I have started the journey of becoming a Motorcycle Instructor!

[Boneman]

Well after several weeks of applications and interviews, I have finally been accepted to start my training to become a certified Motorcycle Instructor for the Vancouver Island Safety Council (VISC). They are a local MSF here in Victoria, BC. I took this very course (Novice & traffic) 4 years ago.

There was a lot of paper work to do as ICBC (Insurance Corporation of BC) who mandates everything motor vehicle related here in BC, needs lots of info including a full medical, driver's background check/history and criminal records check. I then had to interview with the VISC senior staff to see if I not only had the necessary qualifications, but would I be a good fit for their program.

Turns out they think I am good Instructor training material and I have been accepted!! The fist part of my training is doing course observation for both their Novice (parking lot and MSA testing) and Traffic courses. I decided not to wait and have already started my Novice course observations this past weekend and will continue for the following two weekends after (1 more weekend of Novice & 1 weekend for the Traffic course).

As I am an "Instructor in Training", I am not allowed to really help or answer any student questions that can be considered giving 'instruction' due to liability reasons. I'm finding this VERY difficult as it's my nature to want to help, especially when I know the answers!! I think my tongue was bleeding by the end of the weekend I was biting it so hard! Talking to some of the other instructors, they also found this very difficult.

The next phase will start in September along with all the other Instructor Trainees for our 100+ hours of receiving instruction and training that will done over several months and into 2010. Then the last phase is doing our practicum which is teaching an entire course to students under the watchful eye of the senior instructors! No pressure!

So it will be a long and hard journey, but I already know that being able to help and teach new riders will make it all worth while in the end! I'm very excited and honored to start this process.

I'll keep you all posted of my progress. :thumbup:

 

[jtarkany]

Right on :thumbup: That is excellent!

One of the really cool things about instructing others is that you will also learn right along with them thereby taking yourself to even higher levels.

 

[champion221elite]

Congrats Boneman! I took the MSF ERC last month and found those guys to be very personable and selfless in their dedication to helping further motorcycle safety.

My hat's off to you sir:thumbup:

 

[Boneman]

Right on :thumbup: That is excellent!

One of the really cool things about instructing others is that you will also learn right along with them thereby taking yourself to even higher levels.

Bingo, and not to sound selfish, but that was one of the reasons and 'side bennifits' of doing this - self improvement. You have to practice what you preach and besides, as part of my traning I have to eventually do everything the students do at INSTRUCTOR level to pass.

 

[dean owens]

i plan on doing that in a few years. 3 years haven't given me the experience i want to start going down the road of being an instructor. but a few more years and an advance rider course or two should help. i'm slightly envious.

 

[Erci]

Excellent!
I'm doing the same thing, sort of.. not allowed to be an instructor here in the states until you've had your license for 2 years and I'm not quite there yet. BUT, I volunteered at MSF 8 days, last summer and ended up getting a free experienced course out of it

 

[Boneman]

i plan on doing that in a few years. 3 years haven't given me the experience i want to start going down the road of being an instructor. but a few more years and an advance rider course or two should help. i'm slightly envious.

Don't sell yourself short man!! Seriously. I've only been riding for 4+ years now. I took the MSF course 4 years ago. Next to a clean riding/driving record, the only other main requirement was to have a min of 3 years riding. Now this may differ for each MSF.

I too was concerned about only have 4 years in the saddle, but the senior instructors in my interview looked at it like this:

- I am young (most instructors are retired) and have a different perspecitve on riding and the culture.
- Being younger, might help or put other younger riders at ease.
- I had taken the same course and now have practical experience of riding after taking it and can speak about it's bennifits..
- Might be able to offer new and different insight into the teaching program.

I was surprised by this as apparantly having a course 'alum' applying to become an instructor is NOT as common as I figured it was! So they see me as a bennifit and another 'angle' for teaching the courses.

It is daunting when a lot of the other instructors have 30 and 40 years riding experience and lots are retired motorcycle cops!

 

[dean owens]

i might start looking into over the winter then. i don't know what the requirements are in north carolina. i know i have used the info a gained their pretty often. and more than one time is saved my rear.

good luck. i look forward to hearing how it all goes for you.

 

[CHEMIKER]

Way to go Boneman! Sounds like it's something you really want to do and have a knack for. You can't get a much better combination than that.

Congratulations!

 

[necrotimus]

God save us!

First day of class:

"Ok everyone approach your bikes. Now the first thing we are going to do is take the motorcycle apart."

Seriously that is really cool. Good luck!!

 

[Boneman]

God save us!

First day of class:

"Ok everyone approach your bikes. Now the first thing we are going to do is take the motorcycle apart."

Seriously that is really cool. Good luck!!

Haa haa no kidding eh!! Lol, maybe one day they will offer "Boneman's Modding Course" to their curriculum! :thumbup:

 

[Cloggy]

good on ya Boneman, it's great to hear you'll be passing your experience on to one of the new guys (when you pass):thumbup:

 

[Ghost Weim]

Congrats and Most Excellent! :thumbup:

 

[Doorag]

Hey man, that's really cool. Good luck to you! Make sure and share all the cool tips and facts as you go along.

 

[tasop7]

That's awesome! The world will have a lot of good future riders thanks to you! :thumbup:

And also, keep in mind that a lot of these people may be new to bikes and a little nervous. So if any of them have the audacity to ask you what kind of oil to use in their bikes, please go easy on them. lol j/k

 

[VEGASRIDER]

From one Coach to another, congrats man. Always a rewarding feeling when you can actually certify someone who had no previous riding experience. You can see them progress from the beginning where they don't even know where the clutch or brakes are until to the very end when they're throttling out that final corner during the last porton of their skills test.

 

[FZ1inNH]

Congrats Boneman! That is a great addition to life's resume! I wish you the best in this endeavour!

After passing my BRC which I took to encourage my wife through it, I was asked to become an instructor. I had spoken with the instructors before the class and explained that I was there to assist my wife though the course. They knew ahead of time that I was their ringer so they always had me lead the group by doing everything first. I aced the whole thing and afterward, when I told them I've been on two wheels for 30+ years, they asked me. I let them know that I'd give it some thought.

Now, it certainly sounds like the Canadian course to becoming an instructor is much tougher than it is here. Kudos to you for making the grade and being accepted! :thumbup:

 

[Boneman]

So if any of them have the audacity to ask you what kind of oil to use in their bikes, please go easy on them. lol j/k

No way man! Bringing up oil or asking me "what is the BEST...." is an automatic FAIL!!

 

[Boneman]

Thanks everyone for your encouragment! It does mean a lot!

I deceided to use the Blog feature of this forum to document and choronicle my journey through the Motorcycle Instructor process.

Check it out and subscribe to it here: Yamaha FZ6 Forums - International FZ6 Motorcycle Community Forum - Boneman

 

[Sawblade]

Nice, I've been wanting to instruct ever since I've ridden with friends with less experience than me.