Safer 

 Sport Bikes

The Evolution on

Training
Let’s Ride...

RADM Arthur Johnson, USN Col. Mark Erb, USMC

Commander, Naval Safety Center Deputy Commander

Capt. Stephen Johnson Bruce Crisler

Head, Shore Safety Programs EA, Shore Safety Programs

David Kerrick 

Head, Traffic Safety Division

 

Smart Ride is a special Issue magazine resulting from a close partnership with 

the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, a not-for-profit organization promoting motorcycle safety and awareness. This publication can never take the place of time, 

experience and practice on the roads. It is critically important that every rider 

take an approved motorcycle safety course and continue the training continuum 

throughout his or her riding life!

COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING DEPARTMENT

Commander, Naval Safety Center

375 A Street, Code 70

Norfolk, VA 23511-4399

(757) 444-3520 (DSN 564) Ext. 7610 

John Mahoney, Director, Communications and Marketing

john.mahoney@navy.mil, Ext. 7310

Derek Nelson, Head, Media Division

derek.nelson@navy.mil, Ext. 7243

April Phillips, Public Affairs Officer

april.phillips@navy.mil, Ext. 7312

EDITORIAL STAFF

April Phillips, Editor, 

april.phillips@navy.mil, Ext. 7312

Allan Amen, Art Director

allan.amen@navy.mil, Ext 7248

John Williams, Graphics

john.w.williams1@navy.mil, Ext. 7254

LCdr. Paul Wiley, Graphics

paul.wiley@navy.mil,

Lisa Johnson, Motorcycle Safety Specialist

lisa.l.johnson3@navy.mil, Ext. 7180

Don Borkoski, Motorcycle Safety Specialist

donald.borkoski@navy.mil, Ext. 7135

MOTORCYCLE SAFETY FOUNDATION

2 Jenner, Suite 150

Irvine, Calif. 92618

(949) 727-3227

Charlie Fernandez, Military Programs Management

cfernandez@msf-usa.org, Ext. 3050

Dean Thompson, Communications and Media Relations

dthompson@msf-usa.org, Ext. 3138

Sea&Shore (ISSN 1550-1434) is published quarterly by Commander, Naval Safety Center, 

and is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense.

Contents are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, 

the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Navy. Photos and artwork are representative and 

do not necessarily show the people or equipment discussed. We reserve the right to edit 

all manuscripts. Reference to commercial products does not imply Navy or Marine Corps 

endorsement. Unless otherwise stated, material in this magazine may be reprinted without 

permission; please credit the magazine and author. Periodicals postage paid at Norfolk, Va., 

and additional mailing offices.

Distribution: contact editors for distribution requests.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Commander, Naval Safety Center 

Attn: Smart Ride, Code 72A

375 A Street, Norfolk, VA 23511-4399

Visit us online at: www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/

A Special Supplement to Sea&Shore

CONTENTS

Cover: photo courtesy of California Superbike School.

Rodeo, Stand Down, Round Up? 2

(Un)Licensed To Ride ... 3

Safer Sport Bikes Have Arrived! 4

Road King Vs. Tractor Trailer 8

Close The Gap On Training 10

Gone With The Wind 11

Semper Ride Forum Ad 12

Superbike Champ Thanks The Troops 14

Loosen Up! 15

Installing A Headlight Modulator For Safety 16

Storing Your Bike For Deployment 18

Crash Testing 20

Advanced Training Report: Yamaha 23

Champions Riding School
EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK

Motorcycle riders in the Navy and Marine Corps continue to do great things, bringing 

the accident and injury rates down and taking responsibility for training and mentoring new riders. 

Great job! We all know that the loss of a trained and ready service member is a tragedy, but in this 

era of constrained resources, it’s more important than ever that we take care of each other.

There are lots of examples of riders doing just that in this year’s magazine. Check out the 

cover story by Dylan Code of the California Superbike School. He’s been a huge advocate for 

smart, successful riding, and he shares his perspective on innovations in sportbikes that help to 

make them less risky.

You’ll also find some cringe-worthy stories from some folks who had to learn the hard 

way about the importance of following the rules. It’s always easier (and less painful) to learn from 

someone else’s mistakes.

One of the biggest changes in this year’s magazine is that we’ve added a new, and better 

yet, completely unpaid member to the SmartRide staff. His name is UT1(SCW) Clinton Waldorf, a 

SEABEE stationed in Rota, Spain. He is this year’s Fleet Editor. Clinton has been tireless in his 

advocacy for motorcycle riders in the Navy and Marine Corps. He believes you deserve the best 

training opportunities and that training is an ever-evolving topic that can and should change with 

the needs of the riders. He provided a great deal of material for this edition of the magazine and 

has worked with motorcycle safety experts here at the Naval Safety Center. Thanks for all your 

hard work Clinton! 

I would also like to say a big thank you to everyone who submitted a story for this magazine. 

You are all taking ownership of this resource and it wouldn’t be much good without you. I encourage 

everyone who rides to consider submitting an article. Tell us about your close call on the road, or 

the crash that made you realize the importance of PPE, or even about a great ride that made you 

fall in love with motorcycling all over again. Those of you who have attended track training – tell us 

about it!

Submitting your stories and photographs is as easy as sending an email to april.phillips@

navy.mil. If you’d like to be next year’s Fleet Editor, feel free to apply for that job as well.

Whether you ride a cruiser, a sportbike, or something in between, I hope you have a great 

riding season. Have fun, ride smart, and keep the rubber side down.

April Phillips

Spring 2011 Smart Ride 1
2 Smart Ride Spring 2011

BY CLINTON WALDORF, Fleet Editor

n my 10 years of riding motorcycles I have attended my share of these Motorcycle Safety Stand 

Downs, Safety Rodeos, Safety Roundups, whatever 

you want to call them. These events have advanced 

in effectiveness and have proven to reduce the 

number of motorcycle fatalities in recent years. I’ve seen 

everything from the typical training videos in the base 

theatre, to riding around the MSF Training range, to the 

gold standard of having Keith Code’s California Superbike 

School working with the USMC. Other motorcycle professionals have provided training to other branches. The relevance and usefulness of motorcycle training has evolved 

during the past 10 years, and it makes me wonder what’s 

the next stage in this evolution? 

But first, let’s get back to what we’re going to call our 

annual training events. Should it be called the Motorcycle 

Safety Stand-down? No! The definition of a stand down is, 

“a suspension and or relaxation from an alert state or state 

of readiness.” We don’t want to do this! The purpose is to 

create an alerted state, and improve our readiness. Let’s 

stop calling this what it is not. 

What about a Safety Roundup? This term makes me 

think of the process of gathering animals into a corral and 

holding a muster. Well, we are getting closer. We do gather 

our riders together for an event every year and usually hold 

a muster. However, that doesn’t tell us anything about the 

purpose of the training.

Lastly, consider the term Motorcycle Rodeo. A rodeo is 

a cowboy event that is based on tasks required for ranching, and developing the skills to fit the needs of the climate 

and terrain of the region. In our case, the motorcycle rider 

is the cowboy, and this is the type of event we riders are 

shooting for to improve our skills and develop younger riders. Now we’re talking!

However, there can be no doubt that riders need something more specific. The way I see it, organized track days 

are the next step in the evolution of motorcycle training for 

the military. 

Realistic training is what the military always strives 

for. That’s why we have General Quarters drills on ships, 

and why we plan for any contingency on the job by training the way we fight. We need to apply this concept to 

motorcycle training as well. All the classroom training in 

the world and time on the same MSF range cannot compare to what the track environment can provide. I know 

this first hand, because I have attended two of the top 

riding schools available, the Yamaha Champions Riding 

School and the California Superbike School. I learned more 

in those few days of instruction in the track environment 

than I did in more than 10 years on the streets or by attending any of those basic level courses.

