Posted by WD on May 14, 2003 at 11:09:56:
My 18 year old stepson is learning to ride on my bike. In two sessions he's managed to learn some of the exercises required to be licensed where we currently live. Examiners here tend to torture beginners by making them pass the same test as motorcycle police in order to be legal.
Anything I should be especially watchful for? He's already passed an obstacle course on it with a purposefully flat front tire, without problems. Quick rundown on the bike: 14" rise bars/18" total rise, no front brake, chopped to 280 pound wet weight, good tires, equivalent of 8hp gain due to weight reduction.
The boy has only ridden the bike three times, once on grass, twice on asphalt. MSF course is not available here until late summer, as the state dislikes funding it in our county. I can't ride with him due to my injury.
Any non-MSF teaching tricks you folks could pass on would be greatly appreciated. I know the questionable methods fairly well, but the "right" way to teach riding has never been part of my life. MSF tricks are OK, just not blanket recommendations to take the course. It's not an option and riding weather is finally here.
Thanks,
-WD