Stepping Outside the Comfort Zone

Excitement quickly mixed with nerves. This trip was going to stretch me in a few ways:

• Riding in a foreign country on unfamiliar terrain.
• Navigating airports and customs as an infrequent flier.
• Spending a week with strangers as a self-described introvert.

But motorcycles have always pushed me out of my comfort zones—from learning to ride, to meeting new people, to taking solo trips. I’ve learned that growth often hides just beyond fear. In fact, psychologists describe the process in stages: fear zone (butterflies, sweaty palms, doubt), learning zone (seeking skills and knowledge), and growth zone(gaining confidence, setting new goals). Signing up for this tour was my way of embracing that cycle.

 

 

Tackling the Travel

Travel logistics were my first hurdle. Thankfully, Shal and Emma made it simple with airport shuttles and packing tips. I chose flights with long layovers, which stretched the journey but gave me time to breathe, find my gates, and relax. By the time I landed in Belize, my travel worries had already begun to shrink.

 

 

Finding My People

The anxiety about spending a week with new people melted away almost instantly. Despite our different ages, backgrounds, and riding experience, we connected right away—motorcycles will do that! We encouraged each other through challenges, celebrated wins, and built genuine friendships. I’m still in touch with many of them, proof that sometimes our fears are just stories we tell ourselves.

 

 

Riding, Learning, Growing

The biggest area of growth for me was riding. Muddy trails and Belizean traffic tested my skills, but with Shal’s coaching and Emma’s local knowledge, I felt supported the whole way. Each morning began with bike drills, and Shal sprinkled in tips about traction, line selection, and body positioning throughout the rides. We ended some evenings with group debriefs, reflecting on lessons learned.

By the end of the week, my confidence in challenging terrain had grown immensely. I also realized just how much I’d been relying on luck (and momentum!) rather than real skill. Now I have a list of techniques to practice at home—and a new hunger to keep improving.

 

 

Beyond the Bike

This wasn’t just a motorcycle tour—it was a Belizean adventure. Between the rides we:

• Swam beneath jungle waterfalls.
• Tubed down rivers I never imagined I’d float through.
• Explored Mayan ruins.
• Toured a cocoa farm.
• Learned about local plants and wildlife with Emma as our guide.

It was so much more than riding, eating, and sleeping. Calling it a “tour” feels too small. This was an adventure of a lifetime—one I’ll carry with me forever.

 

 

Final Thoughts

If you’ve ever wondered what’s waiting beyond your comfort zone, I can tell you: growth, friendship, skills, and memories that will last a lifetime. For me, Belize wasn’t just about motorcycles—it was about proving to myself that I could do hard things, and finding joy in the process.

So if you ever get the chance to ride Belize (or Belize + Guatemala) with Shal and Emma—take it. It might just change the way you see yourself.

For information on a similar tour, visit SheADV Events.

If you’re prepping for an adventure on your motorcycle let Touratech USA help you gear up yourself and your bike for the ride!

 

Off road motorcycling demands a high degree of physical stamina, control, and coordination. Each of our appendages – hands and feet – are doing completely different things. Motorcycling also requires tremendous mental acuity and focus. I wanted to train in all of this and have fun doing it!

My solution? I bought an electric drum kit! WOW! This is quite an experience. I’m a total beginner again. When I bought the e-drum kit I thought to myself, “maybe I should practice a bit before I take lessons.” That made me laugh at myself, because moto students often ask, “Am I good enough to take your class?” With this in mind, I immediately signed up for drum lessons!

 

 

It’s only been a few weeks and I’m having a blast! I’m learning to use my right and left hands and feet independently of each other. Sometimes my right hand is playing a cymbal at 8 counts per measure, while my right foot is playing bass; and the left hand is playing snare alternating at 4 counts per measure each. On the bike I’m very coordinated. On the drums, not so much. I’m learning, getting better each day, and having so much fun!

 

 

So, what does this have to do with motorcycle training and riding?

