Part of being a motorcycle instructor, especially during an experienced rider course is to have the ability to read your students quickly.
You basically have one riding exercise to determine if the student can actually ride safely to complete the rest of the course.
They all say they know how to ride...
The experienced rider course is designed for two types of riders.
One who rides the streets on a regular basis and does not have their endorsement or is not legal.
The other rider is a seasoned/legal rider who wants to refresh their skills for practice.
Today I was blessed with an armed forces day on the range. I had three students, one retired Army, one active Navy and one retired Marine.
Additionally a long time friend, Erik E. (a personal mentor of mine and the original owner of Iron Buffalo), stopped by during the class (retired Air Force) to say hi and drop off some supplies he no longer needed. We had all branches covered other than the Coast Guard...
After introductions all of them talked a little smack, traded jabs and showed true respect for each other. Very refreshing for a civilian (me) who appreciates what our service people do for our country.
OK back to the Marine.
He is young 27 yrs old, and somewhat hyper. I believe he had multiple deployments in Afghanistan from what he would talk about.
From the very beginning of the class, as we introduced ourselves, I could tell that he basically had no street riding experience.
Plenty of dirt riding and on quads though.
First red flag.
Then he tells me he is very nervous about riding and failing the class.
Second red flag.
My Marine then tells me that he has driven with his girl friend for 4 hours this morning to get to the class (that started @ 9 am). There are no motorcycle safety classes provided by our state on the western slope.
Third red flag.
So my question is; do I send him away now or do I give him a little juice, get him riding and see what he can actually do?
I decided to give him a shot.
Both of the other riders were a little skeptical at first but very supportive.
Heck he's a Marine right???
So my Marine gets through the first exercise showing he can ride a bike, not perfect but gets the principle.
He is still very nervous as we start and ride the second exercise. He completes it but I have my doubts about him being able to continue with the class.
My Marine does not take to my usually coaching efforts/style that works on 95% of students (mild mannered).
By the third exercise I am at the point of stopping him and I tell him so point blank. He then progresses through the exercise and reaches the objective barely. Enough so that he can advance to the next exercise.
During the fourth exercise he basically falls apart.
OK no more mister nice guy.
I put the hammer down as I would expect a Marine drill Sargent to do.
I call him "Marine" instead of his name, I raise my voice as I give him direction, as I look him in the eye. He is tense but is able to complete the exercise and reach the objective.
I even tell him to be a man point blank.
Or in wussy words to suck it up...
Boom Batta Bing!
The next exercise he works harder than anyone I have seen in a long time to get the objective of the riding exercise.
Additionally I changed my training tactics putting him at the end of the group so he can watch/learn from the other riders by example.
I tell him privately to pay attention to me as I demonstrate/ride the next exercise and point blank ask him, "if someone asks you to promise to do something for them, will you do it".
His reply is "Yes Sir".
I then tell him to promise me he will do what I ask of him. Out he goes, and does much better on a very difficult mental exercise.
The other students are wonderful, as they appear to understand a young Marine and the learning curve I am faced with.
Their patience and acceptance was admirable!
When ever a student of mine is obviously struggling (mentally) I ask them an unexpected question instead of coaching them:
"What makes you happy"? It works every time.
All of them have a dumbfounded look on their face, hesitate and then wow, I never know what to expect.
From my Marine, he first response was: "riding motorcycles", well he does not get that yet very well. So I asked him what else makes him happy, he smiled and said: "being a Marine".
His response brings tears to my eyes...
I have him now...
Most responses from students have been their family (wife, husband, children etc.), food (always love that answer), a hobby or as one woman replied once, "sex", I was befuddled, did not have a reply to her for that response...
Told her I was not expecting that one and on she went...(true story).
This has proven to get the student to change their thought pattern and think about something other than riding a motorcycle.
A lot of students over think what they need to do (especially engineers, the worst of the lot).
By asking them an unexpected question, then developing that answer/thought, most of the time they will snap out of it and ride!
I then will repeatedly ask them follow up questions as they ride, what is your daughters/sons name, what do they like to do, what is your favorite food and on we go. Or for my Marine...
What is it like to blow shit up? How does it feel to fire a 50 cal. and so on...
Back to my Marine. I brought up blowing up stuff, firing a 50 cal, and asked him point blank if too many hand grenades had gone off next to his head... He smiled??
He became a different person. Both of the other students see this and comment in a supportive way at his change.
"He's a Marine"...
My Marine now has confidence in himself to do the task he wanted to do. Ride a motorcycle.
The reward I am always searching for is never about the money, or ego, it is about the student plain and simple.
Basically I had to condense two days of class into one to accommodate a vet who did not know where he fit in.Without distracting from the other students learning curve who where in the same class.
Tough day...Though very rewarding for me .
The fact that the other students were vets/active military really helped the class a lot.
They got/mentored the younger generation Marine who is trying to do what they did or have done. My other two students both would smile, comment on how well the Marine was doing and truly cared for him as a person.
This has been the: " A Marine beat the crap out of me today" story.
I was exhausted mentally/physically half way through the class (90 degree air temp on the range to boot..).
At one point I asked the active Navy officer (50 ish and best rider by far) if all Marines were like this, he smiled affectionately and nodded his head.
What a great group, all of them coming out of the class with knowledge, companionship, confidence and fun.
Safer riders from today on.
Why I do what I do.
Changing peoples lives one person at a time.
Today it was my favorite Marine, who kicked my ass...
God Bless you Thomas, you changed my life today without knowing...
"My Marine" is in the middle of the picture, white helmet.
Ride safe.
