I took the Advanced Rider's Course for Sportbike Riders today. It is a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course and the Army paid for it. I was the only Harley rider there on my Street Bob. I have been riding for 26 years and I still learned a few riding skills. I out-rode several guys on "superior performance" machines. Scraped the heel of my boots while still on my mid controls a few times. Overall, not a bad day in the Army.

The only problem I had was the other riders. I admire a good sportsbike more than your average Harley rider and when I would try to establish common ground by playing up their bikes, they were all about it. At no time did ANY of the other riders even attept to return the favor to speak well of Harley. The instructors on the other hand...two had Harleys. Three instructors total came up and commented on how good my bike looked and how well I was riding. I know, not real modest, but hey, kinda proud of myself and I had fun.

Let me finish by saying that if you get any chance to attend any advanced motorcycle training, take it. Experience alone does not equal increased competence.

 

I'm like you about crotch rockets. They're not my thing but I do respect them. I doubt I'll ever have one. If I were to get one it would have to be a Hayabusa or Ducati.

Hell even when I worked at a Harley shop for a little bit I walked in and the other 2 parts guys were talking about crotch rockets, at the time I was 19 and I was the type to not care about anything I didn't like so I was like wtf? But now I would have talked about it with them.

 

Totally agree with you-nothing wrong with expanding your horizons. I posted a message here about how much fun it was to ride a supermoto besides my dyna and I got called a troll and my subject vanished from the forum....don;t expect to many replies.

 

Any time you learn more about riding, that is a good day. You also have to understand that most Squids are new to riding. Sport Bikes are many times advanced than a Harley in may ways. Their riders, on the other hand, are usually beginners and motorcycling is not part as their lifestyle as apparently is the case of the OP. People who ride Harleys are not immune to having social reasons to own one. I guess what I am saying it that in any group of people, you have a mix of reasons for being there. I can tell you this, fewer sport riders haul long distance.

 

I would luv to take some classes like that, and also go to one of those road racing courses....
I would luv to have one of those Ducatis that weigh around 360 and have 160 hp....What a way to go..LOL

 

Thanks for the info on the good training.

 

Range time is a good thing. Always improving riding skills is commendable.

 

Within the last six years I've been to a DP racing school, a Supermoto USA school, and a two day Dirt Wise dirt bike school. Since I've been riding since 1962, my buds thought I was crazy, but every one of those classes made me a better rider, not only on those motorcycles - which I also own - but the lessons learned and the skills developed carried over to my street riding. If you can swing it, try a class and have some fun while devolving skills that will last you a lifetime.

Below are a couple of shots of my track riding - the first on my BMW at Infineon Raceway's big track, and the second at Infineon Raceway's kart track on my 420 street-tard. I had a blast.

 

There are alot of squids on sportbikes but just as many on harleys. Anytime you get a young kid on any type of bike they are ganna be dumb. But your analogy of sport bike riders is totally wrong. Experienced sport bike riders are just as "motorcycle hardcore" as any harley rider. Sport riders dont ride long haul? Have you ever heard of concours? bmw rt? fj1300? Im not trying to flame ya, I just think you must not have enough knowledge about sport bikes.