Advanced Rider Course tomorrow

[VStarRider]

I am looking forward to it!

Any insight or advice heading in?

[shortleg0521]

I am looking forward to it!

Any insight or advice heading in?

Don’t be afraid to realize that you don’t know it all.
You will learn what bad habits we have.

[VStarRider]

Don’t be afraid to realize that you don’t know it all.
You will learn what bad habits we have.

Mission accomplished.

I did not know that leaning "down and in" while negotiating a sharp curve increases traction and actually straightens the bike up, gaining more ground clearance. I did not believe this when I heard it, I figured they had it backwards because this maneuver is for higher speeds only. Nope. I was scraping pegs like no tomorrow when I tried it, and sure enough, it allowed for quite a bit more leaning and higher speeds through the course.

Other reflections:

- I am a better rider than I thought I was. Going in, I was not sure of my abilities to handle the bike. During the course, I felt very comfortable going through the exercises at a pretty high rate of speed compared to others.

- I hate to admit it, but I think I was apprehensive about scraping the pegs before today. I kept thinking it would startle me and upset the bike. I was scraping all morning during the ARC today and actually grew to enjoy it until they told me to correct it with the technique above.

- I learned that we, as riders, are in control of most situations that result in crashes.

- I increased my trail braking proficiency quite a bit by the end of the exercises.

- I feel much better about emergency braking now, a skill I always procrastinate on practicing.

Overall, a good experience. I highly recommend it to any rider with experience. The instructors said that the curriculum is changing, which will result in the outdated classroom-based portion being eliminated and keeping it all on the track with facilitated discussions in between exercises. I may take it again next year to check it out!

Interesting tidbits:

-There were two members of the Armed Forces present today ... apparently, those enlisted with motorcycle licenses are required to take a steady diet of training courses. I guess the military wants to protect their investment.

-12 participants, 9 male, 3 female

-12 bikes; 7 Harleys, a CBR 250, an F6B (me), an early 80s Yamaha Cafe Racer, a Yamaha cruiser of some type, and a VStar 950.

-Ages ranged from 20 to 73

[lloydmoore1]

sounds like it was fun and you learned a lot.
How long was the crse?

[VStarRider]

sounds like it was fun and you learned a lot.
How long was the crse?

7.5 hours - 4 on the course, 3.5 in the classroom.

[53driver]

I teach the ARC and the ARC Updated.

First, I'm so glad you had a good time.
Yes, the "Forward & In" or "Chin-Over-Wrist" (COW) position lets you do a bit more with traction, lean angle and speed.
Especially when you find that the curve you are in a "x" speed is now a decreasing radius turn and really needed "x/2" speed instead.

Yes ALL (Officer and enlisted) military riders need to do a Level 2 class within 60 days of taking the BRC if they have a bike, and then at least once every 3 years thereafter. The course is free to them. They can take it more often if they so desire.

The F6B/GWs and the BMW tourers are vey forgiving bikes....going into a curve they'll say something like "Hmmm, that's an interesting line, let me help you with that." Whereas HD and Ducati are just going to smirk "That's a stupid line...you're gonna die."

We don't actually teach "Trail Braking" as part of the curriculum. We mention it in a slide and then talk about "scrubbing speed" while riding a giant circle. If you were getting tips on actual trail braking, you impressed the instructors and got some extra stuff. Very cool.

I'm interested in tasking with you about it offline, if you don't mind. PM coming....
Cheers,
Steve

[VStarRider]

I teach the ARC and the ARC Updated.

First, I'm so glad you had a good time.
Yes, the "Forward & In" or "Chin-Over-Wrist" (COW) position lets you do a bit more with traction, lean angle and speed.
Especially when you find that the curve you are in a "x" speed is now a decreasing radius turn and really needed "x/2" speed instead.

Yes ALL (Officer and enlisted) military riders need to do a Level 2 class within 60 days of taking the BRC if they have a bike, and then at least once every 3 years thereafter. The course is free to them. They can take it more often if they so desire.

The F6B/GWs and the BMW tourers are vey forgiving bikes....going into a curve they'll say something like "Hmmm, that's an interesting line, let me help you with that." Whereas HD and Ducati are just going to smirk "That's a stupid line...you're gonna die."

We don't actually teach "Trail Braking" as part of the curriculum. We mention it in a slide and then talk about "scrubbing speed" while riding a giant circle. If you were getting tips on actual trail braking, you impressed the instructors and got some extra stuff. Very cool.

I'm interested in tasking with you about it offline, if you don't mind. PM coming....
Cheers,
Steve

Sent you a PM with my number.

The F6B was an easy dance partner during the AR courses. In the maneuver with entering the tunnel and having to swerve around the red line, then returning to the tunnel and emergency braking was a piece of cake. Only myself, a guy on a Scout, and the sport bike guy were able to consistently swerve around the entire red line and not touch it with either tire. I kept going faster and faster and my bike just ate it up.

As for trail braking, the trainer had demonstrated it and suggested it to us as an option for going through the decreasing radius turns faster.

[98valk]

"That's a stupid line...you're gonna die."



Thanks, that is funny! :cheers: