Slow speed skills - recommended trainers

armstrg

armstrg

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There's no doubt in my mind, slow speed skills is key to good riding; confident slow control enables better observation in and around town, and all junction scenarios.

I learned a lot from BMW Off Road Skills but from personal observations I think the rossers are possibly the best examples of motorcycle control on the black stuff as well as Trials riders in all scenarios (more than I am likely to encounter).

There are many threads, mostly old, so I hope y'all wont mind the repetition, in my search for a current training provider...

Does anyone have any current recommendations for training schools for really getting to grips with motorcycle control i.e. slow speed skills.
 
armstrg said:
There's no doubt in my mind, slow speed skills is key to good riding; confident slow control enables better observation in and around town, and all junction scenarios.

I learned a lot from BMW Off Road Skills but from personal observations I think the rossers are possibly the best examples of motorcycle control on the black stuff as well as Trials riders in all scenarios (more than I am likely to encounter).

There are many threads, mostly old, so I hope y'all wont mind the repetition, in my search for a current training provider...

Does anyone have any current recommendations for training schools for really getting to grips with motorcycle control i.e. slow speed skills.
Click to expand...

I think you've answered your own question. Roynie and I have both spent a day each with an ex-Police Advanced Motorcycle Instructor and it was a blast. I know there are a few on this forum.

Another thing that might appeal is IAM's Machine Control Day - in my opinion worth the membership by itself. In our case, a day of cheerful mayhem as about 50 bikers practiced all manner of slow control skills on a vast school tennis court - ending with a bizarre 'off road' ride around the grounds (including such hazards as steps, ramps, paths and grass). I'm sure the school groundsman loved us :augie
 
mrsroynie said:
I think you've answered your own question. Roynie and I have both spent a day each with an ex-Police Advanced Motorcycle Instructor and it was a blast. I know there are a few on this forum.

Another thing that might appeal is IAM's Machine Control Day - in my opinion worth the membership by itself. In our case, a day of cheerful mayhem as about 50 bikers practiced all manner of slow control skills on a vast school tennis court - ending with a bizarre 'off road' ride around the grounds (including such hazards as steps, ramps, paths and grass). I'm sure the school groundsman loved us :augie
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response....

I am a member of the BAMO (Bristol IAM) and know they organise something like this from time to time.

Always keen for confirmation, as well as other possible leads.

Thanks once again.:thumb
 
My local Advanced group do a skills day including slow control and a slow riding race which is good fun.

FWIW, may seem a bit of a :rob here but I practice slow riding out on the road at every opportunity; to me it is one of the skills that you'll always get the opportunity to practice every time you are out and probably the most easily accessible skill i.e. very limited downside of practicing in the right situation of course... compared to wheelies or stoppies if that's your bag.

You do definitely improve from that sort of practice. I do (sad I know) go to the local Tesco car park occasionally and do a bit there, from very slow control to brisk braking, stopping, and setting off without feet down etc - as you rightly say, all in the name of overall riding quality and control.

I probably look like a prize wazzock amongst the trolleys, but on the bright side I got over those worries quite a few years ago.. ;)
 
gr8roberto said:
I do (sad I know) go to the local Tesco car park occasionally and do a bit there, from very slow control to brisk braking, stopping, and setting off without feet down etc - as you rightly say, all in the name of overall riding quality and control.

I probably look like a prize wazzock amongst the trolleys, but on the bright side I got over those worries quite a few years ago.. ;)
Click to expand...

LOL I do the same on a Sunday morning when few people are up and about. Sure I look more like a wazzock, if I was to wobble through traffic, whilst cooly filtering.

Its definitely better to have someone shouting out helpful kind instruction (like at ORS) then "serve yerself right, you f...... wan....r" from the lanes of traffic I just laughed at as I filtered through...
 
I've been through this self same question many times. I've done the i2imca trainings, I've done Ex Police Instructor trainings and a good few others and I've not yet done the kind of slow speed work I'd like.

HOWEVER - I think I may have tapped the 'Source' at long last. I have found the guy who taught (officers and instructors) at Hendon.

