Afriend of mine has ridden motorcycles for years. He's what I would consider a very good driver and knows how to handle a motorcycle. He's ridden Harley's and BMW'sfor years,and just bought a new BMW R1200 RT. He told me that BMW offered an advanced driving school and decided to attend.

He was most impressed with the school. They did offroad driving as well as street courses. Despite his considerable driving skills he came away with new insights into defensive manuevers and a better sense of clutch-rear brake-trottle control at slow speeds. What made the course so good was that BMW supplied the motorcycles so the pressure was off. He said every person dropped their bikes during the school. However, they all learned to master the courses at the end.

I will ask him about the location of the school, but it sounds like a good vacation for a few days.I'm just curious if anyone knows of similar schools? It reallys sounds like an excellent idea. Most schools I know of make you use your own bike for advanced training. I'm not sure I would push the limits on my own bike the way they did in this school he attended.

This is not the same as watching Ride Like a Pro, etc. These guys really pushed the limits of a motorcycle to get the feel of what you can do safely. Seems like time and money well invested if it can prevent an accident.

 

Ya, I'd be interested. Sounds like a lot of fun and you get to learn something at the same time. I got my first bike at age 11. I'm now 50. The one thing I've learned with time is, "I don't know it all".

 

Sounds like fun, but it is probably more money than most people are willing to spend. After all, they have to be able to repair the bikes, pay the instructorsand turn a profit. Otherwise they wouldn't offer the course.

 

Willow Springs Raceway inRosamond California hosts several different racing schools. Both on an off track and with/without using your own bike.

StreetMasters is a cornering class on your own bike

And then there is:

Superbike school that I have heard people rave about and would like to save up for the 2 day class myself. It travels the country. I don't think they do any off roading but it focuses on cornering an control in levels. This school travels the country, you use thier sport bikes, but the cost is about $2200....

 

rde your profile doesn't say were you live. I took the Basic course from Michigan State Univeristy at a dealer in IL. http://www.msumotorcycletraining.com/msupage6.htmThe dealer provided the bikes which was nice since they told right from the beginning that they would be dropped.Outof the 13 that started only 4 passed the riding test.Good course

 

I attended Keith Code's course several years ago. The course focusedon cornering and braking. Itwas the best bike related investment I've ever made.

 

There is one here in the Kansas City area that is offered through a community college. You have to use your own bike. I took an MSF class with my wife a few years back and thesame guys teach the advanced class. One of the guys that teahes the class isa motorcycle LEO. The guyimpressed me. He said he had logged overone million miles on a bike. He said he still practicesadvanced techniques in parking lots. He highly recommended the class no matter how long you have been riding. He saidyou would definitely learnsomething. He was a real cool guy to.I did the MSF class on a Buell Blast that they had and asked himif I could get on it. He said it was all right as long as I didn't kill my self. Me and another guy smoked the tires on those bikes a number of times and theinstructor was cool with it. I haven't taken the advanced class but planto do it maybe next year.

 

The basic course is quite a bit different though from the advanced courses. One typical difference is that you use your own bikes at the intermediate and advanced courses. This one that rde describes is different; I would be interested in it also! The only downside is that it offers BMW bikes (but then it IS a BMW sponsored class!). There's nothing wrong with other brands, but I think if you take an advanced course on a bike that is quite a bit different from the one you ride daily, it might not be as effective (a BMW is going handle quite differently I would imagine!) I still think it would be a fun course though, and you get to bang around a bunch of beemers!

 

This dealer had the Blast /Sportster and Road King. Keep in minds the Basic course had us doing Rear wheel lockups at 30MPH. The Obstacle was a 4x4 post that you had to ride over not to see if the first bike could but to see the aeffect of too much throttle and kicking the post rear-anf taking out whoever is behind you. The biggest thing the instructors (a retired Motors anda coupe of active motors)kept bringin up is that the MSF courses is that even the Advanced Riders Course doesn't take you above speeds that can safely go on a road.
I would enjoy taking a class that offers other bikes It would be a good experience seeing what else is available.

 

Buddha,

How much was the MSU Civilian course? Was it at the Woodstock HD dealer? Just curious...were you1 of the4 that passed the riding test? Also...you said the dealer provided the bikes...what did they give the class to ride?