RockMoto

Just got back from a motorcycle safety event for U.S. Marines featuring Jason Britton of Team No Limit, host of Super Bikes! and a good guy. I don’t know a lot of people who are super down-to-earth, intelligent, well-spoken, husband/father, etc. who are world-famous for popping wheelies as easily as you and I do things like breathe.

Jason did a stunt demo and signed autographs for a group of Marines from Camp Pendleton, most of whom rode to the event, which was held in a closed-off parking area at Kawasaki headquarters. The purpose of the event was to encourage the Marines to take their survival mentality to the street, to think about the absolute necessity of getting training and experience before you start tearing around on a high-performance machine. U.S. servicemen have been dying on bikes in record numbers – especially young sport bike riders who get off duty, walk into a dealership fat with cash, buy the biggest, fastest bike they can and then wad it immediately. Bad, sad combination of high risk threshold, lack of training and powerful bike in the wrong hands.

So here was Jason, laying rubber all over the parking lot with sick wheelies, stoppies, side-skitching, all kinds of no-hand maneuvers and some kind of rear skitch where he jumped into the air. (Sorry, I only know the names of about three stunts. And I used them all.) Anyway, after the demo he got on the mic and talked about the importance of skills training. “You train with your weapons to do a specific job,” he said, “and so do I.” He said he still does track days, takes classes and rides supermoto with people who can teach him to be a better rider. “I hate to see you lose your life because you don’t have the proper training,” he told the Marines.

I was psyched to hear him say he doesn’t need a liter bike, that he’s most comfortable on his ZX-6. And to hear him talk about not being pressured to ride over your head. He suggested that during group rides, someone should follow newer riders so they don’t feel like they have to keep up with the group. Amen. I’m not an expert on crashes, but I know there are some people who can’t stop trying to prove themselves until they go down.

Did Jason get through to the men and women he was addressing? Seemed like it. Afterwards I asked a lot of the Marines what they got out of the event. The point that came up the most was that it’s important for riders to start out at the appropriate level on a bike they can handle. Also, they respected Jason and said they were willing to listen to safety messages from someone who (like them) takes high risks for a living. Nobody said much about training, though, at least for experienced riders. I’m not sure they fully appreciated Jason's point about how even expert riders need constant training and practice. I wish all motorcyclists would take at least one thing to heart: You can never stop learning, and you should never stop trying to be a better rider.

Come to think of it, there's at least one other thing I wish people would pay attention to. I didn't hear much talk about it at the event, and it goes hand in hand with all this focus on skills. To survive on the street, you have to choose to limit your risk. Public roads are no place to tempt fate, and all the skills in the world won't save your butt if your judgment sucks.

If you agree, please pass it on.