Jimmy Lewis Off Road Riding School **my take ** NOW WITH MORE IMAGES

[Mastros2]

Nice Doug, congrats on taking the class!  Thanks for sharing the experiences too!    

Maybe in a few years when the kid(s) are a bit older, I'll pick up dual sporting.  

[kurtw]

Great report, Doug!!! It sounds like the quality of the instruction and the experience were top notch!!!  What a trip!

[R Doug]

Bill Dragoo of Adventure Rider Magazine was in my class covering it for the magazine.  All of the participants received an e-mail from Bill with some of the images he and his photographer took of our two day class.  To give you more of an idea of what you would do if you took the class, as follows are some of the images:

Balance and Body Position Exercises

Yours truly





Break and meet with Jimmy describing the next exercise.


I'm the one in the middle right favoring his injured right leg.  




Jimmy showing how to do a high speed turn.



Student working on low speed "trials" turn.



Wheelie and Stoppie practice.





Off into the desert for the next breakout session ride.

[R Doug]

Hill Climbing and Descent Exercises

[R Doug]

4-5 People Group Loop Rides with Jimmy and Crew Providing Feedback.

Here is Jimmy perched on top of a mound watching us




Sand Dunes!


Who's the dork with his bike stuck?  Oh yeah, that me.  



One Focused Student - Me



Group Shot of Some Well Educated Students and Excellent Instructors

[scottzilla]

The "Slow speed trials turn" is impressive.  It would not have occured to me to put that much counter weight in to it.

[R Doug]

The "Slow speed trials turn" is impressive.  It would not have occured to me to put that much counter weight in to it.

You can appreciate this, that guy is on a KLR650.  He was moving at a very slow craw.  I was impressed how easy the trials type turn was to pull off once you were in the proper position.

Here's another look with Jimmy showing how it's done.

[1000lbs]

That hill climb practice looks above my pay grade   !  Looks like I'v got to get my learning on.

Thanks for the pics.

[R Doug]

That hill climb practice looks above my pay grade   !  Looks like I'v got to get my learning on.

Thanks for the pics.

As with most schools, the proficiency levels of the students vary.  This student is Bill Dragoo of Adventure Rider Magazine.  He's a pretty profecient rider and he chose more challenging hill climbs to practice.  Personally, when we did hill climb exercises, I stuck with stuff that's slightly less challenging like the incline which is about 5 feet to Bill's right in this image:

[Fourstring]

Damn.  How is he just grabbing that rear wheel?

[garry]

Damn.  How is he just grabbing that rear wheel?

Guess? Engine off, in gear, with rear brake on.

Doug, what exactly are they trying to teach with this drill? Body position for steep downhills?

[R Doug]

Guess? Engine off, in gear, with rear brake on.

Doug, what exactly are they trying to teach with this drill? Body position for steep downhills?

As far as how he's holding up the bike, the engine was off but only the front brake was being applied.  You can see his right foot positioned on the back of the peg and not on the brake.  In fact, we were told to use little to no rear brake when doing down a steep hill.  It's all about front brake management.

And yes, Jimmy was showing proper body position for steeper descents.  

[scottzilla]

As far as how he's holding up the bike, the engine was off but only the front brake was being applied.  You can see his right foot positioned on the back of the peg and not on the brake.  In fact, we were told to use little to no rear brake when doing down a steep hill.  It's all about front brake management.

And yes, Jimmy was showing proper body position for steeper descents.  

I find on down hill stuff sometimes I use the front brake, sometimes I use the rear.

[kurtw]

Great report, again.
And great photos. They really illustrate well the training and skills that you were getting!
Looks like a good time in the desert!!!

[Poustman]

Thanks for this writeup.