Motorbike Safety Training Courses

Life Cars & Motorcycles
1

Well, it all started with the idea to do such a training. Turns out - there is none such available.
So I decided to take things into my own hand and asked around who would be supporting a regular training for all kind of bikes in separated groups (for big bikes, small bikes, scooters, women with possibly femal instructors and the like).

I got the support from some bigger companies already as well as from a motorbike magazine to cover the story and to get the word around. Things look good.

Does anyone know people who have any experience as instructors in regards to motorbike safety or just feels right to share the knowledge? Any input is welcome.

The whole training is intended as a non-profit event with sponsoring from different companies, magazines and bike clubs. What I have in mind is not only training for big bikes but rather for scooters, beginners, re-entry riders, special courses for women and people who switch from scooter to motorbike (already worked out training plans). What I still need is a fixed location for a 1-day or 2-day training and the aforementioned instructors.

We want to get some people together to share and learn from others and then maybe go on a nice little tour.

Waddaya think? Please help out with some input.

Enjoy the day
Stefan

2

Well, I’ve got some ideas as to who could help out with the street racing part of your course! :wink:

3

So do I…

I recommend this guy. :smiling_imp:

4

Cool, these two dudes seem to have a feeling for rythm (good for braking), for balance (good for cornering) and to know how to shift the bum over the seat when dodging trucks. Hired!

But seriously, I need some guys who know the stuff and are willing to tell the tricks. Foreigner, local, doesn’t matter as long as you do know what you’re doing. I already got a mixed group of guys together who want to know more than just the stuff you can read up in the magazines and then try it out on the streets. I remember one or two guys awhile back mentioning to organize some training on a parking lot. Are you guys still around here? Could need your help now.

Thanks

5

Good luck with your plan, and good on you for caring enough to try and educate people… A word of caution though, it’s been done before through BMW Motorrad, rider training classes from very experienced riders and even BMW instructors, fell flat on it’s face… why?.. local guys don’t like being told how to drive/ride by anyone, let alone a big nose… :idunno: :unamused:

6

[quote=“plasmatron”]local guys don’t like being told how to do anything by anyone, let alone a big nose…[/quote]Fixed that for ya! :wink:

I read Stephan’s original idea as being to run a class for foreigners, which has a chance of success. WRT to aiming at locals, well you can Google “snowballs +chance +hell”.

7

i am aware of the ‘keep-the-face’ situation and that we wont teach them anything in that approach. that’s why i aim at local instructors or people who just have good buddies and bring them along. mixed groups are the solution.
and we spoke to BMW and they are quite keen in having theses sessions again but under a different approach.
it will not work when i only plan for occassional trainings, it will only develop over time. and persistence. first the word has to go around that we’re planning something like this. i spoke to many already and asked their opinions, including city government. on the paper they all like the idea as well, but only as long as it is non-commercial i guess.

so, you guys ride bikes for how long now? 10 years? i just do it for a little over a year and i still see myself as a beginner. i’d like to know more and practice with people who have the expreience, and i bet my right arm that many here think the same. how about we start within forumosa and involve more and more people, like bike clubs. sure somebody has the right contacts. how about that? would you guys be willing to share this way?

thanks for all the replies. that’s what we need. discussion.

8

I been riding bikes of all kinds for over 30 years and raced them semi-pro for the first five or six, but I’m afraid I’ve been told more than once that ALL the local riders are much much better at it than me. Why? Because I’m a foreigner, of course!
What the hell do I know about Taiwan culture? What could I possibly have to teach local riders?

9

[quote=“sandman”]I been riding bikes of all kinds for over 30 years and raced them semi-pro for the first five or six, but I’m afraid I’ve been told more than once that ALL the local riders are much much better at it than me. Why? Because I’m a foreigner, of course!
What the hell do I know about Taiwan culture? What could I possibly have to teach local riders?[/quote]

:bravo: :bravo: :laughing: :laughing:

Where are you going to have classes? Who is your target group? What is the curriculum? What written material will be used

and will it be provided in Chinese? What skills will be taught? What kind of bikes will you use and whose bikes?

(Sorry I do something like this for a living- asking annoying questions.)

Bubba -18 Bikes/ 23 Years riding.

10

[quote=“Bubba 2 Guns”]
(Sorry I do something like this for a living- asking annoying questions.)[/quote]That sounds like a great job, professional pain-in-the-ass!

11

UK Police forces (eg The Met) run free training sessions with Police Motorcyclist instructors.
Hmmm…Guess that doesn’t really have any relevance to Taiwan.

12

Whilst I can’t help with the training I’d certainly be interested in someone showing me how ride safely at speed and how to corner safely. Since I’ve only been riding for a year (and most of that in the city) it’s those skills that need to be improved upon.

Good luck with it.

13

I’d like to help, I really would. Back home I’m a class 1 emergency services driver (cars and vehicles up to 12 tons) and many, infact most of the road sense skills can be applied to motorcycles. I havn’t been riding bikes for long (7-years) but I was taught by a police officer back home in order to get my standard motorcycle licence.

However, I still get told by my Taiwanese counterparts here that my driving is “strange.” I don’t cross the line, which for reason infuriates them immensely. My position in the road is alien to them. Most of them can’t understand why I insist on them wearing a seatbelt. They can’t see why I hold the wheel with both hands. They can’t understand why I use indicators, wait for traffic to pass before turning left or check my mirrors.

These are just the basic things. To them, I constantly do everything wrong but in all my time in driving the only time I have ever crashed a car was in a police chase. (Although I did have a little bump in XinDian on my motorcycle once at about 3 MPH because I was both distracted and amused by a man carrying a large bush on his scooter).

Anything you say will fall on deaf ears. The Taiwanese are the best drivers in the world.

14

This is crap. Unless you can open beers with your toes how is it even possible to hold the wheel with both hands? :s

15

Quote:
“I been riding bikes of all kinds for over 30 years and raced them semi-pro for the first five or six, but I’m afraid I’ve been told more than once that ALL the local riders are much much better at it than me. Why? Because I’m a foreigner, of course!
What the hell do I know about Taiwan culture? What could I possibly have to teach local riders?”

Ok guys, this is just NNUTS. Nothing New Under The Sun.

I know it will be difficult. I know it will take a longer time and I know that Taiwanese are ‘difficult’ in this regard.
But I’m gonna try anyway. What makes me think I will succeed where BMW fails? Maybe its the non-commercial-thing, maybe its the support I get from various companies and bike magazines. I’m still in a very early stage here and still full of optimism. All your experience is welcome, but I refuse to generalise. Sorry but I just cannot share your experience about people telling you how strange you drive/ride. I spoke to some guys in our comp and they all liked the idea. And yes they are local. So what happend? Dunno, guess these guys are not the same that you met.
And besides, I am a firm believer of the right marketing and advertisement, a thing that I have sorted out already due to sponsors and media coverage. I’m serious here.

So, here we go: The goal: To tell the difference between confidence and over-confidence. To realize limits, to explain basic techniques for riding and cornering, and to meet like-minded people, lets not forget about that bit. And maybe economy of riding.
Have you ever checked the website for Taipei City Government - Department of Transport? (english.taipei.gov.tw/TCG/index.jsp) You’ll find there statistics starting 1996 about everything you can imagine, including figures for accidents and their causes. Quite interesting. Fun part is, cause number 1 is ‘Not to give right of way’ - which is funny because nowhere I have looked it is mentioned in diving school or the practise run you have to do. So we have to focus on that, too.

The classes would be bilingual, and I’m still thinking about if it does make sense for some print-outs.

So, before we would start anything (riders would bring their own bikes because thats what they have to learn to master) we would do a checkup (also for liability clauses) if the bike is fit for the streets (tires, lights, overall shape). In beginner class we’d than do some basic theory and mechanics with focus on the tires and what you need to know about that. Continue to warm-up of the bike and check of safety gear. Then stabilization in slow drive, slalom, tight turns, balance. Braking on different surfaces with different speeds, dry and wet, for advanced riders also with pillion. Braking in corners, lean angles. At last some emergency moves, fast braking (you know, pull clutch first so there will be more weight on the front tire already and it will slightly deform before you hit the brakes). Enough for one day, maybe even two. We’ll see.

For more advanced riders we’ll focus on hair-pin corners uphill and downhill, handling in corners at different speeds, different riding positions, braking and stopping in corners, uphill and downhill (varying gradient), on different surfaces, wet and dry, and with pillions. Also overtaking, switching lanes at higher speeds and lets not forget the fun of group-riding, tips and tricks.

This is in short what I have in mind of doing. Not me, qualified instructors. Hope there will be someone to step forward. I have many more ideas and I am open to all comments and suggestions. Only sarkasm isn’t welcome. That doesn’t help. I live here long enough to know… And yet I’m still trying…

Have a nice day alltogether.

16

My sugestion would be to start formosa race and sports driver clubb.

Get a deal with a incurance company about a % reduction in prices on insurance viecles for every menber in FRS clubb that has competed the draiving safety course.

They belive they are good drivers so then they probartly would show up to take the course just to save a few dollars at the incurance company.

A complete course with motorbike, car and first aid.

17

pretty good idea. doesn’t cost to ask, doesn’t it?

i also contacted a bike club, purely local from what it looks on the pix, hopefully that is an approach,too.

thanks and have a nice day

18

If you ever get together a class for complete novice scooter riders, PM me. For a long time, I was convinced that I will never operate any kind of vehicle in Taipei traffic (I’m a nervous driver even in the states) but then two weeks ago I went a little bit crazy and bought a NT$700 used bike from this old guy (bargained him down from $1,400 :slight_smile: )

I’ve already made the money I spent on the bike back in MRT and cab fares. I’ve also saved time and discovered lots of new places I wouldn’t have otherwise. I’m making a point of not riding on the pavement unless the traffic makes me really scared because I complained so much about bikes on the pavement as a pedestrian.

Now there’s a little part of me that’s wondering whether this $700 bike is the gateway drug to a scooter…

19

i think it sounds like a great idea… without trying to sound cocky, i know most of the basics of safety, but haven’t got a clue about some of the more advanced stuff… what was that about clutching before braking in an emergency? i understand clutching while braking so you don’t kill your engine (aka shut down - not destroy), but i’ve never been told about BEFORE…

then again, i learnt most of my riding skills from taiwanese, and safety stuff is mostly applied from driving a car - which i was taught by my father…

if you were in taichung, i know a good spot for a course… sunday there’s often a scooter group there practicing their turning etc.

… on a side note… i’ve noticed that driving “safely” here is quite often just as dangerous as not safely… because people expect you to do stupid and dangerous things, and your “safe” driving/riding just interrupts the flow of traffic…

20

[quote=“x08”]… on a side note… i’ve noticed that driving “safely” here is quite often just as dangerous as not safely… because people expect you to do stupid and dangerous things, and your “safe” driving/riding just interrupts the flow of traffic…[/quote]I think I more or less agree with you in principle but not in the way you’ve expressed it. Doing stupid and dangerous things is of course stupid and dangerous wherever you are.

Driving safely means being aware of the all-round road situation, predicting what’s going to happen next, and planning what you’re going to do about it. It does involve some degree of flexibility. Of course if fixating on a particular pattern of driving leads to more danger for yourself and others, then that’s not safe driving, it’s dangerous driving.