Well,
Here goes. So in the Marine Corps (and I am sure every other service as well) they have changed the rules on motorcycle safety and training - truely for the better in my opinion. But, one of the changes is that they require refresher training (a course), every three years. Another change was the introduction of truely advanced training for sportbikes, specifically.
So - in 2007, I was part of the initial offering of the Keith Code California Superbike School AMOS course; AMOS stands for Advanced Motorcycle Operators School and is named after Marine General Amos who launched the couse while Assistant Commandant.
Well, a lot has happened since then for me - and I have been working to rebuild my skills - I have posted a couple of pics from Advanced Rider Track Days (a military version of a trackday - a lot of fun actually!)
But this last weekend, I got the opportunity to attend the AMOS course a second time... Hey - three year refresher right?
Here was how the program worked - 2 day schedule with a third day for rain contigency.
Day 1.
Tech Inspection. As soon as I rolled up, two coaches came up to me and asked me about coming back through. I towed the clinic (just in case) and rolled Bessie out and down. Appearently, in the first few classes that they did, I was the only Marine Busa to take the course, but probably most siginifcantly, the first time that I had taken the course, I had the worst 60 MPH stopping distance in the class on day 1; and consequently the largest improvement for day 2.
Who is this?
This is Keith's mode of choice for transportation...
So, first up in our day's events (following the Technical briefings and welcome comments) was an excercise in hard and quick braking at 40, 50 and 60 MPH. Taking a base line measurement for distance and then working on technique.
Next was a quick steering drill to work on fluidity of body movement at 20, 25 and 30 MPH (sort of a slalom course).
We did some work with a brake rigged bike designed to practice locking the front brake (it is fitted with outriggers to prevent side to side tip).
Then, to the Lean angle bike (an S1000RR - yeeeeeee!) This one has a rig to prevent the bike from falling and lowsiding:
Then on to what was called "Route 66", which is where there is a lane about the width of a four lane highway with alternating cones, just checking for comfort and control at increasing speeds. The first go, you follow the control rider out and back, then the next go out, they follow you. Here are two pics - the first is coming back from the observation ride, the second is me leading him out:
Here goes. So in the Marine Corps (and I am sure every other service as well) they have changed the rules on motorcycle safety and training - truely for the better in my opinion. But, one of the changes is that they require refresher training (a course), every three years. Another change was the introduction of truely advanced training for sportbikes, specifically.
So - in 2007, I was part of the initial offering of the Keith Code California Superbike School AMOS course; AMOS stands for Advanced Motorcycle Operators School and is named after Marine General Amos who launched the couse while Assistant Commandant.
Well, a lot has happened since then for me - and I have been working to rebuild my skills - I have posted a couple of pics from Advanced Rider Track Days (a military version of a trackday - a lot of fun actually!)
But this last weekend, I got the opportunity to attend the AMOS course a second time... Hey - three year refresher right?
Here was how the program worked - 2 day schedule with a third day for rain contigency.
Day 1.
Tech Inspection. As soon as I rolled up, two coaches came up to me and asked me about coming back through. I towed the clinic (just in case) and rolled Bessie out and down. Appearently, in the first few classes that they did, I was the only Marine Busa to take the course, but probably most siginifcantly, the first time that I had taken the course, I had the worst 60 MPH stopping distance in the class on day 1; and consequently the largest improvement for day 2.
Who is this?
This is Keith's mode of choice for transportation...
So, first up in our day's events (following the Technical briefings and welcome comments) was an excercise in hard and quick braking at 40, 50 and 60 MPH. Taking a base line measurement for distance and then working on technique.
Next was a quick steering drill to work on fluidity of body movement at 20, 25 and 30 MPH (sort of a slalom course).
We did some work with a brake rigged bike designed to practice locking the front brake (it is fitted with outriggers to prevent side to side tip).
Then, to the Lean angle bike (an S1000RR - yeeeeeee!) This one has a rig to prevent the bike from falling and lowsiding:
Then on to what was called "Route 66", which is where there is a lane about the width of a four lane highway with alternating cones, just checking for comfort and control at increasing speeds. The first go, you follow the control rider out and back, then the next go out, they follow you. Here are two pics - the first is coming back from the observation ride, the second is me leading him out:
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