The track offers the ability to make mistakes in the most 

realistic environment with little to no consequence, and that’s 

how we learn and improve. For example: What is it like having to heavy brake from 75 to 30mph and then negotiate that 

corner? What happens when you get it wrong? 

On the track you simply run the corner wide and learn 

how and why that just happened. The street is no place to 

learn from your mistakes when you’re facing head on traffic 

and road debris. Mistakes like that offer certain death on the 

streets. The track allows that reality to sink in while reducing 

the consequence. This is the direction we need to be heading.

WHEN I TALK ABOUT TRACK DAYS, people always ask, 

“What if I don’t ride a sport bike?” It does not matter! The 

principals are the same no matter what you are riding. Just 

because you don’t ride a sport bike does not mean track 

day training isn’t for you. In fact, this training can be even 

more relevant to cruisers. For the most part, these motorcycles have decreased lean angle and decreased braking capabilities. So, if your bike is less capable than the modern 

sport bike, you would want to learn how to become better 

at these important skills. 

Next thing I hear from riders is, “The riding gear is really expensive.” Oh really? How much did you pay for your 

exhaust and latest and greatest modifications? It probably 

cost the same as a good set of leathers and protective gear. 

Most of all, it’s worth it!

Simply stated, the next evolution in motorcycle safety 

training is the track day. Many duty stations are already 

leading the way and good on them for taking the next 

steps in our evolution. Others need to follow the lead 

because I truly believe it’s the most realistic and safest 

training we can offer our Sailors and Marines. 

Whatever You Call It, Make Sure It’s Good Training

Rodeo, Stand Down, Round Up?
What I didn’t have was a valid motorcycle license and 

insurance. 

Although the rider course instruction manual and my 

instructor had made it perfectly clear that both of these 

items were absolutely mandatory in order to ride, I decided 

that since I had been riding for a while and (most of the 

time) I obeyed all the traffic laws, that I didn’t need the 

trouble or expense of a license and insurance. 

So, I put on all my PPE and followed my friends, who 

were in a car, to the party. On the way, I decided to show 

off a little bit with small wheelies. We ended up on a small, 

private, commercial business road with very few cars in 

sight. I decided that I was going to accelerate very hard 

and do another wheelie. When I accelerated and the bike 

started to come up I slid back on the seat, causing me to 

roll the throttle all the way to the rear. 

Needless to say, the motorcycle came straight up 

and bounced off the sub-frame, throwing me off the 

back. A friend in the car in front of me said that I 

flipped end over end about three times, then rolled on 

my side for about 150 feet. 

I ended up fracturing both my ankles and my knee, I 

had road rash all over my body, and two holes in my leg 

that still aren’t healed two months after my accident. If I 

had not been wearing all of my protective equipment, I am 

certain I would not be here to tell this story. 

So now, not only do I have to heal from my accident, 

I also have to deal with the repercussions of not following 

the law. Aside from the Navy’s punishment to deal with, I 

have to deal with the loss of respect and trust throughout 

my command. 

I’ve had to go through several weeks of physical therapy and pay hundreds of dollars out of my own pocket to fix 

my motorcycle. 

To all of you that think you will not get caught, or 

those of you who have been riding your whole life and 

think you will not wreck, I am here to tell you that it just 

isn’t worth it. Trying to look cool for your friends, violating 

civil laws, and disobeying military regulations will only 

end badly for you. 

Too many lives are lost every year on motorcycles, so 

don’t let your name become a statistic. It is simple to purchase insurance and get your license, so don’t be stupid 

like I was and have to learn these lessons the hard way. 

We all know what we’re supposed to do, but we need to 

have the honor, courage, and commitment to do the right 

thing even when no one is watching. 

(Un)Licensed to Ride ...

he day was clear, sunny, 

and warm: the perfect day 

to take my motorcycle for 

a ride. I thought it would 

be fun to take the bike and 

follow some friends to a birthday party. 

I thought I was good to go. I had taken the required basic motorcycle safety 

course. I had all the PPE required by the 

military in order to ride. 

BY AWF3 JOSEPH ADAMS, VR-58, NAS Jacksonville, FL

3
Safer SPORT BIKES Have Arrived!

elieve it or not, a safer motorcycle has arrived. Plus, it’s fun to ride and plenty powerful; actually, right now it’s the most powerful 

sport bike in the world. The bike is the BMW 

S1000RR. While the Navy and Marine Corps 

aren’t endorsing any brand, I did want to tell you about 

these advances, and let you know that other manufacturBY DYLAN CODE

California Superbike School

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO CUT YOUR CHANCES OF CRASHING A MOTORCYCLE IN HALF?

WHO WOULDN’T?

HOW COULD THAT BE DONE?

EASY: RIDE A SAFER MOTORCYCLE!

ers are following suit. The more you learn about the safer 

technology, the smarter you’ll be when you’re choosing the 

must-have features for your next bike.

At the California Superbike School, we travel to tracks 

around the USA to train riders in a true racetrack environment. This year we switched from a Japanese 600cc sport 

bike to the new BMW 1000cc sport bike. When news of 

4 Smart Ride Spring 2011
Dynamic Traction Control set for “rain.”

our switch to the 1000’s got out, many speculated that far 

more of our students would be crashing on track due to all 

that power. 

Guess what actually happened? We compared last 

year’s safety statistics to the same period for this year 

with the new bikes and found we have less than half 

the crashes with the same number of riders. Why so few 

crashes on a more powerful bike? Simple: it’s safer. Why? 

Because it’s smart.

Bear with me for a quick history lesson. These 

major leaps in performance came from a more 

innocent time in the 1970’s. Back then you had 

street bikes and then you had race bikes. Race 

bikes were made in small quantities at the factory for one purpose – going fast on a closed 

circuit. They did not have lights, mirrors or 

even a speedometer – and they were expensive. In the mid-70s a small class was introduced at the national races that fielded modified street bikes. They called it “Superbike.” 

The Superbike class was more or less a sideshow 

at the national races, but it gained popularity 

quickly, partly because spectators liked the idea that 

they could buy and ride the same models they saw raced 

at the track. This boosted sales and soon the motorcycle 

manufacturers were building street bikes that resembled 

and performed like race bikes. They wanted their bike to 

win, so spectators would buy it. Soon the saying became 

“Win on Sunday, sell on Monday.”

FAST FORWARD TO PRESENT DAY and anyone can walk 

into a dealer and buy, in essence, a race bike. Because they 

are street legal, they are called sport bikes. The competition 

between manufacturers to build the ultimate street legal 

race bike has been hot and heavy for years. The losers in 

this competition have been the untrained riders and others 

who have been treating the public roads like a racetrack.

Manufacturers have shown what remorse they can, but 

what are they supposed to do, make a slower bike and sell 

none? The solution was to make a safer motorcycle, and 

this has been accomplished by BMW at the beginning of 

2010 when they released the S1000RR. Admittedly, with 

183 horsepower at the rear wheel it doesn’t sound safe. 

Actually the safe part is in its electronics.

The available electronics package on this bike is comprised of two key elements:

1) Dynamic Traction Control.

2) Race-spec Antilock Braking System.

The Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) is basically 

every rider’s dream come true. There are many different 

aspects to DTC, but in a nutshell it keeps the rear wheel 

from losing traction from over-acceleration or slippery 

conditions. The system has front and rear wheel speed 

sensors. If it detects the rear wheel rotating faster than 

the front, the ignition system will soften the power 

output to restore traction. Should the slide persist it 

will then alter the fuel delivery to further soften power 

output. Information is sampled from the sensors thousands of times per second. Additionally, you can adjust 

from the hand controls how sensitive the traction control 

is. For example, there is a setting called “Rain” which 

will soften the power delivery if the slightest hint of a 

slip is detected by the sensors. I put this to the test and 

rode the S1000RR across a grass-covered area in first 

gear and suddenly twisted the throttle wide open. I was 

amazed to find that the rear wheel did not lose grip or 

spin at all. I then went to a paved area and the bike 

accelerated promptly, but only when it sensed there was 

traction available.

Another key part of the DTC is a pair of electronic 

gyros that monitor lean angle within two degrees of 

accuracy. Power delivery is coordinated with lean angle. 

This means the further the bike is leaned, the gentler 

the power output. As the bike is brought from leaned to 

straight up and down, power becomes more and more 

available. A rider grabbing a handful of throttle at a 

Photo courtesy of California Superbike School.

Spring 2011 Smart Ride 5
steep lean will not receive full power until the sensors 

find the traction available. 

It also has adjustable “wheelie control” that will set 

the front end down if it gets too high to keep the bike from 

accidentally flipping over backwards.

There are five different modes of sensitivity:

“Rain” for wet or low traction conditions.

“Sport” for dry street conditions.

“Race” for racetrack with supersport-type tires.

“Slick” for racetrack with non-grooved “slick” race tires.

“DTC off” disables traction control completely.

The rider can choose the relevant setting for the current riding conditions and environment.

The other key aspect to the safety package is the Race 

ABS. The “Race” part of the name comes from the fact that 

most racers do not prefer to use ABS due to the lack of feel 

and control during hard braking. BMW’s racing research 

and development created a very refined version of antilock 

braking that allows for excellent feel and maximum stopping power in critical conditions.

Aside from this ABS feature, the gyros on the BMW 

can detect a front end flip from heavy use of the front 

brake. Most people call this an “endo” which is short for 

end-over-end. If the bike detects the rear wheel coming off 

the ground, it will modulate brake pressure just enough to 

set it back down while braking is continued. What’s more 

Photo courtesy of California Superbike School.

6 Smart Ride Spring 2011
is the front and rear brakes are linked: when only the front 

brake is applied, a small amount of rear braking is automatically applied for you. The sensitivity of the ABS is adjusted depending on which mode the traction control is set 

at. Additionally, if desired, the ABS can even be switched 

off just like the Dynamic Traction Control.

What does this all add up to? As I stated earlier, it 

adds up to a safer motorcycle. Decades ago, aviation experts employed electronic systems to override pilot inputs 

that are detected as unsafe. This type of technology being 

integrated into motorcycles has been long overdue, but 

now that it is here, it’s already saving riders. Regular ABS 

is not new to street bikes, but Dynamic Traction Control 

that coordinates braking, power delivery, roll and pitch all 

in one package – that’s the best risk management news for 

motorcyclists in a long time.

What about limits and confidence? Many people have 

voiced concern that riders would become lazy and rely on 

the electronics to save them and get soft with their skills. 

I feel that to be the opposite and I’ll tell you why. So many 

riders wonder where the limits of traction are. How much 

can you lean it? How hard can you brake? How much 

throttle can the bike handle? This bike tells you. When the 

traction control has to intervene, it notifies the rider by 

means of a white LED on the dash. That’s the bike telling 

you: “Hey buddy, that was too much throttle – I had to step 

in and save you.” Right there the rider feels the limit without overstepping it. The same is true with the Race ABS. 

When it intervenes, you feel a very light pulse in the lever. 

Again, in this instance the rider feels when maximum 

braking is taking place. These are excellent learning tools.

Of course the bike is not crash proof. Too much lean 

or too fast for a corner and the tires simply can’t cope. 

Nothing will ever take the place of solid training, sharp 

skills, and smart riders. But technological advances like 

these are good tools. We’ve now had dozens of days at 

the track where not one rider went down on this bike, 

even when the riders were challenging the limits. That’s 

good news for everyone – except those who make a living repairing crashed bikes, selling replacement parts 

and trying to put the riders back together. This is a giant 

leap forward in motorcycle technology and already other 

manufacturers are following suit. 

Advances in braking systems can help avoid “endos.”

Photo courtesy of California Superbike School.

Spring 2011 Smart Ride 7
his is the story of how I about got taken out by 

a tractor trailer one morning last December on 

my way to work. I was on Highway 17 right in 

front of the back gate of Marine Corps Air Station New River.

I had just turned onto the highway, heading for Camp 

Lejeune at 0600, and I saw a row of reflective lights in the 

left turn lane. Then they disappeared as a set of headlights 

went across my field of vision headed into the back gate of 

the Air Station. 

Then all I saw was a white wall of tractor trailer. 

I was still accelerating, but I quickly grabbed some 

brakes, slid on the front tire for about 20 to 30 feet, 

searched for an exit, then hit the brakes again as the cab 

of the truck had already passed through the traffic islands. 

The trailer must have been the longest allowed, as it was 

still in the median. All I could see was the bottom of the 

trailer (at chest level), trailer landing gear, and the spare 

tire cage hanging down under the trailer. 

With nowhere else to go I had to lay it down. The left 

side of the bike and I slid on the crash bars and up under 

the truck. All I saw were sparks.

I hit the ground on my cell phone (which is still working fine but deeply scratched). As I slid and rolled, the 

right handlebar and mirror hit the bottom of the trailer and 

flipped the bike back over to the right side and continued 

to slide hitting the curb of the outbound lane of the base, 

and then it slid across the road into the median. 

I jumped up and screamed toward the truck that amazingly, continued on toward the gate! A passer by stopped 

to make sure I was alright and helped me put my bike 

up on the kickstand. Then I took off running to the gate 

guards to get the MPs and stop the truck. 

Lucky for me (note the sarcasm) it was 1 December 

and there were all new guards on the gates and no one 

knew what to do. As the sentry was calling the MPs, the 

truck was being inspected at the inspection station that is 

parallel to the street where the gate is. It felt like five minutes went by as I was pacing back and forth outside the 

guard shack (adrenaline pumping) but the sentry finally 

came out. I asked him if someone was coming and he said 

“I’m not sure.” 

Just then I was looking through the guard shack and 

saw the truck pulling out of the parking lot. So I took off 

running through the ditch and wood line to the inspection 

lot to try to stop the truck. There were three Marines sitting there as I told them what happened and they said “We 

need to call someone.” 

Just then an MP car pulled into the lot. I jumped in 

the car with him and we went out to the crash scene. As 

we were going out the gate he realized they had to call the 

county and/or state to coordinate the off base wreck. 

Forty minutes later, the state trooper arrives, gets my 

story and then asks the MP if he had details on the truck. 

He had to get it from the log book at the inspection lot, but 

the info was bogus – a bad phone number and a license 

plate to the trailer, but not the cab. 

At least the MP noticed that the truck driver was heading to the commissary, so he went to see if he was still 

there. He wasn’t, as over an hour had passed by now. He 

checked the log book again and found this truck driver was 

a regular and he was able to get the driver’s cell number 

This is one competition you just can’t win.

ROAD KING

TRACTOR TRAILER

BY CHRIS FIELD, MSgt. USMC, Ret.

8 Smart Ride Spring 2011
and an 800 number for his company. The cell phone went 

straight to voice mail, but the 800 number was a good one. 

They couldn’t reach him but had GPS on the truck and 

traced him in Warsaw, N.C. The state trooper caught up 

with him the next day and showed him the black mark under his trailer and said the guy about peed when he saw it. 