1. Everyone is a beginner at some point. Be patient. Don’t take yourself so seriously, laugh out loud if you goof up. Then try again.

2. Take lessons from a professional. The great thing about working with brand new riders is they usually do not have bad habits that need fixing!

3. If it’s too cold to ride you can still find ways to train:

   • Static balance on the bike in the garage

   • Up-level your fitness at the gym with the SheADVantage training program

   • Improve agility by taking dance class – great for fitness, balance, and it keeps your brain sharp

   • Increase strength, agility, and learn how to fall by taking a martial arts or gymnastics class

   • Learn to play the drums

   • Train your brain and learn better line choice analyzing moto videos

   • Improve your visual acuity and peripheral awareness using free online resources

   • Watch moto videos and pretend you’re riding, using clutch, throttle, and brakes. (Seriously! You may look and feel goofy but it’s fun, especially if you make moto noises!)

   • Be creative! Anything you can do to increase strength (especially core), agility, coordination, mental focus, and visual acuity helps!

   • Meditation calms the mind and increases focus and clarity. There are lots of different ways to meditate, including moving meditations like ‘Labyrinth circles’

   • Practice, practice, practice. You’ll get so much doing something for 15 minutes each day!

4. Journal about the riding you did last year. What worked? What did not work for you? This is not about beating yourself up. It’s about learning what works for you.

5. Use the power of good habits to create the outcomes you want. Whether it’s meditation and journaling, working out, good nutrition, or getting enough sleep. Good habits and self-care make you better!

Give yourself the grace to be a beginner and learn. Whatever you do, have fun!

 

 

While motorcycles anchor us, it’s the connections and the collective spirit that defines our community. After covering nearly 12,000 miles on two wheels this year (that’s four rear tires with a little tread left to spare, if you’re counting), with fuel stops in ten western states, countless campsites, and a wealth of great memories, the truly shining moments for me are the shared ones.

Swapping stories around the fire, BDR adventures with friends, grabbing a bed and shower at another rider’s house, tackling a flat tire— together. Whether you realize it or not, each of us inadvertently contributes to this vibrant community— be it showing up at a rally, stopping by the dualsport meetup for a beer, or posting a glossy picture of your GS on that mountain pass.

Sometimes it’s the small gestures (tossing a tank bag granola bar to your riding buddy) and casual interactions (throwing a biker-wave while standing on the pegs) that weave the fabric of an incredible community. Other times, building community is an intentional act, like the work we’ve been doing with SheADV this year.

 

 

 

 

Originally started in 2016 by Touratech, SheADV has been kept afloat by Shal Wilson ever since. Speaking of shining moments, 2023 marked a significant chapter for this organization dedicated to empowering women on two wheels. We cranked up the energy this year, hosting and attending events and providing more all-women’s rider training than ever before. We achieved some of our aspirations and missed the mark on others. But, if adventure riding teaches you anything, it’s resilience and we’re going strong— fueled by the excitement of what the new year holds.

So, again in the spirit of the season, here’s to the ladies— whether we’re counterbalancing around cones in class or spitting dust on a day ride, there’s something super-special about sharing motorcycles with other women. Needless to say, we’re stoked to see more of you out there.

 

 

 

 

And to all the men out there, I would never leave you out of the accolades— you’re fantastic as well. In all my years of being a girl who likes doing dude-things, I’ve yet to come across a finer group of guys than those who ride adventure bikes. Sure, a shared interest in riding brought us together, but the longer I’ve been immersed in this world, the more evident it becomes— beyond the bikes, it’s the remarkable individuals that define ADV motorcycling and the camaraderie we share is truly something special.

So when you’re sitting around this winter, checking your battery tender, itching for spring, and feeling all contemplative, give yourself a little pat on the back for the times that you gave a wave to another rider, pulled your tire kit out on the trail to help a stranger, and hung out around the rally campfire swapping stories.

 

 

As the new year rolls in, here’s to all the trails that await us in 2024, to being the lone rider and part of this awesome ADV community, alike. Cheers to getting after it, finding the next adventure, coming home dustier, happier, and wiser than before… hopefully with dry boots. Wishing you all an awesome year ahead!

