SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - An advanced motorcycle course is being offered by U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii, in collaboration with the California Superbike School, Aug. 17-20, at the south aircraft parking ramp, accessible from Latchum Road, Wheeler Army Airfield.
The four-day course is based on the slogan "Train as you Ride."
"The focus of the course will be cornering technique and throttle control in turns," said Dylan Code, California Superbike School instructor and team leader. "Every lap around the circuit will give the rider an opportunity to perfect their technique, and my team will be observing and coaching them to provide a safe learning environment."
Since 1980 the California Superbike School has trained more than 100,000 street riders and 15 Superbike champions at training sessions around the world. The school has also been on contract with the U.S. Marine Corps since 2006.
"This will be our first training session on an Army installation, and we're looking forward to interacting with nearly 300 riders," Code said.
"Our emphasis will be to 'Train as you Ride,'" said Sammy Houseberg, director of Installation Safety. "Our current courses teach many of the fundamentals, but are limited to the capabilities of our certified training area, which is just 220 by 120 feet.
"By using an aircraft parking ramp," Houseberg continued, "we can simulate road conditions and turn geometry found on Oahu, and operate using realistic road speeds ... 35 to 60 miles per hour on a course that will be about 2/3 of a mile in length."
Each of the four days will have a morning and afternoon session and will be limited to military personnel only. Future courses may allow family members, based upon experience gained from conducting classes at Wheeler.
Class slots are allocated to each of the brigade-equivalent units, with Aug. 17 and 18 reserved for 25th Combat Aviation Brigade and 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, respectfully.
Students must sign themselves up using an online tool. Each session is limited to 36 riders, on a first-come basis.
Future courses are planned for October and December 2009, but dates have not been set.
"This course is not a substitute of the Basic and Experienced Rider courses that meet Army requirements for Soldiers to ride a motorcycle," said Bill Maxwell, safety specialist and program manager. "Instead, this class comes afterward, allowing riders to refine techniques that they have already been using."
Riders will need to show their Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic or Experienced Rider Course cards when they sign-in on class day. There will also be a thorough technical inspection of the motorcycle by California Superbike School staff prior to class.
"This class promises to be fun and challenging, and applies to any style of motorcycle, not just sport bikes." Maxwell explained. "Our course will be slightly wider than a normal traffic lane, and there will be no oncoming traffic or roadside hazards to divert the students' attention, to allow them full concentration for learning.
"On average, each student will ride more than 40 miles and practice more than 400 curves," Maxwell said.
Social Sharing