Claimed he didn’t see anything. 

I ended up with two broken ribs and where my cell phone 

dug into my hip I had a deep bruise. On my right side I shredded my pants and ripped a hole in my leather jacket elbow 

and the palms of my gloves were blown out too. It was cold 

out that morning so I had Gortex gloves on. I have a raspberry about the size of a softball on the side of my thigh. 

And he didn’t see anything!?!

Nonetheless, due to my cat-like reflexes, advanced motorcycle training, AMOS (Advanced Motorcycle Operators 

School put on by Keith Code’s California Superbike School), 

and 22 years in the Marine Corps (where I learned how to 

fall), I walked away.

I’ve seen this stunt done on TV and in movies, and 

now I know it’s not that hard since I managed to do it in 

the dark, on my first try. I just didn’t come out the other 

side on my wheels. 

The PPE I had on saved me from any road rash and 

the training and experience that I have prevented me from 

panicking. It could have been much worse. 

Spring 2011 Smart Ride 9
BY APRIL PHILLIPS

pinions are like, well ... you know the old 

saying. And when it comes to motorcycle 

training, the old saying is true, because 

everyone has an opinion on it: why it’s 

required, how it should be conducted, and 

who should be made to attend. In a perfect world, training 

would be individually tailored to each and every rider’s 

needs, but practically speaking, this is impossible. 

Three years ago, the Navy and Marine Corps tried to 

do the next best thing with a major restructuring of motorcycle training in an effort to provide the most relevant 

training to the largest possible group of riders. Current 

requirements mandate that all Sailors and Marines who 

ride attend the MSF Basic Rider Course, and then attend 

follow-on training through the Experienced Rider Course 

(for cruiser riders) or the Military Sportbike Rider 

Course (for sportbike riders.) Because statistics 

showed that some previously-licensed riders 

were getting back into biking after a long 

absence (and with considerably diminished 

skills) there is also a requirement for recurring 

training every five years.

“The statistics don’t lie,” said Don Borkoski, the Navy’s motorcycle safety manager 

at the Naval Safety Center. “Fatalities and 

injuries are way down, and this isn’t a 

coincidence.”

In fiscal year 2010, 13 Sailors and nine 

Marines lost their lives on motorcycles. 

Tragic, certainly, but down from 14 Sailors 

and 14 Marines in FY2009, and a high of 

33 Sailors and 25 Marines in FY2008. 

Borkoski credits the decrease in motorcycle crashes to a change in the culture. 

Riders are taking responsibility for 

themselves and for mentoring younger 

riders. Leaders are learning not to treat 

riders like problem children, and are instead encouraging 

training on command time and proper use of PPE. However, he said the positive trend depends on riders doing 

the right thing to keep the mishap numbers moving in the 

right direction.

“Most people have done a great job complying with the 

requirements, but we still have to close the gap with a few 

non-believers out there. Almost all of the sportbike riders 

who were killed on their bikes last year did not complete 

the MSRC. That’s huge,” he said.

to remember this requirement and schedule a course.

“I know that some people who have been riding 

continuously for the last five years think there’s no reason they should have to take a training class again, but 

even the best riders can learn something new, or pick up 

on something they may not have caught the first time 

around,” he said. “Besides, it’s a day spent outside on your 

motorcycle. What’s wrong with that?”

Riders can schedule new or recurring training by visiting www.navymotorcyclerider.com. 

The MSRC is conducted on a range like the other 

courses, but it does incorporate higher speeds, taking into 

account the racing characteristics of modern sportbikes. 

It also delves into the mental aspects of sportbike riding, 

which are different from that of cruisers. 

It’s been three years since the new course was unveiled, and the other changes to the instruction took 

place. That means it’s time for a lot of riders who took the 

courses previously to retake ERC or MSRC. Borkoski said 

it’s important that riders who are due for refresher training 

Close the Gap On Training

10 Smart Ride Spring 2011
AZ2(AW) LATASHA WALKER, VFA-37

 

was so excited! It was the weekend and the sun 

was shining. What else to do on a sunny day? I 

called up a fellow AZ2 and said, “Hey Rob, good 

day to ride! How about it?” Of course he was just 

as ready as I was, and agreed. On a weekend like 

this, who wouldn’t want to get out on the open road? 

I ran upstairs and pulled out all of the new riding gear 

I had just purchased for my first ride on my new GSX-R 

1000. Man, was I excited! After getting dressed, I went 

out to the garage and began the checklist that we were 

all taught in our Basic Rider and Sport Bike Courses: TCLOCS: Tire and wheels, Controls, Lights, Oil and other fluids, Chassis, and to make sure your side Stand (kickstand) 

is tight. T-CLOCS? CHECK! I was ready to ride.

My fellow rider and I pulled up to the meeting place at the 

same time. The timing was perfect. We parked, dismounted 

from our bikes, and planned out the route for the afternoon. I 

called up a few more of my buddies and asked if they wanted 

to go out for a ride as well. Of course they did! It was the first 

nice day we’d had in a long time. I checked a few text messages on my phone and one read, “Tasha, park your bike. It’s 

starting to get windy out here.” 

It wasn’t windy where I was at the moment, so I ignored the text.

We met up with a few more riders and began the route 

Rob had planned for us. During the ride, I noticed the wind 

picked up a bit, but it was not bad enough to make me 

uneasy. We rode all the way out to Pungo, 40 miles south 

of Virginia Beach, and the ride was beautiful. The sun, 

the pretty blue sky, and the miles and miles of open fields. 

How could a biker not enjoy this ride? 

But then the wind really started to pick up, so we reluctantly decided to head back. It was a little too late.

I WAS NAVIGATING A CURVE while riding about 45 or 50 

miles per hour. As I leaned into the turn, the wind blew me 

up into a straight forward position. I lost control, closed my 

eyes, and waited for the inevitable. I don’t remember anything after that. One of the riders behind me later told me 

that once I lost control of my motorcycle it flipped about 

four or five times within 50 feet while I was still holding on to the handle bars. At some point, the motorcycle 

launched me off an additional 30 feet, and I came to rest in 

a ditch two feet from a light pole.

When my friend got to me, he thought I must be dead. 

There was no way I could have survived the thrashing that 

I took during the crash. He said he sat by my side for about 

three minutes and I was non-responsive. During my out-ofbody experience, I heard his voice, “Lil Sis! Are you ok?” 

All I could say was, “Where is my bike?” 

He responded, “Don’t worry about your bike. It is not 

going to be running for a long time.”

I was in serious pain, but if I had not been wearing 

my proper PPE I would not be here now to tell my story. 

My helmet saved my life. I’ll take the bruises, the scratches, the torn muscle, the fluid between my skin tissue and 

muscle, the dislocated ligaments in my shoulder, and the 

physical therapy three days a week. Without PPE I would 

be paralyzed or brain dead and my little girl would have 

been left behind without a mother. Good day to ride, 

right? Wrong!

I learned a few lessons as a result of the accident: 

Perform T-CLOCS, wear your PPE (it will save your life!), 

consider all environmental factors, and always ride in 

groups. 

GONE WITH THE WIND

Spring 2011 Smart Ride 11


The Grand Prix De Espana, second race of the MOTOCP Motorcycle Championship and first 

race of the European season, was extra special for several Sailors and Airmen from Naval Station 

Rota, Spain. Race participant and two-time World Superbike Champion and MOTOGP star Colin 

Edwards granted pit and paddock passes to them as a way to say thanks for their service.

He wanted to meet the troops and give them an up-close experience. He spent plenty 

of time with the service members and motorcycle aficionados, swapping stories, signing autographs, and posing for pictures.