P.S. — If you’re looking to be reminded of how great this community is, I highly recommend hitting a rally or two this year and a couple of my favorites are on the horizon. The Desert Adventure Rally, that Sterling Noren and I host in Bisbee, AZ, is happening from April 9-14 (https://www.thejonquil.com/desert-adv-rally). And the inimitable Touratech Rally, which is chock full of ADV-inspiration, is happening June 27-30 in Plain, WA (https://www.touratechrally.com/). Hope to see you there!

Eva Rupert is a SheADV board member,  rider, adventurer, event planner and curator of energy and awesomeness.

Why does the women’s gear come with the L1 and the men’s don’t?  Well, I asked that question to a Klim rep while at the Touratech Dirt Daze in Haverhill, NH.  The rep told me what they found in the market research is women want the lighter gear.  L1 being lighter because it is half as thick and with that, it’s half the amount of material that protects you.  I asked if the women are being educated on what it means to have the lighter gear with half the level of protection and are they aware they are sacrificing safety?

Crickets…  Of course, without education, most would choose lighter over heavier, but at what cost?

Honestly, once the gear is on, you really don’t feel that difference significantly enough to choose the lighter gear and less protection.

 

 

When you tell women the level of protection is half as much AND women are more susceptible to breaking bones than men because after the age of 29, women lose 1% of their bone density and when they hit menopause, it goes up to 2%, do you think they would still choose the lighter, less protective gear?  I don’t think so.  And if they did, then that would be an informed decision and completely up to them.  Instead, what I’m finding, because I have been on a mission to get answers, is that women don’t realize that they don’t have the protection that they thought they had because they bought a high, quality suit.  You know the saying, you don’t know what you don’t know.  Well, unless you dig in and research things or you take more training classes and learn more about the sport, you don’t know important details.  In this case, you don’t know that even though you spent good money on high-quality gear you think will protect you, that the gear really won’t as much as you think.  Then, one day, you end up finding out the hard way while sitting in the hospital bed waiting for x-rays.

Something else to know about your riding suit, like the Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) layer in your helmet; armor breaks down and degrades over time, so a good rule of thumb is to replace it every five years just like you would do with your helmet. Also, non-CE-certified stock armor is often made of inexpensive materials, like stiff foam and lacks ventilation holes and will not give you the level of protection that the CE rated armor will.  Whether your suit is Klim or some other brand, do some research and make sure you are getting the level of protection that is acceptable to you.

Buying quality gear can be challenging, especially for women in this sport.  Get educated, so you can make informed decisions that will help with your overall experience in this amazing sport.  With fall in the air, you will see me in my new Klim suit with the upgraded armor of L2.  I feel good about the level of protection now.

 

 

 

When I step on to my mat, I claim it as “my personal space” where I can drop into my body and out of my mind.

When left to its own devices, my mind seems to take over with all the thoughts. When I say this, I don’t just mean unhealthy thoughts. While thoughts of doom and gloom, loneliness or fear of the unknown take up residence more often than I’d like, my mind is just as busy thinking of new things to try, create and start-up. While these so-called “good thoughts” keep my life full of adventure and joy, I do need some down-time!

Yoga means “union” in Sanskrit. The union of mind, body, man and nature and, ultimately, the union of individual consciousness and universal consciousness. Deep, I know, right? But oh so important to the development of ourselves and our world! Could we be contributing to the evolution of humankind every time we straddle our trusty steeds? Maybe?! What I know for sure is that I have experienced a similar union of mind & body when I hit the forest roads and trails here in the mountains of Colorado. The two are delicately connected as I make my way from pavement to dirt and traverse varied terrain all while taking in beautiful vistas and breathing deeply the fresh air of the great outdoors.

