Petey and myself. along with other non-FJR students, just took Lee Parks Class 1 and Class 2 this weekend in Springfield, MO. I on my KLR 650 and Petey on his FZ1. Learned a lot about cornering, trail braking, looking through turns, and other things. I just put a new heavy duty shock and new Tourances on the KLR. In one tight circle I scraped the pegs on the KLR. This should not have happened were I doing it correctly but cool non the less. I have never scraped pegs even on the FJR let alone a mile-high KLR. With his and the other instructors assistance the confidence was built way up.
After one event he took several of us for a ride behind him on our bikes. He took one munchkin sized gal on her Ducati Monster and flew across the lot. Then he took me, 6'2" 240#'s on my KLR. Man he flew across that lot and I was nervous the whole time. There are probably few people on earth better to have as the pilot and you as passenger but it was still scary. I didn't think the bike would be able to stop with our combined weight when he wrapped the throttle in the parking lot. I have a lot more respect for pillons now.
I was one of 3 people who took a spill however. I was going around a tight circle about 20 mph in second leaned pretty far over when some way or another, probably my big foot, the bike popped into neutral. I looked down, saw the neutral light, kicked it up into second gear and the bike had slowed down enough that second did not have the poop to pull us through and the bike stalled and fell down. Lots of learning, I hope going on.
At the end he had a course laid out putting together a lot of the things we learned. Ran to a left turn decreasing radius curve, pulling out of that to an immediate right hand turn straight ahead for 40 yds or so into a tight left turn then speed up for 40 yds or so into another increasing radius right turn, speeding up coming out of it. Also had a high speed, (relative) oval to check for trail braking, body positioning, and looking through the turn.
The brain started going on overload pretty early with all of the information but well worth the price of admission. Probably will take the course again next year for a refresher.
If you get a chance to go, do so. A most enjoyable guy. Very informative and patient. And damn can the boy ride.
Chester
