles, performance, limitations etc can all be put to the test. So I'm a big fan for these reasons alone, although they teach you fork hall about road sense and hazard perception.

Advanced rider training is an excellent chance to learn more, and brush up on your skills. I bet my left testicle that most experienced riders who've never attended such a course would amazed at the crap habits they've picked up over the years, and the new dimension to your riding attending such a course could bring.

Pick your course carefully. Listen to recommendations. Enjoy.

HenryDorsetCase

15th February 2007, 09:58

Hey, I'm wondering if there are any advanced motorcycle training courses available in NZ that you can take?

Thanks!!

Dude, you live in Fielding? Get thee to Manfield!

Hitcher

15th February 2007, 10:15

Dude, you live in Fielding? Get thee to Manfield!

Or, if he lived in Feilding, he could get himself to Manfeild.

daveyboy

16th February 2007, 08:07

I'd definetely recomend Andrew & Lynne @ www.roadsafe.co.nz. I got my learners through them, have done one of their more advanced courses, and am planning on doing another. You can't get too much training.

Would also agree with the comments about track days helping you get more experience and confidence at braking from speed and cornering, both of which are useful on the road (usually to avoid dick heads coming the other way). Plus it's a great way to have a good blat. :-)

So I'd say go for both.