Modern Buddy

experienced riders course today.

it started with a 35 mile ride in the pouring down rain to get there which remained the most challanging aspect of the day.

it quit raining when i got there and remained nice and steamy the rest of the day.

the course was mostly a rehash of the skills learned in the brc with a nice twisty course ride at the end. we got right out on the riding course and worked on offset weaves, quick stops, curves, the figure eight, stop during a leaning turn, and swerves. basically we practiced skills given on the brc riding test.

it was fun. there were 3 sport bikes and 6 cruiser/touring bikes from 650 and up (one of which was another scooter, a burgman 650)...then there was me and my buddy 125. obviously i got lots of attention and was given no excusses to screw up.

since taking the brc (my first interaction with riding) i've practiced the skills regularly.

i did the box/figure eight in the tinyist possible space which got lots of wows. there was a woman with a big hd touring bike. she said i'm doing that box on the scooter, she and i had similar experiences with the box during the brc that most here have mentioned. on her hd she did that box beautifully, every time, she was my hero of the day.

don't get me wrong. there is nothing i'd change in the brc. i even appriciate learning to ride a manual mc. car, scoot, mc all the manuals translate pretty evenly.

i'm glad i took the erc but it is indeed geared toward much larger bikes and left me without a challange...and i know i've got plenty to learn. i only got 1 correction the whole day and that was something i knew i did, and it being the first time around. most of the time the instuctors giggled, gave me a thumbs up, and waved me on.

one of the instructors asked me tons of questions about the buddy because his sister wants a scooter.

everyone ewed and ooed about the buddy's gas mileage and manuverability.

for scooters, i think the skills set could remain the same but make it tighter (tighter was bob's word) faster and smaller, like our scooters.

bob the inquisitive instructor said they were talking about doing a scooter specific course like other's that have popped up around other parts of the country. he said there were instructors able to teach it but they need a place to hold the classes.

my face is a little burned and i'm worn out.

It's amazing what some people can do on those big bikes. We have one motor cop here in town that can just about turn his police bike around in a parking spot. I know I've seen him drive down into a single-bay loading dock (the kind where the ramp drops below grade) and turn it around.

Most people I know with big bikes borrow a smaller one to take their test, though.

twoscoots wrote:It's amazing what some people can do on those big bikes. We have one motor cop here in town that can just about turn his police bike around in a parking spot. I know I've seen him drive down into a single-bay loading dock (the kind where the ramp drops below grade) and turn it around.

my mate does that with his big luggy old hd. (it's awsome to watch someone finesse a big bike like it weighed 250#. )

twoscoots wrote:It's amazing what some people can do on those big bikes. We have one motor cop here in town that can just about turn his police bike around in a parking spot. I know I've seen him drive down into a single-bay loading dock (the kind where the ramp drops below grade) and turn it around.

I watched a Portland motorcycle cop on an R1200 Beemer doing figure eights in a parking lot the other day. I was really impressed. He did really tight ones at an amazingly low speed and never once dabbed his foot.

ERC is awesome. EVERYONE should take it every 2-3 years to keep rding skills sharp!

irishtim wrote:ERC is awesome. EVERYONE should take it every 2-3 years to keep rding skills sharp!

AGREED and


speaking only of the erc, it seemed too easy on the buddy. the short wheel base and the little tires and the extra fine manuverability of the buddy made a course (developed for larger mc) too simple.

i think and the instructor agreed if all the drills were tighter scooterists would be more challanged. he also said i was the first scooter he'd had inthe class.

Unfortunately, they hardly offer the ERC in my area.

How much was it to take the class? (I know if varies by location, just curioous.)

it was $85. the basic is 225.

they offered the erc several times this spring. at least 3 where i took both of my courses and 3 or 4 more throughout the state.

what was really surprising was the number of brc that were offered and full, 2 or 3 throughout the state each weekend.