16 ON THE LEVEL · JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019

EXPLORINGHORIZONS

Matt DeWald, RA 43635

years of riding experience under their belt. It is not intended for new or inex-perienced riders.

THE DAY OF... Training started at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 10. The morning air was unseasonably cool in the low 30s, but we fortunately had plenty of sunshine to warm the day. We began with a brief overview of the impor-tance of proper tire maintenance. They are, after all, our primary contact with the road surface. Instructors Ricardo Rodriguez and Mike Hardin reminded us that all challenges we were about to undertake were an option - there was no reason to push ourselves beyond our capabilities. Outside, Ricardo and Mike started off with refreshers on proper motor-cycle-mounting techniques and pro-

BACKGROUND ON THE PERFORMANCE CENTER The BMW Performance Center offers a variety of car and on-road and off-road motorcycle training courses, as well as non-instructional group rides through the Appalachian Moun-tains. Rental bikes are available for all courses. All participants in the course I took used a rental and I strongly encourage it. I felt more liberated to take risks (and thus improve my skills) by using their rented bike. There is no deductible for any damages sustained and they immediately replace a broken bike with a new one so participants can continue. I attended the One-Day, On-Road course with a bike rental, which costs $755 (before the 15% discount available to BMW RA members). The 1-Day, On-Road Course is for riders with several

A DAY AT THE BMW PERFORMANCE CENTER I was in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania for the BMW Riders Association Rally when my wife called. Chris Parker was in a serious collision with a deer and in the intensive care unit in Win-ston-Salem, not far from our home in Charlotte. This news dragged me down because I wanted to see my friend and introduce him to a number of other club members. I committed to myself and to my wife that I would do two things: always wear a Helite airbag vest and tune up my skills with a high-quality training program. BMW Performance Center was onsite at the 2018 rally and, with my trusty credit card in hand, I signed up for their 1 Day, On-Road Course in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

tocols for hoisting a bike on the center stand. In one exercise, we practiced mounting the bikes from the right side of the bike. While elementary skills, these warm-ups got us familiar with our rented BMW bikes and shook off any cobwebs. To further warm up, we rode several laps on the motorcycle-only track while seated in a variety of ways: in the English horse position with both legs on one side of the bike; one leg on the riding seat; and one foot on the oppos-ing foot peg (i.e., right foot on the left foot peg, thus leaving the left foot dan-gling freely). Of all the maneuvers per-formed throughout the day, the last felt the most uncomfortable, but I knew this type of balance and playfulness was critical to molding my mind and body with my rented wethead R 1200 GS and improving my deftness. With a program that gradually built on newly acquired skills, we practiced clutch control in a slow-ride exercise, then tight-turn maneuvers within a figure-eight and a series of slow-speed switch backs that were increasingly difficult to navigate. As with all riding skills, looking through the next turn was the most important lesson to com-pleting this task successfully. As home-work, the instructors encouraged us to practice riding in circles until we could ride with the wheel in full lock position

and our body perfectly balanced over the outside of the bike. In one of the most insightful exer-cises of the day, we practiced riding in a tight circle using different leaning techniques. This crescendoed where we shifted our heads and body weight past the rearview mirror so that we could ride in a tight circle quickly. As Ricardo reminded us, we should not be seeking racing lean angles on public roads, but by adding some of that body lean into our riding, we could ride through twisties more smoothly and quickly. After an hour-long lunch provided by the Performance Center, we shift-ed into braking exercises. We started with rear-only braking while the ABS was deactivated. I was nervous about low siding, but the exercise turned out to be much easier than I thought. We then worked on rear-only braking with the ABS engaged and then full-braking at increasing speeds up to 55 mph. In the segment of the day that I left feel-ing most humbled, we practiced using counter steering to swerve around an obstacle. Ricardo instructed us to use a punch-like technique to initiate the sudden counter steer. Instead, accord-ing to Ricardo, I continually produced a sway that was more akin to Stevie Wonder. Although I avoided the cones, I did not master the technique. I will

continue practicing this at home. In the final exercise, we used a mix of braking and then swerving (but not at the same time!) to avoid a fictitious obstacle. This simulated a hard appli-cation of the brakes to slow the bike down and then a last-second swerve to avoid an obstacle. Once again, my inner Stevie Wonder prospered during this exercise.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS More than any other training I have taken, I appreciated how this course focused on life-saving maneuvers that are practicable and transferable to everyday riding and continuous practice. With only five students in our class, the pace, flow and one-on-one instruction were helpful to my person-al development, and the well-main-tained tarmac and long track length gave us the space to reach typical riding speeds. There’s no doubt that I rode away a better rider and with more focus on critical riding techniques. Although this may not prevent a deer from striking me, I know that I am a little more equipped to stay on two wheels than ever before. Riders can read more about the BMW Performance Center motorcycle courses at bmwperformancecenter.com and call (888-345-4BMW) to sign up.

17JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019 · ON THE LEVEL