Most fun I've had in 1st gear, ever!

I took the ERC today (mistook the name in previous posts, it's experienced riders course, not advanced.)

Aaaaanyway, it was a damn good time. Only 2 other guys in class, so it went quickly. I was the only guy there on a "sport bike" (Is a 9er really a sport bike?) One was on a gold wing, the other a yamaha cruiser. V-star maybe?

We all got a kick out of watching the instructor drag pegs while doing his demos for us. Instructor was awesome and I'd definitely go back. He got me a lot more confident in maneuvering, and the tires show it. They didn't get heated up, but you can tell the bike was a lot more leaned than it had previously been. Touching fresh rubber in a poorly sealed parking lot was intimidating. I could feel it sliding which scared the !@#% out of me. I know I put the sliders on in case something did happen, but I still didn't want it to!

I wish I could remember the name of the exercize, it's the one where you do a left handed u-turn, then a right handed u-turn in a rectangle. They had it layed out where there was basically 3 different sizes. The instructor said he would do the first two, then attempt the 3rd (since it's so damn small) Well, he didn't make it through the last turn. His monster machines highway bars dug into the pavement, and over he goes! He was graceful in his recovery, jumped up the best he could and said "that's why you have to be really brave to try that!"

The dude on the 'wing could barely make the big box. The guy on the Yamaha made it down to the small box and made it a couple of times without crossing the lines. I only crossed out of the lines once on all 3 sizes. Touched down once as well.

I guess Monday I'll see if I can't gouge my insurance company for another 2% off of my insurance (that's what I got for passing the BRC)

Lets see here, 2% off of $65/yr, $80 for the course, that'll take about 61.5 years to pay off! I guess the big payoff will be getting that 90 in a 65 dismissed. The payoff I won't see in the pocket book is the sharpened skills. It was enough fun, that I'd like to get a buddy or two and turn it into an every other weekend or so event. Possibly coach each other and have a blast. The hard part will be finding a place and time to do it that's got all the crap layed out. Yeah, you can always practice in a lot, but it's a lot more fun when there's paint for some reason

Ride on fellas, be safe...does anyone even read this crap any more?