 

 

When we ride, there isn’t much room for ruminating thoughts or for staying stuck and spinning on the challenges we’re currently facing or difficult situations we find ourselves in at work or home. No, our minds and bodies are fully engaged in the act of riding. Anyone who rides understands there are a dozen different things we must hold focus on, such as our posture on the bike, our balance on two wheels, the movement of the bike underneath us as we navigate technical terrain, and keeping track of our riding buddy behind us.

All of this focus and awareness of our body, our bike, the people, wildlife and objects around us, as well as our fellow riders, leaves very little space for thinking about anything else. In yoga, I refer to this as dropping into our body and being present with what is. Surely you’ve experienced this yourself. Nothing else exists or matters when you are in the zen of riding your motorcycle.

 

 

The focused thought needed for riding on the trail isn’t conducive to pondering the amount of stress you were facing at work yesterday nor will it leave space for worrying about how you’ll pay your bills on Monday. Your mind is singularly focused on the road ahead of you, the bike underneath you, and the glorious landscapes all around you.

The enjoyment we experience tackling a tough terrain or pushing our edge ever so slightly to make it up a hill or through a water crossing edges out the space in our mind that was previously occupied by worry, sadness, grief or anxiety. As yoga teachers, we often guide students to “find your edge” in a pose. Finding, or exploring, your edge involves understanding the balance between challenge and ease. I encounter this principle every time I ride. I consciously take on a challenge that I haven’t faced before and live the mantra “Better every ride” whether it’s taking on a new terrain or adding to my endurance with a longer ride in miles or hours, at the end of the ride, I take stock in knowing I’ve challenged myself, accomplished something new, lived my mantra “better every ride” and pushed myself to an edge where comfort and courage intersect. This is where growth happens in a yoga practice and I have found the same in my moto journey.

Mindfulness is a mental state achieved through focusing our awareness on the present moment. One could say that we can ride mindlessly, however, I would argue that is when errors happen and accidents occur. I choose to ride mindfully. How does riding stack up to meditation you ask? Meditation is actually a generic term that encompasses various forms of attention practices including moving meditation which is how I would describe what I experience when riding. Riding a dual sport or adventure bike requires a focus of attention and connection between the mind and body I don’t experience driving my truck or hiking on the trails.

Years ago I found peace and solace, challenge and growth, health and healing through yoga. Today I am finding the same through riding and motorcycle adventures – what a grand surprise!

Christine Kathryn is a rider, yoga teacher and part of the SheADV leadership team. Find out more about SheADV Here!

1. Slow Speed Riding (<15 mph)

Riding slow is difficult.  Master riding slow and it will make all other riding easier.  It’s not hard to twist the throttle and make the bike go forward and fast.

Riding slowly takes skill.  Riding slowly is performed the same way whether you’re on or off the street.

HOW TO PRACTICE

✦ Clutch, throttle, and rear brake interaction

✦ Rear brake helps sets you into the ground and stabilizes the bike

✦ Throttle, just enough to give the clutch something to work with

✦ If you feel like you need to put your foot down, you closed the clutch too much, get back into the clutch

✦ Using the clutch continuum (+5=clutch all the way out, -5=clutch all the way in, zero=where the bike starts to move)

✦ Take the clutch to +1 or +2, as the bike starts to move, add a bit more throttle to stabilize the bike and allow the bike to pull you along while trying to go as slow as possible

 

Master the clutch and you master the power to the rear wheel, which allows you to control your motorcycle better.

 

 

                          Shalmarie, Professional Traffic Safety Instructor

2. Sharp turns from a stop

Many riders avoid mastering this skill and won’t come up to a complete stop, especially at a stop sign and having to take a right-hand turn.  Instead, they do the rolling stop, which could end up inserting them into traffic someday.  I find myself doing the same thing, so this past season, I’ve forced myself to practice doing sharp turns from a stop.  The sharp turn from a stop is a challenge because you need to turn sharply and make a smaller radius turn, while also avoiding the power of the motorcycle that is forcing you to the outside of your turn and potentially taking you into oncoming traffic or forcing you too close to the cliff or worse, off the cliff.  The other challenge to this maneuver is closing the clutch and then dropping the motorcycle.  Sharp turns from a stop are performed the same way whether you’re on or off the street.

