July 5, 2010
Part 2 of 3: I know it all
…. (If you missed part 1, click here). A week or so later we signed up for an M1 exit course at SSF. I figured it would be a good opportunity for Tab to improve her skills and it would help lower our insurance rates. As I mentioned above, I’ve tried sharing some riding tips with Tab, but that was met with less than stellar results—especially after not passing my M1 the first time around.
“What do you mean it’s easy?!? You’ve been riding all your life… I haven’t, so back off!”
Sorry, babe. It was in Tab, and my own, best interest to let somebody else offer direction.
(Notice how I didn’t say that I need to learn anything?)
Due to my struggles with the M1 test, I was nervous leading up to the course. Regardless of my riding ability, I couldn’t help but think I would mess up or forget how to ride. Yamaha’s event coordinators, Andre Harris and Aaron Dowden, assured me I would be fine. Andre works with the Humber College program and tried helping me relax by sketching out the course drills. Tab was nervous too. So here I am telling her she’ll be fine, meanwhile, inside, I’m more nervous than a 14-year-old in a game of spin-the-bottle. I know once that bottle turns to me, I’ll puke and start crying.
Unlike the supposed “quick and easy” M1 test, the M1 Exit course would be drawn out over an entire weekend. It begins with a 3-hour classroom session followed by two solid days of practicing drills in a parking lot, culminating in one final, winner-takes-all, evaluation. Thankfully, if you are unsuccessful, you’re eligible for a second try on a later date. I kept telling myself to stay focused, I wouldn’t need a second try, but I still couldn’t shake my prior failure … “you’re gonna fail again…” “you don’t know how to ride…” “don’t screw this up!!” it continued to haunt me.
The classroom portion went okay. It felt kind of cool to be back in school, because this time around, there weren’t any muscle bound jocks waiting to steal my lunch money or wedgie me against the lockers. I even sat in the back of the class and doodled pics of the teacher like I used to. I thought that they were pretty good, but Tab thought that it was “immature.” And like high school, there were a few characters for me to pick on, like the older fellow who thought he was the teacher, sharing his opinion every chance he got and making sure everyone knew he owned a Katana. Wait a tick, wasn’t I the fool who failed his M1??
In came our chief instructor, “Michael Michael Motorcycle.” He tried gaining our confidence with his lively, outgoing personality and compassion towards those who had limited to no riding experience. He reminded us that as long as we listened and did what they asked, we’d be fine. I was on to Michael though; he didn’t care if we passed; he wanted our money, and he especially wanted to fail some cocky so-called “pro” like myself.
There were 15 students in our class, and only 3 or 4 of us had any riding experience. I was relieved he didn’t ask about our riding backgrounds; that would only give him and the others more ammunition when I failed. I was actually quite surprised to hear some had already purchased bikes, yet didn’t know the clutch from the brake. Talk about putting the horse before the cart! Nonetheless, I was glad to see new people joining the fold. For those who hadn’t purchased a bike, I was sure to mention Yamaha makes the best bikes and has the best deals. (What? A guy’s got to put food on the table!)
Day one started slow but progressed quickly. The session began with everyone gearing up and choosing a bike that best suit their size and ability. There were all types of bikes to choose from, TW200s, DR200s, KLX140s, Sherpas, and these little shoebox Hondas called Titan 150s. Tab and I went with the KLX140 (I would have chose a Yamaha but they weren’t available!).
Sadly, we didn’t get to fire up the bikes until lunch. Before letting the rockets loose, students learn to balance, control and turn a bike without the engine started. It felt strange being pushed and pushing people all over a parking lot, but it was a smart, safe way to ensure some control before changing gears. I wish I had thought of that before letting friends try out my dirt bikes, it would have saved me a lot of levers and handlebars. Once everyone was comfortable, we progressed to the clutch or as one of the instructors, Wild Bill, calls it, “the boss of the motorcycle.”
Most of what was being taught was quite mundane to me, but honestly, I’m impressed with the logic behind their madness. I was amazed to see how quickly most inexperienced riders picked things up. For some of us veterans, we take for granted how much skill is really involved in riding motorcycles.
Put yourself into the shoes of a grown man or woman and imagine never having turned a throttle, let alone using the clutch, changing gears and then coordinating them together. There’s an art to it, for sure, but the instructors somehow transform a Picasso into paint-by-numbers. As is the case with most things though, there were a few stragglers still going outside, over and around the lines.
I started thinking that maybe Michael Michael Motorcycle and his posse weren’t such bad people, maybe they did want us to pass. That wishful thinking quickly faded as he slapped the back of my helmet, and screamed at me to keep my eyes forward and fingers off the clutch. “This ain’t no motor-cross track!” he added. Well, that might not be exactly what he did or say, but it didn’t matter, I knew his objective…
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Atta go Biker Boy.
July 5th, 2010 at 10:45 pmExcellent blog… U did an excellent job of putting into words what most students feel in preparing for the course…