ProRider Central Texas 23rd April (Sunday) advanced motorcycle training (close to Austin Texas).

[p6x]

Here's the link to their website.

The training lasts 8 hours, starts at 08:30 and ends at 16:30, on your own motorcycle.

There is a discount given to those who come under the Motorcycle Grand Tour of Texas moniker: "Tours" for a minus 25 USD from the total to become 170 USD.

I have registered; not so much for the course, since like all of you here, I am the best rider there is, but for the opportunity to meet other fellow motorcycle riders from the USA, possibly participating to the 2023 Motorcycle Grand Tour of Texas starting March 1st (hint!).

I am certain each state has its own slew of schools, which have no specific certification on their ability to train or teach you, other than saying they are "experienced".

In any case, I use this as a reminder to all (if this was ever necessary) that riding a motorcycle or driving a car are the most dangerous activity we do in our lives. Staying on top of them by seeking continuous improvement can only be beneficial. Furthermore, doing it in your local environment is essential.

The company I worked for imposed a review of our driving skills every six months with a professional, including what they call a "commentary drive", where you need to describe to the instructor, while you drive, everything you see and everything you do to anticipate or mitigate any possible incident.

You should try to do it, it is good practice.

 

[p6x]

This week-end I am going to participate to that advanced course, dispensed by police motor trainers, either active or retired.

I have watched their videos and they use BMW's or Harley's.

Has anybody here done any of these exercises on Moto Guzzi and other bikes? are there any perceptible differences in terms of managing the fact the Guzzi has the cylinders hanging on each sides?

I have done some of these exercises in 2021, when I took a refresher course. But I used a very light 125cc single cylinder bike.

the "keyhole" "Double 360" "W" seem to be rather challenging.

Is there any difference in doing those with a Guzzi? I am thinking about the "tilting moment" that is experienced on a Guzzi engine. I think the key is to keep the engine revving at the same rpm throughout the exercises. A sudden throttle blip may influence your direction. Something you don't have to mitigate with on a Harley or BMW.

Exercises:

Exercise #1 – Straight Line Cone Weave

Exercise #2 – Offset Cone Weave

Exercise #3 – U-Turns

Exercise #4 – Right / Left Turn From A Stop

Exercise #5 – Keyhole 

Exercise #6 – Double 360

Exercise #7 – Intersection(Iron Cross)

Exercise #8 – The W

Bonus Exercise – This will be several cone patterns put together

[LowRyter]

@p6x  seems a lot like the MSF course. 

[audiomick]

2 hours ago, p6x said:

the "tilting moment" that is experienced on a Guzzi engine....Something you don't have to mitigate with on a . BMW.

BMW Motorcycles have that too. I gather they have it better under control than on an older Guzzi, but it is still there.

 

Apart from that, it seems to me to be the main point of such a course to learn how to deal with those situations on the bike one rides on a day to day basis. So I would just go ahead and do it, and not worry too much about the idiosyncracies of any particular type of bike.

[LowRyter]

I've never had an issue regarding shaft drive and the handling of my Guzzis, turn left or right, on the gas, on the brake, downshift, not an issue.   I've heard that was a problem with older Beemers, some turn sharp one way and understeer the other.  Since I've not ridden them, I don't know.    But never had that issue with my Guzzis.  

 

[p6x]

6 hours ago, LowRyter said:

@p6x  seems a lot like the MSF course. 

I can't tell, I have never been to an MSF course. However, the curricula for advanced training seems to be different and oriented more towards general road safety.

The course I enrolled into seems to be more in low speed skills which are probably important, but not as much.

[p6x]

5 hours ago, audiomick said:

BMW Motorcycles have that too. I gather they have it better under control than on an older Guzzi, but it is still there.

 

Apart from that, it seems to me to be the main point of such a course to learn how to deal with those situations on the bike one rides on a day to day basis. So I would just go ahead and do it, and not worry too much about the idiosyncracies of any particular type of bike.

Well, each bike is different. The turn radii are different, rake, trail, wheelbase, everything comes into play. Especially when the exercises are conceived for a particular type of bike.

In any case, I will let you know how it went. This is going to be a first for me, doing this type of exercises with a +500 lbs motorcycle.

[Speedfrog]

23 minutes ago, p6x said:

This is going to be a first for me, doing this type of exercises with a +500 lbs motorcycle.

Good luck and most importantly... have fun!  

[audiomick]

37 minutes ago, p6x said:

This is going to be a first for me, doing this type of exercises with a +500 lbs motorcycle.

Stay relaxed. You're paying someone to show you how to do that stuff. Demand your money's worth, and have fun.

[LowRyter]

@p6xUse the run off area.  I've done several MSF courses.  That first slalom among cones took me a couple of times before I got my rhythm.  So just relax and give yourself some time.  It's not a competition.  They're trying to teach things that expand your muscle memory and hand-eye, not reinforce what you're doing.  If you breeze through it meant you didn't learn anything new.  If you struggle at something, you have more to practice and learn; that's what you came for.

None of us here can ride like Rossi, well perhaps Hugo, Docc and Chuck....but the rest of use are mere mortals. 

[p6x]

11 hours ago, LowRyter said:

None of us here can ride like Rossi

I don't think Rossi ever rode a Moto Guzzi V11 Le Mans. I cannot be certain, but from what I read, outside of the competition pad, he is a four wheeler guy. The only current MotoGP pilot who actually rides motorbikes outside of "work" is Johann Zarco.

 

[p6x]

Well, no joy.

ProRider called and the course is cancelled because of the weather. Not that we can't do it under the rain, but this is the law in Texas.

So pushed back to June now.

[audiomick]

Bugger. Hope it works out in June.