 

HOW TO PRACTICE

✦ From a stop and a full lock turn

✦ Point your chin where you want to be going next

✦ Extend your inside arm, pushing the bike towards the turn

✦ Plant your inside foot, while leaning your upper body/shoulders to the outside

✦ Using the clutch continuum (+5=clutch all the way out, -5=clutch all the way in, zero=where the bike starts to move)

✦ Take the clutch to +1 or +2, as the bike starts to move, add a bit more throttle to stabilize the bike and allow the bike to pull you forward

✦ Don’t release the clutch all the way until you are well under way in your intended lane or path of travel

Practice this skill until your body positioning (chin pointing, inside foot planted, shoulders to the outside of the turn, inside arm extended) feels natural.  Now, on my bike, because it is tall and heavy, I can’t lean it too much or I will drop it, but I do these steps as much as I can and I am still able to turn the bike within a 12-foot radius, which is the average radius of a highway lane.  The key is clutch control.

 

 

Student from a Dragoo Adventure Rider Training course

3. Quick Stops – higher speed braking

The goal is to stop as quickly and safely as you can without skidding either tire.  However, when doing quick stops off street and you are on varied, loose surfaces, you will skid.  Because you will skid when preforming quick stops off street, know that your total stopping distance is going to be greater than it would be if you were on the street with better traction.  This is one of the reasons riders should manage their speeds more when riding off the street.

HOW TO PRACTICE

✦ First start with speeds at around 15 mph and once you’re proficient at 15 mph, then slowly build speeds up in small increments

✦ Pick a predetermined stopping point ahead and apply front and rear brake simultaneously along with squeezing the clutch lever.  Stop as quickly and safely as possible without skidding either tire

✦ Squeeze the front brake smoothly and firmly, with increasing pressure

✦ As you start to slow, squeeze the front brake MORE, MORE, MORE (that’s what will stop you faster, keep increasing pressure on the front brake)

✦ Use light to lighter pressure on the rear brake, because as the weight transfers to the front, the rear-end gets lighter

✦ Get to first gear and come to a complete stop, if you don’t come to a complete stop, you won’t do it in the event of an emergency.  We do what we practice

✦ Bars must be square, head level with the horizon and your eyes looking forward, knees tight to the tank

✦ Once stopped, left foot goes to the ground while keeping the right foot on the brake.  When off street, there might be times you need to put your right foot down after coming to a complete stop as the terrain might be sloping away and make you drop the bike if you were to put your left foot down.

When it comes to off road quick stops, different curriculums teach different methods and over the years, I have found that practicing quick stops, whether I’m on the street or off the street, using the same method makes sense to me.  It’s about muscle memory, and in the event, you must stop quickly, you want to be able to go right into the skill and not have to also be remembering what surface you are on.  If you have ABS and other traction controls, play around with the different modes while on different types of surfaces and find out what works best for you.  If the technology is there, use it.  I find having ABS on is better for certain surfaces and ABS off for other surfaces.  If you are riding more aggressive and want to be doing power slide turns, then of course, you’d want your ABS off.  But for normal riding, whether it’s on or off the street, for me, having ABS on makes a lot of sense.  Now, when it comes to rougher terrain and hills, turning the ABS off will help manage those kinds of conditions better.  The bottom line is to play with your modes (if you have them) and find out what works for you.  Understanding your bike and how it works is extremely important for you managing your bike.