(I'm paraphrasing what he said here - so error will be mine) You may or may not know but that is the only force that teaches in depth slow speed work - primarily because they spend so much time in London traffic. Chatting with him he explained that when outside officers came to Hendon for training (either because they were transferring in or needed some Royal Escort training etc) they were very surprised to learn that if they didn't pass the first week (entirely enclosed area / slow speed training) they weren't allowed out on the road!

I've not done anything with this guy yet but I will be when I'm home from holiday in July. I've planned to do the whole range of slow speed training with him. One of my measurements on slow speed control is the ability to pull away on full lock loaded (luggage and SWMBO). I reckon if you can do that with confidence - upright and easily there is little else that will phase you or be beyond your skill level.

He's in Bedford with colleagues in Suffolk I believe.

http://www.roadskillsplus.com/

If you contact him (Phil Tracey) please mention my name (Ian)
 
gr8roberto said:
FWIW, may seem a bit of a :rob here but I practice slow riding out on the road at every opportunity; to me it is one of the skills that you'll always get the opportunity to practice every time you are out and probably the most easily accessible skill i.e. very limited downside of practicing in the right situation of course... compared to wheelies or stoppies if that's your bag.

You do definitely improve from that sort of practice.... stopping, and setting off without feet down etc - as you rightly say, all in the name of overall riding quality and control.
Click to expand...

Good response and nail on head.

It's the easiest of things to practice - its simply balance. There are no magic short cuts to it - same as anything else you need to put the time in. There is advice on what to do and what not to do when you are practicing - look where you are going, not at the floor, use the rear brake to aid stability, sit half an ass cheek on the outside of the u turn, hang back and plan well ahead when riding yada yada yaaa....

A little effort in this much ignored aspect of motorcycle control will transform the way you ride. ( For the better ).
 
gr8roberto said:
... to the local Tesco car park occasionally and do a bit there, from very slow control to brisk braking, stopping, and setting off without feet down etc - as you rightly say, all in the name of overall riding quality and control.

I probably look like a prize wazzock amongst the trolleys, but on the bright side I got over those worries quite a few years ago.. ;)
Click to expand...

I got my RoSPA DIP. test to redo.
The above is exactly what i'll be doing before i do it.
It Works.

EDIT:
the only 'trick' to Rider Training is finding a Trainer you gel with - that gets the point across without boring the pants off you! Like sex - if it's not fun; yer doing it wrong.
 
Kahuna said:
I've been through this self same question many times. I've done the i2imca trainings, I've done Ex Police Instructor trainings and a good few others and I've not yet done the kind of slow speed work I'd like.

HOWEVER - I think I may have tapped the 'Source' at long last. I have found the guy who taught (officers and instructors) at Hendon.

(I'm paraphrasing what he said here - so error will be mine) You may or may not know but that is the only force that teaches in depth slow speed work - primarily because they spend so much time in London traffic. Chatting with him he explained that when outside officers came to Hendon for training (either because they were transferring in or needed some Royal Escort training etc) they were very surprised to learn that if they didn't pass the first week (entirely enclosed area / slow speed training) they weren't allowed out on the road!

I've not done anything with this guy yet but I will be when I'm home from holiday in July. I've planned to do the whole range of slow speed training with him. One of my measurements on slow speed control is the ability to pull away on full lock loaded (luggage and SWMBO). I reckon if you can do that with confidence - upright and easily there is little else that will phase you or be beyond your skill level.

He's in Bedford with colleagues in Suffolk I believe.

http://www.roadskillsplus.com/

If you contact him (Paul Tracey) please mention my name (Ian)
Click to expand...

Just done a day with Paul, highly recommended.

:thumb2
 
JayC said:
...and did he teach you the significance of using the rear brake? :thumb
Click to expand...

He sure did, slow speed skills are something I have to do some work on, but Paul explained and demonstrated everything in a way that made perfect sense. He can ride some really tight circles VERY slowly without putting his feet down.

:thumb
 
Try HRT. I know Martin and he is very good at teaching you all you need to know about handling a motorcycle at slow speed. The Advance machine skills is the one to go for. Recommended :thumb
 
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