“You cannot get any closer to the action as a spectator,” said UT1(SCW) Clinton Waldorf.

Sunday, April 3, 2011 was race day, and it was rainy – not what the riders had practiced 

for all weekend. Waldorf said the change in conditions made for exciting racing for fans.

“There were multiple crashes during the race, making it a battle of attrition,” he said.

Edwards set himself up well, and looked to take third place going into the last lap. Unfortunately, his fuel pump failed in turn one, and he didn’t finish the race.

“This is how cruel racing can be,” said Waldorf, who is an avid track rider himself.

Nonetheless, it was a weekend to remember for Waldorf and the other Sailors and Airmen who got to meet one of the best in the sport.

From left to right in the photo are: AO2 Michele Roden, UT1 Clinton Waldorf, Air Force TSGT 

Edward Bates, Colin Edwards, UT1 Eric Gonzalez, HM2 Holly Skeen, and MM2 Patrick Atwood.

14 Smart Ride Spring 2011

Superbike Champ Thanks the Troops
BY DON BORKOSKI

ou want a smooth ride, but instead, you 

feel every bump, crack, pot-hole and rock! 

Shouldn’t the suspension absorb more of 

that rough ride? Your arms get tired from 

fighting your motorcycle, even on the 

smooth roads. 

Sound like you? Don’t worry. There is a cure for some 

of your riding ailment, and it doesn’t cost a thing! That’s 

right, the problem isn’t your bike, it’s you. You likely have 

something called “stiff arm syndrome.” You got it; all this 

time the faulty component on your machine was the “engineering nullifier hanging on to the handlebars.” YOU! So 

what is the treatment? 

Loosen Up!

That’s all there is to it. Loosen your grip and relax your 

arms, especially on the bumpy roads. Yes, your natural reaction is to hold on tighter as more and more road bumps feel 

like they are trying to fight you. Or maybe you think something is wrong with the bike, because even when you are 

holding on that tight, the problem seems to get worse.

Well, it will get worse if your arms are stiff. The tighter 

you hold on, the more you are fighting the motorcycle from 

making the hundreds of minute corrections it was designed 

to make. 

Your motorcycle is an engineering marvel. At least five 

things affect your bike’s ability to absorb and correct for 

road surface irregularities. Four are engineered into the 

machine, and the fifth is the most unreliable, but most correctable system. 

1. Front End Rake-The rake (caster) on your fork 

helps keep your bike riding straight. Because of this steering stabilizing rake, every time you hit bumps, even in 

turns, the wheel may turn slightly but will return to its 

center balanced position because the rake makes the wheel 

want to stay straight. The more rake, the more stable the 

bike will be. Keep in mind that more stable means more 

input is required to turn. 

2. The suspension system-Your suspension system 

is made up of shocks. A shock is an input (bump or hole) 

dampening system made up of two major components. 1. 

Large weight bearing springs stretch to fill holes in the 

road and compress on bumps and rocks. 2. Dampeners 

are hydraulic cylinders that work with the springs to keep 

them from overshooting center. When a spring overshoots the center at decreasing amplitudes, 

it’s called the pogo effect. The Dampeners 

reduce the pogo effect by internally leaking 

at an adjusted rate. That dampening effect 

takes place in both directions of movement. 

When the shock is returning from being over 

extended, it is called compression. When the 

shock is returning from being compressed 

back to center, the state it is called rebound. On many 

motorcycles, especially sport bikes, there are adjustments 

for both. In simple terms, your shocks move up and down 

to compensate for the road irregularities.

3. The steering system-Steering, independent of the 

rake or suspension system, also corrects for irregularities 

in the road surface. On a large scale, you can steer away 

from big bumps or holes in the road. On a smaller scale, 

the handlebars steer a little each time you hit road irregularities. This affect is even greater the more lean angle 

you have on the bike. (Note: some motorcycles, primarily 

sport bikes, have steering dampeners. These dampeners 

are needed to compensate for the lack of rake on the front 

forks. With so little rake, the steering overcompensates 

and can cause wobble.)

4. Tires system-Tires are less noticeable because they 

are so obvious. The tire acts exactly like an independent 

suspension system. The rubber acts as the dampener and 

the air in the tires acts as the spring. Additionally, the traction the rubber provides on the surface controls the tires’ 

movement through steering. If you have ever ridden on a 

bicycle with solid tires (no air) you know exactly what we’re 

talking about. On a solid tire, you feel every bump and the 

over-responsive steering can provide for a pretty wild ride.

5. The nut behind the handlebars-The most variable component on your bike that influences the ability 

to correct for road surface irregularities is you, the guy 

or gal behind the handlebars. The engineering features 

included in items one through four can be overcome simply by you preventing the machine from making millions 

of minute corrections. You are fighting your motorcycle if 

you are holding on too tightly and not allowing the corrections to take place.

From now on, let the bike work for you. Remember 

that your job is to control the direction and speed of the 

bike. Let your bike do its job of making all of those road 

irregularity corrections. You simply need to loosen up! 

Loosen Up!

Spring 2011 Smart Ride 15
Installing a Headlight 

Modulator for Safety

ecently, I decided to add a headlight modulator to my bike. For those not aware of this 

technology, a headlight modulator is installed in the power supply to your headlight 

and makes the intensity of the light fluctuate 

during daylight hours.

WHY?

The reason to install a modulator is that it increases 

the visibility of the bike to car drivers. Having your headlights on during the day used to mean you were either a 

motorcycle, or in a funeral procession. Since the advent 

of daytime running lights on cars, the single motorcycle 

headlight does not stand out like it once did. The modulator is a game changer in this area. This device improves 

visibility any time the motorist has a frontal view of the 

motorcycle – for instance, the driver in oncoming traffic who is making a left hand turn, a driver pulling into 

traffic, or a driver moving in the same direction who may 

potentially change lanes into the path of a motorcycle. In 

the latter situation, riders should consider a lane position 

that maximizes the motorists’ probability of seeing the 

headlight in their side mirrors. 

LEGAL

Modulators are a legal lighting accessory in all 50 

states. While it may appear that they are alternating between high and low beam, they are actually only alternating the intensity between about half to full intensity of the 

high or low beam setting. 

DAYTIME USE ONLY

There are different features and configurations that 

are offered with modulators. All modulators include a 

photocell that turns the modulation feature off at dusk, 

which is a DOT requirement. You cannot change the setting 

of the photocell but can influence its operation by where 

you place it on the motorcycle. The instructions for mine 

recommended placement in a position pointing downward 

to protect the cell from the elements. I installed it pointing 

downward in the cowl above the speedometer/tachometer 

cluster. Because it does not receive direct sunlight, it turns 

modulation off earlier than if it were aimed at the sky.

OTHER FEATURES

Another feature the user can control is whether the 

modulation operates on high beam, low beam, or both. 

I set mine to both, which means during daylight, the 

headlight modulates regardless of whether the beam 

is set on high or low. Some riders may prefer to limit 

modulation to the low beam only or high beam only. My 

modulator allows the rider to toggle the modulation on 

or off by rapidly switching between high and low beam, 

returning the headlight to non-modulated operation. 

This feature is helpful if you need to aim the headlight 

or measure its normal operating intensity. Another feature is an interconnection to the bike’s horn that causes 

a rapid modulation of the light when the horn button is 

pressed. 