 

 

Colleen, Professional Traffic Safety Instructor for Total Control

4. Countersteering – push FORWARD steering for road speed turns (15 mph +)

 

HOW TO PRACTICE – (first start with straight line swerving, since swerving is two consecutive countersteering actions, this will give you a better understanding on just how effective pushing FORWARD on the handlebars really is)

STEPS FOR SWERVING

✦ Accelerate in a straight line at least 15 MPH to start, once proficient at 15 mph, then slowly build speeds up in small increments

✦ Pick a spot ahead (I often use manhole covers, but I recommend that you start in a parking lot) and as you approach it, push FORWARD on the handle in the direction you want to go and swerve around it

✦ Push FORWARD on the handlebar in the opposite direction to straighten the bike back out

✦ The first FORWARD push should be held a bit longer then the second push to ensure you avoid the obstacle by a further distance

Swerving is a crash avoidance skill that could save your life, so practice this skill often.  That is why I often use manhole covers because you shouldn’t ride over them as they may or may not have been screwed down in place properly and they tend to be hard to see so when you approach them, you have to respond quite quickly.  Once you can feel and understand this maneuver, use countersteering (push FORWARD on the handlebar in the direction you want to go) to initiate your turn while doing road speed turns.  Push FORWARDon the left handlebar to go left and push FORWARD on the right handlebar to go right.  Speeds below 15 mph will require more of a direct steering input, which is turning the handlebars and pointing the front tire in the direction you want to turn.  Like you’d do for a turn from a stop.  To use countersteering, you must be going at least 15 mph.

 

Countersteering While Cornering on the Street at 15 MPH+

 

Once you have practiced countersteering in a straight line, use the same technique for road speed turns.  It is a fact that you can obtain your motorcycle license without ever really understanding countersteering.   This is unfortunate, because ineffective countersteering is a major contributor to many motorcyclists crashing all by themselves with no one else around to blame.  This is a skill you use all the time and must be proficient to be a safe motorcycle rider.  Many riders push down on the handlebars, which is ineffective.  It certainly does make the motorcycle turn, but it’s a S-L-O-W way to get the bike to turn, which is why many riders go off the road and crash.

 

To initiate the turn, use a smooth, firm FORWARD push.  Once the motorcycle is into the turn, you direct steer using your inside arm to control your line, while keeping the outside arm relaxed.

For off street riding, it’s important to understand that you want to always be weighting the outside peg and using more of a direct steering input, so countersteering isn’t something you do when you’re riding off the street.  If you were to countersteer and lean into the turn like we do on the street, the bike could very well slide out from under you.  Weighting the outside peg gives the tires more traction and in the event the bike were to side out a bit, you are in the right position to keep to from sliding out from underneath you.  Note: for more advanced riding, the technique would be different.

 

 

Training at a Total Control Track Clinic

5. Mental practice

 

The final and most important skill to practice is mental processing, believe it or not, it does take practice.  Riding is more about the eyes and mind, then it is the hands and feet.  For new riders, it’s of course going to be about the hands and feet, but once they can locate and use the controls without looking at them, riding becomes more about the eyes and the mind.  It takes practice to always be mentally aware, aggressively, and continuously scanning for all the potential hazards and having a plan on how you’re going to manage the risks.  In the MFS curriculum, we teach to use the acronym SEE (Search, Evaluate and Execute) to remember the mental process.  In Total Control, we teach the A3 Strategy (Awareness, Assessment and Action). Whether you use one of these processes or come up with you own, like “What’s next, have a plan and stay present,” have some kind of method to help you stay focused and alert.  The only way you will properly respond to a situation is by practicing all these 5 skills regularly to the point they are muscle memory.  Once you get to this point, you can ride more relaxed and be able to respond properly to any sudden changes in your path of travel.  Ride relaxed, but always stay vigilant.

According to the 2020 reports from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorcyclists are 28 times more likely to die per mile ridden verses per mile driven.  It was also reported that we represent 14% of all the fatalities, even though we account for only 1% of the vehicles on the roads.  These are staggering statics and the highest percentages seen since 1975!  This is way the mental processing of riding is the most important skill you can have.  Now, because we are human and we can get distracted and miss critical information, having the skills to make evasive maneuvers, like quick stops and swerving, at a moment’s notice is what will help keep you from being the striking vehicle.  According to the Total Control curriculum that I teach, 96% of the time motorcyclists are the striking vehicle.  We aren’t always at fault, (however 76% of the time we ARE at fault), but we are the ones who pay the high price to having a collision.  In my opinion, one of the reasons that number is so high is because riders don’t practice the mental processing along with crash avoidance skills and when PDL (pure dumb luck) runs out, they strike!  Increase your skills, increase your safety, and most of all, INCREASE YOUR FUN FACTOR!

