Motorcycle Course...
Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 8:26 pm
OK, as you may or may not be aware, I got onto the SA Police motorcycle course.
22 applicants, 8 spots. I wont bother going into the 1 day test, but suffice to say I got thru.
Now I'm on the 3 week course where they teach us how to ride properly.
Yesterday we covered a bucket load of theory (cornering, braking, gear changes etc etc), and today we covered a little bit about convoy riding and then went out for a ride.
I thought I was an experienced rider and that this was going to be a breeze. All I can say is... WHAT THE?? If the tests to get your bike licence was like this, we would have 90% less people on bikes, and close to 100% less rider fatalities. Today I got picked up for everything and anything. Not enough headchecks, not enough time looking in the mirrors, not anticipating well enough, incorrect gear choice and the list goes on.
I was glad when our street ride was over!! I'm led to believe it only gets harder. I can't wait.
We also do a thing called the Monte Carlo. It's basically a small slow speed manouverability circuit. It starts with a slalom, then a full lock right 360, a slalom, a full lock left 360, a box test (which comprises a full lock right 180, a full lock left 180, a full lock right 180 and a full lock left 180 to end up in a little box the size of the bike), a tight "S", a ride inside a 20m rectangle box (must take more than 15 seconds to get from one end to the other, without going outside the box or putting your feet down.)
It teaches you the benefit of looking where you need to go, and the art of throttle and clutch control. All this without hitting a damn cone or dropping the bike! A few have been dropped already (300+ kilos of bike!), but at least they don't get damaged at low speed.
Anyway, that's all for now.
22 applicants, 8 spots. I wont bother going into the 1 day test, but suffice to say I got thru.
Now I'm on the 3 week course where they teach us how to ride properly.
Yesterday we covered a bucket load of theory (cornering, braking, gear changes etc etc), and today we covered a little bit about convoy riding and then went out for a ride.
I thought I was an experienced rider and that this was going to be a breeze. All I can say is... WHAT THE?? If the tests to get your bike licence was like this, we would have 90% less people on bikes, and close to 100% less rider fatalities. Today I got picked up for everything and anything. Not enough headchecks, not enough time looking in the mirrors, not anticipating well enough, incorrect gear choice and the list goes on.
I was glad when our street ride was over!! I'm led to believe it only gets harder. I can't wait.
We also do a thing called the Monte Carlo. It's basically a small slow speed manouverability circuit. It starts with a slalom, then a full lock right 360, a slalom, a full lock left 360, a box test (which comprises a full lock right 180, a full lock left 180, a full lock right 180 and a full lock left 180 to end up in a little box the size of the bike), a tight "S", a ride inside a 20m rectangle box (must take more than 15 seconds to get from one end to the other, without going outside the box or putting your feet down.)
It teaches you the benefit of looking where you need to go, and the art of throttle and clutch control. All this without hitting a damn cone or dropping the bike! A few have been dropped already (300+ kilos of bike!), but at least they don't get damaged at low speed.
Anyway, that's all for now.
, but suffice to say I got thru.
riding and then went out for a ride in case we could find some 5 year old riding his minibike !!
. It starts with a slalom, then a full lock right 360, a slalom, a full lock left 360, a box,full Brazilian , test (which comprises a full lock right 180, a full lock left 180, a full lock right 180 and a full lock left 180 to end up in a little box as aposed to the barrel used in the navy 
, without going outside the box or putting your feet down.)