WHAT MOTORISTS SEE

The advertising and literature on modulators do not 

hype this aspect, but I believe one characteristic of headlight modulation that helps get the attention of motorists 

is that it mimics the modulation of headlights installed on 

many law enforcement vehicles. The fluctuating intenBY PETE HILL, CMC Safety Division Safety Engineer

16 Smart Ride Spring 2011
EASY TO INSTALL

Installation is a fairly easy process for the rider, and 

step by step instructions are included. If you do not want 

a certain feature (like the horn-triggered modulation or 

high beam modulation) you simply do not connect those 

wires. Some modulators are larger than others. My unit 

is about the size of a matchbox with six twelve-inch wire 

leads. I mounted it up and under the console cover of my 

Pacific Coast 800. I did the installation in conjunction 

with replacing the windshield. Getting behind the plastic can be a challenge. Cruiser riders may want to select 

smaller modules if they want to install them inside the 

headlight housing. 

sity gets the motorist’s attention and the first association 

may be that there is law enforcement following. It may 

prompt him or her to put down the Big Mac and hang up 

the phone. Regardless, anything that helps motorists see a 

bike is a good thing.

COST

The module I bought costs about $60. These can be 

obtained on the internet or from your local bike shop. Bike 

shops may charge $100 or more to install, depending on 

the size and complexity of the hookup. Soldering connections costs more in labor but is preferred over using crimp 

connections that come with the kit. 

U.S. Navy photo.

Spring 2011 Smart Ride 17
o you’re going on deployment. While you’re 

probably excited about the opportunity to hit 

some interesting ports and hone your job skills, 

there’s one big downer: No motorcycle.

Well, there’s not much that can be done about 

that, but there are some things you can do prior to leaving to 

make sure your bike is good to go when you return.

Change your engine oil and oil filter

Old oil can trap contaminants, acids, and unburned 

fuels which can all become harmful to your engine. Also, 

this will be one less thing you have to do when you get 

home and want to ride!

Fuel

The ingredients that make up gasoline are not what 

they used to be. Before additives such as ethanol were 

introduced, gasoline remained relatively stable for a long 

period of time. Not so today. Modern fuel begins to break 

down in about six to eight weeks. To counter this, put 

in an appropriate amount of name-brand fuel stabilizer 

(based on the amount of fuel left in the tank). It is recommended that you keep your tank full to avoid rust. Make 

sure to run the engine long enough so that treated fuel 

works its way down through the carburetors or fuel injectors. Place the fuel cut-off valve (if your bike has one) to 

the “off” position and run the bike until it shuts itself off. 

This burns off all the fuel in the carburetors so they aren’t 

full of gas while you’re gone.

Engine

Remove the spark plugs and place no more than a 

tablespoon of oil into each engine cylinder. Then turn the 

engine over a few times with the starter to distribute the 

oil. This helps keep the cylinder walls and associated internal engine parts coated with a layer of oil to prevent rust 

build-up. Another option is to use an engine fogging oil 

which performs the same function. Once completed, install 

a new set of spark plugs.

This is also a good time to check and top off your engine coolant if you have a liquid-cooled motorcycle.

Tires

Thoroughly check out your tires. Is there any cracking, weather aging, or other damage? Is there enough 

tread left on them? If not, now is a good time to replace 

those worn out tires. If they are good, inflate them to the 

manufacturer’s suggested maximum pressure. This helps 

keep them rounded out while you’re gone and will minimize any flat spots.

Next, try to jack the bike up so that the tires are off the 

ground. This may not be possible, unless you have a center 

stand or a couple of tire stands for each tire. If you can do 

it, this also helps minimize flat spots on the tires. Ensure 

that your bike is properly secured so it doesn’t fall over 

while in storage.

If you can’t safely get the tires off the ground for storage, don’t worry too much about it. Just make sure to ride 

conservatively for the first few miles when you return and 

get back on the road.

Chain, belt, and shaft drive preparation

Chain Drive – Check your chain to ensure that it’s not 

stretched, kinked, or rusted. Also inspect the condition of 

the sprockets to verify the teeth aren’t bent or thin (pointed). If they are, replace with the appropriate size. Once 

completed, clean, lube, and adjust the chain to the manufacturer’s requirements.

Belt Drive – Inspect the belt to make sure it’s not frayed 

or showing signs of wear. If it is, it’s time to replace it.

Shaft Drive – Check the seals to ensure they aren’t 

leaking. It’s also a good time to change the gear lube if 

time or mileage suggests (per the owner’s manual).

Battery

This item is probably one of the most overlooked parts 

of your bike. Your battery will work for years without a 

problem if taken care of properly.

Storage for your battery is simple; pull it out of the 

bike and, if possible, check and correct the electrolyte 

levels as needed. Hook it up to a trickle charger that will 

supply the correct amps to the battery throughout storage. 

However, for long-term battery storage, do not use a conStoring Your Bike

for Deployment

BY RON FOX

CFPS Instructor, Commander, Navy Region Northwest

18 Smart Ride Spring 2011
stant charging system as they will overcharge (overheat) 

and will cause damage to the battery. Place the battery and 

charger in a ventilated area to avoid any build-up of fumes 

or gasses.

Clean/Wash/Wax

A proper wash and detail should be next on your list. Remove any body panels, saddlebags, and fairings that you can. 

A good rule of thumb is “If you can see or touch it – Clean it!” 

Cleaning chrome and painted parts tends to extend the luster. While you’re doing it, you can check hoses, wires, or any 

other connections that might need attention.

Once cleaned, there’s a vast array of chemicals, waxes, 

and protectants available to keep your bike protected during the time it’s in storage. The time spent on cleaning 

helps in a couple of ways:

• You’ll find any hoses or connections that could be 

compromised before they malfunction on the road.

• Your bike will come out of storage ready to ride, both 

mechanically and cosmetically.

Cover it up

Last but definitely not least, to protect your bike from 

the elements, use a model/style-specific cover. Motorcycles 

that are stored in a garage and under a cover will have 

the best chance at withstanding the elements while you’re 

deployed. Leaving a motorcycle outdoors and unprotected 

will likely cause rust, rubber cracking, and oxidation. Before putting that cover on, spray your bike’s exhaust liberally with a protective coating such as WD-40. This will displace any condensation. Then put a cover on the end of the 

exhaust tip, such as a plastic bag, to help keep moisture 

and small creatures out.

These tips will help keep your bike healthy while 

you’re hard at work on deployment. Just remember, when 

you finally get back and get ready to fire it up, make sure 

you perform a thorough T-CLOCS pre-ride check before 

operating. Also, take it easy out there on your first ride. 

While your bike should be fine, your skills might have gotten a little rusty while you were gone.

See ya on the road! 

Spring 2011 Smart Ride 19
e’ve all had to sit through Safety Stand 

Downs and many of us have been the 

subject of ridicule because we choose 

to ride motorcycles. And we’ve all 

heard the clichés: Dress for the crash not for the ride. 

There are only two kinds of motorcyclists: those that 

have crashed and those who are going to crash. Well 

there’s a certain amount of truth to the clichés and 

those of us that choose to ride have a responsibility to 

do our part to break the mold and not become statistics. 

20 Smart Ride Spring 2011
Tuesday January 5, 2010 began just like any other workday for me. I woke up and 

went about my morning routine to meet my number one priority, which was to be on 

the I-5 heading south to MCAS Miramar from MCB Camp Pendleton prior to 0545. The 

reason for this is simple; if you miss the “window” for being on the I-5, traffic builds 

exponentially and your commute time is significantly increased. However, this was to 

be no ordinary Tuesday morning. I was about to become the first Marine Corps motorcycle safety statistic of 2010. 

My jaunt down the I-5 to the 805 East was uneventful with light to moderate traffic. I exited onto Miramar Road and the traffic was unusually light. It wasn’t until I 

was less than a mile from MCAS Miramar’s East gate that things got interesting. 

I was the third vehicle in line in the center lane stopped at the intersection of Miramar Road and Camino Sante Fe Road waiting for the light to turn green. Once the 

light changed, traffic proceeded through the intersection and I decided to shift from 

the center lane to the left hand lane. I checked my mirrors, turned on my turn signals, 

and performed a head check to ensure there wasn’t a vehicle in my blind spot. The 

coast was clear so I proceeded to make my lane change. Shortly after I changed lanes 

I felt a slight pressure on the back of my left arm as if someone were grabbing me. I 

started to turn my head to the left when all of the sudden my handle bars jerked violently to the full locked right position. A split second later, I was flying through the air 

trying to figure out what went wrong. 

The next thing I knew I was sliding down the road on my back, watching sparks 

flicker off my “baby,” (that’s what I call my bike), trying to figure out how to get out of 

the way of the vehicle that was bearing down on me, and thinking that when I got run 

over it was really going to hurt! 

I got lucky. The vehicle bearing down on me, a Jeep Grand Cherokee, evaded me by 

driving over the left side quarter panel of the car in the center lane to his immediate right.

Once I stopped sliding, I jumped up and got off the road to assess myself. Shocked 

onlookers tried to get me to sit down, but my only concern was getting my baby off 

the road out of further harm’s way. Thankfully, the Marine that I collided with helped 

me get my bike to the side of the road where we waited for the police.

So what went wrong? In short, two vehicles tried to occupy the same piece of 

pavement at the same time, which didn’t work out so well and we collided. The driver 

of the Jeep’s story was similar to mine except that he was far enough behind the group 

of traffic I was in that he never had to stop for the red light. He saw the same open 

lane I did and proceeded into it just like I did. From my perspective, I think he simply 

didn’t see me. That is often the case in crashes that are the fault of the four-wheel opSpring 2011 Smart Ride 21
erator. Of course, there is the other possibility that I failed 

to see him and that I rode into him causing the crash. The 

accident investigation ruled us both equally liable. Admittedly, I was riding with my guard down because of the 

light traffic and my complacency was most likely a contributing factor in this crash.

fter the police released us from the scene of the 

accident, I rode my battered motorcycle into 

work, garnering strange looks from the gate 

guard as I entered the base. Then I informed 

my chain of command and went to medical to get checked 

out. Once I returned to work with a relatively clean bill 

of health, the phone calls and emails started. You see, I 

wasn’t supposed to have a motorcycle crash. At the time 

I was 39 years old with 30 years of riding under my belt. 

I’ve attended the MSF’s Basic Rider Course (BRC), the Experienced Rider Course (ERC), the Military Sportbike Rider 

Course (MSRC), The Dirt Bike Rider Course as well as the 

ATV Safety Course. Oh yeah, I’m a certified MSF Rider 

coach for the BRC, ERC and the MSRC courses. It was incomprehensible to others that someone as “qualified” as 

I was to ride a motorcycle could be involved in any type 

of motorcycle altercation. The reality of my mishap is that 

training and experience will not prevent all crashes but it 

can stack the odds in your favor. 

All in all my injuries were relatively minor compared 

to what could have happened; I most likely would have 

died if I had been run over! I was fortunate. I received a 

small abrasion on my left forearm caused by friction between my long sleeved shirt and the liner of my leather 

jacket. I had a bruised left heel caused by the right rear 

wheel of the Jeep driving up onto my left floor board which 

pressed my heel into my shifter and left engine case. Lastly, I had a massive bruise on my left hip/ thigh, measuring 

roughly 9 inches by 5 inches, sustained when I impacted 

the road. My baby, a 2005 Harley Fatboy, needed all of its 

sheet metal minus the tank replaced, plus other odds and 

ins totaling a little over $5,000. My new helmet, which 

only had 90 miles worth of ride time, was destroyed. My 

leather jacket, leather boots, leather gloves and chaps took 

the brunt of the fall and sustained only minor abrasions. 

Thank goodness for great gear!

THE BOTTOM LINE is that there is a steep learning curve involved with motorcycle riding and those of us who choose 

to ride must take responsibility for ourselves. We can do 

this by getting educated through rider’s courses and taking 

refresher courses from time to time; you might learn something new or break a bad habit that you have developed. 

Ride a motorcycle the fits you as well as your skill level. 

Don’t let others persuade you to ride beyond your comfort 

zone. If you feel the desire to push the limits, take it to the 

track. There you’ll be able to legally push the boundaries 

in a closed course environment with medical personnel on 

sight should they be needed. Always wear your PPE: (1) DOT/ 

SNELL rated helmet, (2) eye encapsulating shatter resistant 

glasses or face shield, (3) riding jacket, (4) full-fingered riding gloves and (5) over-the-ankle riding boots. Perform a pre 

ride check of yourself, making sure you’re mentally prepared 

to ride, of your PPE, ensuring that it is serviceable, and of 

your motorcycle, (remember T-CLOCS). Don’t ride distracted. 

Never ride complacent as I did. And never ride impaired by 

alcohol or other mind altering drugs.

My intentions here were not to get philosophical; they 

were to try to convey the lessons relearned from my accident and 30+ years of experience. There are inherent risks 

involved in riding a motorcycle and we’re all vulnerable, 

although we can mitigate the risks through education and 

training. Wear your PPE, but don’t just wear it because 

you have to. Wear it because it has a purpose; it helps to 

lessen the severity of injuries and it has the ability to save 

your life. No it won’t prevent all injuries or death but it will 

drastically reduce the severity of most injuries. Helmets in 

particular are the most important piece of PPE we can wear. 

Treat it as if your life depends upon it because it does!

Master Sergeant Potts is currently serving as the Avionics Chief at HMLA 469, MAG 3, MCAS Camp Pendleton. 

22 Smart Ride Spring 2011
BY UT1 (SCW) CLINTON WALDORF, 

SmartRide Fleet Editor

n March I attended the two-day Yamaha Champions Riding School (YCRS) at Las Vegas Motor 

Speedway. This course is led by Nick Ienatch, 

who formerly instructed at Freddie Spencer’s riding school and assisted the Navy, Marine Corps 

and Motorcycle Safety Foundation in creating the Military 

Sportbike Rider Course. Nick is a highly renowned sport 

riding expert and is the author of Sport Riding Techniques. 

I knew this was going to be some good training.

My purpose for attending was to improve my skills 

and become a better, safer, and faster rider. Whether you’re 

an avid rider, occasional track day guy, or just a weekend 

warrior, I believe every rider will get something valuable 

from this type of training. More than that, I think everyone should attend a course like this. If you were a golfer 

and wanted to improve your swing, wouldn’t you seek out 

a local professional for help? This is exactly what I did for 

my motorcycle riding skills and I am glad I did. Money 

well spent

YCRS is kept to small numbers of 10 to 12 students. 

This keeps instructor-to-student ratios very low, allowing 

for plenty of one-on-one time and feedback from instructors. There was a mixed level of experience, including a 

first time track rider, repeat students, amateur racers, the 

owner of Silver Star Clothing Company, and even ESPN 

X-games BMX Gold Medalist Chad Kagy. 

At the course, students ride the latest Yamaha R6 and 

R6Rs and groups are separated based on experience level. 

Since I had a handful of track days under my belt, I fell into 

the medium-to-faster paced group. I was comfortable with 

this pace and on occasion, I had to push to keep up with the 

faster riders of the group and the instructor’s pace. 

DAY 1

We started in the classroom with introductions and 

then got right to business. We covered braking, reading the 

circuit and types of corners, levels of risk, non-negotiables 

(more on that in a sec) and more braking. 

