Mentors are just that, Mentors. They're not riding trainers, religious leaders, MotoGP gods or the best thing since sliced bread. They're just people with lots of experience at riding motorbikes. Whether it's on the road, race track, motorcross, trials etc, they've seen many and varied situations and know how to handle them. They've learnt lessons, sometimes the hard way, and they're willing to pass on their knowledge and experience to others.
The Mentors role is primarily to advise and encourage people in a 1 to 1 relationship. There will not ever be any Official KB Mentor Group Rides. This is primarily because the person being Mentored deserves the Mentors full attention and that can't happen in a 1 to many situation. There's nothing stopping the 2 of them from going on a group ride, but just remember that the Mentor is helping 1 person and that's all. Group riding can be fun and you can also learn a lot so there's no reason not to go on group rides unless the group is a bunch of speed freaks having a race to the end point or other dangerous behaviour.
Because Mentoring is about advising and encouraging there won't be any sort of official training schedule, curriculum or sessions. Doing figure 8's or a few simple cone exercises is all that should be attempted. Anything more advanced falls into the area of training and that is simply not what kiwibiker is offering.
Unless the Mentor is specifically advising on stunt riding, or racing on track, or any other specific situation, the Mentors main aim is to advice and encourage the rider into safe habits (as a minimum standard) and to enjoy themselves.
So, basically, the role of a Mentor is:
- to advise and encourage
- to pass on their vast amounts of knowledge and experience
- to keep an eye on the people being Mentored
What a Mentor isn't:
- a riding trainer
- an idiot or unsafe rider
- part of an insidious plot to take over the world
As for how Mentors achieve these goals, that's up to each individual Mentor. There is no prescribed syllabus, or laid out processes, or guidelines as to what and how people should be shown and told. The Mentors are chosen by their experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, not because of how well they stick to a script and tow the line. All that is asked is Mentors don't imply or promise that there is any training.
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