I hope you find these 5 skills valuable and that you practice them regularly.  Remember this is a sport and like all other sports, we must practice and practice often to be any good at it.  In our case, we not only will master our bikes better and increase our FUN FACTOR, but we increase our overall survivability.

Ride skilled.  Ride well.  Ride old.

For more info about SheADV check out our website!

This article is not intended to replace in-person, professional instruction, and training courses.  It’s informational only.  There are a lot of different things doing on with each skill, including body position, the use of the controls and vision that cannot be instructed by just reading an article.  Sign up for a professionally taught class and learn as much as you can on how to manage your motorcycle.  Motorcycling riding is a life-long learning sport.

 Shalmarie Wilson is a professional on and off-street instructor certified in both Total Control and Motorcycle Safety Foundation.

ADV Riding On-Road and Off

You may have it in your mind that your focus is on learning how to ride in the dirt. However, adventure motorcycling is unique in that it involves navigating both on- and off-road terrain. Though you may have your sights set on remote forest roads and backcountry trails, street training is critical to successful adventure riding.

Between off-road and street riding, there are significant differences in technique that you will need to learn to successfully manage your motorcycle in different types of terrain. How you accelerate, brake, and take corners changes because of the dynamic nature of off-road riding. It’s important to practice your skills on both sides of ADV riding because the techniques are very different from one another. You have to flip the switch when you are on the street, then flick it in the other direction when you hit the dirt.

 

 

Start with the Basics

No matter how long you’ve been riding, everyone needs the basics, especially if you haven’t had formal training. Even as we rack up more miles on our bikes, the fundamentals remain essential. Seasoned riders sometimes have a hard time signing up for a Level 1 course, but a course that gives you a chance to practice foundational skills is never a waste of time. In fact, experienced riders are always surprised on how much they learn in Level 1 and are always glad that they spent time on the basics. Those who jump in the level 2 without any formal training, always struggle and find themselves frustrated.

Motorcycling is a life-long learning process. Here at SheADV, we encourage you to get feedback on your riding from a professional. That outside perspective helps you improve your skills more quickly. To do that, we recommend that all riders take a training course at least once a year.

Going out riding may give you experience, but it doesn’t necessarily increase your skills. Training increases your chance of participating in this sport for a long time. Practicing the mental and physical skills of motorcycling gives you confidence, lowers your fears, and gives you the ability to have total control of your motorcycle, which increases your FUN FACTOR!

 

 

Do Your Homework

Before signing up for training, particularly off-road, do your homework. As you know, there are numerous training courses out there, but not all of them are created equal.

Street safety courses are plentiful and have been around for quite some time. For example, the MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) has been in operation since 1973. It is fairly easy to find a reputable training company with standards for qualifications and certifications for the instructors who are teaching the courses.

Unlike street riding, ADV is fairly new and nationally accredited curriculums are just beginning to develop. MSF now has dirt bike and adventure rider training courses. Other curriculums, like the BMW Performance Center and D.A.R.T. (Dragoo Adventure Rider Training), are also rooted in safety and have a building block format to the curriculum.

But just because a school is certified, it doesn’t mean that you’ll have a quality experience. Even though a school may have a curriculum, it is up to the individual instructors to deliver that information competently and correctly to help you properly learn.

 

 

Choose Your Coach Wisely

As you start your research, you’ll want to look for qualified coaches who can teach to your learning style, support your level of experience, and help you meet your riding goals.

Time and time again, we’ve heard about bad experiences from students who have had “instructors” who have no idea how to be “coaches”. But what is the difference between an instructor and a coach? At risk of oversimplifying, instructors know what skills riders need in general. Coaches, on the other hand, are able to know what skill each individual rider needs.