By the way, if you don’t get a bite to eat at the hotel, 

YCRS will have a spread laid out for you, with food and 

drinks and a hot lunch. If you don’t have your own leathers 

and gear you can rent the latest Alpinestars gear from the 

school. This is especially helpful if you are flying into Las Vegas and want to save some space and weight in the luggage. 

After the classroom brief, students and Nick packed 

into the passenger van for a few laps on the Las Vegas Infield Circuit. Nick spent plenty time explaining each corner 

in detail: early apex, late apex, entry, exit and getting the 

motorcycle pointed for what is next. 

“Non-negotiables” were discussed as well. What are they, 

you ask? These are the basics that form your riding foundation: items that do not change and things you must or must 

not do. One example is being smooth on the controls. You 

cannot be jerky in your use of controls; this is non-negotiable.

Photo courtesy of UT1 (SCW) Clinton Waldorf

Spring 2011 Smart Ride 23
With each lap in the van, the driver increased the speed of 

the over-loaded passenger van and demonstrated the braking 

and line that is required. It’s important to know the circuit.

We exited the van at one of the last corners of the circuit, while one of Nick’s instructors rode a few easy laps on 

his Yamaha to warm his tires. Nick took the opportunity to 

give us a lesson on braking. Were you taught never to use 

the brakes while cornering? I was, and this was all about 

to change. He also taught us about trail braking. YCRS 

motorcycles’ brake lights are kept functional to show you 

how far it is possible to brake in corners (trail braking). 

Students were standing just off the track while instructors 

were cornering a few feet in front of us—giving the lesson 

of a lifetime in trail braking. Many drills were conducted 

based on trail braking and other braking techniques and 

we learned a ton about improving one of the motorcycle’s 

most critical—if not the most critical—controls. 

I will not tell all the secrets of Nick’s school, because 

it really has to be experienced. However, I will say this: 

“Braking, braking and more braking.”

Brakes are a multi-positional control, and not just an 

on or off switch. When used correctly, you are not only 

able to adjust your speed, but you also have the ability 

to change the motorcycle’s geometry and create a bettersteering bike. For example, does your front end dip when 

you apply front brakes? This changes the geometry of your 

motorcycle to a more easily turning machine. When coming 

to a stop, does your front end dip dramatically and then 

rebound back? If so, you aren’t controlling your brakes 

well. You should have some front end dipping of course, 

but it should return smoothly. This is practiced each time 

you bring your motorcycle to a stop. 

We put all this and more to the test with day-one drills. 

A fantastic drill that we worked on was called the “pointy 

end of the cone.” In several corners of the circuit, instructors placed a traffic cone on its side. We had to adjust our 

motorcycle in mid-corner, including steering, braking, and 

lean angle, to negotiate to the pointy side of the cone and 

then exit the corner to the next challenge. The key to this 

drill is looking well ahead in the corner. What makes this 

drill so effective is that the instructors were standing offtrack observing our skills, and moving the cone each lap. 

We never got the same scenario twice, which forced us to 

constantly adjust to each corner.

To brake and clutch with four fingers or two? That is the 

question. Many of us are taught to brake and clutch with 

four, but all you really need is two. You have far better control and feeling when using two fingers on the brakes, with 

the other two still in control of the throttle. When clutching, 

you really only need a small amount of lever pull to unload 

the engine to up-shift. On the down-shift the two fingers 

provide added control on the left bar and again more precise 

control than four fingers. This is something that definitely 

takes some getting used to and a lot of practice. 

Body positioning, and hanging off the bike is also covered. This is where the mantra “Look GP to Ride GP” comes 

in. Hanging off the bike decreases the motorcycle’s lean 

angle in a corner. This is necessary to increase your lap 

times on a track and proven by the pros to work. However, 

motorcycle lean angle also decreases grip and increases 

your risk. You want to decrease your risk, yet remain fast. 

Many riders may get their lower body off the bike or their 

knee down, and increased lean angle and may not even be 

necessary. This is increasing the risk! Learning and practicing correct body position will definitely decrease your risk 

and increase your fun.

Ever two-up ride with an instructor? This is an amazing 

learning tool. During most of the day, I struggled with heavy 

braking, as do many riders, learning how hard I can actually 

brake. Riding with instructor Ken Hill for a lap as a passenger made me realize the bike can brake much harder than I 

had ever realized. It felt like I was on the edge of going over 

the front, yet in full control of the motorcycle.

“What’s next?” is another constant mantra. Successful riders need to be looking and thinking in this manner 

constantly – in each corner entry, apex and exit. Everything 

24 Smart Ride Spring 2011
you do on the bike requires thinking several steps ahead. 

What next? Where do I need to put the bike for the entry, 

then to the apex and then pointed out of the corner to the 

next corner. This is repeated to you constantly and asked of 

you routinely from Nick and staff. “What’s next Clinton?”

DAY 2

We moved from the infield course to the Las Vegas 

Classic Course that is outside the oval. Again we spent a 

few laps in the van with Nick to learn the new course. Using what Nick taught us in day one, this was easily accomplished. Then we were on the bikes to take a few sighting 

laps and warm our tires. 

We spent the first day concentrating on the use of our 

front brakes. Day two we practiced a drill of using only 

the rear brakes for a few laps and it can be done—not as 

fast but it can be done—again concentrating on controlling the brakes.

Ever take your left hand off the steering wheel while 

cornering? Not on the streets I hope. I have only seen this 

done by the pros and now the instructors showed us how 

it’s done and told us we were going to do it ourselves. My 

first thought was “no way.” However, it wasn’t done to look 

cool, but to teach us control. Once the motorcycle is pointed and turned in the corner, and as long as you maintain a 

consistent throttle, you can do this. At first I barely let go 

of the left grip. After a few laps practicing this skill, I was 

pointing to the apex cones like the instructors and smiling 

from ear to ear in my helmet. 

Next we got to follow the instructors around the 

course, but they were not taking the racing lines. They 

would ride erratically, braking and turning in early, running wide in corners, and many other scenarios to see if 

we would follow them or keep the correct lines. This was 

a highly effective drill for concentrating on the correct 

lines. It’s excellent for street riders, teaching them not to 

get sucked into mistakes that other riders make in front 

of them. 

After that, we got off the bike for a lesson in one of the 

corners. We watched Ken Hill demonstrate incorrect braking and cornering and were asked to identify the problem. 

Late braking, early braking, running wide, abrupt throttle 

control—many different scenarios were demonstrated. 

Now, what to do to correct them? As a group we discussed 

what we learned and how to apply the skills to correct 

these problems. These up close and personal demonstrations made the learning far more effective. 

My favorite drill of Day two was a braking competition. Students lined their motorcycles at the top of a small 

hill. While in neutral, we coasted the bike until we reached 

a braking marker and there we applied the brakes. Whoever 

can keep the brake light on and coast the furthest wins! This 

teaches you the fine art of braking, how little you can apply 

your brakes and what a useful tool your brakes can be. 

Right now, you may be thinking to yourself, “I am not 

a track day rider and this training pertains to the track.” I 

disagree. Where are the majority of crashes on the street? 

In corners right? What if you could train yourself to adjust 

mid-corner effectively and safely? This is a huge benefit 

to any motorcycle rider. To accurately control braking and 

use this as tool to adjust speed and bike geometry, makes 

the motorcycle turn more effectively and gives any rider 

an advantage on the track or the street. If you think the 

latest exhaust or a new ECU is going to make you a faster 

or better rider, try spending the money on the best training 

instead. For the cost of the latest upgrades that will only 

last a few a years, you can invest in training and knowledge from the Yamaha School or other reputable course. 

For any rider, this knowledge is an investment in skills for 

a lifetime of riding safely and improvement.