We encourage you to research how creditable the school is before you dish out your hard-earned cash for training. Find out the background of the school and its instructors. Find out what their teaching style is. Are they ex-pro racers, now teaching? What qualifications do they have for coaching? Do they continue to work on their professional development?

Many instructors go through the certification process and that’s where their training ends. They don’t continue refining their skills and developing into good coaches– they remain entry-level instructors, at best. Just as motorcyclists need to continually practice riding skills, motorcycle instructors should continue developing their teaching skills to become qualified, experienced coaches.

Without ongoing practice, anyone learning something new loses a good amount of the information that has been taught (some statistics say as much as 60%). Coaches and riders alike should practice their skills until the information is embedded and becomes second nature.

 

 

See You on the Trail!

We’re thrilled that you’re pursuing the adventure riding journey and hope you are in it for the long-haul. Remember that building a foundation and developing the skills you need to manage risks and have fun is a slow and steady process. Motorcycling is a life-long learning process and skill development should never end. Ride skilled. Ride well. Ride old. See you on the trail!

For more info about SheADV check out our website!

“With the team we have behind SheADV now, we can give women the support they need and empower even more women adventure riders. We are committed to elevating everyone in this community and are thrilled that the original vision is coming full circle and continuing to thrive.”

– Eva Rupert, SheADV Leadership Team

 

Ultimately, SheADV empowers women through adventure motorcycling and the results go far beyond time spent riding. Through SheADV, motorcycles become the vehicle for personal transformation, mental and emotional wellbeing, and leadership development. SheADV is a volunteer organization led by a group of women who know firsthand the empowerment that comes through adventure riding. The leadership team has a passion for inspiring women and helping them pursue their two-wheel dreams.

Let’s talk protection… being a motorcycle safety instructor, protection is high on my list.  The Companero suit delivered!  After wearing the suit for over 3 years, with one of those years being that I wore it day in and day out for well over 31,000 miles in all kinds of conditions, I took the suit to the track.  I was allowed to wear the suit at the track because the jacket and pants zip together making it not only safer and meeting track standards, but warmer in cooler temperatures.  Thank goodness, I did!  While going into a corner at high speed, another rider made a poor judgement decision and cut to my inside corner.  Her back tire tapped my front and down I went.  The bike was nothing but sparks, while I slide several feet to a stop.  Because the suit was constructed from durable Cordura 500 base material with heavy-duty Cordura 2000 in key areas, my skin remained in-tact.  The suit looked a bit scared, but it did its job and that was to protect ME! Many riders don’t realize that not all motorcycle gear will protect against the friction of a slide on pavement.

Some riding gear will actually melt into your skin under such friction. The suit didn’t keep me from breaking some ribs, but not having to have skin grafts was a huge relief.  By the way, I was also wearing the Touratech Companero Carbon Adventure Helmet and it, too, did its job!  One of the questions the paramedics asked me was, “Did you hit your head?”  I answered with a, “No.”  One of the paramedics looked the helmet over and found a rather large area that had spidered out on impact.  The helmet displaced the energy of the impact and saved my noggin.  It did such a good job that I didn’t even know I hit my head.  I had zero effects from that impact, no headache, no neck pain, nothing.  Again, money well spent!

Another feature I liked on the pants were the good-sized zippered pockets located just below the waistband and the over-sized cargo pocket on the Gore-Tex outer shell, giving me easy access to my wallet, keys or cell phone while seated on the bike.  Both the mesh jacket and outer Gore-Tex shell had nice box shaped pockets as well.  The jackets also have a generous pocket on the inside where I keep an extra key at all times.  Another feather that was important to me was being visible.  The Companero suit is built with reflective panels and woven reflective thread for increased visibility in low light on both the mesh and Gore-Tex outer shells for both the jacket and the pants.

Word on the street, Touratech has a new and improved Companero Suit, the “Companero Rambler.”  Because Touratech takes the feedback from motorcycle travelers from around the world and have teamed up with Rev’It for this new and improved version, this should be the suit of all suits.  I look forward to putting the Companero Rambler to the test with thousands of miles and lots